by the Apostles so to signifie as hath been said that it is never used to signifie the supreamest Heaven even as it would have been most unapt for such a signification So that put all the Apostles first phrase in Heb. 2.5 together and the inhabited world to come can signifie no other but that the Monarchy on earth in the Apostles time under the Romans should be hereafter before the last Judgement the Monarchy of Christ or of the Saints under him Which the second phrase of our Apostle viz. of WHICH WEE SPEAKE doth more explaine and demonstrate For where did the Apostle speake afore of that world to come as he intimates in this relative speech but in Heb. 1. ver 6. which being read ingenuously and with an honest plainnesse of interpretation according to the Greek * Our Translators in putting AND after the word saith doe goe against common sense against the propriety of our English against the contexture of the Greek and against the Hebrew text whence it is quoted Is it not against common sense and the idiom of our English to speake thus in a recitall of anothers words He saith or he said AND so and so What more ridiculous then for us about to tell the words of another man then to make And the first word of the recitall In a History of the Old or New Testament it is a common thing to bring in a party with And he said but in a quotation it is not tollerable And t is against the contexture of the Greek wch plainly runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as rendred afore runs smoothly but as our Translatours render and place the order of words of the whole verse they do with a vaine tautalogie as it were joyne to saith two ENDS for it runs thus AND againe he saith AND Lastly our Translatours intimate as if the latter AND were in the Hebrew whereas there is no such thing For the whole place in Psal 97.7 is to to a word thus Confounded he all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols WORSHIP HIM ALL YEE GODS runs thus But when AGAINE he bringeth in or shall bring in the first begotten sonne into the WORLD he saith Whence they that will grant us least will yeeld thus much that would in Heb. 2.5 must signifie the world on earth or else they utterly overthrow the Apostles reference there The world to come OF WHICH WE SPEAKE But we must by their favour inferre more viz. that in this Heb. 1.6 is mention of the same world to come on earth else how doth the Apostle chap. 2.5 speake all that For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come in forme of a repetition of what he had said afore of the selfe-same matter which hee no where afore mentions unlesse in chap. 1. ver 6. viz. BUT when AGAINE he bringeth in the first begotten into the WORLD he saith ALSO or in LIKE MANNER or LIKEWISE Let all the Angels of God worship him For our Translators have very untowardly and incongruously put and placed AND between saith and let †as they have needlesly if not prejudiciously to the genuine sence of the verse put And at the beginning and altered the order of words of the Greek which if kept as we have followed it in our translating runs exceeding smoothly Some dictate to us that Againe must be referred to saith not to bringing in I would if possible they had also demonstrated it to have saved our labour of demonstrating the contrary The first AND seeing they translate it And would serve one would thinke to signifie againe he saith For more surety they have put two And 's but it is safest for us to keep close to the Originall having chap. 2. ver 5. with many other texts to hold analogie which fluently runs as we said But when againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith likewise Let all the Angels of God worship him As to signifie Christs coming againe into the world to come on earth after the ruine of Antichrist and all his adherents as we say the Old and New world which was distinguished by the Floud ruining the ungodly whiles the race of visible Saints still lived And if all that I have spoken in the Text and Margine doe sufficiently evince with ponderating unprejudicated men that so as aforesaid the Text is rightlier read then the Quere will be when did God ever to this day bring his first begotten Sonne into the world Againe when the ninety seventh Psalm was pend Christ had not been brought in at all in the flesh into the world even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as led by the hand And when the Epistle to the Hebrewes was pend Christ had been brought into the world but once never since againe And for the heavenly Angels of God they did worship him at his first coming attending serving and admiring his Incarnation Luke 2. Temptation Mark 1.13 Resurrection Mat. 28. Dispensation of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 and Ascention Acts 1. Christ said he could have twelve Legions of Angels at his command but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angel in the Revelation signifies also Men-Angles that is Magistrates as well as Ministers so viz. the Angelicall Potentates Kings Emperours Judges and Powers over men as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim Psal 97.7 quoted by the Apostle †See more Sect. 10. §. 2. signifies the same Psal 82.1 so that according to the latitude of the words and the designe of God all human Principalities Powers and Dominions must submit to Christ and his Saints under his conduct command or government as well as the Angels then shall give him a more visible and fuller honour the Saints being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are made able to see it But that we may returne to Heb. 2. this was never yet since Adams fall performed viz. man so to be over all visibly on earth as Adam was over all which is Davids application in Psal 8. of Gen. 1.26 c. and Pauls explication in this second of Hebrewes of Psalme 8. * Some weekes after I had pend these things upon Heb. 2.5 compared with Heb. 1 6. c. I met with Master Modes Opuscula newly set forth concurring with me in the Grammer and sense sense of those places with his learned reasons which I have therefore here inserted in the Margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nim inquit Terra est non caelum At ubi inquies de hac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praecedentibus locutus est Apostolus ut dicat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aio ab istis verbis v. 6 cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est cum verò ITERUM introduxerit primogenitum suum in orbem terrae dicit c. Quae enim ex inde ex libro Psalmorum â—d finem usque capitis citantur de adora tione Angelorum de sceptro
rectitudinis Dei de novatione mundi de hostium sub pedibus conculcatione omnia si Apostolo credimus ad secundum Christi advâ—utum referenda sunt Admonitio autem quae 4 primis versiculis cap. 2. haec excipit per parenthelin est legenda versu demum quinto ad propositum redit Apostolus prolixâ—â—s exequitur quae dehumanae naturae supra Angelos prerogativa differuerat Non Aâ—gelis inquit subjeci◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de qua loquimur Sed de quo aliâ—ubi â—estatus est Psalmographus dicens Domine quid est â—omo quod memor es ejus aut â—â—lius hominis quod visitaâ— Modico minoâ—em Angelis fecisti cum gloria honore coronasti cum c. Et paulò post Qui verò modico minor Angelis factus est Jesus id est factus homo qui natura angelica modico inferior est videmus propter mortis perpessionem gloria honore coronatum Confer Phil. 2. v. 7 8 9. Arque baec ni fallor mens Apostoli Mirabiliter autem nostri versum illum sextum capitis primi transferunâ— ut primo Chriâ—â—i â—aventui accommodent trajiciendo nimirum particulam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acsi scriptum esset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum scriptum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujusmodâ— trajectionis exemplum nusquam uspiam ostendi potest Et praeterea verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterquam quod cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conjungatur futuri significationem habeat cùm sit Aoristus secund us iubjunctivi porro notandum Ps 97. unde testimonium illud de Angelis Christum in secundo adventu adoraturis desumptum est tam apud Septuagiâ—ta quà m vulgatum Interpretem hujusmodi Epigraphe praenotatum esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmus David quando terra ei restituta est Quid hoc reâ— esse dicemus An Psalmus quo David Messiam in resurrectione celebrabit An quem cecinit postquam ab Absolomo filio pulsus Regno â—estitutus est In Hebraeo hodierno Psalmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Sed LXX aut in suis exemplaribus reperisse aut ex traditione mutuatos addidisse vix dubitandum est ut alios alicubi Psalmorum titulos qui nunc in Hebraeo non extant In versione igitur Anglica v. 6 pro And AGAINE when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world Corrige And when he bringeth AGAIN the first-begotten into the world or shall bring c. Sic v. 8. pro unto the Sonne Malim of the Sonne ut antè v. 7. of the Angels nam eadem sunt verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 12. ut apud LXX sunt qui legendum existiment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facili mutatione Et â—ta habet Textus Hebraicus in Psal 102.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Latina vulgata versio utrobique mutabis eos Ita quoque in Psalmo legit Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 6. Ita Tertullianus adv Hermog c. 34. ¶ 1. This was never fulfilled to the Saints since Adams fall they in the generall were never thus crowned Psal 8. ver 5. with glory and honour Their enemies and avengers were never thus stilled Psal 8. v. 2. The could never yet sing this eighth Psalme as a praise for the things done but only in hope it shall be done It is too too apparent before our eyes to this day in the generall state of the universe that the weeds are ready to eat up or choak the corn ¶ 2 And this was not periodically that is totally and finally fulfilled on Adam in innocency For first David pens this Psalme above two thousand eight hundred yeers after as a Psalme of praise for the Saints 2 In Adams innocency there was no enemy and avenger stilled as Psal 8. v. 2. makes mention 3 Adam should seem was a type of things to come in that the Apostle makes the eighth Psalme a Prophesie of future events 4 To Adam in innocency the then present world of the whole universe was not actually subjected his actuall dominion was yet within the Territories of Paradise 5 Much lesse was the inhabitable world to come subjected to him For he soon fell and lost his dominion which is not yet so actually recovered to the Saints but that their enemies are more and mightier then themselves to this day ¶ 3 Therefore the great knot is whether this hath been fulfilled to Christ The Apostle in this second of Hebrews seems to mee to say that the things aforesaid were not in his time fully fulfilled to Christ himselfe For the things to be put under Christs feet is the WORLD yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the INHABITED World yea and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inhabited World TO COME viz. that was to come after Paul wrote that And the Apostle doth strongly as Pareus observes urge out of Psal 8. v. 8. the universal particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ALL Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet for saith he in that he put ALL in subjection under him he left NOTHING that is not put under him But NOW saith the Apostle wee SEE NOT ALL THINGS put under him He appeals saith Pareus to sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But NOW wee doe not YET SEE all things put under him viz. NOW that Christ is ascended we see not all things put under him He is to ascend into Heaven and there sit at Gods right hand UNTILL his enemies be made his footstool Psal 110.1 which our Apostle clearly applies to his ascention after his Passion Heb. 10.11 Which Untill plainly signifies that after his ascention when Paul wrote All things were not put under Christs feet All his enemies were not made his footstoole but the Jewes and Romans still triumphed over his cause all along the story of the Acts and throughout the ten persecutions after that the Arian and since the Papal and Turkish persecution and Tyranny triumph over it What was fulfilled the Apostle freely and fully expresseth viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That is exactly to the words and order of them But him that was made a little while * So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be distinguished see the margin of your Bibles a little lower then the Angels we see even Jesus in regard of his suffering of death to be crowned with glory and honour that he by the free grace of God might taste of death for every man As if the Apostle should in length of words have spoken out thus much The world to come is not to be put in subjection to Angels but unto Christ that is the sense of verse 5. but unto Christ the world to come is to bee put in subjection according to the eight Psalme as in the application of it in verse 9. the Apostle expounds it of Christ But this saith he is not yet totally fulfilled all things are not yet put under him onely
and he shall be to me a SONNE But when AGAINE to give it you as afore in termes and order of words close to the Originall * Thus Arias doth order them When the Apostle would say And againe he saÃd in verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in this sixth verse he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which last word is in the second Aâ—rist in the subj mood which sounds future and so the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But againe He SHALL bring his first begotten Sonne into the INHABITED world he saith let all the Angels worship him The sense is obvious That God never owned any one of the Angels to be his only first begotten Sonne but when againe he shall bring his first begotten Sonne into the world he hath given command that all the Angels shall worship him as his only begotten Sonne That this text speakes of Gods bringing his first begotten Sonne againe into the inhabited world now after Christs ascention when the Apostles wrote that we have afore largely discussed Book 3. chap. 2. Sect. 4. § id est sectiuncula 4. I only adde be heedfully mindfull of the Apostles expression in the future now after Christs coming in the flesh and that after the generall Iudgement Christ as Christ shall lay downe all his dominion over Angels and men and therefore it must be of some middle time between our present generation that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered here Angels must give Christ whiles he is Mediator a more ample and apparent homage then ever they have done according to the glorious state of Christ and of things at that time on earth 3 ¶ For this place of the Hebrewes Let all the Angels of God worship him is quoted by the Apostle out of Psal 97.7 which word for word according to the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Bow downe to him all yee Gods which as we said afore comprehends as all Angels so all Kings Potentates and Magistrates called by God himselfe Gods Psal 82. ver 1. ver 6. and so applied by Christ Joh. 10.34 Jesus answered them Is it not written in your Law I said YEE ARE GODS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he called them gods to whom the Word of God came c. And indeed they can properly bow or crouch downe as the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precisely signifie as the Angels can doe it only vertually And on the other side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angel is oft used in Scripture to signifie eminent men in Office Mal. 4.1 Rev. chap. 2.1 chap. 2. chap. 3. But granting that the Apostles designe being to prove Christ to be above Angels doth render the Hebrew Text according to the Septuagint Greek then a common Translation in frequent use throughout the world since the late Greek Monarchy over all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship him all yee his Angels yet this is as true that as the Apostle closeth that his discourse in that first of Hebrews with a touch of Christs future dominion over all Angels and men on earth saying To which of the Angels said he at any time quoted out of Psal 110. sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole so that 97. Psalm doth really include and intend our position in hand viz. Christs visible glorious Kingdome over all the world yet to come For in the first verse of that 97. Psalm it is said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof Or the Lord reigning the earth SHALL rejoyce and the many Islands SHALL * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be glad ** 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This LORD is Christ as the Apostle applyes it Heb. 1.8 9. Now Christ had reigned in his ordinary providence and power from the creation to the Psalmists time c. as appeared in overthrowing his and his peoples enemies and preserving his people in the flood in the fire on Sodome in his miracles in Egypt Wildernesse and the Red-sea in his victories over the several Nations in Canaan c. And after the last judgement it is improper to say Christ reignes in glory 1 Cor. 15.28 And Christ never yet so reigned as is described in this first verse of this 97 Psalm That ALL the EARTH without limitation shall rejoyce at that his reigning and the multitude of Isles shall be glad By Isles according to an ancient usuall Hebraisme and Jewish phrase is meant all the Nations of the GENTILES Isa 41. v. 1. Keep silence before me O ISLANDS and let the PEOPLES or NATIONS renew their strength * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And v. 5. The Isles saw it and feared and the ENDS OF THE EARTH were afraid Chap. 42. v. 4. The ISLES shall wait for his Law and so nine times in this Prophet three times in Jer. 9. times in Ezek. in Zeph. once viz. Chap. 2. v. 11. The Isles of the Heathen or Gentiles * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. once Gen. 10.5 The Isles of the Gentiles The reason of the phrase is because the Jews dwelling in the continent of Asia they counted all the world Islanders that were divided from them by the Mediterranean Sea Whence is that phrase of Isles of the Sea Ester 10.1 Ahasuerus laid a taxe or tribute upon the land and upon the ISLES OF THE SEA And Isa 24.15 Glorifie the name of the Lord God of Israel in the ISLES OF THE SEA And Ezek. 26.18 Now shall the Isles tremble in the day of thy fall yea the ISLES THAT ARE IN THE SEA shall be troubled yea to make all yet plainer it is twice said viz. Jer. 2.10 Ezek. 27.6 The Isles of Chittim By which Chittim is oft understood the Roman Monarchy as Dan. 11.30 for one instance So that according to this sense of this 97 Psame vers 1 All the world of Jewes and Gentiles must be glad and rejoyce at the reigning of Christ as it follows in the sixth verse The Heavens declare his righteousnesse and ALL the people see his glory ALL without exception which two clauses cannot be aptlier applyed and expounded then by that Rev. 1.7 Rev. 20.1 Rev. 21.1 Christ comes in the clouds and every eye shall see him Christ as the great Angel descending from heaven binding Satan and causing his Saints to reigne on earth New Jerusalem a New Heaven and a New Earth being brought downe from Heaven wherein as Pet. 2 Ep. 3. chap. enlargeth dwelleth righteousnesse But ALL PEOPLE yet never saw that his righteousnesse and glory ALL the gods as in v. 7. all Kings and Princes Potentates Magistrates and Powers never yet worshipped him as Christ but generally in all ages from the Creation to this day have opposed him as such both of Jewes and Gentiles 4 ¶ But all must ere the last judgement either sincerely or seemingly worship him Psal 22.27 28 29. which Psalme is concerning
the whole of Christs passion as it is plaine First by the Title which is of the Canonical Hebrew Text. A Psalme * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning A jieleth Shahar that is the hind of the morning Christ being shut in the grave escaped away in the morning rising from death Secondly by the application of severall passages to Christs passion by the Evangelist Matth. 27. As that of the DESERTION My God My God why hast thou forsaken me v. 1. That of DERISION ' He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him v. 8. That of PIERCING They pierced my hands and my feet v. 16. That of division of his garments They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture cast lots v. 18. Now this Psalme touching Christ though in the first Scene sets forth Christs humiliation yet in the second holds forth his exaltation vers 22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren which the Apostle applies Heb. 2.9 10 11 12. to Christs manifestation of his samenesse of nature with the sonnes of men even as in that nature he tasted death for every man and at last would declare that salvation to all the world which clearly tends to our point And v. 27 28 29. we have the effect of his declaring Gods name to the world viz. ALL THE ENDS OF THE WORLD shall remember and turne unto the Lord and ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE Nations or GENTILES * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall worship before him For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations or GENTILES All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship In all which we see the effect effectuall conversion The Generality and Universality in many ALL 's The time in generall viz. It is to be after Christs suffering upon the crosse The characters eat and worship which cannot be understood of the highest heavens And it hath not been fulfilled on earth according to that effect universality and character from Christs passion to this day Therefore it is yet to be fulfilled on earth 5 ¶ According to Psalme 86.9 ALL NATIONS whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and glorifie thy name A place mightily considerable So that so great a promise and prophesie as this by so great a Prophet as this with such a shrill emphasis in the ALL and in the Act worship and in the degree of the effect to glorifie his name must not bee ended with flams of humane glosses but must be really and truly and fully accomplished though as yet it was never compleatly fulfilled as it will be too late to think of those things at the ultimate judgement when Christ comes not for conversion but destruction Therefore yet before that finall Day of Doome this ALL must bee brought to ALL THAT of Worshipping and Glorifying Gods Name 6 ¶ Just as we have it in that little Psalme the 117. but greatly Prophetical Praise yee the Lord ALL NATIONS praise him ALL YEE PEOPLES * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall all these do this unlesse Christ convert all them but those refractory ones whom he confounds Surely therfore this is a Prophesie that God will in time before the ultimate day of judgement convert generally all Nations as Paul extends it Rom. 11.10 11 c. to the coming in of the fulnesse of Jewes and Gentiles rejoycing together as one Church Therefore according to Paul David had a most comprehensive and extensive sense when he spake these things and therefore shall be fulfilled according to its true latitude and elevation without the mincing distinctions of mens braine For a seale of assurance whereof the close of the Psalme hath three weighty clauses First That the MERCIFULL KINDNESSE of Jehovah to the sonnes of men is great Secondly The TRUTH of the same Jehovah is for ever 3 That by faith and hope in that mercy and truth to see these things fulfilled we should PRAISE that JEHOVAH with Hallelujah which is the word of praise all along the Revelation § 2 Having done with the first head contained in the Psalmes touching the universal power Christ shall have over the whole world afore the last judgement though most yet rebell against him Next wee come to the second head viz. The just time when Christ shall attaine this 1 ¶ That place Psal 97.7 Worship him all yee gods the Apostle tells us Heb. 1.6 shall be fulfilled When God shall bring again his Son Christ into the world which place though our Translators render it And again when he bringeth c. as if it were meerly a new proof of Christs superiority above Angels is most truly rendred according to our reading afore set downe againe and againe with reasons to justifie it so that in words and sense it is an Antithesis and Auxesis to the fifth verse thus He saith not to any Angel thou art my Sonne this day I have begotten theee but instead thereof he speakes a thing that doth much lessen the dignity of Angels and more dignifie Christ above them Let all the Angels of God worship him so that the first And must be turned into But proper to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as there placed and that same Againe is not to signifie another proofe of Christs superiority above Angels but to signifie the time when that of ALL the Elohim Angels and Potentates whether of the Spirits in Heaven or men on earth both Angels and Elohim signifying both worshipping of Christ shall be fulfilled For this hath not yet beene fulfilled as to the ALL of the Magnificents and Great-ones of the earth who contrariwise for the generall have despised if not opposed Christ even as it will bee too late and an unseasonable time for them to do it at the ultimate judgement when no adoration or worship is then received from Christs enemies but sentence is given by him upon and against them The time therefore when this shall bee fulfilled is saith the Apostle in this first to Heb. penned after Christs ascension When God shall bring his first-begotten Sonne AGAINE into the INHABITED WORLD When he brought him into the world the first time by incarnation ALL the Potentates and Angels of men The Scribes and Pharisees Herod and Pontius Pilate the Roman Emperours and Senate of Rome did not worship him but refused him and persecuted him and his members most bloodily for neer three hundred yeers after whom the Arians and next to them the Papacy took their turnes to maintaine that stream of blood running downe to our times But when he shall bring his first-begotten Sonne againe into the world in his visible royal exaltation then they all shall worship him I say as the Text sayes ALL but they that are ruined for their refractorinesse The phrase When he bringeth againe if the Greek word were not of a future sense imports a future thing as the Hebrew imperative Psal 97.7 Worship ye
taken away thy judgement he hath cast out THINE ENEMY The King of ISRAEL is in the midst of thee even the LORD you shall not see EVILL ANY MORE Vers 19. Behold at that time I WIL UNDOE ALL THAT AFFLICT THEE and will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them a praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame Thus you see the full extent and intent of the text insomuch as never to this day can be found a capacious and adequate space of place and time wherein to lodge the fulfilling thereof and therfore waites for its turne to be performed by our God that cannot lye before the ultimate Day of Doome See for this in the first place what others hint I may say afore they are aware because the streame of their opinion runs a contrary way Doctor Mayer thus I will turne to the people a pure Language intimating the conversion of the Gentiles but least when Judgements should come upon all peoples by Nebuchadnezzar they should despaire of any such worke to be wrought among them he saith My determination is to gather the Nations to poure out mine indignation upon them as meaning that great destructions should BEFORE THIS passe through all Countries by the Chaldes then by the Persians after that by the Grecians and finally by the Romans last of all which should the conversion of the Nations to the Gospel follow Thus he Now the destructions by the Romans is not yet at an end that Empire so much of it as is left still making great destructions both spirituall and temporall in Spaine France Portugall Germany Italy c. and much more the three Hornes of the Turkish dominions broken off from that Roman enslaving the fifth part * See the account cast up afore in Sect. 40. S. 2. P. 2. or thereabout of all the world and therefore by Doctor Mayers words this generall conversion of the Gentiles is not yet come so as to convert them as he carries on the sence that are beyond the river of Ethiopia c. Calvin and our New Annotations say that This Prophesie is extended unto the time of the Gospel when not only the Gentiles shall come into the Church but also the Jewes shall returne into their owne Country that they may make one BODY with the converted Gentiles Thus they Which when it hath been ever fulfilled since the time of the Gospel let them prove that will undertake to assert it for we shall by and by give many strong reasons to the contrary and therefore according to their supposition or grant this is yet to be fulfilled Alapide saith Christ took away their pride mentioned vers 11. when having overthrowne their materiall Temple by Titus and the Romans he erected his Church in Sion transferring beleevers from that Judaicall Temple unto the Church in which as in a Schoole of humility hee teacheth the Jewes lowlinesse of minde and humbly together with the Gentiles to submit to the grace of Christ Now when ever since the overthrow of the Temple by Titus the Romane which was about forty years after the Passion of Christ did the Lord Christ erect a Church in Zion and translated the beleeving JEWES and GENTILES into it teaching the Jewes there lowlinesse of minde and together with the Gentiles humbly to submit to the grace of Christ Surely as in the thirteenth of the Acts we have it in the generall asserted from History of Divine authority that the Jewes generally refused the Gospel whereupon it was transferred to the Gentiles and there it hath continued according to Rom. 11. downe to these times leaving the Jewes in blindnesse so we have it illustrated by particulars from all the most famous Histories and Chronologies that long after Titus his ruining of the Temple the Jewes persisted in their Leviticall Sacrifices offered in the City upon the rubbish of the Temple untill Adrians overthrow of the City and his expelling the Jewes thence in the yeare after Christs Incarnation one hundred thirty foure And againe for many yeares after that being thence expulsed they persisted in Jewish sacrificing at Mamre where formerly God appeared to Abraham and so continued untill Constantine the Great who began to bee sole Emperour about the yeare of Christ three hundred and twelve overthrew their Altar there and built in the roome a Church-place of worship for the Christians And after that Julian the Apostata encouraged the Jewes out of his hatred to the Christians to rebuild the Temple of Salomon in the yeare of Christ saith Bucholcerus three hundred sixty three God wonderfully destroyed their worke by fire from Heaven And from that time to this they have been seen and heard in all Countries where they are permitted their Synagogues to worship God after the manner of the Jewish Liturgy in singing the Psalmes of David according to our Hebrew Text and reading the Law and the Prophets with tripudiations c. and doe professe as I have had it by Letters from their learned Rabbins that they hope to be saved by the Law of Moses all which doe sufficiently demonstrate that they are not yet translated into the Church erected in Sion since Titus his devastation of Salomons Temple so that this Scripture of Zephanie remaines yet to be fulfilled which I make thus to appeare ¶ 1. Observe how many Parties are here mentioned that must have a share in the fulfilling of this Prophesie when ever it be fulfilled viz. First The Gentiles ver 9. Secondly the two Tribes of the Jewes called Juda expressed in the words Zion and Jerusalem ver 14. 16. Thirdly The ten Tribes of the Jewes called by their name Israel ver 14. but all these three parties have not yet joyntly shared in the mercies prophesied to them in this Text therefore it remaines yet to be fulfilled ¶ 2. Observe the parts or things to be shared among those Parties viz. conversion unto the true God congregating of them into a christian Church and destruction of all that hate them as you have heard Now when did the Gentiles the people of Judah and the Tribes of Israel ever joyntly injoy these three mercies For ¶ 3. Observe all these must at the great time of fulfilling them be extant at once together for though in the discusse I distinguished them into parts according to their nature and sence yet the Prophet according to place and order of sentences did interweave and windingly wreath them one within another to the intent that no man might separate what God had joyned together but might behold them as a goodly Coine that though there be a distinction of the parts of the impressions upon it yet all make but one Image of Caesar All those parts are but the severall sculptures of one and the same entire character of the glorious time of the Church yet before the end of the world for hitherto the said three parties never enjoyed the afore-mentioned three parts
Antichristian how shall wee pitch the compasses of our account so as to pick up a select number of Saints whose soules were just one thousand yeers in heaven before the last resurrection this being spoken of Saints in generall and of their state after the full and finall fall of Antichrist Rev. 19. the Chapter immediately foregoing § 4 Truly to speake my very conscience from cleer light to mee by this their LIVING can be intended no other thing but their LIVING AGAINE Perhaps there may bee some reason of the varying of the phrase as to say the Saints LIVED but the wicked LIVED not AGAINE till the one thousand yeers were finished Because the dead Saints are more alive then the dead wicked For the dead Saints whiles dead are alive not onely in their naturall soules but in their spirituall union with Christ who is their life and in the graces which the Spirit of life implanted in them And the dust of their bodies are decreed and preserved by God for an estate called Eternal life their bodies being said onely to bee asleep And therefore said here TO LIVE as if in a sort never dead But whiles their bodies were dead their soules were willing to live againe in the body Not so the Dead wicked and so a different phrase is spoken of them But the sense I am confident is that the Saints were made to LIVE AGAINE in the one thousand yeers whiles the Dead wicked lived not againe till those one thousand yeers were ended Even as Revel 1.18 most evidently ALIVE is put for ALIVE AGAINE The words are Christs of himselfe now after his resurrection spoken to John I am hee that am ALIVE so the Greek or LIVING and was dead and behold I am ALIVE If hee had been dead and now was alive hee was properly alive againe So in the same sense the dead Saints are here said in this 20. Chap. v. 4. to LIVE to signifie they LIVED AGAINE So the Antithesis and opposition here put between these and those in the next verse gives it in to mee with full evidence But the rest of the dead that is the wicked saith the fifth verse lived not againe so expressely in the * So Syr. Arab. Greek untill the one thousand yeers were finished Whence who that weighs things well can infer lesse then this that those Saints in the fourth verse lived AGAINE those thousand yeers in which the dead wicked lived not againe and the Saints had beene killed as it is vers 4. and Rev. 11. not onely metaphorically but physically in a great part downe to the totall ruine of Antichrist and now a Viol being poured out upon the throne of the Beast Rev. 16. whereupon he utterly falls Rev. 19. two last verses the seventh and last-Trumpet sounding as it is anticipatedly spoken Rev. 11. but methodically to the matter as the cause before the effect the Saints risen reigne with Christ both here in this 20. chap. and in that 11. of the Revel This to bee spoken by the Antithesis Butthe rest of the dead lived not AGAINE That the Saints this while of the one thousand yeers lived AGAINE is further manifest in that it is plaine here compared with vers 12. that the wicked did LIVE AGAINE at the end of the thousand yeers So UNTILL in vers 5. imports explained vers 7. to end of the 12. vers thus When the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall bee loosed and shall goe out and deceive the Nations and they went out and compassed the Camp of the Saints which Saints are all at that time alive and the Devil that deceived the wicked is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone c. and I saw a great white Throne and I saw the dead wicked ones small and great to stand before God So that in regard it is so punctually held forth that at the end of the thousand yeers all the wicked formerly deceased lived againe personally and properly soule and body being re-united I for my part cannot inferre lesse then that the meane while in the said thousand yeers the Saints lived personally and properly in soule and body gloriously reunited on earth Object 5. All that can possibly seem to bee objected to the contrary as far as I can see or heare is this pretended Scruple That this Antithesis BUT the rest of the dead lived not AGAINE carries not so much in it as wee have estimated because LIVING AGAINE is applied to a contrary thing and to contrary persons as if the sense should bee this The rest of the dead wicked ones dead in sinne LIVED not AGAINE all that thousand yeers that is they attained not to the state of Regeneration or Conversion by the Word and Spirit which seems to be called in the fifth verse THE FIRST RESURRECTION All this thousand yeers they continued in an unregenerate estate whiles the dead Saints LIVED in soule in glory in the highest heavens with Christ a thousand yeers that is from their death for ever Answ Wee answer that allegation that LIVING and not living AGAINE are applyed to contrary things and persons speakes for the nature of an Antithesis and for ours If it be said by the objectors that the meaning of contraries is Heterogeneals as spirituall death in sinne and eternall life in glory Wee reply it is indeed said so by them but not proved That is the question now in dispute not to bee begged but to bee won from us by argument if wee must part with our right It cannot sound in my ears to say that the Saints living a thousand yeeres signifies their living in soul with Christ for ever after their naturall death seeing it is confest of all on all sides that at the last generall resurrection if the Saints rise not till then the soules of the Saints are brought downe from heaven to their bodies and not their dead bodies to bee carried up into heaven to their soules And that the last generall judgement of Christ appearing as man judging men so as all men may see the judgement to be just is not a worke of a day or of a short time Nor am I satisfied by any knowledge of the Scriptures that I have yet attained that the FIRST RESURRECTION is any where put to signifie meerly the sole act or condition of our first regeneration I well remember those Texts Col. 3.1 If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And Ephes 2.5 When wee were dead in sinnes God hath quickened us together with Christ saving us by grace and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and many the like places But there is mention onely of quickning and rising and raising There is mention of SURRECTION but not of RESURRECTION much lesse of a FIRST RESURRECTION to signifie Regeneration or the improvement of Regeneration which the Apostle mostly intends Nor do I forget that place Rom. 11.15 That the receiving of the
Prophet is to point out that Dominion and that Glory c. which the other foure Monarchs had And ALL PEOPLES and NATIONS and LANGUAGES should SERVE him whose dominion is for ever c. that is as long as the world below lasts all which manifestly relate to a Kingdome of Christ on earth compare v. 23 and v. 27. Thus far the Kingdome is given to Christ as if in comparison hee had none afore The vers 17. c. it is said to be the Saints Kingdome in these words These great Beasts which are foure are foure Kings that is foure Emperial Monarchies under foure races of mighty persecuting Monarchical Emperours of foure several sorts namely First Assyrio-Chaldean Secondly Medo-Persian Thirdly Grecian Fourthly Roman which shall arise out of the EARTH that is by violence succeed one another in that inheritance of the world But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdome that is that very Kingdome of the world that the other foure former Monarchs had and possesse the Kingdome for ever and for ever and ever that is in all ages as long as time shall bee as the original signifies adding v. 23. c. to the end of the Chapter The fourth Beast shall bee the fourth Kingdome upon earth that is the Emperour of the Roman Empire which shall bee divers from al the Kingdomes namely in Rule in Conquest and Cruelty and shall devoure the whole earth and shall tread it down and breake it in peeces meaning that the Romans shall conquer the whole world utterly defacing all Kingly dominion in the same And the ten Hornes out of this Kingdome are ten Kings that shall arise to wit the Roman Empire at last is divided into ten Kingdomes as John hath it severall times in the Revelation as a tendency to the ruine of that Empire for it follows here And another shall rise after them and he shall bee divers from the first and he shall subdue three Kings That is the Easterne Saracen-Arabian Turkish power ascending to a monstrous height of strength differing from the former in Nation Religion and Tyranny shall take away three of the said tenne Kingdomes And he shall speake great words against the most High see the Turkish Alcoran and shall weare out the Saints of the most High that is in a great measure slaying so many Christians at one battel as the tippes of their right eares filled nine sackes and thinke to change Times and Lawes that is those of divine institution as appeares also in his Alcoran and they shall bee given into his hand untill a time and times and dividing of times meaning that the Saint◠shall by divine permission fall under the Turkish power three hundred and fifty yeers from his first invading the Jewish Countries to his full and finall fall But saith the 26. v. c. to the end of the Chapter The judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it to the end that is to say The Ancient of dayes as fitting in judgement judgeth to vindicate the Saints and so gives them opportunity and virility to deprive the Turke of his Kingdome and utterly to consume his power and strength And so in the 27. verse The Kingdome and Dominion UNDER the whole HEAVEN shall bee given to the people of the Saints of the most High c. That is the same Dominions of the whole world below that the former tyrannicall Monarches usurped shall now be given into the hands of the converted Jewes and holy Gentiles adhering to them to reigne on earth with Christ to whom these Dominions were delivered in the former part of this Chapter This place of the seventh of Daniel hath beene so large touching the Saints reigning with Christ on earth that we shall adde but one or two places more and that very briefly Revel 11.15 c. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of the WORLD are become the Kingdomes of our LORD and of his CHRIST or of him as CHRIST and hee shall REIGNE for ever and ever that is throughout all AGES from hence forward over the Kingdomes of the WORLD as if hitherto he had not in comparison reigned over them And the foure and twenty Elders c. fell upon their faces c. Saying we give thee thanks O Lord c. because thou hast TAKEN TO THEE THY GREAT POWER and hast REIGNED and the Nations were ANGRY which shewes this was not at the ultimate day of judgement and the time of the dead that they should bee judged is come that is the Saints should bee vindicated for so it presently followes that thou shouldest give rewards to thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that feare thy name which what should it bee but to reigne on earth as it is both before expressed in the Preface Rev. 5.10 and after in the Catastrophe Revel 20.4 in regard of which reigning on earth they may bee said to bee the FIRST-FRUITS to God Rev. 14.4 because this is but the beginning of Gods worke of glorifying his Saints Let us close this Paragraph with Heb. 2.5 c. to 10. The world to come the Greek is the INHABITED world to come must be put under man though not under Angels according to Psalme 8. quoted there by the Apostle which Psalme relates to Gen. 1.26 where God gives Adam dominion over all the Creation But saith the Apostle in his time Wee see not yet all things put under him onely Jesus as the pledge is crowned with glory Therefore say I there is such a thing yet to come Let not the Reader if I may intreat so much despise the allegation of these Texts for the present purpose which are little more then barely alleadged onely to hint the Saints reigning with Christ on earth I desire to ingage him upon this request but for a time till I come to critically scan if I may assume so much confidence to my selfe these and many other places of Scripture And then upon his serious joynt view of all all together if he can bee of another minde different from mee let him for mee abound in his owne sense § 4 But to wheele about from this digression to our owne post and businesse in hand viz. the Reigning of the Saints WITH CHRIST at this time and in this place aforesaid Before they reigned but sometimes over their corruptions and Satans temptations but never over men but now totally and finally over Sinne MEN and Divels as wee shall demonstrate afterwards Their living must be after a RESURRECTION as the word is twice mentioned in this 20. of Revelation Though they bee made but spiritual Kings and Priests as the Objecters will have it in those words Rev. 5.10 Hee hath made us Kings and Priests to God yet how shall the next words be figured off from their proper sense where the Crowne of Dignity is put upon the head of REIGNING UPON EARTH Hee
Clouds cannot I say be referted to the ultimate day of judgement because Christ saith This generation shall not passe the Greek is passe away it being the same word as is rendred passe away as referred to the passing away of the Heavens and the Not passing away of his word But the maine stick is in the words THIS GENERATION and ALL FULFILLED That is the Nation of the Jewes as a people most distinguishable from all Nations shall not be extinguished in Notion and Nation till ALL THOSE things afore spoken by Christ be fulfilled But if Christ should not appeare to them personally before the ultimate day of judgement for they must as the Prophet intimates Isa 66.8 be converted suddainly at once in a miraculous manner ordinary meanes having not prevailed with them these sixteen hundred yeers in the general and then so by conversion congregate them together againe according to the tenour of all the Prophets of which after in all likelyhood as man may conceive the whole Nation of them will bee extinguished They will lose the memory of their Genealogy as those at their returne from Babylon in lesse while Ezra 2.62 their language will be lost their blood and persons swallowed up by mixture with other Nations and so appeare in the common crowd at the last judgement no more distinguished then other Peoples and Nations § 4 Some would faine referre this 34. verse This generation shall not passe till all these things bee fulfilled to the time of the destruction of the Temple of Hierusalem of which Christ gave a touch v. 2. of this 24. of Matth. fulfilled about forty yeers after Christs Passion But though that of vers 2. might in part be then fulfilled yet little reason is there from thence to inferre that therefore then ALL things spoken by Christ from vers 3. to verse 34. were fulfilled Christ in vers 3. is put upon speaking to three distinct things viz. 1. Of the Time when THOSE THINGS viz. the destruction of the Temple and City of Hierusalem shall be 2. Of the sign of his COMING marke it AND 3. Of the END of the world of which largely after in its proper place so that the ALL Christ speakes of from vers 3. to 34. cannot bee imagined to bee fulfilled in the SOME things that were fulfilled at the destruction of the Temple Christ here assures us that at the fulfilling of all those things aforesaid hee himselfe will appeare in the Clouds v. 30. But at the destruction of the Temple Christ did not visibly appeare in the Clouds Nor did he then send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet to gather his Elect from the foure winds as hee promiseth vers 31. But at his appearing at the sound of the seventh Trumpet at the beginning of the thousand yeers of which we treat hee will so doe which is a thousand yeers before the last day of judgement of which abundantly afterwards Therefore these words This generation shall not passe or passe away c. must signifie that whereas many other Nations have passed away and been extinguished as those seven in Canaan and many others since leaving behinde neither name not thing to keep up their remembrance this Nation of the Jewes shall not bee so extinguished or annihilated but shall continue a distinct Nation at least in note and name till all these things be fulfilled aforementioned from vers 3. to vers 34. § 6 For the word here rendred Generation is not so proper to signifie an Age of people to which they usually allow an hundred yeer as that word used for it Matth. 1.1 Our word here in Matth. 24.34 more properly by use and derivation signifies a Nation And further it is not said THIS as pointing to a present Generation but THE Generation indefinitely pointing at the persons and times of many Generations All which doe much speake for this sense That the NATION of the Jewes shall not passe away or cease to be a noted distinct people till all be fulfilled As Christ saith after My word shall not passe away that is change as the Heavens and the earth shall passe away that is bee changed when that great Reformation shall come So the NATION of the Jewes shall not passe away to be changed into another people or mixedly drowned as an ingredient among many others to extinguish their name and Genealogies But as to this day so from hence forward till that GREAT TIME their name kindred and habitations shall bee distinctly knowne at least of all them that are of their own blood So that still as at this day they shall live be extant expect and professe they expect Christs coming and the sight of all these things to be fulfilled before their eyes not a peece but all § 7 Which cannot be deferred to the utmost last generall judgement because of this reason also that a little afore this mention of all things to bee fulfilled to the Nation of the Jewes before they passe away Christ saith in vers 32. and 33. That as by the Fig-trees tender branch putting forth leaves wee may know that Summer is nigh so when wee see all these things fulfilled wee may discerne that the Summer of the great Restauration of the Elect vers 31. and of all things for their use like the world in Summer is at hand For when Christ comes in the Cloudes vers 30. at the time here meant it is Summer that is all things are in their prime and perfection not Winter when is the decay and dissolution of all things I meane Christs last coming at the ultimate judgement is as a Winter that destroyes all but his SECOND coming now againe afore that day of Doome is a Summer A fit similitude to expresse the Restitution of all things That Winter ends all But by this signe of Christs coming in the Cloudes the SUMMER is discerned and discerned to bee NEER § 8 And further that in verse 46 47. well intimates that the time Christ here speakes of is not the utmost last judgement but of a glorious time afore on earth viz. Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when hee COMETH shall finde so doing that is well-doing 〈◊〉 in in verse 45. Verily I say unto you hee shall make him Ruler over all his goods Greeke is shall set him over all that hee hath Which phrases one or other suit farre better to the Saints reigne on Earth then to any thing of their condition at the last judgement For then Christ layes downe all his owne rule and power 1 Cor. 15.24.28 and therefore gives no power of rule to his people § 9 Upon these words This generation shall not passe let mee tell you that thus far that Pareus and others are of our minde That though Others understand by Generation the whole World yet it better pleaseth them to understand the JEWISH NATION as upon whom these things shall bee fulfilled Matth. 23.2 Therefore the NATION shall not passe but continue scattered
Nations before him or like him as it is in the Margin whom he beleeved even God who quickneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were ver 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shal thy seed be c. ver 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Galat. 3. ver 5. He that ministreth to you the Spirit c. doth he it by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith ver 6. Even as Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse ver 7. Know yee therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham ver 8. And the Scripture fore-seeing that God would justifie the HEATHEN through faith preached before the GOSPELL unto Abraham saying In thee all Nations shal be blessed ver 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham ver 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law ver 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the GENTILES ver 15. Brethren I speake after the manner of men though it be but a mans covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto ver 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made He saith not and to SEEDS as of many but as of one and to thy SEED which is Christ Heb. 11. ver 8. By faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went ver 9 By faith hee sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the Heires with him of the same Promise ver 10 For he looked for a City which hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God ver 11 Through faith also Sarah her selfe received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a childe c. ver 12 Therefore sprange there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the stars of the skie in multitude and the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable ver 13. These all dyed in faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afarre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a COVNTRY * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their fathers Country a country on earth ver 15 And truly if they had been mindfull of that Country viz. Mesopotamia from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned ver 16 But now they desire a better Country that is an HE AVENLY wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a CITY NOte first in the generall That that treasure of Promises of the Old Testament afore recited how narrow soever they may look to short-sighted men as if their eye were intent only upon Jewes Canaan and men under the Law the Divine Apostles the absolute interpretors of the Old Testament doe in the places of the New Testament annext extend their intent sense and meaning unto all Nations of the world in all Countries on earth and under the Gospel and so as that they were not in their judgement then compleatly fulfilled when they wrote nor yet are according to their sense as the experience of all Generations since doth beare witnesse The quick-sighted eye by bare reading over all the places afore collated will soon yeeld this first assertion without any more words of debate on our part § 2 More particularly we may evidently see before our eyes the said Old Testament places extended and intended according to the sense aforesaid by those of the New as Gen. 12.1 2 3 c. by Gal. 3.8 Heb. 11.8 c. Gen. 15.4 by Rom. 4. ver 3. ver 9. ver 18. ver 22. Gen. 17.1 2 c. by Rom. 4. ver 11 c. § 3 And with great justice doth the Apostle so explaine and apply the fore-quoted places to an Evangelicall state under the New Testament in that those Old-Testament Scriptures have in them so many Evangelicall straines all harmoniously agreeing to that glorious state we yet expect under the New Testament viz. 1 ¶ Spirituall yet visible salvation delivered in the expresse terme forme and tenor of a Covenant and of the Covenant of Grace that God will establish his Covenant with Abraham between himself and him and his seed after him in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be A GOD UNTO HIM AND TO HIS SEED AFTER HIM often above repeated and illustrated and amplified with the plaine expression of Faith and of righteousnesse of faith and of Gods accounting faith to the believer for righteousnesse and of blessing and with such a blessing as comes only through the one and onely one of the seed of Abraham 2 ¶ An happy and blessed possession upon the sace of the whole earth in spight of all their enemies yea to the ruine of them that should rise up against them saying that Abraham in his seed should be Heire of the whole world And that he would give them Countries and Nations and blesse those that blessed them and curse those that cursed them 3 ¶ A numerous multiplication of the seed of Abraham both of Jewes and Gentiles who through that salvation should attaine to that possession A multiplication of them as the sands of the Sea that washeth through all the quarters and Countries of the world a multiplication of them as the stars of heaven that surround the whole universe both of them being innumerable A multiplication of them into a multitude of Nations c. Accordingly of Abraham by Hagar came Ishmael of whom came the Ishmaelites Agarens Hagarens or Hagarites Itureans and Nabeans c. Ps 83.6 1 Chro. 5.19 * See Iunius upon that 1 Chron. 5.19 There came of Ishmael in all twelve PRINCES according to their NATIONS And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur that is before Egypt Gen. 25.16.19 Of Abraham by Sarah first came Esau who is also called Edom and dwelt in mount Seir from whom came the Edomites Idumeans inhabitants of mount Seir. The fourteen Dukes that came of Esau by his severall wives are particularly named by Moses Gen. 36.15 to 20. Secondly From Abraham by Sarah came Jacob of whom came the twelve Patriarchs of whom came the twelve Tribes ten as we usually number making the Kingdome of Israel the other the Kingdome of Judah Of Abraham by Keturah came Gen. 25.1 2 3.4 First Zimran who gave the name to Zamrans in the Region of Cinedocolpites in Arabia Felix Secondly Jokshan of whom was named Camasa in Syria Palmyrina alias Palmerene Jun. ex Ptolom Geograph Thridly Medan of whom was named the Town Madiana in Arabia
beleeve Nor can this be meant of ultimate glory for this reason because we cannot be said there in any tolerable sence to injoy a Sabbatism that is as the Apostles proofe clearly drives at a rest upon or in a Seventh viz. in the seventh Trumpet in the seventh Viol in the seventh thousand yeares of the world for if this Sabbatisme or Seventh be eternity then it is there swallowed up in an infinite that cannot be numbred But if this Sabbatisme be a distinct determinate time bounded with two Resurrections the one at the beginning the other at the end then it will clearly stand numerable for a seventh but not otherwise We usually number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. over things of some semblance in quantity and quality to make a Septenarie If a streame flowes into six Rivers and then falls into the mainest Ocean it is not proper to say the Ocean is the seventh River but the continent or conteiner swallowing up all We must have seven Ages compleat and ended as we say in Leases of Lands made according to Law or else we cannot number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Free-hold or Fee-simple hath no number and therefore as the former great Ages of the world were distinct on earth by some eminent notes as they shall easily finde that consult Chronologers so shall this be as distinct likewise The rest of the Sabbath began with Gods rest after the finishing of his workes the rest in Canaan began with the conduct and Wonders done under Joshua c. so this Sabbatisme of the last thousand yeares is begun and bounded with notable Land-markes it begins with the binding of Satan the fall of the Beast and with the first Resurrection and terminated with the loosing of Satan the rising of Gog and Magog in armes and the second Resurrection so that great things are acted between the end of the Sabbatisme and the beginning of ultimate glory All this is plain in Rev. 20. to them that will read and understand Yea further unlesse this be understood of a pure rest on earth how shall we be said to Sabbatise as is intimated in a Sabbatisme It is true in a Sabbath is signified and enjoyed a rest But so we may rest on another day And every day a beleever hath several rests But we must have according to the Apostle a Sabbatismaticall rest a rare word is used by the Apostle to signifie a rare rest we must Sabbatise that is imitate or in some proportion answer to other typical Sabbaths Imitation and correspondency relate to known things foregone not to after-things never seen And we rest voluntarily as in the day of Christs power whiles he is in power from our own workes as God did from his not necessitatedly when all other occasions are removed and an immutable eternity stamped upon our condition swallowing up all and transforming it into ultimate glory We must sabbatise our restfull injoyment in time and place according to former Sabbatical Rests Therefore it must be on earth and a timeing not an eternizing And thus for the Book of Psalmes with parallels out of the New Testament SECT XI Next we come to the Prophet Isaiah wherein none will doubt that are truly acquainted with his most Evangelicall Prophesies but that we shall finde many clear places for the point in hand § 1 THe first place is in Chapter 2. Verse 1. The word c. concerning Judah and Jerusalem Vers 2. It shall come to passe in the last dayes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top ** 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is In or upon the HEAD of the Mountains of the mountaines and ALL Nations shall FLOW unto it Verse 3. And many people shall goe and say Come ye and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walke in his paths For out of Zion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem Verse 4. And he shall judge among the Nations and shall rebuke many people *âŽ* Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Many peoples and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation neither shall they learne warre any more Verse II. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed downe and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day all which Verse is repeated againe Verse 17. Then it follows Verse 18. And the Idols he shall utterly abolish Verse 19. And they shall goe into the holes of the rocks and into the caves of the earth for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth This whole Verse is againe repeated Verse 21. § 2 The first verse plainly shews what ever the Analytical conceits of men may assert that this Prophesie is ultimately and plainly concerning yea for or in the behalfe or favour of Judah and Jerusalem as the * Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 su per propter juxta secundum Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symm ut refert Nobilius Drusius pro. citat Eus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. p. 43. in Hier. pro Juda Ierusalem Hebrew beares and Greeks and Latines affirme Though by and by Verse 6. the Iewes are shewed the reason why they should goe into afflictions afore they have the deliverance mentioned in this Chapter Yet when it is said verse 2 and 3 It shall come to passe in the last dayes that many peoples shall say come let us goe up to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob c. for out of Zion shall goe forth the Law there can be no lesse intended then that this Prophesie doth ultimately concerne the Jewes welfare when they and the Gentiles converted shall make one glorious Christian Church on earth To this our late Annotationists on the Bible doe well consent and in some termes fairely hint part of our Thesis Here say they in this second Chapter of Isa begins a Sermon contained in the three Chapters following concerning the RESTITVTION of the Church principally UNDER CHRIST which he both beginneth Chapter 2 and after the denunciation of many heavy judgements inserted to be inflicted upon the maine body of the Jewish people for their manifold grosse and grievous sinnes at length concludes with Chap. 4. § 3 The Learned grant * Iunius Piscator Alapide Grotius Engl. Annot. that those promises in the words afore-quoted out of this Chapter do relate to the time of Christs coming and do confesse the generall that the Iews in a sublimer sense do understand them of the times of the Messiah And one of them steps a little higher and bids us for that
in the channell of the Heathen Roman Empire for three hundred yeares anon the black streame of Arian Heresie and Persecution by it after that Popish and Turkish Persecutions with successive Monsters of Massacres Bonfires Inquisitions Suspensions Imprisonments and deadly feudes and enmities of the vast generality against the handfull of Saints throughout all Nations So that the small gleaning sprinklings or first-fruits that were reconciled to God and to one another upon Christs first coming are drowned as i◠were in the Ocean and sea of enmity that from thence forward untill now remaines with great animosity And therefore we beleeve another sence of these words viz. That at Christs next appearance there shal be a generall peace between men and between the Creatures and between both as it followes in the next Argument For it followes in the ninth verse They shall not HURT Arg. 3 NOR DESTROY observe the words nor destroy nor so much as hurt in all my HOLY MOVNTAINE observe that also And lastly observe the confirmation of all viz. That the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Now though there was an increase of knowledge at Christs first coming as a fountaine and spring streame which the further it ran the larger it was sutable to Ezekiels Prophesie of the waters that arose from under the Sanctuary the Gospel of Christ began in Zion and so grew deeper and deeper yet from that time untill now the knowledge of the Lord hath not increased to a sea to cover all the earth so as to drowne all iniquity or opposition against Christ or Christians so as to work men unto that peace that there shall be neither destroying nor hurting in all the holy mountaine Sure enough it appeares by the sacred Story in the Gospel Acts and the Revelation and by experience both leading us downe from Christs Incarnation to these times that at least three parts of foure of the whole world hath not been filled with the knowledge of the Lord but have made opposition against it hurting and destroying and that too in the holy Mountaine whether we take it strictly for Zion or largely for the Church wheresoever seated Christ was condemned and Crucified and the Disciples persecuted unto a scattering at Hierusalem Jerusalem both City and Temple are laid wast by the Roman Emperours the Ten bloudy Persecutions by the Heathen Romans are continued for three hundred yeares the Arian Persecution followes that the Papall Persecution followes that the Turkish overtakes that and both continue to this day the Jewes joyning with them in opposition against the truth of Christ both at Jerusalem and where ever the Church is Beside that vast part of the world in the East and West Indies yet know not the Lord. Further it followes in the tenth verse Arg. 4 And in that day there shal be a root of Jesse which shal stand for an ensigne of the peoples so the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To it shal the GENTILES seek and his REST shall be glorious In which words the Prophet mainly lookes at the great call of the Gentiles as the Apostles the best Expositors have since to that purpose alledged them Rom. 15.8 9 10 11 12. Now I say that Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the Promises made unto the Fathers and that the GENTILES might glorifie God for this mercy as it is written For this cause I will confesse thee among the Gentiles quoted out of Psal 18.49 And againe he saith Rejoyce yee GENTILES with his people quoted out of Psal 117.1 And againe Isaiah saith viz. in the eleventh of Isa ver 10. There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reigne over the GENTILES in him shall the Gentiles trust c. Now as there were few of the Gentiles that were brought into the faith when the Apostle quoted and applied these words to this sence we heard but now in the former argument how generally the Gentiles have and doe oppose the Gospel to this day throughout the world so the Prophets close in this eleventh of Isaiah ver 10. HIS REST SHAL BE GLORIOUS * Which the Hebrew hightens being in the Abstract viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory pure glory doth more evidently demonstrate that this place of Scripture as to the maine intent is not yet fulfilled For if we will understand inward rest the beleeving Saints afore Christs incarnation had it Psal 116.7 and often elsewhere Yea the Apostles in their troublesome times 2 Cor. 6.10 so that there needed not a Prophesie to fore-tell that which had been in past time and was at the present And if we would understand here eternall glory yet we cannot for two reasons 1. Because in this tenth verse it is said Unto the ensigne Christ the Gentiles shal SEEK which cannot consist with eternall glory no seeking then 2. Because of that in the eleventh verse immediatly following And it shall come to passe in THAT DAY that the Lord shal set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people c. from Assyria Aegypt Pathros c. things inconsistent with the state of eternall glory which last words bring us downe to the fifth Argument The fifth Argument Arg. 5 Why this place of Isaiah is not yet in the maine intent of the Prophet fulfilled is because of those words in the eleventh verse of this eleventh of Isaiah viz. And it shal come to passe in THAT DAY that the Lord shal set his hand AGAINE the SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of his people which shal be left from ASSYRIA and from AEGYPT and from PATHROS and from CUSH and from ELAM and from SHINAR and from HAMATH and from the ISLANDS OF THE SEA Observe diligently the Lord must set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people from the fore-mentioned places which clearly infer as relatives that God must doe it the first time and then next the second time Now when the Prophet Isaiah Prophesied this eleventh Chapter the Lord had not recovered his people from captivity in Assyria the first time for the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin had not yet been there captivated the first time nor the ten Tribes for ought we can finde For Isaiah Prophesied forty yeares afore the captivity of the ten Tribes and above seventy yeares afore the captivity of the two Tribes as Bulcholcerus states the account You see before your eyes by the length of his Prophesie viz. consisting of sixty six Chapters and by the many Kings under whose reigne he Prophesied viz. Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah the last of them that Isaiah prophesied along time and we are now but upon the eleventh of those sixty six Chapters The Two Tribes were not carried away captive till a long time after Hezekiah viz. in the time of Zedekiah King of Judah 2 Chron. 36. between which Zedekiah
intend to leave out the most of the Jewes viz. ten for two to whom those Strangers were to joyne Nor was this done at the return of the two Tribes from Babylon Then Strangers of the Gentiles joyned not with them Nor was it done at the joyning of the two handfuls the one of Jews the other of Gentiles in the history of the Acts of the Apostles For they could no way answer to Jacob and Israel and Strangers indefinitly spoken without limitation ☜ I have often admonished that the grand prophesied promises touching Christs Kingdome have their gradual successive progressive impletions Redux Juda Juda returning from Babylon was a Type The conversion of an handfull of them in the Apostles time was but the first-fruits Rom. 11. But the fulnesse of Gentiles and Jews is yet behind Thirdly we never yet saw that in the second vers fulfilled That Christians have been servants and handmaids to the Jews in a right religious harmony and complyance For that must be the sense and good news of this promise or else Christians shall have losse and that in things concerning salvation Fourthly nor did we ever see that also in the second verse fulfilled that the Captive Jewes shall take them captive whose Captives they were and rule over their oppressours For neither in their return from Babylon did the Jewes take captive their Captivators but returned by voluntary consent of King Cyrus nor at Christs coming did they take any captive but rather were captives under Augustus and Tyberius Emperours of Rome and of Babylon too as subdued by those Romans the universal Monarchs then of the whole world If any should be of so ayery a phantasie as to evaporate this into a figure that at Christs coming the Jews took their Captivators captive in a spirituall sense of conversion let such remember themselves that Converts are the greatest Free-men Joh. 8.32 And that for the Jews then alas for them the vaile was on them 2 Cor. 3. So that they were generally in a spirituall Captivity themselves like Sampson when his eyes were put out And that Dan. c. 12. intimates that the Iews Conquest over their enemies should be corporall Neither of which Conquests do we yet see that the Jews either corporally or spiritually have subdued them that captivated them Fifthly neither was that in the second verse ever yet fulfilled That the PEOPLES or Gentiles should take the Iewes and bring them to their place c. Calvin on this place grants thus much That this was not done after the Iewes coming out of Babylon giving this reason That the Gentiles were so far from being the conduct and assistance to the Iews in their returne and settlement and to contribute their service to them therein that they did not only trouble the Iews but destroyed them from off the earth quoting Ezra 4.4 Adding that therefore this must be fulfilled in through and by Christ Thus far Calvin But when was this yet ever done by Christ Surely those seeds in Christ and the Apostles time could not be the Harvest here meant whole Iacob and Israel were not then in the land of the Lord. Nor are they to this day But are for the generall under the dominion of Turks Romans Indians and Countries in every Nation almost under heaven rather serving the Gentiles then being served of the Gentiles And therefore this cannot be done till as Dan. 2. that the little stone Christ cut out of the mountain without hands breaks to peeces the fourfold-mettaled image of all the foure Monarchies of the earth Whereas yet the Roman Monarchy in great part stands to this day Sixtly The twelve Tribes of Iacob and Israel are not yet as it is v. 3. delivered from their sorrow and fear and bondage They are in bondage being scattered amongst all Nations They are in sorrow for that scattering from their own Country And are there in fear being forced to pay tribute for their own freedome Nor were they freed from that bondage in Christs time being then Captives under the Romans Nor from their fear but for fear of the Romans if they should owne Christ they crucified him and put him to death Therefore when this deliverance is fulfilled to purpose it is done as it follows in the seventh clause and consideration v. 4 5 6 7 That the Jews shall take up this Proverb How hath the OPPRESSOUR ceased The Lord hath broken the SCEPTER of the RULERS and the staffe of the WICKED so that the WHOLE EARTH is at REST and QUIET that they break forth into SINGING But nor Scripture nor Histories nor Experience shew us that ever these things were fulfilled to this day And at the ultimate day of judgement will be no meet time for such work as every mans own reason will easily prompt Therefore it is yet to be done afore the ultimate day of judgement SECT XV. THe fifth place in Isaiah is Chapter 24. verse 23. Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reigne in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously * R. Kimchi upon this Chapter hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This parasha or Section is to be fulfilled hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the destruction of Edom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Afterward he shall remember the salvation of ISRAEL To understand what he means by Edome he bids us upon v. 16. Look 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the destruction of ROME mentioned in the who le book of God To these few words I shall need to speak but few THEN relating to that afore in verse 22 23. fetcheth its sense from thence In that day say the 22 and 23. verses It shall come to passe that the Lord shall punish the host of the High ones that are on high and the Kings of the earth upon the earth meaning plainly as the last clause evidenceth the Gentile-Potentates and powers And they those Gentiles shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit and shall be shut up in the prison And after many dayes THEY the Jews saith Calvin giving a strong reason * Quum igitur haec ad sustinendos FIDELES pertinerent non dubium quin IUDAEIS dicerentur apud quos potissimum fides crat aut potius nusquam apud alios apparebat shall be visited To which sense touching the Iews the subsequent words also in the next verse the Text wee are now upon do mightily concur The Moon shall be confounded c. when the Lord shall reigne before his Ancients The originall and rise of which then you now see That upon the great destruction of the impenitent Gentile-Potentates and Powers the Iewes and if you will include the penitent Gentiles it shall not grieve us shall be visited in mercy And the Moon shall be confounded c. that is the glory of the Church shall be such as the light of the Moon and
brightnesse of the Sunne shall be nothing to it At which time as it follows the Lord of Hosts in Christ Iesus saith Diodat shall reign on Mount Zion and in Ierusalem types of the universall Church and that in great glory before his Ancientours who were the Church of the Jews by blood as well as by Profession Christ being considered as man as the local circumstance of Zion and Ierusalem cals for that notion § 3 Calvin again cleerly intimateth in many circumlocutions that his sense of this Text is that Christ speaking in the future of time after Calvins time shall establish his Church on earth in a most glorious estate Ego non dubito quin persequatur Propheta c. That is I doubt not but that the Prophet prosecutes the consolation which he had touched in the former verse to this sense or effect when the Lord shall visite his people and shall purge his Church from their filthinesses he shall settle his Kingdome and that so illustrious that it shall obscure the Sunne and Stars with its splendor which kinde of speech is usuall with the Prophets as we have already seen But here Isaiah speaks of the BODY of the Church and not onely of the HEAD Seeing therefore the Lord will ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOME upon MOUNT ZION so great shall be the Magnificence thereof in the INSTAURATION of the People as that the things that otherwise shone in the sight of men shall now be as darknesse Which that he might expresse to the life be names these things that above all are most splendent The word RULING is improperly drawn to signifie Gods vengeance For although God be said to reigne when he acts the office of a Judge yet this speech so comprehending within it concerning THE KINGDOME of God in MOUNT ZION it alwayes hath the notation of mercy and salvation For hee speaketh of the RESTITUTION of the Church Whence it follows that this is not fulfilled but in Christ He making a precise mention of Elders or Ancients useth a Synecdoche which is exceeding usuall in Scripture For he taketh a speciall part of the Church for the whole body of the Church yet not without a consult purpose He calls by the name of Ancients as well the PRIESTS as other RULERS who were chiefe over Discipline and Manners by whose moderation and prudence the rest are to be governed Under their names he comprehends all the people not onely because they represent the whole body as under their shadow the people was covered but also that believers might conceive hope of a future ORDER For otherwise it would little or nothing profit that the multitude should be left dissipated in manner of a dis-membred body or confused Masse Neither is it impertinently added BEFORE the ANCIENTS that the Jewes might know that the power of God should be MANIFEST and ILLUSTRIOUS c. For SO HE REIGNES that wee may PERCEIVE HIM PRESENT WITH US For if it should be beyond our COMPREHENSION no COMFORT would redound to us thereby For GLORY others read GLORIOUSLY others GLORIOUS I had rather take it in the substantive GLORY although it makes no difference in the sense For it teacheth how great shall be the magnificence and glory of God by ERECTING THE KINGDOME OF CHRIST in that all splendor is obscured and ONLY the glory of Christ must be eminent and CONSPICUOUS Whence it follows that THEN at length God shall injoy HIS OWN RIGHT AMONG US and have his due honour WHEN ALL HIS CREATURES BEING GATHERED INTO ORDER he alone is RESPLENDENT IN OUR EYES Thus Calvin whose words and phrases here can bear no lesse then a sense favouring a visible glorious Kingdome of Christ on earth though something of it as he saith must be comprehended by faith above sense To which visibility of Christs Kingdome on earth the correlative in 22 and 23. verses answering to our relative THEN in our Text of punishing the Kings of the earth upon the earth c. doth strongly bear witnesse § 4 Now lay altogether and then judge when was this Text ever fulfilled Surely in a litterall sense as to corporall Transactions not at their returne from Babylon For then the Babylonians were not punished nor put in prison Nor were the Iews in an outward glorious condition but as in subjection still to Babylon and made a scorn by Sanballat Tobiah c. with the multitude of their adherents hindring their building discouraging their work raising lyes laying plots to indanger them So that they were as long neer upon in repairing the Temple and City of Ierusalem and setling the state thereof from the first that they began it as they had been in Captivity * See the book of Ezra Nehemiah and Haggi Nor was this Text of Isa litterally and corporally fulfilled to them at Christs being on earth being then also under captivity and reproach by the Romans †See the story of the Evangelists and Acts. and to this day in the same condition under them and all Nations in the world Nor hath this been yet fulfilled in a spiritual sense from that time to this day in that not one of ten thousand of the Gentiles admired their Levitical glory And their Ancients the Scribes Pharisees Elders and Rulers of the Synogogues and People generally opposed and persecuted Evanagelical glory And though for a spurt some few favoured the Gospel Act. 1. Act. 2. yet by and by they universally Act. 13. fell off from this Glory and so continued untill these our times § 5 Nor can these be fulfilled 〈◊〉 â—ltimate judgement For then Christ RULES not 1 Cor. 15. v. 24. v. 28. SECT XVI § 1 THe sixth place in Isaiah is that which followes at the heels of this viz. Chapter 25. throughout but especially from v. 7. to the end of the Chapter with some passages of the 26 Chapter being also a Song of praise for the glorious state of the Church to be especially those passages v. 14. v. 19. The late invention of Chapters may not hinder our prospect upon the continued sense of this Chapter inseparably depending on the former where in the last verse the Prophet having said THEN shall the Moon be confounded and the Sun ashamed WHEN the Lord of Hosts shall REIGN in Mount Zion and Ierusalem c. explained afore he now begins this Chapter with a solemne praise to God for his preparation to and manifestation of that his glorious Reign To give you the maine passages of the whole Chapter v. 1. O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee c. v. 2. For thou hast made of a City an heap of a defenced City a ruine a palace of strangers to be no City it shall never be built v. 3. Therefore the strong people shall glorifie thee c. v. 4. For thou hast been a strength to the poore and needy in distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is a storme against the
FEET and consequently before the Image was DISSIPATED And therefore that the KINGDOME typified by the STONE while it remained a STONE must needs be within the TIMES OF THOSE MONARCHIES that is before the last of them viz. the Roman should expire Wherefore Daniel interprets vers 44. of this second chapter That IN THE DAYES of these Kingdomes not after them but while some of them were in being the God of Heaven should set up a Kingdome WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED nor LEFT as the other were to another people but should BREAKE IN PEECES and CONSUME ad those Kingdomes and it selfe should stand for ever And all this he speaks as the INTERPRETATION of the STONE FOR AS MUCH saith he AS THOU SAWEST THAT A STONE WAS CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT HANDS AND THAT IT BRAKE IN PEECES THE IRON THE BRASSE THE CLAY THE SILVER AND THE GOLD Here make the full point for these words belong not to that which followes as our Bibles misse-distinguishing seem to refer them but to that which went afore of their interpretation But the STONE becoming a Mountaine he expounds not but leaves to be gathered by what he had already expounded So then IN THE DAYES OF THOSE KINGDOMES of the Gentiles signifies DURING THEM and in the latter part of them as the nature of the thing spoken of sufficiently argues which was to destroy the last Kingdome which had destroyed and swallowed the former three I mean the second swallowed or possessed the first the third the second the fourth the third and so in a sence by the destruction of the fourth the STONE destroyeth all the rest as contained therein For the stone smites neither the golden part nor the silver nor the brasse immediately but onely the feet of iron and clay and yet by that blow was the brasse the silver and the gold destroyed also in as much as they all came by succession to the iron I adde that the dissipation of the gold silver and brasse together with the Iron may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 typi the comlinesse or conveniency of the type because the parts of the Image in the type could not succeed one another in time as the Kingdomes signified by them did and so the Image appeared to be dissipated all at once in vision though the Kingdomes were not so save only in the sence afore-named Thus Mr. Mede to whom I assent almost in all things I have other good company to goe along with me in this point upon this Chapter but I must first premise some things to make way for them You have in this second Chapter of Daniel from ver 36. to ver 46. the prophesie of this visibly-glorious Kingdome of Christ to bee on earth given by God to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream of a great Image ver 31. c. of foure Mettals in the foure parts thereof the Head being of gold the Brest and Armes of silver the Belly and Thighes of brasse the Leggs and Feete of Iron but in the feet a mixture of clay and to Daniel by the spirit of propheticall revelation to interpret it according to the true intent and meaning of Gods mind therein According to which in ver 37 38. Daniel tels Nebuchadnezzer that he the said Nebuchadnezzar is the first part of the first metal viz. the Head of gold in that the God of Heaven had given him a Kingdom or Empire viz. the Assyrio-Chaldean and power and strength and glory Why further hee is called a golden head wee shall annex more conveniently by and by In ver 39. Daniel tels him that after him shall arise an inferiour Kingdom which he applies to the Breast and Armes of silver mentioned afore in verse 32. which fitly resembles the Empire that next followed viz. the Medo Persian Which taking the said golden head when Darius Dan. 5. tooke Babylon added to it this breast of Empire with the two armes of Medes and Persians And therefore this silver Empie is called inferiour not in respect of power authority or Territory wherein it was greater by taking to it selfe that of the former and adding its own but in manner of Government as in relation to the Church being far more harsh to the Jewes till the last then the former The Jewes injoying golden dayes in comparison under Nebuchadnezzars Empire although he was the first that took the Kingdome from the Jewes Which is the reason why the sacred storie of the Jewish Churches foraigne State begins at Nebuchadnezzar calling him the head when as the Empire of Assyria and Chaldea was long afore him in being viz. the Scripture takes no notice of the Kingdomes of Heathens or of the world further then as they concerne the woe or weale of the Church This Nebuchadnezzar therefore beginning the desolation of the Church of the Jewes as to their Temple-worship and habitation in the injoyment of these in their own Land is called the head of that monstrous Image of Monarchy In the same 39 verse Daniel tells him that after that second Empire of silver shall arise a third of brasse which metall though otherwise not expresse intimates by the order and proportion of descention and degeneration in calling the silver one inferiour to the golden that this third brazen one shall be as much baser and worse if not more in the sence aforesaid then the second of silver as the silver was worse then the gold And this was to signifie the Grecian Empire or Monarchy Alexander the Great being the Belly that possessed it in whole and his two Commanders succeeding him are the two thighes or hips For though foure at first shared it yet all by their disagreeing and striving soon fell into the hands of those two Whereof one had the Northern moyety or half called therefore the King of the North the other the Southern called thereupon the King of the South as you have the matter at large by way of prophesie Dan 11. to which the best Histories since doe exactly answer But of this more after when we come to the eleventh of Daniel In ver 40 41 42.43 Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that the fourth Kingdome Empire or Monarchy shall be of iron and clay Thereby signifying a baser state then the former in the sence afore-explained And this must of necessity signifie the Roman Empire which next followed the Grecian conquering it as Dan. 9. prophesies and Histories since singularly shew the performance In the days of this Iron Empire Christ comes ver 44. Imperante Augusto natus est Christus Imperante Tiberio crucifixus is known to every School-boy that hath learned his Grammer He came in the time of the Roman Empire not in the time of the Grecian or any of the former And this Roman Empire is described by and called Iron because it was harder and hardier to breake the former and more cruell as wee afore intimated to the Church Witnesse the Vespasian-Titan cruelty prophesied by Christ Matth. 24.1 c. to come to
passe as it did about forty yeares after Christs ascension and so along with it and afore and downeward throughout the ten persecutions for three hundred yeares in all the Roman Emperours successively most bloodily and with variety of torments persecuted the Church in innumerable multitudes in all Countries under their expanse Dominion This Empire though at Christs birth was for a time united if we may so say in the twist of the two legges or thighes as the two brazen hips were at first in the belly yet a while after it is divided into Two two thighes or legges and feet with their ten Toes and those Feet and Toes are mixt with clay among the iron That is it was divided into the Eastern and Western Empire Constantinople being the Metropolis of the Eastern and Rome of the Western and so opportunely fell into subdivisions till it answered exactly to these ten Toes and Saint Johns Beast with ten Hornes And they are mingled with clay because now the generality of the Church as they seemed in outward profession much degenerated mingled themselves with the dirty seed and sonnes of men that is the Heathen and men of the world that were out of the Church according to that phrase Gen. 6.2 that is the Papacy or Papal Church as they pretended to be and their issue incorporated themselves with the civill State powers All which can fit to none so aptly as to the Roman Empire The marriages between the King of the North and the King of the South were both and all of the seed of men and therefore the mixture aforesaid is not applicable to them As for the division of the Empire it is divided to this day the Mahomitan Turke in severall respects aforesaid rising out of the Romans though otherwise in part a Jew by blood hath the Constantinopolitan Eastern part and the Emperiall Pontificiall Pope hath the Roman Western Thus you see how largely Daniel by Gods Spirit of propheticall revelation shewes us the succession and successe of the foure great Monarchies of the earth extending from before Daniel down to us â—preading themselves over the face of the earth and how the latter eat up the former making it selfe fatter and stronger thereby Now what should be the design of the Heavenly Church-loving God so much to minde matters of State and worldly Polities and in a prophesie to his spirituall world-slighting Church surely a very considerable one viz. to the end he might methodically for their better capacity and understanding prophesie to them of a fifo Monarchy or Empire or Kingdome bigger and better then any of the former to follow at the heeles yea to tread upon the toes of the fourth and that by a glorious conquest So that as curious wits speake of Quintessentia the quintessence of beings so this shall be the quintessence of what ever was good in all the foure preceding with an addition of celestial divine and infused and superfused grace and glory This fifth Monarchy is immediately under Christ then the sole Emperour thereof And this must as really orderly and assuredly succeed after and prevaile over all the Places Powers and Territories of the former as they followed and foiled one another So that this fift Monarchy must as really and sensibly be upon earth as any of the preceding were as Daniel with all might and maine of phrase strives according to Gods dictating most plainly to set forth § 3 In this very sence of this notable place of Daniel to that end I have very learned and pious men to go along with me viz. Mr. Huet on Daniel Mr. Parker in his Visions and Prophesies of Daniel expounded and Mr. Archer in his personall reign of Christ You shall heare them themselves speake and urge their own Proofes Reasons and Arguments that you may the better see cause to justifie them and not condemn me of singularity § 4 The sum of Mr. Huet is this The fift Kingdom is made up of the state of the Jewes who out of their dead and desolate estate in regard of piety and polity are awakened by God and brought to the embracement of Christian Religion and to unite into a Kingdome who were as dead men under the flourishing state of the Empire of Rome But in the declining condition of that Roman Empire the Jewes are to be awakened by God and to be re-established into their former Kingdom with great glory and large command ash us ¶ 1. Such a Kingdome is here intended as was by the foure mettals with-held from the Jewes who of all Noahs posterity were the just heires of the world C ham was to be a Servant and Japhet was to dwell in the Tents of Shem as one of his family Shem being the head of that family That such a Kingdome must bee here meant appears in that the Image stands up at the instant of the Jews losse of Soveraignty being made Vassals to the CHALDEANS by captivity 2. In that this fifth Kingdome as it relates to the Jewes for the Christian Gentiles must by no means bee dissevered began to be raised up to his greatnesse at the time of the battering of the Image Now had this Kingdome been meerly spirituall it needed not to have staid for the overthrow ☞ of the Image before it filled the earth seeing Christs spirituall Kingdome doth not overthrow but rather set up civil Government and the Gospel hath flourished where the Church hath been under Tyranny ¶ 2. It is such a Kingdome as doth break in peeces all the former Metals viz. smites the feete and so demolisheth the Image Now ☞ the spirituall Kingdome of Christ doth rather invest then dis-robe earthly Kings and Emperours commanding obedience to them whether good or bad as the Scriptures abundantly mention This smiting of the feet is left out as a Cypher by them that interpret it spiritually of the preaching of the word Consider then if this ☞ were meant of the preaching of the Gospell discovering the vanitie of earthly things how glorious soever why should it not rather strike at the more glorious Mettals Is there any sence that Christ should declaime against the base things of the world and passe by the eminent States or should wee thinke that a conviction wrought in Syria-Egypt as some by these make up the account of the fourth Mettal should occasion the other States to yeeld to the imbracement of the faith of Christ themselves being strangers to his Sermons Sure I am the conversion of Nations to the faith costs more adoe Or lastly dare any say that our Lord either by his own person or Apostles did first preach to the States of Syria and Egypt before any other Countries Is there not cleare evidence of the conversion of other Churches before clay-footed Syria-Egypt How then is the stone said immediately to smite the feet rather then any other part of the Image Surely these and the like improbabilities we fall into by intending hence Christs ministry of the Gospell
¶ 3. Such a Kingdome is here intended as was to be continued to the Jewes without alteration So the Text it shall not be given to another people from Daniels people But when Christ first came and brought his Spirituall Kingdome whiles to be meerly spirituall he first preached the Gospell to the lost sheep of the house of Israel from whom notwithstanding the Gospell was taken away and given to the Gentiles The which Argument is yet more plainly laid downe in Dan. 7. ver 18. The Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdomes from the Beasts and possesse it for ever and ever To which some answer the words are to be understood of a strange people Whereunto I reply the sence is the same another people or a strange people are indifferently the same sith all were esteemed strangers to the Jewes which were not Jewes Others object it shall not be given to another people because Christ will exercise his spiritual Lordship himselfe To which sence I will subscribe if any shew me who did exercise this spirituall Lordship before the coming of Messiah For so much the words sound That whereas you have been held under the Tyrants of this world thus long upon the recovery of your Kingdome it shall never be resigned to any as it hath been Now nothing makes more against them then this For it our Lord did assume such a Kingdome as was formerly resigned to others it cannot be meant of spirituall regiment ¶ 4. Such a Kingdome is here meant as must answer to Daniels scope in his answer to the Kings dreame But if this Kingdome be meant spiritually only then Daniel had missed the scope much For Nebuchadnezzar had his thoughts busied about the issue of HIS Monarchy according to which thoughts the dream was directed Daniel interpreting it undertakes to resolve him fully For in a word Daniel intends two main points 1. To comfort the Jewes in the losse of their Kingdom liberty shewing that after many changes it should be restored to them againe 2. To convince the King of his Tyranny over them by which his third Heire should be nothing the warmer another should take it from him a third from him and a fourth from him which at length maugre all their despight should be returned to the Jewes in greater glory then ever they lost it Now whether the spirituall Kingdome of Christ â—oth answer this scope or no I leave to the judgement of the godly wise Thus Mr. Huet to whom in the generall and maine I fully consent § 5 Next let us heare Mr. Parker on this second of Daniel The maine controversie saith he in this vision is about the iron feet and legs and the stone that smote them The opinion of some is that the legges and toes of iron signifie the successors of Alexander in the Grecian Monarchy and especially the Seleucidae And that the Stone cut out of the mountaine signifies Christ at his first coming and his spirituall Kingdome But this cannot stand ¶ 1. Because every metall signifies a distinct Kingdome and the fullnesse and complement theâ—eof from the beginning to the perfect end And therefore as the brazen belly and thighes are the whole and perfect Grecian Kingdome so accordingly the legs and feet of iron doe signifie another Kingdome distinguished from the Grecian which cannot be the Seleucidae and other Successors in the same Kingdome For as the golden head signified the whole Babylonian Kingdome and the silver breast and armes the Persian so the brazen belly and thighes the whole Grecian including the Seleucidae and the other Successors For these make up the integrity â—nd fulnes of the Grecian Monarchy or Kingdom as much as the Successors of Nebuchadnezzar make up the integrity of the Babylonian or as much as the Successors of Cyrus doe concur to the perfect constitution of the Persian And so when the Greeke Kingdome is proposed Dan. chap. 8. ver 21 22. it is expresly described as constituted not onely of Alexander the Great but also of the Seleucidae and other the successors in the same Kingdome ¶ 2. This Vision must reach to the last dayes chap. 2.28 which could not be if the legges and feet the extreame and utmost part of the image should end in the Seleucidae for as much as this Kingdome expired before the birth of Christ ¶ 3. Because the legges are said to be of iron in comparison of the parts and Kingdomes going before which were of weaker metals Whereas the Seleucidae and the other successâ—rs of Alexander had not the strength of Alexander c. 8.21.22 Thou wilt-say the Kingdom is represented by iron onely in relation to the Church whereunto it was more terrible then the former I reply 1 As the two first Kingdomes are represented by unequall metalls the first of gold the second of silver to note an absolute inferiority of the one unto the other chap. 2.39 so by proportion the two following of brasse and iron to note an absolute imparity in strength between the latter and the former Wherefore the Iron Kingdome must be absolutely and in it selfe stronger then the Brazen and not onely in respect of particular exercise and imployment of its strength against the people of the Church 2. The Iron Kingdome is expresly said to be as iron because it brused all these that is the former Kingdoms and not onely because more terrible to the Jewes ver 40. 3. Because it is the same with the fourth beast with the iron teeth chap. 7. v. 7. which is therefore so represented because it devouâ—ed the WHOLE EARTH and not the Jewes onely 4. Because Nebuchadnezzar and Haman in the former Kingdomes were more formidable to the Jewes then the Seleucâ—dae And therefore there is no reason that in this respect only the fourth should be represented by Iron in comparison of the former Kingdomes as stronger and more terrible then those ¶ 4. In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up the Kingdome of his Sonne Whereas the Seleucidae and the whole Greeke Empire was utterly dissolved before the birth of Christ v. 44. § 6 Neither can the Stone that smote the Image be Christ at his first coming and his Kingdome immediately following c. for the reasons following ¶ 1. Because the Kingdome signified by the stone must breake in peeces all the other Kingdomes But this Kingdome of Christ ☞ that was and is between his first and second coming was not appointed for the breaking down of all earthly Kingdomes this being the time of the Gentiles Luk 21.24 and for the adversary to reign and for the Church to be trampled under foot Rev. 11.2 ¶ 2. Againe the Kingdome here spoken of doth breake in peeces all other Kingdomes so that those being utterly extinct this alone doth stand in place of them ver 44. Now this state is not to be expected under the Kingdome of Patience or before the fall of Antichrist who fallen the Kingdomes of the earth
absolutely for ever 2. If any hanker and long after the sence that our translation hints as if the three former Beasts had a kind of life allowed them after their dominion was taken away to give these content we can give them this faire answer which may likewise be handsomely improved as to the illustration of the ruine of the fourth Beast and so of the glorious remaining of the fift Monarchy That though the three former monarchies were dis-robed of their Monarchicall paramount Emperiality the former by the latter yet those three divine providence permitting had continued unto them some degree of regality untill some good space of time that the fourth had been in being and power which is the more probable 1. Because how else could it bee said that the third trampled the second and the fourth the third yea all the remainder of the former unlesse they had some entiry or being to be trampled 2. Because the whole Image is broken by the ruine on the feet of the fourth and last And therefore probably there were certaine broken limbs of the three former remaining to be beaten into dust with the fourth 3. Because wee have some such account given us in the faithfullest humane Histories First For the Armenians part of Chaldea as some learned affirme had a King and Kingly dignity even unto the dayes of the Roman Monarchy Tigranes King of Armenia was subdued by the Roman Pompey and his Country made tributary and so stamped under foot But after a while even in the reigne of Tiberius the same Armenia was fortified against the Romans whom the Emperour rather pacified with promises then subdued with Warre who after got the staffe so far into their hands againe that in the reigne of Jovinian they were called Friends not Vassals to the Romans Secondly For Persia they had great power in the time of Antiochus the great and of his sonne Antiochus the vile of the Greeke Monarchy downe unto and farre into the times of the Roman Emperours Of whom Julian lost his life Valerian went under ransome and Jovinian put to the shamefull foyle of the losse of foure whole provinces Thirdly For the Grecian Monarchy after the Romans had trampled Egypt Anthony and Cleopatra being subdued by Augustus and their Countries reduced to Provinces yet after the Greekes did so far shake off the Roman yoake as that they withstood divers of their stoutest Emperours viz. Galienus Aurelian and Dioclesian And this last answer doth also well illustrate the prophesie That whereas somthing of the former Monarchies remained in the days of the later yet the fift should leave nothing of the fourth and so nothing of the former All being to be broken in the feet of the fourth So glorious should the fift Kingdome be Now let the reader take which answer he pleaseth § 11 Having cleared we hope this knot let us now goe on with Daniels visions wherein he having already shewed us towards the discovery of the Who and what that destroyed the fourth Beast the posture and Acts of the Session of Judicature next he represents to us the person or persons the Captaine and his Army that tooke from the fourth Beast the Roman Monarchy and all other Kingdoms into their owne hands of power and these are Christ and his Christians vers 13 14. Daniel saw in the night-visions fitly signifying the Antichristian darknesse that then clouded the Church one like the Son of Man come with the cloudes of Heaven This is Christ who relatively as a King and Captaine Generall as the Scriptures set him forth and Mystically as he is by union of the Spirit head of his Church doth infer as soon as he is come an Host of Christians at his heeles as part of his Session when hee sits all which must necessarily bee here understood as the 18 26 and 27 verses being of the interpretation of the vision give sufficient warrant vers 18. But the SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH shall take the Kingdome for ever Zech. 1.8 Heb. 2.10 Revel 19.11 12 13 14. even for ever and ever ver 27 28. But the Judgement shall sit and they of the Judgement viz. as it is in this vision the Son of Man and his ten thousand times ten thousand of all Nations Languages and Peoples that beleeve in him shall take away his the fourth Beasts dominion to consume and destroy it to the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall bee given to the PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve HIM Where most evidently Christ called here the Son of Man doth as a publicke person and a representative as the second Adam of all mankind that beleeve include and signifie all the sonnes of men that beleeve and they and he are so one mystically by faith and relatively as a corporation or united Emperiality that it is indifferent to the Holy Ghost to mention HIM or THEM to be the Ruler of this fifth Monarchy As for that his coming we mentioned but now Daniel expresseth it in the said thirteenth verse The Sonne of man came with the Clouds of Heaven Upon which words Mr. Parker saith thus The Sonne of man is Christ the Head including also his Body the Church as appeareth ver 26 27. He is said to come and this is his second coming in a large sence comprehending his coming to beare rule on earth by setting up his Kingdome breaking down the enemy and this is the space of forty five yeares and then his visible appearing at the Resurrection immediatly ensuing to finish the New Jerusalem begun in heavenly perfection And in this large description his second coming is usually taken in the Prophets He is said to come in the Clouds of Heaven that is on high above the glory and power of the Kingdomes of the earth in the supereminent Majesty of his Kingdom Rev. 11 12. Isa 52.13 Mat. 24.30 Thus Mr. Parker I only adde this that by the current and tenour of Scripture this phrase of his coming in the Clouds signifies withall that he shall visibly and really appeare in the natural Clouds at that his second coming but now mentioned as Christ himselfe and Saint John expounds the Prophets Matth. 24.30 Revel 1.7 Then shall appeare saith Christ in that twenty fourth of Matthew ver 30. the signe of the Sonne of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall SEE the Sonne of Man coming in the CLOVDES of Heaven c. And saith John in that Revel 1.7 Behold he cometh WITH CLOVDES and every eye shall SEE him and they also that pierced him § 13 He is said in the same thirteenth verse both to come to the Ancient of dayes that is as he is Mediator to the end to obtaine the Kingdome for his Saints being removed from the enemy So the Lamb is said to approach to him that
the LAMBS BOOKE OF LIFE The antithesis of which words distingnishing between them that are written in the LAMBS BOOKE and those that defile and make or dot abominations or leys doth seeme to intimate that they that are free from outward evill conversation but in all appearance and likelihood are holy are written in the Lambs booke And if any such fall off from this outward good conversation and fair-shew of holinesse and degenerate into an evill conversation they are put out of the Lambs booke As the Psalmist in Psalm 69. v. 21. to 29. speaking of those that should have pittied him in his afflictions but instead thereof so farre degenerated from their profession that they gave him gall for his meat and in his thirst gave him vinegar to drinke among other judgements upon them he prophesieth this for one Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous that is with them that at least in all appearance are righteous Which context of giving vinegar and gall c. is in the judgement of our last Translators applyed by the Evangelist Matth. 27.48 Mark 15.23 unto the degenerating Jewes of professors becoming persecutors of godlinesse offering Christ upon the crosse vinegar and wine mingled with bitter myrrh Even as one of those curses prophesied in that sixty nineth Psalm v. 25. let their habitations be desolate as it was first applyed to and executed upon that Apostate Judas according to the Apostles allegation Act. 1. So since upon the generality of the Jewes in their scattering for their falling off from the Gospell so plaine a Commentary upon their Law Suitable to this it is said in Revel 22 vers 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his PART OUT OF THE BOOKE OF LIFE and out of the HOLY CITY * ☞ and from the things which are WRITTEN IN THIS BOOKE And thus the generality of the Jewes at present are blotted out of the Lambs Booke whiles fallen off from the profession of true godlinesse And those likewise are blotted out in the second verse of this twelfth of Daniel that at first arose in outward profession for and in the behalfe of the common good cause at last fell off to their everlasting shame But those that are in the booke of election can never totally and finally fall away As their effectuall regeneration being once really begun can never utterly bee extinguished Once in Christ and ever in Christ ¶ For thirdly their awakening out of their sleep in the dust vers 2. signifies no more immediately and in the generall then the recovery of the Jewes from their dispersed despised condition among all Nations wherein they seemed afore that to lie as dead politically As afflictions are called a death killing and dying Rom. 8.36.2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 6.9 And a poore man because distressed and despised is as some learned conceive called a dead man in regard he is put in opposition to the living as meaning the rich Eccles 6.8 As on the other side the restauration of the Jewes from captivities under men is compared to the making dead bones to live again Ezek. 37. And their outward call thereunto is likened to a resurrection Rom. 11.15 though the event of both these two prophesies last quoted doth not stay there in an outward call and deliverance from captivity as to the Elect. For there are two sorts of Jewes as the sequell makes the distinction that are outwardly called and entered into the beginning or preparation to their restauration as it followes ¶ Fourthly It is said many not all shall awake and of them that awake some onely awake to everlasting life and the other to everlasting shame The meaning whereof must needs be to this purpose That all the native or naturall Jewes shall not be awakened to the generall call of the maine body of them unto their restauration but some there shall be even or them either so naturalized to Heathenisme or so diabolized to Turcisme or so superstitionized to Papisme at Judaized unto Leviticall ceremonies that they shall slight their call and so their recovery insomuch that they shall still sleep in the dust of their earthly miserable condition till the common deluge of destruction on Christs enemies sweepe them away with those to whom they adhered And againe of the maine body of them that are awakened even some of them imbracing true religion and the cause of Christ with a false heart and flagging in the pursuance thereof by reason of the then present troubles shall be cast off by the rest of the Church and so end in temporall and at last eternall shame Whiles on the other side the generality of the rest of them that were outwardly called attending upon that outward call till they were inwardly effectually called and so persevering in the saith and cause of Christ shall attaine to a three-fold life First The life of honorable liberty never more to be vassalized to other Nations Secondly The life of a most glorious religious Church-State never more to be scattered Thirdly At the end of their perseverance to the period of the thousand yeares to the life of eternall glory ¶ 5. So that the resurrection as some would call it here meant is not a resurrection to use their word in a proper sence That is it is not a Physicall resurrection viz. of the deceased bodies out of their graves but a metaphoricall resurrection of the living First politicall of their persons from bondage and then spirituall of their souls out of the state of unbeleefe The physicall resurrection of the dead elect Jewes is not till that resurrection of all beleevers which is at the end of these five and forty yeares mentioned vers 11 12. and at the beginning of the thousand yeares As the resurrection of all the wicked is not till the end of the thousand yeares as hath been afore discussed So that as the said thousand years of the RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS is bounded with two physicall resurrections as hath been afore discussed So this five and forty years of the preparation to that RESTITUTION by stirring up the Jewes to stand for their liberty till they be setled is bounded with two resurrections the first metaphoricall the second physicall of which more after when we come to dispute the time when this RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS shall begin as is hinted in the residue of this twelfth Chapter of Daniel from the fourth verse to the end § 22 The amplification of the Jewes State in that five and forty yeares is held forth in the third verse in two distinctions First In a distinction of their glory that are then effectually brought in Secondly In a distinction of their graces ¶ 1. The distinction of their glory is that they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNESSE OF THE FIRMAMENT And they that turne many to righteousnesse or justification for
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord. The Reconciliation Mr. Mede would reconcile these places thus 1. That for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Article he would read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord. And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edom he would read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam or Man And for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may possess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may seek after And he doth suppose the Septuagint and the Apostle and Evangelist did follow some such copie and upon that ground supplyed the word Lord and altered the word Edom to Adam or man and the word possess to seek after and so read That the remnant of Adam or man may seek after the Lord. To which conjecture or reading I can contribute a little something To the first this that some copies of the Septuagint have instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Me as relating to the Lord Which is not onely reported by Nobilius but I have the like Greek copy by me To the second this That Edom by the Hebrewes is used commonly to signifie the Nations that were not of their Jewish Church and especially those under the Roman Monarchy And therefore the Jesuites have expunged out of the Hebrew Rabbins Commentaries on the Hebrew Bibles printed within their reach the word Edom oftentimes as it is to be seen in the edition of Buxtorfes great Hebrew Bible with the Chalde and Rabbins compared with that of Bomberg To the third this That some copies of Jeroms Latine Translation have quaerant me may seeke after mee See De Dieu in his Animady in Act Apostol And his Animadvers on Clav. Apocal. De Dieu * conveniently salves the matter and saves the Hebrew text without any supply or alteration of any one word at all thus Act. 15.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is that the residue of men might seeek after the Lord. These words are fetched from Amos 9.12 where the Hebrew Text hath it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which is wonted to be translated that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all Nations Gentiles or Heathens which version of the words seems to me most harsh to reconcile with this place of the Acts But not so if we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is not a note of the Accusative Case but as often else-where of the Nominative and we turn it That the remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen on whom my name is called may possess the restored Tabernacle of David Neither is there any doubt with me but that the Septuagint so tooke the words for so they turne them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i.e. That the rest of men and all Nations Gentiles or Heathens may seek after Which words have no sence unlesse thou dost supply in thy understanding what they are to seek after to wit that which but even now he had spoken of viz. the Tabernacle of David that was thrown downe but now restored Instead of which James doth not ill substitute the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord. For whether thou sayst that they should seek after The restored Tabernacle or after the Lord the restorer and Master of that Tabernacle still thou sayest the same thing Adde that the Gentiles or Nations should seek after that Tabernacle not for its own sake but for the Lords sake Here also must be shewne why instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may possess the Septuagint saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may seek after Whether or no because for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may possess they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may seeke after So t is commonly thought But let leave be granted to conjecture another matter This is to bee held as a rule or tenet amongst all the Orientals that words which signifie Esse that is to be doe also signifie fieri that is about to be done that is moveriad esse viz. to be moved towards that same esse or being As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to open and to let loose Because loosening is a moving towards apertion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to possess and to buy Because buying is a moving towards possession there are hundreds of the same sort So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not onely signifie to possess but to move toward possession For example Deut. 2.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Begin Possess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and conflict with him in war They could not actually begin to possesse before they had conflicted and cast out the enemy The sence therefore is Begin to enter upon the possession And more clearly ver 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if we render with Pagnin Begin thou to possess that thou mayst possess his land is a meer Tautologie but not so if you render it Begin thou to enter upon the possession c. So in this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they may possess the Septuagint conceived did signifie not the possession it selfe but the endeavour of possessing which they happily enough expressed by a verb of seeking Nor is it wonder that they translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The remnant of Edom by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The remnant of men For perhaps they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adam or rather they tooke the word Edom in this place as often elsewhere to bee of a larger signification then to note the people properly so called For as Isaack the younger of Rebeckahs sonnes did typifie forth the Church so the elder ESAU or EDOM did typifie all other men that were strangers from the Church Wherefore in the writings of the Rabbins the Roman Empire especially whiles overspreading the whole world was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingdome of Edom who also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sons of Edom do understand all Christians That wee said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes notes the Nominative Case if any should perhaps grant that after Verbs Passives but deny it in other Verbs let him see 2 King 9.25 Neh. 9.34 1 Sam. 17.34 2 Kin. 6.5 Eze. 43.7 Jer. 33.5 where it is so construed with Neuters Yea sometimes with Transitives as Neh. 9.34 Jer. 38.16 Eze. 39.14 * Hence it comes to passe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which otherwise of the Accusative Case doth among the Rabbins with all the Verbs promiscuously make the Nominative Case as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did it or he made or made it Plainly therefore both the Hebrew and the Greek both waies signifie the conversion of the Jews and Gentiles first AL ISRAEL next Rom. 11. into a cohabitation and Church-union Which is very aptly opened and inlarged in the very next Prophet viz. the Prophet Obadiah and with many of the same words and phrases with addition of others Obad. ver 17 18 19 20 21. But upon MOUNT ZION shall be deliverance and there shall be
novissimo dierum So the Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Greeke according to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the state of the Church here prophesied is the last state of the Church before the end of the world at the ultimate general resurrection And therefore the notation of the time doth undeniably put us upon a looking for such a glorious state of the Church on earth as is here described as yet to come Observe secondly that all those words of the first second and third verses That the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountaines c. and many Nations shall say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord c. and he will teach us c. and we will walk in his pathes c. For the law shall goe forth out of Zion c. and he shal judge among many people c. and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares c. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learne war any more I say that all those words are per omnia idem altogether the same with Isa 2. ver 2 3 4. largely discussed before in this third booke and chap. 2. Sect. II. S. 1 2 3 4. c. whether we transfer the consideration of them onely adding here 1. The notablenesse of the prophesie which is thus twise mentioned by two famous Prophets with so great emphasis in the same words phrases and figures 2. The words of the Geneva notes who assert in the margin that this Prophesie of the state of the Church in the last dayes relates to the time of Christs coming and to the time when THE TEMPLE shall be destroyed Which order of words import that they meant the time after that destruction of the Temple which demolished it about forty yeares after Christs ascention I say the time after that destruction for which sence they had good ground from the last verse of the chap. 3. of this prophet Micha But such a time of restauration of the Church as Micha here in this fourth chapter describes was never yet seen on earth Therefore it is yet to come 3. Our new Annotations referre this to the time intended by Joel chap. 2.28 But that time we have proved afore in this third booke chap. 2. Sect. 40. in the maine of it is not yet come to passe 4. Dr. Mayer on the fourth verse they shall sit every one under his own vine c. and there shall bee none to make them affraid hath these words And this saith he is still to bee fulfilled WHEN THIS WORLD DRAWETH NEAR TO AN END the FULNESSE OF THE GENTILES BEING COME IN and the Jewes who remaine yet blinded BEING CONVERTED TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST Wherein the Doctor speaks very home to the point in hand in the main thereof For surely this prophesie is not in the chief intent thereof fulfilled unto this day § 3 In the last place consider exactly in the remainder of the chapter from ver 4. to the end the description of the Churches yea of the Jewish Churches Prosperity Piety and Victory and thou canst not with any shew of solid divine reason imagine these things to have been ever yet fulfilled since the Jews first captivity in Babylon but remain in future to be performed afore the last universall resurrection ¶ 1. The prosperity is described vers 4. They shall every man sit under his own vine and under his owne fig-tree and none shall make them affraid vers 6. In that day I will assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted ver 7. And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion FROM HENCE FORTH EVEN In Hebr. no even But it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. And for ever FOR EVER Now when ever was this prosperity made good to them since their Babylonish captivity and for so long time as for ever It is true two Tribes returned from Babylon about the year of the world three thousand five hundred and eighteen under the Persian Monarchy A long time it was ere they grew to a settlement of their City and Temple set up and their publick ministration set in order by reason of the opposition and undermining of Sanballat and Tobiah and their adherents So that some thinke they were neare as long in attaining to the said settlement as they had been in captivity viz. seventy years But if they had been setled at the first of that their returne yet from the year three thousand five hundred and eighteen to three thousand six hundred and forty about which time Alexander the Greeke Monarch brought Jerusalem under subjection to him are but one hundred twenty two years after which Alexander the Romans immediately subdued them and after the Romans the Saracens and Turks which is the slavish condition of all the Countries of the Jews to this day A mark of remembrance of their subjection to the Greeks is the Greek translation of the Bible called the Septuagint because it was done by about seventy Jewes at the command of the Grecian powers And as plain a Memento of their Romish subjection is that Christ was crucified under the Roman Pontius Pilat And a sufficient Memorandum of their subjection to the Turks is that they possesse Jerusalem at this day So that if wee deduct the time of the Jewes trouble under the Persian Monarchy from their first dismission by Cyrus to their settlement and make the reckoning to begin with that their settlement and to end at Alexanders coming to Jerusalem it will not amount to above seventy years that the Jews were in peace and quiet which is no more then the length of their captivity If we take into the account the time of their struggling to be settled yet all as I said before will make up but sixscore and two years and what is this in comparison to enable the Prophet to make the close and seale of this part of the Text touching their prosperity That the Lord should reign over them of Mount Sion from hence forth AND FOR EVER which must be understood of such a manifest apparent visible reigning as stands in flat opposition every way to Tyrannicall mens or conquerours reigning over them or else the Prophet had told them nothing he had made this Antithesis to their captivities under men in vaine and had expressed this his reigning in mount Zion to no purpose seeing God doth equally reign by his power over all the world and by his spirituall grace alike over beleevers where-ever they be one the face of the earth ¶ 2. Their piety is charactarised in the fifth verse For all people will walke every one in the name ELOHAIU of HIS GOD and wee will walke in the name of JEHOVAH ELOHENU of the LORD
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood no remission It was necessary therefore that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these but the HEAVENLY THINGS THEMSELVES with BETTER SACRIFICES then THESE Heb. 13.19 But to doe good and to communicate forget not for with such SACRIFICES God is well pleased Phil. 2.17 If I be offered upon the SACRIFICE and service of your faith I joy Rev. 8.3 And another Angel came and stood at the ALTAR having a golden CENSER and there was given to him much INCENSE that hee should OFFER IT with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden ALTAR which was before the Throne Thus you see how the tenth verse sets forth the conversion of the Iews which is further amplified in the eleventh verse thus In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me For then will I take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoyce in thy pride and thou shalt be no more haughty because of my holy mount Which is also most evidently spoken of the Jews and their conversion in that the Lord promiseth to take away their sins and in particular their pride of the Temple of which they had been formerly very sinfully proud Jer. 7.4 and that swelling was not quite down in our Saviours time Mat. 24.1 And therefore then this text was not fulfilled But when their sins shall be taken away then the judgement viz. their shame shall be taken away neither shall they be only negatively good but also positively I will saith the next verse leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. This last clause of trusting in the name of the Lord containes the very life and power of godlinesse As for the first clause whoever can well weigh the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will duly consider the precedent verse and propheticall purpose of this place touching the conversion of the Jewes cannot but confesse that these words may as well and in some respect better be rendered I will cause to remaine in thee a people that is humble and meeke or poore in spirit as Arias the Septuagint and the Syriack and Arabick render it this and the rest of this verse aptly answers and stands over against as a contrary to their pride in the former verse and is the ready way to that which followes in the thirteenth verse The remnant of Israel that is all the converted as well of the ten Tribes as of the two shall not doe iniquity nor speake lyes nor shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth for they shall feed and lye downe and none shall make them afraid That is they shall there abide because there shall be no danger and they shall be so holy because they shall have grace within and no temptation from without For the second part of the Jewes restitution namely their reversion into their owne Country in a glorious Church-state wee have it in the sixteen seventeen eighteen and twentieth verses thus ver 16. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem feare thou not and to Zion let not thy hands be slack or faint Ver. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will REST IN HIS LOVE an high and glorious expression he will joy over thee with singing Ver. 18. I will GATHER them that are sorrowfull for THE SOLEMNE ASSEMBLY who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burthen Ver. 20. At that time I will BRING YOV AGAINE even in the time that I GATHER YOV For I will make you a name and apraise among all people of the earth when I TVRNE BACKE YOVR CAPTIVITY before your eyes saith the Lord. In which words you have the expression of their reversion into their owne Country in capitall letters as well in sence as writing And the Lords being amidst them more then in his generall presence over the earth and his rejoycing over them with joy yea with great joy as in singing and resting in his LOVE and gathering them into the solemne assembly and to make them a name and a praise among all people of the earth can signifie no lesse then a glorious visible Church-state making them a LOVE or SPOVSE unto their LORD CHRIST For the second generall head the vocation of the Gentiles both unto an effectuall conversion unto God and a most harmonious union with the rest of the Church we have it all and in full in verse the ninth For then will I turne to the people a pure Language that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Close to the Hebrew thus I will convert in the peoples a pure lip that they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder I stand not to dispute it from terme to terme because they that know well the Originall and well minde the sence of the place will ease me of that labour * Junius Mutab◠in populis labium ut purum sit quo invocent omnes nomen Jehova colendo cum humero uno Hieron old Latin Reddam populis labium electum ut invocent omnes nomen Domini serviant ei humero une The Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. I will so convert in all nations one choyse speech that all may pray in the name of the Lord that they may serve him with one shoulder The Syriack Then will I restore unto the Gentiles an elect or choyse lippe that all may call upon the name of the Lord and worship him in an equall yoke but rather I will speake a word to the opening It is expresse that the Peoples Nations or Gentiles are here spoken of who upon their conversion should be exempted from the ruine on Nations in the eighth verse and should returne with the dispersed Jewes in the tenth verse and their prophane lips should be purified and their Idolatrous and blasphemous words before their false gods should be turned into holy prayers to Jehovah and they should serve him not only with one consent of minde but with one way of practise as when many lift as with one shoulder to move a thing the same way or draw equally in the same yokes fastened to the same chaine or traces § 5 The third generall the destruction of the enemies of the Church and so of the Jewes converted you have in the fourteenth fifteenth and nineteenth verses very fully You your selves who heed what you read doe perceive these three heads interchangeably interwoven to signifie that the whole of all this visible glory comes together Vers 14. Sing O Daughter of ZION shout O ISRAEL be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of JERUSALEM Vers 15. The Lord hath
That v. 11. and v. 19. Their shame shall be taken away and they shall be made a name and a praise in all lands where they have been put to shame and all they that afflicted them shall be undone Instead whereof the Iews in all lands are under great reproach and contempt and their enemies rather undo them then that their enemies are undone for their sakes Thus of Zephany SECT XLV § 1 NExt we come to the Prophet Zechary who prophesied within two months at the same time that Haggy prophesied Hag. 1.1 Zech. 1.1 and therefore is commonly accounted as a co-partner with Haggy Both prophesying after Judah's return from Babylon in the second yeare of Darius sonne of Histaspis For Haggai reproves them chap. 1. ver 2. for not re-building the Temple And v. 6. declares that the scarcity upon them was for that neglect Neither of which could have been rationall if they had been then in Babylon Zechariah likewise hints the same time in chap. 1. ver 6. in acknowledging that God had then fulfilled the judgement threatned upon them And expressely in the 16 verse saith The Lord is returned to Jerusalem with mercies and his house shall be built § 2 These being premised the first place we pitch upon in this Prophet is chap. 2. ver 6. c. to the end of the chapter Ver. 6. Ho ho come forth and flee from the land of the North saith the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the Heaven saith the Lord. Vers 7. Deliver thy selfe O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon Vers 8. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts After the glory hath he sent me unto the Nations which spoiled you for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Ver. 9. For behold I will shake mine hand upon them and they shall be a spoile to their servants and yee shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me Sing and rejoyce O Daughter of Zion for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. Ver. 11. And MANY NATIONS SHALL BE JOYNED UNTO THE LORD in that day and shall be my people c. Vers 12. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and shall chuse Ierusalem againe Of which words the introduction preceding in the § 1. leades us into this sence that they look beyond the two Tribes called Iudah unto the returne of the ten Tribes called Isreal § 3 It hath been often very grievous in my eyes to see how Authours commonly follow one another in expounding Scripture as if they were rather led by humain example then by divine reason And let this goe for one instance where they successively vote or dictate not demonstrate that that great call to the Jewes in ver 6. To come forth and flee from the land of the North c. relates to those of the two Tribes that tarryed behind when the rest of them returned I confesse as to wipe off singularity I am glad of the bare company in opinion of them that are learned but I had rather have one of their reasons if they give any then an hundred of their names Oecolampadius speaking for us saith Terram Aquilonis c. that is the Prophet calls Babylon the land of the North which is situated towards the Northern part Eastwardly And seeing that others were dispersed into divers parts of the earth according to the foure winds and others oppressed with other servitude all that are burdened are called c. And Pellican likewise voting for us saith the Prophet here foretels a double gathering of the Inhabitants and cals unto them for the dispersion of the faithfull was two-fold one of the people of Iudah in Babylon who are called together with Nehemiah unto the building of Ierusalem whom the Prophet exhorts to goe forth out of the province of the Babylonians and to beleeve the word of God and to restore the divine worship in the Temple The other was greater and more general of all Israel whom God had scattered into the foure quarters or climates of the world All which the prophet cals and desires to be congregated toward Zion c. But to leave men and words and come to reason ¶ 1. T is clear that this place of Scripture is a prophesie of future things by the language of it speaking all along from the fourth verse to the end of the chapter in the future tense that these and those things shall come to passe and such things and so God will do ¶ 2. And the exhortation in the sixt verse the thing in controversie is expresly there extended not only unto the Jews in the North viz. Babylon but to all of them dispersed in the foure quarters of the world as they are to this day Where marke the connexion For I will gather you from the four winds making this the meaning of coming out of the North. Compare also Zech. 8.7 a considerable place viz. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts behold I will save my people from the East Country and from the West Country and I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem Accordingly the Septuagint reads this of Zech. 2.6 thus Ω 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Ho ho fly from the land of the North saith the Lord Because I WILL GATHER you from the foure winds of Heaven saith the Lord. ¶ 3. The said two Tribes had been even now when Zechariah preached this Sermon returned from Babylon into Iudea near this sixteen years For as the best Chronologers cast up the account they returned from Babylon in the year of the world 3435. And Zechary began his prophesie in the year of the world three thousand foure hundred fifty one A faire time for the most of the Jewes of the two Tribes to take heart to returne that are mentioned in the beginning of their deliverance by Cyrus to have lingered behind the rest 1 Chron. 4. if feare of the Kings sincerity in dismissing them had remorated them and to have been incouraged by their fore-runners prosperity in Iudea if any considerable number staid in Babylon for feare of successe And therefore doubtlesse by this time most of the people of Iudah were returned Iosephus boldly affirmeth * and Sanctius approves the account that there returned of the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin forty six hundred thousand Lib. 11. Cap. 4 and twenty eight thousand which may appear to have some truth in it if we compare Ezr. 2.61 62 63 64 65. and Nehem. 13.3 And truly the great work they did in re-building the Temple repairing the City wals and their bountifull offerings at the dedication speake aloud that they were a very numerous people And therefore t is very unlikely that the Prophet in that exhortation verse the sixt should mainly mind a gleaning of a few lingerers in Babylon ¶ 4. This exhortation ver the sixt calling for separation and to
are named ver 10. distinctly from Jewes and Jewes from them The strangers of Rome were Jewes and Proselytes The truth is t is most evidently declared to us by the holy Scriptures Act. 10. that Cornelius was the first Gentile that was converted to the Christian faith next to the conversion of those Jewes Act. 2. and Act. 4. And by that time a few Gentiles more began to hearken to the Gospell of Christ the Jewes for the generality began to reject the Gospel and so to give it a passe to go freely to the Gentiles Act. 13. In a word let opposite men use their wits what they can â—or their sense to tackle circumstances together all will not reach to the sence of this prophesie as afore expressed and opened by us The hot ten persecutions for the first 300 years after Christ hindred effectually the conversions of Nations of Gentiles And long afore those 300 years were expired the Jews generally were blinded which had seized upon them in Pauls time Rom. 11. He writing that Epistle about the year fifty foure after Christs birth that is about the twentieth yeare after Christs ascension and so they continue to this day But God that cannot lye hath said this prophesie shall come to passe it shall be fulfilled therefore we may boldly expect it afore the last judgement or universall resurrection SECT XLVIII § 1 THe fourth place in Zecharie is in chap. 10. ver 3. c. to the end of the chapter 3. Mine anger is kindled Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath been kindled against the Shepheards viz. Those Diviners of lies and Dreamers of falshoods in the former verse The period of this conflagration was at the late returne of Judah from captivity as the FOR in the next clause imports For the Lord of Hosts hath visited his flocke the house of Judah and hath made them his GOODLY horse in the battle which must needs signifie a visitation in mercy begun in their said return but extended to a vast longitude of future times as the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he shall visite them he shall make them as his goodly horse This their march from Babylon being but the type or first-fruites of their future finall full deliverance Which future sense is expressely carried on in all the residue of the chapter from ver 5. to the end all speaking say our Translators in the future tense And the fourth verse is indefinite in the Hebrew without tense or verb out of him the CORNER out of him the NAILE out of him the BATTLE BOW out of him every oppressor or as in the Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EXACTOR OF TAXES That is the house of Judah being built on the CORNER stone Christ and so incorporated into the Church they shall fasten the NAILE of union with Israel and together with them and the rest of the Church they shall be the BATTLE-BOW to wound as in the former verse and THE GOODLY WAR-HORSE to tramphe nowne their enemies so that out from the Church as is the close of this verse shall proceed the EXACTOR OF TRIBUTE instead of paying Tribute to signifie the Churches dominion over the world The rest of the chapter is so plaine for our point touching the visible glorious state of the Church yet to come as it sufficiently speakes for it selfe to every one that will understand by a bare repetition of the words without any humane glosse ver 5. And they shall be as MIGHTY MEN which TREAD DOWNE their enemies in the MIRE of the streets in the BATTEL and they shall FIGHT because the Lord is with them and the RIDERS ON HORSES viz. their enemies in the former clause shall be confounded 6. And I will strengthen the house of JUDAH and will save the house of JOSEPH That is Manasse and Ephraim expressed ver 7. signifying two of the Ten Tribes of ISRAEL and by them all the TEN of Israel as Judah is named for then and the other viz. Benjamin of the Kingdom of Juda and I will BRING THEM AGAIN to PLACE THEM as in v. 10. in Gilead c. For I have mercy upon them and they shall bee AS THOUGH I HAD NOT CAST THEM OFF c. compare Hos 1.10 11. 7. And they of EPHRAIM shall be like a mighty man commonly in Scripture put to signifie the TEN TRIBES Isa 7.2 Isa 9.21 Isa 11.13 Yea their CHILDREN shall see it and be glad What shall they see Vers 8. I will GATHER THEM for I have redeemed them and they shall increase as they have increased 9. And I wil sow them The Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I HAVE scattered them they shall remember me in FAR COUNTRIES and they shal live with their children and RETURN AGAIN 10. I wil BRING THEM AGAIN ALSO out of the land of Egypt and gather them out of Assyria and wil bring them into the land of GILEAD and LEBANON the Cities of Gilead being part of the lot of the Tribe of Gad and halfe of the Country of Gilead pertaining to the children of Machir the son of Manasseh Tribes of the Kingdom of Israel Josh chap. 13. ver 25.31 As Lebanon belonged also to the ten Tribes an hundred miles from Jerusalem being too remote for Iudah to inhabit 11. And he shal passe through the Sea with affliction Lerom Arias and the Septuagint render the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or by a streight or narrow of the Sea this their passage of great mercy not induring the circumstance and naming of misery and shall smite the waves of the Sea and all the deeps of the River shal dry up And the pride of Assyria shal be brought down and the Scepter shal depart away of all which see the prophesie of Nahum particularly prophesying to that Now in the first place review WHO they are here mentioned that must share in the fulfilling of this Prophesie viz. the Kingdom of Judah and of Israel all twelve Tribes and they united as two wals joyned in a coyne or corner-juncture or as two peeces of timber nailed or pinn'd together So expressely afore § 3 Next revise what they must injoy or attain to viz. the conquest of their enemies in battle their domination over them in a way of Government the Scepters and Powers of Nations that are not of the Church ceasing And the possession of their own land All which being thus plainly and candidly laid together if any now that is of a scrutinizing spirit and a pondering ingenuity should transfer to a spirituall sence I should be extreamly filled with wonder ¶ 1. Because the main things insisted upon are corporall things drest forth in such language and circumstantiated with such particulars as suit not well but to corporalls As for example Battle-Bow treading down in the mire the riders on horses shall bee confounded c. ¶ 2. Because when there is a touch here and
hand and more particularly pointing to the person of Christ much lesse was there any ground for him to urge the consideration of those Regions and Countries to the ALL of beleevers that already by faith were spiritually entered into the holy Land And how doth this spirituall sence agree with the Text That place shall not bee found for them that is the place shall not bee sufficient to receive them For if the said spirituall sence stands good then the whole earth should not bee capacious enough to receive all that shall bee converted which is contrary to common sence Therefore Oecolampadius speakes safelier and comes off fairlier when he saith on the sixt verse these things pertaine saith he to the times of Christ not naming which time whether that of his first or that of his next coming but leaves it large enough to comprehend both ¶ 2. A Lapide likewise will understand by this goodly war-horse the Apostles and Apostolical men on which Christ did as it were ride conquering the world spiritually And yet too he will understand as he saith Judas Maccabeus and his brethren trampleing Antiochus and his Commanders to signifie this generous horse for battle here mentioned ¶ 3. As for Calvin though upon the fift verse he hints mostly a meer spiritual sence the Jewes as also the Church militant under the crosse shall be conquerours and triumph over all the wicked partly in hope and partly in the effect For God doth wonderfully sustaine them and causeth that all particular beleevers possesse their soules in patience c. Yet before and after he lancheth forth into a further sence yea and times too beyond any that hath yet come to passe For upon the fourth verse he hath these words From among the Jews shall be the Corner that is those in that people that shall beare the publicke Government And the batttle-Bow that is they shall be sufficient to conquer their enemies And the Exactor that is they shall injoy the Empire or rule over their neighbours and require tribute of them instead of paying it to them If any aske when this shall be fulfilled I answer There were some preludes of this when God exalted the Maccabees But t is certaine that the Prophet compriseth the whole course of redemption And upon the sixt verse The Jewes saith he could not acquiesce in those beginnings which scarcely in the hundreth part did answer to the promises of God It behoved therefore to have their mindes lifted up on high that they might hope for more then did appeare before their eyes And this doctrine is useful for us because we are apt to restraine the promises of God to a narrow time and so whiles we shut him up in our straits we cause him not to doe what we desire Therefore let the example of the returne of the people of Israel still be before us because the Lord did promise by all his Prophets that their returne should be glorious and every way plentifull and the state of the people happy which did not appear when the Jewes returned into their Country And therefore it followes I will strengthen the house of Judah and the house of Joseph In which Zecharie promises no vulgar thing when as he saith both peoples Judah and Israel shall bee rejoyned and so incorporated into one as before the breach when the ten Tribes fell from the two And in that clause I will bring them again and place them as it is in our English or as Calvin roads it I will bring them backe and cause them to dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoshbotim being a compound word or Verb signifying That God will not onely bring backe againe the ten Tribes but will give them a fixed seat in their owne Country Which last words of Calvin are full to our sence Our new Annotations say upon the fourth verse touching the Oppressor or Exactor thus They shall prevaile against their enemies and oppresse their oppressors and exact tribute of them as Victors do of them whom they have subdued This best suits with the context And this we see partly verified in the history of the Maccabees and more fully in and under the Gospell the Prophet here comprehending in these promises the whole and entire redemption and deliverance of Gods Church and people by and under the Messiah Thus our new Annotations speake as well for a litterall sence as a spiritual and of times yet to come as well as those past ¶ 4. Dr. Mayer hath observed a little this interfering of Authours against themselves having upon the eleventh verse these words Some by Judah saith he understand the Jewes and by Joseph and Ephraim the Gentiles converted to the saith and that no local motion is meant when he speakes of bringing them to their place but onely their coming into the Church c. And yet saith he they apply that which is here spoken in part to that which God did for the Jewes in the time of the Maccabees The Doctor himself doth well apply this prophesie mainly to a litterall sence but I had hoped with more coherence For if as he well asserts upon the fourth verse touching the Corner t is there prophesied of the joyning together of the two Kingdomes of Judah and Israel whereby they should be greatly strengthened how then doth he tel us after on the same verse that this prophesie was partly fulfilled in Judas Maccabeus and partly as he intimateth or affirmes on the eleventh verse in the return of those Jewes that fled into Egypt under Ishmael upon the slaughter of Gedaliah 2 King 25. ver 25 26. who returned out of Egypt as A Lapide beleeves Josephus * Lib. 11. Antiq. c. 2. in the reign of Ptolomeus Philodelphus the successour of Ptolomeus Lagi in the Kingdome of the Greeks and that the pride of Assyria was brought down when Alexander subdued both Persians and Assyrians And the Scepter departed from Egypt in the daies of Cleopatra their last Queen with whose love Antony was so intangled whose dominions Cesar conquered but not her because she slew her selfe that she might not come into his hands I say how do these things hang together in an handsome harmony For all these things do nothing conduce to the re-union and re-dintegration of the two Kingdomes of Judah and Israel into one body being never yet done since their division in Rehoboams time to this day ¶ 5. For the further clearing whereof let us speake distinctly some thing to all the three last mentioned particulars especially to that of Judas Maccabeus who hath so taken the eyes of most Interpretors that they cannot in commenting on this Chapter look off from him putting the maine stresse of Interpretation upon his History First For that particular Of the returning of those Jewes from Egypt that fled thither upon the occasion of Ishmaels slaying Gedaliah It is not probable that many returned When they went they were but the gleanings of a captivity 2 King 25. And
with his Army he prevailed against it and miserably spoiled it and the Temple and slaughtered the people 1 Maccab. 1.21 22 23 24. When after him about seven years Antiochus Eupator came up against Judea and Jerusalem he prevailed against both partly by power and partly by policy and threw down the walls of Zion 1 Maccab. 1. ver 17. ver 48 c. to the end of the chapter About ninty eight years after him the Roman Pompey takes Jerusalem and the Temple sending Aristobulus the King of the Jewes bound to Rome and subdued the Jewes to the Roman power * Buchol Jud. Chron. Ad an Mund. 3909. About six years after which was about fifty six years afore the birth of Christ Gabinius the Roman invading Syria and then Judea he there conquered Alexander King of the Jews Son of Aristobulus in a maine battle slaying 3000 Jewes and taking as many prisoners * Iosephus As for the History after Christ t is more familiarly known that Titus the Roman Emperor about 70 years after the birth of Christ destroyed Jerusalem both City and Temple as likewise did Adrian the Roman Emperor after him about the year after Christs birth 133. and so Rome successively held it til the Saracens and Turks wan it away from them holding it to this day So that I renew my question When since the return of Judah was Judah and Jerusalem a cup of trembling to any enemy that ever came against it in that space of time And upon the same ground of history but now summed up I may put unaswerable questions upon most of the chapter following as When since their returne was ever Jerusalem a burthensome stone to all people of the earth to cut them all in peeces that shall burthen themselves with it as t is prophesied in ver 3 Or when as in ver 4. hath every horse been stricken with astonishment and his rider with madnesse Or when as ver 5. Could the Governors of Judah say in their heart the Inhabitants of Jerusalem under God shall be my strength Or when as in ver 6 Have the Governors of Judah been like a Hearth of fire amongst the wood and like a Torch of fire in a sheafe devouring all the people round about c Or when as ver 7. and 9. Hath the Lord so saved the tents of Judah and defended the Inhabitants of Jerusalem that he that was feeble among them was made as David and the house of David as ELOHIM and as the ANGEL of JEHOVAH and hath sought to destroy all the Nations that come against Jerusalem But mind the breviate of history afore recited and look upon the State of the Jews at this day and remember the account we gave afore of the Maccabees in the former Section and we cannot but expect the particulars yet to come And upon the same grounds adding the history of the carriage of the Jewes towards Christ penned by the Evangelists and the context in the ninth verse At that day it shall come to passe viz. at the time that the former part of the chapter shall be fulfilled with a collation of Revel 1.7 and Matth. 24.30 We may as boldly quere when were those things ever yet fulfilled mentioned in the 10 11 12 13 and 14 verses That God would so poure out upon the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication that they shall looke on him whom they have peirced and mourn for him with great bitternesse each family mourning a part which cannot be imagined to be fulfilled by the Jews afore Christ was peirced Which is the argument of two Jews of late with one of which I had conference that they expect the Messiah yet to come ☞ to convert their Nation because they must see him with a penitent eye after he is pierced Nor was it fulfilled upon the obstinate Jews who beholding his passion derided him or persisted in impenitency Nor upon the eleven Disciples who fled when he was led to suffering Nor did they pierce him Nor upon those mourners Act. 2. for they saw him not when they mourned nor did any of these sorts of mourners aforenamed mourn with their families Nor did they see him in the clouds and thereupon mourn for him as t is expresse in those places of Mat. 24 and Rev. 1. afore quoted § 5 Therefore the main of this whole prophesie is yet to be fulfilled And before the last universall Resurrection and ultimate Judgement because the Circumstances of it so require SECT L. § 1 THe sixt and last place in Zechariah is in chap. 14. from vers 3. to the end of the chapter which hath been anciently afore Jeroms time as he confesseth urged both by Jewes and Christians for the glorious time yet to come of which we treat And to me it seems so full for it that I know not what considerable thing can be rationally said against it As for quibling Jerom I grudg almost here to call him Saint Ierome because in his notes on this place instead of demonstration he jeers and that very obscenely we shall talk with him after and most justly arraigne him upon his owne confession § 2 Ver. 3. Then shall the Lord goe forth and sight against those Nations as when he fought in the day of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kerab which word as it signifies conflicting so also beginning or approaching near and may be aptly so rendred and applyed here according to the sence that most understand to Gods assisting the Iews in the beginning of their Wars as against Amalech and Og c. when they approached near towards Canaan Which words as that same THEN mindes us points at the after times following that Coming up of all Nations against Ierusalem to Battle rifling ravishing and captivating it which ruine was to come to passe in long processe of time after this Prophesie as t is hinted in the future expression of the first verse the Prophet having dispatched in the thirteenth chapter next afore the Prophesies that did belong to the time of Christs passion ver 1. and v. 7. of that 13. chap. For it was a long time after Christ ere all Nations confining our all to the all of the foure Monarchies did so miserably ruine mark the phrase Ierusalem For the Romans did it not the first time till seventy years afore Christs incarnation they did afore that some hurt to the Country as we said afore but did not miserably ruin Ierusalem Nor the Romans the second time till one hundred thirty three years after the said incarnation Nor did the Saracens of Asia till the year one thousand and nine thereabouts But however let the reader fix the depredation and devastation of Ierusalem by all Nations since Zecharies Prophesie where they will yet we are at a losse and all our books cannot help us to tell when yet to this day The Lord went out to fight all those Nations that fought against Ierusalem as he
reserventur Quomodo autem vas fict le testâ—ceum si â—tactum â—uâ—â— it in actiquam speciem non potest reformari siâ— et populus Judaeorum Hierusalem subversa statum pristinum non habebune Hieronymus in Iâ—rem 19.10 This is evidently spoken not of the Babylonian but of the Roman captivity for after the Babylonians both the City is rebuilt and the people brought back to Judea are restored to their ancient abundance but after the Captivity that happened under Vespasian and Titus and after that under Hadrian the ruines of Jerusalem shall remaine unto the end of the world although the Jewes imagine that a golden and gemmed Hierusalem shall be restored unto them and that againe they shall have oblations and Sacrifices and the marriages of Saints and the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour upon earth Which things though we follow not their opinion yet wee cannot condemn because many Ecclesiasticall men and Martyrs have said the same And let every one abound in his owne sence and all bee reserved to the judgement of the Lord. But looke how a Potters vessell of earth if broken cannot be againe formed into its former shape so the people of the Jewes and the City of Jerusalem being subverted they shall never have their ancient state Thus Jerom in which words observe 1. That all we asserted in the former § is here represented to a syllable before your eyes 2. That his argument he urgeth against the Jewes restauration after their Romish destruction is as weake as the earthen bottle whereof hee makes the foundation of it For he overstretcheth the Prophets comparison who therein intended onely a totall or universall dispersion of the Jewes but not a finall destruction this selfe-same Prophet else-where and of the rest the most in all the old Testament as we have largely discussed prophesying and describing to the life the glorious restauration of the Iewes yea and of the Israelites too And as Ierom formally urgeth the argument hee doth seem to ground himself upon the impossibility of that restauration as of re-forming a broken earthen bottle and so with a by-blow smites our hope of the resurrection because that may seem to men impossible But beleevers must not goe upon that ground in dispute It is a like easie for God to doe as to say witnesse his fiat let it be so in the creation Yea the comparison it selfe prompts a possibility and probability that as after a broken earthen bottle is mellowed and mouldered againe into clay may be new formed into a bottle so after the deep desolations of the Jewes they shall be restored againe as the Prophet Daniel chap. 12. v. 2. gives it us in a like comparison and the Apostle after him Rom. 11. v. 15. viz. of bodies turned to dust or clay reviving to life which metaphors are higher then the new-forming of an earthen broken bottle ¶ 2. Collate with Jeromes words the words of that most ancient pious and learned Justin Martyr in his very discusse of the future glorious restauration of the Jewes and of the universall Church and that in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Mart. in Dialog cum Tryph. p. 340. Edâ—t Graec. Lat. Paâ—is A. D. 1636. and we shall find that Ierom did wrong in saying they expected again Iewish Oblations and Sacrifices Iustin Martyrs words are these For he is the excellent cheife Priest and eternal King CHRIST himself as the Sonne of God in whose coming again ye may not think that Isaiah or others of the Prophets did teach that the Sacrifices of blood or Oblations should be offered upon the Altar but true and spirituall praises with thanksgivings For indeed we doe not in vaine hope in him neither are we seduced from those that so teach Thus Justin In which words you see clearly the opinion of the religious learned Ancients Jewish Prophets c. of whom Justin speakes in the Plurall that their opinion yea and faith and hope was contrary to the sence that Jerom would put upon them ¶ 3. Jerom himselfe hath confest the same sence with us of divers places before alleadged for our opinion as on Hos 3.4 Book 3. chap. 2. Sect 39 on Mat. 11.14 on Mat. 17.14 c. Book 3. cha 2. Sect. 51. Margent and else-where ¶ 4. Hear Mr. Medes answer to all Ieroms speeches against us on those places of Scripture afore quoted § 1. Sed fidem tuam Hieronyme qui cum Dionysio tuo Alexandrino c. i. e. But O thy faithful dealing O Ierom who together with thy Dionysius Alex. doe fasten upon the opinion of the Millenaries that the injury of circumsicion the blood of Sacrifices and the rest of the legal Ceremonies are againe to be restored after their supposed death Indeed those things which Iewes or perhaps Hereticks out of Iudaisme dreamed concerning their Millenarie you odiously dash upon the Christians But hath this becommed your candor Yea thou Ierom no more but thy selfe being judge dost bewray thy crimination to be false For so thou writest on Jer. 19.5 Post captivitatem quae sub Vespasiano that is After the captivity which happened under Vespasian and Titus and after under Hadrian the ruins of Hierusalem are to continue to the end of the world albeit the Jews do thinke that there shall be restored unto them a golden and gemmed Hierusalem and that again ethere shall be oblations and sacrifices and the marriages of the Saints and the Kingdome of the LORD our SAVIOUR upon earth which although we follow not yet we cannot condemne because many Ecclesiasticall men and Martyrs have so said These are thy word O Jerome But prethee tell me did those Ecclesiasticall men and holy Martyrs say that circumcision and sacrifices should at the time of Christs Kingdom be restored take heed of saying so For certainly they taught the contrary as may be confirmed out of Justin Martyrs Dialogue with Trypho c. or if thou hadst certainly known they had so beleeved wouldst not thou have condemned them without any demur Thus Mr. Mede SECT III. Of the words of GAIUS seconded by DIONYSIUS ALEXANDRINUS both falsly fathering our opinion upon CERINTHUS and injuriously mingling therewith such impieties as our souls abhorre yet so far credited by EUSEBIUS PAMPHYLIUS therein too credulous as that they are alleadged by him for history without putting any check upon them * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euseb Pamphil. lib. 3. cap. juxta Graec. 26. 27. juxta laâ—motas in Irenaeo juxta Aug. cap. 24 25 In the discusse whereof our Opinion of the THOUSAND YEARS is VINDICATED from VOLUPTUOUS CHILIASME THE whole story is this About the same time viz. of the Sect of the Ebionites we learne that there was one Cerinthus an Author of another Heresie Gaius whose words we have aforealleadged in the controversie carryed about in his name writeth thus of him CERINTHUS also by revelations written as of a great Apostle brought
unto us certaine monstrous things faining them to have been revealed unto him by Angels that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly that in Jerusalem our flesh again should serve concupiscence and the lust of the flesh And being wholly set to seduce as an enemy to the word of God he said there should be the term of a MILLENARIE feast allotted for marriage Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his second Book after he had remembred the Revelation of Saint John received by tradition of OLD he reporteth of this man CERINTHUS thus CERINTHUS which founded the Cerinthian Heresie gave his figment a name for the further credit thereof His kind of Doctrine was this he dreamed the Kingdome of Christ should become earthly and set upon those things which he lusted after now being covered with his flesh and conpassed in his skinne that is the satisfying of the belly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eum quae sub ventre sunt with meat with drink with marriage And that he might the more colourably bring his devillish devices to passe he dedicated thereunto Holy-days Oblations and slaughter for Sacrifices So far Dionysius But IRENAEUS in his first Book against Heresies layeth down certain more detestable opinions of his And in his third booke he reporteth an history worthy the memory as received by tradition of Polycarp saying That John the Apostle on a certain time entred into a Bath to bathe himselfe and understanding that CERINTHUS was therein bathing himselfe John started aside and departed forth not abiding to tarry with him under the same roofe signifying the same to his company and saying let us speedily goe hence lest the Bath come to fall wherein CERINTHUS the enemy of the truth batheth himselfe Thus Irenaeus And thus you have heard at full Eusebius his report of the whole matter To prepare and make way for an answer whereunto let the Reader take notice that if Cerinthus did say that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly yet we say not so though we affirme that the Church shall be resident on earth for a thousand years after the first resurrection as t is called Rev. 20. that is the resurrection of all beleevers as t is explained Rev. 11. For the true Church of beleevers hath been on earth from the creation to this day and yet as beleevers not earthly but the spirituall body of Christ The holy Angels and Christ Jesus have conversed on earth and yet they were not thereby earthly And if Cerinthus said That in Jerusalem our flesh againe should serve the concupiscence and lust of the flesh c. Yet our soules abhor any thought thereof But indeed Cerinthus for ought we can find by diligent search into the ancientest and most approved antiquity did not say any such thing nor did he meddle with our opinion at all in the particulars thereof And therefore wee have more cause to suspect Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius to be guilty of too light credulity then to accuse Cerinthus of that we cannot groundedly charge him withall We deny not Cerinthus to be an Heretick as the Ancients call him holding divers great impieties But we cannot beleeve Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius that he was guilty of those things they charge upon him in relation to our opinion To this purpose hear Mr. Medes * Opuscul Lat Ad rem Apoca spect par 2â— p 55. answer An non hinc merito quis suspicari possit Gajum istum c. i. e. May not one justly hence suspect that same Gaius to have been one of the number of the heretical Alogi ** Alogi are according to the signification of the word men without the word or without reason And therefore by the Ancients oft called Brutes and charged with denying the word of God both the axiomatical in the etter and the substantiall viz Christ in the flesh which Alogi or Alogians denied saith Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei THE WORD OF GOD and therefore they ascribed to Cerinthus as well the Gospell of John as the Apocalyps The time doth altogether agree to that For Theodotus the Champion of the Alogian Standard was cast out of the Church by Pope Victor and Gaius flourished in the time of Zephirus who next succeeded Victorius Neverthelesse the words of Gaius †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. loâ— citat § 1. hujus Sect. 3. may bee taken in that sence as if he had said Cerinthus had feignedly fathered upon the great Apostle I know not what Apocalypses beside that one and onely Apocalypse out of which feigned Apocalypses that forging fellow endeavoured to prove that after the resurrection the Kingdome of Christ should be earthly wherein men should serve the lusts of the flesh and the inticements of carnall pleasures But what ever was the mind of Gaius it is very likely he was deceived concerning Cerinthus For if this had been the Heresie of Cerinthus how could it be that Justin Irenaeus Melito Tertullian and Hippolytus should be ignorant of it of whom Irenaeus and Tertullian have purposedly numbered up the Heresies of Cerinthus but of that heresie deep silence How therefore came it to be knowne to Gaius Neverthelesse it seems that the words of Gaius an obscure fellow gave occasion to Dionysius Alexandrinus Eusebius and many others in the heat of contention with the millenaries to doubt of the authority of the Apocalypse Thus Mr. Mede § 4 That which I have to adde or illustrate is this that the words of Gaius and Dionysius and the story of Eusebius alleadging them are not to bee weighed in this matter My reasons are ¶ 1. If Eusebius and Dionysius yea and Gaius himself doubted of the auâ—henty of the Apocalyps in opposition to our opinion of the glorious state of the Church with a visible yet spiritual glory for a thousand years yet to come they must needs be mis-led thereunto by mistakes untruths and false reports For there is no just reason to doubt of the divine authority of the book of the Revelation Nor is there any thing in our Tenet unbecoming that divine book nor dissentanious there-from but is more evidently held forth there then in any other book of the Scripture ¶ 2. Irenaeus and Tertullian and I adde Epiphanius naming Cerinthus and particularizing his hereticall opinions have not one word of his holding any thing of our opinion * Iren. lib. 1. ca. 25. quoting in Marg. Euseb l. 3. cap 25 and Iren l 3 c 3 1. Irenaeus mentions Cerinthus and his wicked opinions and wickednesse twice yet hath nothing of his holding our Tenet either in the same words with us or in others of any proportion although Erasmus or Grineus or both in their marginall notes doe well mind what Eusebius had said quoting the place All that Cerinthus held as Irenaeus reports the matter was Cerinthus autem quidam in Asia c. i. e. And there was one Cerinthus in Asia who taught
oft minded you out of 1 Cor. 15.24.28 ¶ 3 To his second proof or proof of proof My Kingdom is not of this world We answer It may be IN the world though not OF the world Compare John 15.19 The Church of Christ then was in the world yet then not of the world 2 Not of the world signifies not in the state of the unregenerate world but now at the time we speak of the world shall be Churched the quality of men shall be pure prime Saints 3 Not of the world to act in a wordly manner viz. to fight with the sword which was the occasion of that speech but shall act in a spiritual glorious manner the Word and Spirit in them the impression of glory on their bodies and the shining of graces in their soules the formidable fall of their former enemies the special manifestation of Christ the gradual harmony within themselves and their high sanctity of conversation shall be enough to make any couch and crouch and seem to be very holy if not so indeed 4 Keep wee to the very termes of the Text John 18. vers 36. namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT my Kingdome that is mine is not of THIS SAME world and we shall perceive that they look towards Christs peculiar Kingdome of which wee have treated all this while to bee erected in that world which the Apostle calls in Heb. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT even THAT SAME INHABITED or habitable world to come SECT IV. Doctor Prideaux his fourth Argument THe Doctors fourth Argument That the dignity of reigning is not attributed to the Martyrs themselves but onely to their souls which are dignified with the title of the first Resurrection therefore to extend these things to the persons or to any other Resurrection then that from the deadly opinions of Antichrist in which the rest lay dead seems to be far from the scope of the Prophesie Neither do those things move us which are urged of the dissenters viz. that soules are here taken synecdochically for soules and bodyes united and the first Resurrection to signifie the union of the soule with the body because this tropicall speech is exceeding slippery on which to establish an uncertaine opinion nor to bee admitted where no inconvenience follows in keeping to the letter as Augustine admonisheth us § 1 Answer first This dignity of Reigning is attributed to the Martyrs themselves and soul must of necessity signifie the persons and resurrection the union of body and soule For first in verse 4. those words WHICH had not worshipped the Beast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the masculine gender But soules in the feminine Againe The rest of the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 5. are in the masculine in Antithetical opposition to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that were beheaded Furthermore it is said verse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they lived which signifies they lived againe 1 Because so it signifies Rev. 2.8 Christ was dead and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is alive 2 It is spoken in antithesi to that verse 5. of this 20. of Revel The rest of the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lived not againe Now the soules of these were never dead according to the Doctors judgement and all that which the Scriptures hold the immortality of the soul Finally observe that the soules of them that were put to death in the ten Persecutions have reigned above a thousand yeers Now the Doctor understands precisely a thousand yeers as we heard afore therefore some reigning of their persons is meant which cannot bee in glory at the ultimate day of judgement where neither the person of Christ reigneth with the Saints nor they with him And the thousand yeers period with the general Resurrection at the ultimate day of judgement Rev. 20.9 c. is confessed by most therefore the reigning of soules a just thousand yeers cannot bee meant many having been martyred ever since Stephen § 2 The second thing we give in answer is That to understand a proper Resurrection is not besides the scope of the Prophesie For first this first Resurrection is prophesied for future v. 6. to those that had long since risen not onely from Idolatry but from sinne in general and sealed it with their bloud or other sufferers 2. The Doctor himselfe in contending for a metaphorical viz. a spiritual resurrection doth therein depart from the letter contrary to his own rule For no absurdity follows by adhering to the letter but will if we forsake it as before we have abundantly proved 3 Those that rose from Antichrists opinions arose not till Antichrist was manifest which the Doctor puts in Anno one thousand yeers after Christ Nor did they arise all at once but in successive ages therefore how do they reign a just thousand yeers in the time of Satans binding according to the Doctors opinion and account aforesaid yea or according to any other account § 3 To the slipperinesse of tropes c. first wee retort it on the Doctors exposition Secondly we have innumerable plain places to that sence of which afore SECT V. Doctor Prideaux his fifth Argument answered THe Doctors fifth Argument is inconsiderable and not worth the time of answering it being from meer authorities of meer men and some of the worser sort viz. Papists and Jesuits holding that the thousand yeers are past Indeed saith Mr. Mede many hope that it is past and so the death of the Witnesses And Papists and Episcopal men are loath we should expect a better time then that under them But we have store of learned godly Authors to oppose the Doctors Author on Rev. 20.4 See Pareus his Confession of all the Fathers p. 1115. And we have the Scriptures as we have shewed to assert that they are yet to come And one Scripture out-weighs all the men of the world Antiquitas sine veritate est vetustas erroris Tertul. SECT VI. The Doctors sixth Argument answered THe sixth and last Argument saith the Doctor heapeth up certaine inconveniencies which lye heavy upon this interpretation judgement or opinion of the Chiliasts ¶ 1 For saith he first it bringeth in another Resurrection of the bodies then that universall one in the ultimate judgement which is besides if not contrary to the Apostles Creed and the doctrine of Paul who delivers that all including himselfe without exception are then at the ultimate day of judgement to bee changed and to put on immortality in the place of mortality which he repeats under a certaine distinction of the first and second Resurrections but to be fulfilled at the sound of the Trumpet of God the Archangel sounding it 1 Cor. 15 16 17. 1 Thess 4 15. So the Doctors first inconvenience To which we answer afore we name any more And first to the first clause of another resurrection of the bodies We answer It brings not in another resurrection of the Saints bodies who rise onely once viz. at the first resurrection Howbeit if
beleeved and reported by Eusebius But by the best Antiquity Cerinthus is quitted Gaius doubted of and suspected Dionysius blamed and Eusebius reproved And to make these things good against them we produce Irenaeus Tertullian and Epiphanius And to conclude wee give you there Mr. Medes answer to the said Gaius Dionysius and Eusebius Thus we have repeated the more lest some should not take the paines to read the fore-quoted places But let us leave the tayle of the Argument and wound the head and heart of it and then the heels will easily fall ¶ 1 To the major Proposition and first to the first clause that The conceit of the thousand yeers makes Christs Kingdome to be earthly We answer It no more it makes earthly then to say the Church of Christ on earth makes the Church of Christ earthly because all this while it hath been on earth which notwithstanding is called heavenly Gal. 4.26 Heb. 12.22 Again the Angels businesses are with the Church on earth and about earthly things in relation to the Churches welfare Heb. 1. Dan. 10. yet it follows not that they are therefore earthly To the second clause of the major It makes Christs Kingdome most observable for all worldly glory Answer Though this Kingdome shall have observable for outward glory according to Rev. 21. Kings and Nations shall bring their honour to it yet it doth not follow that we say it shall be most observable for that But for the speciall manifestation of God and the Lamb and all the spirituall beams irradiating from them Rev. 21. dispelling all uncleanness and spiritualizing every thing so that though they injoy the earth upon earth yet not in an earthly manner Sure then shal that be much more verified in 1 Cor. 10.31 and Phil. 3.20 Their conversation is in heaven and doe all to the glory of God ¶ 2 To his minor Proposition First to the first clause But the Scriptures makes it to be spiritual without all Worldly pomp I Answer words are as they are intended In English pomp and vanity are much of the same sense But if by pomp Mr. B. means outward glory Christ hath promised it abundantly in many places of the old Testament before alleadged And also in the new Testament in many places of which afore and particularly in Rev. 21. throughout To the second clause of his minor Neither doth the word of God make the Kingdome of the Mediator of two kinds and of a different nature We answer As all orthodox Divines do distinguish the Church of the Mediator into visible and invisible yet do say and Mr. B. can see it as well as I that they doe not distinguish the Church into severall kinds so it is in this As notwithstanding that in Heb. 1.1 The Church and Word are still of the same kinde and nature in Essence To the third clause of his minor The Word makes the Church one uniform from the beginning to the end We answer This word Uniform is variously used by Prelates and Presbyters which variety doth arise from Diocess and Classes But we thinke if we distinguish of an internal and an external form we shall satisfie the objection The Church is one Uniforme Church in the internal form which is union in and with Christ and through him with one another Eph. 4. And yet this doth not hinder the Church in several ages to have several external formes In Adams standing it was outwardly most glorious as well as inwardly perfect In the ten Fathers time afore the Flood it was in Families with a mean outward glory In the time of Tabernacle made by Moses and of the Temple built by Solomon it had a world of glorious types and abundance of pomp i. e. outward glory In the New Testament in the first 300 yeers it was mean in Constantine M. c. a great deal of outward glory But again of late times in many places very mean yet still wee truly confesse one universal Church in kinde nature essence and internal forme why therefore should it make an objection that when Christs time shall come that is greater then Constantine the Great then Moses then Solomon then Adam that HEE shall make the Church as internally and spiritually most exact so externally glorious If there be any outward glory on earth it shall not be in the hands of the foure Monarchies or any part thereof but in the hands of the Saints considered as the Church not as the world For then the world shall bee Churched Christ not Bishops Christs Spirit not their Liturgy or Letany or Collects shall Church her and give her an Hallelujah for her safe delivery and fulfill that neither the Sunne of worldly power nor the Moon of worldly things shall fright her any more For that Psalme is meant of the Church ¶ 3 To his proofs of the minor viz. That the Scripture makes the Kingdome of the Mediator to be spiritual without all worldly pompe and that neither doth the word of God make that Kingdome to be of two kindes and of two different natures but one and uniforme from the beginning to the end I say that proof he brings for this will be too short by many rounds to reach all this pompe of words in which he dresseth forth his minor Proposition Let us examine his proofs by particulars First that in Luke 1.32 The Lord shall give him the Throne of his Father David and he shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever Now we aske the question Doth this make out all the straines of Mr. B. minor Nay we have largely shewed this place mightily confirmes our opinion and overthrows the contrary See before Book 3. Chap. 4. Sect. 2. page 383. c. I am loath to spend time and paines in repetition and so to swell this Treatise with unnecessaries I will onely aske Mr. B. where or when yet was fulfilled this same SHALL And WHERE is DAVIDS THRONE now And how doth Christ reigne over the HOUSE of JACOB in any part or in any manner in inward and outward glory To his second proof 1 Cor. 15.25 He must reigne till he have put all things under him We answer first by a question doth this place prove all the clauses of his minor Is here one word to say that in Christs Kingdome there is but one way of ruling that there is but one Kingdome meerly spiritual and in no wise worldly Yea doth not this Text speak the contrary whâ—n it faith all his things as Mr. B. alleadgeth it must be put under his feet Surely this intimates a great alteration of the world that the world shall submit to Christ for the good and service of the Church as many places in the Old Testament doe gloriously inlarge Mr. B. quips us with a Socino-remonstration But sure it is plaine Familisme to turne plaine places into Allegories To the third proof in Luke 17.20 The Kingdome of God commeth not with observation Neither shall they say Lo here or lo there
texts of Isa 25.8 and Hos 13 14. to be then fulfilled doth clearly import a state on earth of a visible glory of the Church when the Jewes shall be called For the said Prophesies mainly had an eye to the restitution of the Jews As the Apostle extends them to Jews and Gentiles attained by Christ And speaks in this Chapter all along of the resurrection of Saints which John Rev. 20.5 calls the first Resurrection and doth not speake of the generall Resurrection of the wicked ¶ 3 Adde to the three former places to prove that this time we speake of shall be a deathlesse condition another most evident place sc Rev. 21.4 I have diverse times demonstrated that this Chapter cannot bee meant of everlasting glory in the highest heavens And once I runne over the whole Chapter to that end And now you may cast your eye upon 1 2 3. verses which lead to the fourth now quoted New heavens because the old passe away But the highest heavens are never old nor passe away And a New earth which cannot import Heaven No more Sea This in no wise can belong to a description of glory in the highest heavens I saw New Jerusalem the holy City comming downe from God OUT of Heaven not going up to Heaven The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwel with them Then it follows v. 4. God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine So that the taking away of all tears as is here expressed is the same with Isa 25.8 And in both places the taking away of death and of sorrow are conjoyned ¶ 4 So that in Revel 7. the last verse relates to the same place of Isa 25.8 And intends fully the taking away of death though not so fully mentioned ¶ 5 The last place to prove this deathlesse condition is Rev. 22.2 3 It is evident that this 22 Chapter relates to the same state as Chapter 21. witnesse not only v. 14 15. But v. 1 2. of the Fountain of water and Tree of life which signifies a state on earth Now in relation to our Point by reason of their partaking of the Tree of life it is said in v. 3. There shall be no curse i. e. No death For that was the original curse to Adam if he did eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and evill If he did not he might have eaten of the Tree of life and lived for ever Hee should never have dyed but beene translated So now shall it bee in this State § 3 Thus you see the grounds that make it most probable that this time shall be a Deathlesse time A kinde of beginning of immortality If men say the contrary it is by presumptuous interpretation and with a bold THAT IS But these places speake so plaine downe right that I must leave them as I finde them and not dare to alter them If any one intimation in other Scriptures may be found they must for ought I see be accommodated to these The plainer must make the darker comply To deal faithfully with you There is onely one considerable place that I know of relating to the time I speake that hath something of an intimation of mortality to be in these times and that is Isa 65.20 It cleerly relates to the time we speak of v. 17. Behold I create New Heavens and a New earth c. which Peter refers to this time 2 Pet. 3.13 in relation to the promise in that Isa 65. Now the 20. verse our Translators have rendred thus There shall be no more an Infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes For the childe shall dye an hundred yeers old but the sinner being an hundred yeers old shall be accursed Now as far as I can see into Languages and the context these words For the childe shall dye an hundred yeers old may be more fitly translated That the childe should dye an hundred yeers old For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew is exceeding often used yea and so rendred by Translators to signifie THAT as wee have here rendred it As for turning shall into should it is not worth the mentioning before a Grammarian that knowes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so rendred will infer that the verb speak subjunctively Now read the words so easily altered in the English and without the least violence to the native acception of the Hebrew and the meaning will be quite contrary to any intimation of the mortality of the Saints in this glorious time of the thousand yeers For according as we have translated the sense will runne cleerly thus There shall be no more thence or from that time viz. of the beginning of the thousand yeers of the New Creation an infant of dayes or an old man that hath not filled his dayes that the child or young man should dye at an hundred yeers old So that here is no mention of the mortality of the Saints but of their immortality Which for further clearing of the Text may bee made out two wayes ¶ 1. Thus Hee that is an hundred yeers old in those dayes is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Text but a youth or young man as our old Translation renders it For as a youth hath but the tenth part of that age which many men live in these dayes So an hundred yeers are but the tenth of this Millenary time of life to the inheritors thereof Againe as in the first age of the world wherein Adam lived one of an hundred yeers old was but a young man to one at his full age in those dayes as Gen. 5.4 Adam lived an hundred and thirty yeers and begat a sonne But Adam after that lived eight hundred yeers so all his dayes were nine hundred and thirty neer a thousand Even so in this Millenary age of the New creation one of an hundred yeers old is but a young man to the thousand yeers that hee shall reigne with Christ on earth So that the sense of the Prophet may fairly be taken to be this That in the time of this New creation the thing a type at least of the highest glory and the time a preface of eternity as the young man must not have his dayes cut off so the old man must fulfill his dayes And how are both these accomplished in this New creation but by both their living on earth a thousand yeers old and young all Saints reigning on earth a thousand yeers When I speake of old and young you must understand those Saints that are found alive at Christs comming which anon after are changed for all the deceased Saints are raised to an equall perfection and absolute maturity of age and nature even as the other are changed into the same exactnesse though at Christs first appearance different in age c. So that we may well understand the Prophet to allude to the age of
the first Adam that if in a sinfull state his age at a hundred yeers was but as it were youth his whole age amounting to near a thousand yeers how much more shall the Saints by means of the second Adam live a thousand in a sinlesse condition ¶ 2 It may bee congruously made out that the Prophet in this Text intends rather the immortality of the Saints then their mortality thus There shall be no more THENCE an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes that the childe youth or young man should dye an hundred yeers old OR the sinner an hundred yeers old should be cursed Thus we read the whole verse to the tune or sound of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT as before we rendred it turning our English but in the latter clause into Or the Hebrew being the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Mr. Mede saith being like materia prima capable of innumerable forms of significations may well be so rendred here And then the sense will bee this that at that time of the New creation which St. John saith shall be a thousand yeers there shall be neither he that shall naturally dye in his infancy nor he that shall naturally dye in his riper age before he hath made up his full dayes nor he that shall be a sinner whereby his dayes should be violently cut off ¶ 3 If it may better please some they may read it to this sense That at that time and that glorious estate though the old sinner shall be cut off yet no Saint either young or old shall dye at all All these wayes of reading the text in favour of the immortality of the Saints the word THENCE doth much animate and justisie As if the Prophet should say thus out of this New Creation for the duration thereof there shall no such person be found that shall be mortal though all the transgressors the enemies thereof that are without it shall be cut off at its very beginning even as we have largely amplified afore upon sundry occasions But if wee lanch out into the context as wee intimatedly promised afore to wade into the depth of the precedent and subsequent coherence or dependence of this text our reading of the words and rendring of the sense of it for the immortality of Saints will bee made much more perspicuous First it is said in v. 17. Behold I creat new Heavens and a new Earth alluding no doubt to the first Creation of the world in glorious perfection and Adam in innocency who should never have dyed if he had never sinned And the former shall not be remembred viz. for their meannesse by reason of mans sin Nor as it is in the Hebrew ascend upon you That is the imperfections of the former state of things should not touch them when they should attain this New one of the main imperfections of the former state being mortality it being the sad memoriall and effect of dolefull-sin Therefore the removall of this the Prophet must mainly mind 2. It is said in verse 18. Be you glad and rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 age to age or for ever in that I create which cannot consist with death or death with it which quencheth natural joy which every thing hath in its natural being and morall joy which it hath in the injoyment of its well-being 3. It is said in verse 19. I will saith the Lord rejoyce in JERUSALEM and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be NO MORE heard in HER nor the voyce of crying Now if sorrow must be gone that it shall be no more then I thinke there shall be no more death 4. In the 20. verse it self It is strange that according to our English there should be mentioned the death of Saints and not the death of the wicked of whom it is said onely the sinner an hundred yeers old shall be accursed And what doth this Atheistical creature care for that as long as he may live and enjoy his sinfull pleasure on earth therefore according to our reading in the third and lowest sense at ¶ 2 the sense must be that of the Saints nor young nor â—â—old shall be incompleat in their yeers by death but the sinner at an hundred yeers old which is much for him to live shall be accursed that is he shall dye sc be mortal So first The Antithesis Secondly The story of Gen. 2. The curse was In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye i. e. be mortal liable to death And this thing death is that which strikes a dart through the liver of a wicked man The fear of this to him is worse then that of hell For hee seldome fears hell till he sees death If he were sure he should not dye he saith in his heart a pin for hell Fifthly It is said in verse 22. They shall not build and another inhabit which is whiles mortality reignes marke the reason For as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people And many sorts of trees live a thousand yeers It is a promise and therefore to be taken in a favourable sense And surely trees in Paradise at least so long lived as Adam once eating of the tree of Life continuing in obedience But at this time is all obedience and here is the tree of life Rev. 21. And sixthly it followes in this 22. verse of this 65. of Isay And mine elect shall LONG injoy the works of their own hands How doe they injoy them long if no longer then heretofore in the reign of mortality It is a promise and a promise is to be interpreted in favour of the Promisee as a Lease in favour of the Lessee All these plainly to mee justifie my reading of this Text to cast out mortality from the Saints And that I may the lesse seem presumptuous and singular in this and withall adde something for illustration give me leave to shew you other famous Translations to the same tune First The Arabick renders this 65. of Isa 20. thus Neither shall there be any more a young man imperfect in age nor an old man that shall not fulfill his time For the young man shall fill up an hundred yeers But the SINNER that after an hundred yeers dyes shall be accursed Observe This Translation casts out mortality from the Saints and applies it to Sinners onely as it were by not regarding the common pointing of the Hebrew by which points oft-times we suffer much as Arcanum punctationis hath abundantly demonstrated 2 The seventy Greek Translators translate much to the same effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Neither shall there be any more one that is not ripe sc in age nor an old man that hath not fulfilled his time For the young man shall bee an hundred yeers old but the sinner that dyes a hundred yeers old shall be also accursed Observe here as on the Arabick 3 The Chaldee Paraphrase also favours our