Woman alone without man the Mighty One to save which God hath laid help on for that purpose Psal 89.19 Thirdly for the Place not in the highest Heavens for that time during the Judgment of the Great Day but in the world until Christs Kingly Office and Business fore-prophesied of in the Word be there sulfilled in destroying or removing the causes of evil in the world viz. wicked men and Devils out of it with their evil effects by sin namely the curse bodage corruption emnity brought upon the Creatures therein under which both men and other Creatures have long 〈…〉 do groan and accomplished all that promised good appoâ—ved for that time and state in the parts of that great restauration and renovation respecting both the raised Saints and those in the â—â—â—ural life according to Predictions and promised Mercies belonging to both sorts then c. which are all most surely confirmed Doctrines to be true and faithful by him that is said to sit upon the Throne in this Text and all as belonging to the Davidical Kingdom of Christ into the possession whereof the raised Saints are brought by the first blessed bodily Resurrection as their Inlet thereinto Secondly This may inform Christians first of the Divine excellencie of this Book 2. Of the incomparable usefulness thereof in those many great respects of the Saints great concernments in that time and state leading them into and securing also unto them their eternal happiness in the highest Heavens upon the compleating thereof and thirdly thereupon of the great Reasons they have to stir them up to the frequent reading diligent study and profitable improvement of the matters set before them by God and Christ therein First the excellencie thereof appears from the Author of it and the manner of delivering it for the benefit and information of the Christian Church God the Father gives it to the Son and he to the beloved Apostle John when he was in the Spirit on the Lords Day in time of his banishment for the word of God and the Testimony of Jesus to be sent unto the Churches being also for that end sent and signified by his Angel Chap. 1.1 Secondly It was given with wonderful great solemnity in respect of things then to come to the end of the world Chap. 4. and 5. God the Father as sitting upon his Throne the Church represented by the 24 Elders and four living Wights about him representing all faithful Christians and Church-guides with whom is the Lamb and the seven Spirits ever present and when none could be found in Heaven or earth worthy to look into that Book or open the Seals thereof it was given to the Lamb to open and fulfil who by his infinite wisdom and perfect power hath and doth and in due time will both perfectly open and fulfil the same in the set order for the accomplishment thereof which will bring unexpressible rejoycing and praise by Angels Saints and all Creatures in their capacities thereupon c. Chap. 5.10 to the end Thirdly The matter is profound and contains highly profitable Mysteries the form is very excellent in a wonderful Divine contrivance as in some small measure we have pointed out as we have in Mercy received c. Secondly for the usefulness it gives encouragement in the worst times of sufferings from many memorandums of Christs Kingdom for the suffering Saints and of the New Jerusalem-state observable in all these times as in our 7th Argum. of the Word written is shewed Secondly Useful in opening the hidden Mystical part of the Gospel and the great Subjects of the last things respecting the first and second said Resurrection of the bodies of just and unjust in their orders and of the first and second Acts of the Judgment of the great Day contained in general in Enochs Vision or Prophesie and in many things explained by Christ and his Apostles but in many other could not be understood without this Book therefore called the Book of Revelation with an Emphasis as the whole holy Scriptures called the Bible and the name of Christ is added to it being the Revelation that only could be made by Jesus Christ the Son of God the eternal word but as manifest in the flesh therefore much is to be looked for from it not to be attained by any other Writings nor many things in the Holy Bible understood aright without the explications of this most Divine Book c. And therefore in the third place hence may all serious and found Christians see what great Reasons there are for them to use all careful endeavours to understand the weighty matters held out and revealed therein they are not secret things forbidden as some in the Old times when men might not look into the Ark of Gods Testament nor things shut up and sealed as many of Daniels Mysteries that were reserved for Christ thus to open in the times of the end or Gospel-times but they are of things whereunto a blessing is annexed to the due reading and search into them and therefore the beloved Apostle is commanded contrarily not to seal them Chap. 22.10 This Book with Daniels Prophetical Visions the hidden part whereof this in good measure is a Divine explication viz. during the Revelation said suffering-times to the 19th Chapter and they are both together given to regulate all Chronologie in the world for 2300 years and more to the end of this sacred Book without which little truth in all times since in that respect could have been found or discerned by all humane Authors so that all Prophetical Chronologie by the Revelation of God the Spirit is given in them both for so long a time viz. from the Captivity of Babylon to the end of the world even as Moses had likewise received his Divinely revealed Chronelogy of all times past to and in his own time for the space about 2490 years when there was nothing but Tradition to have supplied that want which was after in the Books of Joshua Judges Kings and Chronicles contiued upon record until the said Prophetical Chronology of Daniel and Revelation took place which have been since Divinely carried on and so will be as was said unto the end of the world and because Moses and many of those that followed had likewise as the Apostle Peter teaches distinct Prophesies of those last times in the Book of Revelation therefore God in wonderful wisdom faithfulness and goodness hath in that last Table of of the happy times of Christs Church in the world revealed unto us those sure foundations of such unspeakable goodness then to be performed and accomplished not otherwise to be known or believed in many respects which are the peculiar excellencies belonging to and benesits accrewing to the Christian Church by this so Divine Book and are not these great engagements to the study of the same In this Divine Book we have the revelation in a latitude of the end of two special great Mysteries viz. the end of the great Mystery
we hope to shew and therefore these Revelations of all such last things are not to be explained by other Scriptures that speak not of such things but all others that either speak in general of them or not explicitly of many of the said particulars are in those respects to be explained by our Saviours Revelation whose wisdom is infallible his truth unerring being the saithful and true witness and all such his Revelations are utmost resolutions in the case and sure foundations therein to rest upon and the rather because of the Divine charge to the contrary with the terrible penalty annexed unto these Doctrines which is very evident doth respect the same especially Chap. 22.18.19 concerning willing at least or much more willful adding to or taking away any thing from the Prophesie of this Book which ought not slightly to be overlooked besides many other considerations which might be added that of 1 Cor. 15. ver 23. as the Revelation explains it Christ was the first fruits of the Saints Resurrection above 1600 years before his coming at Antichrists destruction when the suffering Sts. shall rise which he brings with him ita deinde as saith the Apostle then cometh the end as in Rev. 20.1000 years after and more and a reason is added all Christs enemies must first be put under his feet viz. first Ezekiels Gog Magog Turk Pope as we shewed and all taken then out of Christs Kingdom that offend and 1000 years after when the last Gog and Magog Rev 20. shall be destroyed and the Devil that seduced them cast into the lake of fire then will the last enemy death also be destroyed but in the interim all the said thousand years saith the Apostle he must reign till that last enemy death be also destroyed after which he will deliver up his Davidical Kingdom to the Father as was said ver 24. but at ver 51 52. he declares certain mysteries not known before concerning the general sudden rapture and change at the last Trump and last Resurrection which suit with Revelation order also though those mysteries and Christs last descending with a shout at the same time 1 Thes 4. seem to be only revealed to the Apostle Paul yet the distinction of Christs bringing his said Saints with him at his next coming 1 Thes 3.13 and 4.14 and his sudden rapping them up above 1000 years after to meet him in the Air when he descends with the said Trump of God v. 16. at the coming of the Lord as it is also called ver 15. from which time they shall ever be with the Lord which was not true from the former as by Revel 20. is manifest which is also another evident ground of distinguishing the same and by the Revelation-order so to be explained which is not to be understood according to any mens apprehensions of other Scriptures but other Scriptures to be explained by that in all such matters as God hath given unto Christ in that most Divine Book to resolve his Church of in such particulars therein held out and as for that of Peter 2.3 upon which some mistaken apprehensions of some seem to have put some difficulties by the help of the Revel may easily be resolved if we consider he speaks both of the Scoffers of the last times and to faithful Christians likewise and suits considerations useful for both to the Scoffers he offers the consideration of the day of the Lord that is the great day of Judgment wherein is the morning Judgment contained when Christ is said to come as a thief at the end of the 6th Vial Rev. 16.15 about the Armageddon battle as here he is said also to come as a thief in the night then will be the consuming of the body of the Beast by fire Dan. 7. and ver 10. a fiery stream issued from the Ancient of days at that Judgment but this seems by our Saviour besides other considerations to be a partial destruction chiefly falling upon wicked men compared Luk. 17. to Sodoms and Gomorrahs destruction that will find out such where they are But then the deluge of fire and the passing away of the Heavens as Rev. 20.11 both which by Revelation-Prophesie are manifest to be above 1000 years after the Armageddon-battle when the Beast and salse Prophet were taken and said to be cast into the lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19.20 but both these burnings the first partial the second general and ultimate are contained in the day of the Lord or the Judgment of the Great Day as Christs Revelation also teacheth without which this Text with many others could not be soundly resolved for his bringing in the exception of the New Heavens and New Earth v. 13. that is on the Saints part to comfort them against the Scoffers in these bad times not that they will be after the last destruction of the World but that there was such an happy state coming on wherein they were interessed though both at the beginning and ending of the day of the Lord such fiery Vengeance was in store for such wicked Scoffers hardned by Gods long sufferance in these last Days which the Apostle prophetically spake of and this Exposition from the warrant of this Divine Book given particularly for many such purposes and therefore stiled the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants c. is more satisfying to my Conscience than all the differing apprehensions of men whatsoever concerning the same Quest And whereas it may be questioned by some whether these Interpretations being mysterious be according to the intent of the Writers of those or the like said portions of Scriptures Answ That is not so much to be respected as that they be according to the minds of the Inditer of them who taught all his Messengers and Amanuenses to write and deliver what was Divine and sacred truth whether he gave them full Interpretations of them at the same time or not sometimes it is evident he did not as when Daniel was denied the knowledge of the times of the end therefore he said I heard but I understood not Dan. 12. and the Disciples could not understand the fulfilling of the Prophesie of Hosea Ch. 1. of the calling of the Gentiles then till by Vision to Peter and and gifts of the Spirit and the like he had resolved them and it seems probable that neither Moses in his Song for Posterity Deut. 32. or threatnings in order Lev. 26. or in penning Jacobs Prophefie or Balaams Parable as they all respected the last times did so understand them so whether the Apostle Paul or Peter in those things being guided by the Spirit of Christ to write concerning matters directly respecting the last times did know the particular meaning of them in those respects as they are explained since by the Book of Revelation I must ingeniously acknowledge that in things which were so by the same Spirit of Christ further in due time to be
revealed I believe they did not for first it is probable they would then with the said things have given the Interpretation of them if they had then known them And secondly the Holy Spirit of Christ would not have given particular Revelations to open and explain the particular meanings if they had not been necessary so to have been revealed in respect of the hidden parts of them and especially that God the Father in a glorious wonderful manner Rev. 5. should so give that most Divine Book to his beloved Son the Lamb so to reveal them as he hath done without which the Church had been in the dark in regard of many excelent points of Heavenly Doctrines now only knowable by the help and use of the said Book especially in what concerns the main Scope of all Revelation-Prophesie which is therefore highly to be esteemed and diligently to be studied by all wise and good Christians for the right understanding of the darkest portions of Scripture which are not rightly discovered by any other means but by these Divine Oracles of Jesus Christ and let it henceforth stand as an irrefragable Rule amongst all sound Christians that all those Texts of holy Scriptures concerning those last things viz. Resurrections and Judgment are to be explained by Christs Revelation and not the Revelation by them From the former said sure Rule and the many foundations formerly laid down in the whole work these Divine Conclusions or Christian Doctrines will evidently follow First That Christs Davidical Kingdom on earth will begin with the first act or session of the Judgment of the Great Day above 1000 years before the Last Judgment Esa 9. Luke 1.32 with Dan. 7. Rev. 11. and 19.6 9 11 to the end 2. That at the first said Session the quick namely the Beast fals Prophet with other great and small enemies then living will be judged by temporal destruction from the earth Dan. 7. Ezek 38.39 Dan. 11.45 Matth. 13.41 And the deceased Saints will then also be judged with a Judgment of reward or recompense at their holy and blessed bodily Resurrection when they shall rise to reign with Christ who will then so Judge both quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom Dan. 7. Rev. 11.18 2 Tim. 4.1 Thirdly Christ will reign with his said raised Saints on earth in his said Kingdom all that same 1000 years wherein as he hath both strongly and emphatically taught us that Satan shall be bound from deceiving the Nations any more until the said 1000 years shall be sulfilled See Treatise on Rev. 21.5 page 37 38. and page 8. of this Fourthly The said 1000 years space to be so fulfilled beginning from the first said Session or Matutinum Judicium as Mr. Mede speaks or a greater than he Psal 49.14 and a greater than them both Luke 19.18 19. Rev. 2.26 before the little space of Satans loosing again is that interim before the last Judgment wherein shall be the performance of Gods most antient promised Mercies and Covenants to the faithful Forefathers and to their spiritual Seed viz. the then raised Saints and others then converted through their Divine promised Seed Christ by whom they shall all then have their sure Mercies of David Esa 55.3 and as the Lambs wife then inherit all things with him Rev. 21.7 Fifthly The New Jerusalem state the Marriage of the Lamb the Paradise of God with the pure River and Tree of Life therein and the Nations of them that are then saved walking in the light of the said great holy and beloved New Jerusalem wherein consists the New Heavens and new earth when God will make all things new as in this Text are the contemporaries of the said happy times and state in the said 1000 years and will make up that happiness in the said Davidical Kingdom of Christ both to the said Saints then raised and to the then converted Jews and Gentiles in the natural life when also the two second great calls of them both will be accomplished Deut. 32.43 Rom. 15.10 that Jews and Gentiles will rejoyce together Sixthly Satans last most wicked attempt with his last Gog Magog against the said holy City and the Camp of the Saints after the said 1000 years are ended will occasion fire from Heaven to consume them and probably the earth and the works upon it c. and thereupon also the destruction of the last enemy death when all the Saints both raised before and then living or lying in the grave to free them as is probable from the destruction with wicked men then shall be rapt up together and all be changed in a moment or twinkling of an eye to meet Christ in the Air c. when also all the wicked shall be raised at the last Trump to the last general Judgment and final sentence c. upon whose sitting upon the great white Throne will be the utter dissolution of the whole created world as Rev. 20.11 c. And these I believe are upon the many said accounts from holy Scripture the Divine truths of Jesus Christ not contradicting any thing taught in Gods Word before but only explaining many things formerly darkly yet Divinely couched therein and especially things respecting the said first and second bodily Resurrections and the proceedings of the Judgment of the great day of the Lord at above a 1000 years distance with the performance of the promised mercies in the interim as was said And thus have I given an account of my faith as respecting these things for which I bless and magnifie the glorious Name of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit three Persons and one true and everliving God and I do believe that all Saints will do the same here or hereafter Amen And thus for the Questions concerning the first Resurrection as being the Inlet to the Sts. that Christ brings with him when he comes into the happy said approaching state 1000 years before the said rest of the dead shall live again and that answers to sundry portions of Scripture that are by some otherwise expounded but are only to be understood by the help of the most Divine Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ as we have shewed And now before we proceed to speak particularly of the words or matters of this Text of the Renovation of all things which are to make up the happiness of Christs said Reign with his Saints upon the said first Resurrection we shall consider the preceding and following context thereof with its dependencie to remove some other seeming difficulties which for the greater evidence we shall endeavour to do by Answering some other Questions and resolving some doubts upon weighty reasons concerning the same Quest 1. Are not the New Heavens and the New earth the renovation of all things the New Jerusalem and Paradise of God c. Ch. 21.22 to be after the last Judgment wch is set down before them in Ch. 20.11 Answ Although the last Judgment is there placed in the
the clearness of their call as well as the generality hence when that Lord of Lords and King of Kings so conquers his Enemies those that are with him are said to be called and chosen and faithful Rev. 17.14 called as having Christs Commission for it chosen as being Saints and faithful to do his said work against all discouragement or opposition 3. They are blessed as being first come out of Babylon for that they partaked not of her Sins before nor her Plagues then Rev. 18.4 2. They are also blessed in doing Gods work then and executing his just Judgments written of before Psal 149. ult upon his and his Churches great enemies So was Jael blessed Jud. 5. so they shall be blessed that dash that Babels little ones viz. her doubly spurious off-spring against the stones Psal 137. for so will Christs Church not only be freed from that Tyranny but much happiness will ensue thereupon to all Saints in Christs Kingdom and the Marriage of the Lamb with the happy Restitution of all things c. Now for the other annexed Questions respecting the illustrations in of the Angels revealing that matter we answer briefly first the Apo. Joh. must write what concerns the said Marriage Supper as a thing most sure from Gods predictions Gen. 3.15 from Enochs Prophesie Daniels Vision chap. 7. and 2dly a suitable reason is given by the Angel These are the true sayings of God not said faithful as of the promised Mercies twice afterwards which is heedfully to be observed for this only respects the predictions as we said of the Enemies removal here for the expressions of the Holy Spirit are very curious concerning both 3dly he engages him to worship God now and afterwards chap. 22. by reason varieties of salse Worship would come up in the world by Heathens and Antichristians till those times he spake of should come 4. He saith he was of his Brethren viz. the Prophets chap. 22. and that he had also the testimony of Jesus for all that we are to believe of Jesus is testified by the Prophets as were all these mysteries here made thus known to him by the Angel whereupon 5. he adds this reason of all these Revelations That the Testimonie of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie so surely resolving both here and in the following chapters that we must look to the Prophets for the foundations of all these things concerning Christs Reign and Kingdome and the preparations to it and all that belongs unto it and to all such as shall have part with him therein of all which the Angel Christ probably in Vision had generally taught chap. 10.7 when the Mystery of God should be finished as he hath declared saith he by his Servants the Prophets so that all these Revelations must be understood concerning Christ according to that Spirit of Prophesie Nothing to be added nothing to be taken therefrom chap. 22.18 19. and also manifesting they must all be fulfilled before the end of the world when all Prophesie will be accomplished But I only touch upon these things to prepare for the better unfolding of the Text being very needful to that purpose and also give much light being rightly understood not only to that text but in a good part to much that concerns that whole state of Christs said Reign with his Saints the 1000 years The Second Reason of such placing them is from the special Use which is here to be observed namely in regard the 20th chap. to ver 11. is first placed as the table of the good times of Gods Church to come in reference whereunto the great things that follow are after considered and the last Judgment from ver 11. is there added as the boundary of the same table according to the excellent Divine contrivance of this book even as that former Table of the bad times chap. 11. which contained about 1700 years under the Dragon and others to the end of the Beasts 42 months to the end of those suffering times of the Saints which table hath also for its boundary from ver 14. the happy times and state following in some generals to the end of the chap. but not as included in the same Table and as the chief measure of those times after the Red Dragons persecutions is the two Witnesses 1260 dayes of years their Prophesying in Sackcloth whom God calls my two Witnesses and to whom I will give power against the gret a Beast though Prophesying in Sackcloth so the chief measure of these good times is the Reign of Christ with his raised Saints in the 1000 years whom he calls my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psalm 2. when the world hath done its worst yet saith he c. I will set my King c. by which also all those things that follow chap. 21 22. are to be measured for their continuance which is another reason of such placing that Table before the last Judgment which is the boundary following the times thereof and so in both the said Tables Primum in utroque genere est mensura reliquorum and so both these Tables have their distinct considerations as containing in them both all the times of Revelation Prophesie viz. about 2700 years besides the little space of Satans loosing chap. 20. all to precede the last Judgment The first Table links together the double Scheme first of the Civil Roman state under the seven Seals in the times of some of which the Heathen stare persecuted and killed the Saints chap. 6. whereupon out of the 7th Seal proceed the seven Trumpets bringing on the ruine of that wicked Roman state First by the four first Trumpets that felt mostly upon the Western Roman Empire and deadly wounded it by the incursion of the Barbarous Nations as Almands Goths Vandals Huns Alanes Burgundians Frankes and the rest breaking the Empire ruining the Government of Emperour City and Senate in chap. 8. for about 200 years and by the two following Woe Trumpets of Saracens and Turks first half the Eastern Roman Empire was harased and lost chap. 9. to ver 11. and after wholely overflowed by the Turks First by the Saracens till about the 1300 year of Christ when the Turks day and hour and month and year began when the Ottaman Family obtained the power for 396 years by that computation both which are contained in chap. 9. but the 7th Trumpet which will dispatch them both is added after this first Table chap. 11.15 whereby is linked with this the Scheme of the Ecclesiastical state running again through all the said times respecting that also as contained in the little open book chap. 10. beginning chap. 12. with the primitive state of the Church in her purity but soon set upon by the Dragon and his Angels fighting against Michael and his Angels till God by that famous Emperour Constantine the great cast down the Dragon but after upon the Dragons flood the Woman entered into her Wilderness condition for her time times
much resistance much depravation much disorder opposition in men and Devils in all the Creatures in it saving that God hath given Christ Power and Authority by degrees aforehand to take it away for which end our Saviour in this excellent Book besides other Scriptures hath much therein set forth the usefulness of Preaching the Crown as well as the Cross though that in the first place but this as a motive to take up the Cross which was formerly of great prevalencie as is storied of the Primitive sufferers that desired Martyrdom that they might reign with Christ in that his Kingdom on earth surely they had much greater faith of these things than is usually found in our days when that world is neer approaching and in this whole Book something is propounded to all the Sufferers in their several times respecting the Jerusalem-state as to the Asian Churches to the Sealed ones Chap. 7. c. for their encouragements as we have shewed in our seventh Convincing Argum. pag. 28 29. But we proceed to some other remarkable portions of Scripture that one way or other point out these times unto us To which purpose we may in a special manner observe that peculiar mark in the the curious Divine contrivance of Revelation-prophesie twice set down therein at the pouring out of the last Vial Chap. 16 17. upon the Air of the Beast probably taking away or binding the Prince of the Power of the Air. Then came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying it is done which appears also to be at the time of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet when the Kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 which shews their coincidence about the same time and likewise that this great work of Gods renovation concurs in truth with both for the binding of Satan and the Reign of Christ with his raised Saints are fully contemporaries So it is added in the words next following this Text as being here again spoken by him that sat upon the Throne And he said unto me It is done which declares the same time that Satan is bound and Christ reigns this great work will be effected and therefore is another evidence that all things contained in Chap. 21. and 22. belong to the time and state of the said 1000 years of Christs Reign with his raised Saints in his said Davidical Kingdom upon earth But the Question here may be moved What is that that then will be done Ans In General many great enemies and workers of iniquity shall be destroyed but more especially it seems to have respect unto that great Divine Oracle fore-named The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool Psal 110.1 at which time likewise Christ receives his Kingdom for his enemies ruine is the beginning of Christs Reign so that in respect of both God himself saith It is done viz. what he himself had promised unto David's Lord before and this time and day seems to be set forth very emphatically upon occasion of the destruction of Gog the Turk then likewise and there also the Holy Ghost seems to use the same Watch-word for the time thereof as here was at the Beasts ruine and that with a great deal of Divine illustration Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken Ezek. 39.8 the said Text appears to be of great weight N. B. Quest But how doth it appear that the Turk shall then also be destroyed Answ By Daniels last great Vision Chap. 10.11.12 in Chap. 11. having spoken something briefly of the Persian and more of the Greek Monarchy he comes to the Roman ver 36. and of the Roman Antichrist ver 37 38 39. and then he proceeds to speak of the two Ruiners of the Roman Monarchy viz. the two Woe-trumpets Rev. 9. that is the Saracens and Turkish Mahumitans the first stiled the King of the South the last the King of the North whose History is set down as almost accomplished ver 41 42 43 44 45. as Mr. Mede judiciously applied it except the last his setting his Tabernacle of his Palace in the Holy Land when he comes to his end and none shall help him and then immediately follows then stood up Michael the Prince of Daniels people and in that troublous time delivers them at his appearance probably when his feet shall stand upon Mount Olivet Zec. 14. and that mourning be Zec. 12.10 and ruine of both the first Gog and Magog as well as the last is prophesied very neer together c. And this mark of destruction of both It is done c. seems the more to be observed besides divers others both in Ezech. 38. and 39. and in the Revel because as the Apostle shews Heb. 10.13 Christ had sitten to that time above 1600 years expecting till such his foes should be made his footstool Therefore how fitly is it by God himself so punctually declared both to the Jews and Gentiles that he is not unmindful of his promise to his Son Jesus Christ but as he promised so at that set time It is done as if he should say my Beloved Son hath many hundred years sitten at my right hand expecting this particular season for my fulfilling such my promise to him and now that time is come and it is done this is the day whereof I have spoken Hence also the Holy Spirit directed the Apostle Peter to assert the same thing for time The Heavens must receive him saith he till the times of the restitution of things Acts 3.21 as we shewed formerly more fully and remarkably And since Christ hath left the Book of the Revelation to open Daniels before shut up and sealed Mysteries until the times of the end whilst the Roman Monarchy should continue after God had set up the Kingdom of the Stone from Christs first coming in the 19 first Chapters of that Divine Book unto his second coming Chap. 20. and hath also given the remainder of that Book as a Divine Key or Bunch of Keys to open also the Mysteries of the most ancient promised Mercies and Covenants to the Fathers as we have shewed which are to have their completing from his said second coming in that state of the 1000 years and those times of the restitution of all things in my Text. What pity is it that such matters of so great concernment to all Saints now near approaching are no more considered or understood or duly prized or improved and now indeed is the proper and seasonable time to publish them and make them known when Gods wonderful Grace and Goodness therein w th his Truth Faithfulness in the performance of them shall shortly be beheld with admiration and adoration as in the Text Behold I c. Another remarkable deciphering of these times is the finishing of the Mystery of God when the seventh Angel begins
carrying on to lay the sure foundation of breaking the Serpents head at his first coming that by the Judgment of the great Day he might break it 1. eminently at the first and 2. totally and finally at the last Judgment the next antient Prophesie for removing the power of Satan c. was given to Enoch in the old World recorded by Jude ver 13 14. concerning Christs coming to Judgment which hath direct reference to Daniels Vision of the first Session of Judgment at the destruction of the Beast Dan. 7. which our Saviour confirms and explains in part Rev. 11.18 and Rev. 19. but Daniel speaks not there of the last general Judgment that is left for Christ to do Rev. 20.11 to the end 1000 years and more after the former and hence as Daniel of the said first act had said The Judgment was set and 2dly the books were opened and the Apostle Paul who had much of these mysteries revealed to him tells us 3. Christ would judge the quick viz. temporal destruction and 4. the dead Saints with reward as was shewed so saith the Apostle Christ will judg the quick dead at his appearance Kingdom in 2 Tim. 4.1 and all these four marks of that part of Judgment are the proper Characters of the Judgments of the said great Day which belong also to the last Judgment above 1000 years after Daniels as Rev. 20.11 to the end after the last Gog and Magog shall be destroyed and here we finde not any of these marks of that Judgment at any other time when the Old World or Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed though these are both in some respects made patterns of the other by our Saviour Luke 17. Sodom and Gomorrah probably of the first when many terrible Judgments will finde out many sorts of wicked men c. and the other a pattern of the general destruction of the world by fire as the other was by a Deluge of Water Jerusalems first and second destructions are also patterns and the Pagan-Idolators and Persecutors destruction which is set forth like a day of Judgment Rev. 6.12 to the end and so in that large description of the desolation of the Churches enemies Esai 34. throughout the whole Chapter but in none of these or any other do we finde these four Characters peculiar to the Judgments of the said great Day but only in Dan. 7. and Rev. 20. we read of many excellent points Christ informed such as lived in the visible Church or such as have to do with his Servants there as by him that had not the Wedding garment Matth. 22.11 shewing that nothing will serve Professors but being by faith invested with his righteousness and by three Parables together Matth. 25. First that the foolish Virgins were shut out for want of true faith and grace though they were formal Professors and his own Servants whether Ministers Magistrates or other Christians in the Church to whom the Talents were delivered to improve when he went into a far Country viz. to Heaven as he expounds it Luke 19. when one failed he was condemned and in that 3d which is more general but yet restrained to the visible Church likewise or such as had to do with his Servants whom in their afflictions or persecutions they should have fed clothed visited which he looks as done to himself but for the want of this all such will be condemned And alas alas how few consider any such proceeding of Christ in Judgment that are deeply in such case concerned men are in these days far short of the love compassion and zeal of the Primitive Christians who sold their possessions Acts 4.37 But to omit many passages to like purposes as some to be condemned by the Law some without the Law by their own Conscience some by the Gospel c. but above all Christ hath in the said Revelation made many great points known not known before of the said Judgment of the Great day as that there is a second act or general Judgment to be celebrated by Christ as well as that Daniel had the Vision of and he had before confirmed and shews what distance of time shall be betwixt them viz. above 1000 years and what things are to intervene betwixt them in the 1000 years and how the last shall be brought on by Gods raining fire from Heaven upon the last attempt of the last Gog and Magog and at his sitting on the Throne Heaven and Earth should be dissolved and the Earth the Sea and the Grave shall give up their dead that they shall be judged by their several distinct books the elect out of the Book of life and the Devil first be cast into the lake of fire where the Beast and false Prophet were cast before 1000 years and more and so should death and hell afterward which in such respects seems to shew their utter end in the world as in Chap. 17.11 but more to them that are capable of more these by Christ are Divinely delivered of the said Judgment no where in Scripture so made known before and so of both Resurrections after Esay and David then Daniel had much mystically shewed him in Vision that they sat on Thrones set for them and Judgment or power of judging was given then to the Saints but that the suffering Saints should come at that time with Christ coming in the Clouds of Heaven and be raised by Christ to reign with him 1000 years before the raising of the rest of the dead good or bad and that all the promised mercies should then be fulfilled to them none could reveal these but Christ who had this Book with seven Seals given to him by the Father in such a glorious manner when none else in Heaven or earth was found worthy to open it or look into it or much less to fulfil the contents of it but only the Lamb that had as it were been slain and lived again but will then appear to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Root of David as well as the Branch the Father only reserved these things to be made known by his Son the Wisdom of the Father the Eternal Word in the bosom of the Father and therefore these his Divine Oracles concerning all such last things are chiefly to be attended to as Gods and Christs utmost infallible resolution of all such things as were not so fully and particularly explained concerning Resurrections or Judgment of all sorts before or what is to be fulfilled upon the foundations of the Prophets in the interim of the 1000 years betwixt both the Apostle Paul who was rapt into the third Heaven reveals many things of the Resurrection shews some Mysteries of that the Judgment 1 Cor. 15 1 Thes 4. and elsewhere but much thereof cannot from thence be rightly expounded without Christs said Revel ch 20. which therefore seems in these respects much more clearly and distinctly delivered than any of that Book before or after as