then that John and John only for ought I know speaks of this new Jerusalem And for ought I yet see that which hath been already proposed in and touching this Matter is most likely to be the new Jerusalem It may be thought that enough if not too much hath been written about this Matter and less might have been better but if it be not true it is too much and if it be true t is too little I having observed how much Men differ in their Apprehensions about it have considered the more of it and however some Men may think it but a small Matter yet they may be mistaken if they are the true Sayings of God blessed are they that read and hear them Chap. 1.3 and this new Jerusalem is no other then the Bride the Lambs Wife as is clear from Rev. 21.2 compar'd with ver 10. But it may be some with say t is impossible for Souls coming down from Heaven after their Bodies have been raised from the Dead and Bodies and Souls united together to live on Earth and converse amongst Men who are in a State of Mortality But that may be possible which to us may seem impossible for with God all Things are possible Mat. 19.26 And we know CHRIST did so after his Resurrection forty Days together and doubtless Moses and Elias both in Souls and Bodies appeared to some of the Apostles Mat. 17.3 and they took great Delight and Contentment therein And why then may not the raised Saints be so represented as to have and hold a holy and heavenly Correspondence with Men on Earth appearing and disappearing at Pleasure even as Christ did before he ascended Again why not raised Saints as well as Angels who appeared both to Abraham and Lott Gen. 18.2 19.1 as Men with human Bodies eating of such Things as were set before them yea CHRIST himself after his Resurrection is said to eat a Piece of a broiled Fish and of an Honey Comb Luk. 24.42 Thus having written already something of the next or second Coming of Christ of the first Resurrection of the new Jerusalem and several Things to come I shall in the next Place write something of GOG MAGOG who by the Instigation of the Devil shall be gathered together at the End of the 1000 Years to engage in a War against the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City mentioned Rev. 20.9 And here we shall enquire first who this God and Magog may be and whether this Gog and Magog mentioned by John be the same of whom Ezekiel speaks Chap. 38 and 39. The Scripture indeed speaks of Magog who was one of the Sons of Japhet Gen. 10.2 1 Chron. 1.5 but I do not remember it speaks of Gog until the Time of the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 38.3 where he is mentioned as the chief Prince of Meshech and Tuball Neither do I remember that ever I read or heard of any one Nation that ever were called by that Name and therefore I think they are a Compound of many Nations represented to us by that Name both by Ezekiel and John as will appear by comparing Ezekiel 38.5 6 with Rev. 20.8 they were such as the Prophets of old had spoken of ver 17 by some other Name The next Thing to be enquired into is whether this God and Magog mentioned by Ezekiel be the same which the Apostle John speaks of Rev 20. For clearing of this we may consider first the Time when these Enemies of God and of his Church shall appear in Arms and 2dly with or against whom they shall engage and 3dly the Occasion or moving Cause thereof First for the Time and here we must understand that Gog and Magog spoken of by Ezekiel are to be Contemporaries with the Jews either at the Time or not long after their Return to their own Land as appears by the whole Story Chap. 38. 39 to which the Reader is referred 2dly The Persons against whom they are to engage in this War and they are principally the Nation of the Jews tho' it may be not only with them 3dly the Occasion or moving Cause and that seems to be either the Weakness of that Nation at this Time as not being yet settled in their own Land or their Security or both as ver 11 but it was chiefly to spoil them or to make a Prey of them as ver 12. And now let us consider whether these Characters will agree with that Gog and Magog spoken of before Rev. 20. First as to the Time of this War the one being at or not long after the Return of the Jews to their own Land Preparation thereunto will be under the pouring out of the 6th Vial and the other will not be till the End of the Thousand Years and after the loosing of Satan out of the bottomless Pit. 2dly One will engage principally against the Jewish Nation but the other will be against the whole Church of God consisting both of Jews and Gentiles represented to us under the Name and Notion of the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City 3dly As to the Occasion of this War viz. the Weakness of this People or their Security or both or to take or make a Spoil of them in the one but no such Thing is hinted nor can be supposed concerning the other But that which will put all out of doubt that this Gog Magog mentioned by Ezekiel is not the same spoken of by John is this in the one we have a Prophesy of a Battle a great Battle and such as was never heard of before in the World but in the other no Battle at all no Stroak struck on either Side for when once this great Battle is over they shall learn War no more Swords must be turned to Plow Shears and Spears to pruning Hooks when God shall judge the Nations and rebuke many People Isai 2.4 In further Prosecution of the Matter proposed to be spoken to we shall find that the Scripture makes mention of three great Battles which are yet future or it may be one Battel foretold in three several Places of Scripture viz. by two Prophets and one Apostle viz. by Joel Ezekiel and John and it is called by John Rev. 16.14 the Battle of the great Day of God Almighty Somewhat of this Battel hath been spoken of before Page 17 to which the Reader is referred I shall speak a little more of it here You have been told there of the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World being gathered together we tell you now t is GOD that gathereth them together Joel 3.2 I will gather all Nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and Ezekiel 38.16 speaking concerning Gog and Magog God saith I will bring thee against my Land and so Rev. 16.16 He gathered them into a Place called Armageddon for so I am told the Word may be rendered Again they all three declare that this Warlike Assembly will be principally against the Jews
THE AUTHOR's PREFACE To the READER READER if thou begin to read read through and pass no Censure on any Thing 'till thou hast read every Thing 'T is not Wisdom to judge of a Matter before we hear it and if it be not Wisdom 't is Shame and Folly Prov. 18. It may be thou wilt say as those did Acts 17 What will this Babbler say Thou bringest strange Things to our Ears to tell us of Christ's Coming before the general Judgement and of a first Resurrection before all be raised and of Saints reigning a Thousand Years upon Earth and of a new Heaven and a new Earth and of the burning of the Old and of a great many other new Things which we never heard of before we would fain know what they mean. I trust it will appear they are not new but old they may be new to some Men but I cannot say 't is their Honour and though these Things be not accounted as Truths with some Men now yet not with all 't is more than possible they will appear to be so when I shall be here no more But 't is not a new Thing to mock at the Resurrection of the Dead as they did Acts 17.32 nor to scoff at the Coming of Christ as those 2 Pet. 3 4. But Be not Mockers lest your Bands be made strong Why should it be tho 't incredible that God will raise some from the dead before others or that Christ will come before some Men look for him The Resurrection of Christ seemed to the Apostles themselves but as idle Tales when they first heard of it Luke 24.11 And though Christ himself had hold them of it before ver 7. All Things will seem new to such as never saw or heard of them before And there will be a Time when all Things shall be made new Rev. 21.5 And there is a Treasury which some Men have in which are Things new as well as old And now it may possibly be that some are of a quite contrary Mind and will say that here is nothing new but what hath been said over and over by others and that long ago But what hath been said by others every one doth not know and it may be here may be some Things said which have not been said by others that I know of But let it be granted that others have written of these Opinions And if so methinks it should gain the more Reputation and be the better credited in the World by them that are wise Yea but some of those who held these Opinions have been foully mistaken in some other Things and therefore little Heed is to be given to them 'T is possible it may be so humanum est errare who durst to east the first Stone at them Neither are some Failings in Men Rules to judge of Truth and Error To the Law and to the Testimony was the good old Way Detraction from some Men will add nothing to the Detractors Some others refuse to study Prophesy as being too high and too hard for them to understand and many that have expounded Prophesy have been mistaken There is a Lion in the Sluggard's Way 'T is true there are some Things in the Prophets hard to be understood and so there are in Paul's Epistles as Peter tells us and yet being given by inspiration are profitable And as to PROPHESY We should do well to give Heed to it as to a Light shining in a dark Place 2 Pet. 1.19 And they are pronounced blessed that read and hear Prophesy Rev. 1.3 These will lose the Marrow rather than take Pains to break the Bones I know 't is beyond what any Man is able clearly to determine all Matters and Thing relating to what is here written and to answer all Questions concerning the same yet by runing to and fro Knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12.4 And what if I a poor lame Man run also But the Wise shall understand ver 10. Yea but other Matters and Things are of higher Concernment than these To such I say tho' some Things may be of higher Concernment than others yet no Part of Truth but is of Concernment And he respects not any Part of Truth as he ought that hath not respect to every Part of it And he that thinks the subject Matters of this Discourse are of little Concernment will be found to be mistaken 'T is more than possible that his Script may fall into the Handds of some that are eminent in their own Understandings and are very sensible of their own Sufficiency and Abilities in these Matters who have read these and those learned Men that are of other Opinions call this and that Man Master a Vanity reproved by the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.13 yea by Christ himself and so conceive they are able ex tempore to give a full and clear answer to all these Things and are resolved to enquire no further nor to search the Scriptures whether it be so or no. There is more Hope of some others than of these Let such know what the Authors quoted in Favour of what is here written are infallible and cannot err A Catalogue of whom are to be seen at the End of this Manuscript But some others will say that this is an immethodical Thing and done by an inconsiderable Person I readily comply with those that so think and that it may want that which is called Method if any do not like it I cannot help it I had no Scheme of Things in my Head when I first began You have it as I had it Besides I do not pretend any Thing to human Learning being much a Stranger to it What Time I have spent about these Things have been short Interims pincht out of my other Occasions And if may be if it were to be done again it might be otherwise I might mention some others not a few who are of Gallio's Mind that care for none of these Things having other Things to care for looking on them as cunningly devised Fables I have nothing to say to such careless ones but this that Christ will care as little for them another Day It may be I have said too much already to the Reader and more than a wise Man would have said and more than I should have said had not there been some Necessity of it But I have done when I have told you that I am a very old Man and very near another World having lived far beyond the stated Age of Man and do not know whether I shall be able to speak when I come to die and therefore shall leave this behind me which will speak when I shall speak here no more penned partly for my own Satisfaction and partly with Respect to some of mine whose Salvation I am caring for and am willing they should be acquainted with such Truths as these are 'T is possible and more than possible that I may be mistaken in some Things here written my Way being little if not too
4 that is remaining to the Saints and People of God. When Persecution ceased the Churches had Rest Act. 9.31 Much more might be written to show that the next or second Coming of Christ will be long before the general Judgment but let this suffice And now let us consider further what Christ will do at this his next Coming He will appear personally and visibly as hath been shewed And as he went Act. 1 he will come with the same Glory as when he comes to the general Judgment sitting on a Throne as a King And he comes with Ten Thousand of his Saints Jud. 14 comes and all his Saints with him Zec. 12. And the first Thing that Christ will do when he comes he will raise up the dead Saints or some of them and this is called the first Resurrection Rev. 20.4 And here we must know that there is a first Resurrection and there is a last Resurrection and that there is a first or inchoate Judgment and there is a last or ultimate Judgment which the Scripture speaks of and it will fall in naturally to speak of them both together And the Apostle 1 Cor. 15 speaking largely of the Resurrection doth imply a priority and a posteriority of the Resurrection ver 23 where 't is said Christ the first Fruit afterwards they that are Christ's at his Coming But what Coming to the general Judgment No but long before that Time For at the general Judgment not only them that are Christ's shall be raised but all that are in Graves small and great all that are in the Sea or in Hell all must appear before his judgment-Seat 2 Cor. 5 the Bad as well as Good and therefore there is a Resurrection of some before that Time. Besides the Apostle says every one should be made alive in his own Order Christ was the first Fruit above 1600 Years ago afterwards will be the Saints or some of them at his Coming AFTERWARDS for so is the Word in the Original as I have been informed cometh the End. What End Not only the End of the Thousand Years but the End of the World as to the present State of it and then as I conceive will be the last Resurrection and the general Judgment After the End of which the Kingdom shall be delivered to God even the Father and God shall be all in all The Sum is that as there is a long intervall of Time between the Resurrection of Christ and the Resurrection of those that are Christ's at his Coming so more than a few Hours or Years will be between the Resurrection of these and the last Resurrection and so much doth the Word Order import and imply a Distance of Time there being no mention made that I know of of any Rising of any at Christ's second Coming but of those that are his And if this be not the Meaning of this Scripture I know not what is The next Scripture we shall mention to this Purpose is that so much controverted Place Rev. 20.4 John in a Vision saw the Souls of them that were beheeded for the Witness of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast nor his Image nor received his Mark in their Foreheads or in their Hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a Thousand Years but the REST of the Dead lived not again till the Thousand Years were finished So that t is plain by this Text that some shall rise a Thousand Years before others and that is here called the first Resurrection But because most Men think that this is not to be understood of a bodily Resurrection but of a spiritual Resurrection in Regeneration let us enquire what the Scripture saith to this Point and what may be said in Answer to those that are of that Opinion And here t is readily granted that Regeneration in Scripture is called Resurrection but this seems not to be the Resurrection here meant but this Resurrection is rather to be understood of a bodily Resurrection and that it cannot be meant of Regeneration for these Reasons First Regeneration or this spiritual Resurrection did begin shortly after Man's Fall and hath continued ever since and shall to the End of the World but the first Resurrection here spoken of did not begin so early as Adam's Fall but is to begin with the Thousand Years of Christ's Reign therefore Regeneration is not the Resurrection spoken of Again Secondly They were the Souls of Men already beheaded which John saw and their Resurrection did follow their Death and not go before it and t was never known that ever any Man was regenerate after Death and therefore by Resurrection here cannot be meant Regeneration Again Thirdly If by Resurrection here be meant Regeneration it would follow that many of the Saints should rise many Hundred Years before their Reign there being no less Time between their Calling or Regeneration and the beginning of Christ's Kingdom or the Thousand Years of the Saints Reign Again Fourthly If by Resurrection be meant Regeneration how can it be that they should reign immediately after their Resurrection or Regeneration or begin their Reign all at once or continue it but a Thousand Years Or if any should say this Reign is the Saints reigning with CHRIST in Heaven such must know that t is on Earth Rev. 5.10 And if it were in Heaven it would be more than a Thousand Years And besides after the Thousand Years there will be an Attempt of War Rev. 20. but no Enemy was ever so bold as to engage in a War in Heaven And thus we may see what lamentable Consequences if not Absurdities will follow upon such Metaphorical or Allegorical Exposition of Scripture where a literal Interpretation is not contrary to the Analogy of Faith. The next Scripture we shall take Notice of is John 5.25.28 The Hour cometh and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live ver 25. We are not ignorant that this Scripture as well as that of Rev. 20 is by many if not most understood of such who are dead in Sin who shall hear the Voice of Christ in the Ministry of the Gospel and shall live spiritually or be regenerate But whether this be the Meaning or at least the proper Meaning of the Apostle in this Text we shall Enquire And here if we view the Context we shall find that Christ speaks of raising the Dead in a proper Sense ver 21 and of Judgment to come in a proper Sense ver 22. 27. And the Occasion of this Discourse was the Cure of the impotent Man at which the Jews were offended and did therefore persecute Jesus and sought to slay him ver 16. Christ tells them they should see greater Works than these that they might marvell ver 20. he tells them that the Hour was coming and now is when the Dead should hear his Voice and live as if Christ should say do ye marvel that I have healed
Chap. 38.8 16 Joel 3.1 Rev. 16.12 and that it will be in the Land of Judea that they shall be destroyed And they all shew the dreadful Effects that will follow Chap. 38.19 20 Joel 3.15.16 Rev. 16.18 19 20. And all agree that when this Battle is over there will be a peaceable and prosperous State of the Church this being the last Battle that ever will be fought in the World. So that if we view these Scriptures we shall see that they all speak of the same Enemies gathered together by the same Hand engaged against the same People at the same Time upon the same Occasion to be destroyed in the same Place and the same Effects to follow viz. terrible to the one and comfortable to the other So that you see this War is not a War in which the Enemies of God shall fight one against another as they often do upon divers Occasions but it will be a Combination of them all against CHRIST and his People and specially his antient People And these are as I understand the Gog and Magog intended by Ezekiel and the Gog and Magog mentioned Rev. 20 are the multiplied Posterity of those few of the Nations that shall be left when this Battle is over at the beginning of the Thousand Years when the Gog and Magog foretold by Ezekiel shall be destroyed in Armageddon But yet notwithstanding all that hath been said t is very likely there will be great Wars and much Blood shed and the Jews after their Return to their own Land will be much diminished brought very low as we may read in Dan. 12.1 There shall be such a Time of Trouble as never was since there was a Nation even to that same Time and at that Time shall thy People be delivered and the Prophet Zechariah tells us that many of them shall be cut off and die Chap. 13.8 the City taken and Houses rifled and Women ravished before the Lord go forth and fight against these Nations in the Battle of the great Day of God Almighty For t is a great doubt to me whether all this while that Nation will be converted to Christ and embrace Christianity until they be in their own Land and this great Battle be over For t is very unlikely considering how these dry Bones lie scattered most Parts of the World over and do hardly know themselves of what Nation they are much less do others know and it may be speak divers Languages and how the Gospel should be preached to them and to their Understandings and by whom and in what Tongue and whether seeing they have had the Gospel preached at least to their Predecessors already who did reject it and as they still do what Probability is there that they will now readily embrace it and that so suddenly so as to be born in a Day who hath heard such a Thing who hath seen such Things shall the Earth bring forth in one Day or shall a Nation be born or new born at once for as soon as Sion travelled she brought forth her Children Isai 66.8 I rather incline to think that God will some Way or other first bring them into their own Land and give them Advantage to return by drying up the River EUPHRATES that is as I conceive by diminishing and abating the great Power of the Turk in and about that Part of the World and that either by intestine Commotions or Wars with other Nations or both that so a Way may be prepared for these Kings of the East to return and this is to be done under the pouring out of the 6th Vial and now is the Time when these dry Bones will come together and stand upon their Feet and become an exceeding great Army and have Breath breathed into them and have a Civil Life put into them but no spiritual Life till they be in their own Land and at the Sound of the 7th Trumpet and the pouring out of the 7th Vial and after this great Battle when God will destroy all Nations that come against Jerusalem then he will pour upon them the Spirit of Grace Supplication and then will CHRIST personally visibly appear and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and mourn with a penetential Mourning and when his Feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives from whence he ascended then he will come and all his Saints with him Zech. 14.3.5 And this is the great Day of JEZREEL when the Children of Judah and the Children of Israel shall be gathered together and appoint them one Head Hos 1. ult when the Lord shall be King over all the Earth Zech. 14.9 and all the Kingdoms of this World become his Rev. 11.15 and now will Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the Children of Daniel's People and then they shall b e delivered and all this a Thousand Years before the general Judgment The Sum of all and that which I intend is this viz. That the Gog Magog spoken of by Ezekiel is not the same spoken of by John Rev. 20 nor any one Nation but a Compound of many Nations who shall engage in a War not one with another but principally with the Jews and that after their Return to their own Land Way being made for them by the Weakening of the Turkish Power on the Borders of Euphrates and after many Conflicts the Jews will be brought very low and much diminished and many Nations shall be gathered together in Battle against them to destroy them this Battle spoken of by Ezekiel Joel and John yet no spiritual Life till the Sound of the 7th Trumpet and the pouring out of the 7th Vial which probably will be by Christ himself when they shall be converted to Christianity partly by Vision Christ personally appearing to them whom they shall look upon and see with their Bodily Eyes and mourn under a deep Sense of their Sin and then t is likely will cry out as those converted Jews Act. 2.37 What shall we do and as Paul when struck down Lord what wilt thou have me to do then possibly the Gospel may be preached to them as it was to those and three Times three Thousand converted at one Sermon and that fulfil'd the Prophet spoken of before that a Nation it born at once and their Feet be accounted beautiful that bring these glad Tidings to them and then and never till then will they say blessed is he that cometh to us in the Name of the Lord. And now God assisting I shall write a little about the POURING OUT OF THE SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH which is yet future at least in Part and as to the full Accomplishment thereof and as a Concommitant of all these Things from Joel 2.28 29 It shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh c. And here several Things offer themselves to Consideration as first what 's meant by Spirit and what by pouring out as also who
are the Subjects of it together with the Effects thereof and then lastly as to the Time when this shall be intimated in the Word afterwards something may be written briefly to these Things And first what 's meant by POURING OUT OF THE SPIRIT And here we must know that the Communication of THE SPIRIT is represented to us in Scripture more Ways than one as sometimes by Donation 1 John 3.13 God is said there to give us his Spirit John 14.16 God the Father is said there to give the Comforter which is his Spirit Luk. 11.13 how much more shall your heavenly Father give his Spirit to them that ask it Again sometimes t is represented to us by Mission or sending John 14.26 Christ tells them that the Father would send the holy Ghost that should teach them all Things And Chap. 16.7 he tells them again he would send the Comforter Gal. 4.6 God is said there to send forth the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts Sometimes also by Aspersion or sprinkling hence Christ is said to sprinkle many Nations Isai 52.15 and to sprinkle clean Water upon them Ezekiel 36.25 which I understand of the Spirit Again sometimes by Infusion or putting his Spirit in us Ezekiel 36.27 and Chap. 37.14 And the last that I shall mention is by Effusion or pouring out of his Spirit upon us as in the Text proposed to be spoken to quoted also by the Apostle Peter Act. 2.17 we have the same Expression of pouring of the Spirit Isai 44.3 as also Chap. 32.15 where the Spirit is promised to be poured out from on High we have the like Expression Zech. 12.10 there is one Scripture more and all that at present is with me where this Expression of pouring out the Spirit is used and that is Prov. 1.23 behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you c. But what may we think is meant by pouring out Pouring out in Scripture doth ordinarily if not always signify an Abundance of that which is poured forth as when God brings Abundance of Wrath on a People he is said to pour out his Wrath as we might easily instance in Scripture hence we read of so many Vials of Wrath which were to be poured out on them that were the Subjects of them until they were destroyed Rev. 16 the like is said when God promiseth Abundance of Mercy he is said to pour it out as in Mal. 3.10 God saith there that he would open the Windows of Heaven and pour out such a Blessing as there should not be Room to receive it So that we see what is meant by pouring forth The next Thing to be inquired into is what is meant by Spirit which is thus to be poured out By Spirit in this Place I do not understand the Person of the HOLY SPIRIT tho' that is said to dwell in all Believers and if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 2 Tim. 1.14 Neither do I think by Spirit here is meant the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit which every Believer Receives at his first Conversion But I think by Spirit in this Place is meant a plentiful Effusion of the Gifts of the Spirit which are extraordinary as will evidently appear if we compare this Text with Act. 2.17 and take the postle Peter's Commentary on the Words For it cannot be denied but that the Apostles and for any Thing that I know others that were with them at Jerusalem after Christ was ascended they all had received the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit at their first Conversion and yet they were to wait there for the Promise of the Father which Christ hath told them of before Luk. 24.49 But what was this Promise only of more and higher Degrees of the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit which they had already received I cannot think so and the Consequence doth make it evidently to appear that it was otherwise But when and where was this Promise of the Father made which they were to wait for The Apostle Peter when they began to speak with other Tongues Act. 2.4 in the 16th Verse tells them that this was that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel and therefore this in my Understanding is the Promise of the Father which they were to wait for consisting only in the pouring out of extraordinary Gifts both of Tongues Prophesy and Miracles The next Thing to be considered is the Subjects or Recepients upon whom the Spirit was thus to be poured out and that the Prophet tells us and after him the Apostle that t is upon all Flesh By all Flesh here we are not to understand all Mankind as t is taken in Gen. 6.12 where t is said that all Flesh had corrupted their Way No nor are we to understand it of all Saints neither but some of all Sorts and Sexes viz. Jews and Gentiles young and old Male and Female Sons and Daughters Servants and Handmaids And there were above an Hundred besides the Apostles and that Women as well as Men assembled together at Jerusalem waiting for this Promise Act. 1.14.15 and they were all with one accord in one Place Chap. 2.1 and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them Utterance and that not only upon Jews but upon Gentiles also were poured out the Gifts of the holy Ghost as we may see Act. 10.45 46. Upon Cornelius his Family and his Kindred and near Friends ver 24 and in Chap. 19. ver 2 we read of Disciples that were Believers and doubtless had received the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit and such as were saving and yet were Strangers to these extraordinary Gifts till Paul laid his Hands on them and then they received these extraordinary Gifts and spake with Tongues and did Prophesy and t is very likely these were Gentiles The first Effect then that followed after the pouring out of the Spirit was the Gift of Tongues the Gospel being now to be preached to all the World and the Disciples being most of them if not all unlearned Men the Wisdom of God saw it necessary in order thereunto to give them to speak and to understand all Languages that those Nations to whom they were to preach might understand what was spoken T is true indeed this Gift of Tongues nor Miracles is not mentioned by Joel but yet Peter tells us and we must believe him that when they thus spake with Tongues this was that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel without which they could not Prophesy or preach the Gospel to all Nations or to the Edification of them to whom they were to speak The next Thing therefore we shall take Notice of is that which is mentioned both by the Prophet and the Apostles and that is Prophesy Prophesy in Scripture is sometimes taken for a foretelling of Things to come much of what the Prophets spake in Times past was then future when spoken the whole Book
of Revelation is called a Prophesy Chap. 1.3 and yet when made known to John was all future ver 1. But I do not understand Prophesy in this Sense in this Place tho' I do not know but God may sometimes in an extraordinary Way make known to some of his Servants Things to come for there were Prophets in the primative Times as we may read Act. 13.1 as Barnabas and Simeon and Lucius and Manaen and Saul and these were called their Teachers We read also Act. 11.27 of Prophets which came from Jerusalem to Antioch of whom Agabus was one who signified by the Spirit that there should be a great Dearth in all the World which came to pass in the Days of Claudius Caesar and in Act. 15.32 we read of Judas and Silas that were Prophets and Act. 19.7 t is said there were twelve Disciples at Ephesus which did prophesy and the Apostle Paul who was more than a Prophet speaks very much of Prophets and Prophesying 1 Cor. 12. 14 and saith expresly that God hath set in his Church next after Apostles PROPHETS and we read not only of Prophets but Prophetesses also Act. 21.8.9 Philip the Deacon had four Daughters that were Virgins that did Prophesy I do not think that all good Men and Women could Prophesy the Apostle seems to deny that 1 Cor. 12 Are all Prophets are all Teachers do all work Miracles or do all speak with Tongues but there are Diversity of Gifts but the same Spirit as the Apostle shews at large 1 Cor. 12. And indeed it was for this very End amongst others that Christ ascended to give Gifts to Men and that not only ordinary but extraordinary and the Gift of Prophesy as well as others Eph. 4.11 and Christ told his Disciples that if he did not ascend the Comforter would not come but had they not the saving Presence and Power of the Spirit already and the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit long before this Time yea doubtless therefore it must needs be meant not of higher Degrees greater Measures of the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit only but of those which was extraordinary And the Effect of pouring out the Spirit was seeing of Visions and dreaming of Dreams of which I shall write a little and but a little We know that God revealed his Mind to his Servants and sometimes to others also in the old Testament often by Visions and by Dreams Abraham had a Vision Gen. 15.1 and t is like a Dream also ver 12. Jacob had a Dream Chap. 31.11 Joseph had two Dreams Moses had a Vision Exod. 3.2 Job had his Dreams and Visions tho' they were a Terror to him Job 7.14 Isaiah had Visions Chap. 1.1 6.1 Ezekiel had many Chap. 1.1 And we read in the New Testament Joseph had a Dream to fly into Egypt and a Dream to return out of Egypt Mat. 2.13.19 the wise Men were warned by a Dream not to return to Jerusalem ver 12. Zecharias had a Vision Luk. 1.22 And after the sending of the Spirit by extraordinary Gifts Annanias had a Vision Act. 9.10 Cornelius had a Vision Act. 10.3 Peter also saw a Vision ver 17 Paul had a Vision Act. 16.9 yea more then one for he had as many as he could well bear 2 Cor. 12.1 much of the Revelation was made known to John by Vision And t is likely the Effects of pouring out the Spirit are not all recorded in Scripture yet we must and ought to believe that either they have been or shall be fulfilled but it hath been shewed that it hath been poured out in an extraordinary Way upon Jews Gentiles young and old Male and Female Servants Handmaids Now of other Effects about the Sun being turned into Darkness and the Moon into Blood we have written something of this before and therefore shall forbear to write of it here and come to The last Thing proposed to be spoken to and that is the TIME to which this Prophesy doth refer held forth in the Word Afterward This Word Afterward seems to refer to some remarkable Time which was to go before it and the Apostle Peter renders it in other Words Act. 2.17 It shall come to pass in the last Days but both the Prophet and Apostle agree in this that t is a most remarkable Period of Time a Fore-runner of the great terrible Day of the Lord as the Prophet speaks and the Apostle after him calls it the notable Day of the Lord. And indeed whether we take it as past or future it hath been both notable and terrible and will yet be more notable and terrible when this Prophesy shall be fully accomplished Notable to the People of God that call on him for they shall be saved ver 21 but terrible to his and their Enemies for they shall be destroyed Multitudes Multitudes in the Valley of Decision for the Day of the Lord is near in the Valley of Decision Joel 3.14 The right Understanding of the Time to which this Prophecy refers will give great Light to the Point under Consideration 'T is true indeed this Prophecy was in Part fulfilled immediately after Christ's Ascention but that there is yet a further Accomplishment of it to be expected will easily be made to appear for some prophetical Scriptures may be fulfilled more than once but to speak a little more fully to the Time. There are two remarkable Periods of Time recorded in Scripture besides the ultimate Period the one is already past the other is yet to come the one at soon after the first Coming of CHRIST and this Time was much spoken of in the Scriptures and this the Apostle calls the Fulness of Time Gal. 4.4 and this was a most remarkable Time when the Son of God became the Son of Man to save poor lost Men This was a great Day and many great Things were done at this Time The Way of instituted Worship wholly changed and the ceremonial Law abolished and another Way appointed by our Lord Jesus Christ instead thereof the Levitical Priesthood laid aside or changed and Gospel Ministers appointed to supply that Place the national Church ceased the Jews rejecting the Gospel are cast off and the Gentiles receiving the Gospel are taken into their Room City and Temple ruined the Nation Multitudes Multitudes destroyed the rest scattered all the World over the Gospel to be preached to all Nations to that End extraordinary Gifts are given and many other Things done which might be mentioned And therefore this was a great Day both notable terrible And this Peter calls the last Days it shall come in the last Days Paul also calls Gospel Times the last Days Heb. 1.1 in these last Days God hath spoken to us by his Son. There is also the latter Part of the last Days and this is also called the last Days Isa 2.2 The Prophet there tells us that in the last Days the Mountain of the Lord's House shall be established in the Top of
the Mountains be exalted above the Hills And lest any should think this hath been already fulfilled the 4th Verse will tell us no for it will be when Swords must be beaten into Plow-shares and Spears into Pruning-Hooks and when they should learn War no more And Paul tells us that in the last Days shall come perilous Times that is the latter Part of the last Days 2 Tim. 3.1 This is called also the latter Times 1 Tim. 4.1 when some shall depart from the Faith. Job tells us that CHRIST shall stand at the latter Day upon the Earth Chap. 19.25 Baalim also prophesied what great Things God would do for Israel in the latter Days I will advertise thee what this People shall do to thy People in the latter Days Numb 24.14 Hosea also speaking of the Calling of the Jews saith it will be in the latter Days Chap. 3.5 they shall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the latter Days So that we see there is the last Days and the latter Part of the last Days and yet all this long before the ultimate Day There is yet another remarkable Period of Time which is yet future and that will be at the second or next Coming of CHRIST His first Coming was to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself his second Coming will be without Sin to our Salvation of which we have written before his first Coming was mean in outward Appearance his second Coming will be unspeakably glorious with Power and great Glory Matt. 24. When he comes to build up Sion he will appear in his Glory Psa 102.16 Then he will come with Ten Thousand of his Saints and take unto himself his great Power and reign and all the Kingdoms of this World become his Rev. 11.15 deal wonderfully with and for his People Joel 2.26 I do not know any one Thing in Scripture more insisted on than the Glory of the latter Part of the last Days including the Thousand Years of the Kingdom of Christ until the last Judgment A short Account of several Things which will then be done have already been given in this Discourse but 't is beyond my Understanding to declare what great Things are yet to be done in the World and how much of Prophecy is yet unfulfilled And among other Things there will be a more full Accomplishment of the pouring out of the Spirit in converting Grace and the saving Gifts and Graces of the SPIRIT both upon Jews and Gentiles when the Spirit shall be poured out from on High Isa 32.15 and the Wilderness that is as I understand the Jews be called becomes a fruitful Field and the fruitful Field becomes a Forest that is the Fuluess of the Gentiles be brought in There is a double Fulness of the Gentiles one is from the Time of the Jews Rejection until their Conversion This is called the Riches of the World and the Riches of the Gentiles Rev. 11.12 And this is also called the Fulness of the Gentiles ver 25. There is also another Fulness of the Gentiles and that is to commence soon after or in Conjunction with the Calling of the Jews and this is clear from Rom. 11.12 compared with ver 15. From the Fulness of the Jews there will be a greater Fulness to the Gentiles than ever they had before It will be Life from the Dead ver 15 for the Gentiles at this Time in all Likelihood will be in a low Condition till the Glory of the Lord be risen upon the Jews Darkness will cover the Earth and gross Darkness the People Isai 60.2 and that not only to the Body of Gentile Nations but wise as well as foolish Virgins will be slumbering and sleeping little Faith on Earth when the Son of Man cometh little Hope of reviving the Work of Conversion till this Time be over We have a sad Description of the latter Part of the last Times immediately preceeding this remarkable Time before spoken of 2 Tim. 3. And t is very likely that those Gentile Nations that do not now come in will never come in nor be converted Upon them shall be no Rain that come not to Jerusalem to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles Zech. 14.17 19 And this will be a remarkable Time and a great Day when the Children of Judah and the Children of Israel shall be gathered together and appoint them one Head it will then be the great ' Day of Jezreel Hos 3.5 Yet I do not understand this Day to be the great and terrible ' Day of the Lord of which Joel speaks for that is to be AFTERWARD that is after the Jews are called and the Fulness of the Gentiles are come in to the Obedience of the Gospel Neither do I conceive that yet either Jew or Gentile had received any other Gifts of the Spirit than those that were ordinary neither were extraordinary Gifts ever given to any that I know of but to those who were already converted nor given together with saving Grace and the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit Neither do I think that the Prophet doth intend at all any other Gifts but such as are extraordinary in this Prophesy for if when the Gospel was first to be preached to all Nations God saw that extraordinary Gifts were necessary and therefore tho' the Apostles had commission to go teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 yet they must tarry at Jerusalem till they were furnished with extraordinary Gifts and why are not extraordinary Gifts necessary as well now as they were then the Case being the same T is true by Virtue of their former Commission they did preach to the Jews but were forbidden to go into the Way of the Gentiles till now And as Christ gave extraordinary Grifts for the Publication of the Gospel to all Nations so he appointed extraordinary Officers for that Work some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists Eph. 4.11 and gave them suitable Power for the Execution of their respective Commissions And we have good Reason to believe that when the Gospel was preached to all Nations the End being attained that these extraordinary Gifts of Tongues Prophesy and Miracles ceased as the Apostle foretold they should 1 Cor. 13.8 and consequently therewith all extraordinary Officers and what Power they had been vested withal And for ought I know this may be a good Answer to those that are of Opinion that there is Church Power resident in some other Ecclesiastical Persons besides ordinary stated Church Officers but if there be such an Order of Men in the Worl pray what may we call their Names have they Scripture Names are they Apostles or Prophets or Evangelists or can they work Miracles or have they the Gifts of Healing CHRIST always gives Names to all his Officers and states the Duties of their Places and if they are extraordinary Officers they must have an extraordinary Call but haec obiter i.e. ly the Way And now having written briefly what may