No wants No desertions No painfull labour No decay No procreation of children § 1 From the three former qualifications Sinlesse Sorrowlesse Deathlesse being comprehensive and as it were fundamental to the rest doe flow many other particulars which I shall distinctly refer to each of these three severall heads But they flow from a three joyntly as much as the three heads are conjoyned and depend one upon another by a naturall connexion Sin it selfe being almost formally internall sorrow as it is a departing from God or an ecclipse of communion with him as well as it is the cause of externall sorrows on the other side sorrow is as it were no sorrow without sin For as the sting of death that great sorrow to nature is sin so sin either in the cause or in the concomitance is the sting of every sorrow this either raising sad applications that for such or such a sin these sorrows befall us or rousing and awakening selfe-vexing passions that we beare our sorrows with double sorrow and dismal discontent And so as in a Triangular correspondence in Death meet the lines both of sin and sorrow For had we not sinned wee should not dye as without some sorrow we cannot dye But I say for more distinctnesse and to hint the more immediate rise of each particular qualification I shall referre them severally to their severall heads First If this be a sinlesse condition then there will bee no need § 2 ¶ First Of Majesties or Magistracies to punish Politick offences In this state dwell all righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. Here the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb Men and beasts shall be all at peace with all peace one with another The Locusts saith Solomon Prov. 30.27 have no King yet goe they forth all by bands Grace then perfected shall be more exact then Nature Every subject of this Kingdome shall have the Law so perfectly written in his heart as shall cause him exactly to walke in the same Kings shall submit and doe homage to New Jerusalem but not rule over it Rev. 21.24 ¶ Secondly No need of Church-censures though the forme of this New-created state is mostly set forth Church-like Church-wise in manner of a Church state Rev. 21. For here shall be no defect in love or want of order or mistakes in judgement or any weaknesse in grace for these were sin and how unpossible it is for us to conceive sin to be extant at this resurrection and glorious change of beleevers we have before demonstrated Besides all that in the text it selfe Rev. 21. even in that mention of this glorious state under a Church forme it is expresse in verse 27. That there shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth c. that is that shall deserve censure ¶ Thirdly No Superiority of one Saint over another as to precedency subjection or dependence under any notion If Christ shall give to some any preeminencies of endowments internall or externall or both yet will it not thence follow that they shall have a supremacy of power over the rest Christs speciall manifestation of his presence shall be the one and onely immediate superiority the Saints among themselves being a joynt co-ordinate body Dan. 7. v. 14. compared with v. 27. For this cause St. John as the Learned conceive hath a vision of the Saints sitting round the Throne Rev. 4. even as they shall all sit on Thrones Rev. 20.4 Subjection even of Eve to Adam came in by sin Gen. 3.16 Therefore when sin goes out Liberty from that subjection comes in Consult Rom. 8.21 for there is much to this particular if well extracted which I leave to the wise Reader as also the inference of many other particulars which are deducible from this Sinlesse head § 2 If a Sorrowlesse condition then it will follow ¶ 1 There shall be no fears for feare saith St. John hath torment And how often afore have the Prophets Prophesied that the Heirs of this estate once possessing it shall fear no more ¶ 2 No Wants viz. No hunger nor thirst saith St. John Rev. 7.16 No want of light c. Rev. 21. The state is no lesse then a new better Paradise Rev. 21.1 c. ¶ 3 No Desertions one of the greatest sorrows For God is extraordinarily present and manifested in his presence Now the Tabernacle of God is with men and he dwels with them Rev. 21.4 which must be with a speciality above a meer state of grace or else nothing new is promised to New Jerusalem Therefore it is added verse 23. The Deity shall be so present as that the glory of God shall lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof ¶ 4 No painfull labour This was Adams sorrowfull punishment for sin therefore it must have no being here In a word whatsoever is or causeth sorrow cannot be here admitted § 3 If no death then no sicknesse no feeblenesse no waxing old no need of procreation of children for the continuation of the species of mankind For death shall not take away any of the individuals of these reigning Saints Innocent Adam was happy in Paradise in his owne person whiles he had no children And now that the Fulnesse of the Gentiles are come in and the ALL of ISRAEL are saved Rom. 11. at the time when this glorious state on earth shall be to what end or use should there be procreation of more children Besides if this were granted then a great part of the seed of the Elect should neither be raised nor changed nor reign on earth a just thousand yeers but would come too late to attaine to these three Our Saviours words I thinke will rivet all fast That at the resurrection there shall be no Marriage without which there can bee no lawfull and honourable procreation of children and therefore Marriage was plighted between Adam and Eve in Paradise by God himselfe But all the Elect shall be in that respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like or equall to the Angels who propagate not their kinde SECT V. The future glorious state on Earth shall bee Temptation-lesse § 1 HErein we shall be happier then Adam and Eve who though they were in a Sinlesse condition yet that while were lyable to temptation Our condition at this time is set out by a parallel to answer to Adams condition Heb. 2. Heb. 4. Rom. 5.1 Cor. 15. But in a more eminent way and degree If in somethings now a believers condition is better in Christ then that of Adam sc in our neerer union with God in Christ Heb. 2. And in a non-possibility of falling totally Gal. 3.19 Our Covenant is in the hand of a Mediator then much more shall our condition be better at this first resurrection Adam could be tempted and fall in Paradise we shall neither fall nor be tempted to fall We must be conformable to Christs glorious body after his resurrection Phil. 3.21 Christ was tempted afore his resurrection and he overcame But after hee was not tempted so we
Antichristian how shall wee pitch the compasses of our account so as to pick up a select number of Saints whose soules were just one thousand yeers in heaven before the last resurrection this being spoken of Saints in generall and of their state after the full and finall fall of Antichrist Rev. 19. the Chapter immediately foregoing § 4 Truly to speake my very conscience from cleer light to mee by this their LIVING can be intended no other thing but their LIVING AGAINE Perhaps there may bee some reason of the varying of the phrase as to say the Saints LIVED but the wicked LIVED not AGAINE till the one thousand yeers were finished Because the dead Saints are more alive then the dead wicked For the dead Saints whiles dead are alive not onely in their naturall soules but in their spirituall union with Christ who is their life and in the graces which the Spirit of life implanted in them And the dust of their bodies are decreed and preserved by God for an estate called Eternal life their bodies being said onely to bee asleep And therefore said here TO LIVE as if in a sort never dead But whiles their bodies were dead their soules were willing to live againe in the body Not so the Dead wicked and so a different phrase is spoken of them But the sense I am confident is that the Saints were made to LIVE AGAINE in the one thousand yeers whiles the Dead wicked lived not againe till those one thousand yeers were ended Even as Revel 1.18 most evidently ALIVE is put for ALIVE AGAINE The words are Christs of himselfe now after his resurrection spoken to John I am hee that am ALIVE so the Greek or LIVING and was dead and behold I am ALIVE If hee had been dead and now was alive hee was properly alive againe So in the same sense the dead Saints are here said in this 20. Chap. v. 4. to LIVE to signifie they LIVED AGAINE So the Antithesis and opposition here put between these and those in the next verse gives it in to mee with full evidence But the rest of the dead that is the wicked saith the fifth verse lived not againe so expressely in the * So Syr. Arab. Greek untill the one thousand yeers were finished Whence who that weighs things well can infer lesse then this that those Saints in the fourth verse lived AGAINE those thousand yeers in which the dead wicked lived not againe and the Saints had beene killed as it is vers 4. and Rev. 11. not onely metaphorically but physically in a great part downe to the totall ruine of Antichrist and now a Viol being poured out upon the throne of the Beast Rev. 16. whereupon he utterly falls Rev. 19. two last verses the seventh and last-Trumpet sounding as it is anticipatedly spoken Rev. 11. but methodically to the matter as the cause before the effect the Saints risen reigne with Christ both here in this 20. chap. and in that 11. of the Revel This to bee spoken by the Antithesis Butthe rest of the dead lived not AGAINE That the Saints this while of the one thousand yeers lived AGAINE is further manifest in that it is plaine here compared with vers 12. that the wicked did LIVE AGAINE at the end of the thousand yeers So UNTILL in vers 5. imports explained vers 7. to end of the 12. vers thus When the thousand yeers are expired Satan shall bee loosed and shall goe out and deceive the Nations and they went out and compassed the Camp of the Saints which Saints are all at that time alive and the Devil that deceived the wicked is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone c. and I saw a great white Throne and I saw the dead wicked ones small and great to stand before God So that in regard it is so punctually held forth that at the end of the thousand yeers all the wicked formerly deceased lived againe personally and properly soule and body being re-united I for my part cannot inferre lesse then that the meane while in the said thousand yeers the Saints lived personally and properly in soule and body gloriously reunited on earth Object 5. All that can possibly seem to bee objected to the contrary as far as I can see or heare is this pretended Scruple That this Antithesis BUT the rest of the dead lived not AGAINE carries not so much in it as wee have estimated because LIVING AGAINE is applied to a contrary thing and to contrary persons as if the sense should bee this The rest of the dead wicked ones dead in sinne LIVED not AGAINE all that thousand yeers that is they attained not to the state of Regeneration or Conversion by the Word and Spirit which seems to be called in the fifth verse THE FIRST RESURRECTION All this thousand yeers they continued in an unregenerate estate whiles the dead Saints LIVED in soule in glory in the highest heavens with Christ a thousand yeers that is from their death for ever Answ Wee answer that allegation that LIVING and not living AGAINE are applyed to contrary things and persons speakes for the nature of an Antithesis and for ours If it be said by the objectors that the meaning of contraries is Heterogeneals as spirituall death in sinne and eternall life in glory Wee reply it is indeed said so by them but not proved That is the question now in dispute not to bee begged but to bee won from us by argument if wee must part with our right It cannot sound in my ears to say that the Saints living a thousand yeeres signifies their living in soul with Christ for ever after their naturall death seeing it is confest of all on all sides that at the last generall resurrection if the Saints rise not till then the soules of the Saints are brought downe from heaven to their bodies and not their dead bodies to bee carried up into heaven to their soules And that the last generall judgement of Christ appearing as man judging men so as all men may see the judgement to be just is not a worke of a day or of a short time Nor am I satisfied by any knowledge of the Scriptures that I have yet attained that the FIRST RESURRECTION is any where put to signifie meerly the sole act or condition of our first regeneration I well remember those Texts Col. 3.1 If yee bee risen with Christ seeke those things that are above And Ephes 2.5 When wee were dead in sinnes God hath quickened us together with Christ saving us by grace and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and many the like places But there is mention onely of quickning and rising and raising There is mention of SURRECTION but not of RESURRECTION much lesse of a FIRST RESURRECTION to signifie Regeneration or the improvement of Regeneration which the Apostle mostly intends Nor do I forget that place Rom. 11.15 That the receiving of the
Jewes shall bee life from the dead But this is spoken peculiarly of the JEWES and of their RESTITUTION to the Church-glory on earth of which wee treat as well as of their conversion as divers pious learned conceive Nor doth the Apostle here use the word RESURRECTION much lesse FIRST RESURRECTION I am also at a great losse how Regeneration can handsomely be cloathed with the relation of a Resurrection or living again according to Scripture-phrase For there an unregenerate man is called a dead man and sinne a death and a state of non-conversion in sinne a lying dead intrespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. And so in a due and just opposition the Apostle calls Conversion and Regeneration a Quickning a Rising a Raising a Life but not a Quickning again a Rising or Raising againe For an unregenerate man was not alive afore in relation to any spirituals which are the things wee and the Apostle speake of The word AGAINE in living againe rising againe according to Scripture and reason usually import a returning to the same kinde of life as was afore The Scripture saith of man in generall when wrought upon by the Word and Spirit that he is Re-generated let the learned heed the Greek I say Re-generated because it alludes to his first estate of glorious generation in innocent Adam in the Booke of Genesis as the Greeks call it But it doth not say that the Regenerating of an unregenerate manis his raising or rising againe or his resurrection because a man unregenerated whiles so was never alive spiritually till regenerated he was never raised afore from his fall till raised by conversion Innocent Adam had no infused grace but onely created perfection of nature 6. But if some will have these things to seeme sleight in their eyes let us see what may bee further added intreating the Reader all along this Treatise to take mee all together to look with a generall view upon the whole Arch of the Architecture in which if there bee some lesser and weaker slates or stones there are others stronger and bigger I am imperfect whiles in this world and so is the Reader too yet this must not discourage or prejudice us from building up one another with increase of knowledge in generall or of this particular point touching the Saints first resurrection in a bodily rising againe at the beginning of the aforesaid thousand yeers called here their LIVING i. e. AGAINE meaning their bodily living againe after they had laine in the grave a long time For consider this Text that as this is spoken to the Saints as well as the rest of the book Revel 1.14 So it is spoken of the Saints as wee saw before in their severall characters in our first Chapter and second Parag. Therefore these were regenerated already long since to whom this first Resurrection is applied v. 5. v. 6. For so the words cleerly depend notwithstanding any appearance to the contrary by the late invention of verses And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers then it comes in as a Parenthesis but the rest of the dead lived not againe untill the thousand yeers were finished then it followes This is the first resurrection Blessed holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection For what good coherence could this make to say The rest of the dead lived not againe until the thousand yeers were finished that is as the objecters interpret were not regenerated This is the first resurrection I say what concinne and apt coherence could this bee unlesse wee will dreame that the rest of the dead were regenerated at the end of the thousand yeers when comes the generall judgement v. 12. Therefore this word First-resurrection can no way relate to regeneration by the Word and Spirit Plainly therefore to mee this Text gives a distinct sound That as the rest of the dead lived not againe till the last resurrection at the end of the thousand yeers so the Saints lived again at the First resurrection at the beginning of the thousand yeers 7. It is likewise further considerable that the Jewes are to have a great share in this MILLENARIE life this booke being full of Representations Prophesies and Promises quoted out of the Old Testament made there to them yea and John Chap. 16. mentions that Euphrates is to bee dryed up as relating to their the Turkish Antichrist to fall and they to bee restored and therefore though John wrote in the Gentile Greek language the Churches Song for her Restauration and the destruction of her enemies is set forth to bee in Hebrew foure or five times in six verses together Rev. 19.1 c. Alleluja and Alleluja Amen Now as the Restauration of the Jewes is mainly looked at all along in all the Scriptures that concerne the glory of the universall Church on earth so it is spoken of as a further and greater thing then the conversion of their particular persons namely the dry bones must live and become a mighty Host or Army-multitude and the two dry stickes of Judah and Israel shall grow into one as ingrafted Sciences into a stocke and become one Nation gathered from all quarters of the world into one body Ezek. 37. And MANY of them that sleep in the dust shal awake some to everlasting life and c. Dan. 12.2 which cannot possibly bee understood of the last generall resurrection as wee shall demonstrate after in its proper place And Daniel himselfe at the end of one thousand three hundred thirty and five yeeres after the ceasing of the dayly sacrifice which falls into the time of calling and gathering the Jewes now not far off as after shall bee computed shall stand in the lotte Dan. 12. v. last upon which and the like expressions Paul in the 11. of Rom. v. 15. saith what shall bee the RECEIVING using a more comprehensive word then converting of the Jewes bee but LIFE from the DEAD hee saith not life from death as meaning onely spiritual life but in a fuller phrase according to the Greeke importeth a Resurrection too of the deceased beleevers And then addes v. 26. That there should come out of Zion the DELIVERER and shall turne away iniquity from Jacob the Apostle then looking upon it as a thing to come though Christ had already beene come and gone And speakes it in relation to the saving of the ALL of Israel intimating that the bringing in of the Jewes at the RESURRECTION OF ALL THINGS as the Apostle speaks Act. 3.21 would be a very GREAT and GLORIOUS businesse so as all the world should not choose but behold it with admiration And therefore this share of the Jewes in this MILLENARIE injoyment will not indure that this twentieth of Revelat. vers 4. should bee sleighted off with a metaphoricall glosse 8. For still mee thinkes I see more may bee digged out of this place worthy of consideration 'T is said The rest of the dead lived not againe as in relation to the dead Saints in
a glorious state of all things Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowle of the Aire and over the Cattell and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth 27. So God created man in his owne Image c. 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and SVBDVE IT and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the fowle of the aire and over EVERY LIVING THING that moveth on the earth Psal 8.1 O LORD our LORD how excellent is thy name IN ALL THE EARTH who hast set thy glory above the heavens 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy ard the avenger 3. When I consider thy Heavens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Stars which thou hast ordained 4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of Man that thou visitest him 5. For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour 6. Thou madest him to have DOMINION OVER THE WORKES OF THY HANDS thou hast put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET c. Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection the WORLD TO COME whereof we speake 6. But one in a certaine place testified saying what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him 7. Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels thou crownest him with glory and honour and didst set him OVER the workes of thy hands 8. Thou hast put ALL THINGS in subjection UNDER HIS FEET for in that hee hath put ALL in subjection under him he left NOTHING that is not put under him 9. But now WEE SEE NOT YET ALL THINGS put under him but we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste of death for every man § 1 AS Saint Iohn fetcheth in the Notions of the terrestriall Paradise to describe New Hierusalem of which Revel 21. or which is all one the glorious state of the Church that it shal have on earth before the last Judgement Revel 22. or else we shall make John to speake impertinently for in supreame glory is no need of a river of water or of streets or of a tree of Life or of twelve sorts of fruit one for each month or of leaves to heale the Nations or to make him speake untruly if any would turne it to an Allegory of a fountaine of Doctrine or of more and fresh effusions of the Spirit or of Christ to beare any further fruit he there laying downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 even so the Prophet David falls upon a divine meditation of the estate of Adam in innocency to compose a Propheticall Psalme of praise for what God would doe for his people on earth before the ultimate end of the world as the Apostle Paul expounds him in the place aforesaid § 2 Should seem that though some things by Adams fall were irrecoverably lost in specie in their proper kind though not vertually and equivalently as mans freedome from corporall death yet other things as this dominion of man over all things was not so forfeited but that in Christ first or last it is recovered And therefore though David knew full well Adams fall as appeares by Psal 51.5 yet looking upon the SONNE OF MAN Christ in this Psalme he holds up his head and heart and sings out shrilly this praise in this Psalme of hope that this dominion shall be made good to man on earth to the utmost § 3 For surely there is no imagining of this state to be of Saints in the highest Heavens that there they should have dominion over the Beasts Fishes and Fowls or over wicked men properly that are then in the infernal Lake wholly under the sole power of the Prince of Darknesse and this was not performed on earth unto Davids time who from his youth to his end was ever and anon in danger of Beasts or beastiall men of the Lion and the Beare of Goliah of Saul of Absolom of forreigne enemies c. Nor was it ever since fulfilled but that the Saints the Members of the SONNE OF MAN have been at the same passe for the generall with David or worse as we have and shall heare abundantly § 4 Yet this must be fulfilled visibly on earth as saith the Psalmist in this eighth Psalme so as the enemy and avenger among men must bee stilled ver 2. And all the Creatures subdued as it is in the rest of the Psalme and both so as that the Saints mouthes may be full of praise according to the forme of this Psalme and this must be fulfilled too visibly on earth saith the Apostle in the said second of Hebrewes Unto the Angels saith he ver 5. God hath not subjected THE WORLD TO COME of which WE SPEAKE No for they are charged to be in subjection to Christ chap. 1. ver 6. Nor hath God said to any of the Angels sit thou at my right hand * Mat. 24.14 Luke 2.1 Luke 4.5 Luk. 21.26 Acts 11.28 Act. 17.6 Act. 17.31 Act. 19.27 Act. 24.5 Rom. 10.18 Hebr. 1.6 Heb. 2.5 Rev. 3.10 Rev. 12.9 Rev. 16.14 untill I make thine enemies thy footstool ver 13. but this must be fulfilled on earth to men in Christ through him For the Apostles first phrase in that fifth verse of the second Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spoken with great emphasis with a double emphaticall Article sounding as we speake in English THAT SAME world even THAT that is TO COME and yet still meaning a state on earth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered world in propriety of signification signifies the inhabited world as men inhabite their dwelling houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house being of the Kindred of the world and in common use it is put to signifie the world on earth yea so used by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament at least fifteen times * The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the first Aor of subj mood as I conceive hath the signification of a suture Of this place of Scripture see more in this third Book chap. 2. Sect. 10. and sometimes in those places earth is adjoyned for plainer expression yea used so to signifie the world on earth in most of the said places as thereby to meane the Roman Monarchy the Romans then ruling the whole earth when the Apostles wrote as in two of those places viz. Luke 2.1 Act. 11.28 the Roman Emperour is expressed by name Yea lastly so constantly used in the New Testament
Nations of the earth shal be blessed is that they that bee of faith shal be blessed with faithful Abraham That the blessing of Abraham shal come upon the Gentiles That the promise to Abraham that he should be THE HEIRE OF THE WORLD was not to Abraham and his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure TO ALL THE SEED not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham WHO IS THE FATHER OF US ALL. ¶ 4. For the sealing of all these three likewise in the New Testament Christ as incarnated is called the Mystery or Sacrament as some Translate of godlinesse 1 Tim. 3.16 because in his flesh is the glorious representation of God Heb. 1.2 and the effectual communication of the excellencies of God to us by union with him and us Joh. 17.2 Joh. 1.16 Christ as testified unto from Heaven Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 is the sealed one or the sealing to us Ioh. 6 27. viz. That he is the only name under Heaven whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 and he as the meaning of all types Joh. 1.17 is the impletion or fulfilling of all the Promises to us take him and take all 2 Cor. 1.20 And to the end that we might be more sure of all these he hath change of names as a seale interpreted to that sence Matth. 1. Immanuel that is God with us which the Apostle notably applyes to our Salvation Rom. 8.31 and Jesus ibid. Mat. 1. for he shal save his people from their sins And thus Christ is a seale of our Salvation 2 ¶ Againe as Christ the true or Antitypicall Abraham or Isaac is the everlasting Father of all to be saved Isa 9.6 tooke our nature on him Heb. 2. suffered and ascended Mat. Chap. 27. Chap. 28. so he is a seale interest or assurance that there shall be a multiplication of them that shall be saved by him 1. By his FATHER-HOOD PATERNITY or Father-ship Isa 53. ver 10. He shal see his SEED ver 11. he shall see the TRAVELL of his soule He shal justifie many Heb. 2.11 c. He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are ALL ONE Behold I and the CHILDREN which God hath given me the Children partaking of flesh and bloud he partook of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil ver 16. For he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham for it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High-priest to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people verse 10. For it became him FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS and BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS in bringing MANY SONNES unto glory to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through SUFFERING And that we might know that Christ is the seale or interest by his taking our nature not onely to save the Jews as in this second to the Hebrews but also the Gentiles the Apostle discusseth that his taking our nature in another root universall to all mankinde viz. Adam called the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. and mightily extends it as wide as the ruine that came by Adam Rom. 5. v. 15. If through the offence of one MANY be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded to MANY verse 18. As by the offence of ONE judgement came upon ALL MEN to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of ONE the free gift came upon ALL MEN unto justification of life 2 He is a seale or interest of the multiplication of beleevers by his suffering Heo 2.9 We see Jesus made a little lower then Angels for or by as it is in the margine the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death FOR EVERY MAN And Joh. 12.32 33. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw ALL MEN unto me this he said signifying what death he should dye 3 By his ascention Act. 1.11 compared with Act. 3 21. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him goe into Heaven whom the Heavens must receive UNTILL the TIMES of restitution of ALL THINGS c. 3 ¶ Christ by reason of relation and union is the seale or assurance of the possession Rom. 8. Coheires with him Eph. 2.6 Set in heavenly places with him 4 ¶ As Christ is the seale or sealed one of all those three so also the Holy Spirit Baptisme and the Lords Supper are seals of all those The Spirit Eph. 1.13 14. first in generall is a seale of all the promises therefore called there the Spirit of promise saying ye were sealed with the Spirit of promise For as the promise promiseth the Spirit so the Spirit dictated to the Penmen of the Scriptures to leave us those promises and the Spirit brings home and applyes those promises to every mans particular heart 2 Cor. 3.3 1 Thess 1.5 Secondly In particular 1 The Spirit is a seale of salvation in the same Ephes 1.13 14. After ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your SALVATION after ye beleeved ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise 2 A seale of multiplication of Believers For in that respect it is also there called as we hinted but now the Spirit of promise in that it is promised And how Thus that it shall be Joel 2.28 poured upon all flesh A large promise of innumerable effusions 3 A seale of the possession So in the same Ephes 1.13 14. ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of your INHERITANCE untill the redemption of the purchased possession The redemption of the soules of the Ephesians was past already therefore the redemption of the body of which the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.22 23. saying That all the creation as well as all beleevers groan after it must be meant The Apostle calls it in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The redemption of much businesse which more sounds of a state on earth then in the highest Heavens And that our Coheirship with Christ Rom. 8. the Apostle Paul there saith verse 21 22 23. it must begin on earth And the Apostle John saith We must reigne with Christ on earth Rev. 5.10 a thousand yeers Rev. 20.4 Till Satan be there let loose and Gog and Magog thereupon make opposition verse 7.8 9. Next Baptisme is a seale as of salvation as all know so of the possession which that innumerable company of Jewes and Gentiles Exod. 12.37 38. passing through the Red sea Exod. 14. should have if there baptized beleeved 1 Cor. 10.1 c. wherein God sealed to them among other things that his power should be Omnipotent and his mercy
be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the lad Trumpet for it shall sound both the dead shal be raised incorruptible and we shal be changed * So according to the best Greek Copies howbeit the common translation holds forth effectually what we intend Saint John in the Revelation tels us that the last Trumpet is the seventh Trumpet according to the many instances wherein God delights in the number of seven so that six as it is exprest in the Revelation sounded afore this and saith That the last end of all is not till the last Trumpet But there is a great intervall and space within the time of the last Trumpet many things being to be done within that compasse so that at the first beginning of the last Trumpet the enemy so falls that the Kingdomes of THIS world become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord his Christ in spight of all enemies and their anger the dead Saints are raised and a reward given to them Revel chap. 11. ver 15 16 17 18. which is a summary preface or a prefaciatory sum to the Catastrophe or upshot of the Revelation to follow unto the end as touching the Saints And in Revel 20. first seven verses is expressed how long this visible Kingdome of Christ on earth shall be and consequently so long is the space of the last Trumpet viz. a thousand yeares But the last end of all the ultimate period shall not be till the last end of the last Trumpet Revel 20. vers 12 c. Now let the Reader compare and consider all that Paul hath spoken in this quotation of and upon the one hundred and tenth Psalme touching the subduing of all things to Christ and the five notes of the time when it must be together with Johns explication and confirmation of Pauls last Trumpet and then let him tell me 1 Whether these things must not of necessity be fulfilled upon the earth 2 Whether these things are not yet to come yet to be fulfilled 3 Whether they must not be fulfilled afore the ultimate end of all when Christ resignes up his Kingdome to the Father 7 ¶ But there is yet one quotation more of this hundred and tenth Psalme insisted upon by the Apostle which gives us further light in Heb. 10. ver 11 12 13. Every Priest saith he standeth daily in ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifice which can never take away sin but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes SATE DOWNE ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD FROM HENCE-FORTH EXPECTING TILL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE HIS FOOT-STOOL c. Two things are here at first sight evident before our eyes viz. 1. That the Apostle quotes the words of the one hundred and tenth Psalme And 2. That the Apostle applyes them to explaine the eminency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall in that the Leviticall Priests offered daily Christ but once they oftentimes the same Sacrifice he only once they tooke not away sinnes he did they stood as Servants he sate downe as Lord according to Psal 110. ver 1. Now observe how this suits to our purpose For it is expresse here that Christ did effectually attaine to reigne spiritually in overcoming Sinne and Satan witnessed in making perfect attonement for the sinnes of all that are sanctified and his overcoming death the wages of sinne And the Divel the Gaoler of death by his Resurrection Ascension and Assession at the right hand of God whereby in regard of the place he got above all his enemies And yet for all this to that very houre that the Apostle wrote this Christs enemies were not made his footstoole But saith he still there he sits from THENCEFORTH EXPECTING TIL his enemies be made his footstool as he doth to this day Plainly signifying that Christ must have another-gates Regiment and Government another manner or degree of subduing his enemies then that Which can be no other then a sensible visible subduing of them Which as we on earth expect so he in heaven saith the Apostle sits continually expecting the same For his enemies on earth continuing his enemies under that notion so to be subdued are never subject to him spiritually And further as the Apostle minds us Christ expects that further subduing of his enemies upon his Fathers promise made to him Psa 110. Now at the ultimate day of judgment there is no more subduing of any thing to Christ seeing then Christ layes down all and he the same himself is subject 1 Cor. 15. Therfore this being yet unfulfilled must be performed afore that day and according to the sense of the 110 Psalm of which all this while we have spoken but upon the first verse There are divers other passages more in this Psalme that much concurre to and explaine our point 8 ¶ Verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy STRENGTH out of Zion Rule thou in the MIDST OF THINE ENEMIES Mr. Ainsworth and our New Annotationists parallel this with Psal 2. And withall assert that the Jewish Expositors generally doe acknowledge the second Psalme to be concerning the Messias and infer if that then there is as much reason for this Now as in Psal 2. it is said Christ shall rule his enemies with a ROD OF IRON and breake them incorrigible as a Potters vessel even so in this Psalme it is said the Rod of Christs STRENGTH * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of authority or power which I should wonder if any dare to restraine to meer spirituall efficacy especially if we heedfully observe that which follows Rule thou as with that Rod * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middest of thine enemies Now tell me how doth Christ rule spiritually in the middest of his enemies And if you grant with us that a sensible corporal rule must be here admitted then cast about and consider that Christ hath no rule at the ultimate day of judgement 1. Cor. 15. And before that to this day Christ hath not so ruled amidst his enemies in most Nations Therefore it is yet to come afore the ultimate day of judgement Verse 3. Thy people shall be willing or Voluntaries in the day of thy power or Armie as Ainsworth asserts Now Peter assures us that the great day of Christ is a thousand yeers 2 Pet. 3. And wee must of necessity yeeld that this day of power must signifie a distinct determinated time and then to be measured out when Christs power shall most eminently appeare above any former appearance Now whether we take this in a spiritual sense of acting grace after conversion or in an Ecclesiastical as our Annotationists that Christs people shall be assembled unto his Church whose increase shall be as it follows so abundant and wonderful as the drops of the dew falling from the womb of the morning or in a corporal sense that men shall bee willing to pull downe Christs
the Apostle declines the word Jews or Israelites and useth a more generall word including Jews and Gentiles that shall beleeve calling them the people of God Observe further that the Apostle expresseth the REST that he asserts yet to remain by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbatisme as we may say a Sabbathisme that is a rest answering to the Sabbath that God appointed to man in the state of innocency For by the Apostles argument God so ordered it from the beginning that one REST should aptly typifie another 2 ¶ These things being premised the maine question hence is what REST is here meant we grant that subordinata non sunt contraria things subordinate will well enough submit unto an agreement in their descending line of order And so no doubt but that the Apostle includes herein as the internall spirituall rest of grace so also the eternall rest in ultimate glory ALL the rests mentioned in Scripture harmoniously typifying one another The rest of the Sabbath should seem by the Apostles method typified the rest in Canaan and that in Canaan another rest yet to come c. But the precise question is what REST most distinctly and more immediately the Apostle here drives at and argues for First For the rest on the Sabbath the Jewes had both past and present therefore that cannot be the minde of the Apostle Secondly For the rest in Canaan that their fore-fathers had long since and in the Apostles time some remnant of Jewes was there as appeares by the History of the Acts Chap. 2. Chap. 15. c. Thirdly For the spirituall rest by grace in the state of regeneration and actings of faith hope joy c. the Jewes to whom Paul writes knew so well that the Apostle needed not to use so many arguments to prove it unto them For they knew it partly by the book of the Old Testament partly by their sacrifices of Propitiation and Peace partly by the examples of many Saints mentioned with fame in their Bible partly by experience in many of them I meane they being converts they felt what was the inward spirituall rest peace and comfort by grace Heb. 6.9 BELOVED wee are perswaded better things of you and such as ACCOMPANY SALVATION 3 ¶ Fourthly therefore at first sight one would be apt to think that the Apostle in this Chapter must mainly minde the eternall rest in ultimate supernall glory But pardon me that I cannot bring my spirit to beleeve that to be the Apostles maine and immediate meaning for these reasons First the Apostle needed not so much to labour as in this Text he doth by severall arguments to prove to the Jewes THAT there is a state of ultimate glory and an eternall rest therein being a thing in the quod sit viz. that there is such a thing in a good measure knowne to the heathen in their doctrine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Homer brings in the friends of the widows whose husbands were slaine in the Trojan war comforting them with this That their deceased husbands souls were gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the invisible world of eternal blisse For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned so much by Homer to signifie an happy and eternall rest and of the Elysian fields so oft repeated by their Poets whom they called their Prophets and their Philosophers Treatises of the Immortality of the Soule Secondly none dares say that all the soules of all them whose bodies fell in the wildernesse of which the Apostle speakes went to the Hell of the damned and that none of them went to the eternall rest in Heaven but ought rather to thinke that at least many of them entred into that eternall rest because the Apostle saith precisely Heb. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their carcases he saith not their souls fell in the wildernesse as the Scripture notes it as a marke of Gods favour that though Nadab and Abihu were punished with death by fire yet nor their bodies nor cloaths were consumed Levit. 10.5 And though the good old Prophet were slaine by the Lion for his sinne yet he was not devoured or torne by the Lion 1 King 13.18 Thirdly the great want the Jewes were in at present when Paul wrote to them was that they the twelve Tribes for the most were scattered as Peter expressely shews 2 Pet. 1.1 and James chap. 1. v. 1. more fully into many Countries And hereby they were perplexed from the quiet injoyment in their spirits either spe or re of any sort of rest For an outward rest is the faire opportunity both in hope and hold to enjoy all sorts of rests And therefore the Apostle striveth so much with so many arguments to prove to the Jewes that now after their dispersion so many hundred yeers tenne Tribes continuedly for the space of three Monarchies and the fourth begun and two Tribes by turnes as long there yet remained to them according to all the Prophesies of the Prophets an externall rest yet to come And therefore as most parallel and pat to that hee takes up the comparation collation and parity of the Rest of God after the Creation and their rest on the Sabbath and the rest that many of their progenitors had in Canaan as most apt arguments to hold forth to them being Jewes an external rest which yet did remaine for them according to the said Prophets as a thing yet not fulfilled But when it shall be fulfilled then in it they shall have a fuller enjoyment of their spirituall and ecclesiasticall or Church-peace Just as Peter spake to them scattered as aforesaid not onely touching their spiritual rest and state of grace which he allowes them then to have in actuall possession when he wrote to them by acknowledging their precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 but also of the externall rest they should have for a thousand yeares in a new earth 2 Pet. 3. and bids them stick to the Prophets till Christ the Day-star should arise upon them being now ascended Even so Paul likewise in this fourth to the Hebrewes doth mainly speake to their outward condition in which their Spirituall was involved And this is more fairly probable because the Disciples themselves having seene Christs Incarnation Passion and Resurrection with all his singular Doctrines and transcending Miracles did yet notwithstanding enquire and looke for a visible state of rest Acts 1.6 4 ¶ Upon these considerations there is a strong impression on my spirit that though a relative intimation of internall and eternall rest needs not to be excluded yet the Apostles maine designe is precisely to hold forth the eminent externall rest that the Jewes shal yet injoy on earth being gathered into one Church with the Gentiles injoying thereby spirituall peace so as becomes an exact preface to ultimate glory and for that end the Apostle calls it as we said afore not glory not a state in the highest heavens but a Sabbatisme and Heb. 2. in the inhabitable world and this he saith
the enemies of the Church in the Gogican War which Papisme the 19. of the Revel concluded as extinct Wee answer to this objection that it is of no consequence whether it be granted or denyed We doe not raise Papisme nor do I know any that doe And though S. John concludes the utter down-fall of Antichrist Rev. 19. that he shall never reigne more yet Chapter 20.9 hee shews that secret hypocrisie of all Nations shall breake out and indeavour to beset the Church and then comes the ultimate day of judgement CHAP. II. Answering Doctor Pareus THus of your Dr. Prideaux his Arguments against our point in answer of whom with the same labour we have answered the maine Arguments of Pareus on Revelation 20. verse 4. For the Doctor did follow and take much out of Pareus Those wee have not spoken to that are most material that the Doctor did not touch upon them we will now touch SECT I. First Objection Rev. 20.5 THat that Resurrection is not a corporall Resurrection but a spirituall And that because it is called the First Resurrection For this cannot bee the first corporal Resurrection because before this there arose corporally the Sonne of the widow of Sarepta raised by the Prophet Elijah 1 King 17.22 The Sonne of the Sunamitish widow by Elisha 2 King 4.35 The Sonne of the widow of Naim raised by Christ Luke 7.11 12. c. The daughter of Jairus raised by Christ Luke 8.55 of Lazarus raised by Christ John 11.44 Those at Christs Passion Matth. 27. Tabitha by Peter Act. 9.41 Eâ—tichus by Paul Act. 20.10 Answer to this thus First by this argument Christ shall not bee the first-fruits of them that sleep Secondly by this argument the opinion of a spiritual Resurrection from Antichristianisme cannot bee here admitted because by the same reason that cannot bee called the First resurrection because many of them afore-mentioned were raised afore Antichristianisme was in being Thirdly that raising of them was no generall Resurrection of any sort of godly or ungodly But this in the Revelation is general of all Saints Fourthly the T. intends that risen they shall reigne and reigne a thousand yeers But the other mentioned by Pareus soon died and did not reigne in Johns sense Fifthly John had marked these out verse 3 that they had had a spirituall Resurrection already SECT II. Second Argument of Pareus TO the First Resurrection is opposed First death But the First death was spirituall viz. Sinne Rom. 5. therefore the first Resurrection meant here is spiritual Answer first spirituall death and life are sinne and grace But these not expressed here but first and second Resurrection living and dying againe The first death is when all dye corporally some naturally some violently as the godly by Antichrists persecution So in Rev. 6.9 the soules under the altar and the beheaded in this 20. Chapter verse 4. And wicked by Gods judgements Rev. 19. two last Now the first Resurrection is of Saints Rev. 20. is here in ver 4. Second of wicked in verse 12. which is their second death as S. John calls it verse 14. The rest of Pareus his objections to this point are upon a false supposition that onely the Martyrs shall rise therefore need no answer Beside we have given much in answer to him afore in the end of the first Book Thus of Pareus next of Mr. Bayly CHAP. III. MR. Bayly his Arguments come next for I put the best disputant first who being answered wee shall have lesse reason to spend time upon the weaker SECT I. Mr. Baylies first Argument HE that remaines in the Heaven unto the last judgement comes not downe to the earth a thousand yeers before the last judgement But Christ remaines in the Heavens unto the last judgement Therefore Christ comes not downe to the earth for a thousand yeers before the last judgement The major saith hee is unquestionable The minor is proved First from the Article of the Creed from that he sitteth at the right hand of God from thence hee shall come to judge the quick and the dead Secondly from Act. 3.21 Thirdly from John 14.2.3 We answer first to the major First we have not yet asserted that Christ shall come downe on the earth But we have shewed out of several texts a very great probability that Christ will at least appear in the clouds that men and especially the Jews may look upon him c. as Zac. 12.10 2 At the beginning of the 1000. yeers is the beginning of the last judgement as we shewed afore 2. To the minor where Mr. B. affirms that Christ shall remaine in the Heavens unto the last day of judgement We answer it is false For after hee was ascended up to the right hand of God he is so neer to Paul that he calls to him saying Paul Paul c. And Paul replies Who art thou Lord And Christ replies I am Jesus whom thou persecutest And Paul replies Lo what wilt thou have me to do And the Lord replies Arise go into the City and it shall be told thee Act. 9.4 5 6. And verse 10. Christ in a vision speaks to Ananias to goe to Paul Ananias objects and Christ replies At last hee goes and verse 17. speaks to Saul thus putting his hand upon him Brother Saul the Lord even Jesus that APPEARED unto thee in the way Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—en of thee And 1 Cor. 15.5 6 7 8. As SEEN of Câ—phas and the twelve c. after the Resurrection so after the Ascension seen of Paul v. 8. Now by the same reason he may appeare againe to convert the Jews for that must be some sudden businesse Isa 66.8 as a Nation borne at once c. before the ultimate day of judgement And Pauls conversion by Christs appearance in the clouds was the first-fruits how Christ would convert the Jews as is Mr. Medes note on 1 Tim. 1.16 Read the place ¶ 1 To the first proof of the minor from that Article of the Creed First we say that Article doth not prove Mr. Baylies intent in that it doth not assert that there Christ shall fixedly sit for ever untill the last judgement but onely that thence he shall come to judge which he may doe if mean while he descends on weighty occasions which finished hee ascends againe and there hee abides till hee descends to the last judgement Secondly we have shewed afore that the day of judgement begins at this one thousand yeers and continues to the end The beginning is the morning of the day of judgement the end the evening of the day of judgement And all the same day of judgement as it is in Peter 2 Epist 3. Chap. And we have also shewed how in this time all the parts of a day of judgement are acted The last day of which thousand yeers wee all along have called it the ultimate day of judgement And how long this ultimate day may be this evening of the Millenary day wee cannot
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 â—udgement 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
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 shâ—wed 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 â—EAâ—E 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
YOUR FILTHINESSE c. and I will save you from ALL YOUR UNCLEANNES 9. Ezekiel Chap. 44.9 speaking of the glorious state of the Church in the last dayes addes Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in HEART shall enter into my Sanctuary ¶ 10 Dan. 12.3 At the time that Michael shall stand up and deliver his people they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNES OF THE FIRMAMENT and they that turne many to righteousness AS THE STARS FOR EVER AND EVER Which is to come to passe before the last universal resurrection and ultimate judgement as we have before demonstrated ¶ 11. Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel SHAL NOT DO INIQUITY nor SPEAK LYES neither shall a DECEITFUL TONGUE be found in their mouthes which words relate as the context afore shews to a state of the Church in the last dayes on earth as the thing demonstrates that it was never yet fulfilled ¶ 12. Zach. 14.20.21 Upon all shall be holinesse to the Lord. ¶ 13 Malach. 4.1 c. The day commeth that shall burne as an oven And all that are proud and doe wickedly shall be as stubble and the day commeth that shall burne them up saith the Lord that it shal leave them neither root nor branch All these places and others have been demonstratively cleared to relate to the time following upon the Call of the Jewes and their settlement All which laid together make up a sinlesse condition § 2 Which will be more cleare and more clearly settled on our spirits by adding some places of the New Testament ¶ 1 In 1 Cor. 15.52 54 55 56. it is said When this corruption shall put on incorruption at the sound of the last Trumpet then O death where is thy sting The sting of death is sinne But thanks be to God that gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Now as wee have before proved there is a vast space viz. of a thousand yeers of the whole terme of the last Trumpet afore the universal ultimate Resurrection ¶ 2 In 2 Cor. 3.18 it is said When the Jewes shall have both vayles taken away as wee have before opened viz. that on Moses namely his forme of worship and that on their hearts viz. their unbeleef instead of the remainders of sinne they shall with open face behold the glory of the Lord being transformed into the same image from glory to glory ¶ 3 St. Peter likewise asserts 2 Pet. 3.13 That after the dissolution of this present vaine sinfull world there shall not onely be New Heavens but also a NEW EARTH wherein dwels RIGHTEOUSNESSE Proving it out of Isa 65.17 for those words be repeats This is spoken to the Jewes and concerning their share in the future happinesse on earth And that dwelling of righteousnesse there must signifie an eminent and absolute degree or else it will not surmount the present state of the Chuch in which as such dwels much righteousnesse But I need not struggle about this with most knowing men who incline to understand this place of a perfection as absolute as that in the supreamest Empyrean heaven ¶ 4 Let us adde but one place more viz. That in Rev. 21. v. 1. c. and verse last of that Chapter in a continued description of the glorious state of the Saints on earth yet to come And saith St. John I saw a new heaven and a new EARTH and I saw the holy City New Jerusalem comming down FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN Behold the Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN c. and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that DEFILETH c. but they that are written in the Lambs Book Every verse of this Chapter as before we gave a particular account hath something in it incompatible and incompetible with the supreamest heavenly estate § 3 But then the question will bee where shall abide all those thousand yeers all those hypocrites called Gog and Magog that shall at last break out and go about to oppose the Church though in vain their opposition and subversion concluding in the same moment Rev. 20.8 Wee answer according to that light wee have attained that most probably they shall not be in but without the Church Rev. 22.15 Without shall be dogs evill men and such as make and love a lye The Heathens as appears by Homer * Iliad 8. did use to call the place of out-cast men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaros alluding likely to some dismal remote place of the earth as Tartary is from us and from Jerusalem The Apostle takes up that word in 2 Pet. 2.4 and makes a verb out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaroâ— to signifie the putting of men into an Hellish solitary place So that most likely the unregenerate shall be as remote from the Church as Tartary is from Jerusalem and the Christian Church as far as it were from Hell to Heaven The Church now being as in an Heaven on earth the false-hearted spawn of future Gog and Magog shall bee remote on earth neer their future Hell To which that place of Gog and Magog Rev. 20.8 doth contribute some proof in that it saith that Gog and Magog shall bee fetched up against the Church by the Devil from the FOURE QUARTERS OF THE EARTH § 4 But if these Hypocrites were permitted neerer the Church they might perhaps be converted VVee answer no. For it is if we may use that word the Fate of this Millenary period I meane Gods righteous peremptory sentence that as all that time there shall be no degenerating of any beleevers so no more regenerating of any unbeleevers There is a judiciary sentence peremptorily passed to this purpose Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and be which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still That is They shall be so still In order to which it follows WITHOUT are Dogs c. that love and make a lye And I come quickly and my reward is with mee The appearance of Christ at the preface to thiâ— thousand yeers will be as it is represented in the Preface to the Revelation Chap. 1. among the Churches viz. that then are or have been Chuâ—ches Therefore it behooves Churches and all Professors to beware they bee not sound as the Foolish Virgins that never had the oyle of regenerating grace in the vessels of their hearts and the oyle of sound principles in their heads by which they made the blaze of Profession is spent i. e. they have lost their principles and so being unready at Christs comming they come when as Ierome saith well the doors are shut SECT II. It is Sorrowlesse § 1 HAving shewed that this future glorious state of the Kingdome of Christ on earth yet to come shall be sinlesse next with good dependence we assert it is a sorrowlesse condition For sorrow came into the world by sinne therefore sorrow shall
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
happinesse then it must not be taken from them by the old misery of death If all the Elect dead and alive must reigne on earth a thousand yeers as we have proved then there must be no death to cut this time shorter They doe not reigne if subject in the thousand yeers to that great enemy Death Nor do any of them live a thousand yeers if by succession they dye in that thousand yeers If there shall be no more sorrow nor cries nor paines as wee heard afore how then can this Man-eater death continue If sinne be gone why should death remaine § 2 But to leave discourses and come to plaine places of Scripture which are divers ¶ 1 Isa 25.8 He i. e. the Lord mentioned in the former verses 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 c. Wee before demonstrated that this place belongs to the glorious time we speake of sc when the Jewes are called And you see how full it speaks to the thing of the removal of death Calvin confesseth that this is under Christs Kingdome and addes under Christs universal Kingdom And sure Christ as Christ hath no Kingdom in heaven after the ultimate judgement nor universal now ¶ 2 Another place is in Hos 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave And I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I wil be thy destruction Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes Which place is evidently spoken to Ephraim the ten Tribes verse 12. therefore this cannot relate to the return of the two Tribes from Babylon And it is as evident that more then a spiritual deliverance of a mans soul from death in sin is meant in that here is joyned deliverance from the grave with deliverance from death And twice a mention of grave But much adoe there is with some that would faine make this Text a continuation of the Prophets minatory speech in the former Chapter But the words are plaine words of mercy and a Prophesie of mercy quoted by Paul not onely that God can doe such a thing as in the Text but that he will do it Again how common is it for the Prophets in their preaching mifericordias cum minis mifcere to mingle mercies with minatories So that they may as well say almost that the 14. Chapter is a continuation of threatnings It is frequent in this Prophesie to make threats and comforts so take their turnes Chap. 1. Chap. 2. c. And to me it is plaine and evident that as it is noted in our English Translation at verse 9. begins a Sermon of mercy and so is continued to the end of the 14. verse It is said in verse 9. O Israel thou not I hast destroyed thy self Thou hast brought thy misery on thy selfe But I will be thy King where is any other to save thee in all thy Cities So plainly according to Heb. And for experience the Lord tells Ephraim that the King they desired and had could not save them And therefore God was their onely saving King and therefore was not pleased in giving them a King and in anger did he take away Kings from them because of their confidence in them but this taking them away would make way for their imbracing God for their King according to that which follows in the ensuing promises As for verse 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up and hid Hiding as well sounds of justification and pardon of sin Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7 as of punishment And for the 13. verse close to the Hebrew thus Sorrows of a woman in travel will come upon him viz. Ephraim He an unwise Sonne * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If vid. Schindl if he shall stay long in the breaking forth of children i. e. in the straitnesse of the womb i. e. If by repentance he doe not help himselfe out of his sorrows But however verse 14. I sayes the Lord if Ephraim be unwise and helps not himselfe yet I the Lord will ransome them c. as aforesaid Sure enough these words are plaine for the point in hand even as both those two places aforesaid are severall times quoted in the New Testament and applied to a state that is to be afore the ultimate day of judgement ¶ 3 For 1. both places seem to mee to be touched in 1 Cor. 15.54 55. As our new notes on the Bible concur with mee For in the 54. verse seems to be quoted Isa 25.8 For the Apostles words are plainly the same with Isaiah Death is swallowed up in victory And in 55. verse seems a quotation of Hos 13.14 For the Apostles challenge is plainly according to Hosea O grave where is thy victory Secondly The Apostle makes application of the fulfilling of these Prophesies to be at the time we speak of sc of the visible glory of the Church on earth For which observe these particulars First The Apostle mentions our restitution to our state in the first Adam by Christ the second Adam v. 49. compared with Psal 8. As Psal 8. with Gen. 1.26 to which end the visible glorious state of the Church is set out by having a Fountain and Tree of life alluding to Paradise Rev. 22. All which import a state upon earth Secondly That the Apostle mentions the time to be at the sound of the last Trumpet importing other Trumpets to sound first so that the last Trumpet is the seventh as John numbers them not hid from Paul Now from the beginning of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet so many things follow as wee have several times demonstrated that there must of necessity be a state of the Churches visible glory before the ultimate day of judgement For when Rev. 11.15 the seventh Angel sounded then First There was an Earthquake v. ibid. Secondly A proclaiming that the Kingdomes of the earth are the Kingdomes of Christ v. 15. Christ shall reign for ages of ages till time be no more ibid. Fourthly Saints sing praise for it v. 16 17. Fifthly Christ takes to him his great power and now reigns v. 17. Sixthly Nations are angry at it v. 18. Seventhly The Saints are raised and rewarded v. 18. Eighthly A destroying of them that destroyed the earth and care is taken of the earth v. 18. Ninthly The Temple of God is opened and the Arke discovered v. 19. Tenthly Lightinings and thundrings and earthquakes and great haile v. 19. All these here beside that in Rev. 20. Rev. 21. Rev. 22. From the beginning of the seventh Trumpet to the end of it Now let any ingenuous man judge by these ten particulars whether they are consistent with heaven above and whether they must not necessarily import a state on earth So that the Apostle here in this 1 Cor. 15. mentioning the raising of the Saints the cloathing of them with incorruption and the changing of them that are alive quoting those two
reading though it doth a little differ from the Arabick and Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And there shall not be any more an infant of dayes and an old man that fils not his dayes because the youth that offends at the age of an hundred yeers shall dye and he that transgresseth in the age of an hundred yeers shall be banished which reacheth thus far to our purpose to signifie that the sinners not the Saints shall dye at this time of the glorious visible state of the Church But do not I stretch the sense of the Chaldee Paraphrase To answer this and to give you a further account of the sense of that place according to the opinion of the Church at Geneva and of the Rabbins hear the great Critick Ludovick De Dieu his Animadversions on the place bringing in his report of their opinions those things I have before asserted with an addition of his own thoughts upon the place Video Genevenses c. I see saith he they of Geneva doe refer this same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THENCE to time translating De la en avant that is From henceforward But Rabbi D. Kimchi refers it to Jerusalem saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THENCE that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Jerusalem whom Vatablus and Junius follow and I thinke ought to be followed * I for more safety according to the Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referred it to both in that both time and place concur to the thing Moreover the Genevenses or they of Geneva translate the rest as if the sense of the Hebrew were this At that time so great shall be the length of mens lives that he that is now an old man shall then be counted as an infant And I see the Hebrews as R.D. Kimchi and Sol. Jarchi in their Commentaries yea and Jonathan in his Chalde Paraphrase to take the sense of this place to be That no man at that time shall be carried out of Jerusalem to burial who is but a boy no nor an old man unlesse he hath filled up his dayes that is hath lived to that length of life WHICH MEN HAD BEFORE THE FLOOD c. Thus far De Dieu his report of others viz. The Genevenses the Hebrews and the Chalde Paraphrase which how closely they concurre with us afore I need not multiply words to open the intelligent eye Next for De Dieu his own opinion upon the place it is true that he looks upon those hopes of the Jewes to use his owne words to be but dreams wherein they do imagine such a marveilous Kingdome of the Messiah and such a most happy life of the Jews AT THAT TIME ON EARTH But whiles he turnes us quite about we are but AS WEE WERE for he speaks but tantamount the same in effect which hath been already affirmed His words are these Nos haec spiritualia esse novimus c. That is wee know that these things are spiritual and so we interpret There shall not exist from thence any more an infant of dayes and an old man that filleth not up his dayes that is At that time there shal be another manner of the state of the world then there is at present For in this world many dye Infants others as it were old men of sixty or seventy yeers of age few finish their just space of life to attaine to an hundred yeers old But THEN there shall be the same condition of all whether of young or old for all shall fully make up their dayes The Prophet proves it For the child shall dye an hundred yeers old that is A childe shall not die a childe but shall fulfill the due space of his life But the sinner an hundred yeers old shall be accursed that is A childe will be happier in the Kingdome of Christ then an old man in the Kingdome of the world For a childe in the Kingdome of Christ SHAL ATTAINE A BLESSED OR BEATIFIED PERFECTION OF LIFE But the sinner in the Kingdome of the world shall be accursed even whiles hee SEEMS to have attained to a perfection of life Thus De Dieu for his own opinion By which supposing our consent to all he saies how far hath he carried us from where we were He saith he knowes these things of the Messiahs Kingdome shall bee spiritual We say so too The efficient the form or manner the end shall be spiritual and the injoyment shall be spiritualized But mens soules and bodies shall not be altered in kind then they were not men And the earth shall be earth or else how is it called a new Earth An earth though renovated And upon this must Christs Kingdome exist for he shall have none in the supreamest heavens after this on earth 1 Cor. 15.24.28 And he confesseth that in the Kingdome of Christ shall be happinesse I say no more let the Reader judge of the rest § 5 Some make another argument out of a Text that speaks no such thing viz. Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to dye therefore men in the thousand yeers must also die To which wee answer First It is not said to all men but onely to men Secondly All men are not appointed to die So the same Apostle expresly in 1 Cor. 15.51 we shall not all dye that is the meaning of sleep but wee shall be changed Thirdly Note the distinction of times It is true in that 9. of Heb. 27. that before the judgement men ordinarily die But when the judgement comes which begins at this thousand as we proved afore because the living wicked are destroyed and the dead Saints are raised and rewarded I say when the judgement comes there is no more death but changing 1 Cor. 15.1 Thess 4. There is yet behinde one objection sc The last enemy that is destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.26 as if this Text did argue for death in the thousand yeers but it doth not For we answer Though that be the last enemy yet that is not the last thing done in the seventh Trumpet or thousand yeers but death is destroyed to the Saints at the beginning of the thousand yeers as we have largely shewed afore For verse 23,24 is said every one shall rise in his owne order Christ first AFTERWARD viz. above one thousand six hundred and fifty after they that are Christs AFTER that comes the ultimate end sc after a thousand yeers As he destroyes the death of sinne at the beginning of the sounding of the last Trumpet v. 52. sc the seventh Rev. 11. So after the sound of it many things are to be done afore the ultimate judgement Ibid. sc as afore shewed At the ultimate judgement death is not destroyed to the wicked but re-inforced in a worse kinde or degree Rev. 20.14 SECT IV. THe future glorious state on earth shall be such as wherein there shall be No humane ruling Majesty No Church-censures No superiority of persons No fears
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any the least temptation And now I adde that for ought I know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the active is to wander as planets that compasse the Earth And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle voice signifies to wander from place to place viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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