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
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
the LAMBS BOOKE OF LIFE The antithesis of which words distingnishing between them that are written in the LAMBS BOOKE and those that defile and make or dot abominations or leys doth seeme to intimate that they that are free from outward evill conversation but in all appearance and likelihood are holy are written in the Lambs booke And if any such fall off from this outward good conversation and fair-shew of holinesse and degenerate into an evill conversation they are put out of the Lambs booke As the Psalmist in Psalm 69. v. 21. to 29. speaking of those that should have pittied him in his afflictions but instead thereof so farre degenerated from their profession that they gave him gall for his meat and in his thirst gave him vinegar to drinke among other judgements upon them he prophesieth this for one Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous that is with them that at least in all appearance are righteous Which context of giving vinegar and gall c. is in the judgement of our last Translators applyed by the Evangelist Matth. 27.48 Mark 15.23 unto the degenerating Jewes of professors becoming persecutors of godlinesse offering Christ upon the crosse vinegar and wine mingled with bitter myrrh Even as one of those curses prophesied in that sixty nineth Psalm v. 25. let their habitations be desolate as it was first applyed to and executed upon that Apostate Judas according to the Apostles allegation Act. 1. So since upon the generality of the Jewes in their scattering for their falling off from the Gospell so plaine a Commentary upon their Law Suitable to this it is said in Revel 22 vers 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his PART OUT OF THE BOOKE OF LIFE and out of the HOLY CITY * ☞ and from the things which are WRITTEN IN THIS BOOKE And thus the generality of the Jewes at present are blotted out of the Lambs Booke whiles fallen off from the profession of true godlinesse And those likewise are blotted out in the second verse of this twelfth of Daniel that at first arose in outward profession for and in the behalfe of the common good cause at last fell off to their everlasting shame But those that are in the booke of election can never totally and finally fall away As their effectuall regeneration being once really begun can never utterly bee extinguished Once in Christ and ever in Christ ¶ For thirdly their awakening out of their sleep in the dust vers 2. signifies no more immediately and in the generall then the recovery of the Jewes from their dispersed despised condition among all Nations wherein they seemed afore that to lie as dead politically As afflictions are called a death killing and dying Rom. 8.36.2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 6.9 And a poore man because distressed and despised is as some learned conceive called a dead man in regard he is put in opposition to the living as meaning the rich Eccles 6.8 As on the other side the restauration of the Jewes from captivities under men is compared to the making dead bones to live again Ezek. 37. And their outward call thereunto is likened to a resurrection Rom. 11.15 though the event of both these two prophesies last quoted doth not stay there in an outward call and deliverance from captivity as to the Elect. For there are two sorts of Jewes as the sequell makes the distinction that are outwardly called and entered into the beginning or preparation to their restauration as it followes ¶ Fourthly It is said many not all shall awake and of them that awake some onely awake to everlasting life and the other to everlasting shame The meaning whereof must needs be to this purpose That all the native or naturall Jewes shall not be awakened to the generall call of the maine body of them unto their restauration but some there shall be even or them either so naturalized to Heathenisme or so diabolized to Turcisme or so superstitionized to Papisme at Judaized unto Leviticall ceremonies that they shall slight their call and so their recovery insomuch that they shall still sleep in the dust of their earthly miserable condition till the common deluge of destruction on Christs enemies sweepe them away with those to whom they adhered And againe of the maine body of them that are awakened even some of them imbracing true religion and the cause of Christ with a false heart and flagging in the pursuance thereof by reason of the then present troubles shall be cast off by the rest of the Church and so end in temporall and at last eternall shame Whiles on the other side the generality of the rest of them that were outwardly called attending upon that outward call till they were inwardly effectually called and so persevering in the saith and cause of Christ shall attaine to a three-fold life First The life of honorable liberty never more to be vassalized to other Nations Secondly The life of a most glorious religious Church-State never more to be scattered Thirdly At the end of their perseverance to the period of the thousand yeares to the life of eternall glory ¶ 5. So that the resurrection as some would call it here meant is not a resurrection to use their word in a proper sence That is it is not a Physicall resurrection viz. of the deceased bodies out of their graves but a metaphoricall resurrection of the living First politicall of their persons from bondage and then spirituall of their souls out of the state of unbeleefe The physicall resurrection of the dead elect Jewes is not till that resurrection of all beleevers which is at the end of these five and forty yeares mentioned vers 11 12. and at the beginning of the thousand yeares As the resurrection of all the wicked is not till the end of the thousand yeares as hath been afore discussed So that as the said thousand years of the RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS is bounded with two physicall resurrections as hath been afore discussed So this five and forty years of the preparation to that RESTITUTION by stirring up the Jewes to stand for their liberty till they be setled is bounded with two resurrections the first metaphoricall the second physicall of which more after when we come to dispute the time when this RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS shall begin as is hinted in the residue of this twelfth Chapter of Daniel from the fourth verse to the end § 22 The amplification of the Jewes State in that five and forty yeares is held forth in the third verse in two distinctions First In a distinction of their glory that are then effectually brought in Secondly In a distinction of their graces ¶ 1. The distinction of their glory is that they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNESSE OF THE FIRMAMENT And they that turne many to righteousnesse or justification for
and power vers 25. For he must reigne till hee hath put all enemies under his feet vers 26. The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death vers 27. For he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under his feet it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him vers 28. And when all things shal be subdued unto him then shal the Son also himselfe be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all § 1 VVHat I have largely Commented on these words for explication of the one hundred and tenth Psalme all in order to our point in hand see before * Pag. 166. P. 6. and p. 167. 168. as worth while for the reader to consider especially seeing that is premised we have the lesse need to be large now and so shall omit the repetition here of severall considerable things there asserted § 2 M. M. On this place hath these words first he analyseth upon â—hem in generall thus Every one must rise in his owne order Christ the First-fruits after they that are Christs therefore not the Martyrs only then cometh the end What presently after his coming No but when he hath delivered the Kingdome to God the Father meaning the ultimate end And when shall that be that he shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father When hee shal have put downe all rule and authority and power for he must reigne till he that is God the Father hath put all his enemies under his feet which will be fully accomplished where hee plainly mindes as aforesaid the ultimate end when the last enemy shal be destroyed which is death And when all things shall be thus subdued unto him shall follow unutterable glory the height of happinesse so he Which last clauses must warily be understood with this distinction That the destruction of Death as an enemy to the Saints and Christs visible Kingdome on earth of which we speake is the beginning and introduction to Christs and the Saints reigning in that Kingdome For that Kingdome and the thousand yeares of glory to Christ and happinesse to the Saints on earth begins with the resurrection of the deceased Saints Revel 11.11 12 c. and Rev. 20.4 5. often explained afore But the putting an end to death in the raising of the wicked unto the ultimate generall Judgement that it may no longer be an enemy to Gods ultimate designe of punishing the said wicked body and soule with everlasting punishment is indeed the end or period of Christs reigning Revel 20.12 Secondly our Author Commenteth on the generall of this place of 1 Cor. 15 thus Pauls words saith he doe clearly prove that the reigne of Christ as Man of which alone we treat doth neither begin before his second coming nor extend it selfe beyond the last resurrection and therefore cannot without a palpable contradiction be taken for the time when he shal give up his Kingdome to his Father or for the time that now is Betwixt which and his Kingdome our Saviour in my conceit hath put an irreconcilable distinction calling this not the time of a Kingdome but a time of temptation * See a little before in this fourth chap. Sect. 4. on Luke 22.28 c. that is a time of persecution for righteousnesse sake that thus fulfilling the rest of the afflictions of Christ for his bodies sake which is his Church they may at last wholly and together in body and soule reigne with Christ but their bodies as yet shall be captive in the Grave Or shal the Saints that are found alive at his coming be exempted from that his Kingdome For if he shall reign till then and then give up his Kingdome to his Father they are exempted But if as our Apostle shewes here his reigning begins not til his coming viz. his second coming then at that time the living and dead in Christ shal wholly and altogether reigne with him on earth 3. In particular our Author Paraphraseth on that clause After they that are Christs thus These words saith he doe shew that there is some distance of time between the Resurrection of them in Christ and other men or else it had been easie for the Apostle to have said They that are dead or they that are in the Grave And if there shall be a precedency of time then no doubt it shall be such a precedency of time as may bring some advantage and honour to the Saints and therefore not of a few houres or dayes but of a more notable continuance of many yeares For if Christ shall descend for no other purpose but to call men to Judgement as there would be no need of distinction of time so there could not well be any priority of time to distinguish their resurrection because in that act both good and bad must be assembled before him at the same time and the wicked doubtlesse should then be raised as soon to see his coming as the just to meet and accompany him there To all this I have now but a few words to adde my former discusse p. 166. excusing me here and that is this That the Apostle in this text hints to us three Physicall resurrections 1 The Resurrection of Christ which the Apostle saith is past vers 20. and there and ver 23. cals it the first fruits of the Saints Resurrection 2 The Resurrection of the wicked also called the end vers 24. which also followes the second at a distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the gleaning doth the harvest and this succession is that which the Apostle calls ver 23. order each to rise in his owne order and it is a very distinct order for as there hath been now above one thousand six hundred yeares since Christs resurrection and yet the Saints are not risen so it wil be a thousand yeares between the resurrection of the Saints and the wicked as Saint John asserts Rev. 20. oft and much insisted upon afore And as at the resurrection of the Saints death as to them shall be destroyed so at the resurrection of the wicked life to them shall be destroyed their living being worse then death and therefore called the second death which over the Saints shall have no power because of the blessed life they are restored to Revelations 20. and first twelve verses SECT VIII The eighth place in the New Testament for the glorious state of the Church yet to come before the ultimate generall Judgement is 2 Cor. 3.15 16 17 18. vers 15. But even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their heart vers 16. Neverthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away Vers 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty vers 18. But or and or truly we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are
in the general vote of their Rabbins laid together by R. Menasse Ben Israel Next hear learned Mr. Mede give you the summe of them Diatriba pars 4 pag. 461. Though the ancient Jews whilst they were yet the Church of God had no distinct knowledge of such an order in the Resurrection as first and second but only of the resurrection in grosse and general to be in die judicii magni yet they looked for such a resurrection wherein those that rose againe should reigne some time upon earth according to that Apocalyps 5.10 we shal reigne on earth as appeareth by Wisdome 3. from the first to the eighth verse inclusivè where it is expresly said That the soules of the righteous which were departed should in the time of their VISITATION shine and that they should judge the Nations and have dominion over the people and their LORD SHOULD REIGN for ever See the place and consider it This opinion is also here and there dispersed in the Chalde Paraphrase and in the Talmud as of ancient tradition and in the opinion of the Jews at this day who as they look not for the Kingdome of the Messiah untill Dies judicii magni the day of the great judgement so they expect that their fore-fathers at least such as were just and holy should arise at the beginning of the same and reigne in the land of Israel with their off-spring under the MESSIAH I can hardly beleeve saith Mr. Mede that all this smoak of tradition could arise but from some fire of truth anciently made knowne unto them Besides why should the Holy Ghost in this point speak so like them unlesse he would induce us mutatis mutandis to mean with them In fine the second and universal Resurrection with the state of the Saints after it now so clearly revealed in Christianity seems to have been lesse knowne to the ancient Church of the Jews then the first and the state to accompany it § 5 Let us close this discourse of the suffrage of the Jews touching the glorious state on earth yet to come with the Prophesie of Tobit or Tobias about to dye concerning the twofold Captivity of the Jews and the last state of things according to the most exact Hebrew copy * Not that of Munsters tempered and patched up out of the Greek and Latine Translations But that most ancient Constantinopolitan copy purely Hebraising set forth by Paulus Fagius So that this Copie differs something from that in Greeke◠and that we have in English formerly annexed to our English Bibles Should seem this Copie wee alleadge was originally in Chalde and was translated most faithfully by some Jew that was singularly learned in the Hebrew Dialect We shall with the Translation give you a taste of it in some main parts in the Hebrew That we intend is in the Prophesie of Tobias according to this said copy in Chapter 14. v. 3. c. And it came to passe when Tobias was old that he called his sonne Tobias together with his six sonnes which were borne to him and said unto him My sonne thou knowest that I am now spent with old age Take heed therefore after my death that thou stay no longer at NINEVE For certaine it is and cleare to thee that it shall come to passe that the Prophesie of the Prophet JONAH shall bee confirmed Wherefore take thy sonnes and all that thou hast and goe into the Land of the MEDES for THERE shall bee peace unto the appointed time But the rest of our brethren of ISRAEL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are in Jerusalem all of them shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goe into exile and Jerusalem shall bee for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or into heapes * For so and in the very same words the Prophet Micha had now prophesied about the beginning of Hezekiah in which time Tobias was carried away into Captivity See Jer. 16.18 Micha 3.12 and the mountaine of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 House for or into high places of a Forrest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall remaine desolate for a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then shall the children of Israel go up and rebuild it and also the Temple but not according to the former structure and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall remaine there MANY DAYES UNTIL A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CERTAIN SERIES OF AGES BE FULFILLED †In the Greek tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Till the seasons of that age or world be fulfilled Then shall they againe goe forth into a Captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by farre the greatest they were ever in * Those words Then againe they shall go into Captivity by far the greatest they were ever in are left out of the Greek Copy either by mischance or of purpose because it savoured of our opinion which the times then when it was expunged likely in Jeromes time could not bear it And therefore Jerome even for that cause left out not onely that clause but also two whole Paragraphs in that place to the utter routing of the coherence of the sense even as he translated the whole exceeding perfunctorily by his own confession For in his Prologue to that his Translation he saith Because the Chalde tongue is neer in kin to the Hebrew finding a ready man of speech in both languages I snatched the labour of one day and what he expressed to me in Hebrew that by a notary I expounded in Latine But the blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy God shall remember them and shall gather them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the four quarters of the world Then shall Jerusalem the holy City be restored with a beautifull and excellent structure as also the Temple shall be built with a famous structure which shall not be destroyed nor demolished for ever as the Prophets have said Then shall the Gentiles be converted to worship the Lord and shall cast away the graven Images of their gods and shall give laud and praise to his great name The horne also of his people shall be exalted before all Nations and all the seed of ISRAEL shall celebrate and glorifie his great Name Then shall his servants that serve him in truth be glad all that do righteousnesse and godlinesse shall rejoyce and triumph before him If all that I have produced touching the Jews suffrage for the glorious state of all things on earth yet to come be not sufficient for some though perhaps I have quoted too much for others let such read the Chalde Paraphrase on the Bible if but in the Latine Translation the Rabbins at least as quoted in Mercer on the minor Prophets Petrus Galatinus Buxtorfs Jewish Synagogues and the fourth book of Esdras of which last Mr. Medes censure is worth the hearing especially in that it relates to the point in hand Whereas you say saith he in answer to Mr. Haines that the Jews since Christ brought in this opinion of
Adelbert the Bishop was martyred for preaching the Gospel Also about this time Basil the Grecian Emperour sends a great Army against the Bulgarians conquers them taking two Cities and returnes home Conqueror Now warre according to the sense of the Doctors concession should be inconsistent with the time of Satans binding ¶ 2 For the second period in the Popes following to Pope Benedict the ninth which makes about thirty yeers there were many Wars between the Papistical Kings and Princes and Civil Wars in their owne Dominions and many Councels and Synods about fasting dayes and holy dayes as C. Baron confesseth in his Annals which no wayes comport with the binding of Satan ¶ 3 For the third period in Pope Gregorie the seventh called Hildebrand of him you may read in his Tragical story as Mr. Fox calls it in the Book of Martyrs page 226 Vol. 1. of the last Edition very largely The briefe summe of whose wicked life Reusner in his Chronology and Armacanus de success statu Ecclesiar cap. 3 4 5. give us in these words He was covetous sacrilegious a notorious hypocrite under pretence of sanctity he led a most wicked life Hee brought in single life cut off the bonds of wedlock and made way for fornications adulteries and other most filthy vices Hee filled the Roman Empire with all seditions and civill Wars Hee excommunicated the Emperour Henry the fourth took away his Title of King so that the said Emperour bare-foot in sharp Winter attended at the Popes door for absolution which the Pope denied him All this under a pretended accusation of the said Emperour of Simony This Hildebrand also absolves the Nobles of their fealty to the said Emperour and arms them against the Emperour Now are these impieties and hurly burlies consonant to the time of Satans binding No considerate man can imagine it Here is not onely hypocrisie but the violence of the sword ¶ 4 For the fourth period from Gregory the seventh to Boniface the eighth which makes above two hundred yeers were so many great warres wicked Councels horrid heresies and impious practises as clearly vote this time not to be the time of binding of Satan Pope Paschalis the second spends the whole course of his life in War A Councel is called in Pauls London under Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury to remedy the Sodomy of Ministers The Trecensian Synod is called investing the Popes with power over the Sunne And forbidding Ministers marriage Pope Eugenius the third makes war against Rome and Rome wars against him A war or two there is in this time about the Holy-land to the end to weaken the Kings of the earth that they might not curb the Pope The hereticall doctrine of Transubstantiation springs up Frederick the second Emperour buyes his absolution of the Pope for twelve hundred thousand ounces of gold I will name no more for brevities sake that I may hasten a dispatch of this point These are enough to demonstrate Satan was not now bound yea and to overthrow the Doctors distinction that Satan is now bound from open Butcheries You hear the contrary As also to overthrow that of his distinction that Satan is bound when he acts by the occult hypocrisie of his Instruments You see in the foregoing history hypocrisie and open cruelty go together And almost all open War and persecution begins in hypocrisie and pretence of piety The Saracens and Turks War for their Mahomet The Roman Emperours persecuted in the ten persecution and warred against Constantine under a pretence of piety that the Christians were against their Idol Religion yea so after in Constantines and Julians time persecution was under pretence of Religion And if the Doctor confesseth in the close of his distinction that when Satan is bound that yet then his Vicar the Papal Apollyon shal strenously supply his place what binding of Satan is this what benefit hath the Church by this whether it be destroyed by open hostility or under pretence of piety Surely the Church kept more pure under open persecutions then otherwise See Rev. 12.1 compare Histories SECT III. An answer to Doctor Prideaux his third Argument IT is drawne saith he from the state of the Martyrs beheaded all that interval of time in which we saith he put the binding of Satan viz. white robes were given to them saying rest yet a little while Rev. Chap. 6. They are sealed and doe wash their robes in the bloud of the Lamb Rev. Chap. 7. They protest against the beast and for that cause are slaine and live againe in their successors and ascend up to Heaven Chap. 11. They appeare in the company of the Lamb erecting his standard in mount Sion Chapter 14. They triumph over the Beast Chapter 15. They sing Hallelujah and are guests of the nuptial Supper Chapter 19. And here in the 20. Chapter they are set in Thrones and power of judging is given to them because they were smitten and had not worshipped the Beast from whence they live with Christ and reigne a thousand yeers And therefore howsoever they were esteemed or used in the world yet indeed they live and reigne with Christ who hath made them Kings and Priests In the same manner Kings as Priests But Priests spiritually therefore so onely Kings For as Christs Kingdome so the Apocalyptical Kingdome of Christians is not of this world To this Argument we shall answer brieflier sâ— first to the Antecedent or first Proposition ¶ 1 That in all those places there is something that crosseth the Doctors sense so that the things named by him did not import the binding of Satan Rev. 6 The Red horse verse 4. taketh away peace and makes men kill one another The â—ale horse verse 8. was called Death and hell followed it And to the thing the Doctor alleadgeth That the soules should rest this is added as a reason till their brethren and fellow servants should be killed of which is meant Ch. 11. The 7. of Rev. is a Chapter proleptically inserted to support the Saints in the middest of the approaching evils as at that period there mentioned as in most Chapters of the Revelation some things are inserted of comfort to that end from their future condition when Satan shall bee bound and the Saints reigne although this shall not be fulfilled till the seventh Trumpet begins to sound Chapter 10.7 Then indeed shall be fulfilled the mystery of God as be hath declared to his servants the Prophets To whom little or nothing of the ultimate day of judgement was manifested which indeed is no mystery But the abundance of the suture visible glory of the Church is to most a mystery so that this Chapter is but a preoccupation As the same sealed persons are brought in Chapter 14. Though presently in Chapter 16 17 18 19. the world is filled with judgements So that the Angels in this seventh Chapter v. 1. are ready with their judgements onely suspended while this comfort is communicated to the one hundred forty foure
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
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