is mean't of the faith in Christ without which no man's heart is cleansed The tenth place is Deut. 32. to the 44. verse Here from the first verse to the 40. divers passages occurre concerning the Conversion of the Iews as Heurnius doth learnedly expound them Then from the 40. verse to the 44. is the prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles For the Apostle Rom. 15.10 alleageth the first part of the 43. verse to this purpose Now here it is prophesied of the destruction of the enemies of the Church and of the spilling of their bloud in fight Which destruction hath not happened yet as is plain by this Syllogisme If the Destruction here prophesied of by Moses agrees with that which is prophesied of Revel. 19. vers. 20.21 it hath not yet happened out but is to come But the Antecedent is true Therefore also the Consequent The Assumption is made good by the comparing of these two places And here it shall not be amisse in brief to call into our memory how many dâ—structions of the enemies of the Church after the Babylonian captivity we meet withall in the Prophets And they are in number three The first Destruction is of the enemies of the Church of the Iews in the time of the Maccabees Dan. 11.34 35. The second Destruction is of the enemies of the Church of the Gentiles Dan. 11.34 35. Revel. 19. vers. 20 21. The third Destruction is of the enemies of the Church of both Gentiles and Iews a little before the end of the world Revel. 20.4 The eleventh place is Nehem. 1.8 9. Here the promise of God Deut. 30.3 4. a little before explained is repeated and is applyed to the bringing back of the two tribes from the Babylonian captivity which was a type of the deliverance of them all which is yet to come For God promised the twelve Tribes that he would gather them together whither soever they were scattered among divers Nations although they were driven to the utmost part of Heaven that is into the most remote Countreys Which cannot be interpreted of the Babylonian captivity alone For neither then were all the Tribes brought back neither was their bringing back from the remotest Lands The twelfth place is Psal. 22.27 28. All the ends of the earth shall remember and be converted unto the Lord And all the kindreds of the Nations shall bow down themselves before him Compare Psal. 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name So Psal. 117.1 O praise the Lord all ye Nations praise him all ye people Let us search through the Monuments of Hictories and then let us examine whether this hath been or no We shall finde indeed in some new found Lands detested in ours and our fathers memory that the works of the Conversion of the Nations hath had some beginning and small progresse But in many parts of the East to this day we shall finde so little progresse that not so much as a beginning thereof will anywhere yet appear The thirteenth place is the whole 97. Psalm This Psalm containeth a Prophesie of the Kingdom of Christ in his Church of the New Testament as may be gathered out of the 7. verse the latter part of which the Apostle Heb. 1.6 alleageth concerning Christ Again Many Islands are bid to rejoyce which cannot be accommodated to the Church of the Old Testament Whence by the word Sion verse 8. the Church of the New Testament is to be understood as almost every where in Isaiah Moreover in the 6. verse it is said All the peâ—ple see his glory Lastly the judgements of God upon his enemies and the Ioy of the Churâ—h which both are here described have not as yet been accomplishâ—d The fourteenth place is Psal. 110. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike thorow Kings in the day of his wrath He shall judge among the hâ—athen he shall fill the places with dead bodies He shall wound the head over many Countries That these things are not yet come to passe will appear to any one that will take into his consideration History and Experience But that is especially to be taken notice of which he speaks concerning the Head over many Countreys For without douâ—t it is to be understood concerning that Great Antichrist whom many Countries acknowledge for the HEAD of the Church The fifteenth place is Isai. 2.1 2 3 4. Here is mention made of the last times and four things are prophesied of which then shall happen out 1. The Mountain of God shall be placed on the top of the Mountains 2. All Nations shall flow in unto it 3. The Law shall come out of Sion 4. They shall beat their Swords into Plough-shares c. Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation c. Of these the first and the third are fulfilled The second will be brought to passe more and more every day The fourth is not yet accomplished as experience hath hitherto taught us and doth yet teach us The 16. place is Isai. 11.10 11 12. Two things are here prophesied of 1. The Conversion of the Gentiles a little after the first coming of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel Verse the tenth For it shall come to passe at that time of the coming of Christ of whom is the foregoing Prophesie from the beginning of the Chapter hitherto that the Nations shall seek unto the roote of Jesse 2. The Conversion of the Iews and Gentiles together Verse 11 12. See Hâ—urnius upon this place Compare this Prophesie with the sixteenth Verse of this Chapter and with the following twelfth Chapter The 17 place is Isai. 24.23 Where there is foretold that the Lord shall reign gloriously in the mount of Sion and in the City of Ierusalem and in that manner That the Moon and Sun shall be covered with shame at this glory of the Kingdom of God in his Church so great shall be the glory and splendor thereof Now this so great glory hath not as yet been seen either in the Church of the Old or New Testament Therefore in it 's due time it shall be seen The 18 place is Isai. 25. from the 1 to the 13 verse Here is contained a Prophesie concerning the Church of the New Testament as it appears by the comparing of the 8 verse with Rev. 7.17 and chap. 21.4 as also by comparing the 2 verse and the 1â— with Revel. 16.19 c. and chap. 18. ver. 2.10.18.19 Now here it is prophesied concerning the deliverance of the Church from the persecution of enemies ver. 3 4 5. concerning the destruction of the enemies thereof vers. 10 11. and namely the destruction of the City of Rome ver. 2 and 12. Lastly concerning the joy of the Church being now delivered from them that persecuted her vers. 1.6 7 8 9. And here you must take notice That by Moab or the Moabites the enemies of the Church of the New Testament are
signified and indeed those who are joyned unto true Christians by the bond of the name Christian as the Moabites were joyned to the Iews by the bond of Consanguinity whom notwithstanding they persecuted with most hostible mindes and affections The 19 plâ—ce is Isai. 26.1 2 3 4 5. where part of that song is set down wherewith the Iews were to praise God for their deliverance from the Babylonian Captivity wherewith the Christians also were to praise him for their deliverance from the Tyranny of Antichrist as may be gathered from the comparing of Revel. 14.8 and chap. 18.2 with the 5 and 6 verses of this Chapter The 20 place is Isai. 27. That this Chapter doth treat of the Conversion of the Iews this may serve for a most certain Argument because the Apostle alleadgeth some part of the 9 verse Rom. 11.27 consider also diligently the two last verses The 21 is Isai. 33.20 21 22 23 24. Where the City it self Hierusalem so commonly called cannot be understood by reason that after this Prophesie it was overthrown by the Romans Therefore the Church of the New Testament is signified which every where in the Prophesies of Isaiah is mystically and typically or metaphorically called Hierusalem Now the things prophesied concerning it are Peace Defence against enemies and Victory All which have not yet happened and therefore certainly shall The 22 place is Isai. 34. from the 1 to the 18 verse Where you may collect that a Prophesie is here contained of the overthrow of the enemies of the New Testament by comparing the 4 verse with Revel. 6.14 and the tenth verse with Revel. 19 3. and the 11 verse with Revel. 18.2 Now by the Edomites the false brethren of true Christians are set forth and by Bozrah the chief City of Edom Rome the chief City of Antichrist is figured out whose ruine is most feelingly described in the 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 verses The 23 place is Isai. 43. the whole Chapter The discourse whereof is concerning the conversion of the Iews Especially consider the 5 and 6 verses I will bring thy seed from the East and gather thee from the West I will say to the NORTH Give up and to the South Keep not back Bring my sons from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth The 24 place is Isai. 45.22 and 25. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth 25. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory This is spoken of the Universall vocation of the Gentiles and Iews which two things have not yet come about The 25 is Isai. 49.24 25 26. Which words agree with the foregoing Prophesie of the calling of the Gentiles from the 18 ver. and therefore are to be interpreted of the Church under the Gospel which complains of the power of her persecutors ver 24. and is strengthned again by Christ with promise of deliverance verse 25. and with threats of the ruine of those which persecuted her ver. 26. Compare Revel. 16.6 The 26 place is Isai. 54.14 15 16 17. That this Prophesie doth speak of the Church of the New Testament is from hence made plain by reason that in this chapter a Prophesie is contained concerning those benefits which God would bestow upon the faithfull under the Gospel whereto it makes also That Christ Ioh. 6.45 alleadgeth the first part of the 13 verse Now in this place of the Prophet cited by us is contained a Prediction of the defence of the Christian Church against enemies which is not yet fulfilled The 27 place is Isai. 59.16 17 18 19 20 21 That here also is contained a Prophesie of the Church under the Gospel appears by comparing the 16 verse with chap. 63.5 as also the 20 verse with Rom. 11.26 Now there are three members of this Prophesie One of the destruction of the enemies of the Church which shall happen before the conversion of the Iews vers. 16 17 18 19. Another of the Majesty or glory which shall accrew to the Church by the ruine of her adversaries vers. 19. When the enemy shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him The third is of the conversion of the Iews vers. 20 21. The 28 place is Isai. 60. Which whole chapter treats of the happinesse which is yet to accrew to the Church of the Gospel as will appear to them that consider of it The 29 place is Isai. 63. the first six verses It will be made plain to any one that this Prophesie doth speak of the deliverance of the Church of the New Testament from the ministers and followers of Antichrist if he do but compare it with Revel. 14 19 20. and chap. 19.13 and 15. Who are signified by the Edomites and Bozrab appears by looking back to the 22 place The 30 place is Ierem. 16.14 to the end This Prophesie discourseth of the conversion of the Iews ver. 15. The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the Land of the NORTH and from all the Lands whither he had driven them and I will bring them again into their Land which I gave to their fathers Also concerning the vocation of the Gentiles ver. 19. The Gentiles shall come unto theâ— from the ends of the earth and shall say Surely our fathers have inherited lies vanity and things wherein there is no profit The 31 place is Ierem. 23.3 where the conversion of the Iews is treated of The 32 place is Ierem. 33. ver. 3. and the following For â— the dayes come saith the Lord that I will bring again the Captivity of my people Israel and Iudah And a little after But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King or as the Chaldee Paraphrase hath it Christ the son of David their King Behold again a most sweet prophesie of the conversion of the Iews The 33 place is Ierem. 31.1 3. Where in like manner the conversion of the Jews is prophesied of See Heurnius in his Book formerly cited by us The 34 place is Ierem. 31.31 32 33 34. That a Prophesie concerning the Church of the Gospel is contained in this place may be perceived by the alleadging thereof in Matth. 3.18 and in the Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 8.8 Now the conversion of the Jews is there promised in as much as God promiseth the people of Israel that he would make a new Covenant with them by means of which he would forgive their sins and write his Law in their hearts Which conversion of the Jews is not yet brought to passe because since the Gospel began to be preached the greatest part of the Jews have continued in unbelief Wherefore it shall be brought to passe in it 's good time The 35 place is Ierem. 32.37 39. Behold I will gather them out of all Countries whither I have driven them in mine anger And I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear
declâ—red do either severally or more of them together occurre The first place is Gen. 17.4 5 6. Where God thus speaks unto Abraham As for me behold I make my Covenant with thee and thou shalt be a father of many Nations Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham for a father of many Nations have I made thee And I will multiply thee abundantly and I will make Nations of thee and Kings shall come out of thee In these words is promised unto Abraham that he shall be a father not onely of the Iews but also of the Gentiles For it is plain That divers people had their originall and descent from Abraham For besides that Isaac was born of him Ismael also grew into a great people and the Edomites also descended from him were scattered farre and wide Of other sonnes also which he had by Keturah very large families were spread abroad But what Moses had a farther respect in these words namely that the Nations by faith were to be inserted into the kindred of Abraham though they were not begotten of him according to the flesh as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 4 11. The Iews of all kindes and Gentiles shall be the sonnes of Abraham in Christ But this is not yet brought to passe Because the tenne Tribes carried away by Salmanassor have heard nothing concerning Christ and the two Tribes Iudah and Benjamin have hitherto wandred in their own wayes as also the Indians and the like unto them It must be therefore that they also at length be brought into the Covenant made with Abraham The second place is Gen. 18.18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him Compare Gen. 26.4 Hence I thus reason In the seed of Abraham which is Christ all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed But this hath not yet come about as it appears out of the illustration of the former place This therefore must be yet done Compare Gen. 21.13 where God promiseth Abraham that of the sonne of the Bond-woman Hagar he would make a Nation that is he would cause that of him many people should be born because he was his seed As if he should say This seed of Abraham also shall not slip out of my remembrance but in it 's due time it shall know that I am the God of Abraham The third place is Gen. 27.40 When thou Esau shalt have the dominion thou shalt break his thy brother Iacob's yoke from of thy neck This shall then be done when the posterity of Esau shall grow together into one body with the Israelites Which is not yet done The fourth place is Gen. 48.19 Notwithstanding his Manasse's yonger brother Ephraim shall grow greater then be and his seed shall be the fulnesse of the Nations These words receive light from the 11 chapter to the Romans where the same manner of speaking is used This therefore shall be the meaning Out of Ephraim indeed no numerous off-spring shall arise according to the flesh for in this respect the tribe of Iudah exceeded the tribe of Ephraim but this shall be his prerogative that his seed shall be the fulnesse of the Gentiles that is shall put a conclusion to the Conversion of the Gentiles and so together with the rest of the Iews shall be turned unto Christ The fifth place is Gen. 49.10 Which is spoken of Shiloh that is the Messias And unto him shall the gathering or obedience of the people be That is of Iews and Gentiles as also of the Turks and Indians and of the tenne Tribes The sixth place is Gen. 49.18 Here Iacob breaths forth his griefs for the tribe of Dan I have waited for thy salvation ô Lord As if he should have said yet at length I shall be saved ô God however thou meanest to scatter me with the other nine tribes of Israel For it is a very hard censure utterly to exclude those tenne tribes from the Communion with Christ The seventh place is Gen. 49.26 Here Iacob thus speaks unto Ioseph The blessings of thy father have prevailed with the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills That is They are not only temporall but eternall For he joyns together spirituall promises with earthly because the one are but the resemblances and figure of the other Therefore those last words are a circumlocution of Perpetuiâ—y I demand then where in the whole world were the posterity of Ioseph made partakers of Christ It is necessary therefore that this promise should yet be fulfilled The eighth place is Numb. 24.17 Where Balaam thus prophecieth concerning Christ I see him but not now I behold him but not nigh there shall come a starre out of Jacob and a scepter shall arise out of Israel and shall smite all the corners of Moab and destroy all the children of Seth. Here by the children of Seth are understood all the children of this world because we are all sprung out of Seth who succeeded into the place of Abel who was slain For the posterity of Cain perished in the Deluge Noah had his descent from Seth. And from Noah was the reparation of mankinde Wherefore the sonnes of Seth are as much as the sonnes of Adam that is all mankinde This is the meaning Christ who shall come out of Iacob as a starre and whose scepter shall rise out of Israel shall bring to nothing the Moabites the enemies of the Israelites and shall destroy all the sonnes of Seth that is all men by subjecting them to himself by his own Spirit Which yet as experience it self may be witnesse hath not been brought to passe Now in this place I translate it the sonnes of Seth following the Lxx. Interpreters and Vatablus because the Antithesis between Moab and Seth so required To say nothing that that Translation He shall destroy all that are behinde is forced Now in the word he shall destroy there is an extraordinary Emphasis or significancy for the Hebrew word denoteth as much as to break down a wall as if he should say he shall break in pieces their walls that is whatsoever all men have of their proper holynesse or worth this Starre shall make dimme and obscure and shall weaken all power that lifteth it self up against God The ninth place is Deut. 30.3 4. Then shall the Lord God turn thy captivity and shall have mercy on thee and will return and gather thee from among all the people whither thy Lord God had scattered thee If any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee and from thence he will fetch thee This truly is not fully performed in the bringing back of the Babylonian captivity For neither were the tenne Tribes then brought back See also the 6. and the 8. Verses For what is spoken there concerning the circumcision of the heart
enemies of Hierusalem were never strucken with such a plague nay on the contrary it self was overthrown by the Romans It remains therefore that by Hierusalem we understand the Church of the N. T. whose enemies shall be punished with no single plague but many as is here severally expressed Here then the destruction of the enemies of the Church of the New T. is prophesied of and moreover the illumination and enlargement thereof of which in the 6.7 and following verses The 53 place is Malach. 3.19 20 21. according to others chap. 4.1 2 3. That this prophesie speaks of the Church of the New Testament is clear out of these words The Sun of righteousnesse shall arise Now two things are promised here to the Church of the N. T which are not yet fulfilled namely the destruction of her enemies v. 19. and her own deliverance from persecution The 54. place is Mal. 4.4 5. Where the coming of Elias is spoken of Before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Which prophesie indeed hath a double fulfilling one in Iohn the Baptist another in some other great person who is yet to come This appears thus Christ teacheth us Mat. 11 17 Chapters that this Prophesie was fulfilled in Iohn the Baptist to wit in regard of his zeal and fervency But what else is spoken concerning Elias both in Malachy and Matthew doth not suit with Iohn the Baptist For Malachy saith Matth. 17.11 That Elias should restore all things which Iohn the Baptist did not Therefore we must necessarily determine That this Prophesie will have a double fulfilling Whereto belongs that also of * Augustine Elias shall restor all that is in the end he shall confirm the Saints troubled by the persecution of Antichrist And the rest of the Fathers also have thuâ— interpreted Malachy Theodoret in his Commentary writes thus of this place He speaks of his second coming and he likewise teacheth us what the great Elias shall do when he shall come And a little after Elias shall first come and he will perswade you O Jews That without doubting you would be joyned to the faithfull of the Gentiles and be brought together into my Church being become one The 55 place is Matth. 23.39 Where Christ speaks thus to the unthankfull Iews For I say unto you Ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord By which words Christ declares That at length the Iews should see him not meaning in the last Judgement but before it because at the last Judgement they shall not cry out unto him Blâ—ssâ—d c. for then they shall tremble that have not been converted unto him but at that time when he shall shew himself to them that he may convert them to the true faith The 56 place is Mat. 24.14 And this Gospâ—l of the Kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come See now before the last Judgement the Indians themselves and others which yet acknowledge not JESUS CHRIST shall be brought unto the Church The 57 place is Luk. 21.24 And they the Jews shall fall with the edge of the sword â—nd shall be led captives into all Nations and Hierusalem shall be trampled on by the Nations untill the times of the Gentilâ—s shall be fulfilled This place shall receive light from the next following Our Saviour here teacheth us that the Jews shall be vexed along time by the Gentiles and that being ended they shall be converted to the Faith The 58 place is Rom. 11.25 26 27. The Apostle teacheth us in this place that the Jews should so long remain in their blindenesse and calamity till the fulnesse of the Gentiles should come in that is till the rest of the Nations of the world should flow in unto the Gospel For then it should come to passe that all Israel should be saved And this he calls a Mystery and that noâ— unfitly For this is that Propheticall Secret so often pressed by the Prophets of which Paul would not have the â—entiles ignorant lest they should despise the Jews as cast off for ever The 59 place is 2 Cor. 3.15 Therefore unto this very day when Moses is read the Veil is upon their heart Neverth lâ—sse when they shall turn themselves unto the Lord the Veil shall be taken away The Apostle here teacheth us two things concerning the Iews 1. That their mindes * were blinded as he speaks in the foregoing verse 2. That at length they are to be converted by the Spirit of Christ The 60 place is Revel. 22.5 And she brought forth a man-child Christ who was to rule all Nations with a rod of Iron Compare Psal. 2. You may gather out of these two places that Christ shall be Lord and King of all people Jews and Gentiles when he shall gather them into his Church and there feed and rule them The 61 place is Revel. 14.8 Where the ruine of mysticall Babylon is declared which belongs to the happinesse of the Church But seeing it hath not happened it shall most surely happen The 62 place is Revel. 14.14 to the 21. Where is 〈◊〉 blown the destruction of the enemies of the Church of the N. Tâ—â— The 63 place is Revel. 18 the whole Chapter Wherein iâ— contained a glorious Prophesie concerning the destruction of the the City of Rome and the overthrow of Antichrist The 64 place is Revel. 19.1 2 3. Where in like manner is contained a prophesie of Rome's downfall and Antichrist'sâ—â—â—dition The 65 place is Revel. 19.11 to the end Where is a clear prophesie of the vanquishing of Antichrists Army And these are the testimonies of Scripture in number * Lxvi in which the happinesse of the Church whereof we took upon us to treat is prophesied of promised and set forth I make no doubt but the attentive reader rather will easily observe a notable harmony and concent in these places of Scripture and from his own private reading adde also others The third Classis of Arguments THis Classis or rank of Arguments offords certain reasons and the consent of some learned men Reasons or Consequences I. All persecutors of the Church have at length been punished by God Therefore at length the great Antichrist also shall certainly be punished The Antecedent or foregoing proposition is proved partly from the nature of God partly by Induction of examples II. After long and grievous persecutions the Church hath ever felt some rest and refreshment here on earth Therefore also she shall have some breathing time after the persecution of Antichrist and that here upon earth because God himself hath made her such a promise III. Where the ayde of man failes there the assistance of God begins as Philo the Iew said long agoe both quiently and piously This is most certainly witnessed by the examples of the Church of the Old T. miraculously delivered out of the
Christ to wit in which a great number of beleevers for a thousand years should worship God But rather that this coming is at the doors or else indeed cannot any long time be delayed Answ. With that State of the faithfull which shall last for a thousand years the reliques and remainders of those conquered enemies of the Church shall be joyned who about the end of this millenary shall recollect their strengths and make warre against the faithfull And then the state of the world shall be such as it was in the dayes of Noah As in his dayes therefore the deluge came upon the wicked so these thousand years being finished the last judgement shall come in the time of the warre of Gog and Magog And so it will be brought about that this prophesie of Christ notwithstanding that happinesse of the Church shall be accomplished in those wicked and ungodly men IV. Object Is taken out of Luke 18.8 If at the coming of Christ to Judgement none or indeed very few beleevers shall be found in the world it is not probable that so great a number of beleevers shall be for those thousand years immediately before the coming to Judgement Answ. * Christ doth not mean by these words that simply he shall finde but a few beleevers on earth at his coming to Judgement but a few in respect of the enemies of the Church who then shall make warre with the Saints The number of which enemies shall be as the Sand of the Sea Revel. 20.8 V. Object Is taken out of the Acts 14.22 We must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore the Church in this life shall not be freed from persecution Answ. Paul and Barnabas speak in this place of the condition of those present times not denying in the mean while that there shall be certain times also wherein the Church shall be delivered from persecution as it happened in the times of Constantine the Great Theodosius and others VI Object Is taken out of 1 Cor. 10.11 where the Apostle saith that the ends of the world were come upon him and the other faithfull of that time Wherefore if the ends of the world were at hand in Paul's time much more are they now at the doors seeing from that time neer sixteen Ages are expired Whereupon it is not probable that a thousand years and more should remain to the end of the world Answ. These words of Paul have not this meaning as if the day of Judgement were then at hand for he himself rejects this opinion 2 Thes. 2.2 3. Thus therefore we must intrepret it That Paul by the * ends of the world doth understand the state of the New Testament or the last age of the World which began from the promulgation of the Gospel over the whole earth and shall be terminated with Christ's comming to Judgement Now part of this Age are those thousand years which are not yet begun VII Object Is taken out of 2 Thes. 2.8 where the Apostle witnesseth that the Lord shall at length consume Antichrist by his glorious coming Wherefore if Antichrist shall be consumed by the coming of Christ to Judgement he shall not then be consumed a thousand yeers before that his coming Answ. The Apostle speaks of the full and finall consuming of the kingdom of Antichrist whereby it shall come to passe that it shall have end together with the state of this woâ—ld Yet in the mean while for these 1000 years there shall alwayes be some reliques of Antichrist which at the end of this Millenary shall again gather together their strengths and shall joyn themselves to the other Nations to make War against the Saints and then they shall be finally consumed Revel. 20.8 9. VIII Object Is taken out of I Ioh. 2.18 Where the Apostle saith It is the last time Answ. Iohn by the last time meaneth the state of the New Testament or the last Age of the world of which also these thousand years are part Now the state of the New Testament from the promulgation of the Gospel thorow the whole world to the second coming of Christ is called The last time because it is the last time of Grace after which we must expect no other For Christ came in the fulnesse of time and substituted in the place of the Old Testament such Order and Form of Government as no other is to be looked for hereafter IX Object Is taken out of Revel. 19.20 If this Text be to understood of the last Judgement it is not therefore to be understood of the downfall of Antichrist as which shall be before the day of Judgement a thousand years Now the former Proposition is true therefore also the latter The assumption is proved Because there the description of the last Judgement is described in which close all the foregoing Visions except the first are terminated Answ. I deny the assumption because from the following verse which is joyned to this by a Conjunction Copulative and by reason of this word the rest it manifestly appears That mention is here made of the downfall and destruction of Antichrist and his followers These are the words And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sate upon the horse which sword proceeded out of his mouth and all the Fowls were filled with their flesh But that Christ shall not presently come to Judgement after this destruction is evinced from hence That that coming shall not be till at length after the War of Gog and Magog chap. 20. verse 8.9 Now that War shall be a distinct War from that which is mentioned in this place as appears by comparing both places Rev. 10.20 Rev. 20.10 X Object Is taken out of Revel. 20.2 3. Where it is said That Satan was bound for a thousand years that he might not any more seduce the Nations till the thousand yeers were expired namely That he might not seduce them to Idolatry Now this hath been done by the preaching of the Gospel from the 70 yeers of Christ after that Hierusalem was destroyed the Iews rejected and the Nations brought into the Church in their room Then truely was Satan bound that he might not any more seduce the Nations Not that he might not hurt any one any more but that he might not any more make mad the Nations with a grosse doâ—age upon the Worship of Pagan Idols and hinder the belief of the Gospel among them Hence we may easily collect where we are to fetch the Epocha or the beginning of this account of 1000 years Answ. The Text doth not onely speak of seducing to Idolatry but also and especially concerning the seducing wherewith Satan formerly enticed and shall about the end of the world entice the Nations to make War against the Church Again it is false that Satan from the year of Christ 70. was bound for a thousand years because from that time innumerable and horrible heresies fallings away and scandalls c. have
interpretation oâ— these thousanâ— yâ—ares permitting to the Revelation it's divine authority they ceased from their attempt which could by no meanes be freed from the censure of impiety Conceive thus them that the Seaventh Trumpet with the whole space of those thousand yeares and other predictions belonging thereto doth set forth that great day of judgement so much spoken of by the ancient Church as also by Christ and his Apostles and is not the short space of a few houres as commonly it is beleives but according to the manner of the Hâ—brewes using a day for a time the continued intervall of many yeares and circumsâ—ribed with two resurrections as with two set or limitted tâ—rmes I say that this day shall bee begun first with the partâ—culâ—r and tâ—mely judgement of Antichrist and othâ—r eneâ—ies of the Church then remaining alive with the glorious appearance of our Lord Christ in flames of fire and that at length after the Kingdome of a thousand yeares granted to his holy Spouse the New Ierusalâ—m here on earth and others that shall afterward be borne this great day now drawing to an end shall bee finishâ—d aftâ—r the letting loose of Satan and uâ—ter destruction of the Churches eâ—emies with the generall resurrection and judgement of all the dead which being performed the wicked shall be thrust downe iâ—to Hell to bee tormâ—nted eternally and the Saints translated into Heaven to live with Christ there for ever This indeed is the Time of the anger of God upon the Nations and avenging the cause of them who dyed for Christ for which after the blast of the seaventh Trumpet chapter eleâ—enth the Elâ—ers give thankes with triumph because therein God was to gâ—ve a reward to his servants the Prophets and Saints and to them that feared his â—ame small and great and would destroy thâ—m who destroy the earth This is that day of judgement and destruction of wicked men of which Peter 2. Ep. 3.8 having spoken prâ—sently addes But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing for before I shewed it was called a day that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day In which very day the Apostle with his brethren and kinsfolk the Iewes to whom he writeth doth expect a new fashion of things to happen of which hee saith Presenâ—ly BVT WEE EXPECT A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH according to his Promise where in dwelleth righteousnes Take notice according to his promise Now where was this promise to be found of a new Heaven and new Earth seeing Iohn had not yet had this Revelation but Esaya 65.17 and 66.22 which promise whosoever shall reade I should wonder if he think that it is to be accomplished anywhere else but vpon Earth This is also that Kingdome which is ioyned with Christs appearance heere on Earth to Iudge the world of which Paul to Timothy 2. Ep. 4 1. I charge thee before god and the lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 shall Iudge the quicke and the dead at his APPEARING and HIS KINGDOME For after the last and Vniuersall Resurrection the same Paul being witnesse 1. Cor. 15.24 Christ having destroyed the last enemy death shall deliver up the Kingdome to the Father that he himselfe may be subiect to him that put all things vnder him so little can he be said to enter upon a new kingdome The Kingdome therefore which neither was before the Appâ—arance of the Lord neither shall be after the last Resurrection must necessarily be concluded to be batweene them both This is the kingdom of the son of man which Dan. saw the times of the Antichristian HORNE being finished or the times of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 being accomplished who shall appeare in the clouds when power and glory and the Kingdome shall be given to him that all people nations and languages may serve him for when as the Angel streight expoundeth it the Kingdom and Dominion and greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven mark it well shall be given to the people of the Saiâ—ts of the most high For neither as I sayd before shall this Kingdome be after the last Resurrection seeing then the Sonne of man shall not enter upon a Kingdome but as Paul saith he must lay it downe and deliver to his Father Now that the same kingdome is spoken of by Daniel and Iohn may from hence be evinced First because both Kingdomâ— begin with the ruine of the fourth or Roman Beast that of Daniel when the Beast under the last command of the Horne which had eyes was slaine and his body given to the burning flame that in thâ—Revelation when the Beast and false Prophet that wicked Horne is Daniâ—l having mouth and eyes like a head were taken and both cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Secondly from the same sitting in judgement which went before both for that one place is borrowed from the other and both enteâ—d the same thing will appeare from the comparing of the descriptions of both DAN. Cap. VII APOC. XX 4 Ver. 9. I beheld till the Thrones were placed For so it must be rendred with the Vulgar LXX and Theodor and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is used of a Throne in the Targum on Ier. 1.15 And I saw Thrones Ver. 10. And judgement was set That is Judges as in the great Sanbedrim or Councell of the Jewes according to the manner of which this whole description is fitted And they sate upon them Ver. 22. And judgement was given to the Saints of the most High That is Power to Judge whence is that of Paul The just shall judge the Earth And judgement was given unto them And the Saints possessed the Kingdome That is with the Sonne of man who came in the clouds of Heaven And the Saints lived reigned with Christ a thousand yeares Moreover I would advise the Reader of this whatsoever wholesome truth almost is delivered by the Iewes or by our Saviour in the Gospel or anywhere in the new Testament by the Apostles concerning the day of the Great Iudgement is taken out of this vision of Daniel namely the Judgement which shall be by fire Christs comming in the Cloudes of Heaven his comming in the glory of his Father with a multitude of Angels the judging of the world by him with his Saints the abolishing of Antichrist by the glorious appearance of his comming c. So that they goe about to take away a pillar of our Evangelicall faith who neglecting this ancient tradition of the Church goe about to carry this Prophecy another way Lastly to make an end This is that most great Kingdome which as Daniel interprets it was shewed to Nebuchadnezzar in that representative Statue of the foure Kingdomes Not that of the STONE which the succession of the IV Monarchies yet remaining was cut out of the Mountaine for this is the
Sonne of thine Handymayd T. B. I wholly submit my selfe and opinion to the determination of our long expected Venerable Synod Its Auctoriâ—â—e in libello Docto Iupiter laborioso There is extant also in Print this last yeare a Treatise of one Master John Archer sometimes Preacher of All-hallows in Lombardstreet Intituled The Personall Reigne of Christ upon Earth The Author as I â—eare is with God but his Booke thou maist have on every stall But so farre out of some of our English Divines Let us now heare the Incomparable Tycho Brahe Tycho Brahe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} His Testimony taken out of his first Tome Astronomicorum Progymnasmatum not farre from the end IT is worthy our best observation that as all the former uneven Revolutions of the Fiery Trigon namely the first third and fifth have ever beene auspicious to the world as having ushered in some great and singular favours of the Almighty to mankind so it is probable that this seventh Revolution which now Reignes ever since the yeare of our Lord 1603. is the forerunner of a more happy and glorious state then all the afore pâ—ssed ages have eveâ— yet enjoyed Neither doth this disagree with the most ancienâ— prophecies of the wisest men and enlightned by the Holy Ghost who have foretold that before the generall conflagration of all things that there shall be a certaine quiet and peaceable age for some good space of time upon Earth wherein the tumults and confusions happening 〈◊〉 politique States and by reason of varieties of Religions shall be setled and appeased and at length be made more conformable to the Divine Will and pleasure Which we may also not abscurely collect from the Prophets themselves who foretold that some golden age should be for a time on Earth in which men should beate their swords into Plough-shares and their Speares into pruning-hookes neither should Nation lift up a sword against Nation nor learnâ— warre any more But they shall sit every man under his Vine and â—nder his Figureâ— and none shall make them afraid as Micah the Prophet hath it ch. 4. and Esay ch. II. prophecyeth of the same in this manner The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Galfe and the young Lion and the â—atling together and a little childe shall leade them And the Coâ— and the Beare shall feed their young ones shall lie downe together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the Oxe And the sucking childe shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned childe shall put his hand on the Cockatricuden They shall not hurt in all my holy Mountaine For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea And that passage also Esay 60. is to be referred to the Mysticall Hierusalem or more perfect state of Christianity then hath beene hitherto For Brasse I will bring gold and for Iron I will bring Silver and for-Wood Brasse and for Stones Iron I will also make thy Officers peace and thy exactors righteousnesse Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy wals salvation and thy gates praise And what goes before and followes where at length lie thus concludes I the Lord will hasten it in his time More places are likewise to be found as well in the Prophets as in the * Revelation promising an unusuall and unexpected happynesse of earthly things such as never hath beene in any age of the world hitherto The truth therefore of this Prophecy shall be fulfilled before the generall destruction of all things for it cannot faile proceeding wholly from the infallible Spirit of God and it is probable that the accomplishment thereof is at hand Why then may not all these things obtaine an expected event within the compasse of this renewed Revolution of the fiery Trigon and of the other three ensuing which compleate 800. yeares Hactenus Atlas ille Coeli Mathematici The Testimony of Carolus Gallus out of Dr Hakewill in his Advertisement to pag. 476. for I have not the Booke by me A Booke written by Carolus Gallus a Professour of Divinity in the University of Leyden published in the yeare 1592 and intituled Clavis prophetica nova Apocalypseos Iohannis Apostoli Evangeliographi In his Epistle Dedicatory to the Prince of Orenge and the States of the Netherlands he professeth it was a worke In quo saith he jam inde a viginti quinque annis c. that is In which for these XXV yeares I have very much laboured by reading meditating searching writing disputing and publiquely teaching both in Churches and Schooles seeking out and letting slip nothing which seemed to concerne the finding out of this Divine Treasure Now this man after all this travell search and study thus concludes his eight Observation upon the 20. Chapter of that Booke Breviter spiritus propheticus in hac Iohannis Apocalypsi c. that is Briefely the Spirit in this Revelation of John Prophecyeth concerning the particular and wonderfull Resurrection renovation and restitution of the Church that it in this last Age shall appeare made one of Jewes and Gentiles both living and dead and more gloriously then ever heretofore in a wonderfull manner shall live againe from the dead or first death and shall be renewed restored and flourish againe I THESS IV. Commate 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} THE DEAD IN CHRIST {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for Christ that is The Martyrs SHALL RISE FIRST THe interpretation will not seeme strange to any one who knowes that the same Paul who in his owne words is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ephe. 4.1 was a prisoner on bound for the Lords sake the preposition as feaâ—heâ— men know sometimes signifying the cause propter qâ—â—â— That place also Rev. 14.13 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} They that dye in the Lord is no otherwise interpreted by some Learned men for the whole pericope or passage there seemes plainely to point at the Martyrs who verse 4. are more elegantly called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The first fruites unto God and to the Lambe as purchased by a particular prerogative from among men Io. Bodimus method Hist. cap. 7 Epist. ad Paulinum Quot babet verbâ— tâ—â— Sacramâ—ntâ— * Dâ—â—tate exuperant latae contra ingraâ—os leges Amm. Marcell lib. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Themiâ—t Orat. 3. * Xenophon {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} â— Cic. Academ. Quâ—st l. 2. Acts xvii â—â— 19 Lâ—ers de librâ—s Heâ—selitâ— Anthol lib. gâ—â—p 33. * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} O 〈…〉 dictâ— vide Epâ—cterum {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 4.3 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 1 1â— * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Marc.