Truth and the faithfull witnesse Joh. 14.6 and Revelations Chap. 1.5 must be fulfilled and afore the ultimate generall Judgement for after that Christ is no King as vers 16. After that he rules not the Nations with a rod of Iron vers 15. After that there is no giving the flesh of Kings Captaines c. as meat to the Fowles of the Heavens vers 19. I say he is none of these doth none of these 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Therefore it must be fulfilled at the first Resurrection and reigning of the Saints in the twenty and one and twenty Chapters largely opened afore CHAP. V. Conteining several Arguments to prove the QUOD SIT That there is such a glorious time aforesaid yet to come before the ultimate judgement SECT I. § 1 IF God hath been wont generally in all ages to punish on earth and there to destroy all long fierce Tyrants and Persecutors of his Church then still hee will so punish them But Antichrist consisting of Pope and Turke and their adherents as afore-demonstrated have been long time and still are fierce tyrants and persecutors of the Church Therefore that Antichrist will God yet punish and destroy upon earth § 2 For proofe of the antecedent of the first proposition or major as we call it viz. that God hath been wont c. note briefly 1. The Scripture sets forth the destruction of the Egyptians on earth by ten plagues and their drowning in the red-sea for their long and fierce tyranny over the poor Israelites for about 300 years Exod. the first fifteen chapters 2. The Scripture notes the ruin on earth that is brought upon the first that is the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchie for that Nebuchadnezzar who is the head of the monstrous persecuting image Dan. 2. having slaine the Nobles hee carryed away captive to Babylon the whole land of Judah in all the considerable things and persons thereof 2 King 25.2 Chron. 36. And having them there commanded them to worship his Idoll golden Image upon paine of being put into a fiery oven which he executed on Shadrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3. For in the reign of Nebuchadnezzars Grand-child viz. Belshazzar son of Evil-Merodach the son of Nebuchadnezzar the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchy is swallowed up of the Medo-Persian Monarchy Dan. 5.28 29 30 31. Thirdly The Medio-Persian Monarchy treading in the same steps of cruelty to the Church or worse as the sixth chapter of Daniel and the whole books of Ester and Nehemiah give us a full account is swallowed up of the Grecian-Monarchy according to Daniels vision cha 7. of the fulfilling whereof we have a large account in the Books of Maccabees Quintus Curtius Josephus c. The Grecian Monarchy following the same rode invading Judea and at length most miserably corrupting and depopulating the parts and places of their worship and cruelly putting to death thousands and ten thousands of the Jews as Heb. chap. 11. and the books of Maccabees relate at large it is at last swallowed up of the fourth and last that is the Roman Monarchy according to Daniels Visions and Prophesies Dan. 7. Dan. 8. and Dan. 11. This fourth Monarchy of the Romans not differing from the former in cruelty unlesse in exceeding them concurring in putting to death Christ and his Apostles as the New Testamament gives us hints and lengthning and increasing their cruelty for three hundred yeers with variety of horrid torments executed on the Christians over the world reaching even to our England the Lords divine justice ever since that hath been pouring out a Vial of wrath upon it though it is not yet totally consumed Pilate and two and thirty Emperours next succeeding came to untimely ends as Mr. Fox in his Book of Martyrs gives an excellent account About the year three hundred and twelve Constantine the Great rising up in behalfe of the Christians slew his Colleagues and their Armies that had so persecuted About the yeer One thousand after Christ the Saracens tear from the Romans part of their Empire in particular Judea Drechs Cedr page 582. Bucholc Ind. Chron. ad annum one thousand and nine About three hundred years after viz. Anno one thousand three hundred the Turks by their addition to the Saracens making a mighty Empire rend three Horns of the ten on the head of the Roman Beast from him that is so many great parts of his Empire afore largely explained leaving him but seven Bucholc Jud. Chron. ad annum one thousand three hundred Huet on Dan. c. I may not here be so tedious as to descend to and dilate on all particulars how God hath punished the German persecutors with above twenty years wars by the noble King of Sweden The Spanish Inquisition-cruelty with the wars of the Netherlands the revolt of Portugal and the French wars in Catalonia The French massacres with annual bloody Insurrections among themselves The English persecutions and Marian Bonefires and High-commission cruelties with several Invasions the Barons-wars the Tway-King-conflicts and the late vials of blood Thus of the Antecedent of the major Proposition For the Consequent and sequell of it it is founded upon the unchangeablenesse of God being immutable in his Counsel immutable in his purpose immutable in his controversie against and his justice upon the same wayes of sinne immutable in his power and immutable in his goodnesse to his Church to quit it from the hands of the wicked And upon the warrant we have from the word of God so to infer from Gods unchangeablenesse that because God hath delivered his Church and people and that by destroying the wicked enemies thereof therefore wee may expect hee will so doe for future So the Apostle Paul is confident 2 Cor. 1.10 So the Apostle Peter infers and that from severall examples 2 Pet. second Chapter first nine verses and many other places might be alleadged but for brevity § 3 For the second or minor Proposition 1 That the Turk and Pope have been long time and still are fierce persecutors of the Church of God we need not insist upon the proof thereof having so often afore repeated their history and Chronologie and the eyes and ears of the present generation are witnesses so that both of them are healing and growing up againe to their Zenith Apoge or Achme I mean very high notwithstanding the many cuts and wounds aforesaid given them by divine vengeance So that the Turk hath slain as many Christians in one battel as the tips of their right ears being cut off have filled nine sacks as Mr. Fox gives us the story in his Martyrologie And daily he mightily enlargeth his Empire whiles the Christian Kings and Emperours and Nations Popish and Protestant are bangling one with the other And for the Pope his eldest sonne the house of Austria and his Catholick Kingly Sonne of Spaine is now higher and more Monarchicall then he hath been these many yeers so that his unholy Holinesse the Pope and his Crew in their late Jubilee at Rome sang their
5 Chap. Of Christians BOOK V. 1 Chap. Dr. Prideaux his Arguments against the future state of this glory on earth answered 2 Chap. Dr. Pareus his Arguments answered 3 Chap. Mr. Baylies nine Arguments answered 4 Chap. Mr. Hayne answered 5 Chap. An universal Argument of the generality of men answered 6 Chap. Containing our replies to mens objections or exceptions against our Arguments BOOK VI. The introduction laying forth the generall heads of what this future glorious state on earth shall be viz. 1 Chap. shews the Chaos preceding 2 Chap. The Creation constituting 3 Chap. The Dimensions 4 Chap. The Qualifications viz. Sect. 1. Shews it to be a Sin-lesse condition Sect. 2. Sorrow-lesse Sect. 3. Death-lesse From which three do issue those particulars in the Sect. 4. That there shall be no Humane ruling Majesties Coercive Superiorities Church-censures Fears Wants Desertions Labour Decay Procreation of children Sect. 5. Temptation-lesse Sect. 6. A Restauration of all the creatures Sect. 7 A Time-lesse state Sect. 8 A perfection of all qualities Sect. 9 A confluence of all comforts Sect. 10 The face and character of Eternity 5 Chap. The priviledges of the said state Sect. 1. The fulfilling of all Mysteries and Prophesies Sect. 2. A superabundant pouring out of the Spirit Sect. 3. A wonderful return of prayers Sect. 4. Those Church-ordinances then remaining shall be in a higher Key Sect. 5. Vnion of all Saints on earth Sect. 6. Honour to all that is holy BOOK VII 1 Chap. The Introduction 2 Chap. Several Prognosticks of the said glorious state on earth approaching Sect. 1. The expiration of some accounts Sect. 2 The might of the Churches enemies Sect. 3 The height of their wickednesse Sect. 4 Wars and rumors of Wars Sect. 5 A touch on other Prognosticks 3 Chap. Several Computations when the said glorious estate on earth shall begin Sect. 1 Reusners Sect. 2 Huets Sect. 3 The Rabbins Sect. 4 Brightmans Sect. 5 Alsteds Sect. 6. Medes Sect. 7 Parkers Account Sect. 8 Clavis Apocalyp Account Sect. 9 The Julian and Jews Account Sect. 10 Hainlinus Account Some Errata Page 23. line 48 put the at God to the word power p. 38. l. last save ' four move from the word opinion to the next word them p. 46. § 12. l. 3. r. Commentary p. 48. § d. l. 8 for being râ—are and ib. l. 12. change at world into p. 52. l. last save three remove the latter Parenthesis to next after 9 p. 63. l 10. for Sciences r. Scions p. ib. l. 13. from the end of the p. put out the Paren at But and insert it in the third l. following at beleevers p 66 r. fifth p 67. r. sâ—xth p 71 insert in l 24. at Alcoran ib. p. in l 36. insert at meaning these words as some compute and in the next l. save one insert at least p 73 insert at afterwards in the last l p 79 l 30 adde to the word John there p 83 l 8 at clouds p 86 § 1. l 1. put out p. 89 l 10 from the bottome insert at have the word fully p 92 in the Marg for lo r illo and for illit r. illis p 100 marg l 10 put at juxta and at simularetur and at Balaami and put out that at isâ—e p 117 l 16. for counter destruction r. counter distinction p 119 l last save one for sazed r saved p. 124. Sect 3. r. Sect 2 so accordingly in all the rest of the Sections to the end of the third Pook only in p. 232 and 233. Sect 3. is twice printed so that the first is to be read 32 according to that order the first error p. 124 put them in p. 126. l 8 put out p 133 marg l last save one for Ends. r AND 's p. 145. l 10 r governours p 158 for Act. 12 r by Arâ—ta Euseb l 1 c 12. p 179 § 15 l 20 r have p 181 marg l 20 for yee r yea p 201 marg l 4 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is p 220 marg l 12 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 232 r Sect. 32 p 342 last marg 〈◊〉 â—te r in the parenthesis saith p 471 in the title for ch 1 r. ch 2. And p 4â—3 for ch 1 r ch 3 And p 475 for c 2 r c 3 and so 477 479 481 483 485 487 489 There are some other Errata which time would not permit to conect As for the Latâ—ne of the first Book there was no leasâ—â—e at all to look over any part of it In obedience to an Order dated October 6. I have as my present weaknesse will give me leave perused that which hath been brought unto me written by Dr. Homes in several Books concerning the Kingdome of Christ on Earth and doe returns this as my sense of it 1 THe Subject which is the Reigne of our Saviour with his Saints on the earth is of a transcendent glory in it selfe of universal consequence to all persons and states of very great seasonablenesse for the present Times Like a peâ—ce of rich coine it hath been long buried in the earth but of late dayes digged up againe it begins to grow bright with handling and to passe current with great numbers of Saints and learned men of great Authority As the same Sâ—at at several seasons is the Evening-star setting immediately after the Sunne and the Morning-star shining immediately before it So was this Truth the Evening-star to the first coming of Christ and giving of the Spirit setting together with the glory of that Day in a night of Antichristianisme Now it appears againe in our Times as a Morning-star to that blessed Day of the second effusion of the Spirit and the second appearance of our Saviour in the glory of the Father 2 The manner of handling this Subject in this Book appears to be with piety and modesty learning and judgement industry and variety variety of divine matter excellent reading choice Scriptures and openings of Scriptures out of all which ariseth much present light many hints to more light quickning occasions to further searches and discoveries So that this Book is in one a well grown Orchard and a Nursery of Truths 3 The opinions which the Doctor holds forth in this Book cannot be expected to have a concurrence of all gracious and judicious Spirits or a cleernesse in all particulars the subject being a Prophetick Truth approaching indeed but still at some distance yet they all move upon the three-fold Hinge of three principal points which seem to lye faire and uppermost in the letter of divers Scriptures and have been stamped with the Authority of men eminent in holinesse and learning These three points are such as cut off all pretence to the flesh to sensuality carnality contention from the Reigne of Christ such as instruct the Saints to a peaceable patient and joyfull waiting for the coming of Christ That when he appears they may appear with him in glory such as being rightly understood confirme the letter and
purae piaeque Christianorum sententiae nonsunt multos hoc non agnoscere tibi significavi Eos enimtibi designabam qui nomine quidem CHRISTIANI dicuntur sunt verò ATHEI IMPII HAERETICI quod omnino blasphema impia stulta doceant § 2 Graecorum Antiquorum secundus est IRENAEVS qui storuit Anno 178. circiter post natum Christum Hác aetate inquit Abrahamus Bucholcerus in Indic Chronologi IRENAEVS Ecclesiae Lugdunensis Episcopus Polycarpi auditor contra Haereticos scripsit libros qui extant Dicit alicubise ista scribere Romanam sedem tenente duodecimo Episcopo Eleutherio qui hoc tempore Pontificatum gessit IRENAEI etiam temporibus adhuc durasse donum ejiciendi daemonia et sanandi multos testatur ipse lib. 2. adversus haereses Hujus IRENAEI meminit TERTVLLIANVS eumque nominat omnium doctrinarum curiosum exploratorem IRENAEUS aliquoties scripsit Johannem Apostolum vixisse usque ad tempora Trajani Polycarpum verò fuisse auditorem Johannis se Juvenem vidisse Polycarpum senem Sic Bucholcerus Nomen habuit IRENAEUS ut aiunt a componenda pace inter litigantes De hoc IRENAEO Magno doctissimus asserit Erasmus in Argumento ejus in Quintum librum illius Irenaei contra Haereses Quin HIERO NIMUS inquit ERASMUS alicubi testatur IRENAEUM sensisse cum CHILIASTIS cum aliâs tum enarrans EZECHIELIS caput trigesimum Sed in hujusmodi multis VETERES cum candore legendi sunt c. Sic Erasmus In quam de IRENAEO sententiam facilè descendent qui acutiori oculo perlegerint quintum illius IRENAEI librum contra HAERESES Ubi plurimum disputans pro resurrectione corporum sanctorum eos ipsos urget Prophetas qui tractant summoperè de eorundem PRIMA RESURRECTIONE ad plenam Judaeorum vocationem Particularius ILLE ut anteà JU MARTYR pro MILLE ANNIS urget Ezechielem pro RESURRECTIONE Nominatim cap. 37. v. 1. ad 15. Quem locum de Thesi nostrâ intelligendum demonstratio ejus 3. nostro libro instituenda convincet Vide sis IRENAEUM Edit Bas in 8. Lat. Anno 1571. ad pag. 545. 575. § 3 Ultimus Graecorum quem recitabimus Epiphanius qui floruit Anno circiter 365 haec habet verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est Porro alii dixerunt senem dixisse quod in prima resurrectione millenarium quendam annorum absolvemus in iisdem versantes in quibus etiam nunc nimirum legem servantes alia c. Unde liquidò constat vel Athanasium vel Paulinum vel quosdam extitisse circa vel ante tempus Epiphanii qui substantiam nostrae Theseos omnino defendebant Imò mihi palam videtur etiam ipsum Epiphanium ex verbis ejus statim insequentibus favisse aliquantulùm iis hanc opinionem tenentibus Verùm inquit sicut quidam affirmarunt hoc dixisse ipsum asseruerunt Et quòd quidem scriptum est de millenariâ hâc sectâ in Apocalypsi Johannis quòd apud plerosque liber receptus est etiam apud pios manifestum est c. Epiph. lib. 3. To. 2. juxta Edit Basil lat A. D. 1578. sub Titulo exemplar Paulini Episcopi p. 334. C. 335. A. edit Graec. Basil p. 435. SECT III. Of Latine Antiquities THe first in Seniority of Latine Learned Godly Ancients that is for our Position in TERTULLIAN Hee Apologized for the Christians about the yeare after Christ 180. His words in his fifth Booke against Marcion are to this effect Thou art a Priest for ever But Ezechias though he once was yet he was neither a Priest nor for ever c. But unto Christ will agree the order of Melchisedek because indeed Christ Gods proper and legimate High-priest of the Priest-hood of the Uncircumcision then specially constituted in the Nations of whom hee had more claime to bee received with vouchsafe at last to accept and blesse the circumcision and posterity of Abraham when at length they shall know him § 2 Lactantius very largely and learnedly discourseth the point in his seventh Booke of divine Institutions who lived in the time of Constantine the Great three hundred and ten yeeres after Christ so long since proving it from the Scriptures and withall alleading the consent of Philosophers Poets Sybils c. all which to translate into English would but bee tedious to them that understand onely that tongue besides the increase of charge in Printing And for those that understand Latine and Greek they have here at hand the minde of the Authour and his quotations in those languages whereby to read him and them in their owne idiom and phrase But to give the English Reader a few summary heads of what is in this large citation of Lactantius and his quotations it shall not bee grievous to me nor unnecessary for him In his seventh Book of Divine Institutions Chap. 1. hee saith thus In the fourth Booke saith hee wee have spoken of the first coming of the LORD Now let us relate his second which the Jewes also acknowledge and expect because it is of NECESSITY that hee should RETURN to Comfort them whom before he had come to call together In this second Chapter of that seventh Book Lactantius saith thus It is ordained by the disposal of the highest God that this unjust age a certaine space of times being runne shall have an end when all wickednesse being extinct and the soules of the godly called backe to a blessed life there shall flourish a quiet tranquil peaceable and golden age God himselfe then reigning In his fourteenth Chapter of the same Book hee saith That Plato and many others of the Philosophers whiles ignorant of the original of things and of that top of time wherein the World was made * said that many thousands of * ages have passed since this * most beautifull world thus adorned hath existed As per haps the Chaldeans who as Cicero hath delivered in his first Book of Divination do dream * that they have contained in * their Monuments foure hundred * and seventy thousand yeers But we whom the Divine Scriptures do instruct unto the knowledge of the truth have knowne the beginning and end of the World of which end wee shall speake in the end of this Book as wee did of the beginning in the second Let therefore Philosophers know who number thousands of Ages since the beginning of the World that the Sixth thousand yeer is not yet CONCLUDED or ENDED But that number being fulfilled of necessity there must bee an end and the state of humane things must been transformed into that which is better This Lactantius doth largely and learnedly prove from Gods making the World in six dayes and resting the seventh Alleadging the Prophet as it is his expression that BEFORE thy EYES O Lord a thousand yeers are but as ONE DAY c. Wee have saith Lactantius often said That lesser and small things are the figures and fore-representations of
conati sunt tam acerbo perierunt exitu ut omnium mortalium judicio illorum calamitates exempli loco proponerentur similia scelera persequentibus In quorum numero illum unum fuisse arbitratur nempe Valerianum qui divinâ irâ tanquam aliquo fulmine ex Romano Imperio dejectus in Persidis oras delatus est Quod bene cecidit in ejusmodi SACRILEGOS tale supplicii exemplum Nam sibi ait contigisse nonnullorum exitus animadvertere qui paulo ante POPVLVM DEO CONSECRATVM nefandis edictis perturbaverant Gratias verò agit Deo immortales quòd singulari providentiâ universum hominum genus QVI DIVINAM LEGEM COLVNT AC VENERANTVR reslicutâ pace laetitiâ assicitur Imo inquit cum summâ cum voluptate audivisse PRAECLARVM ILLUM HOMINUM COETVM CHRISTIANORVM intelligere se ait potissimam partem Persidis EXORNASSE ex quo VTRIQVE ILLORVM scilicet tam Regi quam Christianis COMMVNEM CONTIGISSE FAELICITATEM pronunciat Sic Constantinus Quae omnia spectatu dignissima Vos Mundi Magnates auscultate nisi faelices estis illi infelicissimi quibus abundanti mundanorum affluentiâ vel ocium non est vel non animus divinam perscrutandi veritatem Aures vestrae seu a Delatoribus sive Adulatoribus vel aliquibus nescio quo nomine Heterodoxis obthurantur ne alios audiant narraturos Sed tandem invicta veritas pro dolor vestros percellet animos caeterosque qui aspernantes Constantinianam Christianorum definitionem Divinam colere legem venerarique illorum meditantur minitantque ruinam Sic fuit ab initio teste Scripturâ * Mat. 23.34 35 Constantino innumerorumque experientiâ nostrâ An Deus Sacrilegium patitur inultum iri Populum Dei Populum Deo CONSECRATVM nuncupat eosque SACRILEGOS qui populum illum nefandis edictis perturbaverint Quâ normâ parique ratione haud Christianis tantum verum etiam Judaeis indulgendum est Qui ut veterem venerantur legem Ita in suis primitiis radice Deo consecrantur * Rom. 11.16 Quorum massa ramique cum Orthodoxum amplectentur Christianismum ut etiam Christiani PRAECLARVS HOMINVM COETVS censendi sunt Quique potissimum cujusque regnipartem quam occupant EXORNANT Communicatâ utrique FOELICITATE COMMVNI Vos itaque terrarum Dynastae exoremini uti perorat Imperator ut IS TO MODO humanissimè nimirum excipiendo Christianos DEVM hujus universitatis Dominum parentem PROPITIVM ET PLACATVM HABEATIS Hos inquit ut DECET HVMANITATEM VESTRAM complectendo amandoque tum vobis quam NOBIS istâ vestrâ fide IMMENSVM PRAESTABITIS BENEFICIVM Bene vortat Deus AMEN Precatur NATHANAEL HOMESIVS AN Epistle EXPLICATORY and APOLOGETICAL to the READER touching the Subject-matter of this BOOK THE Frontispiece of the Title and the Printers specimina formerly given into the hands of our friends having sufficiently held forth the forme of this Treatise we deemed it necessary to adde one word touching the matter which should seem by the variety of palats to be of a various and strange relish Most dis-relishing the least that is said of it as too much many resenting all as too little The later duely weighing this to be the great interest of Saints and to succeed the grand Catastrophe of all the present turnes and overturnings of times and things pulling downe the rotten that the rubbish removed New Jerusalem may be built The former as strucken with a pannick fear dreading some monster of Heresie abortively to be borne into the world or a voluptuous Cerinthianisme to be raised from the dead to the endangering of the Articles of our Creed or Faith But whosoever will be so wise as to read the first and fourth Booke afore he censure shall finde beside the whole current of Scripture in the other the stream of all sorts of all the best approved Antiquity of the most pious Fathers Greek and Latine the choysest ancient Jewish Rabbins with the pick'd flowers of their Targums and Talmuds and Orthodox Councils and Catechismes c. to have held with us And if he shall peruse the fifth Book he shall be convinced I trust that when the most learned Adversaries bad objected what they could and particularly that of infringement and prejudice to the Articles of Faith they could not in the least impeach our Tenet of any such errour or incongruity And into a like nothing I doubt not will that dreame of voluptuous Cerinthianisme vanish upon the Readers perusal of the third Section of the third Chapter of the third Booke Page 372. And for further satisfaction of the Readers and mine owne spirit herein I can comfortably adde one grand consideration viz. Experience For the maine substance of this Treatise was for neer one whole yeer tasted and tryed upon the palats of very many of the most godly and pious who were so far from doubting and so fully satisfied in their spirits that their importunity and encouragements brought this Worke into the World when I had long laid aside the thoughts of ever travelling with it any more The reasons why I began as well in Latine as English throughout the first Booke and there rested were two First The many Latine Quotations necessitatedly attending a worke of this nature But chiefly if I may speake freely the grand concernment of it to all Forreigne Nations as well as to us that hope for future blisse especially to the now distressed Jewes To whom therefore I would willingly have so communicated it for their readiest perusal But some of my worthy Friends strongly disswading mine owne ease easily submitted If yet all are not will not bee satisfied I cannot helpe it nor all the Writers in the World with whom all men were never satisfied But this I have strongly to comfort my selfe herein That the Call of the Jewes being a Mystery Rom. 11.25 and the Resurrection of the Saints and their change a mystery 1 Cor. 15.51 c. both Master-limbs of the body of this Discourse the fault of the Readers non-satisfaction may as well at least be charged on his dimnesse as upon my weaknesse I have no more to adde in this mee-displeasing way of Epistolizing but to pray and wish to the Well-willers increase of Divine light To the Ill-willers a better spirit To the Newter-negligent diligence to understand And to the Learned searching and declaring To all which AMEN Is the close of Your Servant in the Lord NATH HOMES A Synopsis of the main integral parts of the whole Treatise BOOK I. 1 Chap. THE General Position of the Saints reigning with Christ a 1000 yeers propounded 1 Section That Position expounded 2 Chap. That Position is not guilty of singularity or novelty Sect. 1 The Hebrew Antiquities for it Sect. 2 The ancientest Greek Fathers for it Sect. 3 The ancientest Latine Fathers for it Sect. 4 Modern Writers of several Nations for it 3 Chap. Some preparations in a general way for the demonstration of the said
to our purpose Moreover a certaine man AMONG US whose name is JOHN BEING ONE OF THE twelve APOSTLES OF CHRIST in that REVELATION which was shewed to him prophesied that those that beleeve in OVR CHRIST shall accomplish a thousand years mark those that beleeve in Christ shall accomplish a thousand years at Hierusalem and after that the GENERAL and in a word the everlasting resurrection and last judgement of all joyntly together Even that whereof also our Lord spake wherein they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage but shall bee equall with the Angels being made the sonnes of the resurrection of God For the gifts of Prophesie are extant with us even till this time And as hee speakes thus home to our Thesis positively so hee speakes as high against them that are contrary minded negatively denying them to bee true Christians His words are these But contrary-wise I have signified unto thee TRYPHO that MANY WHO ARE NOT ORTHODOX and PIOUS CHRISTIANS DENY THIS § 2 The next of the Greeke Ancients is IRENAEUS who flourished about the yeare 178. after Christ Hee was the chiefe Minister of the Church at LYONS Hee saith hee was the hearer of POLYCARP which POLYCARP was the Disciple of JOHN And IRENAEUS had that Agnomination or post-name for his godly peace making in the Churches He wrote five Bookes against the Heresies of his time which wee have In the second whereof hee testifies That to his time the gifts of casting out Devils and miraculous healing of diseases continued which shewes that hee lived neare the Apostles times which Irenaeus himself intimates in his fifth Booke against Heresies neare the end That JOHN saw his vision of the Revelation almost in his time TERTULLIAN cals him THE MOST CURIOUS TRIER or SEARCHER OUT OF ALL DOCTRINES Of this IRENAEUS the GREAT in Learning and Godlinesse Learned ERASMUS affirmeth in his Argument or Summary of the fifth Booke of Irenaeus against Heresies that HIEROM asserteth him to bee of the same minde with the CHILIASTES that are for the THOUSAND YEERS The truth is whosoever shall read that fifth Booke of Irenaeus against Heres with a piercing eye shall finde that Hierom hath given a right judgement concerning him For Irenaeus there mainly disputing for the Resurrection of the bodies of the Saints urgeth the Prophets for that Resurrection who all speake mainly of the first Resurrection of the bodies of the Saints at the full call of the Jewes And particularly p. 575. Irenaeus urgeth that of Ezekiel Chap. 37. v. 1. to v. 15. for it as before Justin Martyr urged Ezekiel for the one thousand yeares which place is evidently for our position as wee shall see after when wee come to the proofe thereof by Scripture Li. 5. Page 576. Againe he urgeth as Justin Martyr did that in Esa 65.22 For as the dayes of the tree he puts in OF LIFE shall bee the dayes of them which is as plainly as if written with Sunne beames a part of the Prophesie of the Restauration of Israel and the New Jerusalem alleadged by Peter 2 Ep. 3. Cha. and alluded to by John Rev. 21.1 In another to place of the same fifth Booke Pag. 547. Irenaeus speakes much of the Saints after their first life here that they shall inhabit Paradise where Adam was placed at his first Creation And elsewhere speaking of the Saints possessing the Kingdome of heaven alleadgeth that place Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the EARTH which is taken out of Psal 37.10 11. yet a little while and the wicked shall not bee Yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not bee But the meeke shall inherit the EARTH and shall delight themselves in the ABUNDANCE OF PEACE And verse 28 29. The seed of the wicked shall bee cut off The righteous shall inherit the LAND and dwell therein for EVER Lib. 1. p. 559. One instance more for it would be tedious to you and mee to alleadge all Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God as if one should say saith IRENAEUS The wilde olive tree is not taken into the PARADISE of God § 3 The last of the Greeke Antiquities that we shall alleadge is out of Epiphanius who flourished about the yeer after Christ 365. whose words after mention of Athanasius and Paulinus are to this effect Moreover saith Epiphanius others have affirmed that the OLD MAN should say THAT IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION we shall accomplish a certaine MILLENARY of yeers injoying the same things as now wee doe namely keeping the Law c. By which it appeares that if not Athanasius or Paulinus aforementioned some there were in or afore Epiphanius his time that held the substance of our Thesis Yea it seems to mee that Epiphanius himselfe speakes something favourable of them that held this opinion by his words presently following viz. And that indeed it is written of this sort of MILLENARIES in the Apocalypse of John and that the Booke is received of very many even of them that are godly is manifest with more to the same effect SECT 2. De Graecorum Antiquitatibus § 1 GRaecorum qui nostrae accinunt Thesi primus est JUSTINUS MARTYR in Dialogo cum Tryphone Judaeo Eyw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Ego autem si qui sunt per omnia orthodoxae sententiae Christiani carnis resurrectionem futuram novimus MILLE ANNOS in Jerusalem instauratâ exornaâ—â dilatatâ sicut Prophetae Ezechiel Esaias alii promulgant sic namque Esaias de MILLE istorum annorum tempore loquutus est ERIT ENIM CAELUM NOVUM ET TERRA NOVA ET NON RECORDABUNTUR PRIORUM NEQUE EORUM ILLA VENIENT IN CORDA SED LAETITIAM ET EXULTATIONEM INVENIENT IN HIS QUAE EGO CREO QUIA ECCE FACIO JERUSALEM EXULTATIONEM ET POPULUM MEUM LAETITIAM paulo post NAM SECUNDUM DIES LIGNIVITAEDIES POPULI MEI In his verbis inquit MILLE ANNOS arcanè designari intelligimus Ut enim Adae dictum est quo die de ligno comedisset eo die moriturum etiam esse scimus cum mille annos non implevisse Novimus quoque dictum illud quòd DIES DOMINI SIT SICUT MILLE ANNI huc pertinere Et vir apud nos quidam cui Nomen JOHANNES è duodecim Apostolis Christi unus in câ quae illi exhibita est Revelatione Prophetavit Christo credentes nostro Gr. Paris edit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annos mille Hierosolymis peracturos esse ac postea universalem ut semel dicam sempiternam omnium unanimiter simul resurrectionem Judicium futurum id quod Dominus noster dixit quod NUPTUM NEQUE DATURI NEQUE ACCEPTURI SED ANGELIS AEQUALES FUTVRI SINT utpote filii Dei resurrectionis Apud nos enim huc usque etiam Prophetica extant dona 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. E contrà verò eorum qui
this from him as he goes on I marvelled saith hee when I read in Tully Crispold otherwise a pious man in his manuscript Annotations upon this place which are in our Library thus It shall in time come to passe saith Tul. Crisp when the TIME OF NATIONS or THE TIME OF THE GENTILES shall be fulfilled that the City Hierusalem shall bee restored and there shall reigne the JEWES of the house of David and the Priests of the Tribe of Levi shall offer Christian sacrifices and also legall albeit of these legall ones they shall offer but a certaine as it were image and representation as now some Christians taste a Lambe in the Passeover Moreover there shall be Elias perhaps the PROPER APOSTLE of them at that time The Apostles of Christ neverthelesse then also existing yea CHRIST himselfe at least sometime appearing and conversing among them That is certaine saith Lorinus That the KINGDOME is to bee RESTORED to the ISRAELITES and JEWES before the end of the world c. as you have it in the Latine Lay all together and you may plainly perceive that Lorinus knew and could not deny it but that in all Ages since the Apostles learned men have been of our mind touching a glorious state of the Church yet to come before the ultimate day of judgement § 3 JOHANNES LORINUS è societat Jesu Commentariis in Acta Apostolorum haec habet in versum 6. Cap. primi scilicet igitur illativa inquit Lorinus significat Discipulos quod mirum simul videri potest non minus quà m cum de passione suâ loquente CHRISTO primas pro liberis fedes mater illa postulavit cum Christo egisset de regno Dei c. occasionem tamen accepisse interrogandi de regno temporali Hoc muliò probabiliùs ut etiam Oecumenius sentit quà m ut cum Chrysostomo de Judicii die et consummatione seculi Quid enim his cum restitutione regni Israel Fieri potest quoniam alios patres video sequi Chrysostomum Hieronymum Cyprianum Theophilum Alexandrinum Augustinum cum Bedâ hoc loco Justinus Irenaeus passimque de temporali regno intelligatur ut quamvis Discipuli non aliud quà m de RESTITUTIONE seu ut duo illi peregrini lequebantur de redemptione Israel interrogaverint tamen Christus respondendo etiam ad FUTURUM SECULUM respexit quo tandem cognoscetur regnum ipsius non esse de hoc mundo Verùm pace Lorini Apostolus ad Hebr. cap. 2. alibi ponit regnum in seculo â—uturo in mundo quamvis non facit ex mundo ut posteà abundantius disputabitur Sed age audiamus Lorinum pergit ad hunc modum Tolerari potuit utcunque in rudibus adhuc Discipulis error apud Judaeos carnales vigens c. sed minus ferendus Chiliastarum seu Millenariorum errorne dicam an haeresis cum Apollinarem hoc nomine Papa Damasus damnaverit ante quem praeter haereticum Cerinthum Papias Irenaeus Justinus Tertullianus Nepos Lactantius Sulpitius quamvis hic fuerit aliquando recentior aliique minus ut existimo pertina citer idem sibi de generali post Mille annos RESURRECTIONE TEMPORALI QUODAM REGNO persuaserant Quò aliquando Augustinus etiam propendet De aliis meminit Eusebius Hieron imus noster Ribera exponens Apocalypsis cäput vigesimum UNDE illi poâ—issimum ita existimandi ansam sumpserant praeter veteris Testamenti quibus aequè ad illum suum errorem Judaei utuntur testimonia fortasse in hunc sensum tum posteriores patres tum praecipue Discipuli Christi interpretabantur orationis Dominicae petitionem de Adventu regni verba illa Christi Matth. 26.29 Non bibam amodò de hoc genimine vitis usque in diem illum cum bibam illud vobiscum novum in regno patris mei Bene jam confitetur Lorinus sed audiamus ad finem Miratus sum cùm legi apud Tullium Crispoldum pium â—aeteròqui virum in manuscriptis notationibus ad hunc locum quae sunt in Bibliotheca nostrâ Futurum olim quando fuerit impletum TEMPUS NATIONUM ut restituatur Civitas Hierusalem ut ibi regnent de domo David Judaei atque de tribu LEVI sacerdotes sacrificaturi CHRISTIANA sacrificia simul etiam legalia quamvis ILLORUM duntaxat quandam seu EFFIGIEM REPRAESENTATIONEM ut nunc Christiani quidam agnum Paschate degustant praetereà ut sit Elias FORTASSE PROPRIUS TUNC ILLORUM APOSTOLUS EXISTENTIBUS QUOQUE TAMEN CHRISTI APOSTOLIS CHRISTO IPSO saltem aliquando COMPARENTE inter illos VERSANIE c. Illud certum est inquit Lorinus RESTITUENDUM REGNUM ISRAEL ac JUDAEIS sub mundi finem hoc sensu ut ad Christi spirituale regnum aggregati transferantur demum in Caeleste Siquidem disertè id reperimus apud JOANNEM PAULUM ESAIAM OSEAM DANIELEM MALACHIAM c. Sic Lorinus contra nostram Thesin necnon secum conflictans multas authoritates omnis generis res pro Thesi profert § 4 Doctor Alsted a German hath written in a Latine Treatise for our Position called Diatribe that is A Disputation concerning the Apocalyptical THOUSAND YEERES not those of the CHILIASTS properly so called and Phantasticks but of blessed Daniel and John § a. Which wee have well translated into English by that able Scholar Mr. WILLIAM BURTON § b. Who in his first Epistle before it gives this Testimony to the Author Work and Subject The AUTHOR is of a general repute among us for learning as any late Writer we have received beyond the Seas these many yeares and the WORKE is an explanation of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation The SUBJECT thereof is the assertion of the GLORIOUS KINGDOME OF CHRIST HERE ON EARTH a matter no doubt of great comfort and consolation to the Church of God I am not ignorant that Apocalyptical Discourses in generall are liable to many censures and that this divine Prophesie it selfe is as yet a sealed Booke Yet receiving my self MUCH SATISFACTION and SETTLEDNESSE of MINDE from THIS EXPOSITION thereof I thought also Gods people might reap some benefit thereby and this is the maine cause I have made it publicke In his second Epistle before the same Translation hee gives us this account of the History of the opinion of THE THOUSAND YEERS Let mee tell thee good Reader That it was the CONSTANT opinion of the Church in the very next age to the Apostles that THERE SHOULD BEE A RESURRECTION BEFORE THE GENERALL RISING AT THE LAST DAY and an HAPPY CONDITION OF THE FAITHFULL UPON EARTH FOR A THOUSAND YEERS This wee may learne from TERTULLIAN against MARCION and IRENAEUS in his Tractates against all Heresies and JUSTIN MARTYR in his Dialogue with TRYPHO the Jew And so goes on touching briefly out of JUSTIN MARTYR what wee have afore largely quoted And then hee addes his owne judgement in these words I know not saith hee whether so
primum quem legi appellat REDEMPTIONEM ISRAELIS seu PROPHETICAM HISTORIAM DE SALVATORIS NOSTRI REGNO IN TERRIS c. Secundum a me nondum perlectum nominat REDEMPTIONEM ISRAELIS REDEMPTAM sive JUDAEORUM GENERALEM MIRACULOSAM CONVERSIONEM AD FIDEM EVANGELII Eorundemque in suam patriam reditum nostrique salvatoris imperium in terris personaliter ministratum c. In quibus multos recenset authores ut pote Alstedium in Chronolog cap. 32. cap. 35. Fran. Johannem de comb is in compendio totius Theologiae lib. 7. cap. 13 14. It. lib. 7. cap. 7. Foxum in Martyrolog Anglic. * Wendelinum Contemplat Natural cap. 9. sect 2. cap. 21. * sect 2. Johan Acostam De Temporalib Noviss lib. 3. cap. 11. Down in 17. Johan Cum multis aliis c. quorum verba hic describere nec mihi otium est nec animus ne lector taedio affligeretur §. 11. Mr. Archer also an Englishman hath waded farther into the point then wee have in some particulars which are not so cleer to us having written as we are informed two Treatises of it The first is expresse under his name entituled THE PERSONALL REIGNE OF CHRIST UPON EARTH The other is called ZIONS JOY IN HER KING COMING IN HIS GLORY But doubtfull whether his being subscribed with this darke name BY FINIENS CANUS VOVE Nostras etiam Archerius altiùs paulò in nonnullis nobis minus innotescentibus urinatus librum scripsit cujus titulus est REGIMEN CHRISTI PERSONALE IN TERRIS Nec non ut aiunt alium cujus inscriptio est GAUDIUM ZIONIS IN REGE SUO CUM GLORIA VENIENTE §. 12. Learned Mr. Meade our Country-man his Clavis Apocalyptica Commentarius both in Latine and English is famously known to most that read books § a. Learned Doctor Twisse his PREFACE doth shew the METHOD and excellency of Mr. MEDES interpretation of the Revelation It will not bee amisse to give an account of that Preface in the summe of it that by occasion hereof other Nations that understand not English may have it in Latine wherein at once is seen much of Mr. Mede and of the judgement of Dr. Twisse in our Position Many Interpreters saith Dr. Twisse alluding to Prov. 31.29 have done excellently but Mr. Mede surmounteth them all A Daearse set upon a Giants shoulders may see further and a Wren carried up upon an Eagle till this great bird bee wearied may with her little wings spin up a little higher But Mr. Mede hath many notions of so rare a nature that I doe not finde hee is beholding to any other for them but onely to his owne studiousnesse under Gods blessing § b. Observe Gods direction of him in the course that hee hath taken As first in his Clavis Apolyptica wherein he hath drawne together the homogeneal parts of it dispersed here and there yet belonging to the same time 2. The Author gave himselfe to write Specimina Essayes wherein he goes over every part of this book excepting the three first Chapters taking a generall view of each as he goes 3. He proceeds to a more full Commentary from the fourth Chapter to the fourteenth That which follows thence to the end containes onely his former Specimina § c. Whereas in performances of this nature two things are necessary 1. A righ discerning of the meaning of the words and phrase and tropes and figures 2. A right accomodation of things to times For the first Mr. Mede excels viz. in observing the Genius of all those As in opening the Mystery of the battel in heaven Rev. 12. and the casting downe of Satan unto the earth hee shews that States and Kingdomes in the Political world much answer to the condition of the Natural and so represented in Scripture For as the Natural consists of Heaven and Earth so the Political of Nobility and Laity And as in the Heavens there are Sunne Moon and Stars of lesser and greater magnitude So in Kingdomes King Queene and Nobles of severall degrees And as in the Earth there is great variety of Trees Herbs Flowers c. So in the people of any Commonwealth is found great variety of differences And by this way Mr. Mede doth not onely wittily please as others have done but solidly convince his Reader of the true sense even to admiration For the second viz. Accommodation of the Prophesies to their proper times a point of great skill in history I have found that Mr. Medes friends acquainted with his studies would give him the Bell for this as herein out-stripping others § d. 3. I have observed some notable distinctions in this Commentary of Mr. Mede giving great light As first That betweene the Sealed Book with seven seales which hee calls the greater the contents being very large viz. Comprising the History from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel to the end of the world Which hee saith containes Fata imperii i. e. the destinies of the Empire and the little book mentioned Chap. 10. which he saith contains Fata Ecclesiae the destinies of the Church The first containes the seven Seales and Trumpets for the seventh seale produceth the seven Trumpets The six first Seales containe the story of the Empires continuance unto the dayes of Constantine included in whose dayes there being a strange Metamorphosis of the Empire from Heathen to Christian it is represented as it were the ending of the world and beginning of a new which Mr. Mede delivers very judiciously Then the seven Trumpets which are the contents of the seventh Seale represent the judgements of God upon the world for standing out against the Gospel and shedding the blood of the Saints First by the Heathen Emperours for which cause ruine was gradually brought upon the Empire till it was torne into ten Kingdomes The graduall was fourefold which make up the contents of the foure first Trumpets 2. By the Antichristian world the degenerated states of Christendome For which the three Woe Trumpets following containe the three degrees of divine vengeance on them 1. By the Saracens in the first Woe Trumpet 2. By the Turkes in the second Chap. 9. 3. By the end of the World Rev. 11.15 § e. Second distinction of great light and use for the clearing of the STATE OF CHRISTS GLORIOUS KINGDOME HERE ON EARTH is that Mr. Mede gives upon Revel 21.24 Between the NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED c. and the NEW HIERUSALEM where clearly hee makes it appeare that NEW HIERUSALEM is one thing and THE NATIONS THAT ARE SAVED are another The Nations that are saved are those that escape the fire are saved from the fire at Christs coming wherewith the Earth and all the works thereof shall bee burnt in the day of Christs coming 2 Pet. 3. 2 Thess 1. And the NEW HIERUSALEM saith Mr. Mede is CHRIST and his RAISED SAINTS who are called 1 Thes 4. The SAINTS WHOM CHRIST SHALL BRING WITH HIM who shall shine with a glorious light In
conceived by the most learned through the Red Sea So when Israel was to re-edifie the Temple and to settle in their owne land after the captivity Christ appears as a Commander of an Army on horse back with troops behinde him Zech. 1. And as the Sonne of man sitting in judgement as a King Dan. 7. Some will perhaps say these were types of his incarnation If that so in some generall semblance yet these did more distinctly set forth his visible Monarchy to come And therefore his incarnation is made a type or platforme of his coming as a Monarch Act. 1.11 And therefore as the Prologue to his visible appearance againe as a Monarch to reigne as Revel 20. he appeares as a glorious King Rev. 1. with all circumstances to set forth the glory of his Royalty much more therefore in consideration of all that Christ hath said and done in relation to that in the New Testament may we expect him to come and visibly appeare at the setting up of his Monarchy He tells Pilate he was borne to be a King and therefore must be a King But he would not set it up yet afore his ascention Act. 1. Hee must first goe into a far Country and after that receive his Kingdome as wee heard afore out of Luke 19. Chap. 1. Sect. 7. of this second Booke Hee must first ascend up on high and then hee leads Captivity captive spiritually as a Preface to his visible appearance to make the Church spiritually and Corporally glorious which the Apostle immediately hints in that fourth of Ephes Untill wee come to a perfect MAN unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ which by and by after that in the same Chapter hee calls THE NEW MAN WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESSE and HOLINESSE As alluding to the state of innocent Adam And therefore as the first Adam did visibly appeare as a glorious Monarch over the visible world so shall the second Adam according to the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine in Psal 8. Hebr. 2. being divine Commentaries on Adams Monarchy Gen. 1. vers 26 27 28. Of which place God assisting you shall heare abundantly in the next BOOK FINIS LIBRI SECVNDI THE THIRD BOOK PROVING That there shall be a most glorious state of the Church and of all things in relation to the Church and that on earth yet before the ultimate day of Judgement CHAP. I. The partition of the ensuing Discourse HAving cleared the visible appearing of Christ personally In the second place we proceed to the proof of his reigning in this visible Kingdome on earth by his mysticall body his members the Saints Wherein we have two things to doe 1 To prove That there is such a Kingdom yet to be on earth as aforesaid in the generall Proposition 2 What that Kingdome will be in the particulars We shall manage the first by foure meanes 1 By Texts of Scripture 2 By Arguments drawne from Scripture 3 By the common consent of all sorts of men as if a law of nature 4 By solution of all the maine objections against it CHAP. II. Containing the Scriptures to prove That there shall be yet on earth before the last Judgement such a Reigning such a visible Kingdome of Christ such a glorious state of the Saints and of all things as is before propounded THE drift scope and sinues of strength of all which places fall into this demonstrative Syllogisme Those things which are prophesied in the word of God and are not yet come to passe must bee fulfilled But the great sensible and visible happinesse of the Church on earth before the ultimate day of judgement is prophesied in the word of God both in the Old and New Testament Therefore it must be fulfilled that such a state be extant upon earth before the ultimate day of judgement The major is granted by all that beleeve the word of God The minor is proved by the ensuing Scriptures SECT I. The twentieth Chapter of the Revelation fully discussed with a demonstration of the true meaning of the one and twentieth Chapter being the exposition of the twentieth § 1 BEfore we take all the choice places of the whole Scriptures in order as they lye in our English Bibles I shall pitch the foot of my Compasse to draw a right and clear circle upon the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation It being the manner and method of the Holy Spirit to declare things especially of this nature gradually as the Church is meet to heare the state thereof requires and the time of fulfilling it drawes neerer and â—o speaks most and plainliest at last Many other instances might be given but that the subject under hand is vast enought of it selfe All these advantages falling to the share of this twentieth Chapter of Revel touching the point in hand as the Catastrophe result and designe of all that God hath spoken before in the Old and New Testament it makes this twentieth of Revel no lesse then a golden key to unlocke the Bible especially the Old Testament that we may look further into other places of Scripture then meerly to make morall observations out of them and mean while doe over-looke the Prophetical intent of God in them § 2 In this twentieth Chapter of the Revel vers 1. it is said AND I saw an Angel come downe c. which AND or as the Translator of the Arab. furthermore or as in sense it oft signifies then imports that John saw immediately afore something in order to this what was that even that which our late invented distinction of Chapters and verses puts in Revel 19. v. 19. I saw saith John the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their Armies gathered together to make warre against him that sate on the horse and against his Army namely against Christ and his members or Saints vers 11 12 13 14. And what was the issue of the War That John goes on to tell us in the twentieth verse of this nineteenth Chapter And the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet that is the Antichrist either under the notion of humane Imperialty or of Ecclesiasticall Prophesie or Teaching were cast alive into the lake c. And the remnant were slaine with the sword of him that sate upon the horse AND saith John in this twentieth Chap. vers 1. after this I saw an Angel come downe from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill and Satan and bound him a thousand years c. which can meane no other thing but Christ and his Saints conquest over the Beast and the false Prophet and their Armies on earth notwithstanding all the power and policy of their seducing Generalissimo the Devill Here then in all is Christ and his Army and Anti-christ and his Army conflicting and they conflict with the Sword and Antichrists Army is slaine with the sword
Pagans Papists Atheists Hereticks and prophane persons And without multiplying words the very phrases will not admit of a referring these to the ultimate day of Doome And therefore must yet bee fulfilled on earth before that day SECT XX. § 1 THe eleventh place in Isaiah is Chap. 49. wholly But I shall need to touch only upon three or four places of the Chapter which will give light to all the rest In generall the chapter is of the bringing in of Jews and Gentiles into the Church The Jews are here named by the generall termes that comprehend at least the ten Tribes if not the whole twelve viz. by the names of Israel ver 3 5 6 7. and of Jacob ver 5. and of the Tribes of Jacob v. 6. and the preserved of Israel ibid. In way of distinction from whom the two Tribes are called Zion v. 14. So that all the twelve Tribes that came of Jacob are intended in this Chapter in the close whereof as a seal the Lord stiles himself Their Saviour their Redeemer the Mighty one of JACOB The Gentiles likewise are expressely named in v. 6. viz I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest bee my salvation unto the ends of the earth quoted by the Apostle Act. 13.47 to prove the propagation of the Gospel for salvation to the Gentiles The concurrence of both Jews and Gentiles in coming in to Christ is expressed to the life ver 22 23. Thus saith the Lord God behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring THY sons in their armes and thy daughters shall be carryed upon THEIR shoulders and KINGS shall be thy nursing Fathers and THEIR Queens shall be THY nursing Mothers c. Adde that the engagement of God that thus hee will call home both Jews and Gentiles v. 13.15 19 18 26. is great Sing O Heavens and be joyfull O Earth and break forth into singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his people and WILL have mercy on his afflicted Can a woman forget her sucking child that shee should not have compassion on the son of her womb c. Yet VVILL NOT I FORGET THEE Behold I have GRAVEN THEE upon the palmes of mine hands As I LIVE saith the Lord thou shalt surely cloathe thee with them all that oppose thee as with an ornament c. And ALL FLESH shall know that I the Lord am the Mighty one of Jacob. § 2 These being premised let us but only put the question upon some Verses whether ever they were yet fully fulfilled and that will be sufficient to ingenuous reason to confesse they must yet be fulfilled and that on earth § 3 VVhen was the seventeenth verse ever fulfilled viz. Thy children shall make hasle thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall goe out of thee VVe read no such thing at their return from Babylon but that there were the crew of Sanballat Tobiah c. that opposed them Anon Alexander the Great the Grecian Monarch enters Jerusalem After him Antiochus Epiphanes alias Epimanes King of Syria wasteth it After these the Romans conquer it And now the Turks ever since possesse it § 4 And when ever yet was the nineteenth verse fulfilled viz. Thy waste and desolate places and the land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away Surely since the carrying away captive of the ten Tribes the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah were never full of their owne Inhabitants We never read that ever the Assyrians Babylonians Cutheans c. which the King of Assyria sent into the Kingdome of Israel 2 Kings 17.24 were sent for home againe Nor that ever those CALDEANS that were sent to governe Judea intimated in 2 King 25. were recalled And for after times as we have hinted afore when the Greek went out the Syrian came in when the Syrian went out the Roman came in when the Roman went the Turke came in and there he is to this day These expulsing one another there hath been a constant succession of them that swallowed up the twelve Tribes Their wasters and destroyers have been changed but have not been sent forth far away from Israel and Judah § 5 Againe did the Gentiles and Peoples ever yet as v. 22. bring the sonnes and daughters of the Jewes in their armes and upon their shoulders If we should wave the litterall sense of setling the Jews in their owne Land and condescend to a spirituall sense of the generality of the Gentiles compliance with the generality of the Jewes in matters of Religion and union into the universall Church wee cannot tell when ever this was done to this day § 6 Nor can we say that ever the Kings of the Gentiles as it is v. 23. and their Queens have been nursing fathers and mothers to the Jewes and bowing downe to them Alas poore Jewes they have ever since the beginning of the Grecian Monarchy long before Christ downe to this very day been under the awing power of the Gentiles and mostly used hardly and in most places of the world instead of reverence have been and are much villified Therefore John in Revelation tels us that this is yet to come and to be fulfilled upon earth afore the ultimate day of judgement as the circumstances of things and the phrases of the Prophesie necessarily require Rev. 21. v. 24.26 And the Kings of the EARTH doe bring their glory and honour into New Jerusalem And they shall bring the glory and honour of the NATIONS into it And yet so as there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth c. § 7 Wee are likewise utterly to seek when ever yet the 25. and 26. verses were fulfilled viz. The captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will save thy children and will feed them that oppresse thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood Wee know not of any such thing since the captivity of the Jewes in Babylon in all Histories divine and humane that thus the Jewes were saved by such destruction of their enemies The Jews indeed soon after their captivity made some attempts 2 King 25. v. 25. After that they made some attempts in 1 Book of Macchab And after that they made severall attempts in the time of Titus and Adrian Roman Emperours And since that the Turk hath dominered over them the Kings of the Gentiles especially of England have made some attempts of warre on their enemies managed by the stocke counsell and aide of severall religious orders for that end as of the Templars Knights of the Rhodes or of John of Jerusalem and of the Knights of Malta alias Melita But all these attempts have not amounted to Isaiahs phrase
And that in Luk. 19. vers 11. c. to 15. He spake a parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appeare c. And that in Luk. 21. ver 31. When you see these things come to passe know that the Kingdom of God is at hand See what went afore viz. The Sonne of Mans coming in a cloud with power and great glory borrowed from Daniel And that in 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and dead at his appearing and his Kingdom must signifie the same Kingdome that Daniel saw should be at the destruction of Antichrist and consequently the Kingdome of a thousand years which the Apocalyps includes between the beginning and the consummation of the great Judgement By these we may understand the rest Taking this for a sure ground That this expression of the Sonne of Mans coming in the cloudes of Heaven so often inculcated in the New Testament is taken from and hath referrence to the prophesie of Daniel being no where else found in the Old Testament As our Saviour also cals himselfe so frequently The Son of Man because Daniel so called him in that Vision of the great Judgement and that we might look for the accomplishment of what is there prophesied of in him It was not in vaine that when our Saviour quoted the prophesie of Daniel hee added He that readeth let him understand * Matth. 24. ver 15. Certainly the great Mystery of Christ is cheifly and most distinctly revealed in that Booke § 1 Thus out of my great respect to Mr. Medes learning having given him the precedency to speak first I shall limp after and stammer forth my own Notions such as they are § 2 In the second verse out of the strivings of the blustering spirits of ## the inhabitants of the foure quarters of the World in a Sea of Warres there ariseth a succession of foure Monarchies each in his turn ruling the greatest part of the whole earth This order or series of the foure Monarchies began with Nimrod about the year of the world one thousand seven hundred and eighty eight and afore Christ two thousand one hundred and eighty three and hath continued to this day This succession order or series of the foure Monarchies the Prophet according to his vision sets forth in the third verse under the name and notion of foure Beasts Which he explaines in the seventeenth verse to signifie four Kings or Monarches that should arise out of the earth that is by earthly means domineer over the greatest part of the earth § 3 The first Beast ver 4. is like a Lyon that had Eagles wings wherewith he was wont to lift up himselfe from the earth till they were plucked and then he was made to stand upon his feet as a man resting upon the earth and a mans heart was given unto him By all which is meant the Babylonian Monarchy which was strong like a Lyon and had wings of celerity and victory becoming the Assyrio-Chaidean Monarchy whereby it was lifted up to an Imperiall eminency above the generality of all the earth Obadiah ver 4. Jer. chap. 4. ver 13. Those his wings are plucked by Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian and so made to stand as a man upon his feet that is was brought down to the common rank of men And hath a mans heart given unto him that is the spirit of an ordinary man an ordinary low boates peasants plebeian spirit not an Heroick and Imperiall § 4 The second Beast vers 5. is like a Beare that raised up it selfe on one side and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth and they said thus unto it Arise and devoure much flesh By all which is meant the Persian Monarchy which was ravenously cruell like a Bear raising up one dominion induring no Mate or Corrivall but subdued first the Medes then the Babylonians uniting all into one Monarchy Between the teeth of his mouth of his desires and power demanding and snatching more dominion he hath the three ribs of the Easterne Westerne and Southerne parts of the world by conquest compare Dan. 8.4 He ariseth and eateth much flesh in his cruell slaughterings and spoilings in pursuance of his Victories § 5 The third Beast ver 6. is like a Leopard which had upon the back of it foure wings of a fowle and had also foure heads and dominion was given to it By which is signified the Grecian Monarchy which was like a Leopard in subtilty celerity and rapacity Jer. 5.6 Hab. 1.8 Dan. 8.5 The Subtilty appeared in the policy of Philip the Father and Alexander the Sonne in laying the plot for this Monarchy slyly occasioning a quarrell to fall out with the neighbour Nations And in the cunning of Alexander in battell that would alwayes fight his supernumerous Enemy in straites where his said enemy might not have roome to bring up more of his men in fight then Alexander on his part could display in battell The swift celerity appeared in that the Grecians under the said Alexander did so suddenly within about twelve years over-run the greatest part of the world as if this Conquerour had flowne upon wings of whom the proverb was He came he saw he overcame And is therefore described in Dan. 8. by an Hee-Goate which skips as if he touched not the ground The rapacity or ravenousnesse to devoure appeared especially against the Jewes the foure heads of this Leopard and their Successors exercising matchlesse cruelty against them and every where as naturally ravenous more tearing and destroying then taking prey For Alexander and the Empire under him being the Body his four Captaines that immediately succeeded him in the Empire were the foure Heads or Rulers Dan. 8.8 and 11.4 Cassander head of Macedonia Antigonus of Asia Seleucus of Syria and Ptolomy of Egypt all possessing Imperiall dignity at once By which this Monarchy became a Monster and monstrous in devouring § 6 The fourth Beast verse 7. is so variously monstrous and strangely different that no naturall Beast nor Name is found meet to describe him onely he is said to have ten hornes and iron teeth to devour and feet to stamp the residue of the beasts under it A strange beast different from all Beasts and all the Beasts but compounded as John shewes Rev. 13. of all foure By this description of Daniel is set forth the Roman Monarchy which according to Daniels words was dreadfull and terrible to all Nations being exceeding strong to annoy them all having such teeth of warre as Scipio Pompey Caesar c. iron victors That addition of nailes of brasse ver 19. signifies their Imperiall Senate and Provinciall Magistrates who held fast whatsoever the iron teeth conquered The ten Hornes are explained by Saint John Rev. 17. to be the character of the Roman Empire and to signifie the ten Kingdomes into which at last it
degenerating into pontificall From the fortieth verse to the end of the chapter it is described so far forth as it became first Saracenicall and then Turkish For the King of the South intends the Saracens who next to the Romans were the immediate oppressors of the Jewes which Saracens were described to be a people of the South 1. Because of their rise who arose out of Arabia which is Southward from Judea 2. Because of their seat who planted themselves in Egypt Alexandria being their Imperiall City of their Souldan which was also South from Judea The King of the North intends the Turke who next to the Saracens were the immediate oppressors of the Jewes the Turk winning from the Romans several Countries of their Empire These Turkes have the notation of a people of the North partly because they arose out of Scythia being the Natives thereof which was North from Judea partly because they possessed the Country of Syria which was North from Judea Of the Romans oppressing the Jewes we heard afore on Chapter 2. and Chapter 7. and hinted in this in verse 36. as instruments of Gods indignation Which held to the Apostles times and further as we shall hear more after The Turkes joyning with the Saracens beat the Romans out of Judea and severall other Countries adjacent but to no advantage of the Jew the Jewes hereby onely changing their oppressor but not their oppression into a deliverance as hath been touched afore upon the 40 and 41 verses in this chapter § 17 The deliverance of the Jewes from these oppressors 1. From the Roman Empire as Roman is hinted in verse 36. in those words till the indignation be accomplished for that that is determined shall be done that is the time of Gods wrath against the Jewes is but for a certain terme of yeares There must be a deliverance of the Jewes c. after the period of this misery as Daniel hath more abundantly declared in the former part of this his booke Their deliverance from the Roman last Monarchy so far as it was become Saraceno-Turkish is expressed verse 44 45. But tidings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him therefore he shall goe forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away with many and although he shall plant the Tabernacle of his Palace between the Seas in the glorious mountaine yet he shall come to his end and none shall helpe him That is the Jews rising up in the bordering Countries lying East and North from Judea thereby become the object of the Turkish fury in their owne land The application of these rumours from the East are ill applyed to Antiochus disquieted about the Parthian warres And as ill are the reports of the commotions from the North applyed to Judas Maccabaeus his prevailing as Mr. Huet hath learnedly demonstrated But that they plainly signifie the rising of the Jewes as aforesaid thereby provoking the Turke severall arguments speak strongly ¶ 1. This propheticall booke of Daniel hath constantly kept in all the Chapters preceding viz. chap. 2. chap. 7. chap. 8. chap. 9. and chap. 10. wherein hath been mentioned the misery of the Jews under the foure Monarchies of the world I say hath constantly kept this method to annex a close concerning the delivery of the Jewes it being the scope of this whole Book to set forth the Trage-Comedy of the Jewish state the Ante-Scene or prelude to be sad to the Jewes glad to their enemies but the Catastrophe and turn of the stage and state of things as glad to the Jewes sad to their enemies the Jewes deliverance arising out of their enemies ruine The Holy Ghost well minding the sad captivity of the Jewes at the time of this prophesie and therefore had dear need upon any mention of their oppressions and continuance of them of some comfort at least to bee presently added Now unlesse this comfort of their deliverance bee here hinted this method is quite broken off ¶ 2. Daniel holds this method in the 12. chapter For mentioning the Jewes troubles the first verse hinting them againe in the third verse he spends the rest of the chapter in discovering their deliverance This therefore being the method of the holy Spirit in the mouth of Daniel from first to last in this prophesie it is altogether most improbable that it should bee omitted in the eleventh chapter ¶ 3. The conversion of the Jewes is prophesied expressely to come from the East Revel 16.12 in mentioning the drying up of the great river Euphrates that the way of the Kings of the EAST might be prepared ¶ 4. It is observed that at this day the Jewes are especially conversant in those Eastern parts neare Judea hankering after Canaan for the sake of whose residence there the Arabian parts thereabouts viz. Ammon Edom Moab c. are spared by speciall divine providence as is intimated afore v. 41. ¶ 5. The enemy himselfe for the prevention if he might of the returne of the Jewes into their owne land pitched ver 45. the Tabernacle of his palace in Judea therefore there and thereabouts especially shall be the insurrection of the Iewes § 18 But notwithstanding all the power and prudence of the Turkish enemy he shall vers 45. come to his end by the said rising of the Iewes to re-possesse themselves of Iudea § 19 For * Our Translators render it And. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft and must of necessity be rendred For as we gave instances afore and most congruously to the sence is here so rendred at that time saith Daniel chap. 12. vers 1. shall Michael stand up the great Prince who standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time And at that time thy people shall be delivered By which words considered in their substance and dependence we may perceive the necessity of our opening so much of the eleventh chapter as hath been presented to you For the whole of that and this put together clearly amounts to thus much in expresse termes that at the end of the fourth Monarchy Christ most fitly called Michael which signifies who is as God stands up to deliver the Jewes called the children of Daniels people or Nation and that as well from their civill bondage as from their spirituall Now this cannot be at the ultimate generall judgement For first Then are the Iewes no more delivered then any other people of other nations who were beleevers Which were but a small priviledge to the JEWES as to them in peculiar And a small comfort to them now in captivity that their full deliverance from captivities under Tyrants should not be till the last day of the generall Judgement 2. Nor can the Jewes then be so delivered unlesse they be first grafted in againe by faith as the Apostle speakes Rom. 11. the last judgement being a destruction not a deliverance of
novissimo dierum So the Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So the Greeke according to the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the state of the Church here prophesied is the last state of the Church before the end of the world at the ultimate general resurrection And therefore the notation of the time doth undeniably put us upon a looking for such a glorious state of the Church on earth as is here described as yet to come Observe secondly that all those words of the first second and third verses That the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountaines c. and many Nations shall say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord c. and he will teach us c. and we will walk in his pathes c. For the law shall goe forth out of Zion c. and he shal judge among many people c. and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares c. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learne war any more I say that all those words are per omnia idem altogether the same with Isa 2. ver 2 3 4. largely discussed before in this third booke and chap. 2. Sect. II. S. 1 2 3 4. c. whether we transfer the consideration of them onely adding here 1. The notablenesse of the prophesie which is thus twise mentioned by two famous Prophets with so great emphasis in the same words phrases and figures 2. The words of the Geneva notes who assert in the margin that this Prophesie of the state of the Church in the last dayes relates to the time of Christs coming and to the time when THE TEMPLE shall be destroyed Which order of words import that they meant the time after that destruction of the Temple which demolished it about forty yeares after Christs ascention I say the time after that destruction for which sence they had good ground from the last verse of the chap. 3. of this prophet Micha But such a time of restauration of the Church as Micha here in this fourth chapter describes was never yet seen on earth Therefore it is yet to come 3. Our new Annotations referre this to the time intended by Joel chap. 2.28 But that time we have proved afore in this third booke chap. 2. Sect. 40. in the maine of it is not yet come to passe 4. Dr. Mayer on the fourth verse they shall sit every one under his own vine c. and there shall bee none to make them affraid hath these words And this saith he is still to bee fulfilled WHEN THIS WORLD DRAWETH NEAR TO AN END the FULNESSE OF THE GENTILES BEING COME IN and the Jewes who remaine yet blinded BEING CONVERTED TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST Wherein the Doctor speaks very home to the point in hand in the main thereof For surely this prophesie is not in the chief intent thereof fulfilled unto this day § 3 In the last place consider exactly in the remainder of the chapter from ver 4. to the end the description of the Churches yea of the Jewish Churches Prosperity Piety and Victory and thou canst not with any shew of solid divine reason imagine these things to have been ever yet fulfilled since the Jews first captivity in Babylon but remain in future to be performed afore the last universall resurrection ¶ 1. The prosperity is described vers 4. They shall every man sit under his own vine and under his owne fig-tree and none shall make them affraid vers 6. In that day I will assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted ver 7. And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion FROM HENCE FORTH EVEN In Hebr. no even But it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. And for ever FOR EVER Now when ever was this prosperity made good to them since their Babylonish captivity and for so long time as for ever It is true two Tribes returned from Babylon about the year of the world three thousand five hundred and eighteen under the Persian Monarchy A long time it was ere they grew to a settlement of their City and Temple set up and their publick ministration set in order by reason of the opposition and undermining of Sanballat and Tobiah and their adherents So that some thinke they were neare as long in attaining to the said settlement as they had been in captivity viz. seventy years But if they had been setled at the first of that their returne yet from the year three thousand five hundred and eighteen to three thousand six hundred and forty about which time Alexander the Greeke Monarch brought Jerusalem under subjection to him are but one hundred twenty two years after which Alexander the Romans immediately subdued them and after the Romans the Saracens and Turks which is the slavish condition of all the Countries of the Jews to this day A mark of remembrance of their subjection to the Greeks is the Greek translation of the Bible called the Septuagint because it was done by about seventy Jewes at the command of the Grecian powers And as plain a Memento of their Romish subjection is that Christ was crucified under the Roman Pontius Pilat And a sufficient Memorandum of their subjection to the Turks is that they possesse Jerusalem at this day So that if wee deduct the time of the Jewes trouble under the Persian Monarchy from their first dismission by Cyrus to their settlement and make the reckoning to begin with that their settlement and to end at Alexanders coming to Jerusalem it will not amount to above seventy years that the Jews were in peace and quiet which is no more then the length of their captivity If we take into the account the time of their struggling to be settled yet all as I said before will make up but sixscore and two years and what is this in comparison to enable the Prophet to make the close and seale of this part of the Text touching their prosperity That the Lord should reign over them of Mount Sion from hence forth AND FOR EVER which must be understood of such a manifest apparent visible reigning as stands in flat opposition every way to Tyrannicall mens or conquerours reigning over them or else the Prophet had told them nothing he had made this Antithesis to their captivities under men in vaine and had expressed this his reigning in mount Zion to no purpose seeing God doth equally reign by his power over all the world and by his spirituall grace alike over beleevers where-ever they be one the face of the earth ¶ 2. Their piety is charactarised in the fifth verse For all people will walke every one in the name ELOHAIU of HIS GOD and wee will walke in the name of JEHOVAH ELOHENU of the LORD
into the bottomlesse pit that he should not deceive the Nations no more till the THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE FULFILLED and after that he must be loosed a little season And I saw Thrones and they sat on them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in heir hands and they LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS But the rest of the dead LIVED NOT AGAINE untill the THOUSAND YEARES WERE FINISHED In which words opened laboriously afore in Book 1. Chap. 2. Sect. 1 2 3. and severall times else where we have a burning and trampling as in war both to purpose destroying bond and free great and small answerable to root and branch set on foot by the metaphoricall sword of Christs mouth his word prophesying and commanding the destruction of the Antichristian enemy out executed materially with physical fire and sword if so many material expressions and corporal circumstances can set it forth ending in eternal and all this before the raising and reigning of the Saints at the beginning of the Thousand years and a full thousand years afore the generall execution of all the wicked body and soule in hell fire For most emphatically it is said in ver 7 c. to the end of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation that after the THOUSAND YEARES WERE EXPIRED that Satan were loosed and had deceived the Nations that then hee was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone WHERE THE BEAST and FALSE PROPHET ARE or WERE viz. afore in chap. 19. ver 20. And with the Devil the dead wicked raised and judged according to the books there opened are cast also into the lake of fire Whether this corporal destruction as to means be ordinary or miracuâ—ary it alters not the case But to dream of a spirituall destruction by the Word and to be set forth by fire and war and in a continued speech that sounds of nothing but opposition against Christ to the very death cannot appear to my best reason any better then a meer chimaera and imaginary fiction And the rather because slaying of men to the giving of their flesh to the fowles of the aire is emphatically distinguished from casting the other ALIVE into the lake of fire as this casting of those alive into the lake of fire is distinguished from the general damnation in hell fire in the last verse of the twentieth chapter ¶ 2. That in the second verse of this fourth of Malachie unto you that fear his name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings cannot be more fitly applyed then to that 2 Pet. 1.19 The whole context runs thus Ver. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised tables when we made known unto you the power and COMING of our LORD JESUS CHRIST but were eye witnesses of HIS Majesty Ver. 17. For HE received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voyce to him from the excellent glory THIS â—S MY BELOVED SON in whom I am well pleased Ver. 18. And this voyce which came from heaven we heard when we were with HIM in the holy Mount Ver. 19. We have also a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed aâ— unto â—â—â—gh that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawn and the DAY-STAR arise in your hearts Peter in his first Epistle chap. 1. v. 1. writing to the Jewes being their Apostle Gal. 2.7 as Paul was of the Gentiles Rom. 11.13 holds forth to these Jewes in the words afore quoted three things 1. That all along there he speaks of Christ 2. That there is a twofold coming of Christ the one past when he wrote this second Epistle viz. when he came at first in the flesh receiving that testimony by voyce from heaven Matth. 17.5 afore mentioned in ver 17. of this 2 Pet. 2. The other to come held forth in a word of Prophesie in this v. 19. which when it is fulfilled the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall dawne and the Day-star 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall arise c. 3. That this Day-star is Christ both by the contexture of Peters speech afore being all of Christ and by the sence of the Day-star which is the Sun as the Moon c. is the night-star Psal 136.8 9. So that Mâ—lachies Sun of Righteousnesse arising with healing in his wings that is in his beames and Peters Day-star shining into the hearts of men is all one And lastly by the Antithesis put between the word of prophesie named onely a light shining in a dark place as a candle or small star in the night and the day-star making full day no person being to be exalted above the word of the prophets but Christ which Sun or Day-star when he shines with a full body upon the whole periphere or compasse of the Moon his Church he makes her full of light that before had much darknesse mixt with her light 3. The Apostle Peter holds forth to the Jewes in the continuation of his speech to them When this Day-star shall arise in their hearts viz. when it shall shine in the generality of them that is that Christ shall be effectually made known to the lump of the Jewes as Paul Rom. 11. cals the Nation or body of them yet unconverted but in after time to be converted so that the ALL OF ISRAEL as is Pauls phrase there SHALL BE SAVED And further that he shall with a dawning of the day remove the long night of their afflictions For as for a spirituall shining by some grace in the hearts of a few Jewes the Apostle acknowledgeth that to be now done already ver 1. But this was but by or through a light shining in a dark place But hereafter when the day dawns the Sun the Day-star shall arise in their hearts And this by the processe of his speech shall be at the great destruction of the enemies and the restauration of the Church Chap. 3. For marke the proceed of the Apostles discourse closely woven together The Apostle having mentioned an adherence to the word of Prophesie UNTILL the day dawn and the Day-star arise c. which words plainly point at a time to come for the fulfilling of it he busies himselfe in nothing but in advancing the true divine prophesies dictated to holy men of God by his Spirit and the interpretation thereof according to the publicke tenor of the Prophets and Apostles ver 20 21. and declaiming against false Prophets and false Teachers damnably teaching and seducing the people chap. 2 throughout I say he busies himselfe in nothing but in these two till he return in the third chapter to exhort the Jewes afresh to be mindful of the words of the Prophets and consonantly of the words of Christ and his Apostles
unto us certaine monstrous things faining them to have been revealed unto him by Angels that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly that in Jerusalem our flesh again should serve concupiscence and the lust of the flesh And being wholly set to seduce as an enemy to the word of God he said there should be the term of a MILLENARIE feast allotted for marriage Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his second Book after he had remembred the Revelation of Saint John received by tradition of OLD he reporteth of this man CERINTHUS thus CERINTHUS which founded the Cerinthian Heresie gave his figment a name for the further credit thereof His kind of Doctrine was this he dreamed the Kingdome of Christ should become earthly and set upon those things which he lusted after now being covered with his flesh and conpassed in his skinne that is the satisfying of the belly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eum quae sub ventre sunt with meat with drink with marriage And that he might the more colourably bring his devillish devices to passe he dedicated thereunto Holy-days Oblations and slaughter for Sacrifices So far Dionysius But IRENAEUS in his first Book against Heresies layeth down certain more detestable opinions of his And in his third booke he reporteth an history worthy the memory as received by tradition of Polycarp saying That John the Apostle on a certain time entred into a Bath to bathe himselfe and understanding that CERINTHUS was therein bathing himselfe John started aside and departed forth not abiding to tarry with him under the same roofe signifying the same to his company and saying let us speedily goe hence lest the Bath come to fall wherein CERINTHUS the enemy of the truth batheth himselfe Thus Irenaeus And thus you have heard at full Eusebius his report of the whole matter To prepare and make way for an answer whereunto let the Reader take notice that if Cerinthus did say that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly yet we say not so though we affirme that the Church shall be resident on earth for a thousand years after the first resurrection as t is called Rev. 20. that is the resurrection of all beleevers as t is explained Rev. 11. For the true Church of beleevers hath been on earth from the creation to this day and yet as beleevers not earthly but the spirituall body of Christ The holy Angels and Christ Jesus have conversed on earth and yet they were not thereby earthly And if Cerinthus said That in Jerusalem our flesh againe should serve the concupiscence and lust of the flesh c. Yet our soules abhor any thought thereof But indeed Cerinthus for ought we can find by diligent search into the ancientest and most approved antiquity did not say any such thing nor did he meddle with our opinion at all in the particulars thereof And therefore wee have more cause to suspect Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius to be guilty of too light credulity then to accuse Cerinthus of that we cannot groundedly charge him withall We deny not Cerinthus to be an Heretick as the Ancients call him holding divers great impieties But we cannot beleeve Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius that he was guilty of those things they charge upon him in relation to our opinion To this purpose hear Mr. Medes * Opuscul Lat Ad rem Apoca spect par 2â— p 55. answer An non hinc merito quis suspicari possit Gajum istum c. i. e. May not one justly hence suspect that same Gaius to have been one of the number of the heretical Alogi ** Alogi are according to the signification of the word men without the word or without reason And therefore by the Ancients oft called Brutes and charged with denying the word of God both the axiomatical in the etter and the substantiall viz Christ in the flesh which Alogi or Alogians denied saith Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei THE WORD OF GOD and therefore they ascribed to Cerinthus as well the Gospell of John as the Apocalyps The time doth altogether agree to that For Theodotus the Champion of the Alogian Standard was cast out of the Church by Pope Victor and Gaius flourished in the time of Zephirus who next succeeded Victorius Neverthelesse the words of Gaius †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. loâ— citat § 1. hujus Sect. 3. may bee taken in that sence as if he had said Cerinthus had feignedly fathered upon the great Apostle I know not what Apocalypses beside that one and onely Apocalypse out of which feigned Apocalypses that forging fellow endeavoured to prove that after the resurrection the Kingdome of Christ should be earthly wherein men should serve the lusts of the flesh and the inticements of carnall pleasures But what ever was the mind of Gaius it is very likely he was deceived concerning Cerinthus For if this had been the Heresie of Cerinthus how could it be that Justin Irenaeus Melito Tertullian and Hippolytus should be ignorant of it of whom Irenaeus and Tertullian have purposedly numbered up the Heresies of Cerinthus but of that heresie deep silence How therefore came it to be knowne to Gaius Neverthelesse it seems that the words of Gaius an obscure fellow gave occasion to Dionysius Alexandrinus Eusebius and many others in the heat of contention with the millenaries to doubt of the authority of the Apocalypse Thus Mr. Mede § 4 That which I have to adde or illustrate is this that the words of Gaius and Dionysius and the story of Eusebius alleadging them are not to bee weighed in this matter My reasons are ¶ 1. If Eusebius and Dionysius yea and Gaius himself doubted of the auâ—henty of the Apocalyps in opposition to our opinion of the glorious state of the Church with a visible yet spiritual glory for a thousand years yet to come they must needs be mis-led thereunto by mistakes untruths and false reports For there is no just reason to doubt of the divine authority of the book of the Revelation Nor is there any thing in our Tenet unbecoming that divine book nor dissentanious there-from but is more evidently held forth there then in any other book of the Scripture ¶ 2. Irenaeus and Tertullian and I adde Epiphanius naming Cerinthus and particularizing his hereticall opinions have not one word of his holding any thing of our opinion * Iren. lib. 1. ca. 25. quoting in Marg. Euseb l. 3. cap 25 and Iren l 3 c 3 1. Irenaeus mentions Cerinthus and his wicked opinions and wickednesse twice yet hath nothing of his holding our Tenet either in the same words with us or in others of any proportion although Erasmus or Grineus or both in their marginall notes doe well mind what Eusebius had said quoting the place All that Cerinthus held as Irenaeus reports the matter was Cerinthus autem quidam in Asia c. i. e. And there was one Cerinthus in Asia who taught
Magnificat and Te Deum that All Christendome was theirs excepting a few minute spots and obscure corners of a few peevish Protestants Now the Catastrophe of these must be according to the full Tenor of the Argument the stream of all Prophesies and the examples of the three former Monarchies a total ruine of them SECT II. § 1 AFter long and many tedious troubles and afflictions and persecutions the Lord hath in all ages given the Church a generall rest upon earth But the Church hath been long under affliction and troubles and persecutions in all Countries where it hath resided even since about forty yeers after Constantine the Great his Reigne Therefore God will yet again give the Church a general rest upon earth § 2 The minor or second Proposition is plaine by History Experience and that which hath been said in the former Argument and therefore there is no need of speaking more to that § 3 Of the major Proposition the Lord from the beginning hath given his Church severall typical first-fruits laying the foundation of all upon his own example in resting from the Creation the seventh day and thereupon gave them a seventh day every week the seventh year of every seven yeers and the Jubile being the last year of seven seven yeers wherein to rest from labours morgages and servitude as a type and taste of the rests he would give his Church from other troubles and afflictions upon earth notably argued by the Apostle upon those grounds Heb. 4. throughout that Chapter largely opened afore And according to these types so hath the Lord practised towards his Church from the beginning 1 After about One thousand six hundred and fifty years of afflictions upon the Church from the Creation by the murther of Abel Gen. 4. by the ungodlinesse of men and their hard speeches against God in the time of Enoch Jude v. 15. and the ungodlinesse of the world in the time of Noah before the Deluge 2 Pet. 2.5 God gave a rest to the Church in the Arke of Noah the name of that good man typifying and ordered by providence unto that end to signifie rest of viz. from toyl Gen. 2.29 2 After the flood new troubles to the Church began to spring up Nimrod assumed to himselfe to be a Monarchical Tyrant over men called therefore a Mighty Hunter that is as the Learned expound a Man-hunter The beginning of his Monarchy was Babel Gen. 10. 8 9 10. After this the building of the Tower to prevent Gods future judgements Gen. 11. brought confusion of Languages which proved a great affliction After that there was great trouble by the Wars taking Lot prisoner c. Gen. 14. and by the firing of Sodome Gen. 19. But at last God sent Isaack signifying Laughter and a type of Christ all the time of whole life there was a time of great Tranquillity This peace perioding many troubles arose in Jacobs time by Esau Laban Simeon and Levi and the selling of Joseph But Joseph being advanced in Aegypt the Country of Goshen there was provided as a Land of rest for the Church for many years Gen. 28. c. to the end of that Book Joseph being dead and forgotten of the Kings of Aegypt great afflictions are heaped upon the Church in hard labour with much rigor persecutingly putting to death their male Infants causing them to groan and cry to God in much anxiety of Spirit Exod. the three first Chapters But at length God brought them out from that place and persecution and gave them freedome forty yeers in the wilderness After this they had sore Wars with the Canaanites but at last rest in Canaan I should be too tedious to dilate upon their rest in returning to Judea after seventy years Captivity Upon the spirituall refreshing the Saints had for a time after the Maccabean and other troubles which wars and troubles lasted about foure hundred years from Malachi to the beginning of the New Testament Upon the rest the Church had after those persecutions Act. 8.1 which rest is emphatically mentioned Act. 9.31 And upon the rest they had afore the life time of Constantine after three hundred years in the ten Persecutions which distinction of ten was by pointing and distinguishing them by some lucida intervalla some rests and respites between each of them till Constantine gave them a greater rest lasting for about forty yeers § 4 Therefore we have reason yea divine reason to expect a great and notable rest for the Church after so long time of troubles for the general upon all the Church more or lesse since that time which is now above a thousand and three hundred years so the Apostle in part argues as we said Heb. 4. that God having given severall rests on earth to the Church after which ever and anon by turns fresh trouble sprang up therefore yet there remaineth another notable rest on earth to the people of God which rest mentioned in that of Heb. 4. is not meerly spirituall or totally supernall glory as we have laboriously argued afore upon that Chapter And there is also a Prophesie inferred upon their state in the Wildernesse touching the Churches rest upon earth Rev. 12. SECT III. § 1 THe Churches extremity is Gods opportunity as Philo Judaein in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and experience witnesse But the Church considered in generall in all countries hath been for many years past even till now under great extremities Therefore God will take an opportunity to deliver it The full confirmation of both premises may be sufficiently picked out of the two former arguments The conclusion follows of it selfe SECT IV. § 1 IOynt prayers never miscarry but ever receive gracious returns See the generall Experiment 2 Chron. 15.4 particulars see in the joynt prayers of the Church in Egypt Exod. 2.23 24. under the Judges Judg. 6.6 7. Judg. 10.10 to the end of the chapter under the pious Kings Asa 2 Chron 15.18 to the end Jehoshaephat 2 Chron. 20.12 to 31. Hezekiah 2 King 19.1 c. Josiah 2 King 22.19 § 2 But in many ages even ever since the Apostles prayer Act. 4.24 The Saints and Churches in their convenings have prayed for the fall of Antichrist and all opposers of the Church for the conversion of the Jews and the restauration of the Church to her glory on earth witnesse the severall prayers in the Scriptures and experiences of the prayers of Gods people in all their convenings as the antientest Saints alive have been eare witnesses § 3 Therefore there must be a returne of these prayers according as beside the former precedents God hath made severall promises and engagements as Psa 50.15 Mat. 7.7 Ioh. 14.13 14. Luk. 18.1 c. of hearing his peoples prayers For though God defer long as it is in that parable or comparison Luke 18.1 c. yet he will be sure to answer as he did that prayer Act. 4.24 though it were near three hundred years afore he eminently performed it to
wit in the conversion of Constantine the Great and of his followers SECT V. § 1 THat wil surely come to pass which God pre-impresseth on mens spirits according to his word presignifies in the wonders of nature and prepares for and makes way by the transactions of men â—ut so hath God from time to time done especially of later times towards the fall of Antichrist and all the intestine enemies of the Church and consequently towards the restauration of the Church Therefore these things will surely come to passe I might enlarge much upon the proofe of the premises of this Syllogisme but for brevity it being high time to shut up this third Book When the Lord intended Israel should conquer Canaan he put a valour into their heart and sent before among their enemies the Hornet of fear and the Moth of decay and weakness Ex. 23.27 28. Deut. 20.21 Josh 24.12 Isa 50.9 Isa 51.8 when the two witnesses are about to stand upon their feet to the terror of all their enemies there shall a breath of life of resolution and boldnesse for that end enter into them Rev. 11.11 Before the thirty yeares of the late German wars against that tract of Antichrist and the Churches enemies the Lord sent eminent signes appearing many daies over the Country as Christ prophesied there should be such prodigies and prognostick signs over Jerusalem which had been an arch-enemy to Christ before the destruction thereof Mat. 24. which accordingly came to passe as Josephus largely relates There is mention also in that 24. of Mat. of Earthquakes before the destruction of that Jewish Antichristian Jerusalem As before when the Prophet Amos prophesied the destruction of the enemies of the Church viz. of the Syrians Philistims Tyrians Edomites and Ammonites he emphatically sets down that that prophesie was committed to him two years before the Earthquake as if that Earthquake were a kind of seal to his prophesie that it should come to passe Amos 1.1 c. And it is prophesied that before the fal of the Antichristian enemies and of their nest the great City an Earthquake should precede Rev. 11.13 And we are assured by good information that of late yeares there have been divers terrible Earthquakes in the Popish Dominions How the Hornet and Moth have been among the enemies of Christ terrifying and weakening them both abroad and at home I leave the wise Reader to make up of his own observation As also what a spirit of resolution and action there is in all wise good men against real Antichrist and Antichristianisme I say real for I utterly disavow those whimsies of Phantasticks that call every thing Antichristian that soders not to their dreamed opinions nor centers with their interest Finis Libri tertii THE FOURTH BOOK Holding forth the judgements of all sorts of men almost of all Nations whether learned or unlearned viz. HEATHENS MAHUMETANS JEWS and CHRISTIANS confessing more or lesse our general THESIS CHAP. I. Containing a Preface to this Book § 1 THREE things I must necessarily here premise ## 1 What I mean by those four sorts afore named viz. I mean by Heathens all those that acknowledge not any part of the holy Scriptures that is eo nominâ— under that notion of the holy Scriptures or Word of God dictated by the holy Spirit and penned by holy men extraordinarily endowed with that Spirit By Mahumetans I minde all that adhere to the Doctrine of Mahomet viz. Turks Arabians Saracens who yet acknowledge some peeces of the Old Testament By Jews all know whom I understand who do acknowledge entirely all the Old Testament By Christians I here intend all that are so named whether they are so sincerely or but seemingly as Papists Protestants Lutherans Calvinists c. who acknowledge the totall of all the Books of holy Scripture both in the Old and New Testament 2 That I must bee briefe in my Collections in this large field â—ounded out in this fourth Book contrary to my intention and disposition § 2 who would most willingly have abounded in this thing But first the frequent fears of my friends so often mentioned in mine ears by that time we had Printed off the third Book have lured me off And secondly I am the more satisfiedly taken off partly by the great bulk of Antiquity and number of Modern Writers I presented to the Reader in the first Book And partly by the urgency of time our friends longing for it and this present gallopping age outrunning rule and reason needing it who boldly presume they have in part entred upon the possession afore indeed they doe in any measure know the thing much lesse the time which yet is many years off § 3 3 That the Reader is not to conceive that I approve of every particular clause which those foure sorts shall assert but he must mind my general intent viz. that directly or indirectly in whole or in part expresly or intimatedly such passages fall from their mouths as argue they had some light more or lesse by some means or other touching our general Thesis in the summary bulk and main matter thereof CHAP. II. Containing the passages in Heathens in favour of our opinion in our aforesaid Thesis § 1 THe Heathens in their Doctrine touching the Immortality of the soule reserved in the other world for happinesse in their description of the Elysian fields their state of blisse on earth in the next world in their discusse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The state of men in the World to come yet unseen and their professed expectation of the Platonick yeer however they mis-dream the computation wherein as they say all things shall returne to their primaeve perfection And their Tenet of Metempsychosis or Transmigration of souls passing from one body deceasing into another next living and so are cloathed with divers corporal shapes till they attaine the perfectest do speak in substance a glorious state of man on earth after the Resurrection It is wonderfull to read in History how earnestly some of them have sought death being ravished with the desire of enjoying the state of the immortality of souls upon their Philosophers description of the glory of it Their Elysium or Elysian fields they so named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the dissolution of the soul from the body For say they it is the place which good mens souls inhabit after they are freed from the bonds of the body ful of happines feated in the Fortunate Islands c. And it was the great comfort saith Homer of which learned Broughton takes notice that the friends of the Greek Captains slain in the Trojan war gave to their surviving wives that the souls of their husbands were gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subintellige 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the house of Hades that is to the world unseen that is to the other world of bliss yet not visible to us Of the Platonick yeer restoring all things to their primitive perfection we had something
the Roman to bee the fourth Kingdome that so they might the better maintaine their expectation of the Messiah yet to come because that Kingdome was yet in being I say it was affirmed whosoever first affirmed it without all ground authority or probability the contrary also being easie to be proved viz. that the Jewes were of this opinion before our Saviours time as appears in Jonathan Ben Uziel the Chalde Paraphrast and by the fourth Book of Esdras which whatsoever the authority thereof be is sufficient to prove this being written by a Jew for it is saith Picus the first of their seventy Books of Cabala and before our Saviours comming as appears by many passages of Messiah expected and yet to appeare within foure hundred yeers after that supposed time of Esdras Certainly he that writ it meant no hurt to the Christians as will easily appear to him that reads it and finds the name Jesus and so often mention of the Sonne of God Which I note in case you should rather thinke it written after Christ The ancient mention thereof is by Clemens Alexandrinus Anno 200. CHAP. V. Of the Vote of Christians at least so named concerning the glorious state of things yet to be on earth afore the ultimate judgement Delivered not onely in short passages here and there sprinkled in their Works but in their great Councils and forms of Catechismes for the grounding of people in Religion § 1 TOuching the opinion of some learned Papists in the point now under consideration we gave you some instance afore in the first Book out of Lorinus a learned Papist his quotations of some of his owne Religion And out of learned A lapide though a ranke Papist confessing much of this point in his Commentary on Hos 3. v. 5. as his owne judgement quoting many Fathers c. to countenance his opinion therein adde now out of him on Hos 1. Chapter upon the tenth verse And the number of the children of Israel shall be as he sand of the sea which cannot be measured nor numbred he hath these words Dico ergo c. I say therefore saith A lapide this Prophesie began to be fulfilled by Christ who preached in person both to Jews and Israelites as Matth. 4 15. and after by Philip Peter and John Act. 8. Adde that daily many of Israel shall be converted And at last in the end of the world ALL THE ISRAELITES shall bee converted as saith the Apostle Rom. 11.26 And THEN shall this Prophesie of Hosea be perfectly fulfilled So S. Jerome and Christopherus a Castro And that by Israel must here bee understood as Gentiles so the natural Israelites converted unto Christ is the common exposition of the Fathers and School-men * Ita inquit A Lapid S. Hier. Cyril Ruffinus Haymo Hugo Albertus August l. 22. Contra Faustum cap. 89. saepe alibi Cyprian lib. Testim contra Judaeos cap. 19. Tertul. lib 4 contra Marc. cap. 16. Irenaeus lib. 1 cap. 4 Prosper lib. 2. De vocat Gentium cap. 18. Primas Anselm S. Thom. in Rom. 9. And upon v. 12. And the children of JVDAH and the children of ISRAEL shall be gathered together and appoint themselves one head c. For great shall be the day of Jezreel A lapade hath these words Then the Natural Jews and the Israelites shall be converted unto Christ ** Ita inquit A Lapid S. Hieron Haymo Alber. Vetab Arias a Castro They shall I say saith Alapide be gathered into one Church of Christ By Israel and Judah are fundamentally understood the true Israelites and those of Judah which shall bee converted unto Christ symbolically and mystically the Gentiles tobe coverted unto Christ And touching the great day of Jezreel that is the Day of the Messiah of which the Sibyl sang †Apud Virgil. Eclog. 4. Incipient magni procedere monises Then shall proceed the magnificent months c. As the Platonists called the time of the revolution and return of all things to their pristine or first perfection THE GREAT YEER So Christ brings the GREAT YEER when he repairs and reduceth all things to their primaeve orlinal felicity Again the day of Jezrreel signifies the Arm of God So all these daies of Jezreelare daies and works of the mighty arm of God so Arias And lastly The great day of Jezreel shall be the day of the Resurrection and Judgement So Cyril Adde to these things of Alapide That divers of the Popish Schoolmen viz. Aquinas Scotus and Cajetan hold many things of our Tenet according to Dr. â—rideaux his quotation of them § 2 As for Lutherans beside what Luther hinted in our first Book touching Abel and the Saints bodies after death Note the words of famous L. Osiander upon the twelfth of Daniel touching the computations of the times of Michael Messiah his delivering the Jews I think saith Osiander these yeers will fall in with that time in which the Popedome of Rome shall bodily be overthrown § 3 Out of the better sort of Christians viz. the choice Greâ—k and Latine Fathers and later learned pious Authors I have alleadged so much in our first Book that I shall now adde but some culled and picked flowers out of severall goodly Gardens asore omitted to make up the summe of the conclusion That our Thesis in the main is little lesse then as it were the voyce of the Law of nature in all men ¶ 1 Take in the first place as worthy to carry the colâ—urs Mr. Medes * Diatrib part 4. p. 455 c. p. 485. c. p. 490. c. p. 462. c. summary and pithy account * especially for Antiquity set forth long after I was a good way entred into this work Touching the question of the thousand yeers you may see I have demonstrated them to follow the times of the Beast and of the false Prophet and consequently the time of Antichrist And if the Apocalyps be canonicall Scripture it must needs be granted there is such a time to come or we must deny either Rome which now is to be Babylon or the Beast to be Antichrist or Antichristendome which those who opposed the ancient Chiliasts found so necessary as forced them having no other way to avoid their adversaries directly to deny the Apocalyps to be Scripture nor was it re-admitted till they thought they had found some commodious interpretation of the thousand yeers And yet the Apocalyps hath more humane not to speak of divine authoriy then any other book of the New Testament besides even from the time it was first delivered But we see ☞ what the zeale of opposition can do Justin Martyr alleadged This Dogma of the thousand yeers regnum or Kingdome was the general opinion of all orthodox Christians in the age immediately following the Apostles if Justin Martyr say true of whom see at large in our first Book and none knowne to deny it but Hereticks Irenaeus aâ—leadged See his words at length