such manifold great happiness will be then derived unto them in that world to come Heb. 2.5 in the renewed state thereof which I doubt not to manifest by the same Divine Assistance very evidently to all serious unprejudiced and understanding Christians in the following Systeme of Gods most gracious Oeconomie or ordering his Houshold the Church in the same respects of such revealed promised or convenanted Mercies chiefly respecting those times but passing thence to eternal blessedness for on such the second Death shall have no power c. Now as the glory of Gods wonderful free Grace first published by himself to Adam and Eve Gen. 3.15 was by their faith applyed as to redound to all their faithful Posterity so hath God been graciously pleased to derive many rivolets of like grace from the same fountain head running their several courses in their several times but all falling in their fullest streams Divine Wisdom and Goodness so ordering the same as it were into those more narrow Seas or Streights of the said 1000 years and from thence passing into the vast Ocean of Eternity whither they Saints shall all be conveighed in due time order and manner from their happy enjoyments in that state appointed for them wherein in the mean time his Wisdom Mercy Truth and Faithfulness will in such respects shine out gloriously to them in so great enjoyments as they shall then obtain and will be thereby many ways more fitted with the blessed Angels to glorifie God the Father Son and Holy Spirit in their rendering all due praise unto him for the same both then and for ever more which they could never do if the raised Saints at the first said Resurrection of their bodies had not a part in all the happiness of that tryumphant state of Christs Church in the said 1000. years and in all the benefits and priviledges thereof viz. of the said revealed Promises and Covenants to the Fathers of old and their spiritual Seed which we hope to manisest in what follows to be according to the word of Gods said Revealed Grace c. And to that purpose we now proceed to the said Systeme of Gods declared Mercy at the fall of Man and in all the succeeding Millenniums or thousands of years in order following The System of Gods declared Mercy at the Fall for a thousand Generations or seven thousand Years as by the Divine Guidance of his Word and Spirit which we shall ever humbly and thankfully desire to acknowledg to his Praise he hath discovered to us from the Fall of Man to the end of the World Especially as is further disclosed by a double Key First of Daniels Sealed hints of Prophesie to ch 20. of Rev. Secondly of Gods most antient Revealed and Promised Mercies to the end of the Revelation Hinted also from Daniels Lot Dan. 12.12 Of the order of the latter in the first Millen or thousand years WHen God in the begining had finished his great and good work of the Worlds Creation in six days and made Man his Deputy Ruler in it and the Devil maliciously by the Serpents subtilty and upon the advantage of the womans weakness had brought about the womans sin and mans fall The Trinune Diety of his own meer grace was mercifully pleased to manifest his most glorious divine goodness by a wonderful Declaration of his said free and infinite mercy towards lost mankind and by himself to publish that Foundation of all future happiness containing in the Womb of it all future revealed and promised mercies and Covenants to his Church and People in all succeeding times by declaring that the seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 which Christ in his Mediatorship from that time undertook and hath and doth and will still carry on until he shall make his Foes his Footstool Psal 101.1 eminently at the beginning of the 1000 years by destroying Turk and Pope and taking out of his Kingdome all things that offend c. And by binding Satan for that time and totally and finally destroy all his Enemies at the end Rev. 20. which is largely considered in our treatise upon that Text And will not these things greatly concern the raised living Saints too at that time especially to see the last most obstinate and desperate Enemies both taken of and taken away for ever Oh how will then the Heavens rejoyce and the Earth be glad What Halelujahs will then be sung by Angels and men c. Secondly When the old world was much heightened in wickedness God also by Enoch the 7th Adam his blessed translation as a worker of Righteousness excited men to well doing by Faith and as a type of Christ upon whose ascention all his Followers shall twice ascend by Christ First in this Souls by his powerful grace during their natural Life Secondly In Soul and Body both together at the first blessed bodily Resurrection of the just and at the general Rapture of all the Saints at the last Trumpet when the said 1000 years shall be ended And may not real good Christians by their first ascending into a state of grace by Christ guess what degrees of joy and happiness they shall rise unto in Kingdom and Glory with Christ at the Resurrection and Rapture And also by Enochs Prophetical Vision of Christs coming to Judgement in the first and second Act thereof recorded by Jude v. 14. Loe he cometh with 10000 of his Saints to execute Judgement c. to warn all men to avoid evil the first judicial Act thereof is set down Dan. 7. at the the beginning of the 1000 years the second Rev. 20.11 after the 1000 years are ended and will not all the said Saints magnifie Gods Holiness Power Justice and Truth in both his so revealed and then executed Acts of Judgement c. In the 2d millen or 1000 years GOd about an 1656. did also by Noah a Preacher of Righteousness 1. Typifie 2. Covenant 3. Prophesie concerning these times and things after he had warned the wicked world then by his Preaching of Repentanae to them in the time of the Arks preparation 120. years when their wickedness was arrived to the height which Ark as it was for the saving of his own house then or all such penitent or believing Sinners that would then come into it wherein safety then as salvation at all times is onely to be had in the Church of Christ So Christ will be the true and safe Ark of his Church or Family when the the world in part or in whole shall perish by Fire at the beginning or end of the 1000 years and will not the remembrance of Noah Ark illustrate Christs glory then being the Antitype thereof in doing such works for his Saints how will he then be admired of them c. 2. God also made a Covenant with Noah confirmed by the Rainbow the Token thereof for the worlds preservation from drowning to the end and also gave his blessings to men and all sorts of
of Gods indignation with misery unconceivable but if they would wisely provide for the body which they chiefly seem to regard they should lobour to get into a capacity of the blessed New Jerusalem state with all the said Saints that will produce a speedy return for the time draws neer of the happiness of the whole man Soul and Body present or speedy possession is a great motive in earthly purchases but much better is this and that for a long enjoyment of 1000 years with Christ and his Saints c. which will also be perfected in Eternity ordinarily mens hopes for body and soul together is not till the last Trumpet but Christ that is thebest Teacher hath evidently shewed the Bodies of all that sleep in him when he comes at the first Resurrection will in their order be united with their Souls for that happy state 1000 years before if worldly men were sure the present state of things would continue but half 1000 years how would they be encouraged to lay out for Purchases for that time but when there seems to be good reasons that men may not groundedly hope it may continue the twentieth part of 500 years how wary have they cause to be in laying out their Treasure in such a shaking tottering fading World unto which the said New Jerusalem will suddenly succeed in that world to come whereof we speak If men be born again by sound Regeneration spiritually then they shall rise from the dead with the Saints bodily a thousand years before the rest of the dead Rev. 20.5 which is like to prove a speedy possession incomparably above all worldly enjoyments in the best way they can be had here as we showed before in many particulars but by the way which bad men love pursue or by Gods long sufference enjoy the world it were better not to have had a being in this world than so to have had it without Repentance for the abuse of what they have had therein for all that such persons find in it is the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life the matter of their present sin and the cause of their future misery and now this world of it self is most vanishing standing upon its last leggs as we say and though that deluding old Harlot like Jesabel or old a little before her death paints her self to hide her wrinkled face and gastly countenance and adorns her self in gorgeous Attire yet is she for very age ready to give up the ghost and leave all her Paramors like old Mystery Babylon the Mother of Harlots to make them crye out there Alas alas alas alas when all is lost and destroyed ch 18. Oh then for a Saints part in the New Jerusalem state for so excellent long secured happiness which will end in eternal blessedness what would such men give for it if it could be then had and they had withal to purchase it If men would befriend their bodies what good policie would it prove to get them befriended there and take advise speedily in that case when God begins to shake not the earth only but the Heavens also the Scripture tells us that he that ought to be the desire of all Nations is about to come and are there not great shakings of both at this present time it seems from Script very probable that that next great shaking fit of the world is not far off described Esa 2.17 to the end with Rev. 16. Dan. 12.1 will shake most impenitent unreformed sinners from off the worlds stage into the bottomless pit to bear their Master company whose servants so they are for that shaking Earthquake will be such as never was mighty an Earthquake and so great Rev. 16.18 and such a time of Trouble as men never saw Dan. 12.1 I point out these things only I cannot now press them saving by my Prayers that God would set them home for good that poor sinners may now at last be plucked like sire brands out of the fire And let all sorts consider now they use the world at present though they abuse it not as some sensual bruitish persons wallowing in grosly notorious courses of licenciousness hardning and priding themselves in their gross impieties yet what do they with their enjoyments all that men have in the best way are Talents that God will have account of how will the great tryal be when Christ shall Judg at last in as much as ye have not done it to the least of my Disciples you have not done it unto me Mat. 25. go therefore ye cursed c. If men would take off every yoak and comfort the distressed feed the hungry cloath the naked if less was spent in vanity more bestowed on designs to promote works of piety and charity men would make better accounts than it is to be feared most rich and great men will then do who if they pervert not their power and wealth to hinder good and promote evil yet will be condemned an guilty in Christs day for not hindering evil and not promoting good every Commandment of God hath a positive scope but otherwise let such look to have all pride and hautiness of men in honour in wealth in any worldly abundance to be humbled and then driven from their Places and Possessions or perish with them when their perpetueties here will utterly end their worldly honour will vanish so far as they have not honored God therewith their great and costly buildings will tumble down upon their heads or otherwise be destroyed or burnt up and then they shall leave all their Treasure buried for ever in the worlds sudden ruines and neither they nor theirs have any good of those things that they would not suffer others to have good of before Esa 2.17 c. and then will be no time to do it when those things shall be no longer theirs nor any left to confer them upon within their reach and yet must unavoidably be called to an account for them and condemned without early reformation and our Saviour tells he comes as a thief in the night and his coming will be as a snare upon the whole earth but what then will become of those that by Rapine or Violence have increased in wealth that have abused their Power and Authority to Oppress and Persecute the plenty of Gods Creatures to consume them in riot and excess in many sorts of sinful vanities the heavier load will hereby lie upon them that they are not only privitively evil but possitively also make to your selves then friends sinners as Christ your Judg formerly commanded of the unrighteous Mammon whilst ye have time but if ye will not quickly do it Christ himself will provide for his meek ones who shall then inherit the earth and delight themselves in abundance of peace Psal 37. 7. Vse of Inform. Hence all Christians may be instructed that many comfortable Doctrines may be drawn from the said Foundations of such consolations to be enjoyed
Church for which end this Love-letter was sent by him almost 1600 years past to prepare for that approaching Marriage Rev. 19. 21. I say therefore it is henceforth very desirable that more than ordinary endeavours should be used in and encouragement given to those Studies by all real Friends of Christian Religion who may now expect much return from Christ thereupon And I confidently believe that every degree of obstruction unjustly cast in the way thereof upon whatsoever seeming good pretence will by himself be reckoned when he comes as an acting for Antichrist and against himself and by how much the greater degrees the worse and if young Students now begin early to apply their Studies thereunto they may likely find by the assistance of the Spirit and Grace of Christ I speak from Experience a better foundation laid for their future Studies than from many others formerly c. Now when he had thus decyphered the said Saints or Souls by their suffering before and their living and reigning then with Christ he speaks of the others dead that lived not again till the 1000 years were ended both being so distinguished the former suffered and lived and reigned with Christ but the other had no part therein but of the former only that had part in all these he speaks in the words of my Text This is the first Resurrection viz. bodily so long namely 1000 years before the other dead shall rise again bodily which is also called the time of the dead to be judged with reward and is the same time in that Parallel text Rev. 11.19 and that thou hast rewarded thy Servants the Prophets and thy Saints and all that fear thy name both small and great and all these at the same time when the last Vial was poured upon the Aire of the Beast Rev. 16. when the Prince of the power of the aire is to be dejected from his Rule at the Beasts destruction and he himself to be so securely bound and shut up and sealed c. then the Saints rose bodily and reigned with Christ this is the time order cause and end of their rising then 1000 years before the rest of the dead to whom only that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rising out of the heap of the dead doth properly belong and also our Saviours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rising out of the state of such dead left behind speaks the same thing that the Saints rise 1000 years before the rest of the dead which is this first Resurrection And that the said time of 1000 years is not taken indefinitely but absolutely for it self 1000 year is acknowledged by the learned even among such as would understand them by way of Anticipation in the most unfit times of Satans prevalency as Paraus and others which I doubt not but a clear laying down of the Truth will here sufficiently resolve and such men also grant that that whole number of 1000 years is always used for it self in Scripture and not otherwise But our blessed Saviour hath so exactly laid that down in this Revelation so as he hath taken away all ground to pretend otherwise both in laying down the said 1000 years absolutely and relatively in regard of Satans binding and the Saints reigning and in several respects what was before what in the time and what after the said 1000 years so that no Parallel passage in holy Scripture or other Writings I believe can be produced and again so ofren repeated both absolutely what that time was namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three times 1000 years and as often relatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those those those 1000 years in reference both to Saints and Satan and shall vain men presume to pervert this sence of Christ which he hath so fastened upon them yea I may say Rivited into them all along and so by all circumstances Divinely gloriously illustrated in this most excellent part of his Revelation more plainly and clearly laid down then all the rest as Mr. Mede observes wherein is contained the sure table of the best times of his Church in the world and her Sabbatism of rest to come in it as the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.9 and thus much from the first consideration of the Text with its dependancy In the next place the Saints bodily Resurrection will appear to be the said first Resurrection from diverse considerable passages observable from the Context of which we gave divers hints long a go in our Appendix after the Irenio page 100 101 102. And the first from the Antithesis or opposing the living of these to the not living of the rest of the dead till 1000 years after so that look how these lived now the other must not live again so till that said time take it both ways the others live not bodily till then therefore these live bodily now the others shall not live spiritually then therefore these live not spiritually now for they are opposed as the one living the other not living again opposita non sunt possunt simul esse vera 2. In what respect the Saints were said to be dead being such as were beheaded in the same respect here they are said to live but they were dead only in respect of their bodies therefore they lived here onely in respect of their Bodies Again their Souls were not at all dead since they suffered therefore as to them they are not said to live at that time when Satan was bound 3. They were to live as should be suitable to Christs being the first Fruits of the Saints Resurrection at his coming again but he was so by his Bodily Resurrection therefore they as the whole Vintage rise bodily at his said coming suitable to the first Fruits of the same kind 1 Cor. 15.23 Above 1600 years after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh the end which our Saviour hath revealed shall be above 1000 years after his said second coming 4. The Saints are then to live as will be suitable to Christs personal Reign to behold his Glory and to behold the Vision of him as the object of their Sence then as Joh. 17.24 He willed that they should be with him to behold his Glory which the Father hath given him which many ways appears by Scripture must necessarily be then in his said Kingdom where they shall Reign with Christ c. Christ also gave a preludium or foreshewing example of the first Resurrection of the Saints at his own Resurrection Mat. 27. by the Resurrection of many dead c. And the Apostle Paul speaks to that effect 2 Cor. 4.14 That as God raised up the Lord he would so raise them and present them together But nothing of raising any wicked man till the last Trumpet Quest But is not this Resurrection meant of Regeneration because such are said to be blessed that have part in the first Resurrect c. Answer Some persons at the first view are apt to conceit so
of it not considering the drift of our Saviour in this Revelation nor the Order of it Besides all the incongruity of it to what hath been said already and as for the blessedness here assigned to it it much better proves this to be the said bodily Resurrection of the Saints when they obtain together a greater and much more eminent blessedness then any regenerate Saints have in this life all Tears are then wiped away from their Eyes for ever and their grace perfected and Souls and Bodies united in a blessed and holy State v. 6. though not in such outward glory probably as they shall have at the general rapture yet will have then blessed spiritual Bodies suitable to such a middle State as Christs Body was in after he rose again till he ascended and it may be very congruous that as Christs body was in such a state wherein he appeared and disappeared to his Disciples and others before his was glorified so all these Saints should first rise in such a state to be the more useful to living Saints then before the said Rapture at the last Trump Such also were the Saints Bodies seen in the Holy City Math. 27. And should not there be a suitableness of the Members to their Head and will not the Communion of such as walk in the light of the New Jerusalem require the same How did Moses's glympse of glory trouble Israel of old till his Face was vailed Gods wayes to his Saints will all appear to be full of Wisdom as well as goodness But this is a condition of a new living after men were dead or beheaded and then no Regeneration is to be expected that must be now in this Life or never And it is also of such as were regenerate before they died else they would never have been Martyrs of Jesus Christ Again if this living were Regeneration then all regenerate men must be made such in a short compass of time for all Saints till then that have died shall then so live again and if all regenerate men must live with Christ a 1000 years in Regeneration what became of such as died before Christ took our nature or when since did all such live with Christ 1000 years altogether in Regeneration Again the purpose of this living was to be now revealed as a mercy not known before as to time and many other things respecting the first said Resurrection as we shall God willing shew in many things but Regeneration was an ancient Doctrine well known that onely concerned the living but not the dead the absurdity of such a pretence is so palpable it would be but superfluous here to write more upon it or for the Reader to spend time in reading over again our said hints or others like with further inlargements But also many Scriptures shew a necessity of the said Saints so living bodily then for first Christ promises to over-comers that they shall rule over the Nations Rev. 2.26 These over-comers by Faith are his suffering Saints that are dead therefore they must rise again whilst such Nations are to be rul'd over also saith he they shall sit on his own Throne distinct from his Fathers Rev. 3.21 But Christ hath none such yet but he shall have at his return from his Fathers right hand they shall therefore then sit thereon The meek likewise shall inherit the Earth and delight themselves in abundance of Peace Psal 37.11 They never did so yet but our Saviour saith they shall Mat. 5.5 therefore such a time and state for such remains that they must live again to enjoy these and many other like premises in the time of Christs Mediatory Kingdom for they cannot in any other state hereafter c. Many other particular promises respecting the said state might here be added But I proceed to that great consideration that contains many weighty Arguments and Reasons in it namely that this part of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is his own Key as we have sufficiently proved in our said Preface fitted by himself to unlock that great Cabinet of pretious Jewels concerning the revealed promised Mercies to the Fore-fathers cheifly to be performed to themselves and their spiritual Seed at this first Resurrection peculiar to the Saints at the beginning of 1000 years when they shall behold all the glorious Grace of Christ closed up till then in a great measure in the Womb of those promises which will then have their perfect birth and speedy growth whereupon great Halelujahs will be founded out to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit by themselves Angels men and all other Creatures then living in the world in their capacity Rev. 5.10 c. at the glorious restitution of all things and they themselves and all the rest enjoy the good of them together in the said 1000 years Without which state I may upon many good grounds assert the main parts of these great promises will never be performed nor their cheif ends attaine◠〈…〉 want thereof but God on the one part should loose the 〈…〉 of his Justice Holiness and Truth designed to be then manifest as by his word appears in regard of his said predictions against thâ—se greatest last Sinners and Satan himself c. And also of his Wisdom Mercy Faithfulness and Truth then also declared to be fulfilled towards the Saints in and about the same 1000 years as by considering those particulars before laid down will easily appear to such as are not resolved to shut the light that God hath given them as men against the same For hath God in his word so abundantly revealed such a time and state and is there an excellent and suitable Harmony in these Revelations from the beginning to the end of his word so revealed and do the most antient Promises and Covenants fitly specially refer unto the said state and time and that upon divers great accounts and hath Christ particularly revealed how in what ways his Saints shall be brought to receive the benefits therein to be enjoyed and be fitted to perform the Service which thereby they will be engaged unto as well as to receive the happiness therein reserved for them and shall not these things upon such excellent advantages be carried on effectually What should hinder yea they do all strongly concur to advance their great ends Gods word gives witness as we have shewed to all these particulars and not one of them shall fail But Christ with his raised Saints shall Reign the said 1000 years the blessed New Jerusalem state shall be set up all Promises and Covenants that have their particular and cheif reference to them shall be in such respect fulfilled Christ and his Saints shall have their just Rights appointed by God in that condition whose good pleasure it is to give his little little Flock that Kingdom Truth hath said it and will not fail the great God by his holy Spirit hath revealed them unto his Church and our blessed Saviour hath at last set forth