since Christ saith it will be but a little season we have reason to believe it will be so whereunto will ensue the last Resurrection and general Judgment this last state of things our Saviour hath clearly distinctly opened Rev. 20. which Daniel had but darkly set down in such manner as God's Spirit then taught and guided him for such time as God was pleased to have many things which he delivered then to be shut up til the time of the end when Christ should unseal and open them as both Daniel and the Revelation do witness the space as was said of above 3300 years of Daniel's Prophecies beginning with the Captivity of Babylon who darkly hold out the generals of things to be fulfilled in their order to the end of the World saving we finde nothing there of the little space after Christs Reign the thousand years is ended which both for the continuance of it for a thousand years and what was to be done in the little space after our Savior the great Prophet and faithfull Witness hath made known to his Church Rev. 20. and which could not by any wisdom of creatures otherwise be found out and the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ explains so much of Daniel's Prophecy though mystically as was to be fulfilled to the end from the time of the opening of the first Seal under the Roman Empire when our Saviour at his Resurrection having received all Power in Heaven and Earth gave Commission for the preaching of the Gospel Mat. 28.18 19 20. Now for the time of Christ's second coming both Dan. 7. Rev. 19. joyntly agree as all serious men acquainted with the order of mystical Prophecies universally agree and is evidently discernable to any unprejudiced searchers into them St. Paul gives this Epitome of that Coming to destroy Antichrist which both Daniel and Christ are large in saying Christ will destroy him with the appearance of his Coming and so in other Scriptures before Daniel hath much in generals that shall be in the world at the second personal coming of Christ but the third I find not that he hath any touch of whence the Jews did so much expect and speak of such a coming as his second will be to restore the Kingdom to Israel c. which saith Mr. Mede the Jewish Doctors call the day of the great Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies judicii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnus dies judicii in the 4th Letter to Mr. Hain from Dan. 7.10.22.26 But our Saviour most clearly and St. Paul and Peter likewise seems but especially Christ in the Book of Revelation chap. 20. hath set forth his third coming as a point of Doctrine most needful to be known and considered in the last times when his second coming approacheth near unto us As the order of Daniel's Prophecy in our Abridgment and the order of the Revelation in the Letter of May 20. in the Fore-runner pag. 22. and the sum of the Revelation in the Irenicon p. 26 27 c. will evidently make to appear so that both Daniel and the Revelation do orderly hold out his second personal coming with other Scriptures And the Revelation of Jesus Christ most clearly decyphers the third shewing what shall be done at the begining of and all along the thousand years and what at the end of them and how the day of the last general Judgment will be brought on and executed to the end of that 20th chapter with the state of things in the interim in the two last chapters Rev. 11.15 to the end which respects the same time or at least the entrance upon that period And secondly As these two personall comings are distinguished by Christ the great Interpreter of both these Prophetical Books so their names and decypherings in Scripture are much distinguished suitable to the nature of both the said comings The first is called the appearance of Christ or the appearance of his Coming the other his descending from Heaven with a shout c. The first is his coming with clouds c. at the other no mention of clouds but contrarily Heaven and Earth will then flee away before him the former stiled the Revelation of Christ when the mystery of Godliness is finished 1 Tim. 3.16 but the last will be after a long manifestation of his Glory all the thousand years in the world with other names more fully to be seen in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 43.44 45. and the reason the former is so often called his appearance seemes to be because Christ at his coming in the clouds of Heaven then will only appear in clouds to the world no mortal eye being able to behold his Glory in the brightness of it and probably because this appearance will be in the clouds but a short time cheifly to be so manifest unto the Jewes to take off the hard vail of unbelief from their hearts and as Mr. Mede probably conceives he will speak to the Jewes then at their conversion as he did to St. Paul for a pattern thereof And after that done I find not that he wil any more be seen of mortal men at least not ordinarily in the world though his Glory will shine fully and inlighten the raised Saints in the New Jerusalem as in many texts we have shewed as Isa 66.1 Rev. 21. Joh. 17.24 c. But his third coming is stiled his descending from Heaven with the voice of an Archangel and with the Trump of God but not so at the former 1 Thes 4.16 Mat. 24.31 his coming in his Glory with all his holy Angels and sitting upon his Throne where all shall be gathered before him Mat. 25.31 and the like in several texts fore-cited Thirdly As they differ in a long distance of time and the titles given to each according to their natures so they differ in the things that will be done at both those personal comings At the first God begineth to make Christ's foes his foot-stool both by binding of Satan Rev. 20. and by destroying many wicked men from off the earth that would not have him rule over them miraculously calling the Nation of the Jews and delivering that Nation fully from their temporal and greatly at least from their spiritual bondage Dan. 12.1 3 c. and making the wicked to be slaves and likewise then brings such as sleep in Jesus with him and all his Saints with him when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven which is that Jerusalem whose maker and builder God is said to be Heb. 11. and that City prepared for the fore-fathers who without us that believe will not be made perfect c. where the blessed and holy raised Saints shal behold Christs glory which he hath given them their part in John 17.22 24. and shall raign with him there the thousand years But the third coming of Christ will be his descending from Heaven with a shout and the voyce of the Arch-Angel as was
time while it is offered will have none of it but utterly reject it and all God's and Christ's terms whereupon it is offered to them How then can they think to stand when Gods wrath and fury shall break out against them and they be irrecoverably carried away with the streams of his eternal indignation Let this I say be duly considered by all sorts of such persons while time and opportunity lasteth and who knows how suddenly any mans opportunity may be lost irrecoverably c. FINIS Certain Observations useful for the understanding of divers Mystical Prophecres of holy Scriptures See the Irenicon pag. 53 54 55. respecting the latter dayes for the encrease of Joy and Consolation to faithfull Christians Obs 1 FIrst Where things that concern the Mysteries of the last times are expressed more fully in the Old Testament they are usually touched more briefly in the New as for example What is said of that Mother-Text Dan. 7.9 10 11. as Mr. Mede calls it of the first Session of the Great Day of Judgement or the Judgement of the Great Day as St. Jude speaks setting forth God's manner of destroying Antichrist as is said remarkably because of the great words the Horn spake c. Dan. 7.9 10 11. That is for the Popes abominable Blasphemies Tyranny Pride and insolent Impieties c. which in the New-Testament is but briefly many times set down as 2 Thess 2.8 whom he shall destroy with the appearance of his coming the like chap. 1.7 8 9. of which and the like Scriptures in the New-Testament the said text Dan. 7. was the ground and warrant save only in the order of the accomplishment St. John had a particular Vision to the like purpose Rev. 19 11. to the end Secondly The first said Session of the Great Day of Judgement will be for the destruction of the first Gog and Magog to wit of the Turk and Pope who were so under those terms represented to the Jews Ezek. 38.39 before the setting up of the New-Jerusalem Ezek. 40. to the end of that Book and the second Session will be upon the destruction of the second Gog and Magog above a thousand years after Rev. 20.9 at the end of the world Where again observe that Gog and Magog are taken for the great obstinate resolved Enemies of God's People whom he will powerfully destroy Now at both the said Sessions of the great Day and at the ruine of both sorts of those wicked men it is said that the Judgment was set and the Books were opened which seem proper to the Judgment of the great Day Dan. 7.10 Rev. 20.4 14. And again observe See Parallel of Roman Mon. the 6th head that at both the said Sessions quick and dead are said to be judged First the wicked quick namely Antichrist and his followers c. then to be sent to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone from the Armageddon-battel described Rev. 19. from ver 11. to the 20th Concerning the same it is again said of the same time when the third Wo came Rev. 11.18 Thou hast destroyed them that destroyed the Earth See Irenicon p. 99. when the Nations were angry and God's Wrath was then come as the twenty four Elders that praise God for the ruine of Antichrist at that time and likewise for judging the dead then by giving reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to his Saints c. which Mr. Mede conceives he will be doing all the thousand years Raising the Saints in their own order as St. Paul speaks which is called by Christ the first Resurrection Rev. 20.5 and of which St. Paul likewise speaketh remarkably when he had spoken of Christ's Resurrection as the first fruits thereof which was to be above 1600 years before then saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards they that are Christs at his coming namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at his coming or presence at Antichrist's destruction and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he speaks of the coming of the end 1 Cor. 15.23 24. which Christ shews should be above a thousand years after the former Rev. 20. namely as St. Paul further adds when Christ had put down all Rule all Authority and Power and when he had destroyed the last enemy Death ver 26. Which Christ again shews shall be done at his last Session of Judgment Rev. 20.14 before he gives up again the Kingdom to his Father and until that time St. Paul positively asserts the Reign of Christ in the world namely from his second Coming or Appearance to the end of the second Session of the Judgment of the Great Day See Discov next after the Parall as ver 25. for saith he he must reign till he hath put all his Enemies under his feet which Reign Christ teacheth must be a thousand years with his eminent Saints first raised Rev. 20.4 and at the end likewise quick and dead will be again both judged first the wicked quick then at the destruction of the last Gog and Magog and then the dead both good and bad when the rest of the dead shall be raised as they are called Rev. 20.5 12.13 Thirdly The description of the New-Jerusalem Ezek. 40. to the end of the Book whose name is there said to be Jehovah Shamma or the Lord is there because there his Saints shall behold his glory given to him in his Kingdom on Earth as Mediator for a reward in time of that his great work in time as Dan. 7.14 15. which by his last Will and Testament in the presence of his Father and his Disciples he declared at the end of that Prayer See Obs 20. John 17.24 after he had ended his Farewel-Sermon Joh. 16. and then the Lamb will be the visible light of that heavenly City come down from God out of Heaven whose maker and builder is God Heb. 11. to remain in the world above a thousand years But I say that description of the said City in the Old Testament seems there to be set forth sutably to the state of the Jews under the Old Testament when Ezekiel was their Prophet But the description of the New Jerusalem under the New Testament which upon many considerations from the context and the series of the times which both descriptions relate unto appear plainly to be one and the same thing I say that Description of Christ Rev. 21. is set forth more sutably to the state of the Christian Church in a more glorious manner unto which a more eminent degree of Christ's Glory was manifest before that triumphant State of it came which should so descend from God out of Heaven to be for such time in the world which consisting of the raised Saints is not only called The Beloved City which those blessed and holy ones at their resurrection as they are called Rev. 20.6 shall then inhabit and have mansions therein and the holy Jerusalem Rev. 21.10 for the time of their reign with Christ there But they being
and also the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie lower than the Angels and crowned him with Glory and Worship making him to have dominion over the works of his hands and putting all things under his feet c. Which the Apostle applyes to Christ Heb. 2. and also saith he hath made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little while as our Translation hath it in the margent likewise inferiour to the Angels and then speaketh of the same subjection of the creatures under him then afterwards to come and therefore ver 8. he saith we do not yet see all things put under him only we see Christ in his own person that for a little while was made lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour But he again further teacheth Phil. 2.9 c. that God had given him a Name above every name that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow or be subject of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Which will not be done till he hath received his Kingdom and shall return as he himself speaketh Luke 19.12 15 and all these things can at no other time upon Scripture-ground be expected but at his said 2d coming when God shall bring again his Son into the world and say Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 and that was also foretold Psal 97.7 which whole Psalm beginning The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce c. setteth forth prophetically in what a glorious manner Christ will come then to set up his glorious Kingdom both by destroying his Idolatrous Enemies and wonderfully delivering and exalting his People as is observable throughout the whole Psalm and this as to the time and order Christ succinctly explains Rev. 20.4 saying the Saints reigned with Christ a thousand years And accordingly thereunto are all the Promises of raising again the Tabernacle of David which was fallen Amos 9.11 Acts 15.16 and those for the perpetuity of Davids Kingdom to his seed so long as the Sun and Moon do endure See Irenicon p. 77 78 79. and the like are all to be interpreted which will be manifest when the Kingdom of the Stone Dan. 2.33 34. shall become a great Mountain filling the whole Earth And this is that Coming of the Son of man in his Kingdom spoken of by Christ Matth. 16.28 of which he soon after shewed a glymps unto his three Disciples Peter James and John at his Transfiguration Mark 9.1 Luke 9.27 Neither can these Texts be justly denied to be meant of such a Kingdom of Christ to come upon his coming again nor warrantably be interpreted in any other sense if the said Texts be seriously and duly considered 22. Obser I have observed only three great Earthquakes spoken of in all the series or order of the Book of Revelation And where the Spirit of God calls them great we may expect they will be great indeed For Earthquakes are often spoken of besides these great ones The first is upon the opening of the sixth Seal Rev. 6.12 when God by Constantine the Great overturned Satan's Paganish Kingdom when five or six several Caesars were so potent to oppose him See Fore runner p. 29. and cast down Satan from his Heaven of Heathenish Worship into the Earth Rev. 12.9 which was spoken of the same time which is described as a day of Judgment Rev. 6. to the Paganish Powers as indeed it was and there the Spirit of God sets down an Ecce before it and Lo saith he there was a great Earthquake The second is Rev. 11.13 at the ascension of the two Witnesses after their resurrection and then the holy Spirit tells us at the same hour there was a great Earthquake when the tenth part of the Dition of the City of Rome probably will quite fall from it See Fore runner p. 8. where the Witnesses are to rise again c. and this Earthquake we may daily expect But thirdly there is another great Earthquake afterwards spoken of to come which he further illustrates much above both the former and that will be at or about Antichrist's final destruction at the end of the sixth Viol and pouring-out of the seventh for the compleating of his ruine Rev. 16.17 18. and then the Spirit of God speaks with a great deal of emphasis of it saying v. 18. And there was a great Earthquake such as was not since Man was upon Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great Which seems to be further described in the three following verses and seems to be at or about the same time of Michael's standing up to deliver Daniels People when such a time of trouble will be as never was since there was a Nation Dan. 12.1 and when St. Paul saith of Antichrist 2 Thess 2.8 Christ will destroy him with the appearance of his coming and happily of both Rev. 14. latter part of the chapter And then will not only the Earth be shaken but also the Heavens as saith the Prophet Hag. 2.6 7 21. Heb. 12.26 and as upon good reason from several Scriptures seems to be the main drift of them then to be fulfilled as Mal. 3.2 Rev. 11.16 Which shaking of the Earth probably may seem was first at that great Earthquake Rev. 6.12 when God by Constantine the Great overthrew Paganish Idolatry and may be again by the next great Earthquake now approaching Rev. 11.13 which will also begin to shake Antichristian Idolaters who are called in this Book the men of the Earth and the perfecting of that shaking is to be at that third and greatest Earthquake Rev. 16.18 when not only the Earth and evil men will be shaken but also the Heavens namely such Churches as will be then in a degree reformed Churches and thereupon will the new Heavens and new Earth ensue of both reformed Church and State in the whole World I conceive at the setting up of Christ's Kingdom on Earth Rev. 20.4 5.10 23. When the Prophet Moses denounceth threatnings against the twelve Tribes the Spirit of God seems to guide him divers times to set them down prophetically as including Prophecies in their order afterwards to be fulfilled as is observable Lev. 26. Deut. 28. 4.30 which he said expresly should be in the latter dayes and Deut. 32. from ver 1. to 44. See these Texts more fully in the Irenicon pag. 60 61. 24. Obser The heavy weight of God's wrath upon mankind next after the fall of the first Adam seems very observable through the first great Period of the World until the Flood for first good Abel the remotest type of Christ after Adam being slain by his brother Yet cursed Cain was then suffered to live to people the World which further appears that in those first ages of the World to the Flood few are recorded or hinted in Scripture to
of God seems frequently to joyn matters of the latter times together which will be fulfilled at a great distance and particularly concerning the two Resurrections Rev. 20. and even the whole Doctrine of the Resurrection almost as we noted in the Irenicon pag. 102. and elsewhere was made known by degrees and so the two Sessions of the great day of Judgment vide Obser 2. But as we here observe St. Paul sets three great things down together namely Christ's Resurrection as the first fruits of the Resurrection of the Just at the said first Resurrection or at his second coming which is like to be about 1700 years after and then cometh the end which according as Christ hath revealed will be above a thousand years after his second coming and at his third So that mark of the Primitive times Dan. 12.4 to wit Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased divers hundreds of years before Antichrist's time times and the dividing of a time which are set forth in a wonderfull Vision of Christ as Rev. 10. likewise in the three next verses 5 6 7. which contain 1260 years more So three Questions are propounded by Christ's Disciples Mat. 24. of the signs of Jerusalems destruction and of his coming again or returning as he called it before Luke 19.12 and of the end of the World To all our Saviour answers but much of the nearest and gives divers signs of his second coming in the clouds of Heaven which he speaks of ver 30. but closely thereunto adjoyns what should be done at his third coming v. 31. which was not to be so much revealed saving mystically afterwards in the Book of the Revelation which was in respect thereof to be the true Key to open in after-times the spiritual Cabinet of divers otherwise mystical Texts darkly set down by Christ and his holy Spirit in other places of Scripture to the like purpose and so to be such a Key for other things See the like Mat. 25.31 speaks in part of his second coming and in the other part of that verse and ver 32. he speaks of what shall be done at his third coming largely expounded so by himself Rev. 20.11 to the end of the chapter So again St. Paul in 1 Thes 3. ult and chap. 4.14 he speaks of Christ's second coming when Christ will bring all his Saints and all that then shall sleep in Jesus with him but in ver 16. he speaks of his last coming as also expounded by Christ in the said place Also again 1 Cor. 15.23 the Apostle plainly speaks of his second coming and ver 52. sets down divers things to be done at Christs coming at the last Session of Judgment and last Resurrection And because it appears God would have these things concerning the last times of the World to be so darkly delivered for the most part and in mysteries in the Revelation Hence it hath come to pass that such imperfect and mistaken apprehensions have for the most part been entertained by all sorts of men and without some special guidance of God's Spirit could not probably be otherwise found out who himself is said to have opened the Disciples understanding after his Resurrection Luke 24.45 that they might understand the Scriptures but as many then which heard them neither believed nor regarded what they taught and those matters of Salvation by Jesus Christ crucified risen and ascended were hidden from most mens eyes so it is to be expected it will be as we are forewarned with most men in respect of Christ's descending or coming again the second time by stumbling at such Scriptures that concern it on one prejudice or mistake or other It concerns those therefore that will approve themselves wise to be wary in such matters of putting them by slightly which such as rightly shall receive and own are like to find much sweetnes and benefit by them being such as duely search into them For Christs blessing Chap. 1.3 will not be void or vain say vain men what they can or wicked men and devils act what they can to the contrary See Discovery of his Second and Third coming next after the Parallels 30. Observ That of Daniel 12.2 3. is specially meant of the civil Resurrection of the Jews from their bondage and dispersion the time of which is afterwards set down vers 12. which in a vision of the dry bones Ezek. 37. is shewed to Ezekiel is many wayes evident as afterwards follows and so that Resurrection was to be carried on to the end of the fourty five years vers 12. afterwards when Christ will fully deliver them both temporally and spiritually as vers 1. Many arguments might be raised from the words to this purpose and from the time wherein the things are to be fulfilled according both to Ezekiel and Daniel When it is said Many shall arise not all And again it is said They shall be turned unto righteousness that is the righteousness of Justification by Faith in Christ which was contrary to the Legal righteousness that the Jewes before sought after Again some arise to shame and contempt at that time that is by revolting from the faithful Jewes then by fears or hopes or threatnings or the like from the enemy and so fall into shame and perpetual contempt both temporally spiritually and consequently eternally It is observable that the Spirit of God sometimes setteth down Mysteries of Judgements in the order they are to be fulfilled in the resemblance of a day of Judgment as here and sometimes though such things be done long before the end of the world as in Rev. 6. When the sixth seal was opened in Constantines time which is above one thousand two hundred years ago and yet there described as a day of Judgement but yet it was but a particular one for that time but no Judgement said then to be set nor Books opened and quick and dead both Judged as will be at Christs second and third Comings as was said in our second large Observation 31. Observ The harmoniousness and uniform agreement of these divine Truths respecting the Reign of Christ the thousand years touched at least briefly in divers of the preceding Observations shewes them to come from God and their agreeing with the divine Oracles of the holy Spirit scattered in all parts of the sacred Scriptures as in many particulars have been here already set down and as we may afterwards point out or at least briefly hint at As in the two Sessions of the great Day of Judgment with the four particulars proper to the day of Judgement First In both the Judgement is said to be set Secondly In both The Books are said to be opened Thirdly In both first the quick And Fourthly In both last the dead are judged See the large second Observation to these purposes Again these particulars are suitable to the second personal coming of Christ to be hereafter at the beginning and after the little space when the thousand years shall
of the proceedings wherein I have endeavoured in sundry places on several occasions to give an account advantagious to serious Christian souls and greater than if it had been otherwise as upon sundry considerations might be made to appear and though in such subjects for divers reasons men that write of them cannot well be much in explications and applications lest they be too voluminous in laying down the principles and confirmation as the foundation of them in the first place necessary yet afterwards it will be easie by God's assistance for all sorts of understanding Christians to do it for their own benefit and the edification of others And to which purpose I shall likewise by God's Grace be ready upon any call of his to approve my self to all mens consciences in the clearing and improving of such needful Truths according to my measure and as he may give me opportunity which haply I conceive may be the chief work remaining to me in this world though haply they may find resistance from Satan the end of whose Kingdom they hold out or from several sorts of men either upon prejudice or want of searching and trying them by the Scriptures or from some evil disposition of spirit or other or worldly engagements to the contrary c. as it hath usually been with the Witnessings of other Truths of God in their seasons but this is the comfort in such case Truth shall prevail and Gods Word shall stand when all is done for he that is with such as witness for it is Almighty and will suffer no Truth of his utterly to fall to the ground though for a time it may suffer an eclypse but in the mean time the work of his Witnesses is with him their Lord and their labour with their God And as no Truth of God is in its season to be rejected so concerning these there seems to be less reason in this regard because the Spirit of God seems in all times of his Messengers to be so abundant in giving testimony thereunto that men may not onely find much in Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms as our Saviour then directed to search for his first coming in his Kingdom of Patience Vide Irenicon p. 81 82 83 c. but concerning his second coming and Kingdom of Power then to be set up in the World they may have abundant evidence besides from his Apostles Evangelists and many sorts of persons there recorded to have been divinely inspired and after all our Saviour's most sure Explications and Applications of all the former strongly asserted and sent by his beloved Disciple St. John unto the Churches for their Edification and Comfort unto his said Coming again as all along by the quotations in the said two Books by his remarkable hand sent abroad of late may more fully appear to such as duly weigh the Scriptures Obj. But it may be alledged against these things as it was at our Saviours first coming Have any of the Rulers believed on him So Do the Great and Learned or Eminent Men in the World of many Ages past acknowledge these things Answ It was a great stumbling-block to many sorts of the People of the Jews that their Rulers did not But were they not both by our Saviour therefore characterized by Blind leaders of the blind c. and the same obstacle hath many times since and still is like to fall in the way of many But the Scripture informs men on the other hand Not many Wise not many Learned not many Noble c. though some of all those c. So neither are these Truths without some Witnesses of all such ranks and many in the purest primitive times besides more late ones as hath been abundantly not long since published but while men as we hinted before have more respect to Men than God's Word it is no wonder they are in some great matters misled Therefore in a word they are to be warned that they pin not their faith on other mens sleeves but with the Noble Bereans search by the holy Scriptures whether these things be so if they would stand upon a sure foundation c. It matters not to thee saithful Christian who are the persons that plead for or against any divine Truth whilst thou mayest find the Word of God evidently to give witness to it and if in this thou follow any sort of men rather than Christs truth thou wilt certainly be misled above what thou mightest in other things for our Saviour hath in these things forewarned thee Luke 18.8 Their Faith will be wanting when he cometh as in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter is particularly described wherefore they should pray and not faint c. Object But there is one dangerous shifting here comes on to be avoided i.e. Many good men able faithful and well approved do not at all own such Doctrines and some reckon them to be little better than fancies c. Answ No good men however qualified or approved in this world are perfect Who better or equal to the Apostles of Christ yet the chiefest of them shewed their infirmities Peter and Paul were so at difference that they parted from each other and Barnabas was far carried away with the dissimulation of a mistaken party and there was much adoe among some of them before the believing Gentiles could be received though the Word and Will of God was for it till God made the business out of question but the evidence of the Jews conversion and things contemporary with them have much more clearness that they shall be accomplished and though good men in many things have been upheld in upright wayes pleasing unto God yet they may fail in others and what sorts of good men have not had their failings and is not that vanity in many able approved and learned men that they are apt so to conceive of their light or parts or learning or experience that nothing is to be owned and received that is not suited to their own standard and all is but fancy that is not comprized within the summary of their Faith although they have not searched and tryed them by the true touch-stone of the Word But let all such be they who they will either in their own esteem or in the esteem of others take heed of being in such regard resisters of any divine Truth God hath more Truths yet to reveal than any times past have been hitherto capable of receiving or that these times we are in can attain to but will be revealed and received too at the time when his Temple shall be opened in Heaven and when men shall see in his Temple the Ark of his Testament Rev. 11.19 But he hath now in our times revealed some things which he would have owned by us which have not of many years past been so manifest and clear but are now very seasonable to be many ways improved in these last days Object But the Teachers of such or such Doctrines have