but the rest of the Dead that is wicked Men and it may be some of the Saints also shall lie still in their Graves 'till the general Judgment when all shall appear Good and Bad before the Judgment Sent of Christ And 't is very like this is the Meaning of that Place 2 Tim. 4.1 where 't is said that Christ shall judge both quick and dead at his appearing and his Kingdom That is to say by judging the Quick that is the Wicked or some of them to a temporal Destruction and the raised Saints to be rewarded with all the Glory that is promised to all Overcomers in the New Jerusalem Rev. 2.7 11 17 27 Chap. 3.12 21 And as an Addition to all the Rest they shall sit with Christ in his Throne even as he overcame and is set down with his Father in his Throne And these are some of the Rewards that are mentioned Rev. 11.18 to be distributed to the Saints of the first Resurrection so that we may say with the Psalmist Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth Psal 58. ult By This time I hope it is clear that there is a first Resurrection of some before all and that of Saints and Saints only And having shewed before what this first Resurrection is not namely that 't is not Regeneration let us now enquire what it is and whether it be not a Resurrection of the Body and that properly so called And to this End let us consider that 20th Chap. of Rev. a little more John is said there to see the the Souls of them that were beheaded for the Witness of Jesus c. What may we think is meant by Souls Souls in this Place are put for the Dead the Souls of them that were beheaded is the same with the Dead that were beheaded And that is manifest from the opposite Clause or Sentence i.e. the rest of the Dead lived not again ver 5 and therefore the first are considered as dead Again 't is faid they lived and reigned c. What may be meant by this Living and Reigning By the Lives of the Souls of them that were beheaded it seems to me to be no other than the Life of the Body which they did lay down in the Death of the Body and which now in the Resurrection they receive again to die no more To evince the Truth of this let it be considered First That John speaks of the Souls of them that were beheaded that is of those that were slain or dead in Body and he saith that they lived that is they lived again but the dead in Body live not again but by a Resurrection from the Death of the Body The Argument may be thus framed The Resurrection of the Dead in Body is the Resurrec-of the Body 1 Cor. 15.12 13. but the first Resurrection is the Resurrection of the Dead in Body for 't is the Resurrection of those that were beheaded therefore 't is of the Body Secondly The Text speaks of such a Resurrection wherein Men lived a Thousand Years after they be raised which cannot agree to any other Life or Resurrection but the Life and Resurrection of the Body therefore this Resurrection is a bodily Resurrection Thirdly Such a Resurrection is here meant as will be to the rest of the dead after the Thousand Years are ended who lived not again 'till that be finished ver 5 which shall be of the Body ver 12.13 therefore this Resurrection is of the Body also Fourthly The Men that were beheaded must so live during the Thousand Years as the rest of the Dead lived not all that while their Souls were still separated from their Bodies therefore these must live in Souls joined to their Bodies And Lastly These must so live at the first Resurrection as the rest shall live at the second Resurrection and that will be in Bodies and Souls united which cannot be except they be raised from their Graves And thus having written before of the second or next Coming of Christ and of the Thousand Years and of the first Resurrection and the Judgment of the Quick and Dead and other Things coincident we shall write hereafter a little more fully to what hath been only hinted already in this Discourse And First Touching THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST IN THIS WORLD That of John 18.36 being objected against it where Christ saith his Kingdom is not of this World for the better Understanding of this we may take Notice That when Pilate asked Christ if he were a King his Answer was thou sayst that I am a King grants the Thing told him that for that End he was born i. e. to be a King. And Luk. 19 we read that he was proclaimed King by the Multitude and a great Multitude with great Solemnity to the Astonishment of the Spectators All Jerusalem was moved at it Matt. 21.10 and he justified them that did it But it may be said every one will grant this that Christ is a King and that he is King over his Church in which Respect he is called King of Saints Rev. 15.3 King of Sion Joh. 12.15 Psal 2.6 King Jesus Act. 17.7 But CHRIST is not only King of Saints but King of Nations Jer. 10.7 and that not only as GOD equal with the FATHER but as MEDIATOR also And in that Respect he is called God's King Psal 2.6 And all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to him Civil as well as Ecclesiastical And therefore in Luk. 1.32.33 there 't is said that God shall give to him the Throne of his Father David and that he should reign over the House of Jacob and therefore in Mar. 11 the People are said to Cry Hosanna Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David But the Throne and Kingdom of David was Civil Government Again CHRIST is not only a King but a great King Mat. 5,35 in Reference to Jerusalem which is often put for civil State and not only a great King but King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 By all which we may see that Christ is de jure and will be de facto a King and that not only over his Church but over all the Earth and that is next to be considered i. e. THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM For this see Psal 2. He is to have the utmost Parts of the Earth for his Possession Psal 22.28 he is said there to be Governor among the Nations and Psal 72.8 his Dominion is to the Ends of the Earth ver 13. all Nations shall serve him Daniel also speaking of this Kingdom of Christ says it became a great Mountain and filled the whole Earth Chap. 2.35 But more fully Chap. 7.14 and there was given to him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him I shall add one Scripture more to all these and that is Rev. 11.15 at
and his People shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the Stall and when the Hearts of the Children should be turned to their Fathers what else is here meant but the Conversion of the Jewish Nation that they should be turned to serve the God whom their Fathers served which will be long before the End of the World. I might weary the Reader with Quotations but have only singled out some among many whereby it doth evidently appear that the TIME of THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS spoken of Act. 3.21 cannot be meant of the last Judgment for that is not the Time of the Restitution of all Things spoken off by all the holy Prophets but the Annihilation of many Things Neither have all the Prophets spoken of the last Judgment nor any one of them who have been mentioned that I know of neither ever is the last Judgment represented to us by Times as I remember but always by a Day the Day of Judgment the Day of the Lord. See Rom. 2.16 Act. 17.31 Mat. 11.22 and 12.36 2 Pet. 3.10 and elsewhere and therefore something else is meant by RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS which we shall next enquire into Restitution in the original signifieth the setting of a Thing in his right and ancient State as is well known to some and the same Word with that Act. 1.6 To Restore by Restitution of all Things may in general mean a new State of Things in this World and more especially the Conversion or Restoration of the Jewish Nation to the Love and Favour of God to be again the Church and People of God to restore them to their own Land to restore the Kingdom to Israel to restore their Judges as at the first and their Counsellors as at the beginning Isai 1 to restore Comfort to them and their Mourners to restore Joy and Sorrow and Sighing flee away Chap. 35 to restore Peace like a River see for this Isai 66.12 13 and 57.18 19. These Things have been spoken of by all the holy Prophets as hath been largely shewed before and are no other then the Time of the Restitution of all Things and the Thousand Years Then the Enmity of the Creature shall cease Hosea 2.18 they shall not destroy nor hurt in all God's holy Mountain Isai 11.9 then shall Enemies be destroyed so as not to persecute any more so that it may well be called a Time of the Restitution of all Things and Times of refreshing from the Presence of the Lord for then their Sins shall be blotted out so that tho' they should be sought for they shall not be found And this will be a Time of Refreshing not only to the Jewish Nation but to the Gentiles also for the renewing of then will be as Life from the Dead to the Gentiles Now all this and much more which might be mentioned hath never yet been accomplished nor shall be till the grand Enemies of Christ be destroyed and the third-Wo Trumpet sound And that the Time of the Restitution of all Things should be after the general Judgment is began is to me incredible and therefore it will necessarily follow that these Times of the Restitution of all Things is a Term of Time between the third-Wo Trumpet and the general Judgment And what Time may we think it to be but the Thousand Years of Christ's Kingdom in this World which will commence immediately after the Destruction of his Enemies and the Calling of the Jews and continue till the General Judgment and at this Time of Restitution it is that Christ will come Act. 3.21 and destroy the Man of Sin with the Brightness of his Coming except we should say that the should not be destroyed till the End of the Thousand Years or general Judgment which I think no Man of Understanding will affirm But it may be thought that these Thousand Years are past long ago That is then the II. Thing to be enquired into And here we must know 1 that these Thousand Years cannot be in any Part of the Reign of the Beast and 2dly that in the Space of these Thousand Years Satan must be bound and shut up in the bottomless Pit Both these must be granted Those then that affirm that these Years are Past let them begin them when they will will have a Part of the Reign of the Beast included in them Again we find that in the beginning of the Thousand Years those that suffered under the Beast were to be raised and reign with Christ Rev. 20 and 't is absurd to say that any of the raised Saints that were to reign with Christ should suffer after their Resurrection and in the Time of their Reign Their Sufferings must go before their Reigning according to that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 8.17 which is not a reigning in Heaven as possibly may be hereafter shown Nor hath Satan hitherto been bound and this Thousand Years are not to begin 'till Satan be bound from deceiving the Nations Now Satan hath hitherto deceived the Nations in all Ages and Generations in Doctrine by Paganism Arianism and to this Day doth by many other damnable Heresies And can we suppose that he hath been or now is bound What may we think he will do then when he is loose And therefore this Thousand Years and Kingdom of Christ is not yet begun because no Generation have ever yet been so happy as to be free from his Deceptions in one Way or other By this then which hath been spoken it may appear to any who will not wilfully shut their Eyes that the Thousand Years of Satans binding and the Saints reigning are yet future and therefore we shall insist no further upon it but come to the IIId Thing to be spoken to as was proposed that is from what Period of Time it doth begin To answer in general This Thousand Years begins when Christ comes to set up his Kingdom in this world And here we must know That of that Day and Hour no nor Year when Christ will come to set up his Kingdom Christ hath told us no Man knoweth no not the Angels Matth. 24 And when the Disciples Acts 1. would needs know whether at that Time Christ would set up his Kingdom or restore the Kingdom to Israel Christ doth not deny the Thing which doubtless he would have done if there had been no such Thing and have rectifyed their Judgments and informed them better but otherwise he only checks their Curiosity and tells them 't was not for them to know the Times and Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power And Luk. 17.20 when the Pharisees demanded and would know of Christ when the Kingdom of Christ should come he tells them if came not with Observation neither should Men say Lo here or lo there but he would come as Lightning suddenly terribly so shall also the Son of Man be in his Day and goes on to give them some general Signs as Security and Sensuality as it
the Sound of the 7th Trumpet t is said then that the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ By this Time you will understand what Christ meant John 18 when he said his Kingdom was not of this World and indeed he himself tells us in the following Words but NOW is my Kingdom not from hence as if Christ should say I am a King and shall have a Kingdom but not now not in this World but in the World to come For we must know that there are more Worlds then one there was the old World which was drowned and there is this present evil World and as the old World was drowned and the Wicked in it were generally tho' not universally destroyed by Water so will this present World and the Wicked that are therein tho' not all be destroyed by Fire 2 Pet. 3.7 as hereafter we shall endeavour to shew After which there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness a new Face of Things a new World and this is called by the Apostle Heb. 2.5 the World to come when all Things must be put in Subjection to Christ ver 8. And this is the World in which will be or which is Christ's Kingdom And now to speak a little to this Point about THE END OF THIS WORLD and the BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO COME and see what the Scripture speaks to it In 2 Pet. 3.7 the Apostle tells us that the Heavens the Earth which are NOW are reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment or as some render it a Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly Men. And this cannot be meant of the ultimate Judgment because after this there will not only be a new Heaven but a new Earth also wherein dwelleth Righteousness that is righteous Men and that they shall build Houses and plant Vineyards and eat the Fruit of them Isai 65.21 yea and worship God with external Worship from one Sabbath to another and that not for a little While but these new Heavens and new Earth are to remain Chap. 66.22 But what then may we think will become of the old Heaven and the old Earth Will they not still have a Being For answer hereunto we must understand that the Apostle in the forementioned Chap doth make a Parallel between the Destruction of the old world and the World that now is that as the old World was destroyed by Water so will this World be by Fire properly so called as to that which is to be destroyed For as in the old World there was not an Annihilation of any Thing nor were all Men nor all the Brute-Creatures Destroyed nor were the empyrean or starry Heavens then touched and therefore t is only the aerial Heavens with what is contained in them which are the Furniture of them or what moves in the Air that will be the Subject of this Burning and it may be that which the Apostle means by Elements melting with fervent Heat which distinguisheth from the Heavens for it cannot be that the Elements properly so called should melt with fervent Heat the Water not being capable of burning or melting the Fire is that which burns all Things and therefore not to be burned and for the Earth as it was not destroyed by the Flood tho' much defaced so neither will it be destroyed by Fire so as not to be but this Fire shall rather be for the Restoration of it than the Destruction of it as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Psal 102.6 But that the Earth shall have a habitable Being after the End of the Thousand Years is clear from Rev. 20.8 the Devil shall go forth to deceive the Nations that are in the four Quarters of the Earth and ver 9 they went accordingly upon the Breadth of the Earth but it may be some may think that this Burning of the World will be at or after the general Judgment but for ought I know it may be otherwise for then the Heaven and the Earth is said to fly away from the Face of him that sat on the Throne to judge the World and it hath been before shewed that after this Burning there will be a new Earth as well as a new Heaven And who can tell but that this may be the Time when that shall be fulfilled Act. 2.19 20 when there shall be Blood and Fire and Vapours of Smoak so as the Sun shall be darkened with it and the Moon appear as Blood as we have lately seen in this Country Vapours of Smoak have caused them so to appear for that was to be in the last Days and we do not know that ever this hath been accomplished and that this is not at the general Judgment but before is clear out of Joel 2.32 For at this very Time when this shall come to pass and the World shall be burned some shall be delivered for in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall be Deliverance and the Lord hath said it ver 32. The Sum is that at the beginning of the Thousand Years there will be a great Destruction of the Wicked of the World as hath been before shewed and this will be by Fire as the Wicked of the old World were destroyed by Water and the Apostle Peter saith expresly this Fire is for the Perdition of ungodly Men. Paul also tells us that Christ will be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire to take Vengeance on wicked Men 2 Thes 1.8 But more clear Isai 66.15 For behold the Lord will come with Fire and render his Anger with Fury and his Rebukes with Flames of Fire for by Fire and by Sword will the Lord plead with all Flesh and the Slain of the Lord shall be many But what then may we think will become of good Men and the irrational Creatures at this Time when the world shall be in a Flame how shall they be saved Indeed this is a Question too hard for me or any Man else to determine neither do I know that it is revealed in the Scripture yet for Resolution of this I propound to Consideration First That when the World was destroyed by Water t is possible some good Men might perish in that Destruction who seeing that Deluge coming on the World might repent and so have their Souls saved and if so why may not some good Men be taken away in this general Destruction by Fire as to their Bodies and be raised to Heaven as Elias was in fiery Chariots and their Souls be saved But Secondly tho' we do not know how they shall be saved yet the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of Temptation when the Unjust shall be reserved to the Day of Judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2.9 and we know that Faith hath quenched the Violence of Fire Heb. 11.34 and that the Fire that burnt up the most mighty Men that were in Nebuchadnezzar's Army Dan. 3.20 had no Power over
not comprehending all Saints because there are Nations of them that are saved who shall walk in the Light of it Chap. 21.24 and they shall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations into it ver 26. Besides Chap. 20.9 there is mention made of the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City which seems to imply at least to me that they are distinct Societies No such a Society in the purest Churches and in the best Times Tares will be amongst Wheat till Harvest Mat. 13.29 Coming down from God out of Heaven T is true the Gospel Church is called the Kingdom of Heaven but not coming down from God out of Heaven therefore is not Heaven itself for it comes down from God out of Heaven Chap. 21.2.10 Again the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour to it and they shall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations into it which they cannot bring into Heaven Again Rev. 20.9 t is said that God and Magog went upon the Breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City therefore they were upon the Earth for if by new Jerusalem be meant Heaven is a Thing altogether impossible Furthermore the Saints of the new Jerusalem are free from Sin Sorrow and Suffering 1 from Sin there is nothing in it that defileth Chap. 21.27 but Sin defileth 2 They are free from Sorrow ver 4 no more Sorrow nor Crying nor Pain and also free from Suffering for Suffering is always attended with Pain But in other Saints there will be Sin and therefore Sorrow and Suffering to the End of the World. Again these have attained to Perfection in Grace and Holiness so as they need no further Improvement of external Means of Salvation no Temple therein no Need of Sun and Moon to shine therein for the Glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof ver 22.23 no Night there nor Need of Candle or Sun for the Lord giveth them Light Chap. 22.5 But we know that external Means of Salvation will be needful for some till the End of the World by which Souls may be brought home to Christ Thus having given what my Apprehensions are in this Matter and shewed what this new Jerusalem is not and also what it is and whence it comes let it be enquired into where such a Society of Saints and Saints only according to the former Description may be found And here as I premised at first I will not be positive but propose to Consideration whether they may not be the Saints of the first Resurrection mention'd Rev. 20 That some Saints shall rise before others is clear in that Chapter in the beginning of the Thousand Years as before whether all Saints or no I shall not determine that some shall not then live when these are raised is as clear whether Saints or Sinners or both is left to Consideration That there will be Saints and Sinners in the World during that whole Term of Time and so until the End thereof and to the End of the World we have good Ground from Scripture to believe that Christ will appear long before the End of the World or ultimate Day hath been formerly proved that when he cometh he will come with all his Saints Zech. 14.5 Jude 14 and why not these Saints that come with Christ be the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven who are to live and reign with Christ a Thousand Years Chap. 20 and that on Earth Chap. 5.10 Again why may not these be the Spirits of just Men made perfect and Church of the first born to which we are come Heb. 12.23 or what else is the Meaning of that Place Once more why may not these be those who stand on Mount Sion with the Lamb Rev. 14 and follow him whithersoever he goes which are redeemed from among Men being the first Fruits unto God and to the Lamb who were without Fault before the Throne of God and are distinct from the four Beasts and the Elders which I understand to be the Church which will be at that Time. If these or some of these be not the new Jerusalem I know not where to find it I know that very few are of this Opinion that the raised Saints are the New Jerusalem but rather think that the New Heaven and New Earth of which Peter speaks 2d Epistle 3d Chap. 13. are the New Jerusalem for Resolution in this Case and as an Addition to what hath been already written I shall propose to Consideration 1. Whether thinking so or saying so without any Proof will make it so 2dly the Apostle John makes them two distinct Things Rev. 21.1 2. The New Heaven and New Earth seems to be quite another Thing and I understand it to be no other than the Jewish evangelical Church represented to us after a legal Manner by the Prophet Ezekiel under the Name Notion of a City and Temple which is like to be the most glorious Church that ever was in the World 't is more than possible that this may be the New Heaven and New Earth when Jerusalem shall be a Rejoicing and her People a Joy Isa 65.17 18 being called there the New Heaven and New the Earth And yet notwithstanding this New Heaven and New Earth as it is discribed by Ezekiel differs in many Respects from the New Jerusalem as will appear by comparing John Ezek. together For first In the New Jerusalem there is no Temple for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof Rev. 21.22 but that City mentioned by Ezekiel had a Temple Chap. 41.1 4 implying that there should be external Worship And what else is the Meaning of the Priests and Offerings so often mentioned there See Zec. 14.16 Again in the New Jerusalem the River of the Waters of Life proceedeth out of the Throne of God and the Lamb Rev. 22.1 but in that House mentioned by Ezekiel Chap. 47.1 the Waters not the River of the Waters of Life issueth from under the Threshold of the House at the South Side of the Altar Thirdly In the new Jerusalem is the Tree of Life on either Side of the River ver 2. but by that River that shall issue out of the Sanctuary of that City in Ezekiel shall grow Trees for Meat Chap. 47.12 Again once more and once for all this City new Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven and whither doth it come but to the new Heaven and new Earth for the first Heaven and Earth were passed away Rev. 21.1 2 they shall not be remembered nor come into Mind Isai 65.17 All these Things being considered it seems to me impossible that this new Heaven and new Earth should be the same with the new Jerusalem The Sum is this Peter tells us of a New Heaven and new Earth and Ezekiel of a City and Temple but neither of them tells us that either of these is the new Jerusalem It remains