come the Kingdom of our God which is explained by the next Words The Power of his Christ his effectual Reigning whereby he shews his Power in the Church more than ever We have not yet seen the Consequences of the Seventh Angel's Sounding when it was proclaim'd with a loud Voice from Heaven The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever Rev. 11. 15. which in v. 17. is call'd his taking to him his great Power and his Reigning Which gives us to understand that he doth not at first exert his great Power in the Evangelical Dispensation he doth not fully Reign but that he will afterwards and upon Earth This is taking to him his c. There is one Text more which I will add and I request the Reader to consider of it He i. e. Christ must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. The Apostle had mention'd the Resurrection of the Saints at Christ's last coming v. 23. and thereupon adds in the next Verse then cometh or then is the end viz. of this World and Present State of things when he that is Christ shall have deliver'd up the Kingdom the Saints who are the chiefest part of his Kingdom to God even the Father when i. e. after he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power which oppose him and his Kingdom For he must Reign i. e. in his Church till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet Now it is plain and undeniable that this time is not yet come therefore it shall be hereafter There must be a time here on Earth when Christ shall have put all his Enemies under his Feet when he shall Reign without opposition And this is the time I am speaking of viz. the Third Exertment of the Evangelical Dispensation But the most Signal Eminent and Renowned Place on which may be Founded and Built the Future Glorious State of the Christian Church on Earth is the 20th Chapter of the Revelation where is expresly foretold the Binding of Satan a Thousand Years and the Saints Living and Reigning with Christ a Thousand Years I know full well this Chapter hath been miserably perverted not only of late but at the first setting out of Christianity Some from this place asserted a Terrene Millennary Kingdom of Christ consisting chiefly in Corporal Pleasures and Carnal Delights as if they design'd to revive the Epicurean Happiness or to antedate the Mahometan Heaven Cerinthus is said to be the Author of this Opinion for being a Man addicted to Sensuality and Pleasure he founded an Happiness here on Earth of such a Nature viz. abounding with all Delights relating to Meats and Drinks Concupiscence and Effeminacy So saith an Antient Ecclesiastical Writer Dionysius of Alexandria 1. 2. de Promis And Eusebius saith the same Eccl. Hist. 1. 7. c. 19. But this savours too much of the Flesh besides that it contradicts our Saviour who said His Kingdom was not of this World John 18. 36. and consequently the Reigning of the Saints is not Worldly and Sensual but Spiritual and Heavenly And besides these Men held that this Reign of Christ here on Earth was to be after the Resurrection yea and after the last Iudgment which renders this Opinion yet more Improbable if not Absurd as if the Saints who had enjoy'd the Pleasures of Heaven would count it a Happiness to be entertain'd with those that are Sensual and Carnal There were Others of Old who had a more Tolerable Notion of the Millennary Reign for they placed it not in Sensual and Earthly Pleasures and mere outward Peace and Prosperity though they held it was not without these There Opinion in short was this that after Six Thousand Years in this World were compleated the Saints should all rise their Bodies should ascend out of their Graves or where ever else they were and their Souls should come down from Heaven and Christ also should descend from thence and keep a Jubile with them and Reign with great joy a Thousand Years here upon Earth and that all Kingdoms should be made subject to him and that the Righteous should be Bless'd with an abundance of the Good Things of this World but without any Intemperance Excess or Immoderation whatsoever This they call'd the First Resurrection from which all the Ungodly are excluded After this Seventh Millennary of Years is compleated all Men shall rise from the Dead which is the Second Resurrection This was the Sentiment of most of the Ancient Fathers yea of all Christians who were accounted Orthodox as Iustin Martyr acquaints us He and Irenaeus and Ierom and others tell us that this Doctrine came first from Papias Bishop of Hierapolis who pretended he had it from St. Iohn whose Scholar he was and from the Disciples of the Apostles with whom he was acquainted So that the Pedegree of the Millennary Opinion is this It was first broach'd by Cerinthus then reâ—ined by Papias and others and afterwards transmitted to the Latin and Greek Fathers Or if we will be more exact in the Lineage and Descent of it we must begin it higher and say that the Apostles set it on foot first for they dreamt of an Earthly Kingdom of Christ in this World as I have shewed before Or rather we may trace it up to the Iews before Christ the Millennium was borrowed from an Antient Tradition and Perswasion among that People that the Messias should Reign a Thousand Years on Earth in all Pomp and Grandure The Babylon Talmud in Sanhedrim in the Chapter Helek doth shew this to be the Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors about the Days of the Messias And Aruch mentions it as a thing of undeniable certainty and so speaks R. Eliâ—zer in Midrash Tillim The Days of the Messias are a Thousand Years So our Learned Lightfoot The Opinion of his Personal Reign in the affluence of all Sensual and Worldly Delights was an old Iewish Error saith St. Ierom once and again And several other Writers testifie that it was a received Notion among them That the Messias after Six Thousand Years of the World were expired should Reign in Person all the time of the next Millennary with his Elect on Earth in perfect Peace and Prosperity and hence the Christians converted from Iudaism borrow'd and retain'd this Notion And truly it was kept up a long time in the Church it was almost universally believ'd no less than the first Three Hundred Years after the Apostles At last the credit of Papias who was thought to be the first Broacher of this Doctrine was call'd in question Though he was a Man oâ— great Simplicity Honesty and Integrity yet he was one of small Judgment and mean Learning saith Eusebius And he adds in another place that this Papias spoke Strange and Fabulous things and did not understand the Apostles Arguings St. Ierom and St. Augustin
the Truth of Christianity Particular Inferences from this part of the Discourse viz. 1. Assent to the Christian Religion 2. Assert and defend it More General Inferences from the whole Christian Dispensation are such as these 1. Admire the transcendent Excellency of it 2. Be thankful for it 3. Learn hence our great obligation to Holiness and strictness of Life This enlarg'd upon 4. If we live not sutably to this Dispensation our doom will be more intolerable than that of others under the foregoing Oâ—conomies It appears from the general behaviour of Men that this is not thought of 5. We are to look upon this as the last Dispensation This is the meaning of Eph. 1. 10. which Words are fully expounded This is infer'd from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament And from those Expressions the last times the last days Wherefore we must not expect any New Dispensation Fourthly THE wonderful prevailing of Christianity is another Testimony no less than Divine of the Truth of it Observe the marvelous spreading and increasing of it at first Christ began with twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples after his Death the number of the Names of the Disciples is said to be about a Hundred and Twenty Acts 1. 15. Soon after three Thousand were converted to Christianity Acts 2. 41. and afterwards five Thousand more Acts 4. 4. Then we read that a great Company of the Priests were obedient to the Faith Acts 6. 7. And of honourable Women not a few believed Acts 17. 12. And several more at other times till Christianity in a short space of time got a considerable footing in the World The elder Pliny who was Proconful under the Emperour Trajan and therefore knew very well upon diligent enquiry the numbers of the Christians at that time acquaints us that even then which was less than fourscore Years after Christ's Passion that Multitudes of all Ages and Orders and of both Sexes embraced the Christian Religion and that not only Cities but Country-Towns and Villages were stock'd with the Professors of it We may well then give credit to what the Christian Writers say afterwards viz. that all Places and Offices were filled with Christians as Tertullian tells the Roman Senate It is now about two hundred and forty Years since the days of Christ the Redeemer said St. Cyprian and lo in this time the Church hath spread out her Branches wider than the Roman Empire At last Christ's Gospel broke in pieces Gentilism and within much less than a Century cast the Empire into the Lap of the Church This quick Advance of the Christian Church this strange progress and success of the Faith of the Gospel proclaim it to be from God and him alone This wonderful increase of Christianity in so short a time was signified in our Saviour's Parable in the 13th of St. Matthew where the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Grain of Mustard-seed which increases to a Tree in a short time So the Gospel at first was little and mean a few contemptible Men came to Christ and owned his Doctrine but their Numbers grew greater and greater and in few years the Christian Religion spread it self over the World and all the Kingdoms of the Earth In the same Chapter the Gospel is compared to Leaven which spreads it self through the whole Mass so the Evangelical Doctrine diffused it self of a sudden and was seen to be dilated into a very spacious Circumference in a little time Christianity so over-ran the Empire that those who before were named Ethnicks and Gentiles were now call'd Pagans because they lived in poor Country Towns only The Inâ—idels were now but few and of mean Quality the chief Cities and Towns were fill'd with those that profess'd the Christian Religion though as was said the Country was not left empty of them But by what means was this done Was it by deep Policy or mighty Force No. Christianity prevail'd not as Mahomets Sect did that got up by Military Success by Sword and War and force of Arms. But the Christians never struck one stroke for their Cause unless you reckon that of St. Peter when he cut off the High Priest's Servant's Ear but then he was commanded by his Master to put up his Weapon and they never drew it afterwards Christianity was not acquainted with Martial Discipline and the Law of Arms there was no use of these harsh Methods in the propagating of it Again Mahometism prevail'd in a rude and illiterate Nation that Impostor was witty and knew how to cajole the ignorant People But Christianity grew up in the most civilized parts of the World where there was the greatest Knowledg and the most Arts and we have Examples of the profoundest Philosophers and Sages that imbraced the Christian Faith I wave the mentioning of others besides Mahomet who had a Martial or a Politick Spirit to help them in their Enterprizes and to carry on their designs I only observe to you the marvelous Power and prevalency of Christianity which is seen in this that tho it made no use of these Means yet it daily increas'd and was every where propagated From low and mean beginnings it grew up to a vast Proportion and at length it arrived to the Sway and Soveraignty over the greatest Kingdoms Here I will insist on these two Heads 1. That in the propagating of Christianity the Ignorant prevail'd against the Learned and Wise. 2. That the Weak prevail'd against the Strong and Powerful both which are no mean Arguments of the Truth of Christianity First the Ignorant prevail'd against the Wise. For what were the Apostles Were they any other than ignorant and unlearned simple rude Men not bred up in the Schools of Learning not acquainted with Arts and Sciences wholly Strangers to Philosophy and the fashionable Learning of those days What were the Apostles but poor despicable Mechanicks who knew nothing but their sorry Boats and homely Cottages And what were the Men that these illiterate Persons opposed They were the Learned Doctors and Rabbins the Scribes and Pharisees who were the wisest Clerks and Scholars amongst the Iews Yet we read that some of these knowing Men attended to the Doctrine of the Gospel preach'd by Christ and his Apostles some of these owned Christ and Christianity When Jesus was presented in the Temple Simeon a Grave and Reverend Person one of singular Wisdom and Sanctity amongst the Jews acknowledg'd him publickly to be the Messias and Saviour foretelling also many things of him Christianity was favoured by Ioseph of Arimathea a wise Counsellour by Nicodemus a Doctor of the Jewish Law and afterwards by Gamaliel another Learned Doctor of the Law who by the advice he gave may be thought to have been a Friend of Christianity Saul a Man of great Learning and Abilities brought up at the feet of this or another Gamaliel and Apollo of Alexandria very knowing and powerful in the Scriptures were converted to Christianity and submitted themselves to
comprised in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Time of Reformation mentioned by the same Apostle Heb. 9. 10. for he uses this Expression with reference not only to the Mosaick Law which was to be corrected and retrenched but in regard of the Gospel itself which was designed to amend and reform the World and to set it right Now this was not to be a Mock-Reformation but it was to be to Purpose and throughly to be carried on which I call the Heighth and Perfection of the Evangelical Dispensation This may have been signified when St. Paul would have the Corinthians and with them all Christians in future Ages wait for the Revelation of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 17. And when St. Peter exhorted the Converted Iews whom he wrote to and with them all holy Men in succeeding Times to hope for the Grace that is to be brought unto them at the Revelation of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. He had been speaking in the foregoing Verses of the former Dispensations in the Church of God together with the Evangelical one which was then present and now he acquaints them that there is to be a higher Degree of this last Dispensation The Time shall come when the Effects and Fruits of the Gospel shall be more Conspicuous and Eminent when the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation shall produce greater Things in the World to the Astonishment of all the Enemies of the Church and to the Amazement even of Holy Christians themselves This is the Revelation of Iesus Christ. This last Condition of the Church is also expressed by New Heavens and a New Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. For this is the Style of the Evangelical Prophet Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. where by New Heavens and a New Earth he sets forth the State of the Gospel and therefore the Heighth of it deserves these Titles much more Whence it is probable that this is the New Heaven and the New Earth which St. Iohn saw Rev. 21. 1. For it is observable that he frequently makes use of the same Expressions and Phrases which are found in the Prophetical Writers And though it is true some Learned Expositors understand this New Heaven and New Earth in the Revelation of St. Iohn concerning the Church Triumphant the State of the Blessed in Heaven yet if any â—an narrowly scans this Chapter he will not be backward to acknowlâ—dge that this can't be the Meaning of it For the New Heaven and the Nâ—w Earth are the same with the Holy City the New Ierusalem in the same Chapter into which the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Hâ—nour ver 24. they come with all their Honourable Retinue to submit to the Scepter of Iesus to own themselves his Converts and they are ambitious to be Members of this Glorious Church upon Earth Next I will produce those Plaâ—es of Scripture where this Full and Final Settlement of the â—hristian Church in the last Times of the Gospel is call'd a Kingdom and set forth by Reigning It is not to be question'd that David's Temporal Kingdom was a Type and Earnest of this And those sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 3. are the Faithful Promises made by God to David concerning the Messias and his Kingdom which are not yet fully accomplished and therefore are to be in this Reigâ— of Christ which I am speaking of Of this we often read in the Prophet Daniel as in Chap. 2. ver 44. In the Days of those Kings viz. the Monarchs mentioned in the Verses before among whom 〈◊〉 was one under whom Christ was born shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed That is Christ's Kingdom then began to be erected which afterwards shall more eminently deserve that Name viz. when it shall arrive to its Perfection It is said here expresly that it shall break in pieces all these Kingdoms that is the Four Monarchies Of which we are further ascertain'd in the next Verse for Christ 〈◊〉 is that Stone which was cut out of the Mountains without Hands and was to break in pieces the Iron the Brass the Clay the Silver and the Gold This Famous Stone was to beat down all the Four Metals Christ was to destroy the Four Monarchies that is when these cease Christ's Kingdom immediately succeeds It is true it did succeed in part when the Pagan Roman Empire expired and so in some measure this Prophecy was fulfilled but there shall be a more illustrious and eminent Succession than this upon the compleat expiring of the Fourth General Monarchy Wherefore when we see this quite at an end we may conclude that Christ's Reign approacheth i. e. that the happy Condition of the Christian Church in this World draws near This Fourth Monarchy the Roman is now wearing off being translated to the Germans it is but a meer Name and Title The Wings of this Imperial Eagle have been plucked its Plumes are fallen its Feathers are gone its whole Body almost consumed Rome itself and Italy are not so much as the poor Remains at this Day of the Roman Empire This Image is now on its last Legs and those are infirm for the Holy Spirit tells us that the Feet are of Clay and Iron which Two Materials will not well cement and hold together long Therefore another State of Things is approaching viz. the Fifth Monarchy or Empire here prophesied of the Reign of Christ Jesus here on Earth or which is the same a more illustrious Manifestation of Christianity a more Visible and Glorious Displaying of its Vertue and Power than ever yet was in the World Of this Kingdom of the Son of Man you have another express Prediction in Dan. 7. 14. There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd Again ver 22. The Time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Agreeably to what was said ver 18. The Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever This Kingdom is again delineated ver 27. There is a great Number of Texts in Isaiah Ieremiaâ— Ezekiel and the Lesser Prophets which speak of this Kingdom of the Messias but they are it is true generally interpreted by Expositors of Christ's Coming in the Flesh and the prevailing of the Gospel afterwards and even to this very Day but they are not thought by them to reach any further This I conceive is a Mistake from the narrow Thoughts which Men are apt to have of those great Things spoken of by the Prophets which we shall find upon diligent comparing of Things to have a very large and comprehensive Meaning Most of the Prophetick Expressions of this Nature have reference not only to the first Times of the Gospel and these at present but to those that are to come Ultimately and completely and in their highest
that Person and against the Faithful Christians who shall then expect his Reign And here the final Overthrow and Slaughter of these Adversaries of the Church are plainly foretold and particularly described with which is immediately join'd the Gathering of Israel i. e. the perfect restoring of that Nation And the next Thing is The Vision of the Temple which after all the various Conjectures of Papists and Protestants must needs be meant of this State of the Church which I am speaking of otherwise you can make nothing of that strange Draught of the Temple What I have thus briefly hinted is largely set forth in the Prophecy it self which is worth the Reader 's Perusal And I doâ—bt not but after he hath well consider'd it he will come to this Issue namely That this Prophecy hath not yet been fulfilled and therefore it shall be in Time and that Time is the Period I am now treating of If you say That by Gog and Magog are meant the Syrian Armies which plagued the Iews of which the Books of Maccabees give us a particular Account I reply That though we grant this yet those who I have named may be meant here also For I have in another Place proved that there is a Double Literal and even Historical Sense in some Places of the Bible And so there is here I doubt not and I shall afterwards shew That the Turks have a good Claim to the Names of Gog and Magog Again the Turks Rise was foretold in Rev. 9. 14 c. So their Ruin and Downfal are mention'd in the same Book 16. Chap. 12. v. The Vial is poured out upon the great River Euphrates i. e. the People inhabiting there the Turks who dwell in that part of the World on the River Euphrates The Water thereof was dried up i. e. the Turkish Power and Dominion are impair'd That the Way of the Kings of the Earth might be prepared i. e. that some Great and Eminent Persons may be converted and come over to the Christian Church Then in general we find Seducers and False Prophets threatened in Scripture with Ruin and shall we not think That that Vile Miscreant who gloried in the Title of Prophet and is signally so styled by those that adhere to his Principles and Laws wherewith he hath bewitched so great a part of the World shall we not think I say that that Grand Impostor is concern'd Can we imagine or suppose that the Vengeance of God which is threatened against Seducers and False Teachers reaches not to him And when we consider what a great deal of Mischief this Mahometan Sect hath wrought in the World and what vast Regions of the Earth it hath possessed we shall easily be inclined to believe that when Christ's Kingdom is set up and Christianity is come to its Perfection the World shall be cleared of this Spreading Pest. As for the Fall of the Roman Antichrist it is in express Words foretold in many Places of Scripture Out of the Old Testament I will mention only that Famous Prophecy of Daniel concerning the Fall of Rome and the Reign of Christ for both these go together 7. Dan. 19 20 c. to the end of the Chapter I have else-where commented upon it but now I shall only make use only of that part of it which is to our present Purpose How natural is the Character of the other Horn which arises out of the Fourth Beast i. e. the Fourth Kingdom or Empire upon Earth appliable to Papal Rome For it is said It shall subdue Three Kings i. e. the Greek Emperour whose Jurisdiction reach'd to Italy and the Kingdom of Lombardy and the German Emperours who had Dominion in Italy It is further said This Horn had a Mouth that spake very great Things v. 20. and more particularly in the 25 v. He shall speak great Words against the most High and shall wear out the Saints of the most High and think to change Times and Laws And the same Horn made war with the Saints and prevail'd against them v. 21. which by the most judicious Protestant Writers is applied to the Papacy But now hear the Doom of this Great Speaker and Warrior The Iudgment shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the End And the Kingdom and Dominion and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him v. 26 27. Which is answerable to what was said in v. 14. concerning the Coming and the Kingdom of the Son of Man i. e. Christ who frequently styles himself so If you consider these Things with many more in this Chapter you cannot apply them either to the Kingdom of the Seleucidae or Antiochus or Mahomet and his Empire But you must necessarily understand them of the Roman Power and especially that which is Papal and you cannot but see that they are a lively Description of that Bloody Dominion and of the Downfal of it and of the Reign of Christ which shall immediately succeed it that is of the Flourishing State of the Christian Church in a more Glorious Manner than ever Thus the most Eminent and Learned Expositors who are not Friends to the Roman See interpret this Prophecy but none hath comprised the Sense and Import of it in so few but full Words as that Reverend Prelate of our Church The Seventh Chapter of Daniel saith he points at a State of Christ's Church which is not yet come and when it doth come will be with a Vengeance to the Roman Church Whose present State will be utterly overturn'd to make way for the sâ—tting up of Christ's Universal and Everlasting Kingdom which is to be erected when the Mystery of God is finished Rev. 10. 7. 12. 15. and that cannot be till Babylon i. e. Rome be thrown down Rev. 18. 2. 19. 1 2 6. And we are so far from thinking this Kingdom will be Invisible that we believe it will be the most Illustrious Appearance that ever was of Christian Truth Righteousness Charity and Peace among Men. In the New Testament likewise this is signally foretold St. Paul who was blessed with extraordinary Revelations concerning future Things acquaints us That the Reign of Christ which he calls his Coming shall begin with the Ruin and Desolation of the Antichrist of Rome for every unprejudiced and impartial Man must confess that the Second Chapter of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians speaks of Him and that the Man of Sin and that wicked One whom the Lord will consume and destroy is no other than He. It is very strange to see how Grotius bestirs himself and uses all Artifices imaginable to perswade the Reader that the Papal Power is not meant here He is forced to say that this Second Epistle to the Thessalonians was writ before the First and several such
Judgment shall be chiefly Effected by the Preaching of Enoch and Elias So far we may allow it to be true that such Holy and Zealous Men as they were shall be the Instruments of this Great Work and you may be certain it will easily be brought to Perfection when such Persons are raised up by God to act in it And with Pathetick Instructions Invitations Admonitions and Convictions shall be joyned most Ardent Prayers for at such a time the Christian Church will be stired up to pity the forlorn state of this miserable People and to solicit Heaven with importunate Addresses in their behalf The Devout Mr. Herbert may be a Pattern in this particular who when he had express'd his sense of there Condition in these and the like Words Poor Nation whose sweet Sap and Iuice Our Cyens have purloyn'd and left you dry Compassionately adds O that my Prayers mine alas Oh that some Angel might a Trumpet sound At which the Church falling upon her Face Should cry so loud until the Trump were drown'd And by that cry from her dear Lord obtain That your sweet Sap may come again Moreover the wonderful Conversion of the Gentiles which shall be a forerunner of that of the Iews shall be another cause of the coming in of these latter and of their accepting the Gospel This is suggested to us by our Apostle v. 11. of the 14. to the Romans Salvation shall come for so we may read it because there is no Verb in the Original to determine the time to the Gentiles to provoke them i. e. the Jews to jealousie And this is yet more clear from 25 and 26. v. of the Eleventh Chapter before insisted upon which not only assert the General Calling of the Iews but that it shall be after the Fulness of the Gentiles i. e. when the Gentiles are Converted Blindness in part i. e. for a certain time is happen'd to Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And when this is come in then the Jews shall no longer be blinded I take this to be a clear Text for the Priority of the Gentiles Conversion before that of the Iews though I find it opposed by several and particularly by our Learned Hammond who attempts to distort the Words and by the Author of The State of the Church in Future Ages Chap. 6. where he contends that the Apostles Words are to be understood in a qualifi'd sense and that is this Blindness in part is befallen Israel for so long as until the time come in which the Gentiles shall come in in their fullness that is they shall come in then more generally than ever before But whatever this dark Gloss drives at this is a plain obvious and intelligible Truth that though there was a great and notable Conversion both of Gentiles and Jews in the Apostle's time yet that could not be meant here because the Apostle speaks of something to come in Future Ages viz. a Compleat and Vniversal Conversion of those two And as to the Order of them he lets us know that the Gentiles shall be first Converted and then the Iews for saith he the Blindness and Hardness of these latter shall not be taken away until the fulness of the other comes in i. e. until the full number of Gentiles be come into the Church of God by a hearty imbracing and professing of Christianity Can any thing be plainer than this Could the Apostle have used any clearer Words to express this matter viz. That the Conversion of the great Multitude of the Heathen World will preceed that of the Jews that it will be a means to remove their Blindness and Hardness and to cause them to own the Christian Faith Wherefore I can't submit to this Authors qualifi'd sence and that for a Reason which himself assigns in another Place To force an unusual Signification upon a Word where the Scope of the Place and Nature of the Matter where it is used does not necessarily require it hath little Authority in it to procure assent But this Sence which I offer is further evident from what the Apostle adds in the forenamed Place So all Israel shall be saved The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is very Emphatical and Remarkable here for it acquaints us that the General Conversion of Salvation of the Iews shall be such shall be so that it shall be the Effect and Consequence of the Gentiles foregoing Conversion SO they shall be Converted in this Manner they shall be Saved and no otherwise The Jews shall behold that strange Revolution and sudden Change in the Pagan World and thence be stirr'd up to make an Alteration among themselves A holy Emulation shall possess their Minds which shall push them on to this great Work So i. e. in this Manner and Method all Israel shall be Saved the whole Body of the Jews shall be received into the Church Perhaps this Universal Call may be promoted by some extraordinary Appearance or Spectacle in the Heavens Some would infer from that Place before-cited They shall look on him whom they have pierced that our Saviour will come and be seen at that Grand Change of Affairs but from what I have said already on that Passage it is manifest that it is not capable of the Sence As for Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him and even they which pierced him and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him which is thought by some to be a parallel Place with that which I last named because there is some likeness in the Words in both Places I rather think it is spoken of the Last Day the Day of Judgment when they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven Matth. 24. 30. which is generally acknowledged to the meant of Doomsday Then all impenitent Sinners and more especially they that pierced and crucified Christ and died in their Sins shall see him to their unspeakable Sorrow But those Words if any in Dan. 7. 13. may seem to be some proof of Christ's Appearing himself in the Clouds when his Kingdom on Earth is to be set up anew One like the Son of Man came in the Clouds of Heaven and there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom c. for I have shew'd before that these Words are a Prediction of the Millennium Though I cannot be positive here for it may be this coming in the Clouds of Heaven may only refer to the Manner of the Vision which Daniel had I saw in the Night Visions saith he one like the Son of Man who appeared as if he came in the Clouds yet I must needs say I am rather enclined to think that this Place speaks of a visible Appearance of our Saviour at the Entrance of the Millennary Reign especially in order to the rouzing and alarming of the Hardned Iews who will be looking after Signs from Heaven And therefore at such a time it
in that way which was most acceptable to him This religious and spiritual walking denoteth as the bodily one generally doth continued Motion Progress Acquaintance Converse Friendship And to walk before God implieth that the Persoâ—s who do so consider that they are in God's Presence and therefore do nothing but what is pleasing to him The walking before God after this manner denominates a Man perfect that is it is the only Persection which he is capable of in this Life We see then what it was that made this a peculiar Dispensation The Law of Grace or Covenant made with Adam and confirmed to Noah was renewed to Abraham with special and peculiar Promises to him and his Seed with singular Ingagements on their part Here were new Discoveries and Manifestations concerning the Messias viz. That he should be of the Seed of Abraham and consequently of the Nation of the Iews and that tho he should spring out of the Herbeâ— Stock yet he should be an Universal Saviour and all Nations should be capable of receiving benefit from him and of being blessed by him and that they should all be justified by Faith as we have ground to infer from what is said of Abraham in Gen. 15. 6. He believed in the Lord and he counted it to him fâ—r Rightcousnâ—ss and from the Apostle's Comment on it in Gal. 3. 8 9. And then this is peculiar to this Period that whereas hitherto there had been no diffâ—rence of any Countries and Nations of Men now there is a palpable difference made For as God chose a Person out from the rest of the World so he will now make of him a great Nation and People which shall be differenced from the rest of Mankind God seeing the World generally running into Idolatry and all sorts of Wickedness set up Abraham's Seed to stem the Torrent of Vice to keep up Religion pure and entire and to maintain the true Worship of God upon the Earth The Church before was not separated and gathered from the rest of the World but was in common with it as to Place and Stock till Abraham's time But now it is distinguish'd from other Nations and it is confined to one Race of People among whom there shall constantly be some religious Men who are true and living Members of the Church and of whom at length the Messias the Lord of Righteousness shall come according to the Flesh. This Stock and Posterity of Abraham were called Hebrews but what occasion'd this Name first of all is disputable The Iewish Antiquary and from him several others have thought that the Hebrews were call'd so from Heber the Son of Salah the Father of Peleg Others think it more reasonable to assert that they had their Name from Abraham I do not mean it in St. Augustin's sense i. e. Hebrai quasi Abraâ—â—i which was the Opinion of this Father at first but afterward he retracted it and adhered to the foremention'd one But I mean this that this Name of the Hebrews as several have been induced to believe is derived from Gneber transiit viz. from the passing of Abraham and others with him from Vr in Chaldea through Mesopotamia into Canaan Thence this Patriarch is called and that emphatically Abram the Passenger Hagnibri Gen. 14. 13. We translate it Abram the Hebrew But the Septuagint who well understood the true derivation of the word render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Passenger or the Traveller The Reader may take his choice of these two Opinions viz. whether the Hebrews were call'd so from Heber or from Gâ—ibri But to speak freely tho I have no Author on my side I do not see why they might not have their Name from both i. e. from Heber and afterwards from Abraham For 't is certain that the Iews were the Progeny of that worthy Man Gneber or Heber and therefore from him might originally be call'd and he may be said to be the Father of the Hebrews But it is as certain that Abraham was also the Father of them and we cannot but acknowledg that his leaving his Country and travelling into Canaan where afterward his Posterity settled were most famous and remarkable Occurrences and might deservedly give him the name of Gnibri the Traveller whence the denomination of the People descended from him is Hebrews In this Name is recorded the Rise of that Nation viz. from Mesopotamia whence the Father of them came And you may observe that it is particularly and signally mention'd by God himself Iosh. 24. 2. that he led him over Euphrates to go to Canaan and therefore I am inclin'd to think that from this Epithet tho not wholly I say from this Epithet given to Abraham because he left his own Country and passed over Eâ—phrates and so came travelling to Palestine the Posterity of Abraham took their Name and were call'd Hebrews Afterwards they were callâ—d Israelites from Iacob whose Name was chang'd into that of Israel and Iews from Iudah Iacob's Son Some think this last Name did not prevail till the Kingdom upon Solomon's death was divided into Iudah and Israel But I see no footsteps of its prevailing then for these People are not called Iews but once in the Old Testament before the Captivity viz. in King Ahaz's Reign 2 Kings 16. 6. Which howâ—ver confutes that of Iosephus that they were first call'd Iews when they return'd from the Captivity in Babylon That they might be known to be a peculiar People they were distinguish'd from all others by the bloody Badg of Circumcision which was another thing that contributed towards the making this a new Dispensation It is true this Rite was instituted first with relation to Abraham's particular Person for in my judgment the best Account is given by Iustin Martyr of the primary reason of this practice viz. because Abraham believ'd in God even when he was aged and unâ—â—t for Generation and when his Wife was decrepid and barren he then believ'd I say that he should be a Father of a Child for that reason God gave him a Sign of this nature viz. the Circumcision of the Foreskin of that part of his Body which then through Age was useless as to Procreation but through Faith became otherwise But there are other Reasons secondary ones and some of them mystical which have reference not only to Abraham but the People descended from him 1. Circumcision was intended and appointed to be a Character of Genealogical Sanctity a special Mark of distinction between the People of God and Infidels between the true Worshippers and Idolaters between the holy Seed and the Profane in short between the Seed of Abraâ—am and the rest of the World Therefore all the forty Years the Israelites were in the Desert they did not make use of this distinguishing Mark because then they had no converse with other People and so there was no need of an external Note of distinction to discriminate them from other Nations 2. Circumcision
of the true Reasons of this part of the Legal Dispensation viz. why after so long a time from the Creation these Ceremonies and Observations some of which were very irksome and burdensome were imposed by God on the Hebrew People and lasted till Christ's coming It may be expected I should treat in the next place of the Iudicial Law which was for preserving of Civil Peace and Justice among the Iews This was the Common or Municipal Law of that Nation It contain'd Precepts concerning the ordering of that People in the matter of Judgement Punishments Contracts Division of Lands and Inheritances making of War and the like These Precepts may be distinguish'd according to the different Ranks of Men and so 1. they have a regard to the Relation between the Prince or Magistrate and the People there you have the Injunctions which concern Governours and their Office and likewise the Duty which is to be paid to them 2. They have respect to the Relation and Commerce which People have with one another and there you have Precepts concerning Buying and Selling c. 3. They direct the Iews as to their Behaviour towards Strangers here are Rules concerning entertaining of Strangers going to War against their Enemies c. 4. They take notice of Domestick Relations and accordingly give directions as to the behaviour of Husbands Wives Children Servants c. It is not of this Law that I am concern'd at present to speak because it is Secular rather than Religious and so doth not properly fall under my consideration when I treat of the Dispensations of Religion Only as we observ'd before of some of the Ceremonies enjoyn'd by the Mosaick Law that they were in use before that Dispensation so here it may be noted that some of the Iudicial Laws were in force before Moses's time as punishing Adultery with death only with this difference that before the Law Adultery was punishâ—d with Fire but now with Sâ—oning Killing of a Man or Woman was punish'd with death marrying the Brother's Widow was enjoyn'd Cutting off from the People was a Sanction among the Patriarchs The Right of Primogeniture obtain'd before the Law of Moses Moreover I will remark that some things in this juncture pass for Laws which are rather and more properly may be call'd Dispensations or Permissions Thus Poligamy which was practis'd by Lamech first then by Abraham and Iacob is now permitted under the Law as in Elkanaâ— David Solomon c. And thus they permitted a Man to put away his Wife for Fornication or Adultery As for the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity within which the Iews were forbid to marry the 18 th Chapter of Leviticus gives us a full account of them and I shall afterwards have an opportunity of discoursing of them Therefore I will not insert any thing of them in this place for what I have said is sufficient for my purpose which was to give you some account of this distinct Administration and to let you see wherein it differeth from the rest Only here I will inquire what obligation these Iudicial Laws have upon Christians It was the opinion of Castalio and some others that these are to be perpetually retain'd in Christian Commonwealths but it is not reasonable to pronounce this in the gross for we ought rather to distinguish concerning this matter I could observe then to you that as Moral Laws viz. concerning the Poor Forgiving of Injuries Equity in Contracts Duty towards Strangers were mixed with the Ceremonial ones in Levit. 19. So several Moral or Natural Laws such as oblige all Nations were delivered on Mount Sinai mixed with Iudicial ones Such was the Law against Homicide the Duty of Men to Widows and Orphans the Reverence due to the Magistrate and others mention'd in the 21 and 22. Chapters of Exoduâ— These belong not to the Mâ—saical Polity or the Iudicial Law but concern all Persons at all Times and in all Places In the inquiry then proposed there are these two kinds of Laws 1. Such as have respect to the particular Condition and Circumstances of the Iews and concern their individual Polity and State 2. Such as are not appropriated to the State of the Hebrew People but were given to them as Men rather than Iews and consequently may be serviceable and useful to other Nations As to the former of these they do not oblige Christians in the least but expired with the State of that People but the latter are obligatory under the Gospel so far as they are of common Equity and as they may be made use of now as well as then And tho what our Church in her Seventh Article saith is to be granted namely that the Civil Precepts of the Mosaick Law ought not of necessity to be receiv'd in any Common-wealth yet where Reason and Equity commend those Civil Constitutions to any Commonwealth or Kingdom they are to be embraced and made use of For there is some Reverence to be given to those Politicks which were the Invention and Appointment of Heaven and so far as they were not appropriated to the condition of the Iewish People they may be practised among Christians without offence Thus the Law of Tithes is lawfully adopted into our Constitutions in this Nation So likewise if you look to their bodily Punishments you will see that some of them are made use of in Christian Kingdoms if not all of them in one place or other But here it will be asked May Christians inflict severer Punishments than the Iewish Law prescribed To which Sr. W. Raleigh answers thus Christian Magistrates may abate of the severity of Moses's Law and mitigate the punishment of Death but they can't make it more heavy for it becomes not the Gospel to shew more rigour than the Law But why then is a Capital Punishment iâ—flicted on Thieves and Robbers not only among our selves but in other Christian Countries whereas such Offenders were only to make Restitution or to be Sold according to the Mosaick Law I answer Law-givers have â—ound that a less punishment than Death is not a sufficient Restraint and therefore think it necessary to make use of this And as to what is alledged we return this that Thieves sometimes had a greater Punishment than a Mulct even under the Law We read that they might have been kill'd by those that found them breaking up a house in the night time Exod. 22. 2. And it appears from that Judgment and Decision of King David in 2 Sam. 12. 5. that Theft in some cases was Capital And we read that two Thieves were Crucifled with Christ which was no Punishment for Theft among the Romans and therefore we may probably think the Execution was Iewish and had â—ome foundation in the Mosaick Law according to which some kind of Theft was Felony and in this as in several other things the Christian Laws diffeâ— not from the Iewish ones It is probable that the Jewiâ—â— Cherem or Cuâ—â—ing off gave occasion to the
God had spoken to him in that immediate manner he imparted God's Will to them but they were not suffer'd to come near the Mount as we expresly read Besides this is part of Moses's peculiar character that there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto him whom the Lord knew face to face Deut. 34. 10. viz. by talking conversing with him face to face therefore this was a singular Prerogative granted to him and no other Prophet partook of it or was to be compared with Moses as to this But what you read in Num. 12. 6 7 8. is yet more full If there be a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a Vision and will speak unto him in a Dream My servant Moses is not so who is faithful in all my House he is a singular person and I trust him with all my Concerns therefore I vouchsafe him a greater measure of Revelation than other Prophets have I make my Pleasure known to them in Dreams and Visions the ordinary ways of Divine Discovery but with him will I speak mouth to mouth even apparently and not in dark speeches and the Similitude of the Lord shall be behold Hence it is evident that the Gradus Mosaicus was not communicable to any other Prophet and consequently that there was a vast difference between Moses's Prophesying and that of other Prophets Moses convers'd immediately with God that is in that clear and evident manner which no other Prophets were acquainted with without any disturbing Impressions on his Imagination as in the usual Dreams and Visions of Prophets Or Moses had not that Awe and Astonishment on him which the rest of the Prophets had Or face to face i. e. friendlily as 't is explain'd in the place before mention'd as a man speaketh to his friend signifieth that he conversed intimately and familiarly with God he was admitted to the nearest Communion with the Divine Presence and Majesty that ever any mortal Man had In this he excell'd all former Prophets as to This he was Singular and Peculiar and the way of Discovery made to him was the highest Degree that ever was But tho I allow this that Moses experienc'd a more Immediate and Familiar way of Revelation than any others and that this was the most Exalted Degree of Inspiration yet I do not see but that we may affirm it was in some of those ways I have before mention'd As to the Degree it was most Sublime and Transcendent but yet the way of Conveyance might be the same It might be by immediate Voice from God and by the Voice of Angels by Visions and Dreams Sleeping and Waking by inward Illumination and Divine Afflation in all these ways and in the height and transcendency of them Moses it is likely receiv'd Communications from God Thus it differs from all other Revelations tho as to the substance it is the same God's calling to Moses out of the Bush Exod. 3. 4. is counted by Maimonides one of the highest Degrees of Divine Revelation for none but Moses saith he had the honour to hear God speak to him in a Vision whilst he was awake But this Learned Iew seems to be singular here and therefore I will not reckon this as a distinct and peculiar way of Divine Manifestation 2. Another way of Revelation was that of the Oracle in the Tabernacle or Temple Exod. 25. 22. I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-Seat from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony of all things which I will give thee in Commandment unto the Children of Israel And accordingly in Num. 7. 89. we read that God spake to Moses from the Mercy-Seat and gave Answer to him when he consulted him and none else had that honour in his time But afterwards the High Priests had this privilege conferred upon them Some of the Vncircumcised Doctors tell us prodigious things of this way of Revelation they talk as seraphically as if they had been the persons that were admitted to that Sacred Oracle But after all they have said either we must refer it to some or all of the ways of Revelation before specified or else we must fit still and say we know not what it was 3. The Answering by Vrim and Thummim was another Extraordinary way of Revelation By this God gave Answers in great and weighty Affairs especially about the Kingdom for it may be reckon'd a Politick Oracle and some have thought from what they read in 1 Sam. 30. 7 8. that Kings as well as the High Priests were the persons to whom the Vrim and Thummim were committed But I see no ground for this for this Oracle had its residence in the High Priests Breast-plate and therefore was given out wholly by him And as for what is said in the foremention'd place in Samuel it is not to be understood of David's personal Act but of what he did by his Authority But that this great Oracle of the Iews was consulted chiefly in difficult cases of State may be gather'd from Num. 27. 21. 1 Sam. 23. 9. 28. 6. 30. 7. 2 Sam. 2. 1. Tho I fee no reason to appropriate it wholly to Civil Matters for the High Priests Pectoral had this general Name given it Coshen hamishphat the Breastplate of judgment Exod. 28. 15. because by the Vrim and Thummim which were lodg'd here Iudgment infallibly pass'd but we do not find that this Iudgment or Decision was restrain'd to one particular sort of Cases When this Oracle ceas'd is not agreed among Writers According to Ioseph the Iew there was no such thing about two hundred years before our Saviour's time But some of the Hebrew Doctors say it had its period in the Prophet Haggai's days Nay it was never heard of from the day that the Children of Israel were carry'd captive to Babylon say others of the Iews who it is probable come nearest to the truth As to the nature of the Vrim and Thummim there have been several Conjectures of Iews and Christians but the most considerable of late hath been that of the famous Mr. Selden and some others who think they were little Images that were representations of Angels and that they were the same with the Teraphim But I have subverted the foundation of this opinion by shewing that the word Teraphim is not of a middle signification in Scripture but that it is the word to express Idolatry 1 Sam. 15. 23. And that in all other places it signifies some unlawful Images Idols or False Gods A Noble Critick strikes in with our famous Antiquary and would perswade us that Vrim and Teraphim are the same He hath shew'd a great deal of excellent Reading and Criticism in his undertaking to maintain the Identity of these two he hath done great and amazing things in so barren a Subject his Atchievements are extraordinary and like himself but if I may be so
them in the least none but God could alter them who designed to do so in due time for he intended those Mosaick Precepts should continue to such a certain period of time and no longer These Words of Ieremiah are very observable Chap. 3. 16. It shall come to pass in those days saith the Lord they shall say no more the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord neither shall it come to mind neither shall they remember it neither shall they visit it neither shall it be magnified any more i. e. The Mosaick Rites and External Ceremonies of the Law shall not be in request as they were before Men shall not prize and value them as they used to do yea they shall lay the use of them aside but this they must not do till they have Authority from God And God revealed to the Prophet Daniel that he would alter the Law after a certain Revolution of Years The Messias shall cause the Sacrifice and Oblation to cease Dan. 9. 27. But it was unalterable in respect of the Jews themselves 3. The Promises and Predictions in the Old Testament which are very many concerning the perpetual Duration of Ierusalem and the Temple and the Iewish Worship and their Polity and Government are to be understood of the Perpetuity of the Church of Christ and his spiritual Kingdom And to this purpose you may observe that in the Writings of the Old Testament where the Times of the Gospel are foretold the Evangelical Worship and Service of God are set forth by sacrificing and other the like Observances commanded in Moses's Law By the Ritual Worship of the Jews is express'd the reasonable and spiritual Service of the Gospel and by those Expressions which seem to denote the Perpetuity of the former the Duration of the latter is signified and ascertained to us This is a most certain Truth and the observing of it will lead us to a right understanding of a great number of Texts which speak of the Iewish Laws and Government as if they were to continue for ever without any Limitation and Restriction We are to know that those places especially the Prophesies in Isaiah concerning the glorious things that shall befal Ierusalem and the Iews are to be interpreted of the State of the Christian Church they are to be understood of the Spiritual Kingdom of the Messias and the Times of the Gospel Sacrifices and the Temple signify Spiritual Oblations and the gospel-Gospel-Church for the Evangelical Prophet is to be understood in an Evangelical Sense The Angels Words concerning Christ in Luke 1. 32 33. The Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the House of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end are a plain Comment on all those places in the Old Testament where the Perpetuity of the Mosaick Laws and the Jewish Oeconomy and Government is promis'd They shew that they are all meant of Christ and his Kingdom i. e. his Church both here and hereafter which was prefigured by David's Kingdom From what this Heavenly Messenger saith here we learn that the Prophesies concerning the endless continuance of the Throne of David of raising up to 〈◊〉 David their King Jer. 30. 9. of raising up the Tabernacle of David Am. 9. 11. of God's setting up his Servant David Ezek. 34. 23. are all accomplish'd in Christ. And indeed the Jewish Commentators themselves acknowledg that the Messias is often stiled David in these and other Prophesies of the Old Testament nor are they backward to confess that by David's Throne and Kingdom is meant the Messias's Government as is plain from Psal. 132. 11. 2 Sam. 7. 12. 1 Chron. 22. 10. where God promised David that Christ should sit on his Throne which is taken notice of and applied not only in the forenam'd place in St. Luke but in Acts 2. 30. For Christ is represented by David and the Evangelical Dispensation is express'd in Terms which relate to the Iewish Administration and Government So that it is no wonder this is said to be for ever for it shall last to the end of the World and afterwards Christ shall reign in the Kingdom of Glory to eternal Ages This if duly considered cannot but yield a satisfactory Answer to the foregoing Objection as well as give light to several Prophesies of the Old Testament But here it will be asked where hath God formally abrâ—gated the Ceremonial Law of the Jews I answer it is not necessary he should do this for the Law ceaseth when the Reason of it ceaseth Now the Reason of the Câ—râ—monial Law and all its Observances was chiâ—fly to prefigure Christ and the Gospel of which he was the Institutor and therefore they are now ceased Christ being come of whom they were but Figures and Shadows The Abrogation then of those Mosaick Rites wherein the Religion of the Iews was placed may be proved by this one Argument viz. that Christ was designed by the legal Rites that the Ceremonial Law was a Prefiguration of the Gospel-Dispensation Here it might be shew'd that the Evangelical Oeconomy was prefigured by certain Persons as Abel Noah Abraham Isaac Ioseph Melchisedec about the last of whom the Author to the Hebrews spends a whole Chapter these were Typical Persons as well as Moses and Ioshua and some others afterwards And not only Persons but Things were Typical as the Pillar of a Cloud the Red Sea the Manna and the Rock which two last were Symbols of the Evangelical Sacraments the Eucharist and Baptism 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 c. and the lifting up of the brazen Serpent signified Christs Crucifixion Iohn 3. 14. But if I should speak of those that are properly Legal Rites and Vsages it is yet further evident that they were Representations of our Saviour and of the grand things of the Gospel As for Sacrifices I have treated of them already and made it appear that they foresignified the expiatory Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. As for the Tabernacle and all the appurtenances of it I have particularly display'd their Typical Nature and how they all pointed to this Dispensation I am now speaking of I might proceed to make this good concerning the Ceremonious Washings and Purifications under the Law that they typified some greater Purity they signified the Spiritual cleansing and sanctifying of the Soul and the abstaining from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit The Apostle acquaints us that the difference of Meats and Drinks observing of a Holy Day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath Days were a shadow of things to come but the Body of this Shadow is Christ Col. 2. 16 17. The Truth the Solidity the Substance are to be sought for in some higher things than those were even in Christ Jesus and in the Benefits of the Gospel Yea he tells us that the whole Mosaick Law is but a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10. 1. All the things contained in it are but rude
given belong to no mortal Man for he shall be called the mighty God the Everlasting Father and of the increase of his Government and Peace there shall be no end ver 7. which is parallel with the Words of the Angel concerning our Saviour Luke 1. 32 33. All thâ— Circumstances relating to the Birth of the Messias â—re particularly specified in the Writings of the Prophets as that his Ancestors should be of the Tribe of Iudah and the Family of David and consequently that he should be of that stock Mic. 5. 2. Isa. 11. 10. Ier. 23. 5. And 't is observable that the Targum on these three places understands them of the Messias Therefore when Christ asked the Scribes and Doctors of what lineage and race the Messias was to be They answer'd he was to be the Son of David Mat. 22. 42. It was a thing it seems well known Accordingly the Genealogy of both Ioseph and Mary is deduced by the Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke from Abraham along by David As to the Place of his Birth it was prophesied he should â—e born in Bethlehem Mic. 5. 2. Thou Bethlehem Ephratah tho thou be little among the Thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel Some obstinate Jews say Zorebabel is meant here but they are silenced by others more learned of that Nation who confess that he was not born at Bethlehem but Babylon Besides they contradict the Opinion of the Chaldee Paraphrast and of the Rabbins who generally by the Ruler in Israel here understand the Messias Wherefore the Jewish Doctors and Scribes being asked of Herod where the Messias was to be born said without hesitating in Bethlehem Iudah they having learnt this out of the Prophesy of Micah Again it is foretold in the Old Testament that he shall be born of a Virgin Isa. 7. 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel The Jews to evade this place say that the Hebrew word which we translate a Virgin signifies a Woman in general But those that are acquainted with that Language know that they shew themselves very perverse in this and that the Hebrew word Gnalmah properly signifies a Virgin i. e. a Maid not known by a Man For whereas there are three words in the Hebrew for a Maid or Virgin this only signifies a pure untouched Virgin nor is otherwise understood in any Text of Scripture where it is mentioned as it is to be found but in six places besides this of Isaiah Therefore the Septuagint who well understood the force and signification of the Hebrew word translated it by a Greek one which signifies a Virgin properly so call'd whereas they might have used other words And the Hebrew word is with a demonstrative Article before it which makes it emphatical and denotes some certain definite and peculiar thing or Person It is found but thrice in the Bible with this prepositive Article viz. in Gen. 24. 43. and in Exod. 2. 8. and in this place of Isaiah In the two first it points at particular Persons and signiâ—ies a pure Virgin not known by Man Why should we not think it doth so in the third Moreover 't is said The Lord shall give you a sign behold Here is then some strange and wonderful thing spoken of Therefore it cannot be meant of a Woman concâ—â—ving i. e. of a Woman that is no Virgin For as an antient Father observes what wonder had it been for a young Woman not a Virgin to conceive And indeed the Old Rabbins who believ'd the Messias was to be born of a Virgin have signalized this word in the Hebrew In the Cabala and Ionathan's Targum you will find that it is written with a Men Clausum in the middle to signify something extraordinary here meant to intimate that it was a Virgin shut up to denote the wonderful Mystery of the Virgin Mary's Conception If it be said what R. Kimchi and other Modern Jews suggest that this 7 th Chap. of Isaiah and this Verse more particularly refer to the Times of King Ahaz and so belong not to the Birth of Christ which was about 700 Years afterwards I answer by denying the Consequence For this Chapter and Text may have reference to King Ahaz's Days and likewise point at something done a long time after that The reason of this Assertion is because there is oftentimes a double Sense in Scripture Any one that is conversant in the holy Book is not ignorant of this and the Jews themselves acknowledg a literal and mystical Sense of Scripture So then these words a Virgin shall conceive were verified in the first and literal Sense in Isaiah's time a Virgin bringing forth a Child it may be in the presence of the King of Iudah to be a Sign and Assurance of the deliverance of Iudah from the Oppression of the Kings of Syria and Israel This Virgin it is likely was afterwards Isaiah's Wife and at that time betrothed or to be betrothed to him and is the same with the Prophetess spoken of in the 8 th Chapter Of this Child it is said Butter and Honey shall he eat that he may know how to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good For before the Child shall know to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good the Land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings ver 15 16. That is this Child shall be nourish'd and brought up as Children are used to be Butter and Honey being the Food of these little ones to eat these is as much as to be used as a Child Whence the Antients gave these to Children at Baptism to taste of as Tertullian and Ierom testify this Child shall fare as other little ones are wont to do and we shall all of us in this Land live in Peace and Plenty and shall not be disturb'd by the Kings of Syria or Israel for before the Child shall know to refuse the Evil and chuse the Good in as short a time as this or any other Child shall be grown up they shall both of them forsake this Land which they now threaten and they shall die in their own Kingdoms This you shall see happen before the Child comes to Age or Years of Discretion that is meant by refusing the Evil and chusing the Good And accordingly it happen'd the two Kings Rezin and Pekah were destroy'd before that Child came to Years of knowledg 2 Kings 15. This is the simple and first Sense of the words But there is also another and mystical Sense or it may be called a secondary literal Sense of them and so they are meant of Christ and the Holy Ghost intended that this Prophesy should be applied to him But how could the Birth of Christ which was some Ages after be a Sign of that which was to happen then I
and when there is a Contradiction involved in the Matter otherwise So here is a Moral Impossibility that it should be otherwise take all things together and it is not possible but that it should be thus and the contrary implies a Contradiction to Sense Reason and Scripture I should now proceed to the last Thing I propounded to speak of viz. the Degrees of the Evangelical Dispensation but this bâ—ing the Administration which is peculiarly ours and wherein we are most concerned I will before I go any further offer such Rational Deductions to you as this part of our Discourse naturally affordeth 1. Assent to the Christian Religion Which is a very Reasonable Inference for Assent or Belief naturally follows on the Clearness of Evidence and the more Clear and Demonstrative the Evidence is the Firmer and Stronger will the Belief be For as the Testimony is such must this needs be and therefore if the former be not only Human but Divine and consequently be Infallible the latter must be proportionable What is Divine saith an Excellent Writer doth by its Excellency conciliate Belief and by its Truth gain Authority For this Reason no Art or Science can pretend to that Certainty which is in Divinity Politicks are fallible Philosophy goes upon contrary Hypotheses Medicks guess rather than know the inward Causes and Springs of Diseases The Lawyer hath his Ieofail Law it self is very Uncertain and Arbitrary if you consider the infinite Disagreement of divers Nations even about the same thing Yea even Mathematicks if we may believe those that best understand them are mixt with Uncertainties and Falshoods there are Fallacies and Paralogisms in Geometry all is not plain downright Demonstration as appears from the Quarrels and Contests among Mathematicians themselves But Divinity is truly a Science and surpasseth all others because the Ground of it is supernatural Light and the very Testimony of God himself Particularly the Articles of Christianity are founded on Divine Revelation and therefore are unquestionable The Doctrine of the Gospel is built on this Rock this Stable and Impregnable Rock The Foundation of God standeth sure it continues the same and cannot be moved Christian Theology is founded on a sure Bottom Christ Iesus the Son of God and who is himself God having fixed it Heaven and Earth shall pass away but this Word shall not pass away With relation to this Mr. Boyle's Treatise of the Excellency of Theology compared with Natural Philosophy is well worth our perusal That admirable Person so well skill'd in the Study of Physiologie shews the Preeminence of the Study of Divinity above it on this account that Theological Truths are evidenced by Divine Testimony and therefore we may firmly acquiesce in them and require no further or greater Proof as indeed there can be no greater tho as I have shew'd they are not destitute of other Evidences The Evangelical Truths especially are the True Theologie That of Plato and Aristotle and other Philosophers to which they were pleased to vouchsafe This Name being but a sorry and ill contrived Rhapsodie therefore the Christian Church gave the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to St. Iohn because he above all the rest of the Evangelists so expresly â—â—clared the Divinity of the Son of God which is the Noblest and Sublimest Point of Christianity and is matter of pure Faith and Divine Revelation Be convinced then of the True Grounds of your Christian Belief of the solid Foundations and undeniable Evidences which Christianity is built upon Know this that God could not have done more for the begetting of a strong Faith and Assurance 2. Assert and defend maintain and hold fast your Religion and let nothing shake your Faith and Confidence Indeed it is a wonder that such strong Supporters of the Christian Religion should be struck at by any but so it is Hereticks Iews and Pagans of old and high-flown Enthusiasts Deists Atheists Lewd and Dissolute Christians of late have endeavour'd to shake these Foundations Be you therefore the more Zealous in the defence of Christianity knowing that it is no Shadow or Phantom it depends not on Imagination and Conceit but is certainly True beyond all the subtile evasions and subterfuges of Sophisters It is an Excellency in a Man's Life to be upon sure Grounds and consequently to know what to do You have this Advantage in the Christian Religion it being something which is certain and fixed and therefore this should make you constant in the Profession and Exercise of it this should make you steady in your Resolves and Actions Your Religion being so Firm and Certain you ought to stand to it and to suffer none to rob you of it but to part with all for it These are the two Particular Inferences from this last thing I have discoursed of viz. the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Religion There are more general Deductions to be made from the whole Dispensation and they are these 1. Let us take notice of and admire the transcendent Worth of the Christian Religion I have traced Religion through all its several Stages I have lâ—t you see the whole intire Progress of it and you cannot but observe that all the former Dispensations made way for this of Christianity It must then be a very admirable Thing to which all that went before in God's own Oeconomies was but a Prelude a Preface a Preparative All before were but rude Draughts and imperfect Models They were a Foil only to set this off they were but as the dusky Twi-light to the brighter Day All that went before was but Infancy and Childhood This is Manhood and full Age. This one Consideration is sufficient to convince us of the Greatness and Majesty of the Kingdom of Christ under the Gospel Tho the Law which immediately preceded it and was the choicest of all the former Dispensations had some Lustre in it yet in comparison of the Gospel it had none its Glory vanished as the Light of the Stars when the Sun appeareth They saw in a Glass darkly they had but short and dim Representations of things they had none of that Clearness and Certainty which we under the Gospel have attained to Notwithstanding what was said before that they had many Ways and Rules to judg of True Prophets by and to know them from False ones yet this must be added that it was very difficult Prophecy might be easily counterfeited Fancy and Imagination made strong Impressions and deceived many they frequently had delusive Dreams and Visions In most of the Differences between the True Prophetick Spirit and the Enthusiastick Impostures of Pseudo-Prophets as they are set down by the Iewish Writers I find little satisfaction nor can any one who looks for Rational and Solid Accounts But the Prophecies and Revelations under the Evangelical Dispensation are Satisfactory and Certain We have now a more sure Word of Prophecy The excellent Discoveries made to the World by the Sacred Oracles of the Gospel are
latter those that succeed And yet as it is in the growth of human Bodies tho the Strength and Stature of them be alter'd yet the same Nature and Persons remain in the mature Years that were before so it is here saith he Christianity is consolidated by Years it is enlarged by Time it is sublimed by Age but still it continues incorrupt and intire And afterwards cap. 29. It is â—itting saith he that the heavenly Philosophy for so he stiles the Christian Religion which was sowed in the Church by the primitive Fathers should afterwards grow up flourish and be cultivated by the Industry of their Sons that by process of time it should become more polish'd but yet that it should retain the same Plenitude Property and Integrity that it had as to its Substance at first Thus that excellent Writer And I was very glad to find my Notion of the last Time confirmed by a Person of so much Judgment and Sagacity and of so great Repute in the Christian Church The Sum of what he saith is that Christianity shall be improved by succession of Time and at last this Beauty shall receive its finishing stroke Now this I will endeavour to make good from Reason and Scripture It is reasonable to believe that there shall be a better State of Religion because this is founded on the constant Method of God in the World We find that it is his Way and Course to proceed in a gradual manner and that not only in the things of Nature as at the Creation of all ranks of Beings but in those of Religion as I have shew'd in the several Stages of it since it began Wherefore it is reasonable to conclude that it will be thus in Christianity that as it hath had already its different Steps Measures and Gradations so there is a greater yet to come and that it shall arrive to the heighth of its Glory in this World Again it is reasonable to believe that great things are to come because so little is done hitherto The unbelieving part of the World is very vast and large The greatest Kingdoms of the Earth are those of the Tartars the Indians the Chinoise the Persians the Turks all whâ—ch are Strangers to the Religion of Iesus Divide the World into three Parts and it will appear that two of them are inhabited even by profess'd Pagans Or if we divide it into six parts we shall find that five of them at this day know not Christ but are either Idolatrous Pagans which are the greatest number or Iews or Mahometans And of the sixth Part how few of those that outwardly make Profession of Christ have true Faith and deserve the Name of Christians Popery which can scarcely be reckon'd as a part of Christianity hath spread it self through the most flourishing Kingdoms in Eâ—rope and hath got footing in Asia and is not wholly a stranger in some parts of Africa and hath found its way even into America Among the Churches which disown Popery some of them are grosly ignorant erroneous and superstitious as the Muscovian Abyssine and Greek Churches generally And even among the Reformed Churches what Divisions and Dissentions what unchristian Feuds and Animosities are there What variety of Opinions is there amongst them How unsetled are they in their Notions and Apprehensions How little of the true Virtue of Religion and Power of Godâ—iness is to be observed among them How is the Satanical Kingdom kept up and maintain'd every where How industriously is it recruited and establish'd Whereas Christians should live better than all the World beside it is sad and deplorable that their Words and Actions bid deâ—iance to every thing which appertains to so Sacred and Honourable a Title They profess the best Religion in the World and do things that are the worst Some that bear this venerable Name are as wicked and proâ—ligate as any other sort of Men upon Earth the grosâ—est Enormities of Barbarians are acted by them It is too apparent a Truth that many who go under the Name of Christians conspire against the Religion which Christ hath set up in the World as well as Iews Turks and Pagans In fine look where you will and you will have cause to say how short is Christianity of its full Arcomplishment What slender effects are there of it in the Lives and Manners of Men How little Progress hath it made in so many Ages How narrow is its Kingdom How ineffectual are its Laws in most places Whence it is rational to infer that there must be some greater Work effected both in the Kingdoms of the World which have no notice of Christ and the the Christian Faith and also in that part of the World which is already Christian. A farther Oâ—câ—nomy or rather a farther Exaltation of this Evangelical Oeconomy which we are under is to be 〈…〉 hoped for We should be tempted to think 〈…〉 God 's Providence if there be no more to be done if Christianity attains not to a greater height than hitherto it hath It is a very surprizing and amazing Problem abstracting from the diâ—ine Destinies concerning it and the Predictions of it in the Holy Writings that 〈◊〉 Kingdom of Satan in all Ages of the World 〈…〉 greater numbers of Subjects than that of Christ. It â—â—ems very harsh and dismal that so many should perish that among Heatheâ—s Iews Mahomâ—tans and even Christians Satan should have such a Haâ—veâ—t But now this is soon answer'd by what I have suggested this which I oâ—fer is a very clear and eaâ—ie solution of the Difficulty for there will be moâ—e Saints in the space of the thousand Years whiâ—h I shall afterwards describe than there were wicked and impenitent Sinners in all the other thousâ—â—ds 〈…〉 preceded this Dispensation There will be such a 〈◊〉 of general Conversion and universal Sanctity through all the Regions of the World that the number of the saved shall at last surpass that of the damned This will plainly appear from what I shall propound in the sâ—quel of this Discourse and it will give us a fair and comfortable Idea of the Divine Philanthropy it will let us see that the Scales of Providence hang even it will clear up the dark Proceedings of Heaven and fully satisfie uâ— about the Wisdom of God in the Conduct of the World Another Argument that I shall make use of shall be from the gradual Improvement of all Arts and Sciences in the World It was well noted by one of the Antients and that with reference to the Dispensations of Religion that the commencement of Sciences is defective and imâ—â—rfect but by little and gradual Additions they come at last to their complete pitch Nothing is more observable than that Learning hath had its noble Accessions in the several successive Generations of Mankind Which was foretold by Seneca long ago who speaking of the Phâ—nomena of Comets and the like Philosophical Disquisitions prophetically utters these words The time shall come when
Signification they cannot but be interpreted of these last For if those Prophetick Passages before-mentioned and several others in the Writings of the Prophets be expounded only of the past or present Times of the Gospel it is certain that the Interpretation will not answer the Greatness and Heighth of the Words much less the Weight and Dignity of the matter spoken of If we attend to this we shall discern the full Design and Meaning of those notable Prophecies of the Old Testament we shall apprehend those many Glorious Things both with relation to Spiritual and Temporal Blessings which they foretel shall be in those last Days But I shall have occasion to alledge and particularly to consider those Prophetical Passages when I come to shew distinctly wherein this Dispensation consists and how it differs from all others The Places in the New Testament where this Kingdom of Christ is spoken of are not a Few But that we may not mistake it will be requisite to observe the different Significations of the Word Kingdom as it refers to the Times of the Gospel for we consider not the Word now as it is applied to the future State of Glory in the highest Heavens First By it is sometimes meant the Gospel-Dispensation in general the whole Time of Christ's Administration in his Church from first to last Thus the Angel's Words to the Virgin Mary are to be understood Luke 1. 33. He shall Reign over the House of Iacob i. e. his Church the true Israel of God for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Christianity shall more or less flourish till the World hath its final Period and Consummation In this large and general Sense those Places are to be taken Mat. 4 2â— the Gospel of the Kingdom Luke 8. 1. the Glad-tidings of the Kingdom of God and many others especially the Parables where the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to several Things Secondly We are to understand by it that particular time of the Gospel-Dispensation which immediately succeeded our Saviours Resurrection as is evident from St. Iohn Baptist's Words The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3. 2. and from the same Words used by our Saviour himself Mat. 4. 17. and afterwards by his Apostles Mat. 10. 7. For none of these Texts could be meant of the time of the Gospel when Christ was on Earth or before his Passion but of some other succeeding time otherwise it could not be said the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand but rather the Kingdom of Heaven is present or is already come Whence I infer that Christ may be said not to be in his Kingdom as it respects the Gospel he may be said not to Reign all the time betwixt his Nativity and his Resurrection that being the time of his Humiliation But as soon as he rose from the Dead having conquer'd Death and Satan then he set up his Spiritual Kingdom This is clear from Psal. 132. 11. compared with Acts 2. 30. Then he sat upon his Throne as the Apostle here applies it Wherefore he said to his Apostles when he was risen All Power us given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Mat. 28. 18. And those Words concerning Christ Sit thou on my Right-â—and till I make thy Enemies thy Footstool Psal. 101. 1. which are mention'd four or five times in the New Testament are spoken of his Resurrection and Ascension whereby he declared himself to be Head and Lord of his Church Some thus interpret what he saith in Luke 7. 28. He that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he i. e. after I am Risen and Ascended the least Apostle or Preacher of the Gospel shall excell Iohn the Baptist for then a clearer Light will shine the Spirit will lead into all Truth Thus we may understand our Saviour when he saith I will not drink henceforth of the Fruit of this Vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom 〈…〉 which cannot be meant of the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 in Heaven because Christ will not 〈◊〉 drink Wine with them or at least in a proper 〈◊〉 it is not true But it seems more reasonable to take the Words as spoken concerning the time after Christ's Resurrection when he did Eat and Drink with his Disciples as is expresly Recorded This time is Signally and Eminently called the Kingdom of God or Christ because this Commenced immediately after he rose from the Dead and it is stiled the Kingdom of his Father because soon after his Resurrection follow'd his Ascension and Sitting at the Right-hand of the Father which were his solemn Inauguration and Enstallment This was the first Year of his Reign now he enter'd upon his Royal Offâ—ce having sent his Holy Spirit to rule in an extraordinary manner in the Church which he had not done before Thus you see the Date of Christ's Kingdom as it is more specially and particularly understood And moreover from all that hath been said under this Head the truth of what I before asserted is made apparent viz. That there are certain Steps and Degrees in the Evangelical Dispensation Thirdly The Vengeance of Heaven on the Iewish Nation in the Destruction and Devastation of their City is call'd Christ's Kingdom Mat. 16. 28. His Triumphing over those obstinate People whose Forefathers had been his Murderers was a considerable Instance of his Glorious Reign Thence it is that his destroying those his implacable Enemies is said to be his Coming in his Kingdom and it is call'd the Kingdom of God coming with Power Mark 9. 1. Fourthly Christ's Second Coming viz. at the Day of Judgment when he shall visibly and manifestly in the Face of all the World exercise his Regal Power is call'd his Kingdom thus it is said Christ shall Iudge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Lastly By Christ's Kingdom is meant that peculiar and special time of his Reigning which is the present Subject of our Discourse when Christianity shall arrive at its height when the Church shall be in its Meridian That Petition in the Lord's Prayer Thy Kingdom come seems to be meant of this though not solely of it Then the Grace of God in the Gospel will shine forth in its greatest splendor and God's will shall be done then on Earth as it is in Heaven which may perhaps be one reason why these Petitions are joyn'd together It may be this is that Kingdom of God of which and the things appertaining to it our Saviour Discours'd to his Apostles before he left the World Acts 1. 3. But in the Book of the Revelation of St. Iohn there are many clear Passages which relate to this Perfect State of the Christian Church hereafter and 't is express'd by a Kingdom and by Christ's Reigning on the Earth This New Scene is mention'd after this manner in Rev. 5. 10. and again chap. 7. v. 15. and 17. and more plainly in chap. 12. v. 10. Now is
now wearing off and that we shall have an end of it without any such thing But then when I consider'd that those Places of Holy Scripture which foretell the Calamities and Distresses of the Church of Christ may have respect only to the Times which preceed those Thousand Years I was again induced to believe that there shall be such a State as I have represented that Christ will set up his Kingdom in a more Illustrious and Effectual manner than ever and that this Kingdom shall be accompanied with lasting Peace and Righteousness with the General Conversion of Jews and Gentiles and the Ruin of Anti-christ As to some Particular Circumstances which I have mention'd relating to this Prosperous State of the Christian Church I am not Positive It hath pleased God to deliver things of this Nature Darkly and Mystically and there are no express places of Scripture on which a certain and unquestionable expectation of them can be grounded because we have no sure Word to ascertain our Determination Therefore as to the Particular Way and Manner of the things I have been Discoursing of I deliver nothing with Confidence It is the main of the Dispensation that I assert and which I verily believe though I censure no Man for thinking or saying otherwise I am sensible of this that when we see how the World is at this Day we may be enclined to think there is no probability of this Great Change There seems to be little likelihood at present of this Happy Reign in other parts of the World as well as among our selves for we seem to be every Day degenerating more and more and we run further from that excellent Temper and Genius which are required in that Future Paradise But then I consider that this is to be accomplish'd by a Divine Arm and Conduct and shall be the work of Heaven in a singular and particular Degree The Supreme Arbitrator and Manager of the World can of a sudden dispel all Difficulties and alter the Course of the Universe and frame Men's Minds as he pleaseth When we remember how mean and despicable Christianity was at first but how strangely it spread it self afterwards and made its Progress through the whole World against the greatest Opposition imaginable we may then believe the same may happen again and that what hath been foretold concerning that Glorious State may be fulfill'd Thus I will not despair of that happy Time Both Popery and Mahometism or either of them may for a time decay and grow less and then recover strength Or perhaps one or both of them may remain without any Diminution entire There may be a Superfoetation in the Mother of Harlots she may conceive and bring forth a New and replenish the Earth with her Children It may be the Reformation which hath been begun and set forward in some Parts of the Christian World may be put back Papal Superstition and Tyranny may return again and Rome may sit a Queen and know no Sorrow but what she creates to the true Professors of Religion One would be apt to think as much upon reading what is said concerning the Two Witnesses Rev. 11. 7. When they shall have finish'd the Testimony viz. at the end of 42. Months or 1260 Years the time of the Anti-christian Reign the Beast that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them whereupon there is great rejoycing over them and making merry v. 10. It may come to pass that the Seven Hills may be exalted higher than ever and the Reformed Religion depress'd and trampled on Christianity may as Mr. Herbert presaged hoise Sail for America the Gospel may leave us to go to them and we may be half Pagans before it comes to us again Or if we hold fast-the Faith we may be forced to part with every thing else that is dear to us It may be our lot to undergo all Dangers Calamities Outrages and Persecutions before that Blessed Sabbatism arrives There may be a very Dark Night before that Lightsome Day is seen But at last it shall appear yea shine forth and the World shall be every ways the better for it Yea it may and I hope will shew it self in God's good time without any such Sad and Tragical Prologue to it as this I have ventured to offer my Conjectures about it and the freedom I have taken will not be disliked I conceive by Persons of sober Minds In my Judgment that is a very Curious and Notable Saying of Mr. Mede in his Epistle to the Reader before his Comment on the Apocalypse speaking of the interpreting of the Prophetical Writings and other Obscure Matters in Scripture Unless saith he there be liberty given to us to be somewhat free in our Thoughts and Opinions yea even in our Errors and Mistakes sometimes about these things we shall never clear our Passage to those Profound and Hidden Secrets of Truth Accordingly I have freely suggested my Thoughts and if therein I have represented some things amiss let it be remember'd that it was in the pursuit of Truth and of that Truth which it was difficult to attain to or rather let it be examined whether Truth be not here found out by that which some interpret a Mistake I declare I am not Dogmatical in what I have said nor will I perswade others to sit down with Peremptory Confidence that this is the certain meaning of all the Prophecies in Scripture before alledged But then this must be said there are several things highly Probable of which we have no Absolute Certainty and This that I have been Discoursing of is of that Nature Many Passages in Holy Writ do exceedingly favour it and there are no Contemptible Reasons to inâ—line us to a belief of it And when we have both Scripture and Rational Arguments on our side it is more than half of the Opinions which make a very plausible shew in the World can really lay claim to If after all you enquire concerning the Particular and Determinate Time when this Sabbatick State shall begin my Answer in brief is That I cannot neither will I attempt to assign any such thing When I say I cannot my meaning is that I apprehend no possible way of doing it in a Certain and Satisfactory way for otherwise I could as some have done pretend to present the Reader with a Punctual Calculation of the Time when these things shall happen Perhaps I might say without Ostentation that I have made enquiry into the Chronology of the Scriptures as well as others and have considered all that any Writers of Note have said on this Matter and have made search into these Mysteries my self but after all I declare that I find no Foundation for a Precise and Individual Assignation of Time In general we know Christ's Kingdom on Earth shall commence when the Seventh Angel soundeth his Trumpet for then the Kingdoms of the World become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of
should content us that the thing it self is undeniable viz. that the Evangelical Oeconomy is not yet perfect that great things are yet to be done that though our Blessed Saviour shall not descend from Heaven till the Day of Judgment for I am none of those that dream of his Personal Reign upon Earth yet by his Spirit he shall come and Reign here a Thousand Years and advance Christianity to its utmost heighth At which time all â—ntichristian Doctrines and Powers shall be exploded and destroyed the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in the Dispersed Iews shall be gather'd and imbrace the Faith of Christ Universal Righteousness and Holiness shall prevail and the Peaceable and Philadelpâ—ian Spirit shall be infused into all Churches so that they shall be of one Heart and of one Mind This â—uture Kingdom of Christ this Happy part of the Evangelical Dispensation is not unworthy of our Assent and Belief However I have entertained my self and the Reader with an Idâ—a of the Delightful and Happy State of Christianity here on Earth If it be not adjusted to Truth though no Man alive I am sure can prove it is not yet it shall remain as a Testimony of my Hearty Desires and Wishes that the Gospel may flourish in a Higher Degree than ever it yet did that Christianity may be the Religion of the whole World and that all Mankind every where may know the True God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent and that knowing him they may Universally practise his Law and do his Will and that they may all be United and Cemented together in the Bond of Peace and Love CHAP. XXII The Last part of the Evangelical Dispensation under the loosing of Satan out of his Prison Who are Gog and Magog Not only the Mahometan but the Roman Power shall be revived The Last Days before the End of the World shall be extremely Wicked They shall be exceeding Perillous and Calamitous Christ comes to Judgment The Conflagration of the World succeeds this whatever some have suggested to the contrary A Particular Answer to a late Writers Arguments on this Subject It is observed how he resembles Origen A plain Exposition of those Words Nevertheless we look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness A farther Proof from the same Chapter The Nature and Design of the Final Conflagration The Summ of the whole preceeding Discourse I Am unwilling to go off from this Pleasant Scene especially to one that is so Black and Melancholick as that which follows But the uncontrollable Wisdom and Providence of Heaven leads us to it and therefore we must be obsequious to their Conduct I proceed then to the Fourth and Last Part of the Evangelical Dispensation namely that which immediately preceedeth the Coming of Christ to Judgment For I have shew'd before that it hath had its Infancy and Childhood its Youth its Manhood or Full Growth and now come its last and feeble Years Wherefore I call this the Old Age of Christianity for now it miserably Declineth and grows Weak and Decrepid Now the World degenerates again and in a short time it becomes very Wicked and Impious For we are expresly told that when the Thousand Years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison Rev. 20. 7. The Wicked shall again assaâ—lt the Church for we must know that the World shall not through all the time of the Thousand Years be free of the Ungodly Race of Men. The Tares i. e. the Children of the Wicked One are to grow up till the Harvest Mat. 13. 30. and that will not be till the End of the World as the same Infallible Teacher hath told us Every Individual Person shall not be Vertuous and Good Heaven only being the place where there are no Sinners but there sâ—all remain and spring up at last upon Earth some very Bad Men out of which Brood afterwards as soon as Satan shall be set at liberty and come to hatch them there shall arise a Deadly Generation of Vipers a Cursed increase of the most profligate Sinners who will be set upon Mischief and will invade and wast the Church and make it their work to Deceive and Seduce the Nations or rather Satan who sets them on work is said here to do it v. 8 9. He shall go out to deceive Nations which are in the Four Quarters of the Earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to Bâ—ttel the number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea And they went up on the breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about and the beloved City The plain General meaning of which Words is this that as of Old God's People the Iews were beset on the North and South with Gog and Magog their implacable Enemies who are meant but not exclusively of others in the 38. and 39. Chaâ—tâ—rs of Ezekiel so the Saints at that time shall be environ'd with their's who will prove no less Restless and Implacable And the more â—articular and Abstruse meaning is this that the Race of the Turks shall be those that shall cause this Disturbance for these are meant by Gog and Magog for the old Gog and Magog were Scythians as is Universally agreed by the Learnedest Commentators on Gen. 10. 2. where we find that Magog was one of the Sons of Iaphet who was the Father of the Getae Massagetae Scythians Sarmaritans and their Neighbours the Tartars from whom it is generally asserted that the Turks first Sprung Iosephus is positive that Magog was the Father of the Scythians and tells us that Magogae was the Name that the Scythians were anciently known buy among the Greeks We learn from Pliny who often gives a better account of Places than of Manners and is very exact in some parts of his Geography that Magog and Scythopolis were Coincident Names of the same Place Therefore there is reason to think that Gog and Magog in this place of the Apocalypse are the Turks and Mahometans who are as â—â—is generally acknowledg'd descended of the Scythians And these are that Stock of People who 〈◊〉 so Molest and Persecute the Saints of the Most High after the expiring of the Thousand Years And it is not unlikely that the Papal Beast will begin to lift up his Horn again I do not mean that any of those individual Persons who acted before shall now appear for they are secured The Beast as well as the False Prophet is in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone v. 10. But there shall be those that shall revive the old Roman Tyranny and Superstitions and shall join their Forces with those of the Mahometan Faction Both these Parties shall arise and shew themselves soon after the thousand years are ended And the Prince of the Infernal Daemons who had been imprison'd and chain'd up all that space shall be Head and Commander of them and gather them to Battle Their Numbers shall be exceeding great even like the Sand of
his Christ Rev. 11. 15. But when this Last Angel shall do this Office we are ignorant though a Learned Foreigner lately is confident that this is the Time But we see he had but little ground for it for his Calculations have proved false though he thought he had some more than ordinary Foundation in the Transactions and Events of these late times for what he offer'd And he hath been follow'd by some of our own Countrey Men who presumed to assign the Punctual and Precise time when those Prophetick Passages in the Book of the Revelation were to be accomplish'd as if they above all other Men had a Key to those Divine Secrets and were authorized to unlock them I look upon this as the Product of a well-meant Mistake of their misapplying some Apocalyptick Texts which they were betray'd into by apprehending that the Circumstances which the Publick Affairs were in at that time were agreeable to those Prophecies But certainly this Rashness is very blamable because it may give occasion to ill-minded Men to disbelieve all the other Prophecies in the Apocalypse because the Period of these which was with so great Confidence determin'd is found to be untrue Nay indeed it hath sometimes happen'd that when Positive Men have peremptorily set a certain Year it hath generally proved a worse Time than ordinary on one account or other instead of a welcome issue of their Predictions some very unusual and dismal thing appears upon the Publick Stage as it were a doom for such rash Prognostications Here therefore ought to be a great deal of Caution Prudence and Sincerity But so it is we may observe that it is the way of these Apocalyptick Men like the Clocks of Basil always to anticipate the time they are too hasty in fixing the Periods of Prophetick Occurrences either because they impatiently desire the approach of them or because they are ambitious of being thought the first Discoverers of these Secrets In the Book of the Revelation the Time of the Beasts Reign seems to be determined viz. 1260. Days Rev. 11. 3. 12. 6. i. e. as all grant so many Years for that is the Prophetick way of Numbering which are the same with the Time and Times and half a Time Dan. 7. 25. Rev. 12. 14. and with the 42. Months i. e. of Years Rev. 11. 2. 13. 5. Now if we could tell when the Apocalyptick Beast began we might from what is here expresly set down exactly know its end but the former being no where mention'd we are at a loss for the latter A very Sober and Modest Pen fixes the beginning of the Beasts Reign in the Year of our Lord 456. and consequently by adding 1260. to that number makes the end of it to be A. D. 1716. But according to this way of Computing the Papal Beast was in being before there was Popery properly so called in the World which is sufficient to invalidate that Calculation However if those Numbers refer to the end of the Beast as it is certain they do I agree with this Writer that it cannot be very far off But as to the precise time we may conjecture but we cannot be certain It may be our Chronology is Defective it may be the Account which we have of Years is not Exact and consequently our Calculations cannot be accurate Or suppose they were yet our Saviour acquaints us when he speaks of such Affairs that the time shall be shortned for the Elects sake Mat. 24. 22. So that our exactest Chronology will not avail us then I have nothing therefore to say concerning the Punctual Date of this Notable Revolution which hath been the matter of our Disquisition Yea perhaps it is impossible for any Man to know it infallibly I mean without a particular Revelation Yet I will not as the Iews curse those who Calculate these Times but rather wish that Men would be Sober and Modest in this as in all other difficult and intricate Points It is folly to be over-curious and sollicitous here but it is no less than Presumption and Arrogance to be Peremptory This should suffice us that there is a time when these things shall be accomplished In the mean season let us comfort our selves with the expectation of that Blessed State of the Church Let it be remembred that however things go now there shall be a better Face of them hereafter and though we may not live to the arrival much less the fruition of it yet it is some solace to our Minds that with Moses we have a sight at a distance of that Blessed Canaan the Land of Promise in which all the Defects and Declensions that have been either in Nature or Morals shall be repair'd and amended Nor doth the ill posture of things at present in the least retard my hopes or belief of a change for the better for though it sounds like a Paradox yet it is an experienced Truth that things farthest off are nearest Look into the Calendar and you will see that December which is at the greatest distance from Ianuary is the next Month to it See it in Nature when the Night is darkest it is nighest break of Day Look on the Globe of the Earth and you will find the extream parts of the East bordering on the West And so it is here when things seem to be most remote from this Revolution they are nearest to it Extremity proves successful sometimes The worst Times introduce the Best The Condition of the World is like that of some Disâ—ased Bodies which must of necessity be brought low before they can arrive to a sound and perfect Constitution Our weak languishing and perishing State may by the Divine Disposal make way for our Health and prove the fore-runner and occasion of our lasting Happiness Though the World in some Ages is palpably worse than in others yet bating the Last Scene of all when in respect of the Universal prevailing of Vice it seems to be worst of all as at this time even then it is tending to the best for this hath been always observable since the first Creation that the greatest Corruptions and Apostasies have made way for the most remarkable Reformations and accordingly the horrid Degeneracy of these present times not only among our selves but in all Christian Countries is one Argument to incline me to believe there will be a mighty alteration Irreligion Impiety and Atheism are now making their greatest and last Efforts before that Glorious Day which I have been describing arrives An Universal Prophaneness is to preceed and usher in an Universal Holiness and Purity Unchristian Wars and Commotions Divisions and Contentions in Churches and States are the fore-runners of a General Peace and Repose The World will not go off thus as it is but a more pleasant and delightful Scene of it will appear and this so Vitiated and Corrupted Age shall be followed with as Eminent a Restoration Though we are ignorant of the exact time of it yet this