and he shall be to me a SONNE But when AGAINE to give it you as afore in termes and order of words close to the Originall * Thus Arias doth order them When the Apostle would say And againe he saÃd in verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in this sixth verse he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which last word is in the second Aâ—rist in the subj mood which sounds future and so the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But againe He SHALL bring his first begotten Sonne into the INHABITED world he saith let all the Angels worship him The sense is obvious That God never owned any one of the Angels to be his only first begotten Sonne but when againe he shall bring his first begotten Sonne into the world he hath given command that all the Angels shall worship him as his only begotten Sonne That this text speakes of Gods bringing his first begotten Sonne againe into the inhabited world now after Christs ascention when the Apostles wrote that we have afore largely discussed Book 3. chap. 2. Sect. 4. § id est sectiuncula 4. I only adde be heedfully mindfull of the Apostles expression in the future now after Christs coming in the flesh and that after the generall Iudgement Christ as Christ shall lay downe all his dominion over Angels and men and therefore it must be of some middle time between our present generation that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered here Angels must give Christ whiles he is Mediator a more ample and apparent homage then ever they have done according to the glorious state of Christ and of things at that time on earth 3 ¶ For this place of the Hebrewes Let all the Angels of God worship him is quoted by the Apostle out of Psal 97.7 which word for word according to the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Bow downe to him all yee Gods which as we said afore comprehends as all Angels so all Kings Potentates and Magistrates called by God himselfe Gods Psal 82. ver 1. ver 6. and so applied by Christ Joh. 10.34 Jesus answered them Is it not written in your Law I said YEE ARE GODS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he called them gods to whom the Word of God came c. And indeed they can properly bow or crouch downe as the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precisely signifie as the Angels can doe it only vertually And on the other side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angel is oft used in Scripture to signifie eminent men in Office Mal. 4.1 Rev. chap. 2.1 chap. 2. chap. 3. But granting that the Apostles designe being to prove Christ to be above Angels doth render the Hebrew Text according to the Septuagint Greek then a common Translation in frequent use throughout the world since the late Greek Monarchy over all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship him all yee his Angels yet this is as true that as the Apostle closeth that his discourse in that first of Hebrews with a touch of Christs future dominion over all Angels and men on earth saying To which of the Angels said he at any time quoted out of Psal 110. sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole so that 97. Psalm doth really include and intend our position in hand viz. Christs visible glorious Kingdome over all the world yet to come For in the first verse of that 97. Psalm it is said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof Or the Lord reigning the earth SHALL rejoyce and the many Islands SHALL * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be glad ** 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This LORD is Christ as the Apostle applyes it Heb. 1.8 9. Now Christ had reigned in his ordinary providence and power from the creation to the Psalmists time c. as appeared in overthrowing his and his peoples enemies and preserving his people in the flood in the fire on Sodome in his miracles in Egypt Wildernesse and the Red-sea in his victories over the several Nations in Canaan c. And after the last judgement it is improper to say Christ reignes in glory 1 Cor. 15.28 And Christ never yet so reigned as is described in this first verse of this 97 Psalm That ALL the EARTH without limitation shall rejoyce at that his reigning and the multitude of Isles shall be glad By Isles according to an ancient usuall Hebraisme and Jewish phrase is meant all the Nations of the GENTILES Isa 41. v. 1. Keep silence before me O ISLANDS and let the PEOPLES or NATIONS renew their strength * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And v. 5. The Isles saw it and feared and the ENDS OF THE EARTH were afraid Chap. 42. v. 4. The ISLES shall wait for his Law and so nine times in this Prophet three times in Jer. 9. times in Ezek. in Zeph. once viz. Chap. 2. v. 11. The Isles of the Heathen or Gentiles * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. once Gen. 10.5 The Isles of the Gentiles The reason of the phrase is because the Jews dwelling in the continent of Asia they counted all the world Islanders that were divided from them by the Mediterranean Sea Whence is that phrase of Isles of the Sea Ester 10.1 Ahasuerus laid a taxe or tribute upon the land and upon the ISLES OF THE SEA And Isa 24.15 Glorifie the name of the Lord God of Israel in the ISLES OF THE SEA And Ezek. 26.18 Now shall the Isles tremble in the day of thy fall yea the ISLES THAT ARE IN THE SEA shall be troubled yea to make all yet plainer it is twice said viz. Jer. 2.10 Ezek. 27.6 The Isles of Chittim By which Chittim is oft understood the Roman Monarchy as Dan. 11.30 for one instance So that according to this sense of this 97 Psame vers 1 All the world of Jewes and Gentiles must be glad and rejoyce at the reigning of Christ as it follows in the sixth verse The Heavens declare his righteousnesse and ALL the people see his glory ALL without exception which two clauses cannot be aptlier applyed and expounded then by that Rev. 1.7 Rev. 20.1 Rev. 21.1 Christ comes in the clouds and every eye shall see him Christ as the great Angel descending from heaven binding Satan and causing his Saints to reigne on earth New Jerusalem a New Heaven and a New Earth being brought downe from Heaven wherein as Pet. 2 Ep. 3. chap. enlargeth dwelleth righteousnesse But ALL PEOPLE yet never saw that his righteousnesse and glory ALL the gods as in v. 7. all Kings and Princes Potentates Magistrates and Powers never yet worshipped him as Christ but generally in all ages from the Creation to this day have opposed him as such both of Jewes and Gentiles 4 ¶ But all must ere the last judgement either sincerely or seemingly worship him Psal 22.27 28 29. which Psalme is concerning
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
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
highten the spirituality of the Scripture giving a distinct and joynt accomplishment to letter and Spirit each in other the Letter in this state having its fulnesse in the Spirit and the fulnesse of the Spirit taking in the letter Those three principal points are these I The Testimony and entrance to Christs Kingdome shall be the indubitable evidence of our Lords appearance in his owne person whether this appearance shall be miraculous the Lord descending to vaile for a season his glorified body which being ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne cannot be seen by mortal eyes under a meaner form that it may be fitted to our natural senses or whether this appearance shall be mysterious the Lord in the same instant of his appearance transfiguring the dead and living Saints into a conformity to his glorified body that in the same twinkling of an eye they may see their King and he may see them in beauty eye to eye their glorified eye to his glorified eye or whether both these according to those several Scriptures Mat. 24.30 Act. 1.11 1 Cor. 15.51 Ph. 3.20 21. for these several ends of conviction to the world conversion to the Jews glorification to the Saints renovation to the creature The 2. principal point in this Book is That the state of the Saints Kingdom shal be the resurrection from the dead and a change in the living Saints equivalent to the resurrection of the bodies of those that sleep in the dust Thus each particular Saint and the whole Church being predestinated to be conformed to the likenesse of the image of Christ shall in this state answer that state of Christ in his owne particular person between his resurrection and ascension which seems to have been his Paradisical state his soul entring into Paradise at his death his body at his resurrection re-assumed into the same state with the soule The last head is That there shall be a New Earth to be theâ—seat of this New Kingdome If the Earth be made New with the Newnesse of the Spirit if that also be spiritulized then will it be fit for glorified Inhabitants The streets of the New Jerusalem are said to be as gold and glasse Behold the nature of the New Earth and the description of its spirituality It shall be as pure gold for its solid simple substance for its shining glory It shall be as pure glasse for its transparency cleernesse and through-lightsomnesse Octob. 19. 1653. PETER STERRY In pursuance of an Order bearing date the 6. instant for my perusal of this Treatise penn'd by Dr. Homes and to report my opinion concerning the same I certifie as followeth THat all the Saints shall reigne with Christ a Thousand yeers on earth in a wonderfull both visible and spiritual glorious manner before the time of the ultimate and general Resurrection is a Position which though not a few have besit ated about and some opposed yet have gained ground in the hearts and judgements of very many both grave and godly men who have left us divers Essayes and Discourses upon this Subject And having perused the learned and laborious travels of this Author I conceive that the Church of God hath not hitherto seen this great point so clearly stated so largely discussed so strongly confirmed not onely by the testimony of Ancient and Modern Writers of all sorts but by the holy Scriptures throughout as it is presented in this Book Wherein also divers other considerable points are collaterally handled all tending to set forth the Catastrophe and result of all the troubles and hopes of such as feare God as the preface to their eternal blisse And whereas some have been and still are apt to abuse this Doctrine by making it an occasion to the flesh and of beating themselves in the expectation of a carnall liberty and worldly glory I finde that this Author hath cautiously fore-laid and prevented all such abuses by shewing the exceeding spiritualnesse and holinesse of this state To which as none but the truly holy shall attain so having attained it they shall walke in the hight of holinesse And therefore I judge this Book very usefull for the Saints and worthy of the publick view Octob. 13. 1653. Joseph Caryll THE DAWNING OF THE DAY-STAR Largely discussed in Five Bookes THE DAWNING OF THE DAY-STAR QUOTATIONUM quaedam SPECIMINA nec non Epitome totius primilibri compendiaria pro extraneis praesertim Judaeis Latine reddita I. BOOKE Of the Generall and maine Position LIBER I. De generali summariâ Thesi CHAP. I. The Position propounded THe most Sacred Scriptures do frequently in many places affirm that All the Saints shall reigne with Christ a long time namely a THOUSAND yeares on EARTH SATAN the meane while being bound which yeares are not yet begun but do ere long and from thence are at length to be fulfilled in a wonderful both VISIBLE and SPIRITUAL glorious manner at the RESTITUTION of ALL THINGS and their NEW-CREATION before the time of ultimate and generall Resurrection SAnctos omnes diutinè cum CHRISTO regnaturos in TERRA scilicet MILLE annos SATANA tunc temporis ligato nondum incaeptos brevi incaepturos indeque implendos tam visibili quam spirituali mirandâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gloriâ ante resurrectionis ultimae generalis Epocham a Sacrosanctissimis Scripturis passim asseritur SECTION I. The Position expounded § 1 BY Saints I meane all the Elect from time to time extant afore that time effectually called whose characters that we may know them in relation to our Position are in the Revelation limbed to the life where both it and they are deciphered in one the same table or frame viz. Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they sate upon them and judgement was given to them and I saw the souls 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 their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years § 2 In which words I minde at this time chiefly the three characters of them that shall reigne with Christ The first is Beheading synechdochically signifying all persecution either more particularly as it is here expressed for the Witnesse of Jesus that is for asserting the God-head as wel as the Man-hood of Christ for which many Martyrs suffered in the Arian persecution soon after Constantines time or more generally for the Word of God viz. the fundamental doctrines thereof for which they suffered afore the Arian persecution in the heathen-Roman tenfold persecution and after in the Antichristian-Roman persecution and of late times in severall Countries in the Arminian and Socinian persecution or for both § 3 The second Character is not worshipping the Beast no nor his Image Those that shall reigne with Christ reverence not either apparent grosse Idolatry or specious refined under the
shall be subject unto him viz. so as the same Jerusalem Targum expoundeth on the 11. verse of that 49. of Gen. that those Kings and Princes that will not be subject unto him he shall kill making the Universe red with the blood of their slain and the hils white with the fat of their mighty men c. But these things were not fulfilled at Christs being on the earth in the flesh It was above three hundred yeares after ere one King or Nation was subject unto Christ viz. in the time of Constantine the Great except some sprinklings of Converts here and there called Churches the Nations and Kings of the earth either taking no cognizance of his interest or else persecuted it even as to this day they doe even ten parts of the world for one that ownes him Neither hath Christ yet taken that material and sensible vengeance on them by killing the disobedient in order to a bringing in of the rest into a visible subjection to him § 4 Lastly Paraphrast Jonathan in his Chalde Paraphrase of Hos 14.8 hath these words They speaking of the Jewes shall bee gathered together from out of the midst of their CAPTIVITY they shall DWELL under the shadow of their CHRIST and the DEAD shall LIVE and good shall grow in the EARTH and there shall bee a memoriall of their goodnesse FRUCTIFYING and never fayling as the remembrance of the sound of the Trumpets over the old wine which was wont to be offered in the Sanctuary which things were never yet fulfilled on earth We forbear to quote more out of their TARGUM or Chalde Paraphrase now because we shall afterwards oft cast an eye upon it in our discusse of severall Scriptures that tend to the PROOF of the point in hand § 5 To this let mee adde a touch out of the CAPITULA of RABBI ELIEZAR the GREAT because neare of the same Antiquity with the former his words are these As I live saith Jehovah I will raise YOU speaking of the Jewes up in the TIME to come in the RESURRECTION of the dead and I will GATHER you will ALL ISRAEL § 6 You see both doe harmonise to the same tune the effect of their words the same which is not yet fulfilled in as much as to this day the generality of the Jewes have not owned any MESSIA to be come in the flesh but refused The MESSIA Joh. 1.11 according as it was fore-prophesied Esa 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men And the remnant of beleeving Jewes never since as yet saw that particular RESURRECTION of the dead or that their gathering together out of the midst of their CAPTIVITY or that generall GOOD in the EARTH And therefor according to the Scriptures of which by and by these things are yet to come afore the last and generall Resurrection § 7 Of Hebrew Antiquities SINCE the Incarnation of Christ namely their Two TALMUDS their SEDAR OLAM is of the same age near upon with the Babylonish something of which TALMUDS was extant neare the Apostles time if not ancienter and of other Rabbins we shall give you an account in divers particulars In Gemara Sanhedrin R. Ketina hath said in the last of the Thousands of yeares of the worlds continuance the world shall be destroyed of which it is said Esa 2.11.17 THE LORD ONELY SHALL BE EXALTED IN THAT DAY And TRADITION agrees with R. Ketina even as every seventh yeare of seven yeares is a years of release so of the seven thousand yeares of the world the seventh thousand yeares shall bee the thousand of Release as it is said AND THE LORD ALONE SHAL BE EXALTED IN THAT DAY Likewise That Psalme namely the 92. is said to bee a PSALME OR SONG FOR THE SABBATH DAY THAT IS THE DAY THAT IS NOTHING ELSE BUT REST. As also it is said viz. Psal 90. A THOUSAND YEERS IN THY SIGHT ARE BUT AS YESTERDAY By which it is plaine to acute observers that the ancient Rabbinicall Jews did clearly understand the Prophesie of Isaiah in Chap. 2. of the EXALTATION of the LORD twice there repeated as meant of the GREAT DAY which some Rabbins call the Day of JUDGEMENT others the Day of MESSIA others the Day of the RENOVATION of the WORLD and of the REIGNING of CHRIST which is elegantly and emphatically there limbed in its colours to the life as it will more shine forth when we come to an accurate discusse of that Chapter In Midâ—asch Tehillim upon the 90. Psal v. 15. Wee thus read MAKE US GLAD ACCORDING TO THE DAYES WHEREIN THOU HAST AFFLICTED VS That is by the Babylonians the Grecians and the Romans AND THAT IN THE DAYES OF THE MESSIAH And how many are the dayes of the MESSIAH R. JEHOSUAS said that they are Two THOUSAND yeares and it is said ACCORDING TO THE DAYES WHEREIN THOU HAST HUMBLED US that is according to two dayes for one day of the holy and blessed God are a thousand yeares according to that BECAUSE A THOUSAND YEERS IN THY SIGHT ARE BUT AS YESTERDAY The Rabbins also have said That according to the TIME to come the DAY of the MESSIAH shall bee one For God which is holy and blessed in the FUTURE that is AGE shall make one day to himselfe of which wee read Zech. 14. And there shall bee ONE DAY which shall bee knowne to the Lord not day nor night and it shall bee at the EVENING-TIME Light This Day is the AGE or WORLD TO COME and the QUICKNING OF THE DEAD § 9 In their Booke called Berachoth wee finde this Benzuma saith It shall come to passe that Israel shall not remember their departure out of the Land of Aegypt IN THE WORLD TO COME and IN THE DAYES OF THE MESSIAH marke diligently how by World to come they understand a time on earth as Paul hath it twice viz Heb 1.6 Heb. 2.5 THE INHABITED WORLD TO COME So the Greeke so the sense For no man could imagine that heaven above should bee put in subjection to the Angels so as to need the Apostles Apology there to prevent such an imagination And how say the Rabbins in that Berachoth doth this appeare By that which is written in Jâ—rem 23. BEHOLD THE DAYES COME THAT THEY SHALL SAY NO MORE THE LORD LIVETH WHICH BROVGHT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL VP OVT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT Which wise men interpret thus not as if the name of Egypt should be blotted out but because the WONDERS which shall bee effected in the DAYES OF THE KINGDOME OF MESSIA shall principally be remembred and their departure out of Egypt lesse § 10 Note by the way that it is not agreed among the Rabbins in what THOVSAND yeares of the world the said DAY of JUDGEMENT or of MESSIAH or RENOVATION of the WORLD shall bee Some say further off in the seventh others nearer in the sixt but others about the fifth § 11 But to goe on The TRADITION of the house of Elijah is Those Just ones whom God shall raise
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
great things And that this day of ours which is bounded with the rising and setting of the sun doth bear the image of the GREAT DAY which a certain circuit of yeers doth determine After the same manner the forming of the earthly man did carry before it the formation in future of an heavenly people For as when all things were finished God made man last upon the sixth day and brought him into this world as into an house well furnished So now in the GREAT SIXTH DAY the TRUE MAN is formed by the Word of God that is the holy people is figured unto righteousnesse by the doctrine and precepts of God And as then he was made of the earth mortall and imperfect that he might live a thousand yeers in this world He alludes to the Fathers before the flood who lived each of them neer a thousand yeers So now the perfect man is framed of this terrestrial world that being made alive by God he may reigne in this same world for the space of a thousand yeers And saith Lactantius in the fifteenth Chapter of the said seventh Booke As it is in the Scriptures how and for what necessity Israel went down into Egypt there exceedingly multiplyed but oppressed with an intolerable yoke of Bondage God smote Egypt led his people through the red Sea but there drowned the Egyptians endeavouring to pursue the flying Israelites so this famous exploit was a figure of a greater thing to bee which God will bring to passe in the last consummation of times namely that God will deliver his people from the grievous servitude of the world But though God then smote onely Egypt because his people was but one Nation yet now because Gods people are over all the world and every where oppressed by the world God will smite all Nations even all the whole world and deliver his righteous people that worship him And as then there were certaine foresignes by which the the future ruine of the Egyptians was foreshewn So at the last shall bee prodigious wonders by all the elements of the world whereby may bee understood that ruine to all Nations is at hand For so then shall righteousnesse become rate and impiety so multiply that if there bee any good men then extant they shall bee as a prey to the wicked c. Then shall ruine over-run the world The cause of which devastation and confusion shall bee because the Roman authority by which now the world is over ruled MY SOULE saith Lactantius FEARES TO SPEAKE IT BUT I WILL SPEAKE IT BECAUSE IT SHALL COME TO PASSE shall bee taken away from the earth and the EMPIRE shall returne into ASIA and the EAST shall have againe the DOMINION and the WEST shall bee made servile Nor may it be a wonder that so huge and massie an Empire so long continuing and strongly confirmed should fall seeing there is no thing made by man but may bee destroyed by man even as the Emperialty was brought downe from the Assyrians to the Persians from them to the Grecians and from them to the Romans Seneca did not ineptly distribute the times of the CITY of Rome into Ages The first he said was her Infancy under Romulus c. And her first old age was when torne with civil warres she turned to be twy-child c. And if these things be so what remaines but death should follow old age And that this shall shortly come to passe the Sermons of the Prophets under the covert of other names that all might not easily understand doe denounce But the Sibyls doe speak it openly that Rome shall bee destroyed because shee hated the name of God and opposed righteousnesse And Hydospis a most ancient King of the Medes even afore the Trojan race was set up prophesied the same Saith Lactantius Chap. 16. how that shall bee lest any one should thinke it incredible I will declare first the Regality and chiefe power shall bee multiplied into many and cut and minced into crummes Then perpetual civil discords shall bee sowne and never shall bee any quier TEN KINGS shall stand up together who shall not suffer the world to bee ruled but to be ruined Then upon a sudden shall rise up against them a most potent Enemy from the utmost bounds of the North who by meanes of three of that number possessing Asia extinguished shall bee taken into the society of the rest and by them shall bee made chiefe Of them all This man shall domineer vex mingle divine and humane things subvert Lawes establish his owne and shall waste destroy and kill The name and seat of the Empire being changed there shall follow the confusion and vexation of all mankinde And that nothing may bee wanting to the misery of men a Trumpet shall sound from heaven according to that the Sibyl hath denounced giving a manifold lamenting sound whereupon all shall tremble Then from the wrath of God against unrighteous men shall rage sword and fire and famine c. Then according to the Sibyls verses The world shall bee unworlded c. scarce the tenth part of men shall bee left c. But saith Lactantius Chap. 17. I will yet plainlier explain how it shall come to passe The conclusion of times being at hand a great Prophet shall bee sent of God who shall convert men unto the knowledge of God c. And the wicked shall bee destroyed c. which hee shews in many and sundry particulars Then Lactantius in the eighteenth Chapter of the same Booke quotes divers Authors to that purpose As Hydaspes and Hermes and the Sibyls out of which two latter hee doth not onely minde the maine point hee hath in hand but also alleadge out of them that Christ is the Sonne of God And saith Lactantius Chapter 19. of the aforesaid seventh Booke The circle of the whole earth being oppressed at which time humane strength shall bee unable to destroy the tyranny of immense power God moved with the doubtfull power of his people and with their miserable lamentations shall forthwith send the Deliverer Then shall the midst of heaven bee opened in a quiet blacke night so that the light of God descending shall appear over all the world as lightning which the Sibyls expresse thus When as he shall come darknesse in a blacke midnight shall bee as fire c. Of which there is a double reason In the night he was borne and in the night hee suffered death And so after these in the night hee shall receive the * Kingdome of the earth This * is the Deliverer and Judge * the Revenger and King and * GOD which wee call Christ And hee shall descend his Angels accompanying him c. After this saith Lactantius Chap. 20. The places of the dead shall bee opened and the dead shall rise againe and the GREAT JUDGEMENT * shall bee performed by God * Christ concerning them of which Judgement and Kingdome the Erythrean Silyl thus speakes When that DAY shall receive its fatal
END and the judgement of the immortal God shall come to mortals then shall come upon men the GREAT JUDGEMENT and the BEGINNING c. as 't is in that Sibyl But saith Lactantius speaking to this of the Sibyl Neverthelesse all universally shall not bee then judged of God but those onely which are verst in the Religion of God The Poets saith Lactantius in the 22. Chap. of the aforesaid Book by Poetical licentiousnesse corrupted that which they had received for in that they fang That men having finished a thousand yeers among the dead they should be restored to life again as Virgil saith When all these soules have turned the wheele at the forgetfull RIVER of death by the space of a thousand yeers God cals forth these unmindfull in a great Troup that they may see againe these places that are upon the convex face of the earth and shall againe begin willingly to return to their bodies Herein their understanding deceived them saith Lactantius That the dead shall rise againe not after a thousand yeers of their death but that being restored to life againe they may REIGNE A THOUSAND YEERS WITH GOD. By God Lactantius meanes Christ as he openly explained himselfe but a little afore Of which Resurrection saith Lactant. Chap. 23. the Philosophers also endeavoured to say something as corruptly as the Poets For Pythagoras disputed that the soules of the deceased did passe into new bodies but foolishly as hee said himselfe was made up of Euphorbus his soule Chrysippus spake better who as Cicero saith established the Porch of the Stoicks he in his books which hee wrote concerning PROVIDENCE speaking of the renovation of the World brings in this Seeing * things are so it appears it is not impossible that we also when we have finished this present life after certain wheelings about of times should bee restored again into this very estate in which we now are And the Sibyl saith thus It is hard indeed to beleeve but when the judgement of the world and of Mortals shall come hee shall send the wicked into darknesse c. but those that imbrace godlinesse SHALL AGAINE LIVE UPON EARTH GOD GIVING THEM BOTH SPIRIT HONOUR and LIFE Chap. 24. Lactantius faith I will adde the rest Therefore saith he the SONNE of the Highest and Greatest God shall come that hee may judge both quicke and dead according to that of the Sibyl Then shall there bee confusion of all mortals of the whole earth and the OMNIPOTENT himselfe shall come upon his Tribunal to judge the soules of quicke and dead and all the world But when hee shall doe that saith Lactantius and shall restore the just that have beene from the beginning unto life hee shall * converse among men a thousand * yeeres and shall rule them with * a most righteous Government Which somewhere the Sibyl proclaimes Hear me O yee men the eternal King doth reigne c. Then saith Lactantius They that shall bee alive in their bodies shall not dye but by the space of those THOUSAND yeeres shall generate an infinite multitude and their off-spring shall bee holy c. And they * that shall bee raised from the * dead shall bee OVER THE DEAD AS JUDGES But the Gentile Nations shall not bee utterly extinguished but some shall bee left for the victory of God that they may bee triumphed over by the just and brought under the yoake of perpetual servitude A little afore that the Prince of Devils the forger of all evil shall bee * bound with chaines and shall * bee in hold all the THOUSAND * yeer es of THECELESTIAL EMPIRE under which righteousnesse shall reign over the world After whose coming the just shall bee gathered together from all parts of the earth c. and the holy Câ—â—IE shall bee placed in the * midst of the earth in which the BUILDER thereof GOD together with his just ones ruling shall ABIDE Which City the * Sibyl thus points out And the City which God made the same hee made brighter then the Sunne Moone or Starres Then all darknesse shall bee taken away c. The Moone shall bee as bright as the Sunne and the Sunne sevenfold brighter then it is c. The earth shall abound with fruitfulnesse c. The whole nature of all things shall joy in freedome from dominion of evill All beasts and birds not preying on one another shall bee at peace one with another c. quoting the Poets touching the golden Age shewing their error in this that mistaking the Prophets who for the certainty of things spake of them as past though minded them as to come they thought they were all past Alleadging also the Sibyls that in divers places affirme that men shall live a most quiet and plentiful life and shall reigne together with God and the Kings of the Nations shall come from the bounds of the earth with their gifts and shall adore and honour the great King c. These things saith Lactantius Chap. 25. are those which are spoken by the Prophets that they shall come to passe whose ☞ testimonies and words I deemed not needfullto set downe because it would bee an infinite worke If any aske when those things shall come to passe I but now said above that that * change must needs bee when * SIX THOUSAND YEERS * shall bee compleated and that chiefe day of the last con ☞ clusion of them doth now draw neer Touching the signes you may know them by the Prophets c. when this summe of six thousand yeeres shall bee compleat they teach who have wrote of the quantity of the number of yeers since the Creation according as they have gathered it out of the holy Scriptures and divers Histories which Writers although they vary and the summe of their number differs yet every mans expectation seems to bee not beyond two hundred yeers hence Yea the thing it selfe shews that the fall and ruine of things will bee in a short time * onely the CITY of ROME being now in safety there seems no cause of feare in any such thing But when that head of * the World shall fall and bee * a RUINE instead of ROME * as the Sibylls foretell who * doubts but the end to humane affaires and the whole World is now come Wee said saith Lactantius Chap. 26. a little afore that in the beginning of the holy Kingdome it shall bee that the Prince of Devils shall be bound by God But that same Prince when the one thousand yeers that * is when the 7000 yeers shall * begin to determine hee shall bee loosed againe c. and shall stir up all Nations under the dominion of the just to warre against the holy City whereupon innumerable people shall bee gathered together who shall besiege it Then shall the last wrath of God come upon the Nations and overthrow them unto one man with many terrible shakings c. of the earth and other wonderfull signes c. and infinite
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
Jewes shall bee life from the dead But this is spoken peculiarly of the JEWES and of their RESTITUTION to the Church-glory on earth of which wee treat as well as of their conversion as divers pious learned conceive Nor doth the Apostle here use the word RESURRECTION much lesse FIRST RESURRECTION I am also at a great losse how Regeneration can handsomely be cloathed with the relation of a Resurrection or living again according to Scripture-phrase For there an unregenerate man is called a dead man and sinne a death and a state of non-conversion in sinne a lying dead intrespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. And so in a due and just opposition the Apostle calls Conversion and Regeneration a Quickning a Rising a Raising a Life but not a Quickning again a Rising or Raising againe For an unregenerate man was not alive afore in relation to any spirituals which are the things wee and the Apostle speake of The word AGAINE in living againe rising againe according to Scripture and reason usually import a returning to the same kinde of life as was afore The Scripture saith of man in generall when wrought upon by the Word and Spirit that he is Re-generated let the learned heed the Greek I say Re-generated because it alludes to his first estate of glorious generation in innocent Adam in the Booke of Genesis as the Greeks call it But it doth not say that the Regenerating of an unregenerate manis his raising or rising againe or his resurrection because a man unregenerated whiles so was never alive spiritually till regenerated he was never raised afore from his fall till raised by conversion Innocent Adam had no infused grace but onely created perfection of nature 6. But if some will have these things to seeme sleight in their eyes let us see what may bee further added intreating the Reader all along this Treatise to take mee all together to look with a generall view upon the whole Arch of the Architecture in which if there bee some lesser and weaker slates or stones there are others stronger and bigger I am imperfect whiles in this world and so is the Reader too yet this must not discourage or prejudice us from building up one another with increase of knowledge in generall or of this particular point touching the Saints first resurrection in a bodily rising againe at the beginning of the aforesaid thousand yeers called here their LIVING i. e. AGAINE meaning their bodily living againe after they had laine in the grave a long time For consider this Text that as this is spoken to the Saints as well as the rest of the book Revel 1.14 So it is spoken of the Saints as wee saw before in their severall characters in our first Chapter and second Parag. Therefore these were regenerated already long since to whom this first Resurrection is applied v. 5. v. 6. For so the words cleerly depend notwithstanding any appearance to the contrary by the late invention of verses And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers then it comes in as a Parenthesis but the rest of the dead lived not againe untill the thousand yeers were finished then it followes This is the first resurrection Blessed holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection For what good coherence could this make to say The rest of the dead lived not againe until the thousand yeers were finished that is as the objecters interpret were not regenerated This is the first resurrection I say what concinne and apt coherence could this bee unlesse wee will dreame that the rest of the dead were regenerated at the end of the thousand yeers when comes the generall judgement v. 12. Therefore this word First-resurrection can no way relate to regeneration by the Word and Spirit Plainly therefore to mee this Text gives a distinct sound That as the rest of the dead lived not againe till the last resurrection at the end of the thousand yeers so the Saints lived again at the First resurrection at the beginning of the thousand yeers 7. It is likewise further considerable that the Jewes are to have a great share in this MILLENARIE life this booke being full of Representations Prophesies and Promises quoted out of the Old Testament made there to them yea and John Chap. 16. mentions that Euphrates is to bee dryed up as relating to their the Turkish Antichrist to fall and they to bee restored and therefore though John wrote in the Gentile Greek language the Churches Song for her Restauration and the destruction of her enemies is set forth to bee in Hebrew foure or five times in six verses together Rev. 19.1 c. Alleluja and Alleluja Amen Now as the Restauration of the Jewes is mainly looked at all along in all the Scriptures that concerne the glory of the universall Church on earth so it is spoken of as a further and greater thing then the conversion of their particular persons namely the dry bones must live and become a mighty Host or Army-multitude and the two dry stickes of Judah and Israel shall grow into one as ingrafted Sciences into a stocke and become one Nation gathered from all quarters of the world into one body Ezek. 37. And MANY of them that sleep in the dust shal awake some to everlasting life and c. Dan. 12.2 which cannot possibly bee understood of the last generall resurrection as wee shall demonstrate after in its proper place And Daniel himselfe at the end of one thousand three hundred thirty and five yeeres after the ceasing of the dayly sacrifice which falls into the time of calling and gathering the Jewes now not far off as after shall bee computed shall stand in the lotte Dan. 12. v. last upon which and the like expressions Paul in the 11. of Rom. v. 15. saith what shall bee the RECEIVING using a more comprehensive word then converting of the Jewes bee but LIFE from the DEAD hee saith not life from death as meaning onely spiritual life but in a fuller phrase according to the Greeke importeth a Resurrection too of the deceased beleevers And then addes v. 26. That there should come out of Zion the DELIVERER and shall turne away iniquity from Jacob the Apostle then looking upon it as a thing to come though Christ had already beene come and gone And speakes it in relation to the saving of the ALL of Israel intimating that the bringing in of the Jewes at the RESURRECTION OF ALL THINGS as the Apostle speaks Act. 3.21 would be a very GREAT and GLORIOUS businesse so as all the world should not choose but behold it with admiration And therefore this share of the Jewes in this MILLENARIE injoyment will not indure that this twentieth of Revelat. vers 4. should bee sleighted off with a metaphoricall glosse 8. For still mee thinkes I see more may bee digged out of this place worthy of consideration 'T is said The rest of the dead lived not againe as in relation to the dead Saints in
to communicate with them in any sort of drinking till he dranke new with them in the Kingdome of his Father †Quare non videtur loc intelligendum de vino quod unâ cum discipulis biberit Dominus pâ—st resurrectionem suum Nam etsi per dies illos quadraginta sese illis subinde ostendit atque etiam cum iis eâ—it nulla tamen potus sit mentio Nec moris erat apud Judaeos bibere vinum in prandiis ac caenis quotidianis sed tantum in solenniotibus convivâ—is Pisc Schol. in Matth. 26.29 See Piscator on Matth. 26. § 5 And if any will needs presume that he did drinke after his resurrection some sort of drinke or other Let them stay their stomacks with this that it is spoken in this twenty sixth of Matthew with a double emphasis upon both Phrases that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will by no meanes drinke from hence-forward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this this same fruit or kinde of the vine untill c. so that beyond all dispute its evident that Christ will no more drinke of THIS KIND untill that day when he shall drinke it new with them in his Fathers kingdome which Emphasis at THAT day with the distinction of his Fathers kingdome cannot relate to three dayes after Christ then still being in execution of his maine Mediatorship rising againe Rome 4.25 for our justification as he was delivered to death for our offences § 6 All which is pinned faster by the phrase in the Adjective not in the Adverb For he saith not I will drinke it newly but I will drinke it new which could not be within three dayes after and in the winter time when there was need in Judea of a fire in the High-Priests Hall Luk. 24.55 at which time and in so short a space there could not be made either new wine or any meere naturall creature new But at the thousand yeares all things are made new 2 Pet. chap. 3.13 Isa 65.17 Revel 21.1.4 5. The learned Grotius saith * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simile est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Apocalypsi Grot. in Annot. in Matth. 26.29 The fruit of the Vine is said to be new as it is said New Jerusalem in the Apocalyps Now we know that Jerusalem is new in St. Johns sense in the time of the thousand yeares as appeares by collating Revel 21.1 with Revel 20.1 c. †Ev 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nempe in regno lo Caelesti glorioso seu in convivio illo Nuptiali ac regio in quo accumbent Abraham Isaac Iacob unâ cum illit omnes electi ut docet Dominus supra 8.11 Piscat in Mat. 26.29 Schol. And Piscator saith That the Kingdome of his Father signifieth that Royall Nuptiall whereat Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Elect shall sit downe together with Christ And it is said Revel 20.4 the Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares And Mat. 19 28. That they that have followed Christ shall so is the right pomting and sense I say shall in the regeneration when the Sonne of Man shall sit on his throne sit also upon twelve thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel * So Theophyl points it and saith Per regeâ—nerationem autâ—m resurrectionem intellige which resurrection of all the Elect defunct is at the beginning of the the mand yeares where we have the fruit of the vine new explained by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Another Genesis or creation of the world as Genesis is the name of the Booke containing the Story of the first Creation which other Genesis is whiles Christ sits on his throne saith this text afore he resigne his kingdome to his Father 1 Cor. 15. And saith the Apostle Rom. 8.21 this second Creation is such as wherein the Creature it selfe the whole Creation as well as the election of Beleevers shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God c. as it followes vers 22. 23. That is the Creatures shall be delivered from the blasting curse by Adams fall namely both from the vexation wrong and abuse of them by mans sinfull use of them as also from the vanity weaknesse and emptinesse that is in them for fallen mans sake Now this Nuptiall royall Banquet must be at that Wedding Revel 21. ver 2. ver 9. which in order falls into the thousand yeares mentioned afore Revel 20. even as it is expresse Revel 19.7.9 that it followes the ruine of Babilon mentioned Revel 18. throughout the whole Chapter The great * Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inquit Theophylactus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est non vulgari neque communi sed novo singulari modo loach Cametar Commentar in Matth. Joach Camerarius upon that twenty sixth of Matthew vers 29 approves of Theophylacts sence upon this new and thus recites it New that is saith Theophylact after a new manner that is not in a vulgar or common but in a new and singular way To which let me adde what further Theophylact there adds †Vel etiam inquit Theophylactus sic intelligas Novum poculum revelatio sacramentorum Dei hoc est in secundo adventu revelabuntur quae verè sunt nova qualia non audivimus uspiam Theophyl Enarrat in Com. Or else saith he by New understand a new Cup and the revelations of the mysteries of God that is in his second comming shall be revealed what things are truly new such as we have not any when or where heard § 7 But it may be some will object that it is said in the foresaid text he would drinke it new in his Fathers Kingdome and therefore that place is not so cleare for Christs Kingdome To which we answer two wayes 1. That this Kingdome of Christ in this text may be called also his Fathers Kingdome because the Father gave it him Psal 2. v. 8. And therefore is Christ called there in v. 6. HIS King And the Apostles pray to the Father in the words of this Psalme to maintaine his Sonne in his Kingdome Act. 4.24 c. whereof the glorious state of the Church in Constantine the Great his time and other short shinings forth of the splendor of the Church in succeeding ages were but types or prefaces So Psal 8.4 5. What is man that thou art mindfull of hem or the SONNE of man the common stile of Christ that thou visitest him for THOU hast made HIM a little time * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a little waile For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies say the Criticks a little space of time And so is the Greek Heb. 2.7 See the margine 〈◊〉 here lower then the Angels AND that is to say after that hast CROWNED him with glory and honour THOU hast made him to have dominion over the workes of thy hands THOU hast put all things under his feet All
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
of grace and non-grace that difference was made before death in the life time of the Saints and wicked The second particular is the casting of the Devill into the bottomlesse pit and shutting and sealing him in it that he may not seduce the Nations till the thousand yeers be finished vers 3. The third particular is the letting loose of Satan at the end of the thousand yeers to seduce all the Nations on the foure corners of the earth till he gather together an innumerable Army to encompasse the camp of the Saints the event whereof is that that Army is consumed with five from heaven After which immediately begins the last judgement vers 7 8 9. Now wee shall challenge literas omnes literatos all learned books and men when in all the one thousand six hundred and fifty yeers of the New Testament by-past were these three particulars fulfilled When did the Saints or Martyrs so rise For still they have been and are under persecution or sore afflictions in one or other or severall Nations more or lesse When was Satan so bound and imprisoned as that he did not seduce the Nations For to this day Lutherans Protestants Papists Turkes Indians Jewes c. are seduced by him in matters of Errour and War And when was there such an innumerable Army encompassing the camp of the Saints consumed with fire from Heaven upon which immediately followed that day of judgement when the Devill is cast into the lake of fire a Throne is set and the bookes are opened c. as it is v. 10 11 12 § 7 It is true some learned men doe say that the time of Satans binding that he could not seduce the Nations for a thousand yeers to the making of an happy time for the Church so long began three hundred yeers after Christ and so ended one thousand and three hundred yeers after Christ For say they at the end of three hundred yeers after Christ the ten persecutions ceased in which persecution say they Satan was loose to seduce the world But those persecutions being ceased the thousand yeers of the Churches comfortable condition began So Mr. Brightman on Revel and Mr. Fox in his book of Martyrs onely with this difference That one of them inserts within the said thousand by them laid out the five months mentioned Revel 9.5 as a so long interruption of their described quiet in those thousand yeers understanding by those five months certaine yeers that is that every day of those five months signifies a yeer which according to solary months makes the thousand yeers end an hundred and thirty yeers lower or according to â—unary months one hundred and twenty yeers later Pareus begins the thousand yeers of the binding of Satan c. at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus sixty nine yeers as he accounts after the birth of Christ At which time saith he the Jewish Temple and Worship ceasing the great impediment of the Gentiles imbracing the Gospel was removed So that this while Satan was bound from seducing the Gentiles or Nation § 8 Whence first let the Reader observe by the way that all these three godly and greatly learned men doe concur and fully agree with us in this that the meaning of the thousand yeers is literall That it signifies a thousand yeers properly taken yea and to include sensible events though they differ from us and from one another in other particulars § 9 But for the opinions themselves we cannot agree with them in the beginning of these thousand yeers and consequently not in their ending 1 ¶ Not with Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightmans computation First because they include the ten Persecutions which lasted three hundred yeers within the time of Satans beng loose and seducing the Nations preceding the beginning of their account of the thousand yeers whith ten Persecutions include the Apostles time and the Primitive purest times And so by consequence Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman make those primitive times more corrupt and more seduced then the ages following the ten Persecutions which is contrary to Rev. 11.1 and Revel 12.1 And contrary to experience out of all antiquity that in those times the Church was far more pure generally then ever since Secondly because this compute of Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman makes the times following the ten Persecutions to begin an happy thousand yeers for the Church and so to continue to one thousand three hundred yeers after Christ But this is contrary to experience from all approved antiquity who doth give us a particular account that after that little time in the life of Constantine the Great wherein the Church had some outward peace and prosperity anon began the black-heresie and bloody-persecution by the Arians upon the necke of which followed Pelagianisme and many other grosse and grievous errours and heresies 2 ¶ For the computation of Pareus that cannot stand for many strong reasons that batter it downe For first the Jewish worship did not cease as Pareus affirmes at the destruction of the Temple by Titus but doth continue to this day And instead of the exercise thereof in that one Nation of the Jewes it is practised by them in their Synagogues in most Nations in Europe if not elsewhere also as our Country-Merchants and Travellers are eare and eye-witnesses If by Jewish worship Pareus doth mean that particular of it of sacrificing as if that at least ended at Titus destruction of the Temple therein also is Pareus mistaken as most Ecclesiastical Histories and Chronologies abet us to affirme For say these Records when Titus had overthrown the Temple the Jews sacrificed in the City as neer the ruines of their Temple as they could Yea when Hadrian or Adrian the Roman Emperour had destroyed the City they sacrificed at Mamre where God appeared formerly to Abraham Nor was their zeale to sacrificing so extinguished when Constantine the Great beat them from Mamre For anon after Constantine Julian the Apostate the Romane Emperour encouraged the Jewes to returne to Jerusalem there to re-build the ruines and offer sacrifice till fire from heaven discomfited them which falls far lower then sixty nine yeers after Christ namely to about three hundred and sixty yeers after Christ So that this Jewish worship lasted all the time of the ten Persecutions in which Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman say Satan was let loose and not bound up as Pareus affirmes 2 Within this thousand yeers of binding Satan computed by Pareus to begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ is found nothing for the Jewes nor their new Jerusalem contrary to the scope of all the Scripture as we shall hear abundantly after which cleerly drives at this that the call of the Jewes must be a great part of the glory of that state we speake of and they the principall partakers thereof 3 In all that thousand yeers which Pareus makes up beginning at sixty nine yeers after Christ and consequently ending at one thousand sixty nine yeers after Christ all things
are found to be in a quite contrary estate to Satans binding from seducing For in those ages were infinite monstrous Heresies and Apostasies so well knowne to the learned that I spend not time to quote Historians For beside the Heresies afore touched there arose within the said thousand yeers viz. about six hundred and odd after Christ horrid Mahumetisme spread to this day over a great part of the world About which time the mystery of Papal iniquity had wrought to a great height Both increasing for the generall to this day Both the one by their Turkish wars the other by their massacres having poured out a sea of Saints blood Now how can wee say with any shew of reason that Satan was bound this while from seducing the world when he did so potently prevaile 4 Where are the Learned or the Libraries to tell us of the rising or of the reigning of the Saints or Martyrs from sixty nine to one thousand sixty nine after Christ 6 If the thousand yeers begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ and consequently end at one thousand sixty nine there hath been since that a thousand sixty nine to this yeer one thousand six hundred fifty two above five hundred and eighty yeers which five hundred and eighty yeers cannot be counted a litle season It is said Rev. 20.3 After the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall be let loose a little season But by Pareus his account of the expiration of the thousand yeers at the thousand sixty nine yeers Satan since that hath been let loose five hundred and eighty yeers as wee have said which cannot be reckoned for a little season in comparison of the thousand yeers of Satans binding as is Saint Johns sense for it is above halfe as much as a thousand yeers Seventhly and lastly If the thousand yeers are so long since expired where and when since that expiration hath appeared that after a little season was gathered together Gog and Magog encompassing the Camp of the Saints upon a new seducement by the Devil and were consumed by fire from heaven upon which the day of judgement began SECT III. The usefulnesse of the Old Testament to the point in hand touching the glorious state of the Church yet to come § 1 HAving laid the foundation of the proofe of our Thesis touching the glorious state of All things upon earth yet to come in the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation Now let us take all the Bible afore us both Old and New Testament in order and hear what harmony they make as an Anthem or Prelude before that glorious Scene begins The Old Testament laid downe the ground of our hope The New Testament now so long since Christs coming in the flesh carries on our expectation to look for such a thing Wee shall cull out of the Old Testament those places that to our best light are most cleer and have some touches of explanations out of the New Testament § 2 And great reason there is to take before us the Old Testament because the New Testament in speaking of this visible glorious Kingdome of Christ to be on earth refers us to the Old As Peter in 2 Ep. Chap. 3. v. 13. refers us to Esa 65.17 Wee saith Peter look for new Heavens and a new Earth according to his PROMISE wherein dwels righteousnesse which promise is that of Esa 65. Not to repeat things spoken afore Here is mention of Heavens in the plurall The one Empyrean Heaven is unchangeable Therefore Heavens of pure manifestation of Doctrine of pure practise of Gospel order of a new state of the Church of new peoples added to it of a renovation of all things on earth must be understood It must be meant of such heavens as God will shake Heb. 12.26 spoken by a Jew Paul to the Jewes the Hebrews after Christs coming and ascending At which time of his presence in the flesh though he shooke down the vaile viz. at his passion and gave the Temple a shake by Prophesie Matth. 24.1.2 c. which tumbled it downe about forty yeers after his ascension yet he had not to that time shaken downe the vaile off the Jewes heart 2 Cor. 3. Nor hath he to this day as sad experience testifies No nor the Iewish worship in their Synagogues practised to this very time Nor hath he set up things so as they must remaine instead of the things that are shaken Therefore Peters promise of new Heavens wherein dwels righteousnesse is yet unfulfilled A phrase too short to reach so high as to advance the commendation of the Empyrean Heaven as it is impertinent to tell us that there shall dwell righteousnesse where we well know was never any the least unrighteousnesse We expect and must expect by all circumstances upon that place such a fulfilling of that Promise as shall create or make new Heavens on Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse here below where formerly hath been unrighteousnesse That place onely can be said to be made new with the inhabitation of righteousnesse that formerly had no righteousnesse or little left it being worne out In like manner the same Peter in 2 Ep. chap. 1. ver 19. speaking of Christs Kingdome referres us to the Old Testament viz. Numb 24.17 We have saith he a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the Day-star arise in your hearts which is taken out of that of Numbers 24.17 There shal come a starre out of Jacob c. out of Jacob shal come he that shal have dominion c. At Christs Incarnation this Star Christ did arise on some of their hearts when the Starre guided the Wise men to goe to the place of Christs birth and there to worship him and after some few gleanings of people beleeved on him But this while he was but as an evening Star Peter saith now after his Ascention that the time was yet to come that he should be a morning Star a Sunne upon the hearts of the generality of the Jewes And it were strange if any wise man should dreame that at the same instant Christ should call the Jewes and come to the last Judgement That in the same moment the black cloud of the day of Doome should cover the world and the Day-star of the Sonne of righteousnesse should arise on the numerous peoples of the Jewes scattered in all Nations Thus in Act. 3.20 21. we are referred to the PROPHETS since the WORLD BEGAN to know and hope for the visible Kingdome of Christ on earth of which we speake One of which Prophets to speake nothing of Acts 3. having spoken so much in the second Booke is Enoch to whom Jude also referres us ver 14 15. and quotes his words to supply the losse of his Book Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied Behold the LORD COMETH with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement and convince all that are
a glorious state of all things Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowle of the Aire and over the Cattell and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth 27. So God created man in his owne Image c. 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and SVBDVE IT and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the fowle of the aire and over EVERY LIVING THING that moveth on the earth Psal 8.1 O LORD our LORD how excellent is thy name IN ALL THE EARTH who hast set thy glory above the heavens 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy ard the avenger 3. When I consider thy Heavens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Stars which thou hast ordained 4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of Man that thou visitest him 5. For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour 6. Thou madest him to have DOMINION OVER THE WORKES OF THY HANDS thou hast put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET c. Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection the WORLD TO COME whereof we speake 6. But one in a certaine place testified saying what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him 7. Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels thou crownest him with glory and honour and didst set him OVER the workes of thy hands 8. Thou hast put ALL THINGS in subjection UNDER HIS FEET for in that hee hath put ALL in subjection under him he left NOTHING that is not put under him 9. But now WEE SEE NOT YET ALL THINGS put under him but we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste of death for every man § 1 AS Saint Iohn fetcheth in the Notions of the terrestriall Paradise to describe New Hierusalem of which Revel 21. or which is all one the glorious state of the Church that it shal have on earth before the last Judgement Revel 22. or else we shall make John to speake impertinently for in supreame glory is no need of a river of water or of streets or of a tree of Life or of twelve sorts of fruit one for each month or of leaves to heale the Nations or to make him speake untruly if any would turne it to an Allegory of a fountaine of Doctrine or of more and fresh effusions of the Spirit or of Christ to beare any further fruit he there laying downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 even so the Prophet David falls upon a divine meditation of the estate of Adam in innocency to compose a Propheticall Psalme of praise for what God would doe for his people on earth before the ultimate end of the world as the Apostle Paul expounds him in the place aforesaid § 2 Should seem that though some things by Adams fall were irrecoverably lost in specie in their proper kind though not vertually and equivalently as mans freedome from corporall death yet other things as this dominion of man over all things was not so forfeited but that in Christ first or last it is recovered And therefore though David knew full well Adams fall as appeares by Psal 51.5 yet looking upon the SONNE OF MAN Christ in this Psalme he holds up his head and heart and sings out shrilly this praise in this Psalme of hope that this dominion shall be made good to man on earth to the utmost § 3 For surely there is no imagining of this state to be of Saints in the highest Heavens that there they should have dominion over the Beasts Fishes and Fowls or over wicked men properly that are then in the infernal Lake wholly under the sole power of the Prince of Darknesse and this was not performed on earth unto Davids time who from his youth to his end was ever and anon in danger of Beasts or beastiall men of the Lion and the Beare of Goliah of Saul of Absolom of forreigne enemies c. Nor was it ever since fulfilled but that the Saints the Members of the SONNE OF MAN have been at the same passe for the generall with David or worse as we have and shall heare abundantly § 4 Yet this must be fulfilled visibly on earth as saith the Psalmist in this eighth Psalme so as the enemy and avenger among men must bee stilled ver 2. And all the Creatures subdued as it is in the rest of the Psalme and both so as that the Saints mouthes may be full of praise according to the forme of this Psalme and this must be fulfilled too visibly on earth saith the Apostle in the said second of Hebrewes Unto the Angels saith he ver 5. God hath not subjected THE WORLD TO COME of which WE SPEAKE No for they are charged to be in subjection to Christ chap. 1. ver 6. Nor hath God said to any of the Angels sit thou at my right hand * Mat. 24.14 Luke 2.1 Luke 4.5 Luk. 21.26 Acts 11.28 Act. 17.6 Act. 17.31 Act. 19.27 Act. 24.5 Rom. 10.18 Hebr. 1.6 Heb. 2.5 Rev. 3.10 Rev. 12.9 Rev. 16.14 untill I make thine enemies thy footstool ver 13. but this must be fulfilled on earth to men in Christ through him For the Apostles first phrase in that fifth verse of the second Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spoken with great emphasis with a double emphaticall Article sounding as we speake in English THAT SAME world even THAT that is TO COME and yet still meaning a state on earth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered world in propriety of signification signifies the inhabited world as men inhabite their dwelling houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house being of the Kindred of the world and in common use it is put to signifie the world on earth yea so used by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament at least fifteen times * The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the first Aor of subj mood as I conceive hath the signification of a suture Of this place of Scripture see more in this third Book chap. 2. Sect. 10. and sometimes in those places earth is adjoyned for plainer expression yea used so to signifie the world on earth in most of the said places as thereby to meane the Roman Monarchy the Romans then ruling the whole earth when the Apostles wrote as in two of those places viz. Luke 2.1 Act. 11.28 the Roman Emperour is expressed by name Yea lastly so constantly used in the New Testament
and Hezekiah reigned five or six Kings over Judah And the Ten Tribes were not carried away captive into Assyria till the sixth yeare of the reigne of Hezekiah 2 King 18.9.10 And therefore it seems that Isaiah prophesied the Prophesie of this eleventh Chapter when Hezekiah was not come to the Crown nor were any of all the twelve Tribes in captivity in Assyria the first time and therefore could not be supposed to be delivered thence the first time But before this Text can be fulfilled they must be in Captivity in Assyria the first time and be delivered the first time as it is hinted in the Text they had been in Egypt the first time and been delivered thence the first time Now they were in Captivity in Assyria the first time as we touched afore in the ten Tribes in the reign of Hoshea King of Israel 2 Kin. 18. And in the two Tribes in the Reign of Zedekiah King of Judah 2 Chro. 36. So here is the totall Captivity of all the twelve Tribes in Assyria the first time And their deliverance out of that Captivity the first time the first that we can possibly reckon is set down in the book of Ezra Cha. 1. and Chap. 2. c. where for the generall the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned to Jerusalem as is plain by their Genealogies they were of the two Tribes excepting some others that went up that could not shew their Genealogies So that if wee make the most of the first recovery or deliverance we can put the emphasis no where but upon the returne of the two Tribes Nor can we finde where at the soonest to pitch this great emphasis of Gods recovering his people the second time but upon that time when hee shall bring back the rest of the Tribes viz. The ten Tribes which were and still are in Assyria from thence and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the Isles of the Gentiles Thus for the least and soonest Second time wee can possibly finde out of their deliverance out of Assyria and the parts afore-mentioned which is not fulfilled to this day But a greater Second and of the same length too is this This same Again the Second time c. may import two considerations First Two parts of the recovery or deliverance of the All of the twelve Tribes from Assyria the first time of the two Tribes the second of the ten Tribes of which we have spoken afore Secondly Two distinct times of deliverance of the twelve Tribes both the two and of some of the ten but especially of the Two Object The conceit of some that the Second out of Assyria answers to the first out of Egypt is in my opinion but weak Because they must be delivered according to this Text the Second time out of Egypt as well as out of Assyria Sol. And therefore these are co-eve co-etanean of the same age and not successive I say Second doth import as appears by history both divine and humane abetted with experience a Second deliverance of the twelve Tribes more or lesse from Assyria as well as from Egypt but specially this Second time centers upon the two Tribes called by the name of Jewes of whom Christ came as the ten were called Israel Which as briefly as we can we open thus That whereas God brought up the two Tribes from Assyria to Jerusalem by Ezra as his book makes large mention the Jews there continued for about three hundred threescore and ten yeers pretty quiet till that Antiochus Epiphanes comes up into Judea enters the City spoyles the Temple robs the City and kills a many of the Citizens as the learned Chronologers quote out of Macchab 1.1 In which Macchabean wars the Jews were much wasted and scattered Yet after that act of Antiochus the generality of the two Tribes that were left and the sprinklings of the ten Tribes as is supposed Ezra 2.62 as many as came up with them under Cyrus by Ezra abode there about a hundred sixty and six yeers more with much trouble in the ensuing Macchabean wars and the Roman invasions and domination succeeding them till Christ should bee borne at Bethlehem in Judea that the Scripture might be fulfilled touching that place of his birth But they crucifying Christ affronting his Gospel with sacrificing and persecuting his members and with all divine justice therein most righteously recompencing them rebelling against the Romans their Governours God and men conspired in a further prosecution of this second scattering on foot by the Antiochian Macchabean and Roman warres Titus the Roman Emperour some forty yeers after Christs ascention destroying their Temple and after him Adrian destroying the City of Jerusalem After whom Constantine the Great scattered them from Mamre and then God himselfe scattered them being about to re-build the Temple by the encouragement of Julian the Apostata by fire from heaven and wonders on earth After all which the Saracens Arabians and Turkes invaded their land and miserably scattered them and so they continue excepting a few Jewes in and about Jerusalem to this day dispersed in the Isles of the Sea or of the Gentiles viz. in the West-Indies Italy Poland Spaine Portugal Low-Countries Media Persia Assyria c. as we shall see presently and in most Countries in the world as the Rabbins in their books plainly confesse So that Gods setting his hand THE SECOND TIME to recover his people out of ASSYRIA c. cannot be streightned to the returne of the two Tribes under the conduct of Zerubbabel and Joshua with Ezra for this was but the first time They are again scattered And the Ten Tribes as well as the Two are his people and the promise is Rom. 11. of saving all ISRAEL Therefore the whole work of restoring all the twelve Tribes now lyes on Gods hands to recover them from Assyria the second time in this sense also And he must do it universally including the generality of all his people that are scattered and from all places as saith our Text from ASSYRIA the common name of the Empire at their first captivity there Of which there is abundant mention in the books of Kings Chronicles and Ezra And there were of the Jews there in the time of Jeremiah the Prophet Jer. 44.1 And from EGYPT Which likely afterwards was added in part or whole to that Empire as severall times in the reigne of severall Kings of Israel and Juda many Jews were carried thither Of whose scattering there unto the Apostles time see Act. 2.10 And from PATHROS There was Pathros sometime belonging to the Territories of Egypt there being mention of the Country of the Inhabitants called Pathrusim Gen. 10.14 whose place or land of habitation may very fitly be called Pathros and was a Province of Egypt Jer. 44.1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt c. Then v. 15 All the men
c. even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt in Pathros answered Jeremiah c. See also Ezek. 29.14 and chap. 30. v. 14. And those Pathrusim were of the linage of Mitsraim or Egyptus Gen. 10.14 1 Chron. 1.12 Others say it signifies Parthos the Parthians of the Country of Parthia with an easie and usuall Metathesis which Parthia is on the borders of Media Or say others it may be Petra in Arabia of which see Esa 16.1 The land from SELA or as it is in the margine Petra whence Arabia Petrea Others say it is a part of Lybia inhabited by the Pharusii mentioned by Pliny and Ptolome and seated neer the Atlantick Sea Of the Jewes being scattered unto the Apostles times in the said Parthia Media Egypt Lybia Arabia we read in Act. 2.9 10 11. And from CUSH that is Ethiopia Compare chap. 18.1 And from ELAM that is Persia And from SHINAR that is a region in Chaldea Gen. 11.28 Jer. 51.24 35. Ezek. 23.16 And of their scattering even to the Apostles times in Elam or Persia and Mesopotamia which was part of Chaldea c. See Act. 2.9 10 11. And 1 Pet. 1.1 And from HAMATH that is Cilicia in Asia the lesse Of their scattering there see likewise Act. 2. ibid. and 1 Pet. ibid. Paul also an Hebrew saith of himselfe that he was borne at Tarsus a chiefe City of Cilicia And from the ISLANDS OF THE SEA that is the maritine Countries bordering upon the Sea or any Kingdome on the other side of the Sea from Judea as it is a common phrase in Scripture the Jews not understanding the nature of other Countries being no travellours or Sea-men to leave their Nationall Church for the barbarous Countries as they were in the times of the Old Testament So that Islands of the Sea comprehends all the World beside the Countries of Judea and Samaria So that according to this enumeration and description God must set his hand the second time to recover all the remnant of his people that are left in any of the said Countries Which is not yet done and therefore yet to be fulfilled Furthermore that in the twelfth verse proves that the Prophesie of this Chapter is not yet fulfilled Arg. 6 The words of that twelfth verse are And he shall set up an Ensigne for the NATIONS Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the GENTILES that is The unbeleeving people without the Church that had not yet received the word And shall assemble the outcasts of ISRAEL that is the ten Tribes and gather together the dispersed of IUDAH that is the two Tribes from the FOURE CORNERS of the EARTH For first we see that this recovering of Gods Elect the Second time is of the Iews together with the Gentiles which recovering them the second time wee never saw yet At Christs first coming at his Incarnation most Iewes and Gentiles held off from imbracing the Gospel as we see in the story of the Evangelists and Acts of the Apostles And soon after Constantines time and downward more of both fell off And at this day all the Iews and the most of the Gentiles continue in infidelity Therefore this gathering of both is yet to come before the destruction of all unbeleevers at the ultimate judgement Secondly observe how distinctly the Prophet names 1 The Gentiles 2 The out-casts of Israel that is of the ten Tribes 3 The dispersed of Iudah that is of the two Tribes which was not done at the returne of the captivity out of Babylon or at the coming of Christ in the flesh nor to this day Thirdly Take notice that the elect of all Iewes Israelites and Gentiles must be called and gathered together from the foure corners of the earth that is from all parts of the world which is larger then Babylon which is not done to this day but the Iewes and Israelites are still found inhabiting in all quarters of the world as Travellours and Sea-faring men see with their eyes and the Rabbins confesse in their books And yet further it appears that the Prophesie of this Chapter is not to this day fulfilled by that in verse 13. c. to the end of the Chapter Arg. 7 The summe whereof is That all envy between Iudah and Ephraim shall cease and that all other that will not obey and comply with the Iewes in a right Gospel-worship of God shall be destroyed viz. The Philistims in the West and the people of the East all of them of Moab Ammon Edom and Egypt and there shall be a way for the remnant of the Iewes from Assyria as there was to them at their coming up out of Egypt But the Iewes in a great part are under the tyranny of the Turk and the rest scattered in all Nations none of their enemies are destroyed nor doe any Nations comply with them in point of Religion to this very day Lastly Arg. 8 It appears by the twelfth Chapter the seal of the eleventh that the Prophesie of the eleventh Chapter is not yet fulfilled For the Iews never yet were so delivered as in the 11. Chap. as in praise therefore to sing that Song of Thanks-giving in the twelfth Chapter Their harps are hung up as at their scattering in Babylon I my selfe have heard some of them bemoaning themselves that this their last captivity or dispersion is longer then ever any before They have not hitherto as it is in that Song verse 4. Declared the name and famous facts of God among the peoples but rather in refusing Christ have obscured his name Nor have they as verse 5. praised for the excellent things that God should doe for them in all the earth Now let the wise and understanding Reader review all that hath been said and be judge himselfe whether the Prophesie of this eleventh Chapter of Isaiah hath been fulfilled to this day And if not sure he will not dream of a fulfilling of it at the ultimate judgement there being something almost in every verse inconsistent with that time when no government as described in the first five verses is remaining in Christs hands 1 Cor. 15.28 c. No dwelling of the Wolfe and Lamb together as held forth in verse 6 7 8. No lifting up of an Ensign to bring men to a seeking after Christ as verse 10. No filling the earth with the knowledge of the Lord c. as v. 11. Therefore as sure as God is true this is yet to be fulfilled afore the ultimate day of judgement SECT XIV § 1 THe fourth place in Isaiah is Chapter 14. verse 1. c. to verse 8. Verse 1. The Lord will have mercy on JACOB and will yet choose ISRAEL and set them in their OWN LAND and the STRANGERS shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of JACOB Vers 2. And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PEOPLES shall take them and bring them to their place And the house of Israel shall possesse them in the land of the
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
all but beleevers For which work of making the Iewes beleevers the ultimate day of judgement is no time as the Monarchies of the earth need not be removed that Iewes or Gentiles may be converted many thousands beleeving in the time of all four This corporall deliverance therefore of the Iewes besides their spirituall from captivity under the fourth Monarchy not having been yet fulfilled as we see before our eyes is yet to come before the ultimate day of Judgement Which conclusion is further confirmed in that this time of the Iewes deliverance is a time of the greatest troubles defining the qualitie and NATURE of those troubles in a way of analogy and proportion to former troubles of nations ver 1. though greater in degree and not in a way of samenesse or semblance to the destruction by the lake of five at the ultimate judgement Revel 20.14 15. At which time is not an increase of the troubles of them that are the Lords delivered but a putting a totall and finall end to all their troubles § 20 If any object that it may seeme this deliverance must be at the last judgement because of two passages in this chapter the first in the first verse They shall be delivered that are found written in the booke Secondly in the second and third verses Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life some to shame and everlasting contempt And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Both which passages sound much of the last judgement that is to come The ful answers to which we have in a readinesse wil demonstrate that these passages do mightily confirm the contrary we cannot but confess that many learned and pious men in times of more darknesse when few had light or will to object against any thing that such men delivered that were orthodox in the generall did imagine this place of Scripture to intend the last judgement But that we must openly oppose that sence the reasons of our answers will justifie our innocency Which reasons in the generall do arise from the circumstances antecedent and subsequent that inviron those two passages Whence we thus argue ¶ 1. It is said at the opening of that booke MANY of them that sleep in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame c. But at the last judgement ALL shall rise Therefore this cannot be meant of the last judgement ¶ 2. It is said that at this said time spoken of by Daniel the godly called wise and converters of others shall awake though to life yet to great troubles in a time of trouble which is to continue from their awakening to the time of their blessednesse vers 11 12. forty five yeares So that this time shall be a great trying time vers 10. many thereby being tryed purified and made white the wicked on the contrary doing wickedly But the godly doe not rise at the last judgement to troubles or trialls Therefore this cannot signifie the time of the last judgement ¶ 3. The question is asked verse 6. How long shall it be to the end of these wonders Observe curiously How long shall it be to the END not how long to the BEGINNING And how long to the end of these WONDERS meaning by the relative those afore mentioned not how long to the end of the RESURRECTION But if the resurrection had been here meant it had been by far a more proper and usefull question to have inquired of the beginning of the resurrection then of its ending our welfare depending upon our sharing in the happy beginning of it which attained no matter how long it last there being no wearisomenesse in happinesse Therefore this Scripture doth not intend the Resurrection or last judgement ¶ 4. It is said vers 7. these things were to be finished when the Lord shall have accomplished to scatter the holy people But the accomplishing of the scattering of the holy people the Jewes which is by conversion of them and repossessing of them in their owne Country as the Prophets all along afore-quoted have fore-told is on all hands generally confessed to precede the resurrection and day of judgement Therefore the resurrection or last judgement is not here to be understood § 21 And therefore not to urge severall other arguments to the same purpose which might be pickt up out of the context the true meaning of the four first verses of this chapter must be to this effect And I am not left alone without the company of other pious learned men * Huet on Dan. Glimpse of Sions glory Parker in Vis and Proph. of Dan. ¶ 1. These times are said ver 1. to be troubleous times when Michael shall stand up to deliver his people the Jewes First Because the great warlike oppositions that the enemy shall then make against the corporall deliverance of them that awake at that time shall seeme but cold entertainment to new-converts For their arch-enemy the Turke is then in a great fury contending to hold his tyrannical Empire over them Secondly because of the length of these troubles from their first awakening to their quiet settling which will bee forty five years ver 11 12. So that by reason of both viz. the greatnesse and continuance of these troubles for so long many shall ver 2. fall off from that cause to which at first they were awakened and so they rise to their shame and contempt before men not as yet in hell torment ¶ 2. The book mentioned vers 1. in which all and onely they were written that should be delivered must be distinguished For there are divers bookes mentioned in Scripture both in the old and new Testament which cannot be the same book because in Rev. 20.12 there is mention of Bookes in the plurall And of another book ibid. Therfore as to our purpose we must at least distinguish of a two-fold Booke of Life First there is the book of God the Fathers eternall election Phil. 4.3 Help those women with Clement and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the BOOKE OF LIFE Now the writing in this booke is unchangeable 2 Tim. 2.19 Secondly There is the booke of life of the Lamb touching things in time viz. of externall vocation to an outward imbracing the Gospell and a subjection to the Scepter and Kingdome of Christ unto all appearance of holinesse Revel 21. ver 27. And there shall in no wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go INTO it that is the holy City new Jerusalem as it is afore in that chapter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing that is any creature that maketh no difference between things holy and unholy but counts both as common and so defileth himselfe with things or actions impure or WORKETH or MAKETH or DOTH an ABOMINATION or a LIE but they which are written in
the LAMBS BOOKE OF LIFE The antithesis of which words distingnishing between them that are written in the LAMBS BOOKE and those that defile and make or dot abominations or leys doth seeme to intimate that they that are free from outward evill conversation but in all appearance and likelihood are holy are written in the Lambs booke And if any such fall off from this outward good conversation and fair-shew of holinesse and degenerate into an evill conversation they are put out of the Lambs booke As the Psalmist in Psalm 69. v. 21. to 29. speaking of those that should have pittied him in his afflictions but instead thereof so farre degenerated from their profession that they gave him gall for his meat and in his thirst gave him vinegar to drinke among other judgements upon them he prophesieth this for one Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous that is with them that at least in all appearance are righteous Which context of giving vinegar and gall c. is in the judgement of our last Translators applyed by the Evangelist Matth. 27.48 Mark 15.23 unto the degenerating Jewes of professors becoming persecutors of godlinesse offering Christ upon the crosse vinegar and wine mingled with bitter myrrh Even as one of those curses prophesied in that sixty nineth Psalm v. 25. let their habitations be desolate as it was first applyed to and executed upon that Apostate Judas according to the Apostles allegation Act. 1. So since upon the generality of the Jewes in their scattering for their falling off from the Gospell so plaine a Commentary upon their Law Suitable to this it is said in Revel 22 vers 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his PART OUT OF THE BOOKE OF LIFE and out of the HOLY CITY * ☞ and from the things which are WRITTEN IN THIS BOOKE And thus the generality of the Jewes at present are blotted out of the Lambs Booke whiles fallen off from the profession of true godlinesse And those likewise are blotted out in the second verse of this twelfth of Daniel that at first arose in outward profession for and in the behalfe of the common good cause at last fell off to their everlasting shame But those that are in the booke of election can never totally and finally fall away As their effectuall regeneration being once really begun can never utterly bee extinguished Once in Christ and ever in Christ ¶ For thirdly their awakening out of their sleep in the dust vers 2. signifies no more immediately and in the generall then the recovery of the Jewes from their dispersed despised condition among all Nations wherein they seemed afore that to lie as dead politically As afflictions are called a death killing and dying Rom. 8.36.2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 6.9 And a poore man because distressed and despised is as some learned conceive called a dead man in regard he is put in opposition to the living as meaning the rich Eccles 6.8 As on the other side the restauration of the Jewes from captivities under men is compared to the making dead bones to live again Ezek. 37. And their outward call thereunto is likened to a resurrection Rom. 11.15 though the event of both these two prophesies last quoted doth not stay there in an outward call and deliverance from captivity as to the Elect. For there are two sorts of Jewes as the sequell makes the distinction that are outwardly called and entered into the beginning or preparation to their restauration as it followes ¶ Fourthly It is said many not all shall awake and of them that awake some onely awake to everlasting life and the other to everlasting shame The meaning whereof must needs be to this purpose That all the native or naturall Jewes shall not be awakened to the generall call of the maine body of them unto their restauration but some there shall be even or them either so naturalized to Heathenisme or so diabolized to Turcisme or so superstitionized to Papisme at Judaized unto Leviticall ceremonies that they shall slight their call and so their recovery insomuch that they shall still sleep in the dust of their earthly miserable condition till the common deluge of destruction on Christs enemies sweepe them away with those to whom they adhered And againe of the maine body of them that are awakened even some of them imbracing true religion and the cause of Christ with a false heart and flagging in the pursuance thereof by reason of the then present troubles shall be cast off by the rest of the Church and so end in temporall and at last eternall shame Whiles on the other side the generality of the rest of them that were outwardly called attending upon that outward call till they were inwardly effectually called and so persevering in the saith and cause of Christ shall attaine to a three-fold life First The life of honorable liberty never more to be vassalized to other Nations Secondly The life of a most glorious religious Church-State never more to be scattered Thirdly At the end of their perseverance to the period of the thousand yeares to the life of eternall glory ¶ 5. So that the resurrection as some would call it here meant is not a resurrection to use their word in a proper sence That is it is not a Physicall resurrection viz. of the deceased bodies out of their graves but a metaphoricall resurrection of the living First politicall of their persons from bondage and then spirituall of their souls out of the state of unbeleefe The physicall resurrection of the dead elect Jewes is not till that resurrection of all beleevers which is at the end of these five and forty yeares mentioned vers 11 12. and at the beginning of the thousand yeares As the resurrection of all the wicked is not till the end of the thousand yeares as hath been afore discussed So that as the said thousand years of the RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS is bounded with two physicall resurrections as hath been afore discussed So this five and forty years of the preparation to that RESTITUTION by stirring up the Jewes to stand for their liberty till they be setled is bounded with two resurrections the first metaphoricall the second physicall of which more after when we come to dispute the time when this RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS shall begin as is hinted in the residue of this twelfth Chapter of Daniel from the fourth verse to the end § 22 The amplification of the Jewes State in that five and forty yeares is held forth in the third verse in two distinctions First In a distinction of their glory that are then effectually brought in Secondly In a distinction of their graces ¶ 1. The distinction of their glory is that they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNESSE OF THE FIRMAMENT And they that turne many to righteousnesse or justification for
body to which it was united is re-instaâ—ed in another body But Helias is to come not from a departing out of this life by death but from his Translation neither is he to be restored to the body from which he was never exempted but to the world from whence he was translated not by a returning from death to life but by supplement of the prophesie the very same man and he himselfe of his owne name and humane nature When Tertullian saith THEIR Metempsychosis he means the Philosophers to whom he wrote that booke and in particular the Pythagorean Philosophers whom in the context of the fore-cited place hee mentions * Quod dixit Dominus Heli as quidem venturus est re stituit omnia id est eos quos persecutio Antichristi contur baverit August Quest Evang. c. 21. Tom. 4. operum 2. Augustin who was Presbyter of the Church of Hippo about 391. after Christ affirmed the coming of Helias upon the words of Christ Matth. 17.11 because he was to restore the ruines which the persecution of Antichrist should make upon the Church Some of his words are these That our Lord hath said HELIAS SHAL COME AND SHALL RESTORE ALL THINGS that is those whom the persecution of Antichrist shall make desolate Now Antichrist was not risen in John Baptists time and therefore John Baptist could not be that Elijah And in Austins time Antichrist had not done wasting yea the papal Antichrist had not at this time of Austin begun hardly to waste the Christian Church And therefore he so argued for Elijah yet to come †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret in Malach. 4. v. 5. v. 6. 3. Theodoret likewise who flourished about four hundred years after Christ argues for the future coming of Elijah calling him Elijah the Great from our Text in Malachi the fourth upon these grounds That he must teach the Jewes Christs coming and perswade them to be integrated into one Church with beleeving Gentiles Which we see not yet done to this day Mr Mede on Mar. 1.14 15. Diatr par 4. p. 1. c. 4. Mr. Mede likewise is of the same judgement and upon very good reason with the argument whereof he excellently closeth this point thus those words Mark 1.14 15. Now after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospell of the Kingdome of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the Kingdome of God is at hand repent yee and beleeve the Gospell I say these words are a narration of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ his first beginning to preach which they describe first by the time when Secondly By the place where Thirdly By the sum of what he preached The time when After that John was put into prison The place where Galilee Jesus came into Galilee Lastly The sum of what he preached The time is fulfilled and the Kingdome of God is at hand repent yee and beleeve the Gospell In which Sermon there are also some parts to be considered which we shall more conveniently distinguish when we come to handle it Mean while let us begin with the three parts or circumstances already named in order And first of the first The time when After that John was cast into prison Our Saviour began not his solemn preaching till his Messenger John the Baptist who was sent to prepare his way was cast into prison This circumstance is else-where precisely noted in the Scripture so that we cannot doubt but there is some matter of moment therein For St. Matthew tels us as St. Marke doth Now when Jesus had heard saith he that John was cast into prison he departed into Galilee and then it followes from that time Jesus began to Preach and to say Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand So St. Peter Act. 10. when he came to preach the Gospel of Christ to Cornelius was carefull to mention this circumstance of time as well as the other of place The word saith he which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ he is Lord of all That word I say you know which was published throughout all Judea began from Galilee after the baptisme which John preached Loe here the place where Galilee and the time after that John had done as in my Text. All which argues this circumstance of time to be one of the marks of the true Messiah as namely that this Jesus was the Lord whom they looked for who was to send a messenger before him the voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse to usher his preaching and prepare the way of his Gospell as was prophesied in Esay and Malachi and the Jewes at that time expected Which was the reason of that scruple of the Disciples in the Gospel when they saw our Saviour and Elias whom they supposed should be his fore-runner appeare in glory both together in his transfiguration Why then say they doe the Scribes say that Elias must first come Our Saviour tels them that John the Baptist was that Elias the fore-runner of the Messiah according to those words of his father Zechary And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his way Namely as the Angell told him in the power and spirit of Elias Luke 1. For this reason as our Saviour was not conceived nor born till six months after John so he began not his prophesie till John had done that so the Scripture might be fulfilled and John be his fore-runner and the messenger both in one and the other Johns beginning to baptize and his casting into prison was between Christs prophesie and his And lastly to conclude the illustration of this circumstance John was not onely a fore-runner of our Saviour in his nativity and prophesie but also in his passion and suffering For so our Saviour himselfe expresly saith Mat. 17.12 Elias is come and they knew him not but have done unto him what ever they listed even so also shal the Son of man suffer of them Now the observation or if you will the consideration I will make upon this circumstance shall be this If that Messiah according to prophecy were to have a Harbinger to prepare the way for his coming and the holy Ghost in the new Testament thought this circumstance so needful to prove the verity thereof as so curiously to note it in the History of his Nativity Preaching and Suffering It would be considered seeing the coming of Christ is two fold the first and second whether the same prophecy imply not that there should be an Harbinger as well of his second coming as of his first as well an Elias to prepare the way for his coming in glory to judge the world as there was at his first coming in humility to preach the Gospel and suffer for the world And Elias I mean to be the Harbinger of Christ to the Nation of the Jewes before his
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
corner And the line shall go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb c. Thus the Rabbins to this question by which it is apparent they expect a glorious state on earth at the resurrection Fourthly he gives this as the last reason of the resurrection the rest being not so pat to our purpose Ibid. l. 2. c. 10. p. 186 187 c. I mention not Because saith he if they onely that shall be alive at the time the rest should rise shall enjoy the salvation and deliverance of the Lord and the FELICITY OF THE DAYES OF THE MESSIA then many should be most unjustly dealt with viz. they that have suffered much and that unto death for godlinesse sake c. This reason is as alleadged by R. Menasse so asserted by R. Arisba in his Commentaries called Agadot and assented unto by R. Isaac Abravanel This reason is good but because not pertinently driven home to my purpose as touching making Saints to triumph where they have been trampled I quoted it I confesse rather for the sake of a By-expression as more direct to my Thesis viz. That the Saints at the Resurrection shall enjoy the felicity of the dayes of the Messia which dayes unlesse they be fulfilled on earth afore the ultimate universall judgement I know not how they should in the ultimate glory when Christ shall lay down all Kingdome and power and God must be all in all 1 Cor. 15.24.28 § 3 The third Book presents us with the full minde of the stream of learned Rabbins viz. with the whole state of the world to come immediately following the Resurrection ¶ 1 In the first Chapter are presented to us three several opinions of the Rabbins touching the meaning of the phrase oft in Scripture the world to come Some understanding the world of separated souls others that world that shall follow a certaine terme of time after the time of the Resurrection Others that World that begins at the very hour of the Resurrection Which third opinion saith learned R. Manasse is to me most probable Of this opinion was R. Moses Gerundensis in a contest against R. Moses Egyptius who held the first of the three opinions aforesaid And Gerundensis opinion in sum was this That the world to come is that which immediately follows the resurrection of the dead into which all that live piously probously and honestly being raised shall be brought in soule and body conjoyned to enjoy indefinentlie and without end the reward of their labours With this compare the prayer which the men of the Great Synagogue composed whose words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That is There is no proportion with thee O Lord our God in this world There is none besides thee O our King in the world to come none besides thee O our Redeemer in the daies of the Messiah and who is like to thee in the resurrection of the dead Which words thus rendred close to the Hebrew without â—aking liberty of neoterick phrase may conveniently bee thus explained That in opposition to this life in its mighty length throughout all ages first named they put the World to come of the Eternal state set in the second place And lastly they name the daies of the Messiah at the resurrection of the dead as intercident between both For plainly they here speak in the two last of a World to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they speak and that with an emphasis And therefore the dayes of the resurrection of the dead and of the Messiah at this coming are according to their sense all one With this well concurs that in the Sanhedrim That no man of those that deny the resurrection shall partake of the world to come giving this reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i.e. Who ever denieth the resurrections of the dead by this very thing there cannot redound to him a share in the resurrection from the dead Consonantly R. Abraham Bibag in his book called Derech * Emuna l. 3. part 4. proves by severall places of Scripture that The houre of the resurrection of the dead and the continued and perpetuall life which shall follow is called the world to come For although oftentimes the same name is given to the world of separated soules yet properly and more rightly is understood the world of the resurrection of the dead I insist not upon the application of these to our purpose being I have hinted sufficient afore in this Section and we shall anon hear the Rabbins come nearer to us and carry the matter up to the very achme and top of their prospect of light ¶ 2 In the next the second Chapter of the said third Book the Rabbins speak out plainly and freely what before we struggled for by deduction whiles their speeches were darker It shall not bee grievous to us as much haste as we are in to translate much of this Chapter and those that follow of the said third book out of the Latine and Hebrew whiles the things much conduce to the truth in hand because the Book it selfe is not to be had The head or summe of this second Chapter is That the RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD shall be conjoyned unto the DAYES of the MESSIAH This R. Menasse Ben Israel 1 Learnedly proves out of the books of Moses and the Prophets And secondly brings the stream of learned ancient Rabbins consenting thereunto It is apparent saith he out of Moses by that song of his Deut. 32. v. 35 36. to v. 40. To me belongeth vengeance c. their foot shall slide in due time For the Lord shall JUDGE his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone c. See now that I even I am he and there is no God with me I kill and I make alive See here saith Menasse the day of the comming of the Messiah and the day of the resurrection are conjoyned As for the Prophets it is manifest saith he out of the second Chapter of Isaiah It shall come to passe in the last of dayes that the mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountains c. and all Nations shall flow unto it And many people shal say Come let us go up to the Mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his wayes and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shal go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shal judge among the Nations c. and they shal beat their swords into plow-shares The Prophet here teacheth saith R. Menasse not onely temporal good things but also spiritual which shall come to passe when the Messiah shall come For then all Nations with unanimous consent even as Zephany also foretels adhering to the God of Isaac and Jacob and imbracing his Doctrine shall serve him with one kinde of worship Then all shall enjoy a quiet
of themriding upon horses a great company and a mighty Army And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel as a cloud to cover the land it shall be in the latter dayes and I will bring thee against my Land that the heathen may know me when I shal be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes Therefore saith Menasse this war being ended THERE SHALL BEE A GREAT CHANGE OF ALL THINGS For then saith he in my opinion shall bee THE END OF THE WORLD * Indeed then shall be an end of this world viz. the begining of the dayes of the Messiah but not the ultimate end of the world as that in the 21 22 23. 24. verses quoted by R. Menasse plainly shews viz. sword pestilence blood hailstones c. of which there is no use at the ultimate end of the world And in the next Chapter viz. the 39. of Ezekiel the Prophet describing the destruction of Gog saith v. 2. that he should not be totally destroyed but onely part viz. onely the sixth part as some will The other five parts shall be reserved as Vatablus expounds to be destroyed at the end of the thousand yeers of the Kingdome of the Messiah Rev. 20 7. Besides Ezekiel in the next Chapter viz. the 40 c. to the end of the Book describes a glorious state of the Jews on earth after the destruction of Gog and Magog And therefore the Prophets former description of their destruction cannot bee at the ultimate end of the world As the restoring of the Temple of the Jews described in that 40. Chapter of Ezek. c. to the end of Book following the destruction of Gog is a Type of New-Jerusalem As Mr. Mede asserts and Dr. Twisse approves Mede Diatr pars 4. page 546. as it is related in the 20. Vers c. The fishes of the sea and fowls of heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things c. shall shake at my presence and the mountaines shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground c. verse 21 22 23 24. to the end of the Chapter Secondly It may be confirmed out of Joel Chapter 3.1 2. Thirdly out of Dan. Chapter 12.1 c. ☞ Who this Gog and Magog are it is not stated by the Jewish Rabbins Mr. Mede saith Diatr pars 4. p. 546. The Turk is Gog and Magog and Dr. Twisse highly approves it But the Jewish Rabbins deliver their minde uncertainly I know saith R. Menasse that others by the war of Gog and Magog doe understand the Antichristian age that shall be at the end of the world Hence Augustine saith l. 20 De Civit. Dei c. 1. Gog is the Devil and Magog the Army of Antichrist Ambrose thinks Gog to be the Goths who invaded and everted many of the Roman Provinces l. 20. De demonstr Evangel cap. 3. Eusebius saith he did thinke l. 5. c. 13. or 23. Gog to be the Roman Emperour and Magog his Kingdome and Empire Pliny asserteth l. 5. c. 23. That there is a City of Cava Syria which he calls Bombices or Bombice and Hierapolis that is called by the Syrians Magog The Hebrews saith he know indeed that Magog is of the posterity of Japhet but which is that Nation at this day they do not know ¶ 6. In the sixth Chapter we have the RESTAURATION or RESTITUTION of the world in the dayes of the New world punctually described as they say to the life by a parallel with the six dayes works of the first Creation viz. In the first day was created light which was saith R. Menasse according to the opinion of the Ancients a supernatural light ** Beresit Raba Paras 3. So in the Restauration of the World there shall be an extraordinary transcendent light according to Isaiah Chap. 60. v. 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the moon give light unto thee but THE LORD SHALL BE UNTO THEE AN EVERLASTING LIGHT and thy God thy glory On which words Isaac Abravanel comments thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou shalt have no need of solary light or light of the Sunne by reason of the divine light On the second day was created the Expanse as the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls it or Firmament as we call it according to the Greek which saith R. Menasse according to the opinion of the learned signifies the Region of the ayre So this as we said afore in the New world shall be purged or refined from all noxious exhalations by which is signified saith Ahen Ezra the New heaven And all evill spirits and Devils whose seat was in the Ayre shall bee removed thence according to that in the Tract of Aboda * Aboda Zara. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Hell shall not be in the new world But the blessed God at the day of judgement shall draw forth the Sunne out of its sheath and torment the wicked So Malach. 4.1 it is said Behold the day cometh that shall burne like an oven And Zach. 13.2 I will cause the unclean spirit to passe out of the land In the third dayes work the dry land appeared and the plants were created which after were cursed for Adams sinne Therefore in the New world the earth shall be amended and a better efficacie and vertue shall be instilled into it for germination according to Aben Ezra thence in Siphra it is said by the Ancients on Levit. 26.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. The earth shall give her increase not in the manner it doth now but as it did in the time of Adam Likewise we read in Semot * Semot Raba paras 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. It shall be that the trees shall yeeld their fruit every month according to Ezek. 47.12 In the fourth day was created the Sunne Moon and Stars These also shall be renewed For the light of the Sunne the fountain and originall of all celestial light shall in a marvellous manner be augmented as in Semot we read * Semo R. par 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. The blessed God will cause that the Sun shall shine forth nine and forty parts of more light as it is said ** Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shal be sevenfold more as the light of seven dayes In the fifth day were created the Fishes and Fowls and the great Leviathan By which is understood saith Menasse according to the opinion of the Ancients it taken litterally That God will prepare in the world to come all curiosities for the just In the sixth day were created all Animals void of reason and last of all Adam of the dust of the ground yet most perfect in all respects and that without conjunction of male
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
thousand that is to the universal Church who are verse 14. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming or about to come out of tribulation not come out They were washed afore in the bloud of the Lamb ever since their beleeving but that was from sinne but they are not yet come out of great tribulation but that shall bee ere long So that that which follows to the end of the Chapter cannot now bee applyed to their persons viz. That they shall hunger no more nor the Sun light upon them any more And God shall wipe away all tears which are spoken in the future Tense as of things to come And it cannot be applied to their future state in heavenly glory For the Heathens that knew but the immortality of the soule never dreamed of hunger or thirst or feare to befall good men in the world to come Nor did the Philosophers thinke that the Sunne did shine above the highest of the orbs of the material heaven Therefore there is no probability in the least that this is a description of everlasting glory but of a state on earth where the Sunne hath smitten and there hath been hunger and thirst and have been tears So that still I minde you this Chapter is but a parenthesis of comfort put there by way of anticipation For it is put between the sixth and seventh Seal between which must be a methodical succession The sixth Seale is in chapter 6. which is most terrible obscuring heaven shaking the earth terrifying the sonnes of men And the seventh Seale is in Rev. 8. verse 1. In which eight Chapters whiles Christ intercedes over the prayers of the Church in regard of some slaine as it is in Chapter 6. The seven Trumpets appear in order to sound at their time Rev. 8.6 c. so that the calamities of the world goe on in the world upon earth and from hence forward till Antichrist be downe As for the 11 Chapter it is plaine that it is but the summary of all that which John prophesies of the more Ecclesiastical state of things in his ensuing Book of the Revelation as in the former he had prophesied of the more Political I say a summary For there is set down the more pure state of the Church v. 1. and more corrupt verse 2. And of the two witnesses in sackcloath one thousand two hundred and sixty yeers and their lying dead in the grave three yeers and a half as well as rising and ascending And there is Babylon falling viz. The tenth part of the City c. as well as Babylon trampling and triumphing over the Witnesses So that unlesse we will jumble all into a confusion this 11. Chapter is but the summary of what follow in the whole book of the Revelation And in the 12 Chapter there is as much for the loosing of Satan as for binding For the 13 Chapter it plainly sets out the time of Satans power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two and forty months or a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes viz. yeers which power he hath not when his master Satan is bound as we have and shall heare For the 14 and 15. Chapters the Churches triumphant songs of victory over the Beast are but in hope of a thing to come Another Parenthesis of comfort proleptically inserted For before and behinde their song in Chapter 15. is mention of the Angels having the seven last plagues to fulfill the wrath of God viz. The pouring out of the seven Vials as it follows Chapter 16. I need goe no further in my Antithesis to the Doctors instances ¶ 2 We answer to his Antecedent or first Proposition that if indeed as Doctor Prideaux would have it from the 6. Chap. of Rev. to the 20. Saints are in their reigning condition and Satan is bound according to St. Johns true intent Rev. 20. what means all that while all that adoe against the enemies of the Church of seven Seals Chapter 6. and 7. of seven Trumpets Chapter 8. of seven Vials Chapter 15. and 16. and in 17. is described the sin and the judgement of the Whore and in Chapter 18. the manner of her utter destruction and Chapter 19. the destruction it selfe And then and not till then in Chapter 20. S. John speaks of binding of Satan so as the Saints may be said to reigne indeed After which no Seals Trumpets or Vials onely there is a proleptic or anticipation of the ultimate day of judgement mentioned verse 11. of Chapter 20. because it is the period of the thousand yeers but the state of times in Satans binding and the Saints reigning is after described in Rev. 21. and 22. Chapters ¶ 3 We answer to his said Antecedent or first Proposition That by the Doctors tenet and proof that Satan is bound from Rev. 6. to Rev. 20. for he saith that the beginning was in Constantines time that the Saints began to reign And John tells us that the thousand yeeres doe end at the ultimate day of judgement Rev. 20. it will follow that from Constantine M. which the Doctor puts in three hundred yeers after Christ to the day of judgement is but a thousand yeers For the Doctor in his stating the question confesseth that the thousand yeers must be taken properly and precisely But wee and most Nations doe compute from three hundred yeers after Christ to this yeer one thousand three hundred fifty three and yet the day of the last judgement is not come No nor the War of Gog and Magog which precedes it No nor the fall of Antichrist and Babylon which precedes that c. Next we come to answer to the Argument or Consequent or last Proposition § 3 To the Proposition it self That therefore all this while the Saints reigned wee say that though they reigned over sinne which is no more priviledge then every Saint hath had since the beginning of the world yet they reigne not on earth over their corporall enemies as the fifth Monarchy or power which is the minde of the Scripture as we have before abundantly proved ¶ 2 To his first proof viz. So are they Kings as they be Priests But they are Priests spiritually Therefore c. We say to the major and minor ten Millinary yeers that they shal be Priests on earth therfore joyntly they shall be Kings on earth And they shall in body sensibly offer up sacrifices on earth of praises and Hallelujahs Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Therefore they shall in the body sensibly reigne on earth The notion is changed but the place and thing is the same Therefore it is said Rev. 5.10 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God AND we shall reigne on earth And Rev. 20.4 shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers The time and place sheweth what reigning it shall bee even such as to whom Kings and Nations shall bring their honour Rev. 21. But in heaven the Saints enjoy but not reign with Christ because Christ as Christ doth not there reigne as we have
consulting with mature reason upon the whole of his account differing from the common Computation that it amounts to the value of above three hundred yeers they will easily be perswaded to acknowledge that the thing is very well worthy of all learned men fitted that way to look into all Computations Sacred and Divine and throughly to examine how indeed and according to truth the matter stands § 5 To which the most holy and unerring Scriptures give a great assistance not onely in the particular materials but in forming and making up the generall Account as we have heard especially if we consult the Margin § 6 To all which I will adde but this word that if the six thousandth yeer of the World doth expire in the yeer of Christ 1655 and that the Jewes account of the lasting of this world shall be but six thousand yeers and then comes their restauration from their present dispersion we can expect no more then in the said 1655 yeer but the call of the Jewes who from that time shall strive with the Turke and all enemies of the Jewes conversion five and forty yeers Dan. 12. afore their settlement before which Call I expect the fall of the Roman Antichrist SECT IX The Julian and the Jews Account § 1 THis most artificial Julian Account was brought in by Scaliger not without precedent of an ancient Author and the approbation of the learned of our age It is compacted of two Circulations the one of the Sunne the other of the Moon and of an Indiction The Circulation of the Sunne is the space of twenty eight yeers in which compasse of time the Festivals and dayes of the week returne into the same order and course they were at first The Circulation of the Moon is the space of nineteen yeers in which compasse of time the New-Moons returne to the same time as at the beginning of this Circulation The Indiction so called from the appointment or command for the Roman Lustra or sacrifical solemnities doth containe a System of yeers to the number of fifteen in which space three Roman Lustra did passe over § 2 According to this Julian Account the end of this world is brought far neerer then our common account either of the Yeer of the World from the Creation or of the Yeer of Christ since his Nativity doe report Of which in particular seeing other Chronologers give an annuall account and it is something wide from all the preceding computations my great haste shall be silent For it is sufficient for our present purpose to know in generall that all the most learned doe not consent that the end of this world is so farre off as our common account doth make report Much lesse so farre off as the Jews Account would make us beleeve who write above two hundred yeers short of our vulgar Computation of which judicial account Helvicus saith thus The Judicial period was made by R. Hillel Hannasi about the Yeer of Christ three hundred forty four which at this day the Jews do use for their Epocha or Computation from the Creation but perperam corruptly For it is not an historical but a meer artificial Account and begins far short of the true beginning of the world Of which see Scaliger Cannon 277. c. SECT X. Johannes Jacobus Hainlinus his Account THis laborious and learned Author * In his Sol Temporum sive Chronologia Mystica His said book in fol. bears date Tubingae 1646. tells us That the end of all things is at hand and that between 1650 and 1697. wonderfull things shall come to passe viz. Then shall end and be taken off the divine wrath yet alas for them abiding upon the Jewes Then shall be fulfilled the entire secular week or the double-square number of the Septenary of yeers Then shall bee the One thousand two hundred and ninety dayes in Dan. 12.11 fulfilled and the One thousand three hundred thirty five yeers in verse 12. And then shall be the change by the sixth and last great day of the world after which is expected the lasting Sabbath And in the close he saith the severall Accounts of the age of the world doe differ severall hundreds of yeers the one from the other Jamque opus exegit spes exspes auspice Christo Inde Deo summo gloria summa datur AMEN FINIS TOTIVS OPERIS A Table of the Scriptures quoted and explained in this Treatise The meaning of the Marks of Reference P. Signifies Page B. Book C. Chapter S. Section § Sectiuncle ¶ Paragraph L. Line * Signifies a set Discourse on that Scripture When there is no * there are onely short explanations and applications of that Scripture giving some light thereunto Genesis CHap. 1. throughout explained and spiritually applied by the Rabbins to the New-Creation Page 428 * Verse 26 27 28 paralleld with Ps 8. Heb. 2.5 131 And Verse 26.73 Ch. 12. v. 1 2 3 Paralleld with Ch. 26.4 Ch. 15. v. 4 5 6 Paralleld with C. 48. v. 19 v. 26 C. 17. v. 1 2 3 4 Paralleld with Ro. 4. v. 3. to 25 Ch. 22. v. 18 Paralleld with Gal. 3. v. 6. to 17 Ch. 26. v. 4 Paralleld with Heb. 11. v. 8. to 17 p. 137. c. Chap. 49 V. 1. the Rabbins note on it p. 424 Chap. 49 V. 10 11 p 5 p 6 Chap. 49 V. 26. p 145 § 7 Leviticus Chap. 10. v. 5.173 br 2 Numbers * Chap. 24. v. 16. to 25. p 146 Particularly of v. 17. See p 125 § 2 Deuteronomy * Chap. 30. v. 1 c. to v 10 p 150 * Chap. 32. v. 15. to 44. p 153 Judges Cha. 7.33 p 140 ¶ 3 1 Kings Chap. 13. v. 18. p. 173 br 2 Nehemiah Chap. 1. v. 8. c. to v. 12. p 155 Psalms * Psal 2. throughout paralleld with Psal 8 p 158 * Psal 8. throughout paralleld with Gen. 26.27 28. and Heb. 2.5 p 131 And v. 4.5 p 94 95 * Psal 22. v. 27 28 29 p 162 Psal 27.13 p 437 Psal 37. v. 10 11 p 15 Vers 28 29 p 15 Psal 49.14 497 * Psal 86.9 162 Psal 90. v. 4 v. 15. p 8 p 175 l 3 c. * Psal 95. v. 7 to end p 171 § 3 c. * Psal 97. v. 7 p 160. p 163 * Psal 110. throughout p 164 ¶ 2 p 168 c. p 169 ¶ 8 c. * Psal 117. all 163 Psal 147.2 3. The Cabalists note on it p 423 Isaiah * Chap. 2. v. 1. to 20. p 177 c. p 125 Verse 11 p 7 Verse 17 ibid * Chap. 9. v. 6 7. p 182 183 184. See the Margin Chap. 10.24 p 187 br 1 * Chap. 11. throughout p 186 And particularly v. 4 p 88 br 1 * Chap. 14. v. 1. to 8 p 187 * Chap. 24 v. 23 p 201 Chap. 25. all of it 203 Chap. 26.6 437 * Chap. 33.20 21 207 * Chap. 34. v. 1. to 18 208 Chap. 40. v. 31 10 * Chap. 43. Chap. 44
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
afore in our first Book in Lactantius his Quotation Rectification of the opinions of Heathens And if any be not contented with that and our necessitated brevity here but are restlesly further inquisitive I refer such to Plato himselfe and to the Platonists viz. Ficinus and other zealous Commentators and followers of him But that Metempsychosis added and joyned to all these did compleat them up being fairely interpreted with meet allowance to Heathens into a system or body in the maine sense of our opinion casting up as the high way leading thereunto a resurrection or reunion of soules with their bodies Pythagoras saith that the soule of Euphorbus a noble Trojan slaine in the Grecian wars against Troy transmigrated itselfe into his body Ovid * Ovid Metam l. 15. Fab. 3. juxta Bersmani editionem c. sets forth a briefe of all with great eloquence and learning after his way O Genus attonitum gelidae formidine mortis Quid stygia quid tenebras nomina vana timetis Materiam vatum falsique pericula mundi Corpora sive rogus flammâ sive tabe vetustas Abstulerit mala posse pati non ulla putetis Morte carent animae semper priore relictâ Sede novis domibus vivunt habitantque receptae Ipse ego nam memini Trojani tempore belli Panthoides Euphorbus eram cui pectore quondam Haesit in adverso gravis hasta minoris Atridae Cognovi clypeum laevae gestamina nostrae Nuper Abanteis Templo Junonis in Argis OMNIA MUTANTUR NIHIL INTERIT ERRAT ILLINC Huc venit hinc illuc quoslibet occupat artus Spiritus c. Which I shall give you in English O men whom horrors of cold death affright Why fear you Styx vain names and endlesse night The theam of Poets and fear'd miseries Of a false world If fun'ral flames surprise Or age doth pine your bodies they nor grieve Nor suffer pains Our souls for ever live Though evermore their ancient houses leave Yet live in new which them as guests receive In Trojan wars I I remember well Euphorbus was Phanthöus son and fell By Menelaus lance I knew my shield Born on my left arm in Mars his field Beleeve me you may for this againe At Argos late I saw in Junos Fane ALL ALTER NOTHING FINALLY DECAYES Hither and thither still the spirit strayes Guest to all bodies Out of beasts it flyes To men from men to beasts and never dyes Nihil est toto quod perstet in â—â—be-Cuncta fluunt omnisque Vagans formatur imago Corpora vertuntur nec quod fuimuâ—ve sumusve-cras erimus Id est inquit Commentator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Pliant wax each new impression takes Fixt to no form but still the old forsakes Yet is the same So souls the same abide Nought in this circled world is fix'd we view Each fading form at last is form'd anew So change our bodies without rest or stay Nor what we yesterday nor what to day We were or are hereafter we shall be c. They that can read Heathen Poets Philosophers Orators Historians c. in their owne languages shall finde aboundings of this what hope they had of a glorious blisse on earth in the next world Or they that will read but Morneys truenesse of Religion translated into English shall receive satisfaction enough in these things The holy Scriptures themselves take some notice of the minds and meaning of the heathens in these things We will note but two places § 2 The first is Matth. 14.1 2. At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus and said unto his servants This is John the Baptist he is risen from the dead and therefore mighty works doe shew forth themselves in him or as it is the Margent mighty works are wrought by him We might here againe take occasion to repeat the Gentiles Theologie viz. Pythagoras and Platoes and others doctrine of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The change of the state of souls passing into bodies the change of bodies into better forms and as the New-creation of both and might produce much out of * Plato in l. 10. Poli In Timaeo In Phaedro Cum concinnâ ut ait Chemnitius interpretatione cum amantium Plato †August de Civit. D. l. 22. c. 18. ex varronis libris Austin ** Lactant. l. 7. Ex Chrysippi Stoici libro de providentia Lactantius and *âŽ* Joseph de bello Judaico cap. 7 Josephus to that purpose But brevity puls me by the ear and therefore I shall onely note that which indeed is the main expressed in this Scripture with that great emphasis That John the Baptist being risen from the dead THEREFORE mighty works are wrought by him where plainly to me this Scripture with an intentive eye takes notice that Gentilisme or the doctrine of Heathens whence Herod had his opinion did hold that the soules of good men deceased after their returne to their bodies did put them into a far better condition on earth then they were in before For we read not that John Baptist did in his life time work any miracle or mighty worke at all But wee have a text to the contrary Joh. 10.41 But now that he is risen from the dead as Herod conceived hee judged that he was very able to worke miracles on earth This collection of mine by good providence I found seconded by Great Chemnitius that most pious and learned man and by our received New Annotations Chemnitius his words are Credidit insuper ipsum c. i.e. Furthermore Herod did beleeve that John Baptist that before his death wrought no miracle now as if made more divine and by reason of the sanctity of his former life he could do those works which did surpasse humane power Our New Annotations on the Bible say thus He is risen from the dead Syr. from among the dead Some note here Herods opinion of Johns sanctity as concurring with the Pharisees who thought that the Holy did easily returne to life againe See Josephus Antiq. l. 18. cap. 2. The meaning is as if Herod had said HE HATH MORE POWER NOW THEN EVER HEE HAD For John wrought no miracles John 10.41 Thus our New Annotations § 3 The second place of Scripture is in 1 Cor. 15.29 Else what shall they do which are baptised for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead The Apostle here takes notice of the opinion of the Heathens that they had a dim hope of the Resurrection in that they washed the bodies of such as were deceased to lay them trimly and decently accommodated to that end among the dead For if the dead rise not saith the Apostle why will they doe it that wash over the dead or pour water over or upon the dead that is wash the dead as the Greek very wel bears For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in the Text are