to compare Dan. 2.35 where all the foure Mettals are utterly broken to peeces and the little stone cut out of the mountaine became a great mountaine and filled the whole earth But I shall God assisting give you a more particular account viz. that both Iewes and Christians do understand the promises in this Chapter of a visible glorious estate of the Church yet to be on the face of the earth before the ultimate end of the world Of the latter sort wee will name onely the famous Piscator Alsted and Heurnius Of the former in briefe thus Their Talmud Gemara Sanhedrim pereck R. Ketina c. assert that this world doth continue six thousand yeers In one it shall be destroyed so as to be purified as gold and freed from the CURSE of which it is said Isa 2. The LORD ALONE SHALL BEE EXALTED IN THAT DAY And R. Scelomo quoting also this second of Isa saith The Lord shall arise and shake the earth terribly in the day of judgement when he shall breake the wicked It is usuall with the learned Iewes to call this glorious time of Christs visible Kingdome on earth a day of judgement not dissentaneous to the wont of Scripture to compellate and compare any great time of Reformation as a day of judgement Psal 50.1 c. 1 Pet. 4.17 And indeed as John shewes us Rev. 11. in the beginning of this most glorious visible Kingdome there is a beginning of the day of judgement in that the wicked alive that submit not to Christ are destroyed and the living Saints have a reward given them together with the resurrection of the deceased Saints which St. Iohn calls the first Resurrection R.D. Kimchi saith In that day in the dayes of Messiah when the Lord shall execute his judgement on the wicked THE LORD ALONE SHALL BE EXALTED Isa 2. The Lord alone shall be exalted saith he is as much as to say AND THE LORD SHALL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH We might quote more but for hast and brevity § 4 And this must be IN THE LAST DAYES saith the second of Isa or nearer the Hebrew IN THE LAST OF DAYES or UTMOST END OF DAYES Therefore if the Prophet had looked at no further time then that of Christs first coming in the flesh he would not have called that the last of dayes since which have passed above one thousand six hundred and fifty yeers The last of dayes properly signifies those after which Aeternity next and immediately follows As it doth after the compleating of the thousand yeers of this visible Kingdome § 5 These things being premised let us view whether the promises afore-quoted out of the second of Isaiah have been fulfilled to this day 1 ¶ Surely that in the second verse and part of the third That the mountaine of the Lords house shall be established on the HEAD of the mountaines c. and peoples shall come and say Come ye and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord c. hath not been hitherto fulfilled and compleated For as yet neither the visible power and glory of Christ nor of his Church so as for Gentiles to say Come let us go up c. hath been established over the HEAD the Pope of the seven Hils of Rome or over the Turk the HEAD of the foure Hils of Ierusalem or over the height of power and glory of the Hils of the generality of the PEOPLES Gentiles or Nations of the world The Church at Ierusalem such as it was in Christs time was in Captivity under the Heathen Roman Empire and so continued till the rise of the Roman Bishops and immediately after that thraldome were subdued to the Turkes who keeps them in that thraldome to this day The Heathen Romans refused at the first the Lord Christ by vote of the Senate and after persecuted his Church for many yeers And the Turks blaspheme Christ in their Alcoran and hath warred against his Church from age to age since their rise And the rest of the world for the generality are Indians Barbarians and Semi-beasts that know neither God nor themselves nor what Christ is nor what a Christian is 2 ¶ Nor was the house of the Lord established in the top of the mountaines that is upon Zion the highest of the foure Hils of Jerusalem For presently after Christs death persecution scattered Christians from Jerusalem Act. 8. And within forty yeers or thereabout after Christs ascension the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed and after a while the City and for about three hundred yeers onward the Church of Christ was extremely persecuted by the Heathen Romans and anon after Constantines time onely excepted or little more they were sorely persecuted by the Arian Hereticks So that instead of all Nations going up to the house of the Lord on the top of the Mountaines for divine worship Christian Jews and Gentiles were scattered among all Nations And though Act. 2. there were a handfull of severall Nations at Hierusalem if they were Gentiles and not rather Jewes yet this was farre from ALL NATIONS FLOWING to it saying Come let us goe up to the house of the Lord and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his pathes For the generality of those very men Act. 2. mocked the Apostles whiles they taught them the wayes of the Lord. And as at Ierusalem so in the Countries round about the Christians were every where persecuted as the history of the Acts doth all along give us a particular account 3 ¶ Nor is that fulfilled to this day which is prophesied in the fourth verse Christ hath not hitherto so judged among the Nations and rebuked many people that they have beaten their swords into plow shares and their speares into pruning-hooks so that Nation hath not lifted up sword against Nation neither learned war any more 4 ¶ Nor hath that been yet fulfilled which is in verse 10 11 12 c. to v. 17. That men have so dreaded the Majesty of the Lord that they have hid themselves That the lofty lookes of men have been humbled and their haughtinesse bowed downe That THE LORD ALONE HATH BEEN EXALTED That the day of the Lord of hosts hath been upon EVERY ONE that is proud and lofty upon all the Cedars of Lebanon and Okes of Bashan that are lifted up upon ALL the high mountaines and hills that are lifted up upon EVERY high tower upon every fenced wall upon ALL the ships of Tarshish and upon all the pleasant pictures to bow down and bring down low all these so that the Lord alone may be exalted in THAT DAY Alas ever since Christs comming in the flesh the whole world generally hath been very high proud against the Lord Christ Antichrist hath been much exalted and the Lord hath been least exalted his Honour his Cause his People have been trampled on In the time of Constantine the Great some little was done in the Roman Empire for a little time for the Church of
Lord for servants and handmaids and they shall take them CAPTIVE whose CAPTIVES they were and they shall rule over their OPPRESSOURS Vers 3 And it shall come to passe in THE DAY that the Lord shall give thee REST-FROM THY SORROW and from the FEARE and from thy hard BONDAGE wherein thou wast made to serve That thou shalt Vers 4. take up this Proverb against the King of BABYLON and say HOW HATH THE OPPRESSOUR ceased the GOLDEN CITY CEASED The Lord Vers 5. hath broken the staffe of the WICKED and the Scepter of the RULERS Hee Verse 6. who smote the people in wrath with a continuall stroke he that ruled the Nations an anger is persecuted and none hindereth The WHOLE EARTH Verse 7. is at REST and is QUIET they breake forth into singing c. The rest of the Chapter being appurtenances illustrations c. of this here presented § 2 It is worth noting that our New Translators even in those Episcopall times which were so adverse to this our point do concur with us so far as to give us the Contents of the Chapter in these words Gods mercifull RESTAURATION of ISRAEL And they speake well and are not alone in their opinion the stream of Interpreters generally concurring that this Chapter intends Gods joyning of Iews and Gentiles into one Church which is something to the point in hand in the generall § 3 But let us weigh the words more particularly and exactly for a discovery whether yet to this day they have been fulfilled It may be that some may be apt to imagine that this making of Iewes and Gentiles into one Church one sheepfold as it is called Iohn 10. was fulfilled when the substituted or subrogated Gentiles were brought in in the Apostles time beginning in Act. 10. But they utterly mistake if they so thinke For those Gentiles and downwards were and are but substitutions and subrogations of them whiles the Iews fall off till the fulnesse of the said Iews should be brought in and then and not till then is the fulness of the Gentiles brought in with the Jews into one Church So that the FULNES of the Gentiles is not yet brought in much lesse the fulnesse of the Iews For as in Iohn the first Christ coming to his owne his owne received him not So after they crucified him and persecuted his Apostles Whiles in the Old Testament Christ called the Iewes the Gentiles hung off And whiles he called many Gentiles in the New Testament the Iewes generally fell off And although there were some sprinklings of Iewes and Gentiles converted in the Apostles time and after that many Gentiles yet what is all that to the fulfilling of this Text of Isa 14. I will yet choose ISRAEL and bring them into their owne Land and the STRANGERS shall be JOYNED to them and they shall cleave to the HOUSE OF JACOB For neither in the Apostles time nor downward to this day have the GENTILES called here Strangers joyned to Israel or cleaved to the house of Iacob Israel and the house of Iacob signifying the ten Tribes nor to the generality of the two Tribes because neither two Tribes nor ten Tribes have joyned and cleaved to the Lord Jesus To make plaine and prove all this that we have said we will scan first the Apostles discourse Rom. 11. and secondly the particular expressions of this Text of Isa 14. ¶ 1. The Apostle Paul giving us an account of his time and downward Rom. 11. tells us in the 30 vers As yee Gentiles in times past have not beleeved God yet now have obtained mercy through the Iews unbeleef even so also have the Iews now not beleeved that through your mercy they also may obtaine mercy That is that the Church of Christ as needs must whiles he is head being continued at least by vicissitudes of Iews and Gentiles the Gentiles now upon the present falling off of the Iews being in possession of the Gospel may continue the same throughout the successions of the Church till the time of the vocation of the Iewes that the said Jewes may be called thereby through the Ministery prayers and examples of the Gentiles So that the Jews and Gentiles for the generality have been since the first mention in the Old Testament of this distinction of Jewes and Gentiles to this day as two buckets to a Well if one were full the other was empty thus continually keeping their vicissitudes and turnes in imbracing or non-imbracing of the word of Christ which the Apostle further shews us in that 11. to Rom. in the distinct graduals thereof giving two to each of them the two of the Iews thus 1 There was their root or first-fruits or initiation 2 Their branches or lump or fulnesse vers 12.16 and 18. The two graduals of the Gentiles thus 1 SOME wilde branches 2 Their fulnesse v. 11. and 25. Then mark the close of the Apostle concerning both vers 25. and 26. When the FULNESSE of the GENTILS shall come in then ALL ISRAEL shall bee saved quoting severall Prophesies of the Old Testament to prove the same Whence wee must necessarily infer these two conclusions That the conversion of the Iewes and Gentiles heretofore and downward untill now are still but the root first-fruits and beginnings the most persons of the Jews and most Nations of the Gentiles to this day not knowing the Lord Christ 2. That Jews and Gentiles are not to this day one Church according to the Prophesie of this 14 of Isa viz. That the Strangers of the Gentile Nations shall be joyned to the Jews and shall cleave to the house of Jacob and according to the stating of the question by Saint Paul in this 11 of Rom. viz. That when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in ALL ISRAEL shall be saved For let us but aske experience whether ever these were yet fulfilled to the full of these places ¶ 2 This will be far more plain by a punctuall scanning of all the passages in this 14. of Isa First that in the first verse I will saith the Lord yet choose ISRAEL and have mercy on JACOB must needs be extended beyond the return of the Captivity of the two Tribes from Babylon and beyond the conversion of a few of them in the Apostles time For Jacob and Israel must of necessity comprehend the ten Tribes the Prophet Isaiah prophesying long after the division of the whole twelve into two Kingdomes two into the one and ten into the other And therefore the Prophet Isaiah well knew the distinction between Judah and Israel Chap. 1. v. 1. and useth it in relation to our point Chap. 11. v. 12. afore opened And therefore he mindes here well enough what he distinctly means when he saith Jacob and Israel as comprehensive at least of the ten Tribes to bee delivered as well as the Two For secondly when he saith in this same first verse Strangers shall be joyned with them that is with Jacob and Israel he could not
wall v. 5. Thou shalt bring downe the noise of the strangers as the heat in a dry place even the heat with the shadow of a cloud the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low v. 6. And in this Mount shall the Lord make to all people a feast of fat things c. v. 7. And the Lord will destroy in this mount the face of the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all nations v. 8. He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away all tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people he shal take away from off all the earth c. v. 9. And it shall be said in that day Lo this is the Lord we have waited for him c. v. 10. In this Mount shall the hand of the Lord rest and Moab shall be trodden down under him as straw to the dunghill v. 11 And he shal spread forth his hands in the midst of them as he that swimmeth c. and shall bring down their pride together with the spoyles of their hands vers 12. and last And the fortresse of the high fort of thy wals shall he bring down and lay low and bring to the ground even to the dust Chap. 26. vers 14. They are dead they shal not live they are deceased they shall not rise c. vers 19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shal they rise awake and sing ye that dwel in the dust c. § 2 This Chapter you see by the connexion with the former is to the same purpose as that former Chapter and its sense is extended to the state of the Church of the New Testament that is yet to come by Apostolical Expositions and applications in all the maine parts of it which are three Viââ 1 The Destruction of the enemâââ âf the Church v. 2. amplified more afterwards 2 The Deliverance of the Church v. 4. enlarged more in the rest of the Chapter 3 The joyful state of the Church upon that their deliverance and their joy in it v. 6 7 8 and elsewhere in the Chapter All which three parts are I say by the Apostles carried downe to the state of the New Testament Church never yet fulfilled I will give three Instances The first Instance St. Ioh. in Rev. 7. makes these three parts a state yet to come v. 1 2 3. you have the Destruction of the enemy There were four Angels that had power in their hands to hurt the four quarters of the earth both by sea and land as soon as the servants of God should be sealed Those that were to be hurt were those that had held the servants of God under tribulation v. 14. And those enemies were to be hurt by a storme viz. by the blowing of the four winds upon the sea the earth and the trees v. 2 3. even as the Prophet Isa in that 25 Chap. v. 4. calls the state of the wicked a storme and compares it in their opposition against the godly to a blast of a storme dashed against the wall whose fury the wall stops breaks and scatters so that they are sheltered that stand under it So that plainly here is the destruction of the enemies of the Church prophesied by Iohn in like phrase and formes of speech as were used by the Prophet Isa in that 25. Chapter Next for the deliverance of the Church St. Iohn likewise prophesies of it in that seventh of Rev. in the same figurative speeches as the Prophet had used viz. That the Lord shall be among his people in manner of dwelling v. 15. And his people shall hunger no more nor thirst any more nor shall the same light on them or as it is in the Greek fall upon them that is a way of smiting blasting or scorching or any heat v. 16. For the Lamb which is amidst them shal feed them c. and shal wipe away all tears from their eyes v. 17. To which St. Paul speaking of the resurrection of the Saints which is before the ultimate day of judgement in 1 Cor. 15. as we have and shall demonstrate annexeth this Then shal be brought to passe that saying Death is swallowed up in victory And again the same Apostle Paul speaking of the conversion of the Jewes 2 Cor. 3. as of a thing to come after his time but yet not fulfilled but shal bee fulfilled at the great Restitution of which we speak he useth this expression and gives forth this Prophesie in the 15 and 16 verses of that 2 Cor. 3. But even to this day when Moses is read the vail is upon their hearts Neverthelesse when they shal turn to the Lord the vaile shal be taken away viz. By the presence of the Lord. All which expressions of Iohn and Paul in relation to the Churches deliverance are full to the sense and words of the Prophet in that 25 of Isaiah viz. This is the Lord we have waited for him for in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest v. 9 10. whereby to signifie Gods presence amongst his people And shall be a succour to his people from the fury of their enemies as the heat is sheltered off with the shadow of a cloud v. 3 and 4. And he will feed them with a feast of fat things v. 6. And he will destroy the covering cast over all people and the vail that is spread over all Nations v. 7. therefore among the rest that is upon the Jews And v. 8. he will swallow up death in victory according to the words of Paul 1 Cor. 15.54 And chap. 26. of this Prophet v. 19. compared with v. 14. They shall not rise but thy dead men shall rise * Upon this place of Isa 26.14.19 heare what the Hebrew Rabbins the Septuagint the ancient Jews and the ancient Greek and Latine Fathers say and hold R. Solomon saith They shall live that dyed for thy sake bringing in the Prophet as speaking to God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. that is The Royal Regal or Kingly decree went forth from thy face or presence saying MY DEAD BODIES SHAL RISE AGAIN The dead bodies of my people whose bones fell for my sake to them there shall be a resurrection This by way of an Antithesis answers to that v. 14. above written The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã REPHAIM expresse in the Hebrew Text though obmitted I know not why in the English which the Chalde and Jerom render GYANTS SHALL NOT RISE AGAIN but these shall rise againe Thus R. Solomon The REPHAIM be interprets of the WICKED ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that are remisse namely ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Who remit or slack their hands from the Law The Septuagint render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hieron vivent mortui tui interfecti mei resurgent And that the ancient Iewes did interpret this place of Isaiah touching the resurrection of the dead appears by that Gemara Sanhedrim
come out of Babylon is carryed downe by the Apostles unto the latter if not to the last times of this world For St. Paul in the 2 Cor. 6.17 18 brings it down to his time which is far beyond any occurrences in Zecharies time who prophesied five hundred and eighteen yeares plus minus thereabouts afore Christs birth And Paul pens this Epistle at least fifty two years after the birth of Christ for about that year he wrote his first Epistle to Corinth his words are these Come out from among them and be yee separate SAITH THE LORD marke his quotation of the old Testament c. and I will receive you and be a father unto you Just to the same effect as Zecharie in the said sixt verse Come forth flee from the land of the North c. Deliver thy selfe O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon c. Lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. Thus far St. Paul extends it But St. Iohn Revel cha 18. ver 2 3 4. extends it much further and that in a propheticall way viz. to the time nearly preceding the fall of Babylon I saw another Angell come down from Heaven having great power c. and he cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen c. i.e. shall surely fal And I heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receive not of her plagues Which two last clauses being of a future tense and sence clearly shew that is fallen is fallen signifies it shall fall and that in regard thereof the people of God must timously come out thence ¶ 5. There are high straines annexed to this prophesie in this second of Zecharie which effectually evince that it is not yet fulfilled as that ver 5. I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her That is a fence about the Church consisting of Jewes and Gentiles of absolute defence to them and of a devouring offence to the enemy And that ver 8 9. Thus saith the Lord after the glory hath he sent me to the Nations which spoiled you For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye For behold I will shake mine hand upon them and they shall be a spoile to their servants And yee shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me That is after this glory of your famous return and rebuilt Temple the Lord hath sent me the Messiah to the Nations that spoiled you that is to your enemies who in touching you to hurt you did as it were thrust their fingers into mine eyes Therefore I the Messiah will shake mine hands upon them as Psal 2.9 To break them with a rod of iron and so to make them a spoile to their servants that is to you whom they rigidly made their servants Lastly that in vers 10 11 12 13. Sing and rejoyce O daughter of ZION for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of THEE saith the Lord. And many NATIONS shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and SHALL BEE MY PEOPLE and I will dwell in the midst of THEE and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee And the Lord shall inherit Judah in the HOLY LAND and shall chuse Jerusalem AGAINE Be silent O all flesh before the Lord Because he is awakened concerning the habitation of his holinesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That is a joyfull time is yet to come when the Messiah shall dwell in the midst of the Jewes they dwelling in the holy Land many Nations being joyned unto the Lord together with the Jewes into one Church he dwelling in the midst of them all for dwelling in the midst is againe repeated so that then they shall effectually know not only that this Prophet was sent of God to preach this to them but also that the true Messiah shall be at the appointed time sent to performe these things to them to the putting of all fleshly and carnall minds to silence that doubted or disputed against these thing I say to put them to silence by the appearance of Christ awakened and bestirring himselfe in the behalfe of his holy habitation or the habitation of his holinesse that is the Church in her pure state and worship Now when were these high straines these sublime expressions ever yet fulfilled We have a watch-word in the twelfth verse that we must looke for the impletion âhereof far beyond Zecharies time For though he in his time of this Prophesie saw the returne of the Jews into the holy Land yet saith The Lord SHALL inherit Judah his portion in the HOLY LAND and SHALL chuse Jerusalem AGAINE Surely if wee keep the prophesie together as the Lord hath laid it and left it together there was never yet to this day since their return from Babylon that time and state of the Church that is here limbed forth to the life viz. that the Church should consist of Jews and Gentiles joyned to the Lord and owned by him as his people even while the Jewes possesse the holy Land and the Lord should be as a wall of fire protecting them and devouring their enemies and making the Jewes of servants to the cruell Heathens to be the spoilers of them c. and all these things to be carryed up to that height of glory that all spirituall hearts should sing and rejoyce and all fleshly hearts should bee struck dumb or astonished with silence We have before repeated usque ad nauseam foriè aliquibus very often how the Jewes ever since the return of the two Tribes have been little lesse or otherwise then in a captive condition under three Monarchies that when the Jewes a few of them imbraced Christ Acts second third and fourth chapters the Gentiles were not converted When the Gentiles began to be called the Jewes fell off Act. 13. Rom. 11. That the Maccabean conflict in regard of the catastrophe and event is not worthy to be named with this Prophesie And therefore this Prophesie is yet unfulfilled and requires by the circumstances of it a time of fulfilling before the ultimate universall resurrection SECT XLVI THe second place in Zecharie is in chap. 6. ver 13 13 14 15. which I need little more then name V. 12. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying behold the man whose name is the BRANCH and he shall grow up out of his place and HE shall BUILD THE TEMPLE of the Lord. 13. Even HEE shall build THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and RULE UPON HIS THRONE and he shall be a PRIEST upon his throne and the COUNSILL OF PEACE shall be between them both 14. And the Crowns shall be to Heâem and to Toâijah and to Jedajah and to Hen the son of Zephaniaâ for a
did at first when he overthrew Amalech and Og c. as the Iews approached near Canaan Surely we have had a sad account to the contrary in the very next preceding Section § 4. in a short but full Chronology from Zecharie to this very day And a meer spirituall notion will not help us out seeing the Text expounds it selfe That the Lord will goe out and fight against the Nations that spoile Jerusalem how or in what manner As he fought at first when the Iewes approached Canaan or to keep to our common translation as when he fought in the day of battle Which exposition needed not to be added if a spirituall sence had been mainly intended Which if it were yet that is not to this day fulfilled that the enemies of Jerusalem are either converted by grace or confounded in hell § 3 T is true that as not any Prophesie hardly so nor is this likely without some allegory But to convert all into a spirituall sence seemes to me impossible without selfe-contradiction or contradicting the Text. For how can we presume upon a spirituall sence when it is said ver 4. HIS FEET shal stand upon the MOUNT of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East c. which shall cleave in the midst And ver 5. Yee shall flee to the VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS which shall reach to Azal c. as yee fled from the EARTHQUAKE in the daies of Uzziah and the Lord shall come and ALL HIS SAINTS with him Or how can that be taken in a spirituall sence in ver 7. That there shall be a distinct ONE day and knowne to the Lord that shall not be day nor night but the evening shall be light Surely if the light of the time of the Gospell must bemeant as some will it is no distinct time nor one measured day of a round number of years be it of few or many for it hath been now above one thousand six hundred and twenty years since the first preaching of Christ continued to this day which hath been as well known to us as to the Lord And how should that in ver 9. be comelily and compleatly cloathed and covered with a meer spirituall notion That the Lord SHALL be King OVER ALL the earth And at THAT day he must be the one and onely Lord and his name one For the Lord from the beginning hath been King of power and King of grace secretly ordering and sanctifying whom and wheresoever he listed over the face of the earth Therefore this same shal must import his yet future visible Monarchy before which all must so fall down that they cast away all their Idols seeming Deities and different formes of worship and adore him alone with one uniforme way of worship according to his will which thing to this day is desired being never yet injoyed And as difficult it is if not impossible with cleare reason to fasten a spirituall sence upon the rest of the chapter That all the Land shall be turned or compassed AS A plaine pervious and profitable for habitation FROM GEBA TO RIMMON SOUTH OF JERUSALEM So that it shall be lifted up or exalted in the opinion of men and inhabited in her place FROM BENJAMINS GATE unto the place of the FIRST GATE unto the CORNER GATE and from the Tower of HANANIEL unto the KINGS WINE PRESSES And men shall dwel in it and there shall be NO MORE utter destruction but Jerusalem shal be SAFELY inhabited And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that fight against Jerusalem THEIR FLESH SHALL CONSUME AWAY WHILE THEY STAND UPON THEIR FEET and their EYES SHALL CONSUME AWAY IN THEIR HOLES c. And so shall be the plague of the HORSE of the MULE of the CAMEL of the ASSE and of all the BEASTS that shall be in these Tents as THIS PLAGUE âoo wonderfull and industrious a circumstantiating of all places plague things c. to signifie meer spirituals § 4 Men may phantasie to themselves a satisfaction that spirituals are here meant because of the next verse that the residue of the Nations that came up against Ierusalem that is left shall go up from year to year to worship the Lord to keep the feast of Tabernacles But we did before give a rule and proved it that even in the Old Testament as wel as in the New the most Gospel Truths are sometimes cloathed with Jewish language and Leviticall phrases * Lib. 3. Cha. 2. Sect 44. §. 2. P. 330. See also Just Martyrs excellent Note in this third Book Chap. 3. Sect. 2. S. 3. and P. 2. Nor indeed is there any Gospell expression scarcely in all the New Testament that is not dressed forth with one or more Tropes and figures As Come to me all yee that are weary and heavy laden c. Matth. 11. And a bruised reed he shall not breake c. Matth. 12. Christ being no Porter nor Christians reeds in a literall sence Beside for the words of Zecharie themselves there is no more exprest but goe up and once a year and at the feast of Tabernacles as to signifie our deliverance from the Egypt of the world as Israel going out of Topal Egypt first pitched in Succoth that is Boothes And in memorial of that deliverance praised God yearly in the feast of Boothes As we hereafter shall often congratulate our LORD with HALELUJAHS for our deliverance from the Egyptian world frequently prophesied in the Revelation To this day we pray in hope but then when the great restauration of the Church and Restitution of all things is come we shall praise with joy And whoever will not shall be plagued with temporall plagues ver 17 c. For all that then will exist in peace must be holinesse to the Lord they and their imjoyments ver 20. § 5 If all those aforesaid Material expressions and corporal circumstances will not awaken some men but they will fall asleep and dream pleasant dreams of all figurative meanings and will not sensibly see the visible glory here prophesied then I would entreat them to tell us their dreams from point to point upon every Verse when all Nations obstinately at enmity with the Jews were spiritually destroyed when the rest that came in to close with them did joyntly with them own the LORD as King over all the Earth in one way of worship when was Jerusalem safely inhabited as free from spiritual evils And how could the Horse and the Mule and the Camel and the Ass and all Beasts be spiritually plagued § 6 There is but one thing more that I will adde and that is this That those of the Learned that have gone about to squeeze out of this Text a spiritual meaning have I know not how been forced to let fall from them many considerable passages for a literal sence A Lapide applauds Jerom for his spiritual interpretation of this prophesie Quocirca verè S. Hieron hic ad vers 11.
ãâã ãâã ãâã yet sometimes they render it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the earth some-times ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that which is under heaven Therefore with the Septuagint ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the earth and that which is under the heavens If this suffice not we may yet consider that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a participle of the feminine gender and therefore understands ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã quasi ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the earth which is inhabited Lastly wheresoever elsewhere this word is found in the New Testament it is most expresly used of the earth and inhabitants thereof In the beginning of this Epistle we reade Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the heavens are the workes of thine hands Mat. 24.14 This Gospel of the kingdome shall be preached ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã over all the earth and then shall the end come Luke 2.3 Then went a decree from Augustus that all the world should be taxed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The rest behinde are farre more expresse but I leave them to your owne leisure and will onely adde this one thing that our English rendring in this place of the Hebrewes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the world to come makes it not only ambiguous but seeming to meane the Kingdome of glory But we shall finde that the world in that sense is alwayes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but no where in all the Bible ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And so I leave this with submission to the judgement of others My next reason shall be from that we read in the Revelation where the Church by the conquest of Michael set free from the Dragons fury is said to escape into the wildernesse that is into a state though of safety peace and security yet of hardship misery and scarcity for it seemes to bee an allusion to the Israelites escaping the tyranny of Pharaoh by going into the wildernesse In this wildernesse or place of hardship scarcity misery and much affliction the Church must remaine saith St. John a time times and halfe a time or as he elsewhere speaketh 1260. daies that is a yeare yeares and halfe a yeare and when this time shall be expired that is as learned Divines thinke when so many years shall be ended as those dayes are taking the beginning of our reckoning from Michaels Trophee then saith our Apostleâ shall the kingdomes of the world become the kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shal reigne for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 Whereby it should seeme that the Church is yet in the Wildernesse and that the promised happinesse of the ample and flourishing glory thereof before the end of the world is yet to come My last reason shall bee from Rom. 11. where St. Paul speaking of the future restoring and calling of the Jewes saith it shall be when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in I would not saith he that yee should be ignorant of this Mysterie c. ver 25. Now because the Jewes are not yet called it followeth that the fulnesse of the Gentiles is yet to come and what should then this fulnesse be but the fulnesse of the Gospels extent over all the nations of the world which our Apostle ver 15. calls life from the dead for if the casting away of the Jewes be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead As if the Church of the Gentiles were as yet halfe dead if it be compared with that glorious vigour and accession which shall come unto it when the Jewes shall be againe received into favour In briefe the fulnesse here spoken of is either a fulnesse of grace a fulnesse of extent or a fulnesse of time A fulnesse of time onely it cannot be because our Apostle saith this fulnesse shal enter in namely shall enter into the Church of Christ but this I see not how it can be spoken of a period of time As for a fulnesse of grace and spirituall gifts that was greater when St. Paul spake then ever it was since and therefore if it be meant it must be yet to come And for the fulnesse of extent it was as large for the number of Nations in the Apostles times as it is now in ours for as for the American Christians they are onely so in name being forced only to seeme so by the Spaniards whatsoever fulnesse then the Apostle here meaneth is yet to come I will adde only one thing more and so end this point some thinke that St. Paul in this place hath reference unto that speech of Christ Luke 21.24 where he foretels That the Jewes should fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all nations and Jerusalem should be trodden downe of the Gentiles untill the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled or accomplished But it seemes to me that the fulness of the Gentiles and the fulfilling or accomplishment of their times should not be the same howsoever they may be co-incident It should rather seeme that our Saviour hath reference as to a thing knowne unto the Prophecy of Daniel where the times of the Gentiles or the times wherein the Gentiles should have dominion with the misery and subjection of the Jewish Nation are set forth in the vision of a four-fold image and foure beasts which are the foure Monarchies the Babylonian Persian Greek and Roman The first began with the first captivity of the Jewish Nation and through the times of all the rest they should be in subjection or in a worser estate under them But when their times should be accomplished then saith Daniel The Saints of the most high God shall take the kingdome and possesse the kingdome for ever and ever that is there shall be no more kingdomes after it but it shall continue as long as the world shall endure Three of these Monarchies were past when our Saviour spake and the fourth was well entred If then by Saints there are meant the Jewes which we know are called the holy people in that sense their country is called the holy Land and their City in the Scripture the holy City viz. relatively then is it plaine enough what Daniels and our Saviours words import namely a glorious revocation and kingdome of the Iewes when the time of the fourth Monarchy which then remained should bee expired and accomplished But if here by the Saints of the most High are in generall meant the Church yet by co-incident of time the same will fall out on the Iewes behalfe because St. Paul saith that at the time when the fulness of the Gentiles shal come in the Iew shall be againe restored For a conclusion the last limbe of the fourth Monarchy is in Daniel The horne with eyes which spake proud things against the most High which should continue a time times and halfe a time
continued History of future times And thirdly Doctor Prideaux himselfe makes it so in presuming to determine the binding of Satan to be past Fourthly Some anticipations there are in the Revelation as we have shewed but they doe no more overthrow the confirmation of the order of things then in Genesis or other Books of Scripture in which are many anticipations Fifthly Mark the order of continuation In 6 7 8 Chapters are the seven Seals then out of the seventh Seale seven Trumpets c. all which methodically carry on the continuation as Mr. Mede hath demonstrated And for the computations they are so noted in their beginnings and endings that we can with more certainty compute our conclusion then the Doctor doth the contrary § 3 Pareus his exceptions doe but idem saxum volvere tumble over againe the same stone That which wee have before laid downe will sufficiently refute him and Mr. Hain and other Replicants Finis Libri Quinti THE SIXTH BOOK Holding forth particularly WHAT this GLORIOUS State on Earth shall be of which we have treated all this while in the former five BOOKS THE INTRODUCTION Laying forth the generall Heads of this Book touching the WHAT of this Glorious Time § 1 HAving demonstrated the Quòd sit THAT there is A Glorious state of all things yet to bee on Earth afore the universal judgement of all the quicke and dead Next we are to declare the Quid sit WHAT the said glorious state shall be § 2 For which we have already made some way and preparation by a necessitated anticipation by reason that the proofs being Divine and interwoven with severall passages of both viz. of the That and What of this aforesaid state we could not pick the one from the other nor explaine and demonstrate the meaning of the former without a scruteny into some passages of the later where we found them so intermixt Howbeit we insisted upon them no further then to a proofe of the literall meaning of the place reserving the distinct and larger discusse for this Book In this WHAT are to be considered these five Heads § 3 I The Chaos Of the glorious state aforesaid yet to come and to be on earth afore the ultimate judgement II The Creation Of the glorious state aforesaid yet to come and to be on earth afore the ultimate judgement III The Dimensions Of the glorious state aforesaid yet to come and to be on earth afore the ultimate judgement IV The Qualifications Of the glorious state aforesaid yet to come and to be on earth afore the ultimate judgement V The Priviledges Of the glorious state aforesaid yet to come and to be on earth afore the ultimate judgement CHAP. I. Touching the Chaos § 1 BY the Chaos we mean the preparation to this estate or the manner of the beginning thereof That as in the old and first Creation the Chaos was the evening of the world with which it began as the Rabbins before quoted * Lib. 4. Chap. 4. use to speake so this second or New Creation as it is called Isa 65.17 2 Pet. 3.13 Rev. 21.1 begins with an evening And as after that as an Antitypicall memoriall of the finishing thereof celebrated on the Sabbaticall seventh day the Church of the Jews in all ages to Christs time began their Sabbath in the evening so this Sabbatisme of the glorious state of which we speak as it is called Heb. 4. afore largely explained shall begin and have its Ante-scene or Prelude in a kind of evening Now as the evening taken in that largeness as Gen. 1. in the first part hath some light and sometimes a glare of the Sun at its last withdrawing though the day hath been dusk and dim all afore and receives for a farewell a reflexion of the beams darted backward upon the clouds with a twy-light following it but in the latter part it is darke So in this evening in the first part thereof there shall be some manifestation of the Sonne of Righteousnesse the Lord Jesus Christ for the Call of the Jewes Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 and the setting them on foot to contend for their liberty against the Turk and all Antichristian enemies But in the latter part of this evening after that Christ hath rowsed them up to that contest there shall be a darknesse of great troubles Da. 12.1 And these troubles it seems by the two last ver of that 12 of Dan. may last 45 yeers afore the Jews with the Gentiles come to their glorious enjoyments at the resurrection of all the Elect deceased and the change of the believers then alive But when that evening and night is passed over the Righteous shall have the DOMINION in the morning Psal 49. v. 14. which learned Junius interprets of the Saints happy estate in the morning of the resurrection which S. John Rev. 20.4 calls the first Resurrection as we have before demonstrated For at the last ultimate end when CHRIST layes downe all his rule and power 1 Cor. 15.24.28 we cannot imagine that Christians may be said to have Dominion § 2 Now as in the evening shutting in there is an end a setting in a cloud and a darkning of all the glory of the precedent day all glorious things are wrapt up in obscurity and all glorious persons their Masters Kings Princes and Potentates are couched and crouched downe as beasts in their dens and lye like dead men and none of all these things or persons survive but whom and what God will permit to escape fire or death c. So this glorious state shall begin as to the preface or preparation with a setting and dark eclipsing of all the worldly glory of former times things and persons viz. of the foure former Monarchies root and branch with all their impertinent appurtenances that stand in the way to hinder Christs glorious Kingdome on earth Dan. 7. Rev. 11.18 and 19. Chapters c. of which abundantly afore And we have seen it far more by experience since this subject was divers yeers by-past preached and asserted Wonder not therefore at the pullings downe of humane glories to this day and the many scuffles about them almost over the whole World The summe of worldly pompe is declining towards Sun-set the shadowes grow long it begins to be duske upon all Secular splendor The night comes on great stormes will arise but though they may be universall on the Jewes for the said five and forty yeers because universally they have for above five and forty scores of yeers refused the Messiah yet likely the tempest on the Gentiles that have owned Christ may but drive along by coasts falling here and there by succession they having suffered much already for Christs sake by Heathens Turks Papists and falsely named Protestants § 3 But as after the shutting down of the evening even in the dark night there is still a continued tendency towards the succeeding day and the glory thereof The Sunne is still hastening to rise again So
be raised incorruptible viz. never to dye any more and we shall be CHANGED viz. all in the same moment ¶ 3 This glorious state of all things on earth yet to come is as a creation in regard of parts That as the whole creation is in Gen. 1. distinguished into six dayes worke so this New creation shall be perfected though not in that successive order of time but rather as I conceive at once in all those things that are enumerated to bee the workmanship of the six dayes workes You had the opinion of the Rabbins in this afore * In 4 Book 4 Chap. 3 Sect. 6 Pat. f. 428. Mine is this First For light answerable to the extraordinary LIGHT created on the first day for the Sunne and Starres were not extant till the fourth day The light of the Church at this time shall be a supernatural light above any created light according to Isa 60.19 The Sunne and Moon shall be no more light but THE LORD shall be unto thee an EVERLASTING LIGHT Sutable to St. Johns Vision and Prophesie Rev. 21.23 The City had no need of the Sunne or of the Moon for the GLORY of GOD did lighten it and the LAMB is the light thereof For it God shall be the Churches Sunne Psal 84.11 as he is likewise light it selfe 1 John 1.5 yea dwels in unspeakable light 1 Tim. 6.16 And Christ is prophesied to be the Sunne arising on the Church Malach. 4.2 That he comes as the Apostle saith 2 Thess 2.8 with a brightnesse yea as Christ himselfe promiseth his comming shall be as lightning shineing from the East to the West yea with GREAT GLORY Matth. 24. verse 27. and verse 30. then will their speciall presence or manfestation be a transcendent light to the Church which must be supernatural far above any created either that which was made the first day or after contracted upon the fourth day into the body of the Sunne as the waters extant the first day were couched into the Channels of the seas on the third day For both these were created But the light of the Church now shall be elucidations and emanations from the Deity overcomming and as it were drowning the glory of the Sunne c. And therefore though the Sunne and the Moon and Stars that now receive their light from the Sunne shall in that New creation be extant existing in their Orbs yet they shall not be there to give light to the Church Both these are distinctly mentioned in both the fore-quoted places Isa 60.19 The Sunne shall be no more thy LIGHT by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moon give LIGHT unto thee Observe it is not said they shall not exist they shall not be but they shall not be for the light of the Church Just so Rev. 21.23 it is not said the being of the Sunne and Moon shall bee nulled or annihilated but there shall be no NEED of the Sunne nor of the Moon to SHINE in New Jerusalem And the reason is because God and the Lamb shall lighten it and be the light and glory thereof So that though according to the creation of the Sunne and Moon and Stars in the fourth day those lights with the rest of the universe shall bee perfected in this New creation Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people yet not used for a light to the Church at that glorious time For then there shall be no nights and dayes as is intimated in that 60. of Isa verse 19. afore quoted mark it well The Sunne shall be no more thy light by DAY c. but the Lord shall be unto thee an EVERLASTING light i. e. perpetuall without interruptions by vicissitudes of nights succeeding the dayes and for ever But it is expresse in Rev. 21.25 St. John having said as afore quoted in the 23. verse There shall be no need of the Sunne neither of the Moon he addes in this 25. verse The gates of the New Jerusalem shall not be shut at all by day for there shall bee NO NIGHT THERE And if we should suppose that the motion of the heavenly orbs and all the planets and fixed Stars which is the onely cause of night should cease at this glorious time of REST seeing that all motion as saith the Philosopher truly is for rest which these heavenly bodies never had since their creation whiles the Plants have had theirs in the Winter the Sonnes of men in the night on the seventh day and in the grave the Wilde-beasts in the day c. And it is recorded as the most glorious time when the Sunn and Moon stood still Josh 10.12 13 14. There was no day like that before it or since that And if we should conceive that it is not contrary to that text of Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sunne sevefold greater c. to understand it as well if not rather of the extension of those bodies of light then of the intension of their beams of light their very bodies being called lights Gen. 1. And the sevenfold intensivenesse and strength of the beams might be an affliction and so the little globe of the earth would not be of bulke to interpose and eclipse the sight and prospect of any Starre from view and looking upon the rest especially on the magnified dimension of the body of the Sunne so that there should be a continued natural light round the world yet all these should be but for a comely ornament not a naturall concernment to the Church because the paramount presence and elucidation of God and the Lamb should be their light sutable to their paramount condition swallowing up as it were all other glories as the said text of Isa 60.19 Rev. 21.23 hold forth So that as the world began in the first Creation with an extraordinary light so at the end of this world in the New creation there shall be a supernatural light And thus of the state of it in regard of light in parallel with the first and fourth dayes worke in the first Creation Secondly As on the second day was created the Firmament as our Translators render it following the Greeke alias the Expanse according to the Hebrew that is at least the whole element of the ayre so in this New creation it shall be re-created anew that is perfected that there shall be no noysome fumes or vapours or any other noxious exhalations fiery or watery c. to cause sicknesse death it selfe being now swallowed up in victory 1 Cor. 15. And all sorrows removed Rev. 21.4 And the aire shall not be an habitation for devils over the Church as formerly for which he was called the Prince of the ayre Eph. 2.2 But the devill shall be chained up Rev. 20.2 and every unclean
goe out of the world with sinne So the Apostle doth connect and couple them 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory i. e. There is then no sinne which is that sting therefore no sorrow which formerly did tend to death and end in the grave But let us take the Scriptures in order for the sorrowfulnesse of this state and time we speak of ¶ 1 Adams state was a sorrowlesse condition therefore so shall the state of the faithfull at this time be as wee have often recited the parallel Gen. 1.26 with Psal 8. Heb. 2. Psal 95. Heb. 4. out of which 95. Psal the Apostle proving a rest to remain yet on earth for the people of God the word in the Hebrew is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which comes from the same root whence Noahs name is prophetically given him to foretell the comfort that should come to the Church by him even the rest in the Arke in the time of the Flood Gen. 5.29 At which time the earth by water was purged of the Churches enemies Answerably the Apostle in a way of parallel in 2 Pet. 3. mentioning that purgation by water infers another purgation by fire after which we are to expect another rest or restauration and that on earth where was and shall be that purgation which the Apostle Heb. 4. descanting upon Psal 95. renders the sense of that Hebrew word vers 9. of that 4. to the Hebrews by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Sabbatisme a Septenary rest As if hee should say It shall be a Sabbath of Sabbaths or above all Sabbaths or the period and perfection of all Sabbaths That as we rest on a Sabbath or seventh day from our weekly work as God did from his and the Jewish servants every seventh yeer rested from their service And every seventh of seven times seven yeers all their land had rest so in the seventh Millenary of the world the whole universe shall have a rest The Church shall have full Dominion over the whole world For in those places of Psal 95. and Heb. 4. being mainly spoken to and concerning the Iewes cannot bee meant of the Sabbath of Gods resting once and for ever past or of their weekly or of their Septenary-anniversary or of their Jubilean or of their Cananitish Sabbath or of an internal spiritual Sabbath or rest of minde and conscience for all these the Church of the Jewes had enjoyed Nor could the Apostle thinke it needfull to prove that an internal rest which all moral Heathens that beleeve the immortality of the soule expect doth yet remain And therefore the Apostle must mean that rest which was proper to cure the then present dispersed and distressed condition of the Jewes continued to this day That as God hath given them the weekly rest and the Septenary-anniversary and the Jubilean and the Canaanitish so he would give them at last a Millenary rest on earth a rest longer and better then ever they had For much is couched in those words Heb. 4.9 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Therefore there is yet left or there remaineth a Sabbatisme or a kinde of Septenary or Sabbatical rest forthe people of God Marke every word Therefore viz. because God rested on the seventh day in the beginning after that gave them a seventh weekly and yeerly rest and a seventh of seven times seven yeers rest and a rest in Canaan and after all the Lord spake of another rest to come Therefore there remaineth a rest Remaineth or is yet left noteth and importeth something not extant afore in specie in its prime but onely in types but is next to come in order in its native kinde and verdure And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Sabbatisme a word never used but here on this occasion imports a limited time not an everlasting unlimited duration even as Adam lived neer a thousand yeers and had rested so long if not longer in Paradise without sin or sorrow if hee had not hearkned unto the Diabolical temptation And to the people of God which written to the Hebrews must include them so often called by God in the Old Testament my people and so must necessarily signifie that this rest is for the Jewes joyntly with the Gentiles when the Jews shall bee the people of God by faith as now the beleeving Gentiles are as the Apostle disputes Rom. 11. ¶ 2 The Prophet Isaiah also sets forth this sorrowlesse time Chapter 2. vers 2 3 4. And it shall come to passe in the LAST DAYES c. Many people shall goe and say Come let us goe up to the Mountaine of the Lord for he will teach us his wayes and we will walke in his pathes and he will judge among the Nations AND THEY SHALL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOW-SHARES AND THEIR SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS NATION SHAL NOT LIFT UP SWORD AGAINST NATION neither shall they LEARN WARRE ANY MORE In which words observe that as there is intimated internall spiritual peace so externall corporall peace is openly expressed to come to passe not onely to the Jewes but to all Nations which was never yet fulfilled since Isaiahs time as this description cannot consist with the ultimate judgement ¶ 3 Another place is in Isa 9. verse 6. Christ shall be called the PRINCE OF PEACE of the increase of his Government and PEACE THERE SHALL BEE NO END upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdome to establish it c. from henceforth even for ever Which place most plainly speakes of external peace as well as of internal and for a long continuance and doth belong to the time wee speak of as is before demonstrated which Christ hath not to this day fulfilled but rather hath brought a sword then externall peace Therefore the fulfilling of the sense of this Prophesie is yet to come ¶ 4 Isa 11. verse 1. c. A rod of the stem of Jesse c. with righteousnesse shall judge the poore and reprove with equity for the meeke c. He shall slay the wicked c. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb c. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy Mountaine For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord c. The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the Adversaries of Judah shall bee cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah Ephraim c. All which taken together doe most plainly relate to the time wee speak of as is before proved But this was never yet fulfilled since Isaiahs time And therefore these high expressions are to bee fulfilled at the glorious time wee discourse of ¶ 5 Isa 14.1 2 3. We have these high promises The Lord will have mercy on Jacob and will yet choose Israel and set them in their owne Land and the strangers shall be joyned unto them c. And the people shall take them and bring them to their place c. And the Lord shall give them REST FROM SORROW FEARE AND
to the Church Which is added to this All-New condition Rev. 21.4 As there shal be no place so no more time for any sorrowful or sorrow-making things or persons or mutable matters Christ will not allow them an houre nor a minute in the Church Dives had his time Their glasse is run Christs houre is come The Sonne of righteousnesse ariseth the dark must be gone ¶ 5 This imports that the happinesse of Saints shall not be given them by measure of time Tempus est numerus motus Time is measured motion Saints shall not be happy so long and no longer This thousand yeers is the prelude to everlasting infinite glory Saints shall not need to wish saying This is a happy condition if it would hold So that as miseries shall not have the least time allowed them on earth so the Saints mercies shall not be measured out to continue onely so long and no longer The thousand yeers are the preface and then Magog stirring at last gives Christ occasion to give them the Saints everlasting infinit injoyment So that in the glorious state of the Church shall be no measuring it out by time as so long to continue and no longer It shall be a thousand yeers happy on earth But then it is not said shall be an end But this is swallowed up of a greater Of this stability of things at this time see further in Isa 33.6 spoken in relation to the call of Jewes c. wisdome and knowledge shall be the stability of times and strength of salvation and the feare of the Lord thy treasure As grace shall not period with time And God cannot period with time so nor the Churches condition Isa 60.19 The Sunne shall be no more thy light by day nor the Moon thy brightnesse by night but the Lord shall be thy EVERLASTING LIGHT and thy God thy glory which applied to Church state in the seventh Trumpet Rev. 21.23 It followes Isa 60.20 Thy Sunne shall no more goe downe neither shall thy Moon withdraw it selfe for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be at an end Rather then the Sun and Moon shall play fast and loose with the Church they shall not Move There shall bee no more Sun set or change of the Moon No measuring out Saints happinesse by times SECT VIII The next Quality is That at this time there shall be a perfection of all qualities both natural and spiritual in the Saints § 1 AS before we said No measuring by fading time so now we affirm no stinting to an infirme degree Now there shall bee no lower degree then a freedome from all imperfection Zach. 12.8 It s spoken of this time see verse 12. viz. When the Jews shall see Christ and mourne and repent and bee filled with grace Then verse 8. Hee that is feeble shall be as David And the house of David as God better rendred as Angels The Hebrew is Kelohim Elohim oft signifying Angels and here is an Incrementum so that the last must be highest then it follows as the Angel of God Hebrew is emphatical Hamaleak the name of Christ Malach. 3. The sense then is They shall be as Christs how strong the feeble shall be viz. as strong firm and sublime in perfection as David And how shall David be As an Angel Yea as Christ Sutable to 1 Cor. 15. We shall be conformable to Christ And Phil. 3.21 Our bodies like his glorious body And 1 Cor. 13.12 Know as we are knowne our graces shall be as Rivers in the Ocean Isa 11.9 So that as our perfection cannot period so nor last by vicissitudes as now sometimes up sometimes sinke but shall be still at full height SECT IX A Confluence of all Comforts in the injoyers and injoyed § 1 AS it is said 1 Pet. 1. who in 2 Epist 3. Chapter speaks of this glorious time I say as it is said 1 Pet. 1. verse 3 4 5. He hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible RESERVED IN HEAVEN for you who are kept by the power of God ready to be REVEALED in the LAST TIME so now in this Heaven as it is called Rev. 21. the inheritance is kept perfect to us and us in it Of this see all the 35. Chapter of Isa Wee did before demonstrate that that Isa 34. relates to this time we speake of And this 35. Chapter is but a part of the same discourse As the forme viz. the 34. Chapter is of the ruine of the Churches enemies and the delivery of the Church so this 35. Chapter is a description what the Church shall injoy Viz. verse 1. The solitary places shall be glad for them and the Desart shall rejoyce and blossome like a rose Verse 2. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it The excellency of Carmel and Sharon shall see the glory of the Lord. Verse 3. Strengthen ye the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees Verse 4. Say unto them that are of a fearful heart be strong feare not behold your God will come with vengeance he will come and save you Verse 5. The eyes of the blinde shall be opened and the deafe eares unstopped Verse 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb sing for in the wildernesse shall waters break out and streams in the desart Verse 7. The parched ground shall become a poole and the thirsty land springs of waters In the habitation of Dragons shall bee grasse and rushes Verse 8. An high-way there shall be and it shall bee called the way of holinesse the unclean shall not passe over it Fools shall not erre therein Verse 9. No Lion shall be there nor ravenous beast shall goe up thereon but the redeemed shall walk there Verse 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flye away Yee see how all happinesse is upon the possession and the Possessor The possession shall not bee defective and unserviceable and the Possessour shall not by any impediment bee hindered of his injoyment All the Injoyers and Injoyments shall be varnished with beauty environed with peace enlarged with liberty perpetuated with stable equability ¶ 1 Varnished with beauty As Homer saith of the Golden Sea because of the beams of the Sun raditing upon it so the Church and all the Churches injoyments shall be guilded with beams guilded with beams of Christs glorious presence At this time Christ shall arise as the Sunne Malach. 4. as wee have shewed compared with 2 Pet. 1.19 And because he ariseth and shines on the Church therefore the Church shall arise and shine as the Sunne rising in the East looks on the Moon and makes it at the full in the West Isa 60.1 2. Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord
is risen upon thee Darknesse on the earth and people thereof but the Lord shall rise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee This shining is inward and outward For as the Church shall shine in her selfe with Gods beams So verse 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising And verse 6. They from Sheba c. shall bring gold and incense and shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. Accordingly Rev. 21 as the Church is glorious in her selfe so from without verse 24. The Nations of them that are saved shal walke in the light of the Church which God shines on it and Kings shall bring their honor unto it As is the glory of the Sun in its ascending over every Horizon is the glory of the world In the inside in the life of all things In the outside in the light and lustre on all So shall it bee with the Church If in this time as Isa 30.26 At the day the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun c. So gloriously shall God manifest himselfe to the Church that all glory shall her condition be As New Jerusalem is new decked c. Rev. 21. So all her buildings walls streets gates c. according to Isa 54. verse 11. are compared to gold and all precious stones which comparison of glorious gold and precious stones c. import all manner of glory of the Church If our bodies shall bee conformed to Christs glorious body so every bodily thing shall have the highest perfection that it was created in And the best jewels and treasures shall not be appropriated to Heathens Atheists Popish Hypocrites or gracelesse Kings and Princes and Potentates But if it may adde to the Churches glory they shall be brought to the Church as right owner ¶ 2 Environed with peace and safety Christ the King and Prince of peace Heb. 7. Isa 9. Createth peace for all his subjects far and neer Isa 57.19 sc As inward peace So outward too Isa 65. last No preying on one another no destroying no hurting So Psal 72.3.7 See the Title sc A Psalme for Solomon sc Solomon the Great sc Christ The Mountaines shall bring peace to the people and little hils by righteousnesse In his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace as long AS THE MOON INDURES See by this what Solomon is meant Mountains and Hils signifie that Emperours Princes Dukes Lords c. shall no longer as Mountaines shadow the Church by oppression or that men shall not make mountaines and hills holds and garrisons to subdue the Church Isa 11.6 There shall be peace between Man and all creatures between Children and Aspes the Wolfe and Lamb Cow and Bear of which say two learned Authors there is both a spiritual and litteral sense All men with their great power glory wits policies and potency shall be so tame as a childe may rule them and all creatures shall be restored as in the day of Creation Calvin upon this 11. of Isa 6. saith That the Prophet aimes at a further thing then we are aware of For it intimates saith he a restauration of all things as at the first creation and so goes on in many words See learned men consulâò handling this question are lost in Allegories but when they are off of that question sincerely weighing the places of Scripture tending to it then it drops from them ere they are aware So Calvin here So Pareus on Rom. 8. is against Pareus on Rev. 20. ¶ 3 Enlarged with liberty It is the great yeer of Jubilee even in the opinion of the Jews As it is freedome from all evill as we have shewed so a freedome to injoy all good They shall have the waters of life the comforts of the Gospel free for their use Rev. 22.17 and enough for all And the Tree of life Christ free for all to injoy him fully Verse 2. And the Gates of the Church are alwayes open freely for all Saints to enter Rev. 21. They shall bee as free in all injoyments as in heaven for this is an Heaven ¶ 4 Perpetuated with stable equability Now they fully injoy him that is the first and last with an even continuance the heavens and earth must be as one as he pleaseth Isa 48.12 13. And this his Title of Alpha and Omega Christ makes his preface Rev. 1.17 to the glorious Catastrophe Rev. 20.4 c. to the end of the Bible Now the substance of all eternity is entred upon Christ the everlasting Father the eternall God the everlasting Spirit and Covenant c. must now appeare in a perpetuated stability of all perfect Church glory to all the Elect. Magog shall not interrupt but occasionally promote the Churches eternall blisse Therefore now let not our hearts be unstable in hope nor our affections unstable in love nor our judgements unstable in principles nor our practice unstable in duties and ordinances Remember the evill of the foolish Virgins Remember the good precepts and promises of Christ as a warning us afore his comming now at hand Rev. 22.7.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. v. 7. I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth these sayings of this Prophesie Verse 11. Let him that is righteous be righteous still 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me I am Alpha and Omega sc I make no other end or beginning but happinesse in and with me 14. Blessed are they that keep his commandements that they may eat of the Tree of life and enter the Gates of the City of the Church Without shall be Dogs They that are found out of it shall goe for Dogs 16. I Jesus have sent my Angel to testifie these things to the CHURCHES 17. Hee that testifies these things saith Surely I come quickly then John concludes as I Come Lord Jesus come quickly SECT X. This state will have the face and character of Eternity IN the three last Qualities of this state of the Church sc First No more time Secondly A perfection of Qualities natural and spirituall in the Saints Thirdly A confluence of all comforts in the injoyer and the injoyment I say in regard of these three This state of the Church will have the face a semblance of Eternity the property and character of Eternity For the idiom and peculiar of Eternity is to give a man all parts and degrees of his comfort at once throughout every moment of Eternity In Time is succession where is the beginning middle and the end The embrion augment and the highest perfection that that comfort will amount to but in Eternity a man is as happy the first moment as ten thousand yeers after if there were any time in Eternity So here proportionably the Saints blisse after Christ hath begun the compleatnesse of this estate shall be as full at first as at last The difference from a state in Time is as
the glorious representations They shall have the word for inspection Rev. 22.14.19 and admiration to see all revealed and all fulfilled They shall be taught of God to know the full minde of that word and they themselves shall see with their eyes that fulfilled which out of the word they heard with their ears So that their Joshua sc Jesus shall say to them according to their experience Nothing hath failed of all that God hath spoken They shall have the effect of sublime purity and glory of Discipline sc Angelical order Rev. 21.12 sc 4. Gates and three Angels at every gate So that verse 25. Though the gate be never shut yet verse 27. no unclean thing shall enter in which is the cream and quintessence of the effect of all Discipline In summe As then the labour of the body in moving shall be more excellent a labour-lesse labour a pain-lesse labour a pleasant labour so the worship of the minde shall be without irksomenesse So full of grace that all actings of grace shall be heavenised into all sweetnesse SECT V. The fifth Priviledge Union of Saints throughout the world UNion of heads and union of hearts sc unity in judgement and unity in affection Zach. 14.9 The Lord shall be King over all the earth In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one Is hee not King now Yea but not so actually visibly and absolutely before the eyes of all many great wicked ones yet domineering as he shall be then Is not his name now one yes in it selfe he is the God of truth But by mens pretences that he favours this way and that way men intimate of him several names as Papist Lutheran Calvinist Episcopal Presbyterian Independent But then it shall be cleer which is the onely way of truth And so God shall have one name because as Zeph. 3.9 They shall serve the Lord with onenesse of consent all being of a pure language So that their judgements being one and consequently their practises one great will be the onenesse of affections as Isa 11.13 The envy of Ephraim shall depart Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah vexe Ephraim If so great was the union of Saints in the first fruits Act. 4.32 how much more when the whole lump is fully perfected surely their union shall be as that in Paradise before Adam fell The history of dissention now is grievous to Saints therefore on the contrary how sweet will the mystery bee in the injoyment of Union SECT VI. The sixth Priviledge Honour shall be given to all holy things sc to Religion and religious men § 1 GOd hath in several passages you heard afore promised to take away the reproach of his people as in other things so in Religion This is Gilgal the Great to rowle away the reproach from Israel In the day when the Jewes shall be converted ten shall take hold of one Jew Zach. 8.23 therefore it is said divers times in the Revelation sc Rev. 14.1 Rev. 22.4 The Saints shall have the name of their Father in their foreheads They shall be no more ashamed of their Religion then of their faces Though the Church kisse Christ sc dearly imbrace him yet shall she not be despised Cant. 8.1 Hebrew I will finde thee in the streets I will kisse thee and also they shall not contemne me Publick profession and imbracing of Christ shal not be despised as 't is spoken in the very same Chap. of Canticles where is handled the call of the Jewes So Isa 49.23 Kings shall bee thy Nurses Rev. 21. Kings shall bring their honour to the Church Isa 60.13 The glory of Lebanon c. shall come to beautifie my Sanctuary and I will make the place of my feet glorious Christ the head the Church the feet And there Christ walks Rev. 1. And that Christ will make glorious afore all though formerly men trampled Yea Zach. 9.16 The Church shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up Not as stones in the street but of a Crowne Not of a Crowne falling but of a Crowne lifted up Zach. 12.5 The Governours of Judah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Jerusalem my strength in the Lord of Hosts We know that of late dayes governours have put all the reproachfull names upon the Saints and Churches of the purest judgement and profession as Faction Schisme Puritans c. But the time is at hand they shall be convinced and shall know that Saints are the best men the interest and stay of Kingdomes § 2 Let the consideration of these Priviledges make us walk like them that shall see these times let the dawning be upon us now the Sun is about to rise cleaving to Christ in Ordinances and to one another in love honouring them most that have most holinesse Yea let this comfort us that all the glorious Promises and Prophesies shall then be fulfilled Finis Libri Sexti THE SEVENTH BOOK Containing an Essaie Touching the time when this future Glorious state of the Church on Earth for a Thousand Yeers probably shall begin CHAP. I. The Introduction unfolding and cutting out the Worke for this BOOK § 1 I Know Lubrious est hic locus this is a point wherein my Pen may soon slip and as soon will sleight-spirited ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã carp and over-austere Cato censure As for the extremous multitude whose Motto or Character is Hosanna to day and Crucifie to morrow they will deifie if a man hit right but infinitly vilifie if he mistake But the ingenuous prudent will neither reckon me a God for the first nor cypher mee into lesse then a man for the second The best of men in such a labyrinth and lesse have mistaken Upon this ground I take my trip Christo duce the Lord being my Leader § 2 And the better to stave off some blows I shall take into me the guard of other learned pious mens judgements and present the Reader with variety of accounts with their grounds and thence let him not I Prophesie if any will so call it § 3 The worke we have to doe in relation to this is ## ¶ 1 To give the Reader severall Prognosticks shewing indefinitly that this glorious state of things is not far off ¶ 2 To cast up the severall Computations found in the Scriptures pointing at a determinate time when most probably this state shall begin CHAP. II. HOlding forth the several Prognosticks that the Glorious time we speake of is not far off but now approacheth especially in the introduction thereunto viz. The Call of the Jews SECT I. The first Prognostick The expiration of Accounts § 1 IN the first place severall numbers of yeers Prophesied to fore-run the Commencement of this state are now almost expired I shall now but touch and but some of them intending by Gods assistance to give you as I am enabled a more exact account in the third Chapter ¶ 1 The One thousand two hundred and ninety dayes that is yeers foretold Dan.
months when as he shall lie sicke a great part of them yea he shall be as it were slaine by meanes of his wounded head This space of time doth seem therefore to containe the whole time of the tyranny of Antichrist yet so that the time of his wound whiles it is sore be taken away from it Now we have shewed that this time of his crazinesse is defined within the time of the Goths* â * Kingdome verse 3. which lasted for an hundred and forty yeers If we shall therefore take away these yeers from the months of the Womans lurking we shall finde that at the end of this lurking namely at the yeer 1546. thirty seven months â onely The count is selfe according to Mr. Brightman and ten dayes of Antichrists Kingdome when it was in vigor were passed over Five months therefore and twenty dayes are wanting hereto which if we reckon from the yeer 1546. the last end of Antichrist shall expire at the yeer 1686. or thereabouts For so we shall learne out of other Scriptures that he shall perish utterly about that time It may bee that his destruction may come sooner then this terme of yeers defineth for I doe not cast the account accurately at this time neither doe the Historians number the yeers so faithfully as they ought but he shall not be suffered to goe beyond the furthest space that I have set down But perhaps these months are not the space from the first beginning to the last end of the Beasts but onely the former yeers of his Kingdome which may be many enough to lay him open so as hee may be revealed to all men And by this interpretation as he beginneth together with the months of the Woman and the Prophets so he takes his end also with them This opinion is confirmed by the Warre with the Saints in verse 7. which wee have shewed fell into the end of these months Chap. 12.7 And by this interpretation the Beast is said to have power of working two and forty months for the greatest part of these months Because that little respire of time wherein he should keep in his horne because of his wounded head is little to be reckoned of in respect of the whole number * Let the Reader if he please remember that whereas Mr. Brightman thinks Antichrist was wounded by the Goths noted afore at * â * according to Rcusner expressed afore in his Account Sect. 1. the Goths wounded the Emperour and Empire not the Pope and Popedome but the said Popes and Popedome rather got head and bea rt and health and strength by the Goths wounding of the Empire which granted Mr. Brightmans knot is quite removed touching the five months Neither is his power which shall bee afterwards like that of his former time as experience sheweth at this day wherein we see the Popes power to be made to languish and to be weakned much from the time of his professed and pitched battel that is from the Council of Trent So that his power is now almost none at all to that which it was in former ages This latter is more simple in which regard I like it better Thus Mr. Brightman Now according to this account Antichrist shall be fully downe about seven and twenty yeers hence SECT V. Alsteds Account HE gives it you * Alsted XII Chronologia Epocharum Propheticarum in this sorme and the words as neer as I can translate and imitate him for your best understanding THE APOCALYPTICAL VOLUMNE or COMMENTARY â Syngramma Apocalypticum Three times seven mysticall Characters * Hierogly phicater septem The threefold state of the Church  The Kingdome of the Beast I. The 6 former of the 7 Seals containe the time from the the 35 yeer of Christ to the 606 yeer  I. For a Time from the yeer of Christ 35 to the yeer 606. I. The ancient Beast or the primary solely II. The six former of the seven Trumpets from the yeer of Christ 606. to the yeer 1517. 1 Alternative or vicissitudinarious II. For Times from the yeer 606. to the yeer 1517. II. The ancient or primary and secundary III. The six former of the seven Phials from the yeer 1517. to the yeer 1694 The seventh Trumpet and seventh Phial 2 Happy on earth for a 1000 yeers III. For Half a Time from the yeer of Christ 1517. to the yeer 1694. III. The ancient Beast alive againe 3 Most happy in Heaven    They that are inquisitive to know how he gives a particular account of these Periods may if they understand the Latine Tongue or by the helpe of such friends look into Alsted himselfe in the fore-cited place or into Mr. Mede in English Diatrib par 4. p. 453. whither I refer them lest I should bee needlessely tedious to my friends that fear the prolixity of this Treatise Which therefore I prevent all I can § 3 So that by this Account the beginning of the thousand yeers will not be far off about one and forty yeers hence SECT VI. Mr. Medes Accounts § 1 IN his Diatrib Par. 4. Page 87. he gives us this Account Having said Page 83. Though Christianity hath been imbraced in former times where now it is not yet it is now spread in those places where in those times it was not so that all laid together wee may account Christianity at this day as large as ever it was in the Apostles time yet that this is not THAT UNIVERSAL KINGDOME OF CHRIST THAT FLOURISHING and GLORIOUS ESTATE OF THE CHURCH WHICH WE YET EXPECT and HOPE FOR my Reasons are these I say Mr. Mede having said these things in page 83 and in page 84 85 86 having given severall of the said reasons then in the said 87. page afore-quoted he addes My next reason saith he shall be from that we read in the Revelation where the Church by the conquest of Michael set free from the Dragons fury is said to escape into the Wildernesse i.e. into a state though of safety and peace and security yet of hardship misery and scarcity For it seems to be an allusion to the Israelites escaping the Tyranny of Pharaoh by going into the wildernesse In this wildernesse or place of hardship c the Church must remaine saith St. John a time and times and halfe a time or as he elswhere speaketh one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes i.e. A yeer yeers and halfe a yeer and when this time shall bee expired that is as learned Divines thinke when so many yeers shall be ended as those dayes are taking the beginning of our reckoning from Michaels Trophe then saith our Apostle shall the Kingdomes of the world become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reigne for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 whereby it should seem that the Church is yet in the wildernesse and that the promised happinesse of the ample and flourishing glory thereof before the end of
distinct as that the Apostle makes them opposite 2 Cor. 5.7 Heb. 11. oft Therefore every eye seeing him cannot signifie a sight of faith onely There needed not any expression of EYE or of his being in the Clouds to signifie a sight by faith Wee can now see him in Heaven by faith It is a question whether every eye that is said here to see him shall at first sight see him by faith For EVERY EYE must see him and ALL KINDREDS of the EARTH shall mourne Sure his Antichristian enemies generally shall not see him by faith whom he destroyes at his coming Rev. 19. last 2 Thess 2. to make way for the reigning of the Saints Rev. 20. EVEN SO AMEN John did believe saw Christ by faith but for that sight of him in the Clouds to be visible to him and all the Kindreds of the earth he prayes and raiseth up his faith with an hearty Amen that so it shall bee So that by all these things it is most evident that of a time and state following Christs Ascention John speakes here Nor on the other side can this Revel 1.7 bee understood of the ultimate day of judgement 1. Because it is the same with Zech. 1.10 and so for the same reasons cannot bee meant of that day of judgement 2. Because this is set here as the maine and generall Proposition to the Book of the Revelation in which the Master-peece is to set forth Christ to come and set up his Church into a most glorious estate on earth before the day of judgement as wee shall see abundantly afterwards and to make her reigne with him on earth 3. It were very incongruous for John in the last clause of verse 6. to applaud Christs DOMINION as to continue FOR EVER that is while times and ages last as the Greek imports and in the next breath in the first clause of the seventh verse to say he cometh to make an end of his Dominion For the ultimate day of judgement is the last act of Christs Dominion which done Christ layes downe all his Dominion that God may bee all in all 1 Cor. 15.24.28 Wee may not imagine such incoherencies in Johns expression now most eminently filled with the Spirit Therefore I must needs conclude that there is no such likely time of such an eminent coming of Christ and appearing to his Church as this at the time of Restitution of all things Something of this place will be more plain by that in the next Section § 4 But before wee come to that let us collate and lay together the two precedent places of Zech. 12.10 and Revel 17. and out of both containing the same sense and in the same words let us draw this argument as the summe of both Zechary the Prophet and John the Apostle both prophesie in the aforesaid places of one and the same personall appearance of Christ visibly to the eyes of men on earth after his Ascention But this cannot bee understood of his appearance at the ultimate generall judgement because they speake of his pouring out of grace and giving repentance to the families of the Jewes and of his Dominion thence to continue for many ages to the ultimate end of the world Therefore the said visible appearance of Christ is yet to bee before the ultimate day of judgement Which when should it bee but at the conversion of the Jewes and the throwing downe of his apparent obstinate Antichristian enemies as the circumstances of the said places before hinted doe cleerly evince SECT III. OF THE third PLACE OF SCRIPTURE for Christs Personall Appearance at the great Restauration of the Church viz. Matth. 24. v. 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory § 1 OBserve distinctly every clause and word 1. Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man that is the Sonne of man shall appeare for a signe that great things are at hand as it followes in this verse they shall see the sonne of man and mourne 2. The signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven He was before in the highest third Heaven but now in the lowest first Heaven namely of the Clouds as it follows also in this verse 3. And then shall all the TRIBES of the EARTH intimating Jewes as well as Gentiles mourne Why They shall see the Sonne of man that is as man How mourne Doubtlesse Christ meanes as Zechary meant and John meant namely the Jewes with godly repentance and his obstinate open enemies with desperation for the ruine that is coming upon them 4. Coming IN the Clouds or UPON the Clouds See now what was Johns meaning Rev. 1.7 when he said Christ should come WITH the Clouds To this matter with and in is all one And which is considerable our New Translators concur with us as by quotation in the Margin to make this and Rev. 1.7 to be parallel places tending to the same thing § 2 Now Christ spake this before his Ascention and going away above the clouds Therefore it must needs be that this must bee fulfilled after he hath attended above the Clouds Then and not till then will it be rightly said and properly fulfilled that he comes in the Clouds So the Angels at Christs Ascention Act. 1. After that in v. 9.10 He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight the Disciples looking stedfastly towards heaven as he went up they say unto them This same Jesus which is TAKEN up from you into heaven shall SO COME It must needs be improper to say he shall COME IN the Clouds before hee be gone above the Clouds Before hee came at incarnation in the Virgins wombe and in a Manger But now after his Ascention above the Clouds hee shall come in the Clouds § 3 Nor can this his coming and appearance in the Clouds be here understood of his coming at the ultimate day of judgement because of that but foure verses after namely v. 34. which Christ affirmeth with grand asseveration namely Verily I say unto you THIS GENERATION shall not passe till ALL THESE things bee fulfilled And then hee seales it and binds it up in the next verse viz. v. 35. Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words and particularly those words aforegoing shall not passe away A seale doth sometimes represent the Writer as well as the words of the writing This doth something also explaine the former passages of this Chapter That heaven and earth shall passe at Christs coming that is in quality not in substance saith Oecumenius on the 21 of Revel there shall bee a new heaven and a new earth the old passing away as Isa 65.2 Pet. 3. Rev. 21. but Christs word for his Personal appearance to his people before the ultimate day of judgement shall not passe For this appearance of Christ in the
till the end of Ages when they shall experimentally finde the truth of Christs predictions though at present they doe not believe Thus farre they with which wee close this third Section SECT IV. Of the fourth Scripture for Christs Personall appearance at the great Restauration of the Church 2 Thes 2.1 to 9. Now I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that yee bee not soone shaken in minde c. as that the day of Christ is at hand Let no man deceive you c. for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that MAN OF SINNE bee revealed the SONNE OF PERDITION who opposeth and exalteth himselfe above all that is called God c. so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that hee is God c. And now yee know what with-holdeth that hee might bee revealed in his time For the mystery of iniquity doth already woâââ only he who now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way And then shall that WICKED bee revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming § 1 SHould seeme by this place that presently upon the Ascention of Christ there went abroad an expectation of the coming again of Christ afore the ultimate day of judgement which began in the Apostles themselves upon Christs discourse to them forty dayes from his Resurrection to his Ascention touching the Kingdome of God which moved them to aske him Wilt thou at this time restore againe the KINGDOME TO ISRAEL which Kingdome Christ did not deny but onely then put them off touching their knowing at present the time Act. chap. 1. v. 3. and 6. I say then when the Apostle wrote this Text there was an opinion though a mistake in it as touching the suddainnesse then that Christ would come againe afore the ultimate day of judgement For this Text speakes not of the generall destruction of the wicked world but precisely of the destruction of Antichrist by the brightnesse of Christs coming and so a way and room is made for the gathering of the Jewes and Gentiles into one universall visible Church which is to be afore the ultimate day of judgement according to the tenour of the Texts of all the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Commentary of the Apostles of the New § 2 Wee need not I conceive prove that which is granted of all and demonstrated here by all Characters that Antichrist is meant in this Text. Nor is it materiall to dispute whether the Pope or Turke be The Antichrist For Antichrist is the body viz. the race of them that effectually oppose Christ as Christ and the Pope and Turke are the two maine limbs So that in generall they are one in many respects First in the rise of their heresie For Mahumetisme was hatched by the counsell and advise of Sergius * Sergius Monachus Constantinopolitanus hereseos Nestorianae sectator Mahumetum impostorem speudo-Prophetam in Alcorano conficiendo compilando juvit eumque omnis summam impietatis docuit Zona Tom. 3. Car. Steph. a Popish Monck which he gave to Mahomet Secondly in Dominion For Dan. 7.7 8. There came up a little Horne among the ten Hornes of the fourth Beast which fourth was the Roman Monarchy before which little Horne viz. the Turke having eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spake great things three of the ten Hornes were plucked up by the roots which after is explained v. 24. viz. The ten Hornes are ten Kingdomes that shall arise And another shall arise after them and hee shall be diverse from the rest and he shall subdue three Kings So that the Turke possesseth three of the ten Kingdomes that formerly were under the Pope Thirdly In their seat mentioned in this Text viz. sitting IN or rather according to the Greeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã OVER the Temple of God the Pope ceased to bee in the Church since the Councel of Trent where he execrates all the main Gospel-truths And the Turke is said Rev. 9.1 To be a starre fallen from the Heaven of the Church But I say they both agree in sitting UPON or OVER the Temple of God For as the Pope doth by his power sit over a great part of the Spiritual Temple namely of Christendome as they call it in which are many believers he there suppressing the propagation of the Gospel so the Turke by his power sits over the Material Temple of God viz. the place of it at Hierusalem there impeding men from imbracing the Messiah preferring Mahomet as one greater then Christ Fourthly in the number of the name 666. Rev. 13.18 For as the numerall Letters either of the Greeke λαÏÎµÎ¹Î½Î¿Ï or of the Hebrew ר××¢× ×ש both sutable names of the Pope who is a Latine and Roman make up exactly 666. λ α Ï Îµ ι ν ο Ï 30 1 300 5 10 50 70 200 ש × × ×¢ × ×¨ 300 6 50 70 40 200 So the numerall Letters of Maomet which written in Greek as R. M. in his A. C. writes it μαομεÏÎ¹Ï doth as saith the said R. M. make up just 666. μ α ο μ ε Ï Î¹ Ï 40 1. 70 40 5 300 10 200 Which number saith the same Author agrees to the time of Maomets rising in the East against Christ and the Roman Empire which was saith he in the sixth Century Fifthly In the nature of their name and the name of their nature mentioned also in this Text of the Thessal For if the Pope be the Sonne of perdition that is actively and passively to wit hee doth monstrously destroy and is at last destroyed So also is the Turk styled Rev. 9.11 both in Greek and Hebrew by the Holy Ghost His name saith John in the Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is A Destroyer just as the word Turca as the said R. M. asserts to be the opinion of the Learned is all one with Apollyon or Abaddon a Destroyer which I say is the style of the Turke Rev. 9.11 For that Chapter cannot bee understood but of the Turke as every verse doth shew to the observing eye I list not to stay the Reader with divers other agreements betweene the Turke the Easterne Antichrist oppressing the Jewes and the Pope the Westerne Antichrist oppressing the Christians They are both effectually Antichrist evacuating Christ as Christ though the Turke doth it more openly and so doth more apparently merit the entire name of Antichrist as it signifies Against Christ For hee expressely advanceth Mahomet as a greater Prophet above Christ and hath made him a new Booke of Scriptures which he calls his Alchoran But the Pope acts it more covertly as some how pretending in some things to be for Christ and so may be called upon an external consideration pro-Christ as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã anti Joh. 1.16 signifies For though indeed
hath been said upon this Text of 2 Thess 2. with obtruding a sense upon it and devolving it upon the ultimate day of judgement as if then were the just time of Christs destroying Antichrist by the brightnesse or appearance of his coming For first this were to overturne the whole tenor of Scripture that tells us distinctly Rev. 17.16 of the means of the overthrow of Antichrist viz. That the ten Hornes or ten powerfull Dominions Regalities or Imperialities shall hate the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall eat her flesh that is devoure or destroy by an Hebraisme imitating the Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and her flesh and not only her spirituall or moral estate and burn her with fire And the manner and measure and effect Rev. 18. Rev. 19. 19 20 21. viz. A milstone cast into the sea the cessation of all musicke mils and trades the extinguishing of all candles are there used as types and signes of his destruction and the wailing of Kings and Merchants for his desolation are used to set forth the sequel thereof And then it is added expressely that the Beasts and the Kings of the earth and their Armies are gathered together to make war against him that sate on the horse and against his Army and the Beast was taken and with him the false Prophet and were cast into a lake of fire c. and the remnant were slaine with the sword c. and all the soules were filled with their flesh All which things shall finde neither time nor place to be acted at the ultimate day of judgement 2 There is a weighty consideration in this Text of 2 Thess 2. to evince that it cannot relate to the ultimate day of judgement For then is the destruction of all the wicked of the world Rev. 22.10 If any of Antichrist precisely understood as the brood of Turk and Pope be then extant they are swallowed up and drowned as to the enumeration among the crowd of Hypocrites who shall then be judged condemned and executed as hypocrites as oft the day of judgement is so described Matth. 7.22 Mat. 25.41 Mat. 24.51 But our Apostle in this 2 Thess 2.8 speaks precisely of the distinct destruction of Antichrist as Antichrist And therefore mentions him and his brood in a singular phrase as a single man In vers 3. he is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The man of sin And in the same verse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The sonne of perdition vers 4. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. That opposer vers 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That same lawlesse one For if I may have leave to speake my notion then in precise consideration wee may thus distinguish That as lapsed Adam with all wicked men consired in him Rom. 5. is called the one and onely first man 1 Cor. 15. And Christ the second Adam with all true Christians reckoned in him Rom. 6. is called the one and onely last man 1 Cor. 15. So Antichrist is one middle person partly a Man and partly a Beast as it is oft in the Revelation in whom all Antichristian men that are neither openly wicked without all shew of Religion nor yet sincerely Christians are to be reckoned as one with him as limbs and Trunck make but one body one Antichrist So that as Antichrist is a distinct thing in precise notion from the dirty open wicked so his destruction is distinct afore the ultimate day of judgement For Rev. 11. 13 15 18. Antichrist is destroyed WHILES Christ hath a Kingdome distinct from the Fathers ultimate Kingdome And WHEN the Nations were angry at Antichrists beginning to fall And Rev. ch 18. and c. 19. he falls afore New Jerusalem is set up in Rev. 21. And in c. 20. it is set forth as the cause of both that Christ reignes at least in and by his Saints on earth a thousand yeers So that the appearance of Christ destroying Antichrist is at the beginning of the thousand yeers For Christ appeares as well at the beginning as the ending of the thousand yeeres At the beginning for two maine ends the one for the conversion of the Jewes Zech. 12. Rev. 1.7 the other for the destruction of Antichrist as we have it in this 2 Thess 2.8 which though it doth not hold forth the last and ultimate generall judgement yet it holds forth a day of judgement yea the beginning and preparation to that day of judgement setting his sheep as Matth. 25. on his right hand first speaking comfortably to them for a thousand yeeres to make them triumph on earth where they have been trampled on and after at the end of that thousand yeeres sets the goats on his left hand condemning them at that time of the ultimate day of judgement SECT V. Of the fifth Scripture for Christs personall appearance at the great Restauration of the Church Matth. 26.29 But I say unto you I will not drinke henceforth of this fruit of the vine untill that day when I drinke it new with you in my Fathers Kingdome § 1 THis Scripture is alleadged by Mr. Burroughs for one place to prove the appearance of Christ personally at the thousand yeeres It is true saith he this place is usually interpreted in a mysticall sense But there is no reason why wee may not take it in a literall And a little afore hee said It is a good rule that all Scriptures are to be understood literally unlesse it make against the coherence of the Text or against some other Scriptures § 2 It may be some may thinke that commonly this place is understood of Christs conversing with the Disciples after his Resurrection But not so commonly for the most renowned Calvin Marlorat Grotius c. are against that § 3 Besides it is not said Luke 24.42 43. that he did drinke with the Disciples after his resurrection eate he did with them to shew the verity of his Humanity now risen but it is not said he dranke as if he needed it either for concoction or to allay some corporall passion of heat § 4 It is true that it is said by Peter Act. 10.41 touching himselfe and the rest of the Apostles We did eate and drinke with him after he rose from the dead which may signifie their more familiar society with him as Luk. 13.26 We have eaten and dranke in thy presence but doth not assert Christs drinking It is said expresly We did eate and drinke not that he did drinke Paul tells us 1 Cor. 15. the body is raised a spirituall body And Christ is the first fruites of them that sleep which signifies that after the resurrection of the body there is no need of drinke though Christ did then eate to shew himselfe to be true man and therefore it is generally conceived that this cup Matth. 26.29 was his * Sumpto poculo renunciat Corporali potioni Theophyl Enâ rat in Matth. 26.29 last parting cup that hee dranke in this present world as never more
by ascention to possesse the Kingdome of glory there to be installed into this on earth That being the originall of this or that being the Emperiality to which this the Tributary or Province Or Heaven being the Metropolis this below the Territories Sure enough expresse it is that he went away into a far Country which can be no other but heaven Christ having never travelled bodily out of his owne Country Secondly that though hee were before his going a Noble-man and had the Regiment or Government over a Royalty he had servants he had the command of imploying them as he listed And had the power of rewarding or punishing as he pleased so that the unprofitable servant that improved not his Talent he cast into utter darknesse where was weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 25.30 All which in that Matth. 25.14 c. is called the Kingdome of Heaven that is the Kingdome of Grace as appears in the former Parable of the Virgins the same in sence v. 1. c. Yet thirdly it is said this Noble-man went into a far Country to receive for himselfe another Kingdome and to returne vers 12. where as his receiving the Kingdome is put before his returning So on the other side it is said He returned receiving a Kingdome vers 15. * Gr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which Arias renders in redire ipsum accipientem regâum where his returning is put before his receiving the Kingdome so that both Kingdomes must be here meant viz. Christ receiving the Kingdome of glory afore his returne and his Kingdome of visible power of reigning on earth after his returne For meerly his Kingdome of glory in Heaven cannot be here understood because touching his reigning there it was in vaine unpossible and altogether unlikely for his enemies to send an ambassage after him saying They would not have him to reigne over them And meerly his Kingdome of grace cannot bee here understood because that is otherwise expressed under the comparison of Talents compare Matth 25. And moreover it is here distinctly set downe that he is to goe into a far Country and then actually to receive another Kingdome partly before he returned and partly after he returned even as there is a diversity of actions In that Kingdome of Grace there is mentioned onely the neglect of improving the Talents but in this Kingdome of visible power received after his returne there is an high affront offered they send a message that they would not have him to reigne Again there is diversity of names The former are called Servants The latter are called Enemies Adde that there is a different dispensation of justice The unprofitable servant is put into a darke prison but the enemies must bee slaine AFORE HIM Therefore of necessity here must be hinted the Kingdome of Christs visible power That was it the Jewes expected yea and the best of them viz. the Disciples as we have heard afore and therefore to that Christ here speaks And for that Christ did not set up this at his coming in the flesh delivering them from the Romans therefore his Citizens his enemies hated him and sent a message after him They hated him as in relation of having him to be their visible King or King of visible Dominion when they cryed at his arraignment They had no King but Caesar And they sent an embassage after him when after his death in opposition to that kingly-hood they were angry with Pilate for writing in the Title set over him in Hebrew Greek and Latine THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWES § 5 There are also severall other passages in this Parable for Christs visible appearance and setting up his visible Kingdome of power on earth yet before the ultimate day of judgement As first His giving to the improvers of their Talents to one the rule over ten Cities to another the rule over five Cities And the Talent of him that had improved nothing to him that had improved much all which compared with the preface of the Parable touching the appearing of the Kingdome cannot in any thing well relate to the state of meer supernall eternall glory in the highest Heavens 2 His causing his enemies to bee slaine afore his face suits not to Christs meer Kingdome of grace whose Dominion precisely considered is in the power of the Gospel Nor doth it comport and comply with the ultimate day of judgement when instead of slaying enemies there is a making them alive And instead of punishing them before Christs face there is a sending them away from the presence of the Lord into eternal judgement But these extremely well agree with Christs appearing to set up his visible Kingdome of power For then Christ shall destroy his Antichristian Jewish and Gentilish and mixt Turkish enemies with the brightnesse of his appearance as hath been opened upon 2 Thess 2. in Sect 4. of this second Book And shall slay them corporally Revelat. 19. latter end § 6 Indeed the whole Parable appears to them that can leave the commonr ode of Tradition and wishly minde and ingeniously weigh the passages and preface thereof to aime at Christs next coming to set up such a Kingdome as shall not onely perfect the spirituall deliverance of the Gentiles but also to performe the temporall deliverance of the Jewes from their dispersion and corporall miseries For the naturall current of the Parable runnes thus Christ being neer Hierusalem the Jewes thought the Kingdome of God would immediately appeare Doubtlesse it was far from their thoughts in the captive condition they were now in to expect the appearance of the Kingdome of glory in Heaven For the hundreds of promises of their deliverance from the corporall captivity were not fulfilled And for the Kingdome of grace these men little minded And the better sort viz. the Disciples and Beleevers had seen it appeare already therefore it is the other Kingdome of Christ viz. that of his visible power and rule to deliver them from their corporall enemies that they supposed would immediately appeare Now to this saith Christ It will not immediatly appeare but I must saith he first goe into a farre Country viz. into Heaven and there be instated and Crowned King and after that come againe and actually and visibly reigne the meane while you to whom I have given Talents that is have endowed with gifts must imploy them and at my return as a signe of my visible actuall power I will take account of you and cause mine enemies that oppose my visible reigning to bee slaine afore me § 7 Now at the ultimate day of Judgement Christ receives no Kingdome but resignes all his Kingdome Power and Dominion 1. Cor. 15.28 CHAP. III. Of five places out of the Old Testament to prove the visible appearance of Christ to the Church on earth at the time of her restauration SECT I. The first place is out of Dan. 7.11 to end of the Chapter § 1 THis place we put first because it doth give much light
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
seats were put And so the last and best Low-Dutch Stoclen gesetteâ werden So that by all it appears that this was a vision of material Thrones and of them set up set or setled for Divine power to sit upon which is exceedingly confirmâd by verse 10. and 26. where wee have the sitting of the Judgement or Judicature and the Ancient of dayes did sit and I saw and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neer before him And there was given him dominion and glory and a KINGDOM c. And the Kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven was given to the Saints of the most High c. Let us for the advantage of the generall worke in hand and the particular point now under consideration weigh these two places together in the semblance of both Visions in the circumstances of both and in the samenesse of intents in both ¶ 1 In the semblance or likenesse of both Visions in sundry particulars 1 Semblance I beheld till the Thrones were set And why Thrones in the plurall And for whom These many Thrones were set in the Vision ONE for the Ancient of dayes whose Throne was like a siery flame v. 9. ANOTHER for the SONNE OF MAN who came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neer before him and there was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome and all people Nations and Languages to serve him v. 13 14. THE REST for the TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSANDS THAT STOOD BEFORE HIM verse 10. viz. The PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS to whom the Kingdome and dominion c. under the whole heaven was given under Christ the aforesaid Son of Man vers 27. So Rev. 20.4 I saw Thrones The Second semblance is that in Dan. 7. v. 10. where it followes The Judgement or Judicature was set which confirmes that our reading of the former verse That is the Judges sate as in the great Sanedrim as after in vers 26. and 27. The judgement sitting the Kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven is given to the people of the Saints of the most high In like manner in Rev. 20.4 it is said by John I saw saith he those that sate on the Thrones viz. those that had been beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and those which had not worshipped the beast c. nor received his marke c. Third semblance is in Dan. 7.22 Iudgement was given to the Saints of the most High and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdome In like manner Rev. 20.4 it is said Judgement was given to them viz. to the Saints aforesaid that having opposed Antichrist sate upon the Thrones As Paul saith 1 Cor. 6.2 The Saints shall judge the world Fourth semblance in Dan. 7.22 it is said The Saints possessed the Kingdome viz. under Christ to whom it is first in order given vers 14. which cannot be at the ultimate day of judgement when hee resignes all and therefore the Saints then have no Kingdome subject to them Just so it is said Rev. 20.4 The Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers which must be before the ultimate day of Judgement at which time Iohn saith Time shall be no more and Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. there is no more reigning by any but by God alone that then must be all in all Thus of the Semblance ¶ 2 The next thing is the Circumstances viz. 1 The signall or note when this shall be namely when the Sonne of man shall come in or with the clouds Dan. 7.13 In like manner the signall or note is in the Rev. Chap. 1.7 where it is said as the general proposition to the whole Prophesie Christ shall be seen in the clouds at his coming to set up this Kingdome which is explained according to our sense Rev. 20. v. 1. That Christ comes down from heaven when he restraines Satan and gives this honour to the Saints of reigning with him 2 The time it self The time is saith Dan. 7.25 after a time and times and halfe a time of the powerful prevayling of Antichrist whether ye understand one limb viz. the Iewish Eastern the Turk called vers 24. that same ANOTHER that ariseth and subdueth three of the ten Kings or both viz. the Western the Christians Antichrist also viz. the Pope expressed in the ten hornes or Kings of his Kingdome v. 24. it makes no matter if we minde our large discourse afore of the identity of both And sutably in the Revelation 11. it is said that after the witnesses have Prophesied in sackcloath one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes because the Woman the Church was persecuted by Antichrist Rev. 12.6 for the space of one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes which in vers 24. is called A time and times and halfe a time because Antichrist had power so long to prevaile viz. two and forty months Rev. 13.5 which is all one with the one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes or time and times and halfe a time as here meant in the Revelation I say after this time and times and halfe a time it is here said in that Rev. 11.15 That the KINGDOMES of this WORLD were become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ and of the Saints sharing in this Reigning vers 18. The third circumstance is the order of things in this time viz. That in Dan. 7. v. 3. c. to v. 9. There must be foure Beasts come up from the Sea 1 A Lyon 2 A Bear 3 A Leopard 4 A terrible one with iron teeth and ten hornes and out of the ten one little horne that brake off three of the ten The foure Beasts saith Dan. v. 17. are the foure Kings or Kingly-hoods Royalties Emperialties or Monarchies of the world vers 23. as by severall characters they are described in that Chapter The ten hornes of the fourth Beast are saith Dan. v. 24. ten Kings that is ten Kingdomes under him All these foure Beasts fall as the maine of the first by the second and of the second by the third so the maine of the third and the remainder of all the three former by the fourth Dan. 7.19.23 The meaning is that as the first the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchy whereof Nebuchadnezzar was the Golden-head in Daniels time Dan. 2. was broken by the second the silver Medo-Persian so this second by the third the brazen Grecian and this Grecian and the remainders of all the other were utterly subdued by the fourth the iron Roman Monarchy From this Roman at the time when it was something weakned by a dividing of it selfe now the third time which was about An. Chr. 799. into the Easterne and Westerne Empire Constantinople being the Royall Seat of Metropolis of that and Rome of this the little horne that sprang out of the ten and became diverse from the rest
did put to death Christ and persecute the Apostles the Apostles thereupon convert the second Psalme with a part of the eighth Psalme for I suppose there is recorded but the summe into a prayer and doe turne the bent of that their prayer both upon Jews and Gentiles They lift up their voyce to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is c. as it is Ps 8. who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Psal 2. v. 1. c. why did the HEATHEN rage and the PEOPLE imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy childe Jesus both HEROD and PONTIUS PILATE with the GENTILES and people of ISRAEL were gathered together for to do c. And now Lord behold their threatnings c. Both which Psalmes are prophetical of our point The eighth Psalme we opened afore and now we shall the second out of both which Psalmes though Luke records the story but briefly onely giving a touch upon the beginning of both the Apostles no doubt urged in their prayer whatsoever was in them pertinent to their desire of the advancing Christ there being farre apter pertinences to that in the sequel of those Psalmes then in the beginnings The summe of their desire is that God according to his promise in Psal 2. Psal 8. would set up the power and glory of Christ unto a predominancy over Jews and Gentiles notwithstanding all their fierce opposition at present And for a testimony that God did allow their application of those Psalms as right and did accept of their prayer grounded thereon hee fils them with the Spirit and shakes the place where they prayed Now this second Psalme is not yet fulfilled not the Apostles prayer upon it fully answered It is true that about forty yeers after Christs death came to passe that great destruction upon the Jewes their Temple City and Country too prophesied by Christ Matth. 24.1 c. And within fewer yeers Herod came to a miserable untimely end Act. 12. as also did Pilate and after him successively two and thirty Roman Emperours as the Ecclesiastical story shews us * M. Fox in his Martyr And about three hundred yeers after the incarnation of Christ Constantine the Great and many of his souldiers being converted unto Christianisme overthrew in battel his Antichristian Colleagues and their Armies that opposed it But Prophesies and Prayers as streams run on in a current still growing greater and greater in accomplishment till they rest in the maine Ocean the fulfilling of the full design of God according to the entire Plat-form God drew forth in the expresse termes of his Promises This Psalm therefore according to that rule was not fully accomplished when the Apostles turned it into a Prayer notwithstanding all the great things that Christ and his Apostles did towards the convincing of Jewes and Romans and converting many For what needed the Apostles to pray for a further fulfilling of that second Psalme if then it had been fulfilled No nor is that Psalme in any full measure fulfilled to this day the Heathen unregenerate Gentiles and the obstinate Jewish people are of the same temper still and tamper the same oppositions against Christ And God hath not hitherto so spoken to them in his wrath and vext them in his sore displeasure as to make them know that he hath set HIS KING upon his holy hill of Sion nor hath he given unto Christ the HEATHEN for his inheritance and the UTMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH for his possession to breake them that are incorrigible with a rod of Iron and to dash them in peeces like a Potters vessell to the making of the Kings and Judges of the earth wise to serve the Lord in feare c. Most Kingdomes are yet meere Heathens and the most of Kingdomes named Christians are Hereticall or disobedient unto Christ and Sion it selfe where Christ will mainly manifest his Kinglinesse is under the Turkish Mahometan Blasphemers as it was under the bloudy Heathen Romans all the time of Christ and his Apostles and the Jewes that are a maine part of his Kingdom are to this day unconverted There must yet come a time when Christs anger must be but kindled and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but as a little and yet then must ALL they be happy that trust in Christ Marke accurately There must be a time when Christs anger must be but kindled in comparison of the last Judgement and but as a little time * So the Hebr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is oft applied to time is for degree âis in kindle in respect of the speedy event of making All them that trust in Christ to be happy Now if you apply this to the time past since the Apostles made their prayer upon this Psalme it is neare one thousand six hundred and twenty years which you cannot call a little time much lesse can you call it a little time from Davids penning of it to this time And if you look forward to the ultimate Iudgement then Christs anger is not only kindled but it is totally on a flame and for ever the fire never goes out So that the fulfilling of this Psalme must be in a time between our present Age and the last Iudgement It must be at a time when Christs anger hath but a little time to be kindled and anon the Trusters in Christ to be blessed which must be when the generation or succession of the wicked opposers of Christ are perished who perishing are not said to be at their journies end at the ultimate end of the world but in the way in some notable way or race they ran in their Generation in opposing Christ as Revel 19. the three last verses These wicked ones must perish and the trusters in Christ be blessed at some notable time of eminent manifestation of Christ as he is Christ and King of Sion which must be before his laying downe of his Mediatorship and power at the end of all I say at some notable time of eminent manifestation of Christ For this phrase in this Psalme THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE is alwayes applied to such eminent manifestations of Christ the latter still being greater then the former As first in this second Psalme at the declaring the decree and proclaiming Christ to be King conversively of his Church and coercively over all the world of enemies Secondly at Christs resurrection Acts 13.23 and 33. Thirdly in relation to Christs appearance ere long to all the world to set up his visible Kingdome on earth of which we speake 2 ¶ For saith the Apostle Hebr. 1.5 6. unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my SONNE THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE And againe I will be to him a Father
the whole of Christs passion as it is plaine First by the Title which is of the Canonical Hebrew Text. A Psalme * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã concerning A jieleth Shahar that is the hind of the morning Christ being shut in the grave escaped away in the morning rising from death Secondly by the application of severall passages to Christs passion by the Evangelist Matth. 27. As that of the DESERTION My God My God why hast thou forsaken me v. 1. That of DERISION ' He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him v. 8. That of PIERCING They pierced my hands and my feet v. 16. That of division of his garments They parted my garments among them and upon my vesture cast lots v. 18. Now this Psalme touching Christ though in the first Scene sets forth Christs humiliation yet in the second holds forth his exaltation vers 22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren which the Apostle applies Heb. 2.9 10 11 12. to Christs manifestation of his samenesse of nature with the sonnes of men even as in that nature he tasted death for every man and at last would declare that salvation to all the world which clearly tends to our point And v. 27 28 29. we have the effect of his declaring Gods name to the world viz. ALL THE ENDS OF THE WORLD shall remember and turne unto the Lord and ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE Nations or GENTILES * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall worship before him For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the Governour among the Nations or GENTILES All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship In all which we see the effect effectuall conversion The Generality and Universality in many ALL 's The time in generall viz. It is to be after Christs suffering upon the crosse The characters eat and worship which cannot be understood of the highest heavens And it hath not been fulfilled on earth according to that effect universality and character from Christs passion to this day Therefore it is yet to be fulfilled on earth 5 ¶ According to Psalme 86.9 ALL NATIONS whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and glorifie thy name A place mightily considerable So that so great a promise and prophesie as this by so great a Prophet as this with such a shrill emphasis in the ALL and in the Act worship and in the degree of the effect to glorifie his name must not bee ended with flams of humane glosses but must be really and truly and fully accomplished though as yet it was never compleatly fulfilled as it will be too late to think of those things at the ultimate judgement when Christ comes not for conversion but destruction Therefore yet before that finall Day of Doome this ALL must bee brought to ALL THAT of Worshipping and Glorifying Gods Name 6 ¶ Just as we have it in that little Psalme the 117. but greatly Prophetical Praise yee the Lord ALL NATIONS praise him ALL YEE PEOPLES * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã How shall all these do this unlesse Christ convert all them but those refractory ones whom he confounds Surely therfore this is a Prophesie that God will in time before the ultimate day of judgement convert generally all Nations as Paul extends it Rom. 11.10 11 c. to the coming in of the fulnesse of Jewes and Gentiles rejoycing together as one Church Therefore according to Paul David had a most comprehensive and extensive sense when he spake these things and therefore shall be fulfilled according to its true latitude and elevation without the mincing distinctions of mens braine For a seale of assurance whereof the close of the Psalme hath three weighty clauses First That the MERCIFULL KINDNESSE of Jehovah to the sonnes of men is great Secondly The TRUTH of the same Jehovah is for ever 3 That by faith and hope in that mercy and truth to see these things fulfilled we should PRAISE that JEHOVAH with Hallelujah which is the word of praise all along the Revelation § 2 Having done with the first head contained in the Psalmes touching the universal power Christ shall have over the whole world afore the last judgement though most yet rebell against him Next wee come to the second head viz. The just time when Christ shall attaine this 1 ¶ That place Psal 97.7 Worship him all yee gods the Apostle tells us Heb. 1.6 shall be fulfilled When God shall bring again his Son Christ into the world which place though our Translators render it And again when he bringeth c. as if it were meerly a new proof of Christs superiority above Angels is most truly rendred according to our reading afore set downe againe and againe with reasons to justifie it so that in words and sense it is an Antithesis and Auxesis to the fifth verse thus He saith not to any Angel thou art my Sonne this day I have begotten theee but instead thereof he speakes a thing that doth much lessen the dignity of Angels and more dignifie Christ above them Let all the Angels of God worship him so that the first And must be turned into But proper to the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as there placed and that same Againe is not to signifie another proofe of Christs superiority above Angels but to signifie the time when that of ALL the Elohim Angels and Potentates whether of the Spirits in Heaven or men on earth both Angels and Elohim signifying both worshipping of Christ shall be fulfilled For this hath not yet beene fulfilled as to the ALL of the Magnificents and Great-ones of the earth who contrariwise for the generall have despised if not opposed Christ even as it will bee too late and an unseasonable time for them to do it at the ultimate judgement when no adoration or worship is then received from Christs enemies but sentence is given by him upon and against them The time therefore when this shall bee fulfilled is saith the Apostle in this first to Heb. penned after Christs ascension When God shall bring his first-begotten Sonne AGAINE into the INHABITED WORLD When he brought him into the world the first time by incarnation ALL the Potentates and Angels of men The Scribes and Pharisees Herod and Pontius Pilate the Roman Emperours and Senate of Rome did not worship him but refused him and persecuted him and his members most bloodily for neer three hundred yeers after whom the Arians and next to them the Papacy took their turnes to maintaine that stream of blood running downe to our times But when he shall bring his first-begotten Sonne againe into the world in his visible royal exaltation then they all shall worship him I say as the Text sayes ALL but they that are ruined for their refractorinesse The phrase When he bringeth againe if the Greek word were not of a future sense imports a future thing as the Hebrew imperative Psal 97.7 Worship ye
him all ye gods and the Greek imperative Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him in sense is future that is They all shal worship him as the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Hebrew copy expressely renders it in the future * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã they shall adore or worship him As the Angels of heaven do and ever have done and shall more eminently when they shall be more apparently his Ministers and servants to dispense his mercy and justice in that sudden great work sudden in regard of the greatnesse of setting up New Jerusalem the great restitution of all things so the Kings Princes Emperours Potentates Powers and Angels of Churches SHALL WORSHIP HIM They shall they must doe it afore Christ layes downe his power at the ultimate day of judgement 1 Cor. 15.28 and afore they be condemned men when nothing wil be accepted from them They must do it as a sign they are brought into Christ as the intent of this Epistle is to win the Jews to him 2. ¶ To this of the time of Christs universall visible power over the whole world the one hundred and tenth Psalme sings excellent harmony a Psalme so eminent that it is quoted no lesse then seven times in the New Testament and so apt for our purpose that as the two and twentieth Psalm is of the Passion of Chirst so expounded Mat. 27. The sixteenth Psalme of Christs Resurrection so expounded Act. 2. the sixty eighth Psalme of Christs Ascention so expounded Eph. 4. So this 110 Psalme is of Christs Assession or sitting at the right hand of God till all the world be made subject to him Every verse of it almost hath something in it of this as the Chalde Syriack Arab. Rabb well expound * The Chalde on those words The Lord said to my Lord saith the Lord said to HIS WORD which is the stile of Christ in S. Job phrase but some Syâiack thus It is a Psalme concerning Christ and his victory over the Devil who rules in the children of disobedience and gathers the Nations together to oppose Christs Kingdome And upon those words v. 2. Rod of thy strength âoth say An iron rod to break the enemies of the Gospel Moses with the rod of God being a type of the Mesria Some Arab. thus In the day of thy power in the beuaties of holinesse That is Thou Christ art King of thy holy and beautifull Church and of thy Princedome over the Saints shall be no end that is as Daniels phrase is oft After Christ no Monarch on earth shall succeed Christ in that respect also is Alpha and Omega the first Monarch spirituall and the last visible And upon those words Womb of the morning thus Thou wast before the wâmb of thy mother which can be said of no Propher but Christ of whom it is said âs 72. Thy Name is before the Sun R. Isaak Arama in Gen. 47 apud Nebiens dicit Before the morning star that is he was begotten before he shone in the world in the Gospel Suirably other Rabbins Ex Ab. Ezra in Ps 110 Rabbo expoâunt de Melchisedech Abraham sed dumum est Sion de Abraham explicare And upon those words The Lord hath sworn Iuravit Deus cum Davide semine suo Ex. R. Osâad in Psa 110. De Christo Sedeas quia non adhue est tempus revelationis tuae And upon the word Priest Messias fililus Ioseph qui erat occisus Now we know the Apostles quotes this Psalme oft after Christs ascention ver 1. The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole c. By the LORD is meant JEHOVAH as it is expresse in the Hebrew By my Lord ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is meant Christ who according to his humanity is Davids Sonne but according to Deity is Davids Lord as Christ himselfe expounds it Matth. 22.44 Mar. 12.36 Luke 20.41 Accordingly the Chalde calls Christ by the same title John doth Chap. 1. v. 1. In the beginning saith John was the WORD And saith the Chalde on this Psalme The Lord said to his WORD And because Christ is Davids Lord therefore tho Psalmist David himselfe infers that he must rule over Davids poesterity though now for present with many others they be enemies Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole Which phrase cannot with any congruity be meerly spiritually understood For how can we say Converts are enemies or if by conversion his friends how can it be said they are his footstool Christ is upon other termes with men when once made beleevers as that they are one with him Ioh. 15. Ioh. 17. Therefore the plain meaning is that Christ must so rule over all that his very enemies must corporally and visibly be subject unto his power And this is prophesied and promised for future after his ascention and after his first sitting at the right hand of God But to this day now after 1600 yeers since that time Christ hath not ruled over the generality of the Iews either the ten Tribes or two Tribes either corporally or spiritually besides Indians Turks c. so as to bring them into any outward acknowledgement of him And therefore as yet All his enemies are not made his footstool but it remaines to be done before the full and finall destruction at the ultimate day of judgement 3 ¶ Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool is like that Act. 3.21 whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of the RESTITUTION he saith not DESTITUTION of all things And that Rev. 19. last Rev. 20.1 He shall slay his incurable Antichristian enemies and shall descend from Heaven 4 ¶ The Apostle doth yet much more give us light in this thing Heb. 2.8 9. In putting all things in subjection under him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he left nothing that is not put under him Now saith the Apostle We see not yet all things put under him though the Apostle there confesseth that Christ was already ascended So that Christ must sit in Heaven till his enemies be put in subjection under him which cannot be at the ultimate generall judgement For before that Christ at his next coming must receive a Kingdome Luke 19.11 c. which hath been largely cleared afore 2 Book Sect. 10. hee must in order of nature at his next appearance first have a Kingdome and then judge 2 Tim. 4.1 which also hath been abundantly opened afore 2 Book Sect. 6. For upon the ultimate day of judgement he layes downe all his authority 1 Cor. 15.28 5 ¶ The Apostle addes further light to this in his quotation of this of the 110. Psal in Act. 2.32 33 34 35 36. This Iesus hath God saith the Apostle Peter raised up c therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this as
Antichristian enemies in the day of his Army raised up to that end and whether we understand it specially of the Jewes by speciall emphasis his people first chosen to be a Church and after of his blood kindred or generally of all sorts of Nations when saw we or our forefathers since the Incarnation that day of power wherein the generality of either sort in either of the said senses were a willing people But on the contrary in all ages ten for one are obstinate against Christ and more especially the Jewes And therefore that God may be true this must bee fulfilled before that ultimate day of judgement which doth not mend but end the incurable enemies of Christ Verse 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech The Apostle hence infers Heb. 7. the exceeding eminency of Christs Priesthood above that of Aaron First In that Christ was made so by an oath not so the order of Aaron which obligation by the oath of God the Apostle Heb. 6. urgeth upon the Jewes as a great ground of faith and that they should not doubt as he will not repent Secondly In that as Melchisedech so Christ must be above the order of Aaron a Kingly Priest a most righteous and peace-bringing King and that at Salem Now seeing Christ by the oath of God was made King of Salem the contract of Jerusalem we must expect that infallibly to be fulfilled according to Psal 2. and v. 2. of this 110 Psal Hee hath indeed been at Salem alias Jerusalem and there acted in his offering up himselfe visibly as well as spiritually the Priest-hood But he hath not since the Apostles writing of that Epistle acted any visibility of his Royalty or Kingly-hood there which is cleer by that in Verse 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath So that when this Psalme is fulfilled to exalt Christ according to the tenor thereof then the Kings of the earth that submit not to Christ must be stricken through by the wrath of God But since Christs Incarnation generally all the Kings of the earth of all men have been least subdued to Christ their Nobles siding with them and have acted most opposition against him drawing all their peoples into confederacy with them But saith this Psalme there must be a day of Gods wrath wherein he wil strike through Kings that stand out against his Sonne And this stroke must be a corporall stroke as it follows Verse 6. He shall judge among the Heathen and fill the places with dead bodies He shall wound the HEAD * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for it is in the Heb. in the singular number and therefore ill rendred in our English Bibles plurally Heads over many Countries The words are plaine for a bringing in of Jewes and Gentiles into a submission unto Christ or they must be slaine on heaps Now hitherto the generality of Jewes and Gentiles both Kings and peoples doe not yet submit to Christ nor are they strucken through or slain in heaps And at the ultimate day of doome the judgement is by fire not by sword and unto eternall death not temporall And therefore this yet to come before that day In fulfilling whereof the Lord shall wound that same HEAD over many Countries that is as Dr. Alsteds and Mr. Ainsworths opinion pleaseth me wel he shal wound the head of Antichrist that pretends to be Head over many Countries or if we say the wicked Rulers of the world who unite under an Antichristian head it comes to one effect This head the Lord must wound or to render it nearer the Hebrew * ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã transfixit sic Arias Pagn pierce through So that the Lord will not onely wound a part of the Head-ship as if it should bee healed againe as Rev. 13. But he will utterly destroy as Jael did Sisera when shee pierced his head through Judg. 4. the last and greatest headship of that head as in Rev. 19. three last verses And then Verse 7. Christ shall lift up his head That is his power shall bee visibly exalted above his Capital enemy as visibly as his enemies were exalted against him Thus of two of the Heads touching Christs Kingdome yet to come deduced out of the Psalmes Viz. 1 The Universality of Christs power 2 The time when to be fulfilled 3 Now follows viz. The Sabbatisme the Saints shall then enjoy § 3 For this third Head out of the Psalmes viz. the Sabbatisme which the Saints shall enjoy in the time of Christs future visible Kingdom on earth we have in the 95. Psal from vers the seventh to the end v. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice v. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse v. 9. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works 10. Forty yeers long was I grieved with this generation and said it is a people that doe erre in their heart and they have not knowne my wales 11. Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest 1 ¶ This Psalme was penned more immediately for the Jews as it was penned by the Psalmist a Jew and is first urged upon them by Paul a Jew Heb. 3.7 c. to the end of the Chapter by way of exhortation to heare Christs voice whereby they may not miscarry as their forefathers did in the wildernesse and so misse of entring into Gods rest Secondly propounded by the same Jewish Apostle to the said Jewes now scattered Heb. 4. v. 1. c. to v. 12. by way of consolation that in these words is a cleer intimation and concession that some of the Jewes though they in the wildernesse did not shall enter into Christs rest which the Apostle collects by a strong consequence thus The severall premises of the argument from that 95 Psalme he layes downe in the 5 6 7 and 8 verses viz. 1. For God saith IF THEY shall enter into my rest Seeing therefore it remaineth that SOME must enter therein and THEY to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbeleef He limiteth a CERTAINE day saying so LONG A TIME as it is said to day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts that is long after the Israelites were entered into Canaan under the conduct of Joshua the Psalmist in his time saith to day if ye will heare his voyce c. For if Jesus that is Josuah being so written in Greek viz. Jesus and Jesus and Josuah are of the same signification had given them rest he would not afterward have spoken of another day These two premises being laid downe the Apostle inferres a generall conclusion serving to both v. 9. viz. There remaineth therefore even to the Apostles time and by equall reason downe to this time a rest to the people of God Observe
Christ but anon Arianisme arose then Papisme mounted up then the Beast did arise The Church is put into a Wildernesse-condition the witnesses prophesie in sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares which are not yet expired for they have not yet laine dead in the Grave three dayes and an halfe 5 ¶ Nor is that in the 18 19 20. verses yet fulfilled That all Idols are abolished that God hath so shaken the earth that he hath made the inhabitants thereof to cast away all their Idols and to hide themselves for feare The Territories of the Papacie extending over France Spaine Italy part of the Low Countries part of upper Germany part of Polonia part of the Indies c. are full of Idols and doe openly worship them as they say in the sight of the Sunne The great shake of these is not till the Witnesses have laine dead in the Grave three dayes and an halfe Revel 11. and then is the great fall ibid. ver 11. and when those things are shaken downe then the things that cannot be shaken viz. pure worship purely Spirituall and pure Saints shall remaine unmoved Heb. 12.27 § 6 Nor can it be rationally imagined that these things shall not be done till the ultimate day of the generall Judgement for then there is no time of establishing of the mountaine of the Lords house upon the top of the mountaine no proceeding of the word out of Zion no running and hiding from the presence of the Lord for the Sea and Grave c. shall give up their dead And all good shall be turned into an eternity of absolute glory Therefore the time of fulfilling of the Prophesies and Promises of this second of Isaiah is yet to come afore the ultimate day of the last generall Judgement * The Diatribae pars 4. of Mr. Mede lately coming forth and come to my hands since I penned this eleventh Section I thought it convenient to insert into the Margine at least his judgement of this second of Isaiah ver 2 3 4. which I will give you in his owne words HILS or MOUNTAINES saith he are States Kingdomes or Societies of men which consisting of degrees rising unto an height one above another are compared unto Mountaines raised above the ordinary plaine and levell of the earth The MOUNTAINE OF THE LORDS HOUSE is that State and Society of men which is called the Church and People of God REGNUM CAELORUM the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. a Kingdome whose both King and Kings Throne have their place and residence in the Heavens These words therefore are a Prophesie or Propheticall promise of the GLORIOUS EXALTATION WONDERFULL ENLARGMENT and UNHEARD-OF-PROSPERITY of this Society of men called the CHURCH above all States and Societies of men whatsoever The glory and EXALTATION is expressed in the word THE MOUNTAINE OF THE LORDS HOUSE SHAL BE ONE DAY EXALTED yee mounted not only above the lesser hill but above the highest mountaine though at this time it were depressed and trampled under foot by the proud enemies thereof The ENLARGMENT is in the word ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW INTO IT i. e. though at the time of this Prophesie it were reduced to a small remnant yet the time was to come when it should not only consist of one Nation of the Jewes as then it did but of all Nations under the whole Heaven The PROSPERITY thereof begins to be described from these words ver 4. THEY SHAL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOW-SHARES c. i. e though the greatest part of JACOB were already captive and Judah and Jerusalem in a continuall feare and no lesse danger of the Armies and invasion of the King of Babel yet the time should one day come that the People or Church of God should not only be the most exalted state upon the earth and the most ample and universall Dominion that ever was in the world but the most peaceable quiet and flourishing State that ever was since man was FIRST CREATED This is the Prophesie But now comes the Question Whether this as we have described it be and hath already been fulfilled or whether if already any wayes fulfilled whether it be not in part only performed and the full accomplishment reserved for time to come c. For here the Church is to be established on the tops of Mountaines c. so that no other State shal over-top or over-looke it much lesse trample it under feet Now whether there was ever such a time when this was compleatly fulfilled c. I leave it to any mans indifferent judgement who can compare the description of the Prophet with the stories of fore past and present times In the times immediatly after Christs PASSION I think any man will grant the Church then was neither VISIBLE nor GLORIOUS In the time of the PERSECUTING EMPEROURS when the Church had taken foot among the Gentiles and the Nations began to flow unto it it was a Society indeed VISIBLE but not GLORIOUS I am sure it was not in the TOPS of the MOUNTAINES but the Imperial Mountaine of ROME not only over-topped it but over trampled it under their feet In the time of CONSTANTINE and thereabouts after three hundred yeares cruell persecution the Sunne seemed as it were to breake forth of a Cloud but presently that glory was eclipsed and even the visibility of the Church in a manner covered with the thick and a Universally overspreading cloud of ARYANISME This ARIAN cloud was no sooner blown over but another great cloud of that fore-prophesied APOSTASIE of the Church begun to arise whereby the Churches glory was not onely eclipsed but at length againe the visibility thereof wholly overshaddowed with the thick darknesse of Idolatrous ANTICHRISTIANISME untill after a long day of darknesse it pleased God of late somewhat to dispel the cloud c. and we hope when the cloud shall be wholly consumed by the beams of the Sun of the Gospel the Church shall become not more visible then yet it is but far more glorious then ever hitherto it hath been WHEN THE FULNESSE OF THE GENTILES as St. Paul speaks SHALL COME IN. For we shall finde in the Prophesies of the Scriptures that there are two sorts and times of the CALLING OF THE GENTILES First that which should be in the REJECTION OF THE IEWS as St. Paul saith to PROVOKE THEM TO IEALOUSIE Such a calling as should be in a manner occasionall that God might not want a Church the time the Iewes were to be cast out So Rom. 11.15 The CASTING AWAY OF THE IEWS is the RECONCILING OF THE WORLD i.e. The CALLING OF THE GENTILES Whence we may see that the Apostles were not to preach Christ to the Gentiles untill being first offered to the Iewes they refused him And this is that calling of the Gentiles which hitherto hath been many yeares But there is a second and more glorious calling of the Gentiles to be found in the Prophesies of Scripture not a calling as this is
in the channell of the Heathen Roman Empire for three hundred yeares anon the black streame of Arian Heresie and Persecution by it after that Popish and Turkish Persecutions with successive Monsters of Massacres Bonfires Inquisitions Suspensions Imprisonments and deadly feudes and enmities of the vast generality against the handfull of Saints throughout all Nations So that the small gleaning sprinklings or first-fruits that were reconciled to God and to one another upon Christs first coming are drowned as iâ were in the Ocean and sea of enmity that from thence forward untill now remaines with great animosity And therefore we beleeve another sence of these words viz. That at Christs next appearance there shal be a generall peace between men and between the Creatures and between both as it followes in the next Argument For it followes in the ninth verse They shall not HURT Arg. 3 NOR DESTROY observe the words nor destroy nor so much as hurt in all my HOLY MOVNTAINE observe that also And lastly observe the confirmation of all viz. That the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Now though there was an increase of knowledge at Christs first coming as a fountaine and spring streame which the further it ran the larger it was sutable to Ezekiels Prophesie of the waters that arose from under the Sanctuary the Gospel of Christ began in Zion and so grew deeper and deeper yet from that time untill now the knowledge of the Lord hath not increased to a sea to cover all the earth so as to drowne all iniquity or opposition against Christ or Christians so as to work men unto that peace that there shall be neither destroying nor hurting in all the holy mountaine Sure enough it appeares by the sacred Story in the Gospel Acts and the Revelation and by experience both leading us downe from Christs Incarnation to these times that at least three parts of foure of the whole world hath not been filled with the knowledge of the Lord but have made opposition against it hurting and destroying and that too in the holy Mountaine whether we take it strictly for Zion or largely for the Church wheresoever seated Christ was condemned and Crucified and the Disciples persecuted unto a scattering at Hierusalem Jerusalem both City and Temple are laid wast by the Roman Emperours the Ten bloudy Persecutions by the Heathen Romans are continued for three hundred yeares the Arian Persecution followes that the Papall Persecution followes that the Turkish overtakes that and both continue to this day the Jewes joyning with them in opposition against the truth of Christ both at Jerusalem and where ever the Church is Beside that vast part of the world in the East and West Indies yet know not the Lord. Further it followes in the tenth verse Arg. 4 And in that day there shal be a root of Jesse which shal stand for an ensigne of the peoples so the Hebr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To it shal the GENTILES seek and his REST shall be glorious In which words the Prophet mainly lookes at the great call of the Gentiles as the Apostles the best Expositors have since to that purpose alledged them Rom. 15.8 9 10 11 12. Now I say that Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the Promises made unto the Fathers and that the GENTILES might glorifie God for this mercy as it is written For this cause I will confesse thee among the Gentiles quoted out of Psal 18.49 And againe he saith Rejoyce yee GENTILES with his people quoted out of Psal 117.1 And againe Isaiah saith viz. in the eleventh of Isa ver 10. There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reigne over the GENTILES in him shall the Gentiles trust c. Now as there were few of the Gentiles that were brought into the faith when the Apostle quoted and applied these words to this sence we heard but now in the former argument how generally the Gentiles have and doe oppose the Gospel to this day throughout the world so the Prophets close in this eleventh of Isaiah ver 10. HIS REST SHAL BE GLORIOUS * Which the Hebrew hightens being in the Abstract viz. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã glory pure glory doth more evidently demonstrate that this place of Scripture as to the maine intent is not yet fulfilled For if we will understand inward rest the beleeving Saints afore Christs incarnation had it Psal 116.7 and often elsewhere Yea the Apostles in their troublesome times 2 Cor. 6.10 so that there needed not a Prophesie to fore-tell that which had been in past time and was at the present And if we would understand here eternall glory yet we cannot for two reasons 1. Because in this tenth verse it is said Unto the ensigne Christ the Gentiles shal SEEK which cannot consist with eternall glory no seeking then 2. Because of that in the eleventh verse immediatly following And it shall come to passe in THAT DAY that the Lord shal set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people c. from Assyria Aegypt Pathros c. things inconsistent with the state of eternall glory which last words bring us downe to the fifth Argument The fifth Argument Arg. 5 Why this place of Isaiah is not yet in the maine intent of the Prophet fulfilled is because of those words in the eleventh verse of this eleventh of Isaiah viz. And it shal come to passe in THAT DAY that the Lord shal set his hand AGAINE the SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of his people which shal be left from ASSYRIA and from AEGYPT and from PATHROS and from CUSH and from ELAM and from SHINAR and from HAMATH and from the ISLANDS OF THE SEA Observe diligently the Lord must set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people from the fore-mentioned places which clearly infer as relatives that God must doe it the first time and then next the second time Now when the Prophet Isaiah Prophesied this eleventh Chapter the Lord had not recovered his people from captivity in Assyria the first time for the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin had not yet been there captivated the first time nor the ten Tribes for ought we can finde For Isaiah Prophesied forty yeares afore the captivity of the ten Tribes and above seventy yeares afore the captivity of the two Tribes as Bulcholcerus states the account You see before your eyes by the length of his Prophesie viz. consisting of sixty six Chapters and by the many Kings under whose reigne he Prophesied viz. Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah the last of them that Isaiah prophesied along time and we are now but upon the eleventh of those sixty six Chapters The Two Tribes were not carried away captive till a long time after Hezekiah viz. in the time of Zedekiah King of Judah 2 Chron. 36. between which Zedekiah
20 21. Assemble your selves and come draw neer together yee that are ESCAPED of the Nations Tell ye and bring them neer Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth c. as it follows in the words above described at large So that by the connexion it is evident that the words above quoted concerne both Jews and Gentiles § 2 The words are not onely a prescript and precept to all the ends of the earth which must needs include Jewes and Gentiles but also a Prophesie and Promise that all the ends of the earth shall look to the Lord for salvation expresse in saying Be ye saved And in the 23 verse I have sworne by my selfe unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall vow surely shall each one say in the Lord have I righteousnesse c. which is the plaine language of a promise and is confirmed in manner of a promise with that great confirmation Gods oath § 3 First for the two former verses viz. the 22 and 23 of looking to God and bowing the knee to him the Apostle applies them twice in the New Testament to that future submission and subjection that all the world shall yeeld to Jesus Christ long after his ascention 1 ¶ The first time is in Rom. 14. v. 8 9 10 11. Verse 8. Whether we live we live to the Lord and whether we dye we dye unto the Lord whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords 9. For to this end Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother c. wee shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God In which words 1 It is plainly held forth that the Apostle proves Christs Lordship or Kingly-hood over ALL both dead and living by this place of Isa That every knee shall bow to the Lord. And that as God made Christ a Priest by an oath Psal 110. emphatically urged by the Apostle Heb. 7.20 c. so he makes him Lord and King by an oath in this place of Isaiah and so applied by our âpostle in this 14 of Rom. to signifie the certainty of the thing 2 That being delivered in the future tense it must signifie more then Christs spirituall Kingdome which he then had when Isaiah prophesied 3 That the Apostles mentioning after Christs ascention his Lordship over the dead and our standing at his judgement seat must signifie a state now after Christ is in heaven yet to come For he is not God of the dead but as they are living in soule in order to a resurrection as Christ himselfe expounds in the Evangelist 4 That this must be a state on earth before the ultimate Doom in that the Apostle out of the Prophet asserteth that all must bow to him either sincerely or at least seemingly which cannot be so cleerly understood to be feisable at the ultimate day of judgement which is the finall destruction of all not sincere to Christ and the time of Christs Resignation of all his power 1 Cor. 15. For the wicked to submit and perish in the same houre were little honour to Christ and a short time for all the world to confesse to him 5 That this is a kind of day of judgement that is the beginning or preface to the great and ultimate day of judgement at the beginning of the thousand yeers when Christ destroyes all the open obstinate wicked and sets up the Church into a glorious estate Rev. 19. latter end And Rev. 20. first six verses compare v. 8.9 c. And at this beginning or preface do all believers stand at the judgement seat of Christ Revel 11. v. 15. v. 18. Rev. 20. first six verses where they receive honour and rewards of grace and favour For according to our Apostle this bowing c. must be at SOME day of judgement But it cannot be at the ultimate finall and therefore afore at the beginning of the day of judgement viz. at the beginning of the thousand yeers 2 ¶ The second time of the Apostles application of this of Isaiah touching bowing to the submission of all unto Christ is Phil. 2 v. 8 9 10 11. Ver. 8. Being found in fashion as a man hee humbled himself and became obedient unto the death c. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in EARTH and things under the Earth 11 And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father 1 By the quotation of the place out of Isaiah it is evident that the meaning of bowing the knee at the name of Jesus is to submit to the Lordly and Kingly power of Christ 2 Every knee both of things in heaven that is of Angels as they shall in speciall bee imployed in gathering the Church and setting up the glorious state thereof Rev. oft and in earth that is of all men and under the earth that is at Christs pleasure there shall bee no sea Rev. 21.1 must needs import a state on earth Which in the third particular is more confirmed That every tongue shall confesse that Jesus Christ is the LORD to the glory of God the Father § 4 Now this of Isaiah intended for salvation of Jews and Gentiles and as explained by the Apostle touching submission to and glorifying of Christ cannot comport with the ultimate doome As they were never yet fulfilled but rather most knees and tongues as of Turks Papists Heathens Socinians and all prophane persons whatsoever are against Christ to this day And therefore these things must have a time on earth before the ultimate judgement to bee fairely and effectually fulfilled § 5 As for the two last Verses of this 45 of Isaiah Viz. v. 24 and 25. I need no more but aske the question was that ever fulfilled which is there spoken that every knee and tongue shall come and say for so is the connexion especially according to the Hebrew Text surely in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength Or that fulfilled there also expressed That ALL that are incensed against the Lord shall bee ashamed Or that fulfilled which is the close of all That in the Lord all the seed of Israel shall be justified and shall glory I say when ever were these fulfilled You have seen that the persons spoken of are Israel and Jacob comprehending all the seed of the twelve Tribes and all the ends of the earth of Gentiles and that the Apostle expounds The Lord by the Lord Christ Therefore I may boldly aske when ever were these fulfilled Surely to our sorrow that are Beleevers wee see the contrary of all these in the generality of all men Turks
to a full saving of the Jews by the destruction of their enemies destroying their flesh and pouring out of their blood But in all these attempts in the end the Jewes party had the worst even as Israel and Juda are still dispersed and those in Judea are still under the power of their enemy the Turk Therefore these things are yet to be fulfilled viz. at the fall of Antichrist Rev. 16.5.6 and Rev. 19. v. 19.20 21. Thou art righteous O Lord c. because thou hast judged thus For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drinke And the Kings of the earth and their armies were gathered together to make warre against him that sate on the white horse and against his army and the beast was taken and with him the false Prophet and cast into the lake of fire c. and the rest were slaine with the sword c. SECT XXI THe twelfth place in Isaiah is in Chapter 54. v. 11. c. to the end of the Chapter Verse 11. O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires 12 And will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones 13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall bee the peace of thy children 14 In righteousnesse shalt thou bee established thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not seare and from terrour for it shall not come neer thee 15 Whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake 16 Behold I have created the Smith that bringeth forth an instrument and I have created the waster to destroy 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement shalt thou condemne This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. § 1 If wee keep all these together in their twisted dependance here set downe and in their joynt relation and intent to the glorious estate of Jews and Gentiles conjunctively as is intimated v. 3. c. Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles c. when were these ever fulfilled unto Christ and the Apostles dayes And therefore they doe cleerly carry downe these things far beyond the age wherein they lived upon earth Saint John prophesies that v. 11 12. of laying the Churches foundations with precious stones that it shall bee fulfilled at the great restauration of the Church yet after one thousand six hundred fifty and two to be fulfilled Rev. 21. v. 18. c. The building of the wall or New Jerusalem is of a Jasper and the City pure gold the first foundation a Jasper the second a Saphir the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerald c. proportionably all the twelve foundations So Christ carries downe that in the former part of the 13. verse All thy children shall be taught of God beyond his time unto after times Joh. 6.44 45. That whereas the Jews then murmured against him yet the time should come that they should be ALL TAUGHT OF GOD quoting this of Isaiah Which must the rather relate to future times after Christs time in regard of that annexed in that 13. verse of the 54 of Isaiah so closely as that with the former it makes but one period viz. ALL THY CHILDREN shall be taught of God And GREAT shall be THE PEACE OF THY CHILDREN which being not fulfilled unto Johns time he refers it to the time of the glorious state of New Jerusalem on earth Rev. 21.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine c. so that the time must come that the Jews must not have onely pure inward peace being taught of God but GREAT outward peace also which is further confirmed by that which follows in the next verses viz. v. 14 15 16 17 of this 54 of Isaiah That in righteousnesse they shall be established and they shall be far from oppression and from feare and from terrour that all opposing them shall fall and no weapon shall prosper against them c. as you have it above written before your eyes in the first Paragraph of this one and twentieth Section which Peter 2 Pet. 3. and John in Rev. Chap. 21. apply as things not fulfilled to their time unto the glorious state of the New earth that therein shall dwell righteousnesse and no uncleannesse or abomination shall enter but all tears sorrow paine crying shall be removed as we have oft repeated afore All which wee cannot but expect yet to come being never yet fulfilled but the contrary alwayes extant and to be fulfilled before the ultimate day of judgement there being nor time nor place for foundations windows precious stones teachings from God c. as above described SECT XXII THe thirteenth place in Isaiah is Chapter 59. Verse 19 20 21. When the enemy viz of the Jewes shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him and the Redeemer shall come to Zion or out of Zion as the Apostle renders it Rom. 11.26 For if the deliverer come out of Zion hee comes first to Zion the preposition 7 having great variety of significations as in at according to or for the sake c. And unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob or as the Apostle renders it Rom. 11.26 shall turne away transgression from Jacoh * The Hebâ is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which may for ought I know beare to be rendred To the end to turn men from For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with the infinitive mood is in value a future And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the root sometimes is used transively to turne a thing away or to turn it from viz. a termino a quo ad terminum ad quem Schindl or to convert from Pagn And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is oft paragogicall and sometimes put for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the Masora gives instances Surely the Apostle would not pervert the Text nor could he erre The Chaldee renders it neer as the Apostle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To convert the transgressors of the house of Jacob. The Septuagint likewise of the best Edition in Bib. complut in Bib. Reg. Gallicanis ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The Arab. likewise There shall come a Redeemer for Zion who shall turne away wickednesse from Jacob. As for mee this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed c. from henceforth and for ever § 1 The Prophet having in the next verses before shewed how God would recompence the enemies of the Jews according to their deeds hee presently follows
glory to shew favour to you if we have not done well in casting you out yet the Lord should appear to their joy that had been so hated and cast out for his name sake and those their false brethren should bee ashamed § 2 In the seven and eight verses most evidently the Prophet setteth forth the manner of the conversion of the Jews I say conversion their settlement will cost longer time as it seems Dan. 12. the three last verses viz. their conversion shall bee as the birth of a child before the mother is in pain as the birth of a Nation at once which well may bee being to bee done by the appearance of Christ in the Clouds § 3 In the 10. and 11. verses All Nations must rejoyce with Jerusalem because they shall suck the breasts of her consolations that is share in her comforts ## § 4 In the twelfth verse The Lord will extend peace to Jerusalem like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream See a glorious conjunction of Jews and Gentiles § 5 In the 13 and 14 15 16. verses is set forth the sensible comforts of the Church and the corporall destruction of their enemies As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem and when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants and his indignation towards his enemies For behold the Lord will come with fire c. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many Illustrated vers 24. They shall go forth and look upon the carkasses that have transgressed against me for their worm shall not dye nor their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Which in the generall to bee taken literally is confessed both by Jews and Christians Consult our new Annotationists upon the place See Sect. 41. § 5. ¶ 2. § 6 In the 18 19 20 and 21. verses is held forth to us the congregating of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles into union of true religious worship and beholding of the glory of God and that as the Jewish Doctors expound it in his destruction of the enemies of the Church in the dayes of the Messias In the 22. verse we have the height and length of this glorious estate of the universall Church of Jews and Gentiles on earth It is no lower then a state of a new Heaven and a new Earth And it is to be perpetuated It is to remain unalterable continue say our new Annotationists for ever § 7 Now these things were never yet fulfilled according to the phrases and circumstances of the place as to the Gentiles nor in the substance as to the Jews who remaine totally unconverted to Christ and are dispersed and despised to our sorrow throughout the world But God must be true therefore these must be fulfilled and on earth before the ultimate judgement as every verse doth hint unto us And therefore St. John in the Revelation Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 and Chapter 21. doth apply these in a way of Prophesie to the glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come at the fall of Antichrist I shal give you them in summe and short because I have before so often made particular applications of them Babylon the great is fallen is fallen How much she hath glorified her selfe so much sorrow and torment shall be given her Her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And after these things I heard a great voyce of much people c. saying Allelujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are thy judgementss for he hath judged the great Whore that hath corrupted the earth and hath avenged the blood of his Saints And again they said Allelujah And the foure and twenty Elders said Amen Allelujah And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth And the beast and the false Prophet were taken and cast into the lake fire And the rest were slain with the sword But the Saints reigned with Christ a thousand yeers in the new Heavens and new Earth to whom the Kings of the earth and Nations of the world bring their honour § 8 Now let him that readeth understand and consider whether he were best to beleeve his owne phantasie or the opinions of men rather then St. Johns series and system of Visions and Prophesies so aptly in phrase and matter expounding the Prophet Isaiah of a future glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come Thus of the Prophet Isaiah SECT XXVII NExt we come to the Prophet Jeremiah The first place for our purpose is in Chapter 16. verse 14 15. compared with Chapter 23. verse 3. c. to verse 9. The words of that in Chapter 16. verse 14 15. are Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more said The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the children of ISRAEL from the LAND OF THE NORTH and from ALL THE LANDS whither he had DRIVEN THEM and I will bring them againe into THEIR LAND that I gave unto their Fathers § 1 The Prophet calling these of whom he speaks by the name of Israel and in relation to their returne out of the Land of the NORTH and out of All Lands whither they had been driven must needs comprehend as well the ten Tribes as the two And the more cleerly to hint to us that his meaning is not onely of a reduction of them to their own Land but of their conversion unto their God and this not at a petty call of a few of them but at the great call of the generality of them all he subjoyns the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles verse 19. The Gentiles shall come unto the Lord from the ends of the earth and shall say surely our Fathers have inherited lyes c. At which time of the coming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles as their coming from the ends of the earth fully expresseth All Israel saith the Apostle Rom. 11.25 26. shall be saved § 2 Now let us parallel this with that in the 23. Chapter verse 3 4 5 6 7 8. wherein wee have the same expressions with further illustrations and explanations to confirme the same The words of the Prophet there are verse 3. I will gather the remnant of my flock out of ALL Countries whither I have driven them and will bring
which at the ultimate day of judgement cannot be imaginable and therefore are yet to be fulfilled before that day SECT XXX THE fourth place in Jeremiah is in Chapter 50. the foure last verses viz. v. 17 18 19 20. The words are these Verse 17. ISRAEL is a scattered sheep the Lions have driven him away first the KING of ASSYRIA hath devoured him and last this NEBUCHADNEZZAR King of BABYLON hath broken his bones v. 18. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of ISRAEL Behold I will punish the King of BABYLON and his land as I have punished the King of ASSYRIA v. 19. And I will bring ISRAEL again to his HABITATION and he shall feed on CARMEL and BASHAN and his soul shall be satisfied on mount EPHRAIM and GILEAD § 1 That this Prophesie is not yet fulfilled nor can it be fulfilled at the ultimate day of judgement and therefore to bee fulfilled on earth afore that day note first that he dittie is of ISRAEL which must at least comprehend the ten Tribes which appears not onely in styling God here in relation to this the God of ISRAEL but by severall passages after that all the twelve Tribes are here meant Now the deliverance of the ten Tribes was never yet performed to this day § 2 Secondly the deliverance must be in a hostile way viz. by the destruction of their enemies namely of Kings and Kingdomes expressed v. 18. in relation to which God is called the Lord of Hosts But as yet the Kings and Kingdoms who in a constant succession down to this day have been the enemies of the Jews are not destroyed § 3 Thirdly that God promiseth to come downe in a methodicall order to punish their enemies successively in time and place as successively as they afflicted the twelve Tribes First the King of Assyria had devoured Israel which can be no other then Salmaneser his taking Samaria c. captive 2 King 18.9 which Samaria was the Metropolis of the Kingdome of the ten Tribes And this is the King of Assyria's devouring Israel Nineveh being the Metropolis of that Kingdome whiles called the Kingdome of Assyria 2 King 19.36 Then secondly Nebuchadnezzar alias Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon came up against Jerusalem the Metropolis of the Kingdome of the two Tribes and took it and carried away all the considerable persons of that Kingdome and all their substance of any value captive to Babylon 2 King 25.1 c. And this was the King of Babylon his breaking of their bones called the King of Babylon because Babylon then was the Metropolis of the Kingdome of Chaldea the Chaldeans then ruling over the Assyrians And therefore the Monarchy was afterwards called the Assyrio-chaldean Now as God hath punished some of their enemies heretofore viz. Nineveh of Assyria according to the Prophet Nahum And Sennacherib their King and his Host 2 King 19. So he must according to his promise descend in order with destruction in an hostile manner upon Babylon and upon the Kings of Babylon whatsoever and whosoever that Babylon and those Kings be in the Scripture name and notion and extended in the promises of the New Testament And therefore as God did punish Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon with turning him as it were into a beast for certaine yeers Dan. 4. And after hee punished Belshazzar King of Babylon and that City by Darius the Mede invading it Dan. 5. and Darius the Mede then King of Babylon by Alexander the Greek and Alexanders successours then King of Babylon by the Roman and the Roman Emperour then King of Babylon both old and new that is Babylon and Rome by the Arabian Saracen or Turk the now King of old Babylon Dan. 7. so according to the explication and application in the New Testament of this promise made in this Text in the Old God must yet goe on corporally to destroy the Turk the present King of old Babylon and the Roman that once was the Tyrant of Old Babylon and after that continued to be the Tyrant of New Babylon viz. Rome first by Heathen Tyranny and after by Papal and Antichristian Tyranny down to this day acording to Prophesies in Dan. 7. and this must bee done by the power of Christ and his Church ibid. and Dan. 2. Now neither the Turkish King of Babylon nor his Kingdome is yet destroyed but rather mightily prospers and prevailes yea and God is behinde in arrears of judgements with New Romish Babylon for her heathenish ten bloody persecutions extending by intervals about three hundred yeers and hath not given her her present pay for her late Papal and Antichristian massacres inquisitions tortures and blasphemies as to the matter of destroying the supream power and the Kingdome of this Babylon according to the amplification of Revelation 17 18 and 19 Chapters § 4 Note fourthly that the successive punishing the enemies of the Jews in succeeding generations following this Prophesie must so succeed as to have this successe that ISRAEL and JUDAH may be delivered from their dispersion and restored to their own land and distinctly to their severall quarters there viz. Carmel Bashan Ephraim and Gilead One Carmel was a City of the Tribe of Judah some twelve miles from Jerusalem Southward Another Carmel was of the Tribe of Issachar about threescore and foure miles from Jerusalem Northward not farre from Prolemais toward the shore of the Mediterranean Sea Josh 19. Jer. 46. Bashan before the Israelites came up from Egypt to Canaan was of the Country of Og but after became part of the portion of the half Tribe of Manasseh Numb 21. Isa 2.13 Mount Ephraim is between Jericho and Jerusalem extending towards the Sea It was the portion of the sonnes of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh Josh 13. and 17. And as one halfe of the Tribe of Manasseh stuck to Judah so Ephraim is an usuall expression to signifie the Kingdome of the ten Tribes or Israel Isa 7. Isa 9. Hos 5. Psal 59. Gilead was a Country that lay between the sea of Galilee and mount Gilead some sixty miles from Jerusalem It separates the Country of Galilee from Israel By this description of the scituation and owners of these places it evidently appeares that Gods minde in this Prophesie of Jeremy is that not onely the two Tribes but also the other ten and so all twelve are to be restored to their own land though it cost the ruine of all Kings of all Babylons whatsoever But this is not yet fulfilled as the present and long time past condition of those twelve Tribes sadly speak § 5 Therefore as sure as God is true these Prophesies of Jeremiah must be yet fulfilled on earth And that before the ultimate day of judgement as we said before the nature of the things necessarily requiring it Thus of Jeremiah SECT XXXI NExt wee come to the Prophet Ezekiel The first place is in Chapter 28. v. 24 25 26. Vers 24. There shall be NO MORE a pricking briar unto the house of ISRAEL
nor any grieving thorne of all that are round about them that despised them and they shall know that I am the Lord. v. 25. Thus saith the Lord God when I shall have gathered the HOUSE of ISRAEL from the people among whom they are scattered and shall be sanctified in them in the SIGHT OF THE HEATHEN then shall they dwell in their LAND that I have given my servant JACOB v. 26. And they shall dwell SAFELY therein and shall build houses and plant vineyards yea they shall dwell with CONFIDENCE when I have executed judgements upon ALL those that despise them round about them and they shall know that I am the Lord their God § 1 Take notice that God pawnes his manifestation of himselfe to be the Lord God and to be their God twice repeated that this prophesie shall be fulfilled § 2 And fulfilled to the ten Tribes as well as to the two as appears by the severall expressions of Jacob of Israel and the house of Israel twice expressed § 3 The pricking briar and grieving thorne are exprest above to bee the adversaries of the Jews whereof some are named viz. Tyrus verse 1. c. to verse 20. Sydon verse 20 c. to 24. Both there threatned with ruine for being adversaries to the Jews Others are but intimated as verse 24. Nor any grieving thorn of ALL THAT ARE ROUND ABOUT THEM THAT DESPISED THEM § 4 Now mark the matter of the Prophesie viz. First Those adversaries must be destroyed or removed for the bringing of Israel and Jacob into their own land there to dwel SAFELY and with CONFIDECNE Secondly they must be gathered from all places where they have been scattered 3 They must be free from ANY pricking briar or grieving thorne And fourthly they must there dwell in their own land with full liberty as of their Politie to injoy their buildings and plantations so of their Piety to exercise the true spirituall worship of God as to sanctifie God or magnifie him and that fifthly in the sight of all the Heathen Now let the wisest men on earth that know History and take notice of the present state of all the twelve Tribes shew us whether ever this Prophesie was yet fulfilled to them And if not whether it be possible these things should be performed at the ultimate day of judgement And if not whether we have not just cause to beleeve as God is true that these things shall be yet fulfilled upon earth before that day SECT XXXIII § 1 THe second place in Ezekiel is Chapter 34. v. 11 c. to the end of the Chapter Verse 11. Thus saith the Lord I will searth my sheep and seek them out v. 12 illustrated by a comparison from a shepherd seeking his scattered sheep v. 13. God wil bring ISRAEL for that is the name used all along this Chapter from the Countries where they are scattered to their own land to feed them on the mountaines of ISRAEL v. 14 It is amplified that upon the Mountains of Israel shall be their FOULD v. 15. It is further illustrated in prosecution of the same Allegory I wil seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and bind up that which was broken and strengthen that which was sick And I wil destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement i.e. as it is in verse 17. The wicked Rams and Hee-goats And why because verse 18. they eat up the good pasture and tread down the rest and drink of the deep waters and puddle the rest And verse 19. saith the Lord My flock eat that which ye have trodden with your feet and drinke that which you have fouled with your feet Therefore thus saith the Lord verse 20 21 22. I wil judge between the fat and the lean because ye have thrust with side and shoulder and pushed all the diseased with your horns till you have scattered them abroad therefore will I save my flock and they shall be NO MORE A PREY In the 23. and 24. is set down the manner and means of that saving them viz. And I will set up ONE shepherd over them and HE shall feed them even my servant DAVID he shall feed them And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a PRINCE * Heb. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã among them or as the Chalde renders it ** Chalde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a KING In verse 25 26 27 28 29. is held forth the manifestation or confirmation and the measure of this deliverance And I will make with them a COVENANT of peace and I will cause the EVILL BEASTS TO CEASE out of the land And they shall dwell SAFELY in the WILDERNESSE and sleep in the Woods And I wil make them and the places round about my Hill a blessing c. And the trees of the field shall yeeld her fruit c. And they shall be SAFE in the land and they shal know that I am the Lord when I have broken the bands of their yoak c. And they shall be No MORE a PREY to the heathen c. But they shall dwell safely and NONE shal make them AFRAID And I wil raise up for them a PLANT of renown and they shal be no more consumed with hunger in the land neither bear the shame of the Heathen ANY MORE § 2 Now that yee see so plainly before your eyes the height depth length and breadth of these Prophesies that they are to Israel without limitation over whom Christ the Sonne of David must bee Prince or King and their happinesse here prophesied must bee on earth in their own land with blessings sutable thereunto yet not without God in Covenant with them and they must be delivered from all sorts of evill for ever What need I multiply words to the intelligent Reader to prompt him that these were never yet fulfilled Let him but read distinctly the places afore quoted and keep those things together which the Prophet hath laid together and withall remember what the state of the Jews and Israelites hath been ever since both their captivities down to this day as we have before often and largely set forth and then his own reason will convince him that neither these things have yet been fulfilled nor can they finde room to be fulfilled at the ultimate day of judgement and that therefore the truth of God still lyes ingaged to perform them afore that day SECT XXXIII THe third place in Ezekiel is Chapter 36. the whole Chapter especially verse 9. c. to 37. * So long since at least as afore Jeroms time this Chapter also hath been alleadged for the glorious state of the Church in the time of the thousand yeers not onely by the Jewes but by the learned Christians so Jerome confesseth in these words Haec illi Judaei expectant in mille annorum Regno quando civitatem Hierusalem asserunt extruendam Templum quod in fine hujus voluminis lescribitur
FEET and consequently before the Image was DISSIPATED And therefore that the KINGDOME typified by the STONE while it remained a STONE must needs be within the TIMES OF THOSE MONARCHIES that is before the last of them viz. the Roman should expire Wherefore Daniel interprets vers 44. of this second chapter That IN THE DAYES of these Kingdomes not after them but while some of them were in being the God of Heaven should set up a Kingdome WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED nor LEFT as the other were to another people but should BREAKE IN PEECES and CONSUME ad those Kingdomes and it selfe should stand for ever And all this he speaks as the INTERPRETATION of the STONE FOR AS MUCH saith he AS THOU SAWEST THAT A STONE WAS CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT HANDS AND THAT IT BRAKE IN PEECES THE IRON THE BRASSE THE CLAY THE SILVER AND THE GOLD Here make the full point for these words belong not to that which followes as our Bibles misse-distinguishing seem to refer them but to that which went afore of their interpretation But the STONE becoming a Mountaine he expounds not but leaves to be gathered by what he had already expounded So then IN THE DAYES OF THOSE KINGDOMES of the Gentiles signifies DURING THEM and in the latter part of them as the nature of the thing spoken of sufficiently argues which was to destroy the last Kingdome which had destroyed and swallowed the former three I mean the second swallowed or possessed the first the third the second the fourth the third and so in a sence by the destruction of the fourth the STONE destroyeth all the rest as contained therein For the stone smites neither the golden part nor the silver nor the brasse immediately but onely the feet of iron and clay and yet by that blow was the brasse the silver and the gold destroyed also in as much as they all came by succession to the iron I adde that the dissipation of the gold silver and brasse together with the Iron may bee ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã typi the comlinesse or conveniency of the type because the parts of the Image in the type could not succeed one another in time as the Kingdomes signified by them did and so the Image appeared to be dissipated all at once in vision though the Kingdomes were not so save only in the sence afore-named Thus Mr. Mede to whom I assent almost in all things I have other good company to goe along with me in this point upon this Chapter but I must first premise some things to make way for them You have in this second Chapter of Daniel from ver 36. to ver 46. the prophesie of this visibly-glorious Kingdome of Christ to bee on earth given by God to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream of a great Image ver 31. c. of foure Mettals in the foure parts thereof the Head being of gold the Brest and Armes of silver the Belly and Thighes of brasse the Leggs and Feete of Iron but in the feet a mixture of clay and to Daniel by the spirit of propheticall revelation to interpret it according to the true intent and meaning of Gods mind therein According to which in ver 37 38. Daniel tels Nebuchadnezzer that he the said Nebuchadnezzar is the first part of the first metal viz. the Head of gold in that the God of Heaven had given him a Kingdom or Empire viz. the Assyrio-Chaldean and power and strength and glory Why further hee is called a golden head wee shall annex more conveniently by and by In ver 39. Daniel tels him that after him shall arise an inferiour Kingdom which he applies to the Breast and Armes of silver mentioned afore in verse 32. which fitly resembles the Empire that next followed viz. the Medo Persian Which taking the said golden head when Darius Dan. 5. tooke Babylon added to it this breast of Empire with the two armes of Medes and Persians And therefore this silver Empie is called inferiour not in respect of power authority or Territory wherein it was greater by taking to it selfe that of the former and adding its own but in manner of Government as in relation to the Church being far more harsh to the Jewes till the last then the former The Jewes injoying golden dayes in comparison under Nebuchadnezzars Empire although he was the first that took the Kingdome from the Jewes Which is the reason why the sacred storie of the Jewish Churches foraigne State begins at Nebuchadnezzar calling him the head when as the Empire of Assyria and Chaldea was long afore him in being viz. the Scripture takes no notice of the Kingdomes of Heathens or of the world further then as they concerne the woe or weale of the Church This Nebuchadnezzar therefore beginning the desolation of the Church of the Jewes as to their Temple-worship and habitation in the injoyment of these in their own Land is called the head of that monstrous Image of Monarchy In the same 39 verse Daniel tells him that after that second Empire of silver shall arise a third of brasse which metall though otherwise not expresse intimates by the order and proportion of descention and degeneration in calling the silver one inferiour to the golden that this third brazen one shall be as much baser and worse if not more in the sence aforesaid then the second of silver as the silver was worse then the gold And this was to signifie the Grecian Empire or Monarchy Alexander the Great being the Belly that possessed it in whole and his two Commanders succeeding him are the two thighes or hips For though foure at first shared it yet all by their disagreeing and striving soon fell into the hands of those two Whereof one had the Northern moyety or half called therefore the King of the North the other the Southern called thereupon the King of the South as you have the matter at large by way of prophesie Dan 11. to which the best Histories since doe exactly answer But of this more after when we come to the eleventh of Daniel In ver 40 41 42.43 Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that the fourth Kingdome Empire or Monarchy shall be of iron and clay Thereby signifying a baser state then the former in the sence afore-explained And this must of necessity signifie the Roman Empire which next followed the Grecian conquering it as Dan. 9. prophesies and Histories since singularly shew the performance In the days of this Iron Empire Christ comes ver 44. Imperante Augusto natus est Christus Imperante Tiberio crucifixus is known to every School-boy that hath learned his Grammer He came in the time of the Roman Empire not in the time of the Grecian or any of the former And this Roman Empire is described by and called Iron because it was harder and hardier to breake the former and more cruell as wee afore intimated to the Church Witnesse the Vespasian-Titan cruelty prophesied by Christ Matth. 24.1 c. to come to
duration saith Mr. Archer that it shall last for ever shewes that it is meant of Christs Kingdome We people saith he shall swallow it up as they have done all other Monarchies The Babylonian was left to the Medes and Persians and this to the Grecians and the Grecian to the Romans But this shall be left to none but shall be for ever Dan. 2.44 that is to the worlds end But the Kingdome at the Worlds end shall be Christs for at the last end of all he gives it up to the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 Therefore till then and at that time when ALL ENDS he hath the Kingdom Christs SPIRITUALL Kingdome and his PROVIDENTIALL were before this time Therefore that which is to begin when these Monarchies end must be Christs Monarchy wherefore from this prophesie we learne that Christ shall have a MONARCHICALL STATE ON EARTH and a VISIBLE KINGDOME as other Monarches had swallowing up or causing to vanish all other Monarchies as the latter Monarchies did the former Thus Mr. Archer to whom in the bulk and sum with the explanation afore I assent § 10 By this you have seen some of my good company in this point consenting with me upon the strong reasons they have produced how deduceable our position in the main is out of this Chapter I shall not need to adde any thing by way of argument but only a few words for further explanation of this prophesie ¶ 1. Note how aptly and appositely this fift Monarchy this Monarchy of Christ that is Christ the Monarch and the Christian Church the Saints his Monarchy is compared unto a Stone cut out of the Mountaine c. We know that Christ is often called or typified by a rocke or Stone Matth. 16.18 1 Cor. 10.4 quoted out of Moses Numb 20.8 And the Church is compared to an house built on or in a rocke Matth. 7. Matth. 16. and Zech. 3.7 seven eyes upon one stone is saith Junius the Church built on Christ ¶ 2. Some stone as the Adamant that cannot be filed is harder then iron and an huge stone of any sort falling from a Mountaine will breake the iron that is under it much more the iron that is mixed with clay So Christ and his Church shall make up a Monarchy that shall be too hard and weighty for the fourth the Roman Empire or Monarchy that brake the rest to beare Matth. 21.42 44. Did yee never read in the Scriptures The STONE which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner whosoever shall fall on this STONE Christ shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall FALL it will grind him to powder Zech. 12.3 And in that day I will make Jerusalem a BURDENSOME STONE for all peoples all that burthen themselves with it shall be CUT IN PEECES though all the people of the earth bee gathered together against it ¶ 3. T is said the Stone was CUT out of the mountaine WITHOUT HANDS but withall it is said It SMOTE as a STONE against the Image and as a STONE it brake the MATTER of the Iron and Clay Whence I cannot conceive otherwise but though Christ the Monarch was conceived without man by the Holy Ghost c. and his Church his Monarchy both Jewes and Gentiles is and shall be effectually called and regenerated by the same holy Spirit without humane help yet Christ and his Church shall by a visible hand of power dash in peeces the fourth Monarchy the Roman Pope and his Armies Territories and Powers and the Turke and his which sprang out of the Roman as is afore demonstrated I say shall dash it in peeces by a visible hand of power Dan. 12. Rev. 16. Rev. 19. ¶ 4. The meaning of the continuance of this Monarchy of Christ for ever doth not signifie as if it should never have any end as if Christ should never lay downe all his power of regiment for the contrary is expresse in 1 Cor. 15.24.28 but the meaning is this 1. That it shall never be DESTROYED verse 44. of this second of Daniel that is it shall not end with a devastation and desolation as the former Monarchies did 2. It shall not be LEFT TO OTHER PEOPLE ibid. ver 44. that is other people shall never succeed the Saints or Church of Christ to possesse this fift Monarchy as another people successively succeeded and possessed the other Monarchies by turnes the Medes and Persians took the Assyrio-Chaldean and so down-ward 3. That it shall STAND FOR EVER that is as is explained in that same 44. verse this shall continue when the other Monarchies shall be broken to peeces 4. That the end of this Monarchy of Christ so farre as it may have an end is onely formally of the power or mode of government by Christ he resigning his power to God himselfe 1 Cor. 15.24 28. not materially for the Saints shall continue for ever eternally happy under the wing of the beatificall vision of God himselfe ¶ 5. This visible Kingdome or Monarchy of Christ is to follow the rest in an immediate order and succession of naturall time and in the same physicall place of or upon the Earth as when and where the former having existed their terme were exterminated For if this Monarchy of Christ succeeded onely in eternity in the Empyrean highest Heaven It can bee said no more to succeed the said foure Monarchies as Daniel would by all meanes have it then it succeeded any other Empire or Kingdome on Earth especially those that were contemporary with these foure aforesaid Monarchies yet not subject to them as some such there were all the time of their duration * This last clause of some Kingdome extant in the time of the four Monarchies yet no subject to them is also asserted by Mr. Mede and t is confirmed by Hist and exper SECT XXXVI THE next place in Daniel for our Thesis is in chapter the seventh throughout From whence saith Mr. Mede â Viâe Mr. Mede Diatrib par 4. p. 420. as from the mother Text of Scripture the CHURCH OF THE JEWS grounded the name and expected the great Day of Judgement ** What he means by the great Day of Judgement see by and by at the 2 â with the circumstances thereof and whereunto almost all the descriptions and expressions thereof in the New Testament have reference For in the Vision of this seventh of Daniel we have a SESSION OF JUDGEMENT when the fourth BEAST CAME to be DESTROYED Where we see the great ASSISES represented after the manner of the great SYNEDRION or CONSISTORIE OF ISRAEL Wherein the PATER JUDICII the Father of the Judicatory had his ASSESSORES his Assistants or Assessors sitting upon seates semi-circle-wise before him from his right hand to his left I BEHELD saith DANIEL verse 9. TILL THE THRONES OR SEATS WERE PITCHED DOWN * Vulg lat Donec Throni positi sunt LXX and Theodot ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The Chal. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã fic ãâã
by David mentioned Isai 55. and Psal 16. is signified Christ Nor shall David return again till the Physical Corporal Resurrection of the Saints before which must precede the Metaphorical Resurrection that is the call of the Jews at least five and forty years afore as we have before proved upon Daniel chap. 12. So this returning of Israel here meant is not onely from captivity but from sin as is plain by that which follows They shall fear the Lord and his goodness Fear here as commonly throughout the Scriptures being put for all the inward graces and worship of God in the heart as to trust in him rejoyce in him love him c. and that for his goodness that is in through and for Christ who as he is called the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. And the Word of God Joh. 1. c. so he is the Goodness of God because God is not cannot in justice be communicative of his goodness unto the lapsed sons of Adam but in and through Christ Tit. 3.4 5 6. § 6 Which things being so they speak of themselves that they were never yet fulfilled according to the purport of the Text. For the generality of Israel and Judah too are to this day without a King without a Prince without a Priest without a Sacrifice that ceasing at least ever since three hundred sixty and six Nor have they instead of those Princes Priests and Sacrifices sought the Lord their God and David that is Christ their King to fear the Lord and his goodness as hath been afore expounded And for the last day of Judgement that is no time for Conversions of souls and reversions from captivity Therefore this prophesie in the main of it is yet to be fulfilled Thus of Hosea SECT XL. NExt we come to the Prophet Joel The first place in him is Chap. 2. v. 28 29 30 31 32 33. Verse 28. And it shall come to pass afterwards that I will pour out my spirit upon ALL FLESH and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions Verse 29. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit Verse 30. And I will shew wonders in Heaven and in Earth Blood and Fire and Pillars of smoak Verse 31. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood before that great and terrible day of the Lord come Verse 32. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the REMNANT WHOM THE LORD SHALL CALL § 1 Note first in general touching the ALL of this Text that though Saint Peter in Acts 2. doth truly apply part thereof to the wonderful effusion of the Spirit there yet is it not solely applicable to that nor is the intent and meaning of the whole or of any part thereof wholly fulfilled and terminated therein And that I may not be condemned of singularity herein let me tell you what others hint to the same effect though they will not speak out to my size That antient pious and most learned Oecolampadius Publick Reader of Divinity at Basil above an hundred years since saith upon Verse 28. ET ERIT ubi illa impleri coeperint ubi Christ us nimirum sanguine suo faedus nostrum confirmaverit ubi a mortu is resurrexerit i. e. The things onely BEGAN to be fulfilled presently after the resurrection of Christ c. And that learned and ingenuous Alapide upon the same Verse POST HAEC i. e. Post Christum doctorem ejusque mortem ascensum in coelum ego Deus effundam Spiritum Sanctum in Pentecoste ac DEINCEPS primo ecclesiae seculo visibiliter in Apostolos Christi discipulos SEQUENTIBUS vero SECULIS invisibiliter cundem effundam in OMNES c. That is God did promise to pour out his Spirit after the Ascension of Christ in the dayes of Pentecost and so afterwards on the first age of the Church visibly in the succeeding ages invisibly upon all So that both these confess upon this first clause That this effusion of the Spirit prophesied by our Prophet was not fully fulfilled in Acts 2. where the Apostles quotes it And for those other passages in Verse 30 c. I will shew wonders in Heaven and on Earth Calvin confesseth Prophetam comprehendere totum Christi Regnum ab initio usque ad finem c. That is The Prophet here comprehends the whole Kingdom of Christ from the beginning to the end thereof And this is usual enough And in other places of Scripture we have shewed that the Prophets commonly so speak or so speak in common When therefore they speak of the Kingdom of Christ sometimes they touch upon the beginning thereof sometimes also they speak of the end thereof But often within one graspe or comprehension they design the whole course race or process of Christs Kingdom from first to last And so the Prophet doth here Thus Calvin with much more to that purpose Alapide likewise on this thirtieth and one and thirtieth Verse deals very plainly and ingenuously with the Text and with us opposing those of his own Religion The Catholicks saith he think that these prodigious signs came to pass 1. At the Nativity of Christ when the star appeared to the wisemen and the Angels appeared to the Shepherds 2. At Christs passion when the Sun was eclipsed the Earth trembled the graves opened the beholders astonished 3. At Christs Resurrection in the appearance of the Angel astonishing the Soldier that kept the Sepulchre and comforted Mary Magdalen and her company 4. At the Pentecost in the cloven tongues of fire at which time the Spirit was poured out This Exposition saith Alapide is probable but incompleat Then indeed began these wonders but shall be compleated a little afore the day of Judgement as I shall declare by and by On the otherside Saint Jerom and Oecumenius saith Alapide hold That these prodigies were acted a little afore the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus But lastly and genuinly it is certain That here are handled the prodigious prognosticks that shall precede the day of judgement which appears from the beginning of the next Chapter Thus Alapide Adde one more Lyra saith Doctor Mayer averts that in this thirtieth Verse The Prophet passeth from the first coming of Christ to his second before which these signs shall be shewed Thus you see I am not singularly bold to assert that this Scripture was not totally and finally fulfilled in that story Acts 2. And Peter himself tacitly intimates as much in translating the Prophets ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã afterward by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In the last days which must not exclude One thousand six hundred and twenty years succeeding reckoning from Christs Ascension but to our time And our Prophet drops some passages which
fulfilled it therefore he never would or could fulfill it for future which reason I leave with the unprejudicated reason of the Reader Quem penes arbitrium est vis norma loquendi Our late new Annotationists say upon the fourteenth verse I will bring againe the captivity of Israel c. that A new face oâ ALL THINGS shall then appeare when God shall shew his chearfull face upon his people The full accomplishment hereof is under Christ when they are planted in his Church out of which they can never be pulled after they are once graffed therein Let the Reader here have one eie upon these words to this day spoken in the future Tense and the other on the present State of Judah and Israel on whom this prophesie is not according to the expressions of our Annotationists yet fulfilled And Dr. Mayer confesseth that this prophesie cannot be restrained to that deliverance out of Babylon because though they built in their owne land after this yet they continued not alwaies there but were afterwards expelled again by the Romans § 2 Next to tell you my notions upon this prophesie before the former Authors either were extant or consulted observe first that as wel the ten Tribes as the two Tribes must be here meant to share in this deliverance being mentioned in the termes DAVID who reigned the latter part of his life over all the twelve Tribes and ISRAEL which by Gods assignation was the name of Jacob the father of all the twelve Heads of the twelve Tribes and by proper acception after the division of the Kingdome was the name of that part which contained the ten Tribes Both which parts viz. Judah and Israel are the more necessarily conjoyned in this deliverance because Jerusalem though in the Kingdome of Judah was the publicke place of the Churches meeting and of their solemne divine worship in common and joyntly to all twelve Tribes and this Prophet Amos doth expressely prophesie to the Tribes of Israel chap. 1. ver 1. The words of Amos which he saw concerning ISRAEL The prophet there sufficiently hinting to us in the words following that he did well remember the distinction of Judah and Israel for it followes that Amos saw those words concerning ISRAEL in the daies of Uzziah King of JUDAH and in the daies of Jeroboam the sonne of Joash King of ISRAEL § 3 Next observe that in this deliverance all the twelve Tribes for the generality and the fulnesse of the Gentiles must be conjoyned in a religious Church union and divine Gospel-worship So in ver 12. The Lord having said in ver 11. I will raise up the Tabernacle of David c. He addes in the twelfth verse that they the said Jews may possesse the remnant of Edom and of ALL THE HEATHEN which are CALLED BY MY NAME Which Saint James Act. 15.13 c. to ver 18. doth sully and effectually apply to that sence and end James answered saying men and brethren hearken unto me Simeon hath declared how God at the first did VISIT THE GENTILES to take out of THEM a people for his name and to this agree the words of the Prophet as it is written after this I will return and WILL BUILD AGAIN THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID and will build again the ruines thereof and will set it up THAT THE RESIDUE OF MEN MIGHT SEEK AFTER THE LORD and AL THE GENTILES UPON WHOM MY NAME IS CALLED c. in which quotation St. James minding the sence of the Prophet rather then his words and what the Apostle spake at large and most likely in his native Hebrewish language Saint Luke giving us but the sum and in the Greek tongue following also for the most the Septuagints version of the Prophet that speech and translation being then most common over the world by reason of the late Grecian Monarchy over-spread so wide for neare two hundred and eighty years expiring not till about forty six yeares afore Christ some smal differences there may haply be in terms and reading from both the Hebrew and the Septuagint But none at all in the main intent and meaning For the prophet saying that THEY the Jews may possesse the remnant of EDOM WHICH are called by my name Hebr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which may conveniently be rendred by whom my name is called upon even by them this WHICH Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã being of all Numbers and Genders as our English which may either relate to that same THEY that is Judah and Israel who shall possesse the remnant of Edom and all the Heathen shall be called by my name i.e. The said Jewes being converted unto the Gospell shall thereupon be called Christians and my people and so called by my name And calling upon God in faith shall thereby be said to call upon Gods name or to be those in or by whom the name of God is called upon Or else this WHICH may be referred to the remnant of the EDOMITES and of all the HEATHEN that they so many of them as shall be converted and truly professing godlinesse shall thereupon be called Gods people to wit Godly or Christs people that is Christians and so called by his name And calling upon God with faith in prayer they shall be those in or by whom the name of God shall be called upon even in them or among them Now which way soever wee referre it it comes all to one maine sence intent and purpose viz. That upon the eversion of the incurable enemies of Christ followes the conversion of them that submit to Christ whether they bee the Jewes the possessors of the remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen or the Gentiles the possessed to wit the remnant of Edom and of all the Heathen Both which being converted shall incorporate into one Church and way of worship If any Reader be contented with this composal of these seeming differences he may jump over the next sectiuncle viz. § 4. § 4 If others will not be satisfied without a more particular parallel and reconciliation of those three viz. the Hebrew the Septuagint Greeke and the New-Testament Greeke the two former in this place of Amos the last in Act. 15.17 then thus if they will have patience to hear me to the end The divers readings Hebrew Amos 9.12 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is that they may possesse or inherit the remnant of Edom. Septuag Amos 9.12 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. that is That the remnant of men may seek after The New Testam Act. 15.17 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is That the remnant of men may seeke or seeke after the Lord. Thus you have an exact true Scheme of the divers readings which is a little mistakingly set downe in Mr. Medes Diatr par 4. p. 525. For there is no copie of the Septuagints or variae lectiones of them on Amos 9.12 that I know of although I have divers that have in them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã
novissimo dierum So the Chalde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So the Greeke according to the Septuagint ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So that the state of the Church here prophesied is the last state of the Church before the end of the world at the ultimate general resurrection And therefore the notation of the time doth undeniably put us upon a looking for such a glorious state of the Church on earth as is here described as yet to come Observe secondly that all those words of the first second and third verses That the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountaines c. and many Nations shall say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord c. and he will teach us c. and we will walk in his pathes c. For the law shall goe forth out of Zion c. and he shal judge among many people c. and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares c. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learne war any more I say that all those words are per omnia idem altogether the same with Isa 2. ver 2 3 4. largely discussed before in this third booke and chap. 2. Sect. II. S. 1 2 3 4. c. whether we transfer the consideration of them onely adding here 1. The notablenesse of the prophesie which is thus twise mentioned by two famous Prophets with so great emphasis in the same words phrases and figures 2. The words of the Geneva notes who assert in the margin that this Prophesie of the state of the Church in the last dayes relates to the time of Christs coming and to the time when THE TEMPLE shall be destroyed Which order of words import that they meant the time after that destruction of the Temple which demolished it about forty yeares after Christs ascention I say the time after that destruction for which sence they had good ground from the last verse of the chap. 3. of this prophet Micha But such a time of restauration of the Church as Micha here in this fourth chapter describes was never yet seen on earth Therefore it is yet to come 3. Our new Annotations referre this to the time intended by Joel chap. 2.28 But that time we have proved afore in this third booke chap. 2. Sect. 40. in the maine of it is not yet come to passe 4. Dr. Mayer on the fourth verse they shall sit every one under his own vine c. and there shall bee none to make them affraid hath these words And this saith he is still to bee fulfilled WHEN THIS WORLD DRAWETH NEAR TO AN END the FULNESSE OF THE GENTILES BEING COME IN and the Jewes who remaine yet blinded BEING CONVERTED TO THE FAITH OF CHRIST Wherein the Doctor speaks very home to the point in hand in the main thereof For surely this prophesie is not in the chief intent thereof fulfilled unto this day § 3 In the last place consider exactly in the remainder of the chapter from ver 4. to the end the description of the Churches yea of the Jewish Churches Prosperity Piety and Victory and thou canst not with any shew of solid divine reason imagine these things to have been ever yet fulfilled since the Jews first captivity in Babylon but remain in future to be performed afore the last universall resurrection ¶ 1. The prosperity is described vers 4. They shall every man sit under his own vine and under his owne fig-tree and none shall make them affraid vers 6. In that day I will assemble her that halteth and will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted ver 7. And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion FROM HENCE FORTH EVEN In Hebr. no even But it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã i.e. And for ever FOR EVER Now when ever was this prosperity made good to them since their Babylonish captivity and for so long time as for ever It is true two Tribes returned from Babylon about the year of the world three thousand five hundred and eighteen under the Persian Monarchy A long time it was ere they grew to a settlement of their City and Temple set up and their publick ministration set in order by reason of the opposition and undermining of Sanballat and Tobiah and their adherents So that some thinke they were neare as long in attaining to the said settlement as they had been in captivity viz. seventy years But if they had been setled at the first of that their returne yet from the year three thousand five hundred and eighteen to three thousand six hundred and forty about which time Alexander the Greeke Monarch brought Jerusalem under subjection to him are but one hundred twenty two years after which Alexander the Romans immediately subdued them and after the Romans the Saracens and Turks which is the slavish condition of all the Countries of the Jews to this day A mark of remembrance of their subjection to the Greeks is the Greek translation of the Bible called the Septuagint because it was done by about seventy Jewes at the command of the Grecian powers And as plain a Memento of their Romish subjection is that Christ was crucified under the Roman Pontius Pilat And a sufficient Memorandum of their subjection to the Turks is that they possesse Jerusalem at this day So that if wee deduct the time of the Jewes trouble under the Persian Monarchy from their first dismission by Cyrus to their settlement and make the reckoning to begin with that their settlement and to end at Alexanders coming to Jerusalem it will not amount to above seventy years that the Jews were in peace and quiet which is no more then the length of their captivity If we take into the account the time of their struggling to be settled yet all as I said before will make up but sixscore and two years and what is this in comparison to enable the Prophet to make the close and seale of this part of the Text touching their prosperity That the Lord should reign over them of Mount Sion from hence forth AND FOR EVER which must be understood of such a manifest apparent visible reigning as stands in flat opposition every way to Tyrannicall mens or conquerours reigning over them or else the Prophet had told them nothing he had made this Antithesis to their captivities under men in vaine and had expressed this his reigning in mount Zion to no purpose seeing God doth equally reign by his power over all the world and by his spirituall grace alike over beleevers where-ever they be one the face of the earth ¶ 2. Their piety is charactarised in the fifth verse For all people will walke every one in the name ELOHAIU of HIS GOD and wee will walke in the name of JEHOVAH ELOHENU of the LORD
joyntly together but rather for the most have been visibly to the eye of the whole world under a contrary condition For ¶ 4. Observe the high expressions the God of truth gives forth touching the glory of the state the said parties shall enjoy at the said time when this Prophesie shall be fulfilled viz. That the Peoples or Gentiles shall have pure lips wherewith to call upon the name of the Lord as it is in ver 9. That Israel shall not doe iniquity nor speake lies nor shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth ver 13. That they of Zion and Jerusalem and Israel shall be glad and rejoyce with all their heart ver 14. for it followes ver 15 16 17. the Lord shall so take away their judgements and cast downe their enemies and instead of them he himselfe as King will be so in the midst of them that they shall not see evill any more nor shall their hearts feare nor their hands faint He will be so in the midst of them in his might that he will save them and rejoyce over them with joy and that as with singing and will rest in his love Now did ever these things appeare in the state and condition of the Church either of Jewes or Gentiles since the Babylonish Captivity surely the contrary hath abundantly appeared down to these dayes 1 For their Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall state in relation unto Religion the Gentiles generally have been very wicked and for the most part the more is their sinne intestine enemies to the Jewes And for the Jewes whiles the ten Tribes of Israel were carried away captive the King of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Ava and from Hamath and from Sepharvalin and placed them in the Cities of Samaria instead of the Children of Israel 2 King 17.24 of whose returne to their owne Country the Scriptures leave no mention But they tell us that when the two Tribes returned there was a MIXED MVLTITVDE among the Israelites Nehem. 13.3 That there were many that pretended to be Priests who because they could not find their Genealogy were as POLLUTED put from the Priesthood Ezra 2.62 Nehem. 7.64 That the people of Israel and the Priests and the Levites had not separated themselves from the people of the land doing according to their ABOMINATIONS even of the Canaanites Hitties Perezites Jebusites Ammonites Moabites Egyptians and Amorites having taken of their Daughters for themselves and for their Sons c. Ezr. 9.1 2. And though they did repent of this great transgression and promised amendment Ezr. 10.9 c. Yet they are again greatly guilty thereof Neh. 13.23 Further the Scriptures tell us that some of the two Tribes of a slavish spirit stayed in Babylon to be servants in servile basenesse to that King when the generality returned 1 Chro. 4.21 22 23. which Josephus mentions at large And in the time of the Maccabees in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes of the root of the Greeks who began his reigne about the 137th yeare of their Kingdome * Which was in the one hundred seventy third year afore the incarnation of Christ Bucho Ind. Chron. Ad annum mundi 3798. or Empâre there went out of Israel wicked men who persuaded many saying let us goe and make a covenant with the Heathen that are round about us for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow So this device pleased them well Then certain of the people were so forward herein that they went to the King who gave them license to doe after the ordinances of the Heathen Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customes of the Heathen and made themselves uncircumcised and forsooke the holy Covenant and joyned themselves to the Heathen and were sold to doe mischeife 1 Maccab. 1.10 11 12 13 14 15. Which corruption in the Jewes religion by the story seems to be voluntary as the Narrative precedes the history of Antiothus his Tyranny Nor was this only for once or a spurt but againe in the second book of Maccabees together with betraying one another and the publick welfare chap. 3 and chap 4. Come we hence to Christs time and there we shall finde at least six Sects of abominable corruptions in matters of Religion viz. Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Assideans Essenes and Gaulonites of whose wicked opinions wee have given you a more particular account afore * Viz. In this chap. Sect. 43. §. 4. P. 2. In the Apostles time the Jewes for the generality were persecuters of them that imbraced Christ and the Gospell as we have it all along the story of the Acts of the Apostles and among the Christians there were Anti-resurrectionists Judaizers wicked Apostataes Idolatrous and prophane Balaamites and Nicolaitans c. as the Epistles of the Apostles and of Christ to the seven Churches expressely shews us For the two next hundred years after the death of the Apostles was bloody persecution of the Christians over all the Roman Empire About the twelfth year of the fourth Century Constantine the great stanched that blood and settled the Church in peace for the space of about twenty five years viz. till the year three hundred thirty seven at which time Constantine the great dying by and by horrid Arianism and the Arian persecution succeeded And after that Papisme and Turcisme down to our daies So that fâom about sixty yeares after Constantines death the Church began according to the vulgar account to be hid in the wildernesse the witnesses to prophesie in sackcloth and the Beast to have power ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rev. 11. Rev. 13. And secondly for their civil condition all this while they have been ever under the usurpations successively of the Persians Greeks Romans Saracens or Turkes as we have often repeated So that all that hath been done in matters of salvation or outward deliverance since the returne of the two Tribes from Babylon the ten remaining there and still dispersed have been but as prefaces first-fruits and gleanings in comparison of the full vintage here described ¶ 5. Observe certaine notes and marks that this prophesie is not yet fulfilled First That ver 9. The peoples or Nations shall serve the Lord with one shoulder which in regard of the universality without restriction and the immediate connexion of Gods Suppliants of the Jewes as Calvin argumentatively asserts must signifie the unanimity and conformity of Jewes and Gentiles in general in one way of Gospell worship But alas besides the Jewes perseverance in their Judaisme the Gentiles themselves called Christians doe not harmonize into one consent and practice but are at too vast a difference in their Papisme Lutheranisme Socinianisme Calvinisme Episcopacy Presbytery c. Secondly That in ver 10. the calling of the Jews from beyond the river of Ethiopia which is not yet done the people of Judah but especially they of Israel remaining dispersed into the utmost parts of the earth Thirdly
memorial in the temple of the Lord. 15. And they that ARE FAR OFF shall come and build in the temple of the Lord. Though this second Temple was long since founded and by this time in great part raised chap. 8. ver 9. and the carrying on of the work to a finishing by sufficient and able men was now in hand yet the Prophet here foretells that the man whose name is the BRANCH the usuall and frequent title of Christ shall BUILD the TEMPLE of the Lord in vers 12. And presently againe repeated with great Emphasis in ver 13. EVEN HEE shall build the temple of the Lord. And therefore the Prophet in these words looked far beyond his owne time Christ builds the Temple first in his natural body secondly in his mysticall subordinates are no opposites but doe ray forth a typicall radiation from the one successively to the other First In his natural body by his resurrection according to his owne exposition John 2.18 19 20. When his adversaries demanded of him What sign shewest thou unto us seeing thou dost these things Jesus answered destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up Then said the Jewes forty and six years was this Temple in building and wilt thou rear it up in three daies But he spake of the Temple of his body Secondly In his Mysticall body the Church of beleevers By communicating unto whom his holy Spirit he makes them his Temple and the habitation of God 1 Cor. 6.15 16 17 18 19. And 2 Cor. 6.16 Eph. 2.21 22. This mysticall Temple was founded long since but the Prophet here points mainly to the finishing of it Or to speake in a juster proportion to the first and second materiall Temple The first mysticall Temple that is the Church of the Jewes being destroyed at Christs passion the vaile then being rent to signifie the tearing down of Jewish worship upon his ascension by sending the Spirit hee began the building of the second mysticall Temple viz. the Christian Church Act. 2. c. and throughout that booke But when this second mystical Temple shall be finished made up in its fulnesse Rom. 11.25 26. of which St. John mainly prophesies in his Revelation of which finishing Zecharie here in ver 15. gives us this signe That THEN they that ARE AFAR OFF shall come and build in the Temple Which can have no other adequate and more certaine interpretation then this that when the Gentiles that are afar off in Religion shall in full come in and the ten Tribes of Israel that are to this day afar off in place too shall come and be built into the Christian Church at that same THEN even at that very time the BRANCH Christ that built this second mysticall Temple shall SIT and RULE upon his THRONE and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the Counsil of Peace shall be between them both That is as Christ hath sensibly appeared in acting his Priesthood when hee paid and prayed for his Church at and afore his Passion * In the 17 18 and 19 chapters of John so shall he as manifestly be seen to act his Kingly-hood in a glorious universall evident peace flowing from both in the time of his Kingdome Else nothing is prophesied for meer inward spirituall peace into the hearts of the Saints had flowed in all ages of the Church afore from his Kingly and Priestly office precisely considered as spirituall and the Saints knew it upon much experience But here is prophesied such things and such effects as many of the Church could hardly beleeve And therefore there should be crownes to Helem and Tabijah and Jedajah and to Hen for a memoriall in the Temple i. e. They should be in Zecharies time hung up in the Temple to be a conviction and condemnation of them that beleeved not this Prophesie and to draw men unto faith to beleeve the same as Calvin Pemble and Junius expound it But these things were never yet fulfilled as History and experience shew And the last universall resurrection will be unseasonable and unsuitable Therefore it is yet to come SECT XLVII § I THe third place in Zecharie which we need but touch is in chap. 8. ver 20. c. to the end of the chapter Ver. 20. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts it shall yet come to passe that there shall come people * Heb. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Chal. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Peoples Sept. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Many peoples And so t is expresse in v. 22. and the inhabitants of many Cities 21. And the Inhabitants of one City shall goe to another saying let us goe speedily to pray before the Lord and to seeke the Lord of Hosts I wil goe also 22. Yea many people and strong Nations shall come to seeke the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. 23. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts in those daies it shall come to passe that ten men shal take hold out of all languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we wil goe with you for wee have heard that God is with you § 2 There is no more to be said to this so plaine a prophesie but this that we shall boldly assert that it was never yet fulfilled since the Jewes returne from captivity till men or bookes can shew us the contrary The Scriptures tels us no such thing History tels us no such thing experience shewes us no such matter as that peoples yea many peoples yea and strong Nations did ever joyne with the Jewes in religious worship as in prayer to God c. and that at Jerusalem As for those mentioned Act. 2.5 c. viz Parthians Medes Elamites c. They were neither Nations nor Gentiles but were some certaine Jewes who having been borne in those forenamed Countries did now for the present sojourne * So the word in the Text. from ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is used by the Septuagint which the Apostles and Evangelists much follow in their new Testament quotations Gen. 27.44 Son arise saith Rebecka to Jacob and flee unto Laban thy Brother to Haran and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and sojourne with him a few dayes 1 King 17.20 O Lord my God saith Elijah hast thou brought evill upon the widdow ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is with whom I sojourne In which places the word is plainly taken for sojourning and accordingly circumscribed with a short time at Jerusalem for the businesse of worship at the feast of the Passeover and Pentecost Thus in this fifth verse they are expressely called Jews There were sojourning or abiding at Jerusalem JEWS of every Nation under Heaven Ver. 22. when Peter spake to them he saith to them Yee men of ISRAEL And that none put this off with an imagination that they were Proselytes that is Gentiles converted to Judaisme let them heed that Proselytes
haec inquit c. that is Therefore Jerom saith truly upon the eleventh verse the Jews and our Chiliasts dream these things shall be literally performed but let us interpret Jerusalem to be the Church which walking in the flesh yet doth not live according to the flesh whose freedom is in Heaven c. So he and yet within a very few lines after the same A Lapide hath these words Dico ergo c. that is I say therefore according to the Letter it is here signified that Jerusalem is to be taken by Antiochus Epiphanes and to be restored by the Maccabees Which how untruly it is asserted we have afore demonstrated onely we alleage this to instance how A Lapide falls from his spiritual to a litteral sence Mr. Calvin whiles mighty much for a spiritual sence of this prophesie hath to this effect on those words in the third verse The Lord shall go forth and fight against those Nations as he fought in the day of battel Zechary saith he tells the Jews Certamen saepe vobis fuit c. i.e. You have often fought with the strongest enemies they have been conquered and that when you have been by far unequal in number and power Seeing therefore the Lord hath so often and so many ways cast down your enemies why shall ye not hope for the same thing from him So he Our new Annotations have many touches of a spiritual sence but many also for a literal expresly or implicitly On the second verse this Here the last destruction of Jerusalem seems more plainly described then afore On the third verse this As when he fought in the day of battel that is not slightly but earnestly as he did for Gideon and divers others Judg. 7.22 On ver the fourth Gods coming to defend his Church shal be conspicuous and glorious On ver the fift the very Jews themselves shall be afraid at the presence of Gods appearance It were needlesly tedious to recite the many passages more they have to the same effect though they are very considerable to our purpose seeing the Reader knows where to finde them SECT LI. § 1 FRom Zechary we come to Malachi where we will consider but one place viz. Chapter 4. but that throughout verse 1. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch Vers 2. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall Vers 3. And ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day I shall do this saith the Lord of Hosts Vers 4. Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgements Vers 5. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord Vers 6. And be shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers least I come and smite the Earth with a curse § 2 There are so many famous Authors both Ancient and Modern that understand this Chapter of the second coming of Christ as you may see in the Margent * Paties Graeci Latini Cyril Theodor. Remig. Haymo Albert. Hugo Lyra. Chrysostom Euthym. Beda Anselm Hippol lib. de Consum sâculi Cyprâ tract de Sina Sion Ephrem tract de Antich Prosper in dimidio temp c. 13. Tertul. lib. de anima c. 35. Justin Mart. Dialog contr Tryph. Nyssen lib. Testim contr Judaeos Augustinus 20. Civit. Dei Greg. 11. Moral Andreas Ambros Rupert Arethas in Apocalyp c. 11. Scholastici Thomas in Matth. 17. A Lapid in hoc cap. Malach. c. Translatores Septuag in Anâiq exempl Arab. quorum utrique vertunt Elijam Thesbiten Neoterici Oecolamp M. Mede D. Mayer Sibyllae Tum quoque caelesti curru devectus inibit Terras de caelo Thesbites signaque trina Ostendettoti mundo vitae pereuntis Omnes Judaei communi eorum sententia to the number if we should name all as amounts as Calvin confesseth to the major part that we shall go free from wonder novelty or singularity in holding the same Especially if the Reader will take notice that those that incline to the other interpretation of Christs first coming as Calvin our New Annotations c. do ingenuously confess that the things of this Chapter shall not be compleatly fulfilled till the second coming of Christ Jerom our great adversary though on this Chapter he inveighs against the Jews and Judaizers for their expecting Elijah to come in person yet as A Lapide also hath noted upon Matthew chap. 11. vers 14. chap. 17. ver 11. he clearly teacheth that Elijah must come in person which A Lapide endeavors to reconcile thus Because the Jews do yet expect the first coming of the Messiah and that Elijah in person shall be the fore-runner of that his first coming Therefore Jerom on this Text reproves them but Jerom yeelds that Elijah in person shall be the fore-runner of the Messiahs second coming ** Sunt qui propterea Johannem Heliam votari quod quodam modo IN SECUNDO SALVATORIS ADVENIU JUXTA MALACHIAM PRAECESSURUS EST HELIAS venturum Judicem nunciaturus Sic Iohannes in primo adventu fecerit ET UTERQUE FIT NUNCIUS VEL PRIMI ADVENTUS DOMINI VEL SECUNDI Ierom in Matth. 11.14 Ecce apparuit illis Moyses Elias cum co loquentes Scribis Pharisaeis tentantibus se de caelo signa poscentibus dare noluit sed pravam postulationem conâutavit responsione pindenti Hic vero ut Apostolorum AUGEAT FIDEM DAT SIGNUM DE CAELO Elia inde DESCENDENTE quo conscenderat Moyse ab inferis resurgente âerom on Matth. 17.11 Thus Jerom. For my part I shall endeavor rather to demonstrate then as the manner of most is to dictate what I assert in the matters of this prophesie That this Chapter is of a state of the Church under the New Testament I need not labor much to prove Malachy being the last Prophet of the Old Testament And that V. 2. of this Chapter of the rising of the Sun c. is applyed to Christ John 1.9 Calling him the true light that lightneth every one c. As that V. 5. of this Chapter touching Elijah is applied by Christ Matth. 17.13 in part to signifie John Baptist his harbenger § 3 But the great question is How far into the times of the New Testament this prophesie doth run To answer which lay this for a ground work That the time to which this prophesie doth reach is called the GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD And it is as
into the bottomlesse pit that he should not deceive the Nations no more till the THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE FULFILLED and after that he must be loosed a little season And I saw Thrones and they sat on them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in heir hands and they LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS But the rest of the dead LIVED NOT AGAINE untill the THOUSAND YEARES WERE FINISHED In which words opened laboriously afore in Book 1. Chap. 2. Sect. 1 2 3. and severall times else where we have a burning and trampling as in war both to purpose destroying bond and free great and small answerable to root and branch set on foot by the metaphoricall sword of Christs mouth his word prophesying and commanding the destruction of the Antichristian enemy out executed materially with physical fire and sword if so many material expressions and corporal circumstances can set it forth ending in eternal and all this before the raising and reigning of the Saints at the beginning of the Thousand years and a full thousand years afore the generall execution of all the wicked body and soule in hell fire For most emphatically it is said in ver 7 c. to the end of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation that after the THOUSAND YEARES WERE EXPIRED that Satan were loosed and had deceived the Nations that then hee was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone WHERE THE BEAST and FALSE PROPHET ARE or WERE viz. afore in chap. 19. ver 20. And with the Devil the dead wicked raised and judged according to the books there opened are cast also into the lake of fire Whether this corporal destruction as to means be ordinary or miracuâary it alters not the case But to dream of a spirituall destruction by the Word and to be set forth by fire and war and in a continued speech that sounds of nothing but opposition against Christ to the very death cannot appear to my best reason any better then a meer chimaera and imaginary fiction And the rather because slaying of men to the giving of their flesh to the fowles of the aire is emphatically distinguished from casting the other ALIVE into the lake of fire as this casting of those alive into the lake of fire is distinguished from the general damnation in hell fire in the last verse of the twentieth chapter ¶ 2. That in the second verse of this fourth of Malachie unto you that fear his name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings cannot be more fitly applyed then to that 2 Pet. 1.19 The whole context runs thus Ver. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised tables when we made known unto you the power and COMING of our LORD JESUS CHRIST but were eye witnesses of HIS Majesty Ver. 17. For HE received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voyce to him from the excellent glory THIS âS MY BELOVED SON in whom I am well pleased Ver. 18. And this voyce which came from heaven we heard when we were with HIM in the holy Mount Ver. 19. We have also a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed aâ unto âââgh that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawn and the DAY-STAR arise in your hearts Peter in his first Epistle chap. 1. v. 1. writing to the Jewes being their Apostle Gal. 2.7 as Paul was of the Gentiles Rom. 11.13 holds forth to these Jewes in the words afore quoted three things 1. That all along there he speaks of Christ 2. That there is a twofold coming of Christ the one past when he wrote this second Epistle viz. when he came at first in the flesh receiving that testimony by voyce from heaven Matth. 17.5 afore mentioned in ver 17. of this 2 Pet. 2. The other to come held forth in a word of Prophesie in this v. 19. which when it is fulfilled the day ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall dawne and the Day-star ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã shall arise c. 3. That this Day-star is Christ both by the contexture of Peters speech afore being all of Christ and by the sence of the Day-star which is the Sun as the Moon c. is the night-star Psal 136.8 9. So that Mâlachies Sun of Righteousnesse arising with healing in his wings that is in his beames and Peters Day-star shining into the hearts of men is all one And lastly by the Antithesis put between the word of prophesie named onely a light shining in a dark place as a candle or small star in the night and the day-star making full day no person being to be exalted above the word of the prophets but Christ which Sun or Day-star when he shines with a full body upon the whole periphere or compasse of the Moon his Church he makes her full of light that before had much darknesse mixt with her light 3. The Apostle Peter holds forth to the Jewes in the continuation of his speech to them When this Day-star shall arise in their hearts viz. when it shall shine in the generality of them that is that Christ shall be effectually made known to the lump of the Jewes as Paul Rom. 11. cals the Nation or body of them yet unconverted but in after time to be converted so that the ALL OF ISRAEL as is Pauls phrase there SHALL BE SAVED And further that he shall with a dawning of the day remove the long night of their afflictions For as for a spirituall shining by some grace in the hearts of a few Jewes the Apostle acknowledgeth that to be now done already ver 1. But this was but by or through a light shining in a dark place But hereafter when the day dawns the Sun the Day-star shall arise in their hearts And this by the processe of his speech shall be at the great destruction of the enemies and the restauration of the Church Chap. 3. For marke the proceed of the Apostles discourse closely woven together The Apostle having mentioned an adherence to the word of Prophesie UNTILL the day dawn and the Day-star arise c. which words plainly point at a time to come for the fulfilling of it he busies himselfe in nothing but in advancing the true divine prophesies dictated to holy men of God by his Spirit and the interpretation thereof according to the publicke tenor of the Prophets and Apostles ver 20 21. and declaiming against false Prophets and false Teachers damnably teaching and seducing the people chap. 2 throughout I say he busies himselfe in nothing but in these two till he return in the third chapter to exhort the Jewes afresh to be mindful of the words of the Prophets and consonantly of the words of Christ and his Apostles
according to those prophesies ver 1 2. To what end Why now as he declares himselfe particularly to observe the time when this prophesie shall have an end that the day may dawn and the Day-star arise Which saith he ver 3 4 5.6 7. though some through wilfull ignorance sooffe at the promise of CHRISTS COMING yet be it a thousand years off and more all this to God is but as one day And when that time is come that day shall be a thousand years So that though it seem long to men yea so long to impenitent men as if he would never come yet he will be sure to come and that suddenly as a theife in the night and formidably to the wicked as in form of a day of Doom the Heavens passing away and the Elements melting and the works of the EARTH dissolving But not so to the Church not so is the state of the Church expressed with a keen antithesis NEVERTHELESSE q. d. notwithstanding those high words and huge deeds WE beleevers according to his PROMISE that divine ancient promise so particularly expressed Isa 65.17 18 19 20 c. look for new Heavens and a NEW EARTH wherein dwels righteousnesse Which cannot be the description of a state in the highest Heavens which were never worne old nor made of earth nor without the inhabitation of righteousnesse So that the result of Peters discourse is that that Sun of righteousness or Day-star shall rise and radiate at the time of the dissolution of the power of the wicked and the restitution of all things for the glory of the Church on earth Our oft touching upon this 2 Pet. 3. afore makes us speak so sparingly of it now ¶ 3. That coming of Elijah in the fift verse before this great day must signifie an Elijah yet to come either personally or personatedly For though Elijah is said to come in part personatedly in John Baptist representing him by the similitude of his zeale in doctrine and austerity of life Matth. 17.12 yet Elijahs coming is not totally nor mainly fulfilled to this day He must yet come again either as we said personally that is he himselfe individually in his owne person or else personatedly that is if I may so speake specifically represented by one of the like kind and degree of parts exactly like unto him viz. mighty in spirit and action to doe as aforesaid in this context to convert the heart of the Fathers to the children before that great day afore mentioned yet to come where he shall Matth. 17.11 RESTORE ALL THINGS That this truth may find the better entertainment in mens apprehensions I will for the most wave my obscure selfe and sentence herein and present it in the words of divers learned men wherein they urge their owne reasons for it ¶ 4. The Scribes of and among the Jewes the clerick Classis of them very learned men in their generations by office Expounders of the Law Ezra 7.6 9. Luk. 5.17 and 7.30 asserted after John Baptists death from this very Text of Malachie that Elijah was to come Mat. 17.10 From them grounding on that Text some of the twelve Disciples after Christ had chosen them and indowed them with wonderfull gifts Matth. 10.1 2. c. and had shewed them his transfiguration on the mount Mat. 17.1 2 c. to 9. take up the same Tenet as worthy of consideration touching the coming of Elijah and presseth it upon our Saviour in the same Mat. 17.10 the Lord Christ in answer to them first doth clearly acknowledge at that time a good while after John Baptists death * For John Baptist was beheaded An. 32. after Christs birth and Christs transfiguration was An. 33. Buchol Ad An. 32 33. That Elijah SHAL COME and asserts it with a TRULY as our Translators render it as indeed in sence so it is And then Christ addes that when hee comes he SHAL ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã restore all things Which makes one maine objection that John Baptists time on earth was not the ALL of Elijahs coming Besides Christ speaks of Elijahs coming so long after John Baptists death in the present tence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã commeth as intimating that he is still coming or yet to come So that as Christ comes twice once past another to come so with a proportionable decorum his Harbenger comes twice both times to usher in his Master The one is past in John Baptist the other is to come in him that is still called and expected by the name of Elijah as we shall see more by and by ¶ 5. Of the Christians likewise long since Christs ascension there are many men of fame for piety and learning both ancient and modern that doe not only assert but argue expressely or couchedly for the coming of Elijah yet to be fulfilled 1. Tertullian who flourished about the year one hundred and eighty after Christ in his Book concerning the Resurrection asserts â Quis inimicos Christi jam subjecit pedibus ejus secundum David Psal 110 Quis coelo descendentem Iesum talem conspexit qualem ascendentem Apostoli viderant Nulla ad hodiernum tri bus ad tribum pectora caeâiderunâ âgâoscentes qâeâ puâugerunt Nâmo adhuc EXCEPIT HELIAM Nemo aâhuc fugit Antichristum Nem adhuc Babylon âxituââ flevit Tertuâ lib Ve Resurâect â 22 Et âcce mutam âobis Heliom THESBITEN Sed ânim Metempsychosis illorum est revocatio animae jampridem morte functae in aliud corpus iteratae HELIAS autâm non ex decessione sed ex translatione venturus est nec corpori restituendus de quo non est exemptus sed mundo reddendus de quo est translatius non ex post liminio vitae sed exsupplemente prophetiae idem ipse sui nominis sui bominis Tertul. lib. de Anima Cap. 35. that Elijah after his time was to come by the same reason that his coming is a positively set down in Scripture to be a signe of Christs second coming as any other signes Some of his words are these who hath subjected Christs enemies under his feet according to David Psa 8. Psa 110. who hath seen Jesus so or such a one descending as the Apostles saw him ascending Act. I. II. There is no Tribe with Tribe to this day smiting their breasts acknowledging him whom they have pierced Zech. 12.10 c. Matth. 24.30 Rev. 1.7 No man hath yet RECEIVED ELIJAH Mal. 4.5 Mat. 17.11 No man yet hath fled from Antichrist Rev. 12.6 c. he means from the persecutions of Antichrist for he was not in his time risen to that power as to persecute nor till long after And saith Tertullian no man hath wept over the ruine of Babylon Rev. 18.9 c. He goes on in another place thus And behold I will send you Helias the THESBITE But indeed their Metempsychosis or transmeation of soules is the revocation of a soule that having long since finished the death of that
in opposition to both sorts of evils immediately afore recounted viz. not only to false Doctrines but to cruell persecutions and therefore a corporal as well as a spiritual salvation must be here meant and these to be performed on earth viz. in the inhabited world just where the Gospel preached converted them and where they endured to the end And unto which Christ doth gloriously appear FROM heaven ver 30 c. to make up the splendor of that state on earth we here speak of Now all these things cannot be fulfilled at the ultimate generall judgement nor are they hitherto fulfilled and therefore they remaine yet to be fulfilled which Mr. Mede solidly amplifies on Jer. 10. ver 11. thus Hitherto saith he we have spoken of the accomplishment of this prophecy for so much as is already past now let us see what that is which we expect as yet to come for though in regard of former times when Ethnicisme was so large and the worshipers of the living God so small a scantling the extent of the Church be now at this day a goodly and large portion of the world yet if we consider the number of Nations yet Pagans or not Christians it will seem too scant as yet to be the accomplishment of this and other prophecies concerning the largenesse of Christs Kingdome before the end of the world For one hath well observed that Christianity at this day is not above the sixth part of the knowne world whereas the Mahumetans have a fifth and all the rest are Ethnicks and Pagans So that if we divide the world into thirty parts Christianity is but as five in thirty Mahumetanism as six and Ethnicisme as nineteen and so is Christianity the least part of all and plain Heathenism hath far above the one half of the known world and the better part of the other is also Mahumetans And though Christianity hath been imbraced in former times where now it is not yet is it now spread in those places where in those times it was not And therefore all laid together we may account Christianity at this day as large I think as ever it was since the Apostles time But that this is not that universal Kingdome of Christ that flourishing and glorious estate of the Church which yet we expect hope for my reasons are these First These frequent places of Scripture which intimate that the Lord should subdue all People all Kingdoms all Nations and all the ends of the earth unto himselfe and that all these should one day worship and acknowledge him Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him for the Kingdome is the Lords and he is governor among the Nations And Psal 47. Clap your hands all yee people for the Lord is a great King over all the earth he shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feete And againe God is King of all the earth and reigneth over the Heathen Psal 66. Make a joyfull noise unto God all yee-lands through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee aâ the earth shall worship thee and sing of thee they shall sing unto thy Name The whole Psal 67. which we read every day is as it were a prophecy and prayer for this great kingdome That the way of God may be knowne upon earth and his saving health among all the Nations let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yeeld her increase c. God shall blesse us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him And Psal 89. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name for thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone And Isa 2. which is a prophecy of Christs Kingdome it is said That the Idols the Lord shall utterly abolish or as some read the Idols shall utterly passe away So Esay 54.5 speaking of the amplitude of the Church of the Gentiles Thy Redeemer saith the Prophet the holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth shall be called Certainly this constant stile of universality implies more then this scantling which yet is small being but one of the least parts of the whole earth Secondly The same conclusion may be gathered from 1 Cor. 15.25 26. compared with Heb. 2.8 Christ must reigne saith St. Paul in the first place quoted till he hath put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy which shall be destroyed is death Hence it followes that Christ shall subdue all his enemies whereof the Prince of this world is the cheife before the last rising of the dead for the subduing of death that is the rising of the dead shal not be afore the rest shall be done the vanquishing of death being the last act of Christs reigning which done he shall yeeld up the Kingdome unto his Father In the other place Heb. 2.8 the Apostle speaking of the same thing alleadgeth that of Psal 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and then adds for in that he put all in subjection under him But now marke it we see not all things put under him If any say that the Apostle speakes here of the Kingdome of Glory in Heaven and not of the Kingdom of Grace on Earth I reply first out of the former place that he speaks of such a subjection whereof the rising of the dead shall be the last act of all and which shall be before he yeelds up the kingdome to his Father But neither of these can be affirmed of the kingdome of glory but the contrary viz. The rising of the dead is at the beginning and not at the end of the Kingdome of glory and so is also his yeelding up of his kingdom unto his Father Secondly I reply out of this place that the Apostle speaks of that kingdome and subjection of the earth or state of the earth which was to come For so he speaks v. 5. Unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the earth or state of the earth which shal be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of which we speak Here he affirms that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is that of whose subjection he meaneth If then ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signâââs onely the earth ' and the earths inhabitants and is no where in the Scripture otherwise used I cannot see how this place can well beare any other exposition First then to confirme this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the same which the Hebrews call ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for so the Septuagint renders it whose use of speaking I doubt not but the Apostle followes But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã most constantly signifies the habitable earth or the earth with the things that live and dwell therein whence the Septuagint though they commonly render it ãâã ãâã
that is a yeare yeares and halfe a yeare In the Revelation it is the beast with so many heads and horns full of names of blasphemy which was to continue forty two moneths the same period with the former which was expressed by times and yeares and the same time with 1260. dayes of the Churches remaining in the Wildernesse When these times whatsoever they be shall be ended then is the period of the times of the Gentiles and of the Jewes misery whereto our Saviour seemes to referre in the Gospel Then by St. Paul shall the fulnesse of the Gentiles enter in Then saith St. John shall the kingdomes of the earth be the Lords and his Christs Then saith Daniel in the former place chap. 7. shall the kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the kingdome under the whole heaven be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him SECT II. The second place in the New Testament is Luke 1. ver 31 32. And behold thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus And he shall be GREAT and shall be called the sonne of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the THRONE of his FATHER DAVID and he shall reigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end § 1 ON which words observe first that this place is taken out of Isa 9.7 before discussed * of giving to Christ the throne of his father David which is not yet fulfilled For Pag. 182. l. 3. chap. 2. Sect. 12 S. 5. c. § 2 Observe secondly That Christs coming in his Incarnation was a state of the greatest humility that could be Phil. 2.7 8. and that from his birth to his ascension saving but to a few radiating for a minute in his transfiguration to three of the Apostles Matth. 17.1 and his appearing to the rest of his Disciples after his Resurrection and ascending up in their sight Acts 1. And therefore though these words are spoken by the Angel upon occasion of his Incarnation yet are they not applied by the Angel adequatly to set forth his state of Incarnation but rather antithetically extended to carry the minde of Mary c. farre further as thus That though this Jesus shall be conceived in thy wombe a meane woman in comparison of the visible glory of the royall races of Princes yet this Iesus shall be no meane person but shall be GREAT and shall bee called the SON OF THE HIGHEST and shall have the THRONE of his father David and shall REIGNE over the house of JACOB for ever c. which things were never fulfilled all the time of his Incarnation to the day of his Ascension Nor was that the time so much as of the full revelation of them but when the Apostles taking hint from these words of the Angel and the like places of Scripture asked our Saviour Acts 1.6 a little before he ascended Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to ISRAEL comprehending all the twelve Tribes as doth the house of Iacob in the text our Saviour denied not the thing but the revelation of it that time saying vers 7. It is not for you viz. now the words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. are in the present tence to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power But about seventy yeares after that his ascension God gave the full revelation of it to Christ to shew it by an Angell unto John who might write it to the Churches Revel 1.1 so that § 3 Observe in the third place that at Christs first coming viz. in all the time of his Incarnation from his Birth to his Ascension he was not in the throne of his father David he was in the Manger in the Mountaines more destitute then the Birds and Foxes in a Crowne of Thornes in garments of scorne on the Crosse in the Grave and at last in Heaven but never all that time in the Throne of David The Romans all that time and divers hundreds of yeares after reigned over the Jewes Christ not having any thing of Davids visible corporall government which was the notion of Davids government the High-Priest bearing that which outwardly might be called Spirituall yea when it was offered unto Christ to be made a King and to divide the portions between the Brethren he refused it Therefore § 4 Observe fourthly That the beginning of that Kingdome of Christ which shal be for ever that is after which no Kingdom on earth succeeds as often hath been expounded was not yet begun For after Christs ascension from that day to this other Kingdomes on earth over the Jewes did succeed viz. the Romans Sarazens and Turkes Why the meere spirituall Kingdome of Christ cannot be here understood we have already given unanswerable reasons as we conceive afore when wee parallel'd this place with Isa 9.7 * Pag. 184. l. 1. and why this Kingdome cannot be in Heaven at the ultimate end of the world the reason is at hand because then Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father when he shall have put downe ALL rule c. and the sonne himselfe shall be subject to him c. SECT III. The third place in the New Testament for the said visible glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come before the universall Resurrection is in Luke 21.24 And they the Jews shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall bee trodden downe of the Gentiles untill the times Gr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã opportunities of the Gentiles be fulfilled Gr. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã filled up OBserve first that our Saviour speaking of the two Tribes that had been now returned from Babylon above five hundred years that they shall be led away captive in all nations must of necessity meane another and a more dispersing captivity following that which was begun by Titus Sonne of Vespasian the Roman Emperour burning both Temple and City selling an hundred thousand Jewes besides the slaughter of eleven hundred thousand about forty yeares after the ascension of Christ as Bucholcerus and Josephus affirme prosecuted by Aelius Adrianus the Roman Emperour about an hundred yeares after Christs ascension at which time the said Aelius Adrianus buried Jerusalem in its own rubbish and gave it to other Nations and Gentiles to inhabite calling it after his own name Aelia promoted yet further by the Saracens making feareful desolations in Judea about a thousand and nine yeares * So Bucholcerus Ind. chron after the Incarnation of Christ and at last this scattering of those two Tribes into all Nations is perfected by the Turkes dominion over them from about the yeare one thousand three hundred after the Incarnation of Christ to this day whereby they are dispersed as our
generall Judgement because then is a totall destruction not an appearance for conversion of them that are found in unbeleefe Then is the Saints full enjoyment of utmost glory not their striving with the Nations Then Christ layes downe all power 1 Cor. 15. therefore doth not put power into the hands of his people SECT XI The eleventh place in the New Testament is Revel 3.21 To him that over-cometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also over-came and am set downe with my Father in his Throne § 1 VVHat can we make of this Text unlesse we understand the Saints viz. sincere Soules and cordiall Christians that persevere to the end reigning with Christ on EARTH As it is by and by added chap. 5.10 which the foure Animals and twenty foure Elders expresse in a Song of praise to Christ Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall REIGN ON EARTH On which our New Annotations confesse That this may signifie the PROSPEROVS TIMES OF THE CHURCH UNDER CHRISTIAN KINGS AND EMPEROVRS Dan. 7.27 which place as we have largely afore demonstrated * Pag. 126. S. 4. p. 127 c. Again p. 249 Sect. 36. c. doth plainly signifie the glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come Psa 37.11 But the meek shall INHERIT THE EARTH Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall INHERIT THE EARTH Thus they which must signifie a State to come as the expression is in the Future tence and experience shewes us that in past times the meeke have not in the generall INHERITED the earth but in all Ages have been sorely disturbed and distressed That state of Christs Kingdome hath not yet come for it followes in this text deeply to be considered that § 2 It is granted here by Christ himselfe that as he is God and Man he hath not hitherto sate upon his owne Throne but upon his Fathers Throne the highest heaven of glory should seem is the Fathers Throne as it is oft expressed in the Old Testament Psal 11.4 Isa 66.1 c. And there Christ is now Coloss 3.1 but the time is yet to come according to the future expression of the text long after Christs Ascension that Christ must have a Throne of his owne on which together with him those that overcome shall sit § 3 Now this must needs be on earth because after the Judgement Day on earth Rev. 20.11 c. to the end of the chapter Christ layes downe all his power 1 Cor. 15.24 28. SECT XII The Twelfth and last place in the New Testament which we shall urge for this particular under consideration is Revel the 18. 19. chapters § 1 THe Prophesies whereof are not yet fulfilled to this day so long since the Ascension of Christ ¶ 1. Note that ver 2. of the eighteenth Chapter where it is said Babylon is fallen is fallen for whether wee understand New Babylon figuratively so called viz. Rome described by her seven Hils and seven sorts of Government and the ten Kingdoms under the seventh Rev. 17.9 10 11 12. or old Babylon properly so named viz. where the Jewes were held captive neither of them since this Prophesie are so fallen as is described in the following Verses of this Chapter of which by and by but stil the Popish Antichrist possesseth the one and the Turkish the other and both in the ruffe to this very day ¶ 2. Nor is that in the fourth and sixth verses yet fulfilled wherein the People of God are commanded saying Reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works and the cup which she hath filled fill to her double for the people of God have not yet rewarded her either old or new Babylon single but as ver 7. Shee glorifies her selfe and lives deliciously yea and oppresseth the people of God ¶ 3. Nor is that yet fulfilled vers 8. That her Plagues have come in one day viz. Death and Mourning and Famine and utter burning But she both elder and younger stands in great glory to this day ¶ 4. Nor is that yet fulfilled ver 9. That the Kings of the earth that have committed Spirituall fornication and lived deliciously with her shal bewaile her and lament for her seeing the smoake of her burning But generally they rejoyce with her and for her glory in which she is at this day ¶ 5. Nor is that yet fulfilled mentioned from verse eleventh to the end of the nineteenth of the mourning of the Merchants over her destruction by fire standing afarre off crying Alas alas But contrariwise they flocke to her trade with her and admire her glory It is true the Gothes and Vandals have conquered new Babylon and spoyled her as we mentioned afore but not she nor old Babylon is yet totally destroyed by fire that there should be no Candle seen or Milstone heard in them ver 20. 22. but both flourish with great glory in their dominion over the people of God ¶ 6. Nor is that in the twentieth verse yet fulfilled that the holy Apostles and Prophets have yet since this Text was penned ever rejoyced in the destruction of either Babylons but both Babylons doe yet triumph in their owne prosperity and power over the Nations and among them over many Saints vers 7. yea the rejoycing of the Apostles and Prophets over Babylons destruction doth signifie one would thinke the triumph of the Church over their enemies on earth at the first Resurrection of which wee have so largely spoken afore For when else possibly can the Prophets and Apostles rejoyce over the destruction of Babylon § 2 ## For so it followes in the nineteenth Chapter and first seven Verses spoken over foure times Hallelujah that is as it is englished in verse the fift Praise yee God which praise is given to God by the foure Animals and twenty foure Elders and of a great multitude Why because Gods Judgements are righteous and true Wherein Because he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth and hath avenged the bloud of the Saints at her hand And he the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready ¶ 1. Which last clauses cleerly relate to the first Resurrection wherein all the Saints rise so that the ruine of Babylon and the raising of the Saints immediatly concurre with the sorrow of the one and the triumph of the other But these have not been fulfilled to this day as the contrary face of things gives evident testimony ¶ 2. Nor is that fulfilled from the eighth verse of the nineteenth Chapter to the end of the Chapter of the glory of the Church of the glorious appearance of Christ and of the corporall destruction of all whatsoever that take part against Christ and his Church largely discussed afore more then once out of this Chapter But these things as sure as Christ is the
Magnificat and Te Deum that All Christendome was theirs excepting a few minute spots and obscure corners of a few peevish Protestants Now the Catastrophe of these must be according to the full Tenor of the Argument the stream of all Prophesies and the examples of the three former Monarchies a total ruine of them SECT II. § 1 AFter long and many tedious troubles and afflictions and persecutions the Lord hath in all ages given the Church a generall rest upon earth But the Church hath been long under affliction and troubles and persecutions in all Countries where it hath resided even since about forty yeers after Constantine the Great his Reigne Therefore God will yet again give the Church a general rest upon earth § 2 The minor or second Proposition is plaine by History Experience and that which hath been said in the former Argument and therefore there is no need of speaking more to that § 3 Of the major Proposition the Lord from the beginning hath given his Church severall typical first-fruits laying the foundation of all upon his own example in resting from the Creation the seventh day and thereupon gave them a seventh day every week the seventh year of every seven yeers and the Jubile being the last year of seven seven yeers wherein to rest from labours morgages and servitude as a type and taste of the rests he would give his Church from other troubles and afflictions upon earth notably argued by the Apostle upon those grounds Heb. 4. throughout that Chapter largely opened afore And according to these types so hath the Lord practised towards his Church from the beginning 1 After about One thousand six hundred and fifty years of afflictions upon the Church from the Creation by the murther of Abel Gen. 4. by the ungodlinesse of men and their hard speeches against God in the time of Enoch Jude v. 15. and the ungodlinesse of the world in the time of Noah before the Deluge 2 Pet. 2.5 God gave a rest to the Church in the Arke of Noah the name of that good man typifying and ordered by providence unto that end to signifie rest of viz. from toyl Gen. 2.29 2 After the flood new troubles to the Church began to spring up Nimrod assumed to himselfe to be a Monarchical Tyrant over men called therefore a Mighty Hunter that is as the Learned expound a Man-hunter The beginning of his Monarchy was Babel Gen. 10. 8 9 10. After this the building of the Tower to prevent Gods future judgements Gen. 11. brought confusion of Languages which proved a great affliction After that there was great trouble by the Wars taking Lot prisoner c. Gen. 14. and by the firing of Sodome Gen. 19. But at last God sent Isaack signifying Laughter and a type of Christ all the time of whole life there was a time of great Tranquillity This peace perioding many troubles arose in Jacobs time by Esau Laban Simeon and Levi and the selling of Joseph But Joseph being advanced in Aegypt the Country of Goshen there was provided as a Land of rest for the Church for many years Gen. 28. c. to the end of that Book Joseph being dead and forgotten of the Kings of Aegypt great afflictions are heaped upon the Church in hard labour with much rigor persecutingly putting to death their male Infants causing them to groan and cry to God in much anxiety of Spirit Exod. the three first Chapters But at length God brought them out from that place and persecution and gave them freedome forty yeers in the wilderness After this they had sore Wars with the Canaanites but at last rest in Canaan I should be too tedious to dilate upon their rest in returning to Judea after seventy years Captivity Upon the spirituall refreshing the Saints had for a time after the Maccabean and other troubles which wars and troubles lasted about foure hundred years from Malachi to the beginning of the New Testament Upon the rest the Church had after those persecutions Act. 8.1 which rest is emphatically mentioned Act. 9.31 And upon the rest they had afore the life time of Constantine after three hundred years in the ten Persecutions which distinction of ten was by pointing and distinguishing them by some lucida intervalla some rests and respites between each of them till Constantine gave them a greater rest lasting for about forty yeers § 4 Therefore we have reason yea divine reason to expect a great and notable rest for the Church after so long time of troubles for the general upon all the Church more or lesse since that time which is now above a thousand and three hundred years so the Apostle in part argues as we said Heb. 4. that God having given severall rests on earth to the Church after which ever and anon by turns fresh trouble sprang up therefore yet there remaineth another notable rest on earth to the people of God which rest mentioned in that of Heb. 4. is not meerly spirituall or totally supernall glory as we have laboriously argued afore upon that Chapter And there is also a Prophesie inferred upon their state in the Wildernesse touching the Churches rest upon earth Rev. 12. SECT III. § 1 THe Churches extremity is Gods opportunity as Philo Judaein in his Book ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and experience witnesse But the Church considered in generall in all countries hath been for many years past even till now under great extremities Therefore God will take an opportunity to deliver it The full confirmation of both premises may be sufficiently picked out of the two former arguments The conclusion follows of it selfe SECT IV. § 1 IOynt prayers never miscarry but ever receive gracious returns See the generall Experiment 2 Chron. 15.4 particulars see in the joynt prayers of the Church in Egypt Exod. 2.23 24. under the Judges Judg. 6.6 7. Judg. 10.10 to the end of the chapter under the pious Kings Asa 2 Chron 15.18 to the end Jehoshaephat 2 Chron. 20.12 to 31. Hezekiah 2 King 19.1 c. Josiah 2 King 22.19 § 2 But in many ages even ever since the Apostles prayer Act. 4.24 The Saints and Churches in their convenings have prayed for the fall of Antichrist and all opposers of the Church for the conversion of the Jews and the restauration of the Church to her glory on earth witnesse the severall prayers in the Scriptures and experiences of the prayers of Gods people in all their convenings as the antientest Saints alive have been eare witnesses § 3 Therefore there must be a returne of these prayers according as beside the former precedents God hath made severall promises and engagements as Psa 50.15 Mat. 7.7 Ioh. 14.13 14. Luk. 18.1 c. of hearing his peoples prayers For though God defer long as it is in that parable or comparison Luke 18.1 c. yet he will be sure to answer as he did that prayer Act. 4.24 though it were near three hundred years afore he eminently performed it to
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 â 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. ârideaux 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 Greâk 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 colâurs 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 â 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 aâleadged See his words at length
ten yeers after Christ which was a hundred yeers within the Drs. thousand yeers the Goths invaded Italy under Alarichus their Leader From whence to the crowning of Carolus Magnus which was about seven hundred seventy one after Christ are about three hundred and seventy yeers others say foure hundred all within the Doctors thousand yeers All which time Italy and the Churches there was never at rest sed humanorum malorum extrema omnia passa est Atque ecclesia Dei quae paulo ante constituta per Constantinum inde per annos centum in aliqua esse dignitate ac potentiâ caeperat maximam ex omni parte jacturam labemque contuaxit but suffered the extremest evils and defilements Anno foure hundred thirty and six still within the Drs. thousand yeers The Goths made fearful troubles taking holds c. in Gallia or France And secondly for the Saracens lo in Anno seven hundred and thirty yeers after Christ still part of the Doctors thousand yeers three hundred and eighty thousand Saracens in an hostile way had been in Gallia how long before I know not This was foure hundred and odde yeers within the Doctors thousand yeers Anno one thousand and nine yeers after Christ neer three hundred yeers afore the end of the Doctors thousand yeers the Saracens invaded Jerusalem destroyed the Temple c. Anno one thousand ninety six yeers which is above two hundred yeers afore the Doctors thousand yeers end begining at Constantine three hundred yeers after Christ as he computed the Saracens having as we said invaded the Holy land thence sprang the Holy war of many Christian Princes and innumerable of Christian people warring with the Saracens which as Pucherius Gul. Tyrius Blondus and the Writer of the French and German affairs and Bucholcerus shew cost an innumerable of Christians bloud And the Saracens continue there to this day and shall saith Daniel chap. 12. till a time and times and halfe a time be fulfilled Now if I had time to be tedious in all particulars to apply all to the Doctors assertion of the Goths Vandals and Saracens wherein would appeare any shew of the Doctors thousand yeers of binding Satan in this space sc from Constantines time c. ¶ 4 But the Doctor gives many distinctions in the close of his Argument viz See afore at S. 2. ¶ 4. To the first That the Church sighed or groaned under a correcting or afflicting calamity but not under an oppressing Majesty as before in the ten persecutions of the R. Emperours we thus answer First did not the Church suffer in Constantine M. his time in Persia under their King to the slaughter of sixteen thousand was not there an oppressing Majesty as we shewed at large afore and so continued there till the death of Constantine M. and after to Theodosius 2 Was not Constantius an oppressing Majesty when hee sent five thousand souldiers to kill Athanasius And Georgius an Arian Bishop was furnished with souldiers whereby to persecute with torments the Christians as wee shewed at large afore and under him Macedonius an Arian Bishop saith the Author of the â Arian history used no lesse cruelty in compelling Christians to communicate with him then was used of old to compell Christians to sacrifice to the Idols of the Gentiles And is not Arianisme denying the God-head of Christ as bad or worse then Heathenisme being a Blasphemy and against the evident Scripture which the Heathens have not 3 Was not Julian an oppressing Majesty when the History of the Arian persecution saith hee gave no mandate for persecution because he would not honour the magnanimity of Christians But was not his punishment intended and acted by him upon Caesarea an act of a violent oppressing Majesty And further is not this a rule received of all for truth Hee that doth not forbid evill when hee may commands it See Julian permits all cruelties as aforesaid And when hee was petitioned for reliefe he scoffed at the petitioners and the Scriptures See more in the History of the Arian persecution By this we have said the Doctors second distinction of another manner of Persecution is also overthrown viz. That though the Church in this space was not free from forreigne enemies yet free from domesticke Princes trampling it And here with the former we may take in opportunely another distinction or limitation put in the head of these distinctions by the Doctor viz. As Goths and Vandals c. invaded so they alwayes either felt the power of some King or Emperour as Patrons and Nurses or else they imbraced their faith To both wee answer Were the Saracens and Turks to this day repelled or converted How did they feel the Princes power whom they conquered And are they not blasphemous Mahumetans to this day And did not the Goths and Vandals prevaile for neer foure hundred yeers as wee shewed afore in Italy to the utter devastation of the Church almost And what conversion had the Goths c. unlesse a perversion to Arrianisme by those Arrians Valens the Emperour sent them as we shewed afore And lastly how were those Princes Nurses who though they opposed forreigne Princes to defend their dignity yet meane while persecuted at home being Arians as Valens or c. and the Christian Princes that went against the Saracens into the Holy-land were Papists of whose persecutions Fox and many Ecclesiastical Histories make large mention As to the Doctors third distinction That the persecution in the Doctors thousand yeers was not universal but particular We answer If the Dr. means an absolute universal persecution over the face of the whole earth where ever were any Christians and at the same time then when ever was Satan so loose according to the Doctors opinion But if the Doctor means by universal a persecution in most Kingdomes of the World here and there and ever and anon in the space of the Doctors thousand yeers where ever were any Christians then we shall prove this if not more to have been so all the time of the Doctors thousand yeers For example of Persia We spake afore something of the same Persia we adde that Mr. Fox in his Book of Martyrs 1. Vol. pag. 127. of his Edit Anno 1641. having spoken of the persecution in Persia in Constantine M. time and the copy of his letter goes on to shew us and that by particular instances of terrible persecutions in the same Persia after Constantine M. time viz. in the time of Theodosius his reign Theodosius 1. was in Anno three hundred seventy eight after Christ Helvic Theodosius 2. in Anno foure hundred and eight Theodosius 3. Anno seven hundred and five Take either or all all are within the Doctors thousand yeers And this persecution was so notorious that the Roman Emperour at this time sent Embassadours for deliverance of some of the Martyrs So in Fox ibid. Then for the Roman Empire of Goths and Vandals invading Italy Anno seven hundred seventy one after Christ
Adelbert the Bishop was martyred for preaching the Gospel Also about this time Basil the Grecian Emperour sends a great Army against the Bulgarians conquers them taking two Cities and returnes home Conqueror Now warre according to the sense of the Doctors concession should be inconsistent with the time of Satans binding ¶ 2 For the second period in the Popes following to Pope Benedict the ninth which makes about thirty yeers there were many Wars between the Papistical Kings and Princes and Civil Wars in their owne Dominions and many Councels and Synods about fasting dayes and holy dayes as C. Baron confesseth in his Annals which no wayes comport with the binding of Satan ¶ 3 For the third period in Pope Gregorie the seventh called Hildebrand of him you may read in his Tragical story as Mr. Fox calls it in the Book of Martyrs page 226 Vol. 1. of the last Edition very largely The briefe summe of whose wicked life Reusner in his Chronology and Armacanus de success statu Ecclesiar cap. 3 4 5. give us in these words He was covetous sacrilegious a notorious hypocrite under pretence of sanctity he led a most wicked life Hee brought in single life cut off the bonds of wedlock and made way for fornications adulteries and other most filthy vices Hee filled the Roman Empire with all seditions and civill Wars Hee excommunicated the Emperour Henry the fourth took away his Title of King so that the said Emperour bare-foot in sharp Winter attended at the Popes door for absolution which the Pope denied him All this under a pretended accusation of the said Emperour of Simony This Hildebrand also absolves the Nobles of their fealty to the said Emperour and arms them against the Emperour Now are these impieties and hurly burlies consonant to the time of Satans binding No considerate man can imagine it Here is not onely hypocrisie but the violence of the sword ¶ 4 For the fourth period from Gregory the seventh to Boniface the eighth which makes above two hundred yeers were so many great warres wicked Councels horrid heresies and impious practises as clearly vote this time not to be the time of binding of Satan Pope Paschalis the second spends the whole course of his life in War A Councel is called in Pauls London under Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury to remedy the Sodomy of Ministers The Trecensian Synod is called investing the Popes with power over the Sunne And forbidding Ministers marriage Pope Eugenius the third makes war against Rome and Rome wars against him A war or two there is in this time about the Holy-land to the end to weaken the Kings of the earth that they might not curb the Pope The hereticall doctrine of Transubstantiation springs up Frederick the second Emperour buyes his absolution of the Pope for twelve hundred thousand ounces of gold I will name no more for brevities sake that I may hasten a dispatch of this point These are enough to demonstrate Satan was not now bound yea and to overthrow the Doctors distinction that Satan is now bound from open Butcheries You hear the contrary As also to overthrow that of his distinction that Satan is bound when he acts by the occult hypocrisie of his Instruments You see in the foregoing history hypocrisie and open cruelty go together And almost all open War and persecution begins in hypocrisie and pretence of piety The Saracens and Turks War for their Mahomet The Roman Emperours persecuted in the ten persecution and warred against Constantine under a pretence of piety that the Christians were against their Idol Religion yea so after in Constantines and Julians time persecution was under pretence of Religion And if the Doctor confesseth in the close of his distinction that when Satan is bound that yet then his Vicar the Papal Apollyon shal strenously supply his place what binding of Satan is this what benefit hath the Church by this whether it be destroyed by open hostility or under pretence of piety Surely the Church kept more pure under open persecutions then otherwise See Rev. 12.1 compare Histories SECT III. An answer to Doctor Prideaux his third Argument IT is drawne saith he from the state of the Martyrs beheaded all that interval of time in which we saith he put the binding of Satan viz. white robes were given to them saying rest yet a little while Rev. Chap. 6. They are sealed and doe wash their robes in the bloud of the Lamb Rev. Chap. 7. They protest against the beast and for that cause are slaine and live againe in their successors and ascend up to Heaven Chap. 11. They appeare in the company of the Lamb erecting his standard in mount Sion Chapter 14. They triumph over the Beast Chapter 15. They sing Hallelujah and are guests of the nuptial Supper Chapter 19. And here in the 20. Chapter they are set in Thrones and power of judging is given to them because they were smitten and had not worshipped the Beast from whence they live with Christ and reigne a thousand yeers And therefore howsoever they were esteemed or used in the world yet indeed they live and reigne with Christ who hath made them Kings and Priests In the same manner Kings as Priests But Priests spiritually therefore so onely Kings For as Christs Kingdome so the Apocalyptical Kingdome of Christians is not of this world To this Argument we shall answer brieflier sâ first to the Antecedent or first Proposition ¶ 1 That in all those places there is something that crosseth the Doctors sense so that the things named by him did not import the binding of Satan Rev. 6 The Red horse verse 4. taketh away peace and makes men kill one another The âale horse verse 8. was called Death and hell followed it And to the thing the Doctor alleadgeth That the soules should rest this is added as a reason till their brethren and fellow servants should be killed of which is meant Ch. 11. The 7. of Rev. is a Chapter proleptically inserted to support the Saints in the middest of the approaching evils as at that period there mentioned as in most Chapters of the Revelation some things are inserted of comfort to that end from their future condition when Satan shall bee bound and the Saints reigne although this shall not be fulfilled till the seventh Trumpet begins to sound Chapter 10.7 Then indeed shall be fulfilled the mystery of God as be hath declared to his servants the Prophets To whom little or nothing of the ultimate day of judgement was manifested which indeed is no mystery But the abundance of the suture visible glory of the Church is to most a mystery so that this Chapter is but a preoccupation As the same sealed persons are brought in Chapter 14. Though presently in Chapter 16 17 18 19. the world is filled with judgements So that the Angels in this seventh Chapter v. 1. are ready with their judgements onely suspended while this comfort is communicated to the one hundred forty foure
thousand that is to the universal Church who are verse 14. but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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
tell One of our opposites said that it must be a long while that Christ judgeth as man and judgeth men as men and therefore the ultimate judgement must be a long time ¶ 2 To the second proof viz. out of Act. 3.21 wee have already largely shewed that that place is very full and home for our opinion See our second Book page 96. But because Mr. Bayly will undertake to urge some speciall particulars we will answer particularly to them First He urgeth That the time here understood is that when all things spoken by all the Prophets are performed But all things spoken by all the Prophets are not performed till the last day of judgement Hee backs this with Rom. 8.21 compared with verse 18. and 23. where saith he The restitution of the creatures to their desired liberty comes not before the redemption of our bodies and the glory to be revealed on the whole Church at the last day To which wee answer Mr. B. in most of these Propositions refers which in our English peremptorily to all things But the Greeks is plainly this ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. and is duely rendred thus Whom the heavens must receive untill the TIMES of restitution of all things WHICH TIMES God hath spoken c. And so the Arabecke Christ must be received of heaven unto THE TIMES which shall confirm the perfecting of all the speeches which times God hath spoken of c. And plain reason is most fair for this reading of referring which to times not to all things because all the Prophets of the Old Testament generally for the most part have spoken of the TIMES of restitution but have not spoken of all things that are to bee fulfilled witnesse many things in the New Testament which the Apostles tell us were hid in old time and St. Johns six first Seales Trumpets and Vials shew as much As also the binding of Satan And therefore that speech of Mr. B. That the time of the performing of all things which any of the Prophets have spoken cannot possibly exist before he last judgement is a false proposition because some of the Prophets whole Prophesies in the Old Testament for them Peter then must needs mean have been fulfilled already As the Prophesie of Jonah the utmost of which was the resurrection of Christ which was a time of restitution of our Head but not of all things by our Head Adde that it is said Here the TIMES of restitution of ALL THINGS which are distinguished from the ultimate day of judgement which is a time of dissolution and destruction of things To which RESTITUTIOâ is quite opposite And TIMES are in the plurall as well as THINGS And therefore a precise ultimaâe day of judgement in Mr. B. sense is not particularly pointed out But that ALL THINGS MUST HAVE their TIMES to be restored As the Saints for a thousand yeers And restitution imports a state once had and lost not a state altogether new and different as that in heaven And therefore Psal 8. and Heb. 2. doe refer to such a state as Adam had For Rom. 8.18 to 24. which Mr. B. quotes for proof That the time of fulfilling all things which any of the Prophets have spoken cannot possibly exist before the last judgement I say his quoting this eighth of Rom. to confirme this Proposition Mr. Bayly taking the last judgement for the ultimate day of judgement overthrows himselfe For in these thousand yeers is revealed the glory IN US Rom. 8.18 Marke the phrase in us And in verse 19. Then is the manifestation viz. to all the world of the Sonnes of God which in heaven is hid from the world And verse 19.20 31 22. Then in those thousand yeers the creature IT SELFE and whole creation according to their groans shall be delivered from the vanity and travell and paine it is now in into the liberty of the Sons of God which cannot be at the ultimate day of judgement when comes the dissolution And then in that thousand yeers most properly is it said in verse 25 And not onely the CREATURES but OUR SELVES ALSO shall have the redemption of our bodies it being a condition proper in place and nature for bodies The second thing that Mr. Bayly urgeth out of this third of Act. 21. is That the time here spoken of is when the Jews to whom Peter spake were to be refreshed by the Lords presence But that shall not be before the generall Resurrection To which we answer This is a begging of the question wee have shewed that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from the face or appearance of Christ shall the Saints in this thousand yeers have a great refreshing especially here meant of the Jewes in generall who then must be called and so injoy this refreshing For at the ultimate judgement and generall Resurrection will bee too late a time to call them The third thing Mr. Bayly urgeth out of this Act. 3. is this The time when God doth solemnly before men and Angels declare the absolution and blotting out of the sins of all his people is not before the last day But this is the time whereof the Apostle Peter speaks in the present place as appears by verse 19. That your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. To which we answer as to the minor Proposition First that Peter here speaks of the blotting out the Jews sins and those sins were refusing and crucifying Christ Act. 2. And these are blotted out when Christ appears and they repent at sight of him and owne him and this is before the last day of judgement Zach. 12.10 Rev. 1.7 as we have before demonstrated out of these places As for all those words Mr. Bayly heaps up of solemnly before men and Angels declare the absolution c. they cannot be inferred from this text As the word refreshing is but a low word to signifie the absolutest highest happinesse And the last day is a late time to blot out the sins of the Jews when they are not yet converted nor shall then bee but by the appearance of Christ unto them Zach. 11. Rev. 1. ¶ 3 The third and last proof of Mr. Baylies minor Proposition of his first Argument That Christ remaines in the heavens till the last judgement is in John 14.2 and 3. To which we answer Christ doth not in the least there intimate that he would not come againe till the last judgement as Mr. B. understands the last judgement And it is very plaine that Christ will first come againe and receive them to himselfe before he carry them into the mansion in the highest heavens if Mr. Bayly wil needs understand those mansions onely Howbeit there is no expression of Heaven And the Greek is prepare a place without any article of emphasis And the Fathers house is large Ephes 3.14 15. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole
family in heaven and earth is named There is Bethel even where God in special appears which special appearance is in the person of Christ And lastly where ever Christ is with us wee are with him so as that for that time is heaven to us therefore the Apostle Paul desiring a state in the world to come Phil. 1.23 calls it a being with Christ not heaven So that yet still it remaines to bee proved that Christ shall not appear to his people before the ultimate day of judgement or that Christ hath no place of refreshing his people for a time before the ultimate day of judgement but onely the highest heavens after the ultimate day of judgement SECT II. Mr. Baylies second Argument § 1 AS to his accusation of coyning new and false senses to many Scriptures wee say it is a begging of the Question And we retort it For Mr. B. opinion for many generations hath so allegorised upon all the Prophets speaking of the state of the Jewes and of the universal Church to be on earth afore the ultimate day of âudgement that I confesse I was thereby for a long time kept in the darke so that I could make no use of the Histories and Prophesies of the Old and New Testament in relation to these things but onely here and there by way of morall observations and allusions § 7 But let us heare his Argument Christ sits at the right hand of God till the last day therefore he comes not to reign on earth a 1000 yeers before the last day To which we say that this argument thus far hath been argued and answered in effect in the first argument yet because there are some fresh proofs we are contented againe to answer it and to discusse them And for answer we deny the Antecedent taking the last day in Mr. Bailyes sense for the ultimate day of judgement But if we take the last day for that day in 2 Pet. 3. which shall be a thousand yeers then Mr. Baily concludes nothing against us But Mr. Baily will prove the Antecedent that Christ doth sit at the right hand of the Father till the last day meaning the ultimate day of judgement viz. the evening of our last day For so I suppose he means his proof is his major Proposition in Ps 110.1 Christ sits at the right hand of God till ALL his enemies be made his footstool Whence he assumes this minor But all his enemies are not made his footstool till the last day For till then Satan death and all wicked men are not fully destroyed therefore c. To this major Proposition out of Ps 110.1 Mr. B puts in a word of great consequence to serve his own turne which in divine arguing from a text is very foule play viz. the word ALL. For as it is not in our English Translation so nor is it in the Hebrew text where it is onely ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã thine enemies indefinitly And the Apostle having an infallible spirit to know the mind of the Scriptures quoting this place Heb. 10.13 renders it that Christ sits there expecting ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. putting no ALL in But suppose it be said ALL all his enemies this is sufficiently fulfilled when Christ overcomes all all his enemies are so subdued yea visibly in themselves or in their effects that they shall never hurt the Church more which shall come to passe when the Iewes are settled at the beginning of the thousand yeers as many Scriptures afore shewed And to speake according to St. Iohn in the Revelation then as in Chap. 19. Antichrist and all his adherents shall downe then as in Chapter 20. Satan shall downe then as in Chapter 21 Sinne shall downe And for death this is destroyed Chapter 20. For if all the Saints then live and reigne a thousand yeers then is this a state of immortality of their bodies And for the ultimate day of judgement then is not a destroying of death but a reviving of the worst death sc the second death to the worst of men so that the wicked live onely to dye that death Rev. 20.12 to the end It is said that the last enemy of the Saints that is destroyed is death 1 Cor. 11. Because so St. Iohn names the enemes in order First all the wicked Rev. 19. Then the Devill Rev. 20.1 And last of all death v. 4. and all these orderly at the beginning of the thousand yeers at the beginning of the seventh Angels sounding his Trumpet I say at the beginning thereof And to make all our answer plainer When it is said All shall be under Christs feet the meaning is not that all shall be annihilated For after the ultimate day of judgement there shall be viz. in hell sinne and devils and wicked men and the greatest death viz. the second death i. e. eternall condemnation therefore the meaning must bee that all shall be so under Christs feet that they shall no more mischiefe the Church Satan shall not seduce them Sinne shall not touch them Death shall not dissolve them But at the end of the thousand yeers Satan and the hypocrites in the corners of the world shall begin to make an head and this immediately draws downe Christ to the ultimate day of judgement who raiseth all the dead wicked and takes them and the wicked that are then alive and passeth everlasting condemnation upon them Rev. 20.7 to the end of the Chapter SECT III. Mr. Bailyes third Argument § 1 ALL the godly at Christs comming from heaven doe rise immediately to a heavenly glory ergo none of them doe arise to a temporall glory for a thousand yeers upon earth § 2 Answ We might deny that wee call the Argument you call it the consequence because Mr. Baily doth not say to glory in heaven much lesse the highest heaven For their state on earth a thousand yeers is not onely an heavenly glory but the state is called Heaven Rev. 21.1 c. 2 Pet. 3. But that we shall fix our answer upon will be the denying of the Antecedent and expounding of the proof Mr. Baily brings for proof of the Antecedent 1 Cor. Chap. 15. vers 22.1 Thess 4.14 Matth. 25.31 Joh. 6.39.40.44 Heb. 9.28 ¶ 1 To the two first we answered afore For the third place of Matthew it concludes nothing to the said Antecedent For Christ separates the sheep from the goats notably at the beginning of the thousand yeers when the open wicked then alive generally perish Revelation 19. and all the Saints alive are set in a glorious condition Chap. 20. ¶ 2 To the fourth place viz. in Joh. 6.39.40.44 I will raise it up at the last day We answer this doth not infer any thing in behalf of the Antecedent For lo this thousand yeers is truly the last day For as it is in 2 Pet. 3. before it are the last dayes in which men shall say Where is the promise of his comming And it is after said A thousand yeers
for behold the Kingdome of God is within you We answer first That these words were spoken to the Pharisees ibid. vers 20 to them it should not come with observation 2 To them enquiring after another state of Christs Kingdome mean while over-looking and neglecting its present state whiles Christ was personally with them and opposing him No wonder therefore that to such hypocrites so acting Christ would not discover the glorious visible state of his Church to come 3. The word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã observation it signifies Divination or Augury Bud. And the Apostle applies the Theam ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to reprove the Galatians for observing dayes and months and yeers and times therefore Chemnitius sayes truly it signifies a scrupulous superstitious observation And oft in the New Testament it is put to signifie in the Theam a captious insidiatory malicious observation to carp and catch Luke 6.7 Chap. 14. vers 1 Chap. 20. vers 20. The great learned Philosopher a Natural Greek and therefore knew his owne tongue in his Rhet. l. 2. useth it for observing a fit time to revenge Now the Pharisees were exquisite at both sorts of observation viz. superstitions of washing c. and insidiatory See Luke 20.20 They watched him it is the same Greek word and sent forth spies c. This being the efficacy of the Greek word and this being the spirit and temper of the Pharisees no wonder that Christ sayes to them the Kingdome of God doth not come with such observation or to such observers But fourthly we answer that Christ doth not deny but that his Kingdome may be perceived and beheld by a serious and sincere observaton As first his Kingdome of the ministration of the Gospel So that there shall bee no need to say Lo here or lo there is the Kingdome while the Kingdome of God is AMONG YOU verse 21. q. d. you might see it as well as others if you were sincerely willing to see it Our Translators render it The Kingdome of God is within you But most improperly for sure the Kingdome of God was not within these Pharisees who most likely put this question to Christ insidiatorily Beside the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã commonly signifies among or on this side or on that side or in the middle or amidst and so Beza and the Hebrew our Syriack copy have it And Beza saith it answers ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã apud vos among you And his words on this place and phrase is very considerable to our purpose This particle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Beza signifies that so the Kingdome of God was among them that by no means could it lye hid but was obvious to the beholding of all as John speaks Chap. 1. v. 27. But perhaps it doth declare that they had it not onely neer them but also within that is they had the Messiah within their houses so that but for perverse opinion c. they might acknowledge him There are some saith Beza who had rather render it WITHIN you as if it were signified there that the Kingdome of Christ were spiritual not earthly c. which opinion however it is true yet perhaps it is not sufficiently accommodated to this place Secondly For Christs more glorious and more conspicuous Kingdome at his next appearing he saith verse 22 23 24. and 25. to his Disciples Goe not after men that say here or there it is in this or that corner for as the lightning that lightneth out of the one part under heaven shineth unto the other part under heaven so also shall the Sonne of man be in his day But first hee must suffer many things and be REJECTED OF THIS GENERATION which plainly signifies his next comming after his Ascension Lay all together and you will see how little Mr. B. gets out of this place for his minor To his fourth proof thereof Job 18.36 My Kingdome is not of this world we have answered largely afore To his fifth and last proofe of his minor Rom. 14.16 The Kingdome of God consists not c. we gave a full answer when we answered the closing up of this his Argument SECT V. Mr. Bailyes fifth Argument § 1 THe Scripture makes the Church of God so long as it is upon earth first a mixed multitude of elect and reprobate good and bad Secondly A company of people under the crosse and subject to various temptations Thirdly A company that hath need of the Word and Sacraments of Prayer and Ordinances Fourthly That hath Christ a high Priest within the vayle of heaven interceding for them But the Doctrine in hand changes the nature of the Church and makes it for a 1000 yeers together to consist only of good gracious persons without all trouble without all Ordinances without any need of Christs Intercession For the first of mixedness see Mat. 13.40.24.11 Luk. 18.8 These places declare the mixture of the wicked with the godly in the Church to the worlds end and most about the end For the second of Crosses See Psal 34.20 Many are the afflictions of the righteous Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne and are persecuted Act. 14.23 By many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of God Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall reigne with him 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will be godly must suffer persecution For the third of Ordinances see Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 11.26 For the fourth of need of Christs Intercession see 1 John 1.8 and Chapter 2.1 Heb. 9.24 § 2 Answer first to the major Mr. B. himselfe cannot but confesse that it is not simply and absolutely true For if Christ will judge the whole world upon the earth on earth shall be the place of Judicature and bodies must be in a place for at heaven the wicked shall not be to receive sentence and onely the Saints at last are caught up into the clouds 1 Thess 4.17 And Christ as man must judge men as men and so have time to make his judgement apparently just to all mens reason and so as some of the Presbyterians confesse must take up some considerable time And at this time the Church shall be separated crosses shall cease the wicked shal not persecute c. Then it follows that the major is not absolutely true That all the time the Church is on earth it shal be subject to the four aforesaid particulars Now we have often and justly said The day of judgement begins at the thousand yeers § 3 To the minor wee say that it is false to say This Doctrine of the thousand yeers doth alter the nature of the Church Nature imports substance kinde essence But Mr. Baily knows the rule Magis minus non variant speciem i. e. More and lesse do not alâer the kinde And sure Mr. B. hath preached that common true Divinity that heaven doth perfect our condition our knowledge graces soules bodies and communion with God not alter them in kind nature or essence And so the
it for a ground that Antichrist shall be destroyed and fully abolished before the thousand yeers begin But saith Mr. B. the Scripture makes Antichrist to continue to the day of judgement 2 Thess 2.8 Then shall the wicked one be revealed and destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs comming which is not before the last day as before is proved See also Rev. 19.20 The Beast was taken c. compare with it verse 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce for the marriage of the Lamb is come Antichrist is cast alive into the Lake at the Marriage of the Lamb. No living men are cast into Hell before the last day And Christs Marriage with his Church is not solemnized with a part of the Elect but with the whole body at the general Resurrection ¶ 2 Ans There is no such thing in 2 Thess 2.8 as that Antichrist shall continue to the day of judgement unlesse Mr. B. agree with us that the day of judgement begins at the thousand yeers whereat indeed is Christs appearing That Master Baily saith Christ shall not come till the last day of judgement that Master Baily hath not yet proved that in 19 of the Rev. v. 20. and in v. 7. wee grant but Mr. B. glosse upon it we have no reason to receive which was this That no living men are cast alive into hell before the last day of judgement This Mr. B. hath not proved we have a text to the contrary even that of M. B. quoting Rev. 19.20 which is at the beginning of the thousand yeers compare Chap. 20.1 2 3. But Mr. Baily faith this was done immediately before the Marriage of the Lamb. An. we grant it And this is in the beginning of the thousand yeers But Christ solemnizeth his Marriage saith Mr. B. not with a part of his Elect but with the whole body Answ We grant it And this shall be at the beginning of the thousand yeers At which time all the Elect shall rise CHAP. IV. § 1 WEE have done with the Objections of Dr. Prideaux and Pareus and Mr. Baily against our Point Next wee should come to answer the Objections of the Book called Christs Kingdome on earth opened according to the Scriptures set forth by T. HAYNE 1645 if they were worthy the writing out Indeed I expected much but found very little for in his first Chapter he hath three Arguments to prove That Christs Kingdome is long since begun But in his stating the Question as he pretends he never distinguisheth of Christs several formes of his Kingdom viz. invisible and visible but speaks of Christs Kingdome as of one onely form whereupon these three inconveniences to himself do follow ¶ 1 That in all his Arguments there is not one conclusion that doth distinctly conclude against our point viz. to conclude as he should therefore Christs visible Kingdome is begun already upon earâ ¶ 2 That his three last arguments conclude in effect that Christ had no spiritual Kingdome in the Old Testament for he saith Christ began to bee King when he sent out his Disciples with that Commission in Mat. 28.20 If then only Christ began to be King then was he not King before that but Christ told Pilate the contrary afore that ¶ 3 That he contradicts himselfe First In this P. 1. he saith That at all times Christ rules hath an absolute Kingdome in the world with many other expressions of the same effect yet P. 4. he by three severall arguments would prove when and what yeer Christs Kingdome began And P. 5. at such a particular time Christs Kingdome was at hand long since Secondly He contradicts himselfe in this that P. 1. He affirmes Christs Kingdome is to be for ever quoting Heb. 1.8 making no distinction upon it and yet P. 2. He confesseth that Christ shall at the last judgement resigne his Kingdome to the Father quoting 1 Cor. 15.24 making no interpretation to explaine or reconcile these By this you may see that his arguments were not worth the writing out much lesse the answering CHAP. V. Containing an Answer to an UNIVERSAL ARGUMENT or to the ARGUMENT OF THE UNIVERSALITY or generality of men that oppose § 1 THere is one knot yet behinde like to have been let slip which is chawed in the mouths of many yea of most Disputants that are contrary minded to rivet it faster as mine ears in part can witnesse The Argument is from 1 Thess 4.16 17. The Lord himselfe shall descend from Heaven c. And the DEAD IN CHRIST shall rise first THEN WE which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the CLOUDS to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall be EVER WITH THE LORD Now say they how can this consist with the Saints reigning on earth a thousand yeers For if they must reigne there a thousand yeers what need they be caught up into the CLOUDS or how if they reigne on earth a thousand yeer are they said to be EVER with the Lord especially if there they be as some say subject to mortality at last § 2 Answ Mr. Mede hath so learnedly and appositly discussed this place for our use in this particular that his Dilucidations thereon will suffice for a full answer It is not needfull saith he that the resurrection of those which slept in Christ and the rapture of those which shall be left alive together with them into the aire should be at one and the same time For the words in 1 Thess 4. v. 16 17. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã first and then or afterwards may admit a great distance of time as 1 Cor. 1.15.23 Everyone or all mankinde shall rise in their order Christ the first fruits that is first ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã afterwards they that are Christs at his coming Here ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã afterwards notes a distance of time of above a thousand and a halfe of yeers as we finde by experience Suppose therefore this rapture of the Saints into the aire be to translate them to heaven yet it might be construed thus The dead in Christ that is for Christ namely the Martyrs shall rise first afterwards ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã viz. a thousand yeers after we which are alive and remain shall together with them be caught up in the Clouds and meet the Lord in the aire and so from thenceforth we shall ever bee with the Lord. Thus Tertullian seems to understand it who interprets ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or as it is in verse 14. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of Martyrs namely such as dye propter Christum for Christ by means of Christ through Christ for Christs sake taking ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as noting the cause or meanes of their death so Piscator expounds the like speech Apâc 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã id est propter Dominum for the Lord Beza qui Domini causa moriuntur which dye for the Lords sake 2 If thus
HARD BONDAGE Observe both to what persons and what time these high expressions relate before largely opened and we shal easily conclude this Text was never yet fulfilled and therefore according to the truth of God must bee fulfilled before the ultimate day of judgement for with that time this Prophesie cannot agree ¶ 6 In Isa 25.8 we have it plenissimè planissimè most fully and plainly That in that day viz. of the great restauration of the Church and ruine of their enemies verse 5 6. The Lord will WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM ALL FACES And the rebuke of his people shall hee take away FROM OFF ALL THE EARTH for the Lord hath spoken it Which was never yet fulfilled and therefore is yet to come at the time we treat off as hath been before demonstrated ¶ 7 Isa 54.13 14. is also very high in expressions Thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children In righteousnesse shalt thou be ESTABLISHED thou shalt be far from oppression for thou SHALT NOT FEAR and FROM TERROR for it SHAL NOT COME NEER THEE You see the expressions are exceeding high and they are evidently spoken concerning external rest as well as internal and wee see it by experience that this place was never yet fulfilled therefore it is yet to come as we have cleered it afore ¶ 8 In Isa 60.14 c. it is thus written The Sonnes of them that aâflicted thee shall come BENDING TO THEE and all that despised thee shall BOW THEMSELVES DOWN AT THE SOLES of thy feet Whereas thou hast been forsaken I will make thee an ETERNAL EXCELLENCY violence shall be NO MORE heard in thy land The dayes of thy mourning shall be ENDED Which place relates to our Thesis as is before demonstrated The expressions are far too high for us to acknowledge they have been fulfilled therefore we must expect them yet to come before the ultimate day of judgement for that will be no fit time for this Prophesie ¶ 9. Isa 65.19 is likewise very full to the particular in hand though in few words viz. I will joy in my people and the voyce of weeping or crying shall be NO MORE HEARD IN HER. Let the Reader judge whether this was ever yet fulfilled ¶ 10. Isa tells us Chap. 66.12 Thus saith the Lord I will extend peace to her the Church consisting of Jews and Gentiles as a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream I leave it likewise to the Reader to consider whether hee hath not reason to expect this as yet to come ¶ 11 We come to the Prophesies of Jeremiah Chap. 23.3 4. I will gather the remnant of my flocke out of all Countries c. and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed Which expressions are a great deal too high for our knowledge of Scripture of history or of experience to acknowledge them to have been fulfilled to this day And therefore our faith must be on God for the fulfilling of them and that before the ultimate day of judgement as the nature of the things require ¶ 12 We have in the same Prophet Chap. 30. verse 10. Jacob shall returne and shall be in rest and quiet and none shall make him afraid ¶ 13 Place is in Jer. 46.27 28. to the same effect ¶ 14 Place is in Ezek. 28.24 There shall be no more a pricking briar unto the house of Israel nor any grieving thorne of all that are round about them ¶ 15 Place Mich. 4.1 2 3. The same with Isa 2. v. 2 3 4. It s added here in verse 4. They shall sit every man under his owne vine c. and none shall make them afraid ¶ 16 Place Zeph. 3.13 14 15. They shall feed and lye downe and none shall make them afraid Sing O daughter of Zion rejoyce with all the heart the Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thine enemies The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evill any more This and all the rest have been proved to mean the time intended in our Position § 2 Adde in the New Testament ¶ 1 Matth. 19.29 Shall receive an hundred fold and inherit eternal life of the large opening of this place see before in the third Book ¶ 2 That in 2 Thess 1.7.9 10. To you REST as Heb. 4. when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed FROM HEAVEN his enemies being punished from the presence of the Lord as Chap. 2. and from the glory of his POWER ¶ Rev. 7.16 17 They that are sealed c. serve him day and night in HIS TEMPLE he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more for the Lamb in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and wipe away all tears from their eyes ¶ 4 Rev. 21.4 St. John speaking of the state of the Church in the thousand yeers saith God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrowing nor crying nor paine Every verse of this Chapter shewes it cannot bee meant of everlasting happinesse in the highest heavens Let the close of this Section be to encourage us to patience Patience in perseverance and patience in sufferance Now is Christs Kingdome of patience But anon his Kingdome of peace Twice it is said of the present state of sufferings Here is the patience of the Saints Rev. 13.10 and 14.12 Once it is said Keep the word of patience Rev. 3.10 But after a while comes the Kingdome of peace therefore Christ seales up all the Bible and all the Revelation almost with this Rev. 22.11 12. He that is righteous let him be righteous still He that is holy let him be holy still and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Then in the last verse save one sc 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Amen Then to that end Iohns prayer closeth all as I close in verse 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen SECT III. § 1 THus you have seen it is a sorrowlesse condition Next follows it shall be a deathlesse condition The Elect once raised at the beginning of the thousand yeers shall dye no more much lesse those alive and changed For if those alive shall not prevent them that are asleep given by the Apostle as an answer to an Objection against this Resurrection much lesse shall they that are alive being the patterne to whom the dead are promoted bee sent to death as to give place to the Elect dead that are raised And if all the Elect are raised to what end or use shall they dye that are alive If it be the priviledge that the other Saints shall be alive at Christs comming why shall they dye when here in soule and body they may behold him which is a fuller injoyment If this time of Christs appearance at the beginning of the thousand yeers be the Kingdome of Saints the prefacing beginning of their full
shall not If we might be tempted this were not a sorrowlesse condition It was a part of Christs great humiliation that he was tempted though he could not be prevailed against If wicked men the instruments shall not be neer to tempt them then nor Satan the Author So the Text Rev. 19. The wicked are removed Chap. 20. Satan is removed bound up that he should not seduce the Nations any more which phrase would be weighed more then it is I have before shewed in our answer to Doctor Prideaux That the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifies any the least temptation And now I adde that for ought I know ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã may fitly be rendred Satan shall not to that end wander up and downe among the Nations The Greek may beare it And the context speaks for it For were all those expressions and acts sc laid hold on and bound him cast him into the pit and sets a seale onely to that end that he might not seduce If God had onely laid his command it had been enough to restrain his acting as when Christ commanded him out of the possessed Rather therefore the meaning is that hee might not have so much as the liberty to peragrare Gentes to wander up and downe over the Nations It must not be with him as in the dayes of the Churches afflictions Job 1.7 and 1 Pet. 5.8 Now he is held chained cast down sealed that he may not wander ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the active is to wander as planets that compasse the Earth And ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the middle voice signifies to wander from place to place viz. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as the Greek Criticks give instance obire multa loca to travel over much ground And Christ saith Now is the houre of temptation and the Kingdome of patience Then the Kingdome of perfect peace purity and exultation Rev. 11. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. The Serpent then shal only eat his dust Isa 65.25 in opposition to Gen. 3.14 And the devill that abused his body shall be shut up Now shall be fulfilled that promise Rom. 20.16 The God of PEACE mark Gods title shall tread Satan under your feet c. Now that Satan is in the pit he must be under their feet while the Saints stand on their feet on earth Satan must be under them As all things under Christs feet Heb. 2. As for Satans utter prevailing that was subdued when the Apostle spake those words For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 Observe it is said works c. therefore now Satan himselfe must be under their feet as that text speaks Rom. 16.20 now is to bee fulfilled perfectly that Heb. 2.8 c. All must be subject to Christ And he must destroy death AND HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH WHICH IS the Devil verse 14. So that that time that is a Deathlesse condition is a Devil-lesse a Satanlesse time And as in Rev. 20.7 the letting loose of Satan and Satans tempting go together so by an Antithesis Satans binding and his Non-tempting goe together verse 3. Indeed it is said so frequently in the Revelation that at the seventh Trumpet at this first Resurrection when Christ reigns and the Saints with him on Earth that their businesse shall be to joy praise triumph and sing Hallelujahs Rev. 5. Rev. 7. Rev. 14. and Rev. 19.5 or six times in the beginning of that Chapter that it cannot enter into the thoughts of the purest reason that there should be any sad songs of Satan sung to the ears of a Saint Sin and temptation are more sad then death to a Saint and therefore if the lesser sorrow and death shall be gone at this time then much more temptation If nothing that defileth shall enter into this state then not the unclean spirit as Christ calls him O glorious time when there shall be no disposition within nor temptation without to sinne but so full of God and happinesse in manifestation of Christ that there shall be no thoughts but in relation to him The souls of the Elect shall not returne to their bodies to be tempted that were their losse And the living Saints are changed therefore to a state of grace beyond that now which at present is liable to Temptation SECT VI. The next Quality is the RESTAURATION OF ALL THE CREATURES AS Isa 65.17 it is said there must be New Heavens sc a New Church-state so a New Earth a New naturall politick state of persons and things For there is mention of plantings and injoying of them And verse 25. of the Wolfe dwelling with the Lamb c. and that dust shall be the Serpents meat no devouring or hurting So the close They shall not destroy nor hurt in all the holy Mountaine Of this of the Wolfe c. we spake once afore largely on Isa 11.6 7 8 9. which Lactantius takes litterally See before and after the Text it is intended for the time we speake of And the reason of all is For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Knowledge signifies oft all spirituals and here imports that there shal be such an abundant manifestation of Gods presence that all whether taken litterally or metaphorically shall be as in Paradise before Adams fall So Psal 8. makes Gen. 1.26 A Prophesie or Type or both of what man shall injoy in after times And Heb. 2. applies Psal 8. to the time we speak of And Heb. 4. applies Gods resting the seventh day to a Sabbatisme on earth yet to come So the 2 Pet. 3. and Rev. 21.1 apply the New Heavens and New Earth to the said time and call it the New Jerusalem comming downe from God out of Heaven And the addition to the glory of this New Jerusalem shall be a lustre of all creatures materials of building shall be like all manner of precious stones and men shall be like Angels Kings honouring the Church No sea sc to devoure but adorn and comfort man if it be not in a great part crusted into a chrystal body like heaven above consolidated for men to travel upon and come together and to shine to adde an inlightning to the earth for more glory Adde to all this that of Rom. 8.18 As vox naturae THE VOYCE OF NATURE for our point full to our purpose though it may be not heeded for this purpose For Peter gives us a good item when being about to speak of the New Heavens and New Earth 2 Pet. 3. He tels us in v. 3. That before that shall be scoffers and slighters of this opinion of Christs comming they will be as heedlesse as men were before the renovation of the world by Noahs flood Chap. 2. And then having spoken of the New Heavens c. according to Gods promise verse 13. then in the 14. verse he exhorts men to be diligent to bee found blamelesse
Majesty Ezek. 7.20 Yea the Church is called Christs body Christs fulnesse presented without spot Eph. 1. Eph. 5. Now all these in the thousand yeers must be fully fulfilled Rev. 21. throughout SECT II. The Second Priviledge is A superabundant pouring out of the Spirit § 1 THe Saints ever since they beleeved have had the Spirit in some measure sc as a Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification so these are in Rom. 8. viz. v. 10. and v. 15. But now they shall have it in a more exceeding abounding manner and measure both for gifts and graces § 2 Joel 2.28 Afterwards I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those dayes will I poure out my Spirit I did before in the Quod sit prove First That this did relate to the time we speake of Secondly That that pouring out Act. 2. was but the first fruits sc Spirit was abundantly poured out but upon some few And Dan. 12. verse 2 3 and 4. it is prophesied of this time Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake c. and they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the stars for ever and ever And knowledge shall be increased The demonstration of this place to belong to this time we speake of you have heard afore SECT III. The third Priviledge A wonderful returne of prayers § 1 ISaiah 65.24 It shall come to passe that before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will heare That these words are within the body of a maine Prophesie of the visible glory of the Church in the time we speake of we have abundantly proved afore And you your selves may see by weighing verse 17. afore sc I create New Heavens and a New Earth c. compared with 2 Pet. 3. and 25. after The Wolfe shall dwel with the Lamb c. they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountaine And this same verse sc 24. which I urge Mr. Archer also urgeth to the same purpose in his Book of Christs Reigne on Earth page 31. saying That at this time there shall be a full and present answer to all their prayers At this time the reversion of all the prayers of all former ages will come into the Churches hands the effect of all those will flow in upon the Church unto a sea of happinesse And if this Church at present makes any prayers they shall have a present answer The Text saith Before they call The Hebrew is rendred both by the Latins Greek Syr. and Arab. Before they cry out So that before they pray as men in extremity or distresse God will answer which is plaine by that which follows For whiles they are speaking even in their hearts whiles they are but thinking prayer their desires shall be fulfilled Mr. Bolton saith that whiles the Saints are but thinking the desire of moving from one place to another from one company of Saints and Angels to another whether in heaven or on earth or both for most probably heaven and earth in common shall at last be the Sea of blisse both being made equally glorious they shall move thither even in an imperciptible time that is very suddenly Now every thing must bee compleated in its prime and therefore whatsoever requests the Saints may then make as comporting with that state it shall bee to use Christs words which then must be fulfilled to purpose But ask and have It is true this state shal be a state of perfection but it doth exist on this side the last loosing of Satan the rising of Gog and Magog and the ultimate general judgement What requests the Saints may then make we cannot affirm But sure if they make any they shal be without sinne or sorrow as before we have largely intimated The word prayer in Scripture comprehends praises and praises prayers as David calls his Psalmes Thillim Praises though they contain many Prayers That in this state the Church shall abound with praises the Revelation doth often hint as Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Rev. 19. And even as Christ layes not downe his Mediatorship till the end of the thousand yeers in divers respects of which afore so perhaps the Saints may make some kinde of prayers As for the exercise of their communion with God the use of their graces the receivall of reciprocall impressions for the continuation of their present state though God hath assured them it shall not faile prayer being the conduit of the fluxive River-like flowing in of it And for the finishing of their present state to the utmost supernal eternal glory I tenderly propose these things wherein my light is dim Most probably Adam in innocency should have spoken to God in some way of prayer And the Angel made a request to Christ Dan. 12.6 But I cease SECT IV. Upon those there former Priviledges followes this that in this glorious time the Churches Ordinances shall be in an higher Key either in Quality or Degree § 1 CHrist still holding his Mediatorship not to be laid downe till the end of the ultimate day of judgement 1 Cor. 15. and hee appearing in his glory to the Church as the great ordinance of Ordinances shall by speciall communion with the Church manifest to it the mind of God So that as God spake to Adam in Paradise and gave him the Ordinance of that seale the tree of life so here is this second Paradisian state of the Church there shall be a special manifestation and communication of and through Christ who is the maine tree of life Rev. 22. The Saints shall have such manifestations of the presence of God through Christ that now mainly is that fulfilled they shall be all taught of God as Adam was instructed in Paradise § 2 They shall have the high Ordinance that Angelical Ordinance of praise to God Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Rev. 19. Praise is as well an injunction as Prayer and as formerly Fasting was an extraordinary worship in misery so now praise in time of all mercies § 3 Their meditation which is an injoyned Ordinance I say their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as a vision of God or sight of his face Rev. 22.2 3 4. In the midst of the street and on either side of the river was the tree of life yeelding fruit the participation whereof comes not in without meditation acting or receiving and there shall be no curse there but the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve him which sure must be by meditation minding what they doe and THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE So that their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as in a continuall vision of God Glorious sights cause meditation and meditation takes in
12.11 which were to run out saith Huet on Daniel from the ceasing of the daily sacrifice c. afore the Preface to this glorious state begins are now almost expired For if the daily sacrifice ceased about the yeer of Christ 367. For in that yeer saith Alsted in his Chronolog in the Reigne of Julian Apostata the preparations to re-edifie the Temple at Jerusalem were utterly demolished And we adde thereunto the said One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers we shall easily perceive if we credit our common Account making this to be the Yeer of Christ 1653. that the said One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers are almost expired ¶ 2 The two and forty months wherein the Beast Antichrist should have power as some Greek copies read it to do that is as hee pleaseth as Mr. Brightman expounds Rev. 13.5 which are allone with One thousand two hundred and sixty dayes Revelation chap. 11. verse 2. and verse 3. both signifying by the consent of the generality of all learned Protestants One thousand two hundred and sixty yeers are now neer their period For if as Reusner asserts * Elias Reusner Leorin Isagog Historic in Infantia Antichristi Ad annum 410. these two and forty months began when the Hinderer the Roman Emperour was removed 2 Thess 2.6 by the Goths that now the Roman Bishop was free from all impeding his will and pleasure in the yeer of Christ according to our common Account 410. And we adde thereunto the said One thousand two hundred and sixty yeers the termination of the said One thousand two hundred and sixty yeers are not far off I might annumerate many other accounts but I will not so mis-spend time nor anticipate my selfe in my intended designe of computations in the next Chapter These two here named may suffice to give the Reader a taste yea the first fruits of many Computations now not long hence about to determine whose periods immediately precede the beginning of the preparation or introduction viz. the call of the Jews to the glorious time we speak of SECT II. The second Prognostick The might of the Churches Enemies § 1 WHen the might of the Churches enemies appears universally and irresistably powerful then is the Churches great deliverance at hand Isa 59.16 to the end of the Chapter and the whole ensuing Chapter viz. the sixtieth alleadged and demonstrated afore to relate to this glorious time wee speake of Read the place it is too large to write out and you shall there finde it Prophesied that when the Lord should see that there was NONE TO HELP that then his owne arme should bring salvation that then the Redeemer shall come to Zion That then the Church should rise and shine because her light was come and the Gentiles should come into her light That her GATES SHOULD BE OPEN CONTINUALLY NOT SHUT DAY NOR NIGHT AND KINGS SHOULD MINISTER UNTO HER. THAT THE SUN SHOULD BE NO MORE HER LIGHT BUT THE LORD SHOULD BE HER EVERLASTING LIGHT which St. John Rev. 21. applies to the glorious time we treat of with many more passages in those Chapters of Isaiah to the same purpose Adde to this place of Isaiah that in the Revelation Chap. 18. verse 7. and 8. How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit A QUEEN AND AM NO WIDOW AND SHAL SEE NO SORROW therefore shall her plagues come IN ONE DAY § 2 Now whether at present the Might of the Churches enemies bee not universal and irresistible the Turke prospering mainly the Popish party prevailing exceedingly and the rather because the Protestant Nations are onely busie in beating one another to peeces most sadly whence most impious corruptions abound among these as horrid and bloody persecutions among those fresh broken out againe in the German Empire and in the Kingdome of France c. so that Antichrist boasted in their late Jubilean solemnity all was his and the Church precisely considered and Religion every way goes to wrack and no remedy of Lawes or Armes appeare I leave the Reader to resolve To which end I would have him weigh what briefly I have hinted and surveigh throughly the present state of things and inlarge his meditation upon it and then he will easily be inabled to conclude whether the universality of all be not most corrupt and unsavoury and daily putrifying more and more and whether the salt wherewith they should be seasoned and preserved hath not lost its savour and then wherewith shall any of those things be salted And whether as Psal 11.3 if the foundations Political saith Mollerus be destroyed a David may not justly cry out what can the righteous doe SECT III. The third Prognosticke The height of the enemies wickednesse § 1 THis Prognosticke we have in Gen. 15. verse 13 14 15. and 16. God said to Abraham know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and they shall serve them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeers c. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again FOR THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES IS NOT YET FULL whence it appears that the fulnesse of the iniquity of the Amorites is a Prognostick of the Churches great deliverance out of Egypt so that when that should be full these shall be delivered Whence wee infer by the rule of Proportion that when the iniquity of the universality of the wicked on earth shall bee full that then shall the universality of the Elect have their grand deliverance upon earth This Prognostick that the Reader may see my inference to be good I will shew you in other places of Scripture which apply it immediately to the deliverance wee treat of In Isa 14. the first three verses most evidently as we have before demonstrated relate to the Glorious state on earth we drive at To which is annexed the Prophesie of the Churches triumph over Babylon as the necessary Appendix thereof with great assurance and much elocution and emphasis verse 4. c. to the end of the 18. verse Now what is the Prognostick of their fall but the height of their wickednes in oppression pride c. So verse 4 5 6. Thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babylon and say How hath the oppressor ceased The Lord hath broken the staffe of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers HEE WHO SMOTE THE PEOPLE IN WRATH WITH A CONTINUAL STROK He that ruled the Nations in anger is persecuted and none hindereth And verse 12. c. How art thou FALLEN FROM HEAVEN O LUCIFER Sonne of the morning FOR thou hast said in thine heart I WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN I WILL EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD AND SIT UPON THE MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHT OF THE CLOUDS I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH thou shalt be BROVGHT DOWNE TO HELL So
it is here said For the Lord hath spoken it ZAREPHA which others write Sarephta and SEPARAD R. Sel. interprets to bee France and Spaine But out of all such speeches as the Prophet here useth this may safely be collected that because those Nations are here named which most infested the Israelites namely the Canaanites Philistims and Edomites that all enemies of the faithfull are here to be understood which haply is to be fulfilled according to the letter ISRAEL being converted in the last times so that ALL ISRAEL being converted in ALL LANDS they all are to be accounted for the Inheritance of Israel Thus far he Oecolampadius likewise In Monte Sion erit evasio id est salus c. That is on mount Sion shall be deliverance that is salvation or safety T is certain the Apostles by the sending of the spirit upon mount Sion and others conjoyned to the Church were delivered by Christ at his first coming and so we beleeve that at this day every Congregation of the faithfull is delivered But we expect a more ample felicity when the Lord shal come again c. In the last times we expect perfecter sanctity and these of the house of Jacob shall be Lords of those who before oppressed them We find not in History that many of the Jews did bear rule in those Countries save only that the Maccabees seized upon certaine Towns BUT THOSE THINGS DO NOT SEEM TO SATISFIE THE PROPHETICAL MAJESTIE * Majestati ropheticae In the last times that is when Christ shall come we shall see the Apostles and those that have imitated them to be Iudges of the whole Earth albeit at this day the Elect are divers waies afflicted by the Antichristian party yet it shall come to passe that they shall be LORDS OVER OTHERS c. I am not ignorant that some agreeing with the Jewes doe thinke that before the day of Christ this KINGDOM SHALL BE ON EARTH Christ did not tell his Disciples this therefore let not us be solicitous of this thing No farther shone the the dimme light of Oecolampadius touching this truth in those ancient darker times Yet hear him presently almost in the next words how hee doth in the generall grant this truth as a truth worthy to be known on those words And the house of Jacob shall be a fire c. he saith By the people of Esau we saith Oecolampadius understand the enemies of the truth who shall be before it as stubble to the fire which began in the preaching of the Apostles overthrowing idolatry c. But in the day of judgement when hereafter they shall with Christ pronounce sentence and condemne them they shall perish by the word of God c. However the Jewes expound it either of times afore or after the returne from Bâhell yet still they have been adversaries all eit they speak of an HAPPY AGE FOR A THOUSAND YEARS Some doe thinke that the just or righteous Jewes shall rise and dwell upon the earth but I leave that as uncertaine But MOST CERTAINE IT IS that this Prophet doth promise to the people of God in these words A MOST PERFECT FELICITY Among the Edomites shall be no felicity c. In these verses therefore he teacheth that the KINGDOME OF CHRIST SHAL BE MOST AMPLE AND LARGE and not concluded in so strait a corner as formerly c. And upon the twentieth and one and twentieth ver Oecolampadius concludes thus The Jews say that Canaan signifies all Germanie unto France and that Sepharat signifies Spaine which things are uncertaine by this description of places But certainly ALL ISRAEL shall be saved ' All which things I plainly referre to the last day Now compare Oecolampadius with Oecolampadius and see whether he doth not in the generall grant the point in hand and grant it as a thing certaine and to be hoped for Thus for the parallel with Obadiah § 6 The next thing to be considered on this place of Amos now under our hands is the time when this must bee mainly fulfilled viz. At that day saith our Prophet ver 11. that is at some notable day namely when as in ver 9. God hath sifted the house of ISRAEL in all Nations like as corne is sifted with a sieve yet not the least graine fals on the earth that is the wheat of converted Israel for the generall shall be gathered from the chaffe of the obstinate in all nations But alas Judah and Israel all of them for the generality are yet in their chaffe of non-conversion and in the straw of all Nations § 7 The last thing to be considered on this nineth of Amos is the manner of their state when delivered viz. All ruines must bere-built and all breaches closed up they must call upon God as God may own them for callers upon his name There must be as all spirituall so all outward prosperity for the sanctified use of the Church in a goodly succession of seasons for that end expressed under the notions of the Plowmans overtaking the reaper the mountaines dropping sweet wine c. All their injoyments must be perpetuated so as they must never bee pulled up out of their own Land § 8 Now laying all particulars of this Text together let all the men and bookes in the world shew us when Judah and Israel were ever thus delivered since their captivity and put into this spirituall and temporall happy condition in a religious conjunction with the Gentiles to the worlds end and this must be before the ultimate generall Judgement as the circumstances of the place importune and necessitate us to expect Therefore this Prophesie of Amos is yet to be fulfilled Thus of Amos. SECT XLIII § 1 NExt we come to the Prophet MICAH wherein we shall consider onely one place viz. chap. 4. throughout Of which note this in generall 1. That this prophesie of Michaiah is as well concerning Samaria the Metropolis of the ten Tribes as concerning Jerusalem the metropolis of the two Tribes chap. 1. ver 1. Secondly That this place was urged for our opinion before Jeroms time which was three hundred ninety yeares after Christ which Jerom confesseth in these words in Micheam 4. Sciendum quoque c. i.e. we must know saith he that this Chapter also and that like it out of Isaiah meaning Chap. 2. Ver. 2. c. is referred by the Jewes and the heires of their mistake to the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints for a thousand years Thus Jerom for whose jircking our opinion you shall see him anon jirck himself § 2 For particulars note in the first place the time of fulfilling this prophesie that we here alleadge Our last English Translation saith In the last daies The Hebrew speaks higher ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which words differing in Gender and Number and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã properly signifying last cannot be closely construed to the Grammer of them but thus In the last of daies And so also Jerom renders it in
Merchants and Travellours finde them into all Countries and Nations therefore the deliverance of the Jewes which is to follow this scattering intimated in the word untill is not yet fulfilled and till then the glorious state of the Church on earth to be made up of Jewes and Gentiles cannot exist as we have often heard afore out of the Prophets Observe next that the Jewes must continue thus scattered into all Nations UNTILL the opportunities or seasons of the Gentiles be filled up or compleatly made up which was not done in Pauls time Rom. 11.25 26. for as it is there added when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED by a Deliverer that shall come out of Sion turning away ungodlinesse from Jacob according to covenant which as it is no opportune businesse for the ultimate Judgement so it hath not had its opportunity hitherto to be fulfilled upon earth as it is apparent before our eyes in the Non-conversion of the Jewes and the non-preaching of the Gospell to all Nations of the Gentiles before discussed * See before in this third Book chap 4. Sect. 1. Observe lastly that this trampling of Jerusalem by the Gentiles is computed by the Holy Ghost Rev. 11.2 to continue forty two Moneths that is vers 3. one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes that is yeares to commence from the time that Antichrist should have that same ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as some Copies read it i. e. power or authority to doe or act as Antichrist as Antichrist growne up to act Or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as other Copies read that is power or authority to make warre Now if we take the eldest account viz. from his power to act or doe this cannot wel commence higher then from the removing of HIM THAT WITH-HELD and LETTED the revealing of Antichrist 2 Thes 2.6 7 8. That is the laying low of the Roman Emperour Anno Dom. 410. by Alaricus King of the Goths taking and spoyling Rome and exposing her by this weakening to future depredations by the Vandals c. And therefore the most learned Elias Reusnerus boldly takes the beginning of the compute of the 42. Moneths from that same time which if granted infers that these 42. moneths or 1260. dayes of yeares that is 1260. yeares then taking their beginning are not expired till the yeare 1670. Reusner gives us both the briefe of the History and the exact account in his Isagoge Historica at the yeare 410. of the Infancy of Antichrist * Roma Victrix inquit Domina orbis ab Alarico Gothorum Rege capta direpta Scââat lib. 7. â 10 a quo tempore auctoritate ejus plurimùm imminutâ ipsa exposita est pari deinceps praedae atque diâeptioni Vandâlis Herulis Longobardis aliisque Germaniae Gentibus quae in Italiâ Galliâ Hispaniâ Britanniâ exâtarunâ diversa regna Ab hâc imperii Romani inclinatione sublato è medio ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Paulus Apostolus 2 Thes 2. Ordiendum esse innuit tempus Filâi PERDITIONIS quâm Dominus confecturus fit spiritu oris sui Rectè ergè hic initium figitur XLII MENSIUM ANGELICORUM regni bestiae septicipitis Apoc. 13. decicornis potestatem magnam ab infernali Dracone mutuantis horribiles contra Deum blasphemias eructantis hoc est Papatus Romani per septem occidentis regna Italiam Hispaniam Britanniam Galliam Germaniam Hungariam Poloniam diffusi a quo tandem posteriora capita quinque per Agnum Dei Apocal. 17 divelluntur quae in decem regna specialia resurgunt nempe Germaniam Bohemiam Hungariam Poloniam Sueciam âaniam Norvegiam Scotiam Angliam Franciam in quibus hodiè contabescit regnum Pontificis Romani HORUM MENSIUM FINIS INCIDET in Anno Christi 1670. Sic Elias Reusnerus Isag Hist De Infantia Antichristi ad annum Christi 410. If we take the younger or latter account viz. from the power of Antichrist to make warre and fix the beginning thereof with the greatest probability as to that among the learned upon Pope Hildebrand alias Gregory the seventh who was the first saith Helvicus That excommunicated the Emperour and arrogated to himselfe the power of appointing and setting up the Emperour enfolding as Reusner carries on the story the Roman Empire in all manner of seditions and civill Wars excommunicating Henry the fourth Caesar making him attend bare-foot at his Palace gate in sharp winter arming the Nobility of Germany against him absolving them from their allegeance I say if we fixe the beginning of Antichrists power to make warre upon this Hildebrand then it will be far longer ere the 1260. yeares wil be run out the said Hildebrand so ruffling in his power not till about the yeare of Christ 1070. to which if we adde 1260. we make up a far larger reckoning then the former and so much farther from fulfilling whereas this our context affirmes ver 28. that when that time of trampling shall be fulfilled the Jewes redemption draweth nigh Which must be fulfilled afore the ultimate Judgement the time of that Judgement being inconsistent with these things or else it cannot be fulfilled at all Therefore as sure as God cannot lye this is yet to bee fulfilled SECT IV. The fourth place is in Luke 22.28 29 30. Ver. 28. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations Ver. 29. And I appoint unto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed unto me Ver. 30. That yee may eate and drink at my Table in MY Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of ISRAEL § 1 IN the first place let us not forget that ancient true rule Non est a literâ seu propria scripturae significatione recedendum nisi evidens aliqua necessitas cogat scripturae veritas in ipsâ literâ periclitari videatur i.e. We are not to depart from the Letter or proper sence of the Scripture unlesse some evident necessity compel and the truth of the Scripture seem to be endangered Now there is no such necessity lies upon this Text to recede from the litterall sence thereof For by a litterall and Proper interpretation of this Text neither is the truth of this nor of any other place of Scripture nor of any of the Articles of our faith in the least indangered as wee shall see more abundantly when we come to answer objections against our Thesis Mean while take notice that there are many grave godly learned men not onely in our Nation but in other Countries who while they doe not yet take up this opinion as their own do yet notwithstanding ingeniously confesse that it is a very harmelesse opinion § 2 Note in the second place that there is a great importunity if not necessity incumbent on this Scripture to understand it at least in the general according to the letter For ¶ 1. Therein is promised as a peculiar reward to them that had indured temptations with
whiles the said darke troubles are extant and incumbent upon the Church even therein is a continued tendency towards the glory thereof these refining the Church for that state Malac. 3. verses 2 3. and thereupon Christ is neerer and readier for their full deliverance and acceptance verses 4.5.17 § 4 For after the night is over the day dawns unto the appearance of the day-star the Sunne So at the end of these dark troubles yea for the ending of them Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare Malach. 4.2 mark the method of that Prophet after that Chapter 3. v. 2 3. compared with 2 Pet. 1.19 all which places are largely discussed afore So that when the said troubles are at the highest then Christ will appear most gloriously for the destruction of the causers of all those troubles even all the enemies of the Church of which appearance of Christ and destruction of the enemy see Dan. 7.13 14. c. 2 Thess 2.8 Rev. 19. verse 11. c. to the end of the Chapter where they are lively characterized most worthy the Readers perusall Upon which destruction on the enemies by the presence of Christ the glorious time of the thousand yeers begins and that with the resurrection of all the Elect as most methodically it follows after that in Daniel as a close of all the troubles mentioned in the whole Prophesie Chap. 12. the two last verses and doth methodically follow that in the Revelation as the blessed Catastrophe of all the confusions in that whole Prophesie in Chapter 20. the first six verses So that next in an immediate order of nature followes the New Creation Chapter 21.1 of which in the next Section CHAP. II. Touching the New Creation THe Chaos being made the Creation of all particulars follow which New-creation is mentioned both in the Old and New Testament Rev. 21.1 John sees a New Heaven and a New Earth How so unlesse created new For the alteration is such that the old heaven and earth seem as it were to passe away So that this New Heaven and Earth is that which Peter and the rest that beleeved with him 2 Pet. 3.11 12 13. did expect that all the former being dissolved there should be New Heavens and a New Earth according to Gods PROMISE Now where is that promise but in Isa 65.17 Behold I create New Heavens and a New Earth so that the former shall not be remembred or come into minde In all which places the expression of earth demonstrates that it is a state on earth besides many circumstances annexed in all the said places before discussed in our third Book the word Heaven being no opposition to it which from Gen. 1. to the end of the Revelation is oft used to signifie those Heavens of the Ayre clouds c. which are appurtenances of the Earth which Paul calls by intimation the first Heaven 2 Cor. 12.2 § 2 With the Creation of this New World are created therein the appurtenances of it viz. ¶ 1. New Jerusalem Immediately after the Creation of a New Heaven and a New Earth St. John sees Rev. 21.2 the holy City NEW JERUSALEM comming DOWN FROM GOD out of HEAVEN and therefore signifies a state on earth And the Prophet Isa in that 65. Chapter verse 18. having mentioned the creation of the New Heaven and the New Earth immediately addes that the Lord saith Lo I create Jerusalem viz. into a happy condition of which by and by ¶ 2. The Inhabitants of this New World and New Jerusalem are no lesse then created First If there were no more then the conversion of the Jewes as the preparation to this new state especially they having been so long opposite to Christ this were no lesse then a Creation A Miracle is a kinde of Creation And the School-men say That though Conversion be not a Miracle properly yet it is more then a miracle Let mee give my vote in this reason because Conversion is out of resistances of mans stubborne minde and heart Miracles are wrought on non-resistances And in this is Conversion more then Creation because Creation is out of matter that hath a disposition of submission to the will of the Creator But mans unregenerate will whiles such is obstinately opposite But no man will doubt but that a Resurrection is a Creation Now the Scripture compares the conversion of the Jewes to a Resurrection Ezek. 37.5 c. Dan. 12.2 Rom. 11.15 In all which places the Call of the Jews is metaphorically called a Resurrection For it is a raising from spiritual death to spiritual life from sinne to grace and from Civil bondage to Civil liberty as the Scripture oft mentions But secondly The Inhabitants are further multiplyed and perfected by a Physical Resurrection of all the deceased Saints Rev. 20.4 and a Physical mutation of the living Saints 1 Cor. 15.51 52. So that as the Apostle saith in that Chapter verse 44. and Phil. 3.21 They shall have spiritual bodies needing nor meat nor drinke c. and made like to Christs glorious body as we have several times discussed afore Now a real Physical Resurrection of bodies and such a reall physicall change of them are no lesse then a Creation Is it not fully a Creation to make men of dust Is it not a creation to change flesh and blood into a likenesse to the radiating Sunne Just so is it inthese things ¶ 3 The Qualifications of places and persons are created As first Righteousnesse being one of the qualifications is also created In 2 Pet. 3.13 in that New Heaven and New Earth made New by creation as the quotation of it out of Isa 65.17 demonstrates there dwels Righteousnesse by vertue of that Creation Grace being nothing else but divine created qualities even as in that 65. of Isa it is expresse that God will create in Jerusalem other excellent qualifications which we shall presently name Sutably Peter in that 2 Epist 3. Chap. v. 13. having mentioned the New Heaven and Earth addes as an appurtenance to it wherein dwels righteousnesse and all by vertue of a Creation as the Apostles referring to Isa 65.18 plainly speaks And from both places John hath this in his vision Rev. 21. verse 1 2 and 27. That into this New Heaven and Earth and holy Jerusalem all new as we shâwed by Creation there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth as in the first creation all that God made was good yea exceeding good Gen. 1.31 Secondly There shall be created in this New state the qualification of peace Isa 57.19 I CREATE the fruit of the lips PEACE âEAâE to him that is afar off by captivity or otherwise and to him that is neer saith the Lord and I will heal him Peace peace doubled signifies very great absolute perfect peace as that time shall be a time of an universal perfection Thirdly Of this New state there shall bee another qualification viz. joy or rejoycing and that by the means of the New creation for it