Lord most high is terrible he is a King over all the earth he shall subdue the people under us and the Nations under our feet He shall choose our inheritance for us Psal 47. from 1 to 10 Psa 93.2 3 Ps 99.1 2 3 the excellency of Iacob Selah God is gone up with a shout the Lord with a sound of a trumpet sing praise to God sing praise sing praise unto oâ—r King sing praise For God is the King of all the earth God reigns over the heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his holinesse The Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham for the shields of the earth belongeth unto God Rev 19. from 5 to 12 he is greatly exalted And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings Rev 20.6 7 saying Allelujah For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready And to her was granted that she should be arayed in fine linnen 1 Cor 6.2 1 Tim 2.11 12 and he said unto me write Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb And he said unto me these are the true sayings of God And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jâ—sus and for the Word of God and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years John 1.51 Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world for is is a faithfull saying if we suffer with him Heb 1.14 we shall also reign with him Verily verliy I say unto you hereafter you shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Heb 2.5 6 7 For they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation For not unto the Angels hath he put into subjection the world to come whereof we speak Rev 21.7 but in a certain place saith What is man that thou shouldst be mindfull of him for thou hast crowned him with glory and put all things under him although we yet see not all things put under him But he that overcometh shall inherit all things Dan 1.31 Verse 44 and I will be their God and they shall be my people For the stone that is cut out of the mounatin without hands shall smite the Image and make it like the chaff of the summer threshing floor and the stone shall become a great mountain and fill the whole earth And at that time the Saints shall possesse the Kingdom for ever Hosâ— 3.4 5 The children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a prince and without a sacrifice and afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Isa 11. from 1 to 13 And in that day there shall be a root of Iâ—sse which shall stand up an ensign to the people And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tong of the Aegyptian sea and with his mighty winds shall he shake his hand over the river and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dry-shod Isa 66 And there shall be an high way for the remnant of his peoâ—le which shall be left from Assyria like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt Ezek 39 28 29 And he shall bring them into their own land and feed them with judgement upon the mountains of Israel For he will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in his people Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God Isa 32.1 2 that caused them to be led into captivity amongst the heathen But I have gathered them into their own land Joel 2 32 and have left none of them any more there neither will I hide my face any more from them And a King shall reign in righteousnesse Rev. 11 15 and Prâ—nces decree judgement For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance And there was a great voice in heaven saying the KING-DOMES of this WORLD are become the KINGDOMS of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever From these Scriptures it doth plainly appear that the Jews shall yet return to their town of unwalled villages and repair their former desolations And also that Christ shall have his Tabernacle with them and be their KING in the midst of them according to the Scriptures and reign over the house of David where his Saints shall be as Saviours upon Mount Zion and enjoy the Kingdom according to Gods good pleasure Wherefore seeing we receive a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for he that shall come will come and will not tarry even so Amen come Lord Jesus come quickly the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied unto all such as wait for his appearance and Kingdome in sinâ—erity and truth FINIS ERRATA PAge 3 l 3 read benevolous p 5 l 30 r City for eighty l 37 reither p 11 l 2 r prayers p 16 r Heb. 9.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 13. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 21 l 27 r ask for affirm p 28 l 20 r Acts for Exod. p 29 l ul r new for communion p 35 l 8 r you draw p 36 l 10 r Poet p 38 mend the margin r there was not a state of Immortality in Paradice equivalent with that which was brought to light no more to be subject to corruption p 46 l 17 r to fear death for did fear death p 47 l 14 r Christ owned Church p 52 l ult r many made sinners p 58 mend the margin noter Mal. 1.11.12 p 55 l 1 r despised p 65 l 32 r no man to do p 76 l 13 r moulded for marred p 77 l 6 r tender p 78 l 2 r can for cannot p 80 l 15 r tender also in line ult r tender p 82 l 17 r condition for transgression p 83 men the margin note r preterperfectâ—n e for preterimperfâ—ctience p 86 l ult r be kin p 87 l 13 r visited for rejected p 88 l 3 r reach for wrath p 89 l 22 r there justice left him and there mercy found him to bring him again from the dead p 90 l 6 r threatened for here ended p 92 in the margin r Indifferently p 93 l 4 r threatened for there opened p 95 l 18 r tender l 2â— r premised p 96 l 10 r I suppâ—se for I passe p 99 l 11 r dolefull for doubtful p 100 l 12 r Abraham for Adam l 19 r gave for you In the same p r Eâ—omitâ—s for Adamics p 112 l 3 r to whom p 119 l 32 r translated for calculated p 123 l 20 r mared for made p 127 apply 26 v. of the 9th ch to the Romans to the remnant of Israel p 132 l 24 r bride for bridegrom p 133 l 2 r in a dispute l 11 r depend p 131 l 13 r not troubâ—ed p 137 l 15 r Diotrephes for Elias l 26 r Rulers for unless p 141 l 20 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 168 l 5 r stain for strain p 174 l 8 r Joshua for Hosea
simply in it self as a hand-maid as I may say to a Minister but I ever spake against it so as to deny it to be the efficient or suparlative cause of a Minister and do say that Christ ascending up on high and leading captivity captive and giving gifts to men is that which makes a Minister although learning may not be denyed to be a useful hand-maid neither may such be denyed to be Ministers whom Christ hath gifted to preach the Gospel to edification exhortation and comfort although they be altogether ignorant of that humane edification of Oxford and Cambridge and let me tell you without offence that I know none more ignorant in the mysteries of the Gospel than those of your stamp for the greatest part of them but I suppose the reason is because they ascribe preheminence to that which should be subordinate Finally Sir this is my advice to you and despise it not be more frequent in reading the Scriptures and compare them together trust not too much to this or the other mans opinion for if they were zealous yet they lived but as it were in the twilight and know that near the time of the end 1. 12.14 * men are to run to and fro and knowledge to encrease Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord and that you may partake of the benefit of an understanding heart search after it as for hidden treasure and then shall ye finde it and have the closet of your heart filled with all precious and pleasant riches the which is the desire of him that desireth the welfare of your soul and all mens who am your and their servant for Christs sake George Hammon The Epistle to the Reader CHristian Brethren and friends and to whom soever feareth the Lord and especially you the Inhabitants of Sutton-valence and Boughton Munchalse and Maidstone together with the places there abouts the Authors desire is that grace and peace might be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ My dear friends the knowledge of the truth is of such great worth that it calls for our earnest endeavour after it to seek it and not silver and to search after it rather than fine gold and therefore for thy further understanding in the mysteries of God I have added this small pains of mine contained in the following Treatise in bringing to a publick view such objections as stand like a cloud to ecclipse or hinder the light of Christs doctrine from shining into the understandings of the sons of men and have answered them although I should have been more at large upon it if time would have given leave in reference to other occasions that daily called me from it when it was in hand the which also was the cause that it was brought to a publick view no sooner and therefore excuse its long absence I pray you and now my desire is that thou wouldst read it diligently and weigh what is written with an unbyassed affection and in so doing thou mayest come to see those things that happily thou hast not yet seen and know those things that yet now thou hast not known for how ready have we been to receive mens doctrine without tryall especially when they have had a name to be great learned men never considering the words of the Lord which saith Not many wise or learned men hath he chosen to reveal his hidden wisdome to but hath hid it from them and revealed it to Babes and sucklings and was it not Gods way to chuse Heardsmen to be his Prophets and Fishermen to be his Apostles and in a word such as were accounted ignorant men such as knew little of the law even such God did chuse to reveal his Son in that none might glory in men therefore take heed of being deceived upon such account but now prove thy self to be like the men of Berea the which were more noble than the men of Thessalonica because they searched the Scriptures to see whether those things that was preached to them were truth yea or nay therefore be exhorted for the time to come to give all diligence in cases of weight to try it by the Scriptures and seek to the Lord to give thee understanding therein and then doubtless thou shalt do well I have opened the ninth Chapter to the Romans and when thou readest it consider that it is a discourse touching the house of Israel that God was just in casting them off for their sins although they were the seed of Abraham shewing that Israel was also of Abrahams lines and Esau of the lines of Isaac and yet for their wickedness were rejected and also Pharaoh that hardened himself against the Lord and his people as Israel did the Lord chose his delusion by giving him up to hardness of heart to make his Name known throughout all the earth that all men might take warning by him And as to that which is spoken concerning the return of the house of Israel and the house of Judah out of their captivity and the Reign of Christ in Jerusalem I desire thee to weigh seriously because if thou understand it aright it will help thee much in the understanding of all the Scriptures in a great measure as Daniel Zachary and the Book of the Revelations when others will be found to turn the Scriptures into allegories not knowing what they say nor whereof they do affirm being never able to keep the Scriptures in a harmony it will also strengthen thee to stand fast in these times when the mystery of iniquity is geting up apace where there is no other Mount Zion taught up as Christs seat but what is in us and ere long in giving heed thereunto we shall not think our selves onely Mount Zion viz. Christs seat but will also think that we are the Christ to wit God manifest in our flesh for the mother of Harlots and her daughters viz. Rome and the rest of the Nations which have been upon her sides and suck of her breast have taught up such a kind of doctrine as a spiritual Reign of Christ to be understood in such Scriptures as speak of Christs Reign on earth the which is as a footing for the mystery of iniquity to work but thanks be given to our good God that hath given some to understand the mystery of the kingdome who will travel to bring forth the man child as I comparatively may say that shall rule all Nations with a rod of iron namely Christ upon his holy hill of Zion therefore read the Prophets diligently the which I have cited thou mayest also at thy leasure peruse Esdras which I have not cited in my discourse because some doubt whether it be Canonicall yea or nay the which I shall not trouble my self to prove it holy writ because there be Prophets enough that prove the same thing besides Esdras although he speak very fully to it as in many Chapters
the knowledge of his wayes and so I passe to the next verse which is Vers 24. Even us whom he hath called nâ—t of the Jews onely but also of the Gentiles Annot. In this verse we learn who it is that God fits for glory and they are the called ones even us whom he hath called saith the Apostle not onely of the Jews but also of the Gentiles Now the question will be whether God call all or but some and if God call all then who they are that we may conclude to be the true called ones and that according to his purpose and first I shall shew that God calls all men as well those that perish as those that are saved And secondly I shall shew who may be accounted the true called ones according to Gods purpose and this I shall make plain as the Lord shall assist me And first to the first To shew that God calls all men under one administration or another and that this may appear to be truth I shall prove that God calls such as reject him and so perish for the sâ—me as saith the Scriptures ' Pro. 1.21 Iob 21 13. Jer. 18.12 13. Isa 3.10 Mat. 22 3 4 5 6. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would have none of my reproof saying depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies for there is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will do every one according to the imagination of our evil hearts behold saith the Lord therefore I also I will chuse their delusion so as that they may eat the fruit of their own doings From whence we may see although very much more might be said that God calls such as do not obey his voyce and therefore perish for the same And secondly having shewed that God calls such as do perish and therefore consequently all for it is his will to have all men every where to repent Rom. 8.27 28 29. I come to the second thing which is to shew who they are that are accounted the true called ones of God even such as are the called according to his purpose the which are such as do obey the voyce of God in his call because when God calls men Such as obey Gods voyce when he calls hem and do what God purposed they should do are the called according to his purpose because they do what he purposed they should do his purpose is that they should hear and obey him because he never calls men to do that upon penalty of the losse of their souls but what he purposed they should do So then if Gods purpose be that men should do what he calls them for to do then such as do hear and obey in doing what God calls them for to do are the called according to Gods purpose for God did purpose when he called them that they should hear and obey him Therefore they in hearing and obeying do answer Gods purpose that is do what God purposed they should do and such as so do are the called according to his purpose according to the words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans which saith even us whom he hath called not out of the Jews onely but also out of the Gentiles and such vessels God hath power according to the attribute of his Justice and Mercy to make vessels unto honour and the other even such as reject him to dishonour and this is Gods way and power to separate the precious from the vile although they consist of one and the same family and this is the meaning of the Text that saith hath not the Petter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honor viz. such as hear obey the word of hâ—scal and the other to dishonour Jer. 12.7 Isa 65 12 13 14 15. Gal. 3.26 namely such as refuse to hear and obey the call of God but chuse their owne waie and thus having unfoulded the meaning of the 24. verse with its dependance I passe to the next which is Vers 25 As he saith also in Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved Annot. This verse is a repetition of I prophecy of the call and choyce of the Gentiles through saith as if the Apostle should have said ye house of Israel think it not strange that the Gentiles should be heirs of the grace of life neither murmure at them for God hath shown and that by his Prophet Hosea that they were to be a loved people as will appear from the next verse which is as followeth Vers 26. And it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the children of the living God Annot. From whence we may see that the whole scope of the Apostles discourse in this Chapter is to prove that although the Jews were the elder people according to the denomination of God in reference to the Gentiles which was the younger or Prodigal son and for a time without God in the world yet God had an appointed time to call them through his grace in the Gospel unto sonship and also to cast off the Jews for their rebellion the which were accounted the elder Brother which alwaies did abide in their Fathers house the which will appear more plainly in the next verse which is thus read Vers 27. Isaiah also cryeth concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand on the sea a Remnant of them shall be saved Annot. From this verse we may learn that God is righteous in all his waies and will by no means clear the guilty although his mercies are extended to thousands that love him and keep his Commandements but if they forsake him although they be the dearly beloved of his soul he will give them into the hands of their enemies and call his servants by another name Hence it came to passe that God cast off the rebellious sons of the house of â—srael and chose the humble amongst them together with the penitent believing Gentiles and calls them by another name viz. the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus and this was Gods determination that in Isaac the seed should be called And thus in his wisdom and power he made some of the seed of Abraham vessels to honour even such as were obedient to the voice of his cal through Christ others of the seed of Abraham he made vessels to dishonour even such as did reject his call and say we will not come * Mat. 22.3 but we will walk every one in the imagination of our hearts and were stubborn before the Lord so then as the Potter had power to chuse out of his lump of clay that which was flexble and yielding to be
your honour for them to come and live here you might have spared your pains or otherwise sent it to your own tribe for they and not I contend against it but surely your garments smell so much of that mysticall Whore that they would abhor you But to the next thing the which is an answer to what you say to my third Argument as for your intervening discourse where you tell me what your eighteen Commentators say upon the 11 of the Revelations I matter not but say that me thinks he is blind that sees you not in a muddle of confusion for sometime you say that Hierusalem is to be understood the Church and sometimes the Temple but yet it wants proof that ever Hieausalem is taken to be the Church and I also discern your ignorance as touching the 11. and 12. Chapters of the Revelations the woman that travelleth to bring forth a man child is not the Gentile-Church but no more of that its possible that we may confer about that hereafter and so I come to take notice of your answer as aforesaid where you say The Temple of God spoken by Paul to the Thessalonians Page 33. 2 Thes 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. is to be understood the Church of God and Antichrists tyranny by saying he sate or set up his throne there which if this were the Temple of Jerusalem it were a poor piece of honour say you To which I answer and say First that it was not the Church of God will appear plainly because God never owned such a people to be his Church 2 Cor. 6.15 16. in whom Antichrist had his seat or Throne for Christ and Antichrist cannot dwell together so then if Antichrists seat was there then Christ seats not there if Christ not there then no Church of God so then Antichrist could not sit in the Temple of God in your sense The Temple mentioned 2 Thes 2. proved not to be the Church of God take this maxim the Antiquity of a thing proves not the verity of it my meaning is this although the Pope have sate in your Temple viz. Church along time and been your Governour as in chief and you suppose your selves the Church and therefore Antichrist may sit in the Temple viz. Church this proves not the verity of it And secondly whereas you say It is no great piece of honour for Antichrist to set his Throne in the Temple of Jerusalem To which I answer and say if you were not ignorant but knew the Scriptures you would know that it would be an honour to him to sit there provided he might be owned by the Jews to be their King viz. Christ as he will desire to be owned but that it is an honour unto him to set up his Throne there is plain because it is called the glorious holy Mountain by the Prophet Daniel Dan. 11.45 in these words And he shall plant the Tabernacle of his Pallace between the sea in the glorilus holy Mountain or the mountain of delight and holinesse as it is called in the margent yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him and at that time shall Michael viz. Christ appear Dan. 12.1 2 3. or stand up according to Pauls words and destroy him and that it is at his coming to take his kingdome and to reign is plain because the Text saith That many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise some to glory and some to shame And that Hierusalem will be the praise or glory of the whole earth I have also proved already so that what you have said is proved to be false and that it is the very same thing that the Apostle spoke of is plain for they that know any thing know that Christ when he cometh to judge the world in righteousnesse is to come to Ierusalem and first restore the kingdome unto them and to plead with all flesh not far from the valley of Jehoshaphat and that the Antichrist may perswade the world that he is the Christ and that he may shew himself as God and so be worshipped by the Jews he shall place his throne there and therefore saith the Apostle in order to the establishing of the people 2 Thes 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. that they might not be deceived by him 〈◊〉 saith The day of the Lord comes unawares when you little think of it yet be not deceived about his coming for there shall first come the Antichrist who shall perswade men that he is the Christ and to carry on his design the more subtilely shall shew great signs and also shall place his Throne in the very place namely the glorious holy mountain Jerusalem where the true Christ shall place his Throne And this is fully implyed in 2 Thess 2. compared with Dan. 12 and other Scriptures that I formerly have cited But I passe briefly because those that compare my Syons Redemption and your answer together may see your answer to be but as a scare-crow and not worth taking notice of But you tell me I understand not what is meant by Gog and Magog Answer It s very like I cannot be more ignorant of Gog and Magog Page 33. than you be of what is meant by the little Horn Dan 7. when you call him Antiochus Epiphanes the which although he might be a type of him was no more the same than the scape-Goat Levit. 16. was Christ first because this little Hâ—â—n Dan. 7. was took alive and given to the burning flame after which time the Saints did possesse the Kingdom of the whole world it being delivered into their hands by the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven Antiochus Epiphanes proved not to be the little Horn spoken of by Daniel ch 7.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. with much more that might be cited as an allusion thereunto Dan. 7 13 14 15 16 17 18. but Antiochus Epiphanes died after another manner neither was the Kingdome of Israel at peace after his death for he left a son which acted in the cruelty of his father who gathered together fifty thousand footmen and almost five thousand horsemen and fourscore Elephants and vexed the Jews as you may read in the first Chapter of the wars of the Jews recorded by Iosephus in his 559. page I could speak very largely unto it but he that reads the 7. of Dan. and compares it with Joel the 3. and Revelations the 19. may plainly discern that the little Horn mentioned in the 7. of Daniel which shall be taken alive and destroyed as aforesaid cannot be understood to be Antiochus Epiphanes which dyed before Christs Incarnation near one hundred sixty and two years And again Isa 14. whereas you say the 14 Chapter of Isaiah speaks not of the Antichrist but of the King of Babylon To which I answer and say Read Syons Redemption p. 101. that I have before said that the Antichrist is to be
the Lord Jesus THE GREAT KING shal take the KINGDOMS of the whol WORLD into his hands and 〈…〉 KINGS in his wrath and break them like a Potters vessell when he shall sit KING upon his holy hill of SYON and so I passe to a conclusion as briefly as may be not taking notice of every truffle yet I shall not let any thing that hath a colour of reason or strength go unexamined and unanswered as the Lord shall assist me But again whereas in your 34. page you say The Pope is Antichrist because he is against Christ and prayes to Saints To which I answer briefly and say that if all those may be fitly called Antichrist which sin against Christ or break his laws then he that goes to the Ale house and is drunk or he that covets that which is his neighbours is an Antichrist which if so I fear there is few of your tribe will misse that title Antichrist it s well if you do I could shew you your vain reasoning at large but I spare you but you tell me the Pope prayes to Saints The Pope praying to Saints proves him not to be the Antichrist but rather proves that he is not and therefore is Antichrist pray did you ever dream that such as pray to Saints are the Antichrist I am certain you never read it in the Scriptures but rather that proves him not to be Antichrist because he that is the Antichrist will be so far from praying to Saints that he will neither acknowledge God nor Saints but will oppose himself above God or Saints as I already have proved As for your other two reasons are triflles for in your second reason you tell me how The Latteran Council applauded the Pope saying That he was another God on earth To which I answer If you had added such a Letter as was sent from the Samaritanes to Antiochus Epiphanes Read Josephus p. 303. yet it would not have helpt you to prove the Pope to be Antichrist for what and if the Latteran Council did applaud the Pope and call him a God on earth will it therefore follow that either Council or Pope did affirm that they were above the God of heaven or spake as the Man of sin did marvelous things against the God of Gods 1 Cor. 8.5 We know there are gods many as saith the Apostle and so they might peradventure call him a God on earth but this proves him not to be the Antichrist so your second reason falls to the ground And thirdly you say The seven hills are the seat of Antichrist Rev. 17.9 and the Popes sits there and therefore the Pope is Antichrist Answer The text doth say Rev. 17.9 The seven heads are seven mountains on which the WOMAN mark that sitteth But I have shewed that the WOMAN there spoken of is the same WOMAN that is spoken of in the 18. verse which is to be destroyed by the Antichrist and therefore not Antichrist but the seven hills was never called the seat of Antichrist Dan. 11 45. neither shall it ever be his seat but his seat shall be in the glorious holy mountain Jâ—rusalem as I before have shewed And thus all your three reasons to prove the Pope to be Antichrist is chased and vanished away as a vision of the night and so I passe to the next thing considerable which is the examination of what you say to the Reign of Christ after the destructâ—on of the great Antichrist because the other intervening discourse of yours is but a story of the family of Gog and Magog the which peradventure I know near so well as your self what Historians say of the family of Gog and Gomâ—r and Tubal and Togamâ—r and the like and also possibly I might prove that some of all these families will be of that multitude that shall cover the mountains of Israel like a cloud but I have said enough to prove that the Pope is not THE Antichrist and so I come to examin your examinitâ—on of Christs reign on earth the which upon examinition I do marvel you would strain your reputation if you ever had any in bringing into a publick view that which hath so little reason or strength of argument in it but I pass briefly to the matter which is Page 36. Christ shall not reign upon earth say you because Christ tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world To which I answer and say when Christ tells Pilate his KINGDOME was not of this world at that time it was not of this world considered as it stands in the state of corruption and the government upon many mens shoulders for upon this account Christ speaks to Pilate but there is a time coming that the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of the LORD CHRIST The time is coming that Christ will have and hold a Kingdome on earth and the GOVERNMENT shall be upon his shoulders and he shall reign for ever and ever that is so long as there are KING-DOMES to reign over for this saith the Lord in several places of Scripture as I shall hint at some few of them and also shew you when the time will begin and that will be at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet that shall accomplish these three excellent things or these three excellent things shall be accomplished at that time first the dead Saints raised and secondly the Jews called home and thirdly the KINGDOMS of this world at that time shall become the KINGDOMS of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign and govern it in righteousness These three things I shall prove in order as God shall assist through whose strength I could be very large in this matter A discovery of the excellent effects of the 7th trumpet in the time of his sounding 1 Thes 4.16 but I shall be brief And first to the first What is the first thing that will be effected by the sound of the seventh Trumpet which is the dead Saints raised as will appear from the holy Scripture which saith For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and that this is the seventh or last Trumpet is more plainly discovered by Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.51 52. which saith Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the LAST TRVMP for the TRVMPET shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptable and we shall be changed From whence we may see that this will be effected in the sounding of the seventh TRUMPET namely that the dead Saints shall be raised and the living Saints changed and so I passe to hint at the second thing that will be effected in that time which is The drying up of the River Euphrates that the children of Israel may
a resurrection from a state of sin to a state of grace but it s to be understood a resurrection from the Grave and the soul is to be understood the body or the entire man as the eight souls were saved by water in Noahs Ark. And whereas you say Page 39. that the new Jerusalem is not to be a material City according to the letter of the Scriptures because say you what City in the letter can have twelve foundations or Angels porters or gates made of pearl To which I answer and say it is somewhat strange to me to think that you do in very deed believe that God made the things that do appear by his word Let it be so and it was so and that he laid the foundation of the earth upon nothing and spread forth the heavens like a curtain and made those two great lights together with all the hoast of heaven Carnal men know not the mystery of the Kingdom and what they know naturally as bruit beasts even in those things they corrupt themselves onely by his word Let it be done and it was so it is strange that such carnals as you are do not question where God had materials enough to make the heavens and earth because you question how one pearl can be big enough to make a gate To which I say that he that made the heavens and the earth by the word of his power could have made it all of pearl if it had pleased him for there is nothing too hard for him to do therefore what he saith he will do let us not question how he can bring it about lest we see it and yet never enjoy it Again whereas you say Page 40 That the new heaven and earth and new Jerusalem may be taken for the Church in glory after the Jews conversion To which I answer and say that the new Jerusalem is not the Church is plain because the Church or Saints are to enter in through the the gates into that City and have their habitation there and walk in the streets thereof therefore the Church may not be taken for the new Jerusalem but it is to be a material heavenly glorious City the which now is the habitation of God and Christ or his Throne or Taberbernacle the which also at the time appointed shall descend upon the new earth and so the Throne or Tabernacle of God shall be with men and he shall dwell with them and thus the Lord shewed Iohn the form of the City and the manner how it should descend down upon the new earth in the which City the glorified Saints with the Lord shall dwell but without the gates shall be doggs and whoremongers and the like punished and although the whole earth shall be restored in the years of restauration yet after the ultimate judgement when Christ hath finished his reign and resigned up the Mediatorship and all government â—o the hands of God the Father when he shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15. then shall the Land of Canaan or Iudeah or Ierusalem which is one and the same although they differ in name be that new earth in which shall dwell righteousnesse agreeing with the words of the Prophet Esa 65.17 18 19. which saith Behold I create a new heaven and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind but be ye glad for behold I create Ierusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and I will rejoyce in Ierusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be heard no more in her This will be accomplished in Ierusalem at the beginning of Christs reign although the condition with other places may be altered as Chaldea Aegypt and Edom and the like yet with Canaan it will not for Ierusalem shall abide a glorious blessed place for ever as I shall speak more to anon and at present I pass to what you say in page 41. which is an interpretation of the words of Isaiah which saith The lyon shall lye down with the lamb and the like which is meant say you the changing of our salvage nature and make us submit to his yoak Answer That this is a false interpretation any man that hath understanding may plainly discern because Christ saith iniquity shall abound and questions whether he shall find faith upon earth and also the Prophet shews that the people of God shall be very few like to the gleaning of the vintage and the whole world wandring after the Beast and such like expressions the Scriptures are full of which sheweth that there wil not be such a conversion as you vainly dream of but this trifle I shall speak no more to at present but refer the curteous Reader to take satisfaction from the Scriptures as to this and the like as you may find composed as to the proof of this matter in my former Treatise intuled Syons Redemption Read my Syons Redemption where you may finde that the lyons lying down with the lamb is literally to be understood and the objections answered discovered as you may read from page 153 to page the 163. And as to the next thing I say That those irrational creatures that are dead are already delivered from their groaning and labour and yet notwithstanding for ought that you have said every creature that hath groaned under his burthen and hath been sensible of misery may again he restored but I shall wave that discourse and come to your 42 and last page in which I take notice of your contradiction where you say That Saints are not like to meet with peace or quietnesss here below but trouble and persecution and yet you say immediately that There is a time before the end when the sea of troubles shall be no more So that he that hath not both the eyes of his understanding put out may see that you are in a gulf of darknesse groaping for the wall not knoâ—ing what you say nor whereof you do affirm I could wish that you knew even the glorious state of the Church which will be at the time that the Redeemer shall come to Zion and turn transgression from Iacob when all Israel shall be a holy people to the Lord you hâ—rp at something that will be brought to passe at that time but what you know not neither are you like to know so long as you lean upon men to go upon their legs and see with their eyes but I spare you and passe to the next thing which is Say you in opposition to the Saints enjoying the riches of the world God gave mount Seir to Esau To which I answer and say The Sts. shall not enjoy the riches of the world until Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory to put them in possession that to suppose that the Saints shall enjoy the riches of the world till the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdomes of Christ is but a