spake of the Children of the Resurrection in that World but how few have taken notice of what World that was meant So these remained for the most part still obscure the Apostle Paul reveals a mystery of it yea many Mysteries as we hope to manifest the Jews and Israelites civil Resurrection that is near to it and in Scripture adjoyned to it is likewise called a Mystery and rising from the dead for the strangness of it Ezek. 37. with Rom. 11. Dan. 12.1 2 3. and both are again joyned by our Saviour Luke 21.28 31. But our Saviour according to his Divine wisdom hath given light to those and many other Texts of that nature and should we in this cavil with our Mercy and contend with our most Divine Teacher as if we were wiser then he or that Wisdom it self had erred therein And indeed it is strange to hear mens perverse reasonnings in these things and the like but we shall give other Scriptures that teach the same in substance or the like after all as we said both in Old and New Testament Onely we would speak a word or two to the other branch of the Objection in the first place That the Book of the Revelation is mysterious and men have been much mistaken c. Ans It hath been in some things a secret long but yet not such as were forbidden to inquire into yea we are commanded to read it and search this as other Books of the Gospel viz. to understand it and it is not as in Daniels hints of these things when he was commanded to shut them up but contrary the Apostle John is commanded to leave them open and not Seal them Chap. 22. v. 10. Yea our Saviour pronounceth a blessing to such as read them as they ought and he hath blessed many with very Remarkable Discoveries by degrees though Objectors are injuriously Critical against them instead of being thankful to God and to them for what they have in such kind disco vered and stumble more at a Conjecture or easie mistake then profit by many pretious and useful things so tendered to them all have but what measure they receive to such purpose from God in one respect or other and God hath vouchsafed a special assistance in this kind one way or other even sometimes by unexpected and unlikely means and Instruments somewhat I could say in that kind but it may not be convenient c. did not Christ send his Spirit to lead his into all truth and Revelation Truths are some of them yea and very pretious ones too Though some mistakenly would perswade some good persons to the contrary and Gods Spirit hath not yet laid down that Office Christ promised to send him for though we expect no new Foundation Truths but the spiritual and true Explications of old and of such antient Foundations especially as we have occasion now to speak of for the Revelation is always of some before obscure and hidden Scripture Truths and it is a great advantage as we before noted in our Preface to know the subject nature time and end of such Scripture Truths so in this book revealed as by this most precious Key that respects the happy estate fore Prophesied for Gods people in the said 1000 years it is true it was long in those respects mistaken by many and strangly misplaced but now they are in a great measure made evident it is true also the times of the great Red Dragon and the Beast were for a long time more dark and obscure till their fulfillings in many things have given more light to such things as yet remain unfulfilled but particularly as to these last things the said Key relates unto as Mr. Mede well observes the spirit of God speaks more clearly of these in ch 20. of this Revelation than in the times foregoing and the two last chap. are in some measure an explication of the same matters and times and state of things in the said 1000 years and that 20th ch is an exact Table of such times which if a man once discover what things it relates unto he is in a good way to attain the end thereof and it being once found to be Christs Key of antient revealed Mercies as Scriptures make evident in many particulars as I have and doubt not by the same guidance to give farther and good account of from Gods Word which also I am well assured from Scripture and satisfied whatever some may think otherwise that for the substance it will be approved by Jesus Christ the faithful and true Witness and our Guide into these Truths by the assistance of his Holy Spirit and I shall ever resolve with humble thanksgiving to ascribe the praise thereof to his Divine Grace for such a great mercy to such a poor weak much inwardly and outwardly shattered and broken Earthen Vessel But as it is his work of Grace by a weak hand so tendered let none despise it God stands in need of no mans parts learning esteem or worldly advantage or interest whatsoever farther than he pleaseth The slighting of this most Divine excellent and sacred Book is much in some mens minds and mouths therefore I thought fit here to say thus much to it Now let us proceed to the Symphony and agreement of this with other Texts of Scripture for the Revelation as we noted is of some Divine Truth written before yet if we know Christ spake this of the first Resurrection of the Saints bodily and spake it so plainly in a good degree it is presumption to seek a confirmation of his words but because it is a Revelation it is of some Scripture before though darkly delivered as all the other parts were of Daniels short hints sealed or shut up before and so is this of the subsequent Mysteries in Daniel in respect of their time as in part we shewed though much of this first Resurrection we hope to manifest from other Scriptures likewise We will begin with the Prophet Esay's Testimony in that excellent Song ch 26. who having said of those Lords that had Dominion over the Jews viz. the Heathen Tyrants v. 13 14. They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise viz. at this first Resurrection v. 19. but he declares there who shall live and rise then thy dead men saith he namely Gods Saints shall live together with my dead body shall they arise that is at the said first Resurrection which our Saviour hath here so fully explained So David foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophesie that the Just shall have Dominion at that time over such wicked men in the morning of the Resur and day of Judgment it must needs follow as our Saviour explains the same that the just must necessarily first rise to receive that Dominion Psal 49.14 and in this Daniel concurs also for when the Thrones were set or placed as the words signifie not cast down as ours read them at Christs coming then as we shewed
such manifold great happiness will be then derived unto them in that world to come Heb. 2.5 in the renewed state thereof which I doubt not to manifest by the same Divine Assistance very evidently to all serious unprejudiced and understanding Christians in the following Systeme of Gods most gracious Oeconomie or ordering his Houshold the Church in the same respects of such revealed promised or convenanted Mercies chiefly respecting those times but passing thence to eternal blessedness for on such the second Death shall have no power c. Now as the glory of Gods wonderful free Grace first published by himself to Adam and Eve Gen. 3.15 was by their faith applyed as to redound to all their faithful Posterity so hath God been graciously pleased to derive many rivolets of like grace from the same fountain head running their several courses in their several times but all falling in their fullest streams Divine Wisdom and Goodness so ordering the same as it were into those more narrow Seas or Streights of the said 1000 years and from thence passing into the vast Ocean of Eternity whither they Saints shall all be conveighed in due time order and manner from their happy enjoyments in that state appointed for them wherein in the mean time his Wisdom Mercy Truth and Faithfulness will in such respects shine out gloriously to them in so great enjoyments as they shall then obtain and will be thereby many ways more fitted with the blessed Angels to glorifie God the Father Son and Holy Spirit in their rendering all due praise unto him for the same both then and for ever more which they could never do if the raised Saints at the first said Resurrection of their bodies had not a part in all the happiness of that tryumphant state of Christs Church in the said 1000. years and in all the benefits and priviledges thereof viz. of the said revealed Promises and Covenants to the Fathers of old and their spiritual Seed which we hope to manisest in what follows to be according to the word of Gods said Revealed Grace c. And to that purpose we now proceed to the said Systeme of Gods declared Mercy at the fall of Man and in all the succeeding Millenniums or thousands of years in order following The System of Gods declared Mercy at the Fall for a thousand Generations or seven thousand Years as by the Divine Guidance of his Word and Spirit which we shall ever humbly and thankfully desire to acknowledg to his Praise he hath discovered to us from the Fall of Man to the end of the World Especially as is further disclosed by a double Key First of Daniels Sealed hints of Prophesie to ch 20. of Rev. Secondly of Gods most antient Revealed and Promised Mercies to the end of the Revelation Hinted also from Daniels Lot Dan. 12.12 Of the order of the latter in the first Millen or thousand years WHen God in the begining had finished his great and good work of the Worlds Creation in six days and made Man his Deputy Ruler in it and the Devil maliciously by the Serpents subtilty and upon the advantage of the womans weakness had brought about the womans sin and mans fall The Trinune Diety of his own meer grace was mercifully pleased to manifest his most glorious divine goodness by a wonderful Declaration of his said free and infinite mercy towards lost mankind and by himself to publish that Foundation of all future happiness containing in the Womb of it all future revealed and promised mercies and Covenants to his Church and People in all succeeding times by declaring that the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 which Christ in his Mediatorship from that time undertook and hath and doth and will still carry on until he shall make his Foes his Footstool Psal 101.1 eminently at the beginning of the 1000 years by destroying Turk and Pope and taking out of his Kingdome all things that offend c. And by binding Satan for that time and totally and finally destroy all his Enemies at the end Rev. 20. which is largely considered in our treatise upon that Text And will not these things greatly concern the raised living Saints too at that time especially to see the last most obstinate and desperate Enemies both taken of and taken away for ever Oh how will then the Heavens rejoyce and the Earth be glad What Halelujahs will then be sung by Angels and men c. Secondly When the old world was much heightened in wickedness God also by Enoch the 7th Adam his blessed translation as a worker of Righteousness excited men to well doing by Faith and as a type of Christ upon whose ascention all his Followers shall twice ascend by Christ First in this Souls by his powerful grace during their natural Life Secondly In Soul and Body both together at the first blessed bodily Resurrection of the just and at the general Rapture of all the Saints at the last Trumpet when the said 1000 years shall be ended And may not real good Christians by their first ascending into a state of grace by Christ guess what degrees of joy and happiness they shall rise unto in Kingdom and Glory with Christ at the Resurrection and Rapture And also by Enochs Prophetical Vision of Christs coming to Judgement in the first and second Act thereof recorded by Jude v. 14. Loe he cometh with 10000 of his Saints to execute Judgement c. to warn all men to avoid evil the first judicial Act thereof is set down Dan. 7. at the the beginning of the 1000 years the second Rev. 20.11 after the 1000 years are ended and will not all the said Saints magnifie Gods Holiness Power Justice and Truth in both his so revealed and then executed Acts of Judgement c. In the 2d millen or 1000 years GOd about an 1656. did also by Noah a Preacher of Righteousness 1. Typifie 2. Covenant 3. Prophesie concerning these times and things after he had warned the wicked world then by his Preaching of Repentanae to them in the time of the Arks preparation 120. years when their wickedness was arrived to the height which Ark as it was for the saving of his own house then or all such penitent or believing Sinners that would then come into it wherein safety then as salvation at all times is onely to be had in the Church of Christ So Christ will be the true and safe Ark of his Church or Family when the the world in part or in whole shall perish by Fire at the beginning or end of the 1000 years and will not the remembrance of Noah Ark illustrate Christs glory then being the Antitype thereof in doing such works for his Saints how will he then be admired of them c. 2. God also made a Covenant with Noah confirmed by the Rainbow the Token thereof for the worlds preservation from drowning to the end and also gave his blessings to men and all sorts of
the time and place of their being in the World in a very excellent and glorious manner which all the said antient Promises and Covenants have their special and cheif reference very evidently unto and what can be more done but to work upon mens minds and Spirits due apprehensions of these things and of the nearness of their approach with true Faith to believe these things as revealed in the Gospel as well as other parts thereof That so God and Christ may have their due praise and glory in respect thereof and his faithful Servants may have the happiness belonging thereunto Now as all rational men that are of a sound mind when they read the Story of the Creation of the World how God had made the Fabrick of the World and all Creatures first will acknowledge there was great divine Wisdom and Goodness manifest in putting man into the possession thereof who was made capable to discern and partake thereof and to display the divine wisdom and goodness of God therein whilest he enjoyed the benefit of the same which should have been his Sabboths work had he continued in that condition So when men but of ingenious tempers shall come to understand that God promised since mans fall not onely a deliverance from that sad condition by the promised Seed of the Woman and shews by degrees how it should be carried on and accomplished and reveals from time to time from that Foundation particular mercies for the advantage and good of all men in the Old and New World and these Mercies and Covenants have several respects to men present and future as in a natural Life or Spiritual Estate and by his holy Spirit instructs his Servants more and more rightly to know them and the Son of God the wisdom of the Father in a wonderful divinely Mysterious way sets them forth so as the divine Excellency falls in with the blessed Revelation thereof What can ingenious Spirits do less but acknowledge as these manifestations of Gods divine grace and goodness in disclosing of them and of his Faithfulness and Truth in their gradual actual fulfillings But how then are beleiving Christians ingaged also by the word to beleive these upon the aforesaid divine Foundations and especially since they respect such a state as Christ hath set forth is shortly approaching and all faithful Souls and Persons are therein greatly concerned yea Angels men and all Creatures are interessed therein as holy Scripture therein declares and how fitly will a Sabbatism of rest after Christs finishing the great work of his Restitution of all things and his making of all things new succeed to be celebrated to his glory by his Saints in the World who by being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man in one person hath so restored all and being the Son of David according the Flesh shall have the sure mercies of God long since promised to David by the enjoyment of his said Davidical Kingdom many wayes in the word of God secured to him in the said thousand years with all the said Saints in the Restitution of all things these are no slight matters though much over looked by men We shall now a little touch upon the particulars in our said Systeme of Gods Oeconomy or ordering his houshold the Church in regard of his mercies so made known and so in the said thousand years to be fulfilled for his Saints first in removing or destroying all their Enemies and doing for them all revealed or promised good either first as faithful men from Adam or as Gentiles from Japhet as Jews and Israelites from Abraham Isaac and Jacob as men after Gods own heart meek and holy c as David as faithful Servants and the Overcomers of the Lamb Jesus Christ as Christian Martyrs to Reign with him then and to enjoy the New Jerusalem state First at the beginning of the said State in the eminent breaking of the Serpents Satans head as revealed to Adam and Eve he will when he comes from the right hand of the Father eminently make his foes his foot-stool when he will put down all Rule all Authority and Power that stand in opposition to him 1 Cor. 15.24 at his second coming and perfect it after the end of the 1000 years as we shewed and how will he thereby be gloryfied and how will his Saints rejoyce at this as was said at Babylons destruction Rev. 18.20 Rejoyce over her thou Heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets c. So likewise much more then when root and branch and the whole body of the Beast will be given to the burning flame Dan. 7.11 at the beginning also when after the end of the said 100 years the last Geg Mogog shall be consumed by fire from God out of Heaven Rev. 20.9 But how much more when the Saints then shall clearly discern that the Divine promised Seed of the Woman hath not only subdued the enemies but by all his Offices hath purchased and procured so great good as will both then be enjoyed by them and also provided for them to all eternity ensuing And not here to insist on what was said of Enoch or his Prophesie Jude 13.14 to encourage men in good in the world by his translation upon his walking with God c. or to warn them against evil by his foreshewing the Judgment at the said times to be after manifested concurring with the former Gen. 3.15 therein as the sacred truth informs us We shall in the next place offer the consideration of Noah a worker of righteousness in a three fold respect 1. as a Type of Christ 2. Of the Covenant of God made with him for the New World 3. Of his Prophesie 1. He saved his Family in the Ark as Christ doth his Household the Church and will be his peoples true Ark to save them at the partial or total Consumption of the World by Fire at the beginning and after the end of the said 1000 years of which the Saints will then have blessed experience in both respects And 2dly As the Saints will know that the World according to Gods free Covenant with Noah Gen. 8. 9. was many thousand years preserved till then 〈◊〉 that the most abundant fruitfulness of the earth was in wonderful manner according to Gods Word reserved for that state and time in the enjoyment or sight whereof all the said Saints will pay their due Tribute of Praise and Thanksgiving wherefore they must then live to do it But 3dly and more especially when according to Noahs Prophesie of Japhets Posterity the Gentiles that they should dwell in the Tents of Shem though strangers before should become the people of God which the Scriptures witness they have once fulfilled already to them whereof at this day we have cause to rejoyce and bless Gods holy Name for the same ever since the Jews were rejected But we and all Saints hereafter will have cause more abundantly to rejoyce and praise his Name in those times to
see and know that the blessed Seed of the Woman hath broken the Serpents head and chiefly eminently at the beginning and fully after the end of the 1000 years Then also such as lived from Enoch shall know how both Gods acts of Judgment will be carried on then will all saved Saints of Japhets Race see and acknowledg the grace of the last great call of Gentiles as well as the first then all Saints from Noah will praise God for the Earths preservation and fruitfulness then in such abundance as before promised and then performed Then they from Baalams Prophecyed mercies then to take place will find great matter of joy and praise to God then they will from Moses his Prophesie know Christs hands are sufficient for him when he is so happily come to his people Then all Abrahams faithful Seed through that one Seed Christ shall enjoy the Promised Land and City in that excellent Renewed State then shall all meek and upright ones with David possess all the happiness of Christs Davidical Kingdom containing all the rest But because some like Thomas though Christ was present before his eyes had resolved not to believe so these upon the neer approach of Christs said Kingdom Luke 21.28.31 unless he put his fingers in the holes of his wounds when the Doctrine of it is become very evident will not only not own it but not with patience hear of the Doctrine of it yea think all such like the two Disciples neer Emaus are but idle tales that are said thereof yea and say so too till God shall shew them their errors that they may give due praise to his holy name in regard thereof We shall a little expostulate the case and reason with such that so we may convince them of their error and leave them at least inexcusable or rather satisfie them therein if it may be What hath God written so much in his Word and in so many particulars as we have heard all so fitly answering to each other and all to no purpose c. Hath God in unspeakable mercy and goodness been laying the soundation and erecting a stately Structure which should be as the Master-piece of Christs workmanship and almost in the 6000 years past hath been carrying the same on that his glory in the compleating thereof may shine out eminently before Angels and Men and all Creatures wherein that true Solomons glory may in due time appear and that his Saints may upon the discovery thereof first by Faith and after by actual fruition receive the benefit thereof and this the better to prepare them with the glorious Angels for that perfect and perpetual blessedness immeadiately to succeed unto it and all upon so many excellent accounts and from such strong foundations thereof And shall it be reckoned no better than Satans three said Babels but worse as if it after so long preparation for it by God and Christ and expectation from the Faith of it in the Saints so long ago it would yet never at all appear in the world Shall mens unbelief darken the lustre of so great an undertaking of Christ Let God be true and let all men of such unbelieving hearts be found to be lyars Did Christ pray for such a state wherein all those that God had given him should be made perfect in one as the Bride the Lambs Wife Rev. 19.19 21. and will men go about now the Marriage day is neer to forbid the Banes he willed before he died also that all those which God had given him should behold his glory in his Kingdom Joh. 17.24 given him by his Father viz. his Mediatory Kingdom and are all Divine Prophesies of these things become as wind with these men But let such beware lest as the unbelief of the Israelites cut them short of enjoying the typical Canaan so lest it be also found that many such shall come short of this heavenly City of Gods making through their unbelief no obstacle like unbelief to Divine Mercies and according to the antient opinion of some Fathers there will be mora in the Resurrection of the just if men knew but competently the excellency and worth of such an estate they would take more pains and care to obtain it and that early too they would think every hour every minute a great loss wherein it might be attainable And then also let such take notice that all Ages ftom Christs first giving of this Revelation have in some degree or other witnessed to these Doctrines and Men or Devils could never so suppress it but it still arose up again and in these last days more than ever now the performance of that state approacheth and I doubt not as Divine Truth will more and more prevaile with many though as it is probable many will reject it as the Scripture seems to foreshew as in our 10th Assert of our Key is observable yet Satans seven Vials have not nor shall destroy it Prod. pag. 41 42. It is true indeed without a spetial Faith like Abrahams Davids or the like men were not like to see it of old though couched in many Promises neither in the New Testament were men likely without an extraordinary spirit to conceive aright of much of these Doctrines nor could satisfactory knowledg ordinarily be had without this Key of Christs making Rev. 20. 21. 22. that so fitly opens that before to us much locked Treasure but thereby it is so laid open that each Jewel may be seen and made good use of by Faith at present c. Gods works of grace are most beautiful in their times c. And consider in the Creation Was not Gods Wisdom and Goodness therein made glorious at first by putting man in possession of the Creatures being made fit to glorify God in those his former works by keeping a Sabbath immediately thereupon had he stood upright in his estate and will not this great work of Christs Restitution of all things wherein Gods Divine Wisdom Power Mercy Truth and Faithfulness will appear much more glorious as the holy Scriptures teach which hath been almost 6000 years in carrying on and a yet more perfect work of Redemption of his said Saints viz. of their Bodies also Rom. 8.21 23. with inferiour Creatures and then living persons from all enemies Luke 1.74 Likewise that all of them at length may enjoy that Sabatism of Rest remaining to them in such a blessed estate in that world of Christs said Mediatory Kingdom which he on casth affared his little little Flock they should have of Gods good pleasure and free gift with that New Jerusalem the City of him the said igreat King Mat. 5. which God hath prepared for the Fore-fathers also Heb. 11.10 16. Now what way soever the Revealed Promised or Covenanted Right and Enjoyments of the Saints in that state or upon what account soever they shall find it for many Reasons may be grven they will all clearly know it whether as the faithful Seed of Adam and
capacity to be rendered to God the Father to the Lamb that was slain and to the Holy Spirit for ever and ever And Fourthly We have by sundry Texts in Old and New Testament set forth a wonderful accord and agreement of them with this said Revelation which gives light to them all and which could not otherwise have been known as was said by Angels or Men. And now I hope as Creation Atheists as we may fitly call them are generally exploded by all sober and prudent persons who have unreasonably fancied that Atoms so fell in one with another to make up all things at first in the world So allpious Christians will more and more judge them in some fort to be counted Creature-Redemption-Infidels at that time or denyers of the Restitution of all things that should prophanely assert after so abundant evidence that those and all parts of Holy Scripture respecting these Truths fell onely in by the Fancies of the Pen-men of them in all parts thereof that Christs opening thusall such divine Mysteries is but a mere Chymera and Phantastical Fiction Of which dangerous Error let all Slighters and Opposers of these divine Mysteries beware of being found guilty at Christs appearance now near approaching for it is strange in this Case to consider what a bold licentiousness of speaking some men have dared to venture upon even to amazement now in such times of Light c. Some such Objections we have already answered which fell in our way and should here answer many more if many had not in our former parcels been answered before and also by many others of late times as we shewed particularly in the everlasting Gospel on Gen. 3.15 pag. 19. is to be seen But one thing we shall here by way of prevention resolve by Divine affistance Least some subtil Questionist rather to obstruct these Doctrines then to disprove them should demand of us in the Case what special words of direction have we for such use of the said Key whereupon such weight and stresse is laid We might briefly answer the whole stress is not laid thereon for before we had so well observed and considered the use thereof by the order of accomplishment of matters in the Book of Revalation which is of exceeding great use with the three others we touched in our Preface viz. the Subject Nature and Scope of the Book I say we had observed thirty six particulars before respecting those times and things but since upon the exactness of that Chap. respecting such a change in the World relating to the ancient Prophets whereby all circumstances are so set forth and the sacred Scriptures before had brought things to such an height of suitableness by searching through Gods goodness we found that which we hope we shall never lose again that the 20. Chap. of Rev. c. is the great Key of most ancient Prophesie And as the whole Scripture is the interest of all and every Saint and what ever benefit or comfort is therein already revealed or hereafter shall be revealed belongs to them all as such So more especially those Scripture Foundations which concern so great a Joynt interest of all such said Saints together are therefore more highly to be regarded such as those are which this Key evidently upon Warrant from the word as in good measure we have shewed so evidently relates unto If a Father give his only beloved Son all his Estate and House and Goods and Treasures contained therein though the Heir in his Nonage knew little of his Fathers possessions yet when he is pleased to shew him some of his most pretious Jewels though he still reserves them yet the Son knows those particularly shall be his but yet when the Father sets down a time of sure enjoyment of them if the Fathers security be good the Son onely waites for the appointed time Now all Gods adopted Children though but adopted by him with Christ to be his Sons are both Heirs and Joynt-Heirs with Christ in his Davidical Kingdom yea then with him will be Heirs of all things Rev. 21.7 All having therein one and the same interest of which Christ hath set a time for the enjoyment and which will not fail them And let such a Questionist know that when God hath once laid the Foundation of such antient pretious mercies the gradual Revelation of them is onely according to his own good pleasure and as in his infinite wisdom and mercy to his People he sees good It was so in his first laying the great Corner Stone in his House Jesus Christ at his first coming it hath been so in respect of all his Offices and all his Benefits held forth by the Gospel But most of all in those matters respecting both the Mysteries of his Spiritual Kingdom till Christs 2d coming and also those Mystiries of his visible glorious Davidical Kingdom with all the excellencies of that state both of which are the Contents of this Book and in all Gods three chief Chronologers Moses Daniel and the beloved John their Chronicles are both of large extent of time as in Chap. 7. of our Irenic is manifest and mysterious and to be considered as such But above all the Divine Excellencies of this Book which is the Revelation of both the other Chronicles as we have shewed are many ways wonderful yet full of Divine sweetness to such of his as Christ is pleased to open such Treasures unto shortly from hence to be enjoyed by them but yet more particulary as to this Divine Key we are now speaking of it is made most fit to open the Lock which may largely appear by the Work in it and the Wards fitted for it if we consider them particularly The mutual suitableness of them both evidently appears by The Picture of the Divine Key here ensuing 1. In Predictions 1. IF we respect the Enemies or their Removal Ruine and Judgment as Gen. 3.15 and when Psal 110. 1. and Enoch's Vision of their Judgement Jud. 13.14 both in the said first and second acts of Judgment c. 2. If we have respect to the Spiritual Seed of Adam and Eve or the Spiritual Seed of the Divine Promised Seed of the Woman Esa 53. for whom a Paradise is to be procured by Christ and restored to them at the Restitution of all things c. 3. If we look at Noahs Covenant for the Earths Preservation and Fruitfulness 4. If we respect Shems Blessing derived to his Spiritual Race Abraham Isaack and Jacob c. with all the Repeated and Enlarged Promises of Canaan to their Spiritual Seed Christ to inherit the same through that one Divine Seed Christ of their Lineage after to come according to the Flesh 5. Or to such of Ahrahams Isaacks and Jacobs Posterity to be then in the natural Life to whom many great Promises are then to be performed and to the Gentiles likewise of Japhets Race then at their second Call to be United in one Fold with that people of God
I conceive spoken sufficiently to this purpose before I shall therefore here adde no more Now for Application We shall onely endeavour to give some breif hints thereof referring their inlargements to future opportunity if God be pleased to afford it for I cannot speak largby the Press c. 1. Vse of Inform. This may inform all Preachers of the Gospel and all wise and faithful Christians that desire to be well and surely guided in these great things of God respecting the said first Resurrection of what concernment it is to labour well to understand First the curious work of this Key given by Jesus Christ since he ascended unto the Father And Secondly the right Use and Improvement of it The curious work in it is that it is Divinely fitted for all ancient Prophesie and indeed for all Prophesie respecting the general good of Gods faithful Servants throughout all the Bible and of all times throughout the being of the World all setting forth the necessity of the Saints said Resurrection so revealed by our Saviour as we shewed c. And the excellent Improvement and Use thereof is to shew their special and peculiar interest as well as the general in all the revealed promised Mercies and Covenants in the whole Book of God viz. How or under what capacity any such special Mercy is derived to them and made effectual to their Souls in such or such a Dispensation of Grace to them particularly which hath not efficatiously reached to many others at least as yet but in Charity and thankfulness to endeavour truely that it may do so also if it may be and according to their understanding well the curious work of the said Key and the due improvement thereof All judicious Christians may find from thence an excellent sure guidance I say again an excellent sure guidance by divine assistance to judge of the true intent and meaning of all Prophetick Scripture all hangs upon that one Hindge of such said breaking the Serpent Satan head viz. both his head of Craft and Dominion and all drive to the same end of Restauration of men and Creatures in the World as in the several branches of such revealed Mercies may appear if they be rightly considered and all to be accomplished by the said promised Seed within the time of his Mediatorship Before those things shall be enjoyed that Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor entered into the Heart of man to conceive which will be in the highest Heavens afterwards Whereas these mercies in the interim will be much of another nature whilest Christ is redeeming and restoring Men and other Creatures from the bondage of Corruption unto that glorious liberty of the Sons of God And though there be many particular and special Prophesies many times yet they are in their drift and subserviency to be reduced thereunto and therefore the allegorizing of any sorts of Prophesies that have a direct tendencie to any branch of such reavealed ancient Promises and Covenants must needs be erroneous upon whatsoever fair pretenses such sense or senses are put upon them by any man or men whatsoever And therefore if we look unto what God declared in general to Adam and Eve and for their Spiritual off-Spring through Christ that said Divine Seed of the Woman about 4000 years after to come in the Flesh Both in respect of the evil to be removed and the good to be obtained answerable to those divers times and divers ways after declared Mercies acording to the good pleasure of God to the fore Fathers Or consider aright the Covenant which God made with Noah that Type of Christ for the preservation of the renewed Earth as the Stage whereupon God would act in all future Mercies to be known and performed in their due time and order to the end of the World and thereupon the Mercies then to his people were said to be as the Waters of Noah unto God himself that was sure and infallible and by that Covenant both all Creatures with men have their usual preservation and Provision by Seed time and Harvest c. and their greatest fruitfulness is especially reserved for those last times when the Serpents head shall be broken both eminently at Christs coming from the right hand of the Father at the begining or when his shall sully destroy all his Churches Enemies with death the last after the said thousand years Or consider the blessings of Shem and his Race to Abraham and thence especially to all Israel the twelve Tribes and so in Christs lineage and forward or the Predictions of the Calls of Japhets posterity the Gentiles since by holy Scripture explained and applied Or as Jews and Gentiles both united under that one King Christ Jesus which is that Son of David that shall sit on Davids Throne so long as the Sun and Moon shall endure according to Davids sure mercies promised respecting his said Kingdom and all other Saints interest therein through Christ for to them also belongs the sure Mercies of David Esa 55.3 whereby they are also secured for Eternity for such shall not be hurt by the second death as rise then to Reign with Christ in that Kingdom which onely will continue to the finishing of his Mediatorship but then is by him to be given up to the Father 1 Cor. 15. And is that that must be during the Worlds continuance as appears by our fifteen Reasons in the New Jerusalem pag. 9 10. when under him the said Saints glorious King Head and Husband who prayed in that sence before his death that they should be so made perfect in one as his Bride or mystical Body and willed they should behold his glory then Joh. 17.21 23 24. when there will 〈…〉 very gracious and happy performance of all such promised mercies in the 〈…〉 to the capacity of the Persons or Creatures that are to be so blened preserved or restored So that they attend to this Issue that Christ may be manifest in the world before all sorts of Creatures to be as perfect yea a much more perfect yea an infinitely more perfect Restorer and Redeemer than the Devil was or could be a dessolator and destroyer as all those said predictions in their several times and kinds with their subsequent Scripture Confirmations and explication sufficiently restifie being all opened by and accommodated unto this Divine Key of the Son of God the Wisdom of the Father by whom the worlds were made viz. the Old World the New world and the World to come shall be Heb. 1.3 with Rev. 21.5 who hath and doth and will till then uphold all things by his Divine Power as well as he hath Redeemed us by his Blood who shall then accordingly inherit all things answerably to this his said threefold right assigned by the Father unto him in his said Kingdom and by him to his suffering Saints Rev. 21.7 in the time of his said Mediatorship or of his Davidical Kindom and said New Jerusalem state upon which accounts the