it folow that such are said to hav so much glory here may not be said elswher to hav more Shal the Saints Bodies during thos one thousand yeers shine as the Firmament and Stars yet eat drink sleep go to wars or wors Surely so great glory cannot sort or sute with such sordidity Repl. The first Resurrection is promised to Daniel as a prime privilege Thou shalt stand in the lot at end of dais but the last Ibid v. 13. common to al Ergo c. Sol. This inference is improper and impertinent for Mr. Archer holds how al the Godly shal partake the first Resurrection so wel as Daniel nor is any sound reason to includ him rather then Moses or David The truth is no Resurrection is their imported but a free promiss that Daniel shal liv in peace and prosperity as he did al dais of his life til the end So bold are Sectists to scru Scriptures and seduce Idiots Ob. Daniel saith from the time daily Sacrifice shal ceas and Ibid. v. 11. 12. abomination which makes desolat be set up ther shal be one thousand two hundred dais blessed is he that coms to the one thousand three hundred thirty fiv dais Mr. Archer taking yeers for daiâ— as is usual makes them to begin under Julian Apostata who invited the Jews to reedify their Temple til not a stone was left on a stone so by his comput the first Sum 1290. completed A. 1650. the last A. 1695. as he presumes Sol. In this confident assertion no part is sound for what warrant hath he to take yeers for dais Yet so writers use Or what reason to begin them with Julian Indeed he opened Pagan Temples and set up Idolatry but caused not the Jews daily sacrifice to ceas but desired to promot it had not God prevented nor erected any abomination in Christian Churches Daniel designs only two times when solen sacrifice shal be put down and abomination set up viz. by Antiochus and Titus not so late as Julian nor is the Earthquake story authentic but application to Christs prophecy most audacious sith 't is intended to Titus time as the Text plainly provs Daniels words declare the short durance of Antiochus desolation viz a time times and half which is three yeers and half or 1290. simple dais and from it til a plague shal fal on his Person 45. mo 1335. which betided precisely to Antiochus as the Maccabees and Josephus testify but nothing to Julian Ob. David saith when the Lord shal build up Sion and his Psal glory appeer Ergo Jerusalem shal be rebuilt by God and Christ reign gloriously ther. Sol. This is to snatch at shadows or semblance of words but the Text treats of Babylons captivity and the Saints earnest longing to see Sion restored which is promised that the Lord shal get glory by it but of Jerusalems rebuilding or the Lords appeering ther in glory ne gry quidem nor ground Ob. Peter saith The day of the Lord wil com as a Theef 2 Pet. 3. 〈◊〉 in the night in which the Heavens shal pass with a nois and Elements melt with heat the Earth with al Works therin shal be burnt up Nathless we according to his promiss look for a new Heaven and Earth wherin dwels righteousnes Ergo al old Creatures shal be consumed with fire and new substituted for the Saints use far more glorious and righteousâ— as som presum to model Sol. Several Sects diversly and dangerously distort this Text but the Apostles answers som Scoffers which ask Wher is the promiss of his coming Not to reign one thousand yeers as Chiliasts fondly imagin but to judg al flesh as is evidently expressed which is after thos one thousand yeers or at last end of them Yea many words That day wil com as a Theef 2 Theâ— â— 7 8. in which the Heavens Elements and Earth shal be burnt up cleerly convince Christs coming to Judgment the last words wheron they most rely A new Earth wherin dwels righteousnes as if they cannot mean the Judgment day becaus no righteous Men shal then dwel on Earth the Original runs we in whom righteousnes dwels look for a new Heaven and Earth For the habitation of righteousnes refers to just Men who expect the performance of promiss but if they be read as we translat righteousnes relats soly to the Heavens in quibus Coelis not in qua Terra sith one Pronoun respects not â—oth Substantivs as Junius observs Yea Archer agniseth that no righteous Soul is to inhabit Heaven in thos one thousand yeers nor any after within the verge of created Heaven for aâ— that space shal be Hel as he holds so al tends nothing to a Millenar reign Ob. Isaiah saith I creat new Heavens and a new Earth but Isaiah 65. 17 21 â—2 the old shal not be remembred nor com to mind They shal build houses and inhabit them plant Vineyards and eat the fruit of them for my elect shal long enjoy the works of their hands but thes things cannot be doon after the last Judgment Ergo c. Sol. The Prophet means not that after Heaven and Earth is burnt or new created Men shal build or plant but Mr. Burroughs expounds it by a Metaphor that God in later dais shal doo such glorious things for his Church as if he made al new which is far from burning the old being no more then what Peter brings from Joel 2. 30. I wil shew wonders in Heaven and Earth Blood Fire and pillars of Smoke which was accomplished at Pentecost when the holy Ghost descended 〈◊〉 12. 26 27. Nor more then that in Haggai 2. 6. Yet 't is a little while and I will shake the Heavens Earth and Sea which was performed at Christs first coming and the Apostles preaching to the Gentils wherof Isaiah speaks in the cited chapter as St. Paul Rom. 10. 20. expounds the first vers I was found of them that sought me not but to interpret it of his secund coming wil make the Jews suspend their faith til those promises of building and planting be fulfilled Ob. 'T is said God hath not subjected the World to com to the â—â—b 2 5 8 Angels but now we see not al things put under him Ergo Christ is to hav al put under him This is not yet doon at his first coming as the Words are cleer nor shal be in the life to com for then he must resign the Kingdom to his Father so by consequent it must be exeâ—uted during his interstitial Millenar reign when he shal triumphantly subdu al and al sorts of Enimies Sol. The World to com ther meant and mentioned is the time of the Gospel which was not ministred by Angels like the Mat 28. 18 Law on Sinai but by the Son of God this new world differed more from the old then the Earth after the Flood from it before and began at Christs first coming but manifested at his 〈◊〉
yeer is a time of releas so the seventh Millenium shal be the Saints rest or reign the worlds releas 4. Christs coming is immediatly to folow Antichrists confusion and the seventh Trumpet with thos thousand yeers and other appendent Prophecies forego the great day of Judgment which the Jews so much celebrat and Christ with his Apostles commemorat This is no short space of hours but of many yeers in Hebrew dialect circumscribed with two real Resurrections as peculiar precincts Which day begins at the morning Judgment of Antichrist and other the Churches Enimies then alife by the Lords glorious appeering in flames of fire but ends at the general Resurrection and Judgment after the thousand yeers reign when Satan shal be loosed a short space and the wicked cast into Hel torments but the Saints translated into Heaven to reign with Christ for ever This St. Peter 2 Pet. 3 7. 8. 13 cals The day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly Men adding immediatly Beloved be not ignorant that one day ther newly named with the Lord is as a thousand yeers apertly intimating that the very Judgment day shal be a thousand yeers when he and his Brethren the Jews look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherin dwels righteousnes according to his promiss Wher was this promiss being before John saw the Apocalyptic Vision except in Isaiah I creat new Heavens and a new Isai 65. 17. Earth and the former shal not be remembred or com into mind Isai 66. 22. Again As the new Heavens and new Earth which I wil make shal remain before me so shal your seed and name remain which is a main evidence how God wil rebuild it 5. This is that Kingdom ready to judg the world as St. 2 Tim. 4. 1. Paul saith I charge before the Lord Jesus Christ who shal judg quick and dead at his appeering and his Kingdom For at last 1 Cor. 15. 24 28 general Judgment he shal resign the Kingdom of his Church to God the Father that he may be subject to him who subduâ—d aâ— to himself that God may be al in al. So far is he from entring a new Kingdom Ergo that which shal neither be before the Lords appeering nor after the last Judgment must needs be betwen both which is the Millenar reign This is a sly subtle Argument 6. This is the Son of Mans Kingdom which Daniel saw to Dan. 7. 14 27 whom was given dominion glory and a Kingdom that al People Nations and Toungs should serv him when dominion and greatnes of Kingdoms under Heaven shal be given to the Saints of the most high as the Angel interprets This cannot be after last Judgment sith he must then resign not receiv a Kingdom but his and Johns is the same becaus they begin at one term the destruction of the fourth Roman Beast viz. that in Daniel Dan. 7. 11. when he was slain and his body given to the burning flame that in John when the Beast and sals Prophet are cast alife into Rev 19 v 20. a lake burning with fire and brimstone As also becaus both their Judgments are alike which by comparing wil appeer For Daniel saith I beheld til the Thrones were set and Judgment given Dan. 7. 9 10 22 Rev. 20. 4. to the Saints who possessed the Kingdom So John I saw Thrones and they sat on them and judgment was given to them who lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers What can better conform or cohere For whatever the Jews or Christ and his Apostles delivered touching the great Judgment day is taken out of Daniels said Vision viz. that Judgment is to be accomplished by fire Christ to com in the Clouds in the glory of his Father the Saints to judg the World with him and Antichrist abolished with the brightnes of his coming Lastly This is that large Kingdom shewed to Nebuchadnezar in a statu of Dan. 2. 34. 35. 4 Kingdoms not that of a stone cut out of the Mountain while the series of Monarchy remained for this is Christs Kingdoms present state but the stone which becam a Mountain when al Kingdoms were utterly defaced or destroied which must needs be his Millenar reign 7. The Roman Empire is the fourth Kingdom reveled to Daniel Imagine confusa but not according to the distinction of Facts or specification of Fates as it was to John nor is it strange to see a thing unveled in general yet most particulars sealed or conceled For the surrogat Cal of Gentils in Jews stead was shewed to Peter and other Apostles but the particular Fates and Stats not known til Christ reveled them in Apocalyptic Visions For the order of times and cours of things to be acted was reserved til Johns revelation The Mother-Text whence the Jews ground an expectation of the great Judgment Day wherto almost al descriptions in the new Testament refer is Daniels said Vision of a Session when the Dan 7. 9 10. c. fourth Beast was to be destroied but the grand Assises resemble their Synedrion or chief Court wher the Pater Judâ—cii had his Assessors sitting on semicircle seats before him I beheld saith he til the Thrones were pitched not cast down as late Translations render and the Antient of dais Pater Consistorii did sit and the Judgment of the whol Sanedrim was set and the Books opened Here the name and form of Judgment is cited and twise after repeated 1. At amplification of the V. 21. 22. â—6 wicked horns tyranny when judgment was given to the Saints of the most High 2. In the Angels interpretation That the Judgment shal sit and take away his Dominion to consume and destroy to the end Wher note that Cases of Dominion Blasphemy Apostasy or the like belonged to the Sanhedrim whence St. Jude and the Jews cal it The great day of Judgment Jude v 6 7. and describe it by fire becaus the Throne was a firy flame and wheels as burning fire a firy stream issued out before him and the Beasts body was given to the burning flame The like expressions are in the Gospel wher this day is intimated or inferred the Son of Man shal com in the Clouds in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels thousand thousands ministred to him as Daniel saith I saw one like the Son of Men coming in the clouds to the Antient of dais Hence St. Paul learning that the Saints shal judg the world becaus Thrones were set and judgment given them confuted the Theslaloniens fals fear of 2 Thes 2. 2 3. Christs coming then at hand becaus that day cannot be til the Man of sin first com and reign his appointed time as Daniel foretold whos destruction shal be at the Son of Mans appeering in the Clouds but not before For Daniels wicked horn or Beast acting in it is Pauls Man of sin as the Church from hir in fancy ever interprrted 8. The Kingdom
one thousand yeers on Earth Herof see Dan. 7. 14. Luke 9. 11 15. Luke 21. 31. 2 Thes 1. 5. 2 Tim. 4. 1. For the Millenium caled by the Jews and St. Juae the great Day Rev. 11. 15. of Judgment or Judgment of the great Day is the seventh Chiliad current which Christ shal consummat with the general Judgment This is his grand Assises beginning with the seventh Trumpet the process wherof John describes by a duple Rev. 20. 5. 6 12. Judgment and Resurrection beside the millenar reign betwixt both The morning shal be of Antichrist and his adherents whom Christ shal confound at his coming and then shal be 2 Thes 2 8. the first Resurrection the Evening on the remnent of his Enimies Gog and Magog whos number is as the Sea sand which shal end with last universal Resurrection when the last enimy Death being totaly vanquishd he shal yeeld up the Kingdom 1 Cor. 15. 24. 28. his Church to the Father that God may be al in al. This is the one thousand yeers Sabbath in which the Saints shal reign with their King on Earth and ever after enjoy an Eternal rest in the highest increat Heaven not in a new material World of Heaven and Earth as som suppose So saith Irenaeus the L. 5. c. 28. World was created in six dais and in 6000. yeers shal consummat at end of which coms the 7000th or Sabbath to the Saints Thes are his sublime nicities or self-singular novities if Ipse dixit may pass current for warrant He hath many mo but thes the best which shal suffice to shun prolixity His best basis of building beside what is before answered Epilog 2 Pet. 3. 7 8. relies on St. Peters words of one thousand yeers as one day which he stifly presseth to be the precise day of Judgment immediatly forenamed yet Davids one thousand yeers as yesterday and Peters one day as one thousand yeers doo not denote so many solar yeers in special as they dote or dream but only in general that no time dimensions no not thousands of yeers are any way considerable to God who is al Eternity and his works not to be measured by transitory time St. Ibid. v. 9 10. Peters words are directed as an apt answer to Scoffers who instantly ads The Lord is not slack concerning his promiss ac Men count slacknes but long suffering to us ward and unwilling that any should perish but that al should repent But the Day of the Lord wil com as a Theef in the night wherin the Heavens shal pass away with great nois and the Elements melt with servent heat c. Which cleerly indicats that God wil certainly perform the promiss of his coming and is not slack for one thousand yeers to him is but as one day So thos words doo not relat to the preceding Day of Judgment which he toucheth obiter or occasionaly only but is a meer answer to the said Scoffers which is his sole scope or subject as al Orthodox exposiors agree Medi Paraphrasis acuta Medes witty Paraphrase TO set a fairer gloss or garnish on his Devise he givs a Paraphrase on 2 Peter 3. prety Paraphrase on the whol Chapter which shal be curtly contracted St. Peter exhorts the beleeving Jews to Vers 1 2 3 4. mind the holy Prophets words concerning Christs coming to Judgment which also the Apostles confirm but forewarns that in the last dais shal com Scoffers which walk after their own wais or wils saying wher is the promiss of his coming For since the Fathers fel a sleep al things continu as they were from the Creation Thes last dais are the times of the Churches Apostasy under Antichrist as St. Paul speaks in the later times som shal depart 1 Tim. 4. 1. from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and doctrins of Devils They consider not how the Heavens were of old by Gods Word Vers 5 6 7 8. and the Earth standing out of the Waters the great Deep and in or amidst them the Clouds or Floodgates hanging about it wherby the World then in Noahs dais perished but the Heavens and Earth now are by the same Word kept in store reserved unto to fire against the Judgment Day which Irenaeus cals a flood of Fire as the Prophets express it by firy flames and perdition of ungodly Men. But beloved be not ignorant of this that one day with the Lord is as one thousand yeers and one thousand yeers as one day As if he should say Glossa corrumpit Textum wheras I mention the Judgment day lest ye may mistake it for a common day know that one day with the Lord is as one thousand yeers and contrarily for the Prophets speak of Christs coming indefinitly in general not distinguishing first and secund which the Gospel from Daniel more cleerly teacheth but we being rightly instructed in both must apply ech to its proper time The Jewish Doctors writing of this Day cite Davids words one thousand yeers in thy sight are as yesterday yet is not that Day named but St. Peter specifies it and immediatly subjoins his words seeming rather to respect the Jews saying of that day then Davids For they are usaly taken as an argument why God is not slack in his promiss sith 't is not a question whether the time be long or short to God in whos eys millions of yeers are as yesterday but to uâ— who measure by dais and hours Justin Martyr and Irenaeus apply St. Peters words pointly or precisely to the Judgment Day or great Day of the Lord which is to last or continu complet a thousand solar yeers The Lord is not slack in his promiss tho this day be deforred Vers 9 10 to the end but long suffering toward us which is caus of th supposed slacknes not willing that any of Israels seed should perish but that al should repent as he exhorted them at Jerusalem to doo that Acts 3. 19. 21. their sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shal com til the restitution of al things which God speaks of by al his Prophets or els they must perish with the rest of Infidels For that Day wil com as a Theef in the night when the Heavens shal pass away with great nois as crakling of fire and the Elements melt with fervent heat the Earth also and works therin shal be burnt up Sith then al thes shal be dissolved or abolished what persons ought ye to be in al godly conversation Which should sute to our faith looking for that Day of God to com if we wil sbun the peril of it Nathelesse whatever thos Scoffers say who doubt or deride the promiss we according to it expect new Heavens and Earth a new refined state of the World wherin dwels righteousnes as Isaiah speaks ch 60. 20. 21. ch 65. 17. ch 66. 22. wherfore beloved sith ye look for such things be diligent to be found
and Earth which I wil Isai 66. 22. 23. make shal remain before me so shal your seed and name continu from one Moon to another and from Sabbath to Sabbath shal al flesh com to Worship before me saith the Lord. All which Texts our Expositors aptly apply to Christs kingdom when his Church shal be renewed but no new world implied so thos words of the Moons light as the Sun and Suns seven fold are meant of the Churches restauration whos glory shal septuply exced the Suns splendor as Junius interprets which consorts to our engllsh Annotations for by the glory of thos excellent Creatures is shewed the super eminent beatitud of Gods children in Christs kingdom the Church but tend nothing to a new real material World Rep. David saith Thou shalt change them as a Vesture Ps 102 26. 27. and they shal be changed which Saint Paul repeats of thes material Heavens and Earth Ergo they shal hav a perfectiv alteration Heb. 1. 11. 12. no destructiv annillation Sol. Both indeed speak of thes Heavens and Earth but neither of any perfectiv renovation sith both say they shal perish by the word Balah which properly purports Brought to nothing for change is many wais as in quality better or wors in quantity bigger or less in substance by generation and corruption but mostly by annihilation which is the greatest mutation ab ente ad non Ens even to nothing So Bellarmin blunders on that Psalm God only is unchangeable who brought the Heavens from no being to be and wil reduce them from a being not to be concluding al other Creatures in the same condition Bartholinus observs that mutation is often taken for annillation as Can. 2. 11. the Winter is past i. quit extinct Isai 2. 18. the Idols shal utterly abolish Now the Heavens also may be said to be changed in respect of us who shal be translated from a material visible World to an immaterial invisible Kingdom from a terren possession to a Celical Paradise stiled new Jerusalem and a new Heaven The approved Annotations interpret al Texts of new Heavens and Earth Tropicaly touching Christs Kingdom or Church See Psal 110. 3. Jer. 31. 36. Jer. 33. 26. Joel 2. 28. Hebr. 12. 28. and elswher Ob. St. Paul saith The fashion of this World passeth away 1 Co◠7. 31 Ergo the extern form only shal be altered but the essence or substance not abolished Sol. Are thes handsom inferences The Apostle asserts nothing of the material World but only denots the vanity of mundan matters that al passeth away like a tale that is told as Calvin and Junius interpret Ob. Christ saith som shal sit at my right hand som at my left Luk. 22. 30. ye shal eat ana drink at my Table in my Kingdom Ergo the Saints shal sit and eat corporaly at his Table in his Human Kingdom Sol. This is a gross carnal conceipt of Chiliasts and other Novists addle devisers who hold a new World shal be created for Christs personal Kingdom wher he shal reign or reside for ever resigning the highest Heaven to his Father as if Infinity could not contain al things Christ speaks of eating and drinking at his Table Tropicaly as al sober Orthodox agree deriving it from his last Supper which he newly instituted before thos words were uttered signifying the effect of it that therby they shal participat eternal life in his Heavenly Kingdom not at Jerusalem a thousand yeers before the Judgment as common Chiliasts conceiv nor after it for ever in a new created World to com as other Opinionists deem or dream Ob. St. Paul saith The Creatures shal be delivered from corruptions Rom 8. 21 22 23. bondage into the glorious liberty of Gods Children for the whol Creation grones and travels in pain together til now and not only they but we also which hav the first fruits of the Spirit even we groan within waiting for the adoption to wit redemption of our body Ergo al Creatures shal be restored Sol. This is like a Rabbets head left last to slay as requiring most labor for such obscure places al Sectists obtrud as Men lov to fish in troubled waters 'T is most abstruse of any in the new Testament as St. Austin avers wherto many apply St. Peters words That in Pauls Epistles som things are hard 2 Pet. 3. 16. to understand which the unlearned and unstable wrest as they doo other Scriptures to their own destruction 'T is a good cavest for bold Buzzards not to build doubtful doctrins on dark Oracles without good guids unles they be found or founded on Faiths analogy elswher The first words The Creatur shal be delivered from Corruptions bondage may best be doon by annillation being therby freed from Mens abuses and farther possibility of decay tho not restored to perfecter estate as the letter seems to say The next Into the glorious liberty of Gods Children may be safly expounded together with their liberty or by reason of it or at same time with it So St. Chrysostom best skild in his Mother toung interprets the particl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together for or by reason of that they shal be freed by means of the Saints liberty Semblably St. Ambros saith it shal be at the same time together when the Saints shal attain their glory which two Expositions seem soundest to salv al scruples For dumb Creatures cannot be coheirs with the elect of eternal bliss by redemption or resurrection of the body as the bare words imply having no saving faith in Christ Thos words Not only they but even we which hav the first fruits of the Spirit groan within our selfs waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our body plainly distinguish betwen the Saints state who groan and wait for the redemption of the Body and al other Creatures which groan only to be delivered from corruptions bondage together with the liberty of Gods Children or at the same time or by means of it Which deliverance may best be atchived by a total final abolition when they shal no more be subject to slavery abuse and villany This cleerly resolvs al difficulty to interpret the particile into by together with the liberty of Gods Children according to thos two orthodox Fathers authentic exposition Such as assert any other liberty of restauration or melioration must answer al foregoing Arguments for annihilation or shew sufficient caus why som shal be restored and not al sith St. Paul names the whol Creation or every Creature Kinds and Individuals To say Mixtils Vegetals and Bruts shal partake the glorious liberty of eternal felicity with Gods Sons or Saints is a Brutish buz which no sound sober Divines dare own He useth the phrase of delivery from corruption rather then annihilation as parrallel to Mans manumission from like bondage Marlorat who is for restitution comments thus hence it appeers into how great glory Gods Sons shal be
signify the same cannot be proved by Scripture thes few pregnant Texts shal serv to vindicat the truth Politia Ecclesiastica An Ecclesiastic Polity 2. THat the Church is no different or distinct Oeconomy or Corporation from the civil Common-wealth but subject and subordinat to it in al things nor hav Clergy Men except they be temporal Princes any spiritual Government or coerciv jurisdiction unles delegated by suprem Magistrats special Commission but al their function is to Preach Teach administer Sacraments and doo other Ecclesiastic duties Which the Soveraign Magistrat may also execut if he pleaseth so wel as perform a Constables Office or any other civil faculty yea he can constitut what Books of the Bible shal be Canonical and which Apocryphal binding the Subjects to observ the one or other as he shal dictat direct or determin under pain of civil obedience or disobedience For Ministers are only our Ghostly instructers and School-Masters not Rulers or Governors no not in spiritual sanctions which concern the life to com whos precepts are pious Counsils not positiv commands This â—latly contradicts my third Tenet touching Church-Government 3 Thesis from the Creation to the first Century after Christs Birth and consequently to our times who defend that for divers of the first generations al Rule both sacred for Soul and secular for Body consisted in Fathers and Elders of Families but after when Men gathered like Partridges in Covies into several Societies public Poliâ—y grew up to two distinct Bodies which had sundry privileges of Rule but subordinat or subalternat one to another This is â—atified at large in the unwrested History of both Bodies drawn down from the first times to our modern ages which to reâ—terat wil be tedious if not nauseous Yet som few proors or places of Scripture shal be briefly subjoined as in the former Moses who first instituted Government over Gods people Israel Deut 17 9 12. erected by divine dictat or direction two distinct Courts one for Church-matters caled a Consistory another for Common-wealth affairs clyped a Judicatory as Jeremy Jer. 26. 8. 16. was arraigned accused and condemned to dy by the first but acquited and released by the last Thes two in process of time by long slavery of the Jews to sundry Nations were much pared or impaired yet som prints remained til Christs coming Who cals the secular Councils and spiritual Synagogs Mat 10 17. yea if any offend a Man and he tel him of it privatly but the other wil not hear Christ bids the party tel it to the Church Mat. 18 17. which if he also neglects to obey let him be as a Pagan or Publican Mat. 5 22. He describes both Courts in thes words Who ever is angry with his Brother causlesly shal be culpable of Judgment meaning the lesser Court who cals him Rhaca in scorn shal be liable to a Council or cheif Consistory but who shal say thou Fool shal be in danger of Hel fire Thus far of Church government under the Law which had power to punish Blasphemy Idolatry Adultery and som other crimes with death Now under the Gospel Christ as suprem Head held al rule soly to himself but after his death and departure into Heaven the Apostles in a joint Copersigniory governed al who toward their deceas appointed Bishops or Prelats to preside over Presbyters which were ordained before like the sâ—vâ—nty Disciples sent abroad by Christ to Preach Baptise and doo other spiritual duties for suppression of Sâ—hisms and Heresies sowen by Satan in thos dawning dais Men of pervers minds Who despise dominion and speak evil of dignities St. Paul being Judâ— v 8 Acts 19. 21. to leav the Eâ—st and go to Rome substituted Titus in his stead as Bishop of Crete a large I le To ordein Elders in every 2 Câ—r 8 6 16. Titus 1. 5. 1 Tim. 1 3. 1 Tim 5 20 21 22. Tit. 2. 15. City so he appointed Timothy about the same time to abide at Ephesus that he might charge som to teach no other doctrin The Rules which he prescribes to both being before but common Presbyters plainly indicat that he gav them coerciv power over other Elders to over see censure rebuke or silence them with al Deacons under their charge but to doo nothing partialy nor lay hands on any suddenly St. Jâ—hâ— after his return from Patmos exile constituted som supervisors in divers Cities planted whol Churches and ordained Presbyteries in several places as Paul and Timothy used to doo the like did other Apostles in divers Dioceses as many antient writers and authentic Historians truly testify Much more might be added for proof of the premisses which is omitted to avoid prolixity De regno Fidelium aterno Of Saints eternal reign THat no elect Saints when their Bodies shal be raised to life at last day according to Gods iterated promisses shal reign in the Kingdom of Heaven or third Heaven Gods highest Throne but only here on a new Earth with our Lord Jesus Christ as King not for a thousand yeers before or at the day of Judgment as Chiliasts conceiv but for ever and ever For it sutes not with the Majesty of so great a King that his Subjects or Servants shal hav place so high as his Throne or abov the Earth his Footstool which yet is commonly caled the Kingdom of Heaven in reference to that place of Eternity wher God reigns in glory This diametraly opposeth my seventh Theorem against the 7 Thesis Millenar reign of Christ with his Martyrs and som Saints at Earthly Jerusalem who hold that Christ shal com in the Clouds to judg al mankind whos bodies shal then be raised every one reunited to its proper identic Soul according to their works but shal carry his Saints with him into Heaven ther to reign or remain in ineffable jois eternaly Which position is proved by thes pregnant places without descant division or distortion Earthly Jerusalem shal be never restored no more then Sodom Acts 6. 17. or Samaria as the Prophets inform but eternal life in new Jerusalem which is Metaphoricaly meant of his Spous the Church is the reward of just Men at last day as St. Paul testifies 2 Tim. 4 6. Ergo none shal reign on Earth with him much less he with them in Jerusalem new built The holy Martyrs Souls Rev. 6 9. rest under the Altar in Heaven but shal not return to reign here on Earth either temporaly or everlastingly For al the Godly at Christs secund coming shal rise immediatly to glory 1 Thes 4. 16 17. upon sound of the Trumpet and thes then living caught up in the Clouds with them together to meet the Lord who coms not to reign or reside with them here but to carry them with him into Heaven ther to reign and remain for ever Now if it sutes not with the Majesty of God so great a King that his Subjects and Servants shal sit
flesh provoked thee to wrath O let his chastity procure thy Mercy that as my pollution seduced me to fal so his purenes may reduce me to thy favour My disobedience deservs sharp revenge but his obedience merits much more Mercy for what can Man deserv to suffer which God that made Man cannot merit to be forgiven When I ponder the greatnes and grievousnes of his Passion I see the saying tru That Jesus Christ can into the World to sav the chiefest sinners Darest thou then O Cain cry thy sins are greater then can be forgiven thou liest like a murderer the Mercies and merits of one Christ are sufficient to sav millions of Cains if they wil beleev and repent For al sins are finit but Gods Mercies and Christs Merits infinit therfore O Father for his bitter death and bloody passion pardon al my sins deliver me from the vengeance they hav deserved and let his merits make me partaker of thy Mercies My importunity shal never ceas to cal and knock with the Man that would borow the Loafs til thou open the gate of thy Grace If thou wilt not bestow the Loafs yet Lord vouchsafe the Crums of thy Mercy which shal suffice thy hungry Hand-maid Lastly sith thou requirest nothing but to lov thee in truth of heart wherof a new Creature is the truest outward testimony and 't is so easy for thee to make me such as bid me be so Creat in me O Christ a new heart and renew a right spirit within me then shalt thou see how mortifying old Adam and his corrupt lusts I wil serv thee as a new Creature in a new life after a new way with a new toung new words and new works to the glory of thy name and gaining of other sinful Souls to the Faith by my devout exemple Keep me for ever dear Saviour from Hels torment and Satans tyranny So when I shal leav this life send thy holy Angels to carry me as they did Lazarus Soul into thy Kingdom receiv me into that most joiful Paradise which thou promisedst to the penitent Theef who at last gasp so earnestly begged mercy and admission into thy Kingdom Grant this O sweet Saviour for thy names sake to whom I ascribe as is most du al Prais power and glory for evermore Postscriptum sacratum A very pious Postscript THis Appendix is annexed chiefly to the premisses out of Mr. Henry Smiths Arrow against Atheists to this effect The main marks of Messiah to com were manifested in Christ alone specialy how the Jews should not know or acknowledg Psal 12. 22 Isâ—i 53. 3. him but reject and refuse him to the end he might be doon to death for Mans salvation according to Gods determinat Decree For if they had received him as the tru Messias surely he had not bin so But becaus they denied derided and put him to death doubtless he was so Al particular Promises and Prophecies pointing out the Messiah were fulfilled in him or by him as that the Womans seed should break the Serpents head that a Virgin should bear him the Birth place Bethleem al Infants thereabouts slain for his sake Kings to adore him with presents of Gold and other gifts he should be presented at Jerusalem for the greater glory of the secund Temple fly into Egypt and be caled thence a Star should shew his coming into the World John Baptist caled Elias becaus he cam in his Spirit and Power should go as a Messenger or Usher to prepare the way before him and cry in the Desart that he should be poor abject and despised of Men preach with al humility and meeknes of spirit doo many miracles and heal al Diseases be slain for Mens sins betraied by his own Disciple which dipped in the dish with him be sold for thirty silver peeces with which a Potsherd field must be bought the Traitor to be cut off and another take his Office he should ride into Jerusalem on an Asses Foal be apprehended arraigned beaten buffeted scourged spit on his hands and feet nailed his side pierced he to drink Vineger and be crucified among Malefactors his cloaths divided and lots cast for his Coat but not a bone broken he should rise from death the third day ascend into Heaven and sit at his Fathers right hand as a Conqueroâ— Al which were pointly verified in him or perfectly performed by him The time of Messias coming concurs soly in Christ for Daniel foretold how in the fourth Monarchy the eternal King Dan. 2. 39 44. shal com and build Gods Kingdom through the World which befel under Augustus Caesar founder or establisher of that Agge 2. 8. Empire Agge foreshewed that the desired of al Nations shal com and the secund hous filled with greater glory then the first for Herod built and beautified it outwardly in great pomp and Christ graced it inwardly with his glorious presence yea Malachy Mal 3. 1. saith He shal com during the secund Temple and Daniel Dan 9. 26. That it shal not be demolished til Messias be slain who foretold its destruction Jacob told his Sons That the Scepter shal not Gen 49. 10. depart from Juda til Shiloh com which is the Gentils expectation Al which circumstances completly cohere with Christs first coming in the appointed time He must be an everlasting Psal 89. 3. 4. King for God saith I hav sworn to David my Servant I wil prepare thy Seed for ever and build up thy seat to al generations which cannot sort to Solomon for his Kingdom was rent by Jeroboam and after suppressed by Nabuchodonosor nor can the words for ever be applyed to any temporal King but eternal which must descend from Davids loins and linage This Premist Jer. 23 5 6. God confirms saying Behold the dais com that I wil rais up to David a righteous seed he shal reign a King to doo judgment and justice on Earth in his dais Juda shal be saved and Israel dwel safely and this is the name men shal cal him Our just God To whom can this consort sav to the Son of God caled Catexockâ—n the Son of David who was his Father in the flesh and bore his type or figure Hence Ezekiel and Hose stile the Messiah David Ezâ—k 34 33. Hos 3. 5. being to descend of his seed I wil set over them a Shepherâ— even David my Servant he shal be their Shepherd and I wil be their God and my Servant David a Prince among them Now becaus the Jews look for Messias to be a Temporal King to reign in Judea and subdu their Enemies as Chiliasts deem or dream he shal doo at next coming with his Martyrs the confutation of their fond conceipt wil be a strong confirmation of the contrary For their expected time of the Messias as the Mahometans of their fals Prophet is long ago expired yet no such Terren King ever reigned ther and it repugns Scripture Daniel cals him An eternal King and
Fire was cast into Sea and a third part becam Blood At the third A great Star caled Wormwood burning as a Lamp fel making a third part of Rivers and Fountains bitter that many died of them At fourth A third part of Sun Moon and Stars was darkned that the day and night for a third part shined not Here intervens as a preparatory transition to the three last Trumpets An Angel flying through midst of Heaven crying a loud Wo Wo Wo to the Earths Inhabiters by reason of the three Angels yet to sound The fift sounded which is the first Ch 9. 1 Wo. of Wo And a Star fel from Heaven to Earth and he opened the bottomless Pit with a Key whence arose Smoke darkning Sun and Air out of which cam Locusts whos effects are notably described together with their King Abaddon or Apollyon The sixt or secund Wo sounded whâ—ch 2 Wo. Ch. 10. loosed four Angels bound at Euphrates who were prepared to slay a third part of Men their Army being two hundred thousand thousand Horsmen which are largely described with their woful effects Here a mighty Angel Jesus Christ descended with a litle Book in his hand open who set his right Foot on the Sea and left on Earth swearing with lifted up hands by him that livs for ever ther should be no more time but at sound of the seventh Trumpet the mystery of God shal be finished as he declared to the Prophets This Angel cried loud as if a Lion roared or seven Thunders uttered their voices which John was about to writ but a voice from Heaven bid him seal it up and eat the little Book which in his mouth was sweet as Hony but made his Belly bitter that he might Prophecy Then â—b 11. was John bid to mesure Temple Altar and Worshipers with a reed but not the out Court for the Gentils must tread the holy City under foot forty two Moneths and he gav his two Witnesses power to Prophecy one thousand two hundred sixty dais clad in Sack-cloth but the beast rising from the bottomless Pit shal kil them whos dead Bodies shal ly in the street of the great City three dais and half unburied who shal reviv and ascend to Heaven to their Enimies great grief and terror The seventh 3 Wo. or third of Wo sounded which finished Gods mysteries and his Churches miseries then were great voices heard in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Christs to whom the twenty four Elders sung a gratulation attended with Lightnings Thundrings Voices Earthquake and great Hail Here the first Prophecy or System of Visions which contains chiefly the fourth Empires condition ends after which the secund contemporar with the former of Seals and Trumpets folows foretelling the Churches future state til the last day Herin three principal points are handled 〈◊〉 1. Hir tribulations 4 Vision by several Enemies 2. Hir deliverance by their destruction 3. Hir happy condition after deliverance Most Interpreters make both Visions one continued Prophecy yet not so properly tho in substance neer one The Churches persecutions Ch. 12. by several Enimies are pourtraied in this fourth Vision but the parturient Womans pursuit by the Dragon most pointly who waged war with the remnent of Hir seed The Dragons Ch. 13. instruments are the Beast with seven heads and ten borns rising from the Sea and that coming out of the Earth which had two horns like a Lamb but spake as a Dragon The events Ch. 14. of this persecution is the Saints victory by their constant confession of Christ even to death which is amplified by the causes and effects The Vision of seven Phials ful of Gods wrath and the seven 5 Vision last plagues poured out by seven Angels declare the Churches Ch. 15. deliverance by hir Enimies destruction The first poured his Ch. 16. plagues on the Earth the next on the Sea the third on Rivers and Fountains the fourth on the Sun the fift on the Beasts seat the sixt on Euphrates the seventh into the Air whos effects see in the context In the sixt Vision many mysteries are manifested being before 6 Vision Ch. 17. but obscurely mentioned which point out the Rise Reign Seat Vassals Success and final fal of Antichrist with al the Churches Enimies Here behold the great Whores judgment and event wherin a lifely description of the Whore to be judged both by visional representation of a Woman sitting on a scarlet Beastful of Names of Blasphemy having on hir forehead a Name writen A Mystery Babylon the Great Mother of Harlots and Abominations and by real explanation that the Beasts seven Heads are seven Hils and ten Horns ten Kingdoms The Instruments which shal destroy the Whore are thos ten Horns or Kings who shal hate and make hir desolat or naked eat hir flesh and burn hir with fire The promulgation Ch. 1â— of Babylons perdition is performed by three Angels one declares the certainty 't is falen and becom the habitation of Devils another warns al Gods People to com out of hir for fear of hir plagues setting forth hir Vâ—ssals sad laments crying alas alas that great City the last seals up hir ruins irrecoverablenes under the type of A great Milstone cast into the Sea Then folow gratulatory Ch. 19. exultations of the Heavenly company singing Halelujah to God both for the Whores judgment and preparation of the Lambs Wife to marry with him together with the Lamb and his Armies total conquest over the Beast fals Prophet and earthly Kings with their Armies wherto al Fowls are invited to eat their flesh The last Vision shews the event of the Whores judgment 7 Vision Ch. 20. which is triple 1. The Saints safety by chaining up the Dragon or Devil for one thousand yeers in the bottomless pit 2. The Martyrs living and reigning with Christ one thousand yeers but the rest of the dead lived not again til thos yeers were finished 3. The Saints miraculous deliverance from the Nations Gog and Magog by fire from Heaven to devour them when their Deceiver is cast into a Lake of fire and Brimstone wherupon folows the general judgment of the dead smal and great according to their works So far the Church Militants future state on Earth next folows the Triumphants happy condition in Heaven for ever which is gloriously decyphered with the Water of Life and Tree in midst of the Street as the Text Ch. 211 Ch. 22. shews The conclusion with its three parts is Analysed at first among the three chief Heads of this Prophecy which shal not be Tautologicaly repeated or reiterated Mr. Dury in a prolix Preface to the German Divines Clavis hath prefixed an ample Analysis which is abundantly abridged and annexed for variety of wit The Title tels that the Book Ch. 1. v. 1. is a Revelation of Jesus Christ who is the Subject-matter sith the sole scope is
end which sets forth the fates or fortunes of the Roman Empire and the litle open Book which includs the doings or destinies of the Christian Church The first presents the seven Seals and seven Trumpets for the seventh Seal produceth the seven Trumpets 1. The first six Seals contain the story of the Empires condition or continuance til Constantin when ther being a marvelous metamorphosis from Pagan to Christian this change is compared to the Worlds end and by giving of a new which is very semblable 2. The seven Trumpets which contain the seven Rev. 9. Seals represent Gods judgments on the World for opposing the Gospel and oppressing the Saints 1. By Ethnic Emperors for which the dition or dominion was gradualy rent into ten Kingdoms Which is unfolded in four degrees therof being the subject of the four first Trumpets 2. The other three are termed Wo Trumpets denouncing divine judgments on the Antichristian World or degenerat Stats of Christiendom 1. By Sarrasens in the first Wo Trumpet 2. By Turcs in the Rev. 11. 15. secund 3. By the Worlds end in the last Medi Clavis Expositio Med's Key and Exposition HIs Clavis contains sundry Synchronicisms or concurrences The Key of things in one time set forth under the Seals For ther is a Quaternion of Prophecies Synchronizing in equality or identity of Time 1 Of The Womans abode in the Wildernes for a time times and half 2. Of The seven headed Beast restored and ruling forty two months 3. Of The out-Court or holy City troden by the Gentils so long 4. Of The two Witnesses prophecying in Sack-cloth one thousand two hundred sixty daies al which three times signify the same For chronical identity hinders not but one may be before or after another tho they agree in term of yeers therfore the coevity shal be proved by other characters that they belong to the self same times 1. The times of the Beast and Womans mansion in the Rev. 12. 6. 14. Wildernes begin at one instant viz. the Dragons foil when he was cast to the Earth for when Michael threw him from Heaven the Woman escaped Ergo they identicat 2. The times of the Beast and Two Witnesses testimony Rev 11. 7. being also equal expire together at end of the sixth Trumpet Ergo they commenced at once and synchronize throughout 3. The Witnesses times and the Court or holy City possessed Ibid. v 2. 13 18. by the Gentils forty two months which conspire as al grant Ergo they synchronize most exactly and equaly 4. The Woman in the Wildernes the Beasts dominion treading down the holy City and two Witnesses prophecying jointly concur Ergo al four synchronize 5. Now for the next Synchronicism The two hornd Rev. 13. v. 3. to 15. Beast wherin the fals Prophet is Head complies with the seven-Headed or ten Hornd Beast caled the other Beasts Image which when his deadly wound was restored to pristin estate was to rule forty two months and thos being ended he did great wonders exercising al his power in the seven Headed Beâ—sts presence but both are taken and cast alife into a firy Lake burning Rev. 19 v. 20. with Brimstone Ergo both sympathizing in their rise and ruin wherof one used the others power in his presence contemporize throughout Wher Note that whatever is ascribed Note to the Septicep Beast of the evil he commited or worship given him was doon after his instauration or cure of the wound but the ten Horns belong to his first Head or restored estate as the Angel informs saying Ther are seven Kings Rev. 17 10. fiv are falen one is and the last is not yet com which must continu a short space so the sixth was then in St. Johns dais but the Horns not then com Ergo it must pertain to the seventh or last Head The two hornd Beast and fals Prophet are one as Irenaeus Appâ—ndix observed as by comparing Rev. 13. v. 13. to 16. with Rev. 19. v. 20. wil cleerly appeer The septicep ten-hornd Beast Rev. 13 12 14. is caled the Beasts Image Rev. 14. 9 11. Rev. 15. 2. Rev. 16. 2. Rev. 19. 20. Rev. 20. 4. For this Beast acknowledging the fals Prophet to be his restorer is ruled by his Wil as suprem Lord and cald his Image not whos similitud he bears for in that respect he rather resembles the seven headed Dragon nor of his estate before the wound after whos exemple he blasphemed God and made war with the Saints but that which the two hornd Beast speaking as a Dragon restored and claims for his own the Genetiv being passivly taken to signify the Possessor as the Beasts mark is not stamped on himself but on thos that worship him For the Beasts Image wherto the fals Prophet gav life caused al which would not worship it to be slain Ther be but two Beasts pourtraid in the Apocalyps and wher the Beast and fals Prophet are named together the Image is not cited being both one For 't is that Rev. 15. 2. Beasts Image whos Name and number is specified viz. the two-hornd who is the others prime principal founder 6. The times of the great Harlot or mystical Babylon and Rev. 17. 3. septicep ten hornd Beast synchronize for the Beast carries the Whore sitting on him whos ten Horns or Kings take authority with him at once when he was restored but when his body cam to be dissolved they hated the whore making hir naked and desolat whos flesh they burnt with fire 7. The hundred forty four thousand Virgins sealed contemporize Rev. 14. 1. with the Whore and Beast for they deter men from al Communion with him or his Image or mark being so opposit to him and his folowers when the bonds of holy Souldiers persevered in allegiance to the Lamb bearing his name and his Fathers in their foreheads as other Apostats did the Beasts mark in their right hands or foreheads Thus the Capitulation ten hornd Beast revived synchronized with the Woman in the Wildernes with treading the holy City under foot and the Rev. 12. 7. witnesses mourning in sackcloth so doth the two hornd Beast with the ten hornd and the Whore with both as also the company of sealed Virgins with the Whore and Beast al which make a singular synchronical symphony of al with al and ech 8. The inner Court measured with a Reed the VVomans parturition the Dragons watching hir and his fight with Michael Rev. 13. 1. 2. 3. temporize for so soon as she brought forth a Manchild who was to rule al Nations with a rod of Iron she fled into the Desart to be nourished for a time times and half or one thousand two hundred sixtie daies and immediatly insued that battle in Heaven when the Dragon and his Angels were cast to Earth then he resigned his place and great authority to the cured septicep Beast whom al the world wondred at and
long Lord holy and tru dâ—ost thou not judg and avenge our Blood on them that dwel on Earth Thes had whit Robes given them and were bid rest a smal season til their felow-Servants or Brethren which were to be killed should be fulfilled This denots the grand persecution by Dioclesian which was longer and crueler then al former as Orosius observs Rev. 14 1. 4. For in Egypt only were massacred 144000. sutable to the Virgins number as Ignatius relats beside infinit multituds in al other Provinces The sixth at whos opening was a great Earthquake the Sun 6 Seal Rev 6. 12. ad sinem becam black as hairy Sackcloth and Moon red as Blood begins when the fifth ended A. 311. when Constantin initiated the persecution ceased and heathen Idols with their Priests Temples and Sacrifices vanished which is the finishing or fulfilling of Christs victory founded in the first Seal By the Earthquake is understood the change of things turned topsy turvy which tends not to the Empires Politic state as the former Seals did sith 't is not yet to be dissolved but as 't is subject in a Religious respect to Satan and his Angels which was now broken in peeces with great nois The Suns blacknes and Moons rednes betokening their Eclipses design the Dragons downfal with al Pagan Priesthood The Stars fel to Earth as a Fig-tree casts hir fruits being shaken by a mighty Wind Heaven departed as a Scrole roled together viz. the Stars appeered not as letters rold up in a Book are not seen This is taken from Isaiah The Heavens shal be roled up as a scroâ—e and al their Isai 34 4. Host fal as a leaf from the Vine and Fig from the Figtree Al Mountains and Ilands were moved from their places â— Men of eminent quality and inferior or by Iles may be meant their Temples invironed with Wals like roâ—ks Thos Ethnic Temples Constantin only shut up which Julian soon opened but Theodosius quit demolished and abolished al reliques of Idol worship The Kings of the Earth great Men rich Men cheif Captains mighty Men bond and free hid themselfs in dens and rocks saying to them Fal on us hide us from his face that sits on the Throne and from the Lamb. For the great day of his Wrath is com and who shal be able to stand This shews that al Christs Enemies Maximian Galerius Maxentius Martimian Licinius Julian Emperors with Eugenius and Arbogastes Tyrans shal perish most miserably and the Lamb get a signal victory For most persecutors feeling Gods judgments heavy on them confessed Christ to be only tru God and gav him glory Here betwixt the sixth and seventh Seal is interposed a Vision Intâ—rslice Rev. 7 4. of Gods Servants sealed viz. 144000. which are the elect faithful Church contemporizing with thos said six sails This Vision is twise cited 1. At entrance of the Trumpets wher 144000. of al Israels Tribes are sâ—aled for their preservation amidst the Trumpets destruction 2. In opposition to the Rev. 4 1. 4. 5. Beasts reigning wher they are caled Virgins in whos mouth was found no guile being free from fault before Gods throne for prais of their alleigance to God and the Lamb when the rest of the World revolted and received the Beasts mark Hence 't is cleer that the Prophecy of the Beast synchronizeth with the Trumpers yet no further then going forth of the sixth when the Beasts forty two months ended with the Witnesses Rev. 11. 14. 1260. dais Now touching the first Vision of the Sealed wher their preservation is handled After this I saw four Angels Rev. 7. 1. Jer. 49. 36. stand on the Earths four corners holding the four Winds that no wind should blow on the Earth nor Sea nor any Tree The Angels who are not the same with the Trumpeters had Jer. 51. 1. 2. power to restrain the winds or tempests of war for the Parabol of winds among Prophets imports martial motions hostil Dâ—n 7. 1. 3. invasions and violent impulsions which thos Angels could curb out of what coasts or corners soever they rose til it pleas God to giv leav or liberty that wars shal rage and reign for Rev. 7. 2. 3. correcton of sin I saw another Angel haply Christ ascend from the East having the Seal of the living God who cried loud to the four Angels which had power given by setting the Winds free to hurt the Earth and Sea saying hurt not Earth Sea nor Trees til we hav sealed Gods Servants in their Fore-heads to sever them from the plagues of others as som at Jerusalem werâ— marked which must be preserved lest they should be damnified For 't is a wonder how in that Empires grand vastation by barbarous Aliens to Christ the Church could continu amidst thos storms when al conspired hir ruin and the Beast polluted al places Rev. 7. 4 c. with fals worship untainted and unstained I heard the number of the Sealed which were one hundred forty four thousand of al the Tribes viz. twelv thousand of ech or twelv times twelv thousand in al. Here the Gentils Church to be fenced with Gods Seal is figured by the type of Israel the twelv Apostles aptly answering to the twelv Patriarchs nor is it doon without good caus specialy sith the Church since the Jews rejection is to be gathered of the Gentils and fitly stiled surrogated Israel whom God owned a while til the fulnes of the Gentils was com in stead Hence S. Paul saith The Jews Rom. â—11 11. â—5 fal brought salvation to the Gentils and their casting off was the Worlds reconciling Not that els they should not be caled in du time for al the Prophets proclaim it but not by way of substitution or surrogation to the Jews unles they had first renounced Christ So St. Paul tels them It was necessary the Acts 13. 46. Word should be opened to you first but sith ye reject it and judg your selfs unworthy of eternal life Lo we turn to the Gentils This number of 12 multiplied by 12 times 12 is an Ensign of Apostolic Race or Prosapy for as the Beasts number 666 denots thos which folow him so the Apostles number designs their legitimat of-spring The Analogy of new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 12. 14. 16. shews the same in the frame wherof the dimensions of Gates Foundations Courts compas of Wals Longitud Latitud Altitud express the number of 12 or multiplication by 12. Of the Tribe of Juda Reuben Gad Aser Nepthali Manasses Simâ—on Levi Isachar Zabulon Joseph Benjamin were sealed twelv thousand in ech which Tribes are no wher in Scripture so reckoned yet diversly registred for Dan and Ephraim are here excluded and in the rest no birth-order observed but the last mix'd with the middle and younger Sons of Handmaids set before the elder-born of Wifes Sons This no doubt Judg. 17. Judg. 18. is doon for som mystery hid in so unusual order for Dan
and Ephraim are rejected from this type as being chief Coriphees of the Idolatrous Apostasy under the Judges Ergo unfit to present Professors of tru Religion yet to complet the number Lâ—vi is set for Dan and Joseph tacitly supplies Ephâ—aim but the Wifes and Handmaids Sons promiscuously interserted and Handmaids Children adopted for their Dames to shew or signify that both bond and free are al one in Christ Sith then Leahs Sons Natural and Adopted are duple to Rachels in the first six are four of Leahs Juda Reuben Gad Aser and two of Rachels Nepthali Manasses So among the last six four of Leahs Simeon Levi Isachar Zabulon and two of Rachels Joseph Benjamin but on both sides thos are preplaced or preferred which holy Writ commends for som memorable act touching Gods Worship or Zele As Juda is prime becaus Josua 22. 21. Christ issued of that Tribe Reuben next for their sacred protestation about the Altar of Witnes built on Jordans bank wherby and becaus first born he must stoop to none sav the Regal Tribe Gad is third being Reubens companion in that famous action as also in that Eliah and Jehu Destroiers of Baalism descended of that Tribe Aser fourth becaus the widow of Sarepta who fed Eliah and the Prophetess Anna who proclamed Christ at his presenting in the Temple sprung of this Tribe Leahs last quaternion Simeon Levi Isachar Zabulon are not so renowned as the rest or blasted with som Crime Among Rachels issu Nepthali and Manasses lead the Family for from the first sprung Barach Siseras Vanquisher from the last Gidion subverter of Baals Altar and Elisaeus the Prophet But Nepthali more noted becaus his Seat is Galile and chief City Capernaum wher Christ most conversed Yet Joseph and Benjamin being youngest bring up the Rere But Ephraim guilty of much Apostat Idolatry in Jeroboam and Achab beside that Saul a Benjamit hated David a Judait Censure Thus the order of the sealed Tribes is explicated which is a curious Cobweb of wit if of so much worth or congruous to the holy Ghosts intention but 't is briefly plainly and truly presented to satisfy al subtle or serious speculators Under the six foregoing Seals the Empires state yet florishing til Idols should fal is described by intestin Chances Now succeds the seventh or last Seal of the seven Trumpets wherin 7 Seal the destinies of its decay are displaied for they sound Alarms to the fatal battle for the blood of so many Martyrs slain by Roman Emperors Now though they becam Christians yet that staid not Gods hand from avenging thos which cried under the Altar no more then Josiahs godlines did from destroying the Kingdom of Juda for the Idolatries and murders of Manasses At opening this Seal was silence in Heaven half an Rev. 8. 1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. hour when seven Angels had seven trumpets given them and another standing at the golden Altar with a golden Censer offereâ— much Insens with the praiers of the Saints Then were Voices Thundrings Lightnings and an Earthquake being al prepatories to thos trumpets Al Divines know that the works of divine Providence are executed by Angels or Messengers and thos seven prepared to sound but the four first Plagues of less moment or extent then the rest which rest mostly on the Western World or Bishop of Rome who was to be Head For the Empire with other Kingdoms is tacitly resembled to the Worlds body whos parts are Earth Sea Rivers Heaven Stars which every Monarchy resembleth The often repetition of a third part as of Trees Earth Sea Rivers Heaven implies the Empires extent over a third part of the then known World in St. Johns dais as afterward the seven headed Dragon with ten horns i. that heathen Empire drew a third part of the Stars or Princes and Rulers under Rev. 12. 3. 4. his Dominion with his tail and cast them to the Earth The Rev. 12. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. first Angel sounded and Hail and Fire mixd with Blood fel on the Earth and a third part of Trees was burnt up with al green grass The secund sounded and as it were a great Mountain was cast into the Sea which turned a third part into Blood and a third part of al Creatures therin that had life died and a third part of Ships destroied The third sounded and a great Star caled Wormwood fel from Heaven burning like a Lamp which fel on a third part of Rivers and Fountains making them bitter that many Men died of them The fourth sounded and a third part of the Sun was smiten with a third of the Moon and Stars so as a third part was darkened and a third part of the day shone not nor of the night The first Trumpet entring at the Roman Idol Government 1 Trumpet which was shaken at end of the sixth seal being ready to strike the first blow destrois a third part of the Eaâ—th with a Isai 28. 2. Isai 30. 30. terrible tempest of Hail Fire and Blood which was the impetuous irruption of Northern Nations wasting the Nobles and Commons For Hail in Prophetic notion indicats hostil assalts but lightning and fire is joind with it as David doth Ps 18. 12. 13. wherto blood is added to shew great slaughter insuing Trees in Prophetic Parabols imply great Lords and rich Men as Okes of BasanIsai 2. 13. Cedars Isai 14. 8. Firtrees Zech. 11. 2. in al which places Princes and Potentats are pourtraid but green grass imports the Commons To apply it the Wo of Applicat this Trumpet began at Theodosius death A. 395. when Alaric with a vast Army of Goths and other Barbarians broke in upon Macedon and raged fiv yeers but then betook to the West committing most savage spoils and slaughters in al parts as Epist 3. St. Jerom an Ey witnes wofully relats At last he invaded Italy and besieged Honorius at Hasta whos Lieftenent Stilico levying puissant forces resisted his fury and repeld him to Pannonia who by composition retired to Illyricum in the East Soon after Rhadagaiso a Scythian with 200000. Goths Sarmatians and Germans attempted Italy and besieged Florence but Stilico subdued and beheaded him Immediatly a swarm of Vandals Alans Marcomans Heruli Suevi Almans Burgundians and other barbarians broke into Galle Spain and Africa as St. Epist 11. Jerom also dolefully declares This is that direful Hail storm mixd with fire and blood for sundry writers Achmetes and others aptly resemble War by such Meteors and Metaphors 2 Trumpet The next Trumpet the Empire being enough wasted on the Earth therof assails the Sea with a far greater stroke killing the living Creatures and destroying Ships For Rome the Metropolis being once or twise taken and burnt with hostil flames the Enemies possessed the out Provinces at pleasure and set up several Kingdoms which is signified by the Sea of that Jer. 31 36. Isai 19 5. Ezek 31. 4. Ezek. 14. 19
Rev. 16. 3. Politic World So Babylons dominion is expressed wher the Lord threatens to dry up the Sea and springs The Assyrian Kingdoms amplitud is described by the same Metaphor the deep or Sea hath exalted hir 'T is said of Pharaohs Kingdom the waters shal fail from the Sea therof or his Dominion shal be bereaved So the four great Beasts or Kingdoms rose from the Sea which implies largenes of Dominion Dan. 7. 3. Now a third part of the Roman Sea becam blood which denots slaughter of Animals and inanimats ruin too therfore the Sea becoming blood by a great Mountains fal betokens violent destruction as a Beast is butchered bleeding For so 't is said in the Phials that the Sea becam as the blood of a dead Man or one slain The like mystery of a Mountain meant by a City is applyed to old Babylon even a Mountain burning Jer. 51. 25. with fire as here For point of History Alaric after Stilicos death returned as a Ram and took Rome creating Attalus A. C. 410. the Hun Emperor whom he soon deposed and reinthroned Honorius Immediatly insued a total renting of the Empire which was shortly shared into ten Stats or Soveraignties 1. Brytans 2. Saxons in this I le 3. Francs in Galle 4. Burgundians in Belgia 5. Visi-Goths in Aquitain and part of Spain 6. Sueds in Gallaecia 7. Alans in Lusitania 8. Vandals in Africa 9. Almans in Germany 10. Ostrâ—-Goths in Pannonia beside Greecs in the East Empire which is counted one of the ten when the West was dissolved in al which befel notable changes Howbeit the number of ten is not taken so strickly as if should be no mo nor fewer nor other but that it should be severed into about ten So after Alexander four Kingdoms are predicted Macedon Asia Syria Egypt Dan. 8. 22. yet a fifth of Thracia was added by Lysimachus which ended with his life The third Trumpet is of a Star falen from Heaven burning 3 Trumpet like a Lamp on the third part of Rivers and Waters named Wormwood making the waters bitter wherof many died This is meant of Hesperus or west Caesar who after Gensericus K. of Vandals had sacked Rome fel headlong to ruin strugling a while with death under the obscure Emperors Avitus Majoranus Severus Anthemius Olybius Glicerius Nepos Augustulus who were Princes of baleful bitternes and perished by mutual Massacres or Trecheries Augustulus which is an ominous diminutiv of the first founder was expeld by Odoacer K. of Heruli but when the west Empire lay A. C. 〈◊〉 A. C. 〈◊〉 Note buried 324 yeers P. Leo 3. surrogated Charlemaign to be Emperor becaus under this coverture of Caesar revived or the Beasts sixth Head stil reigning the Pope may not be reputed seventh or last which is Antichrist as is too evident to every judicious Ey This Papal Caesar pertains not to the Heads of the Roman Beast but to the Horns or Kingdoms into which it was to be torn being ready to resign his room to the last seventh Head By the Star burning as a Lamp the blazing Star Lampadios is described and such is the Hesperian Caesar great in dignity but of short durance whos coming must continu but a short space Isaiah saith of Babylons King How art thou falen from Heaven O Lucifer Son of the morning Isai 14. 12. For by Stars great Princes Powers and Potentats are figured The fourth sounded greater calamities of darkning the Sun 4 Trumpet Moon and Stars of Roman Majesty which before shined dimly under Ostro Goth Kings For after the Consulship failed and Totila demolished a third part of Rome it was in som sort restored A C. 542. by Belisarius and Narsetes Justinians brav Commanders but now this Worlds Queen was stripd of al Consular power Senat and Magistrats which as Stars gav great light yea becam inslaved to the Exarchat of Ravenna hir Handmaid vassal 〈◊〉 1. 1. Jer. 31. 35. O deep darknes how doth the City sit solitary that was ful of People How is she becom a Widow She that was Queen among Nations and Princess of Provinces how is she made tributary This is that smiting of Sun Moon Stars that they could giv no light by day or night For when Senat Consuls and other Officers were suppresd what could be but a total Eclips such as never was before Next folow three Trumpets of Wo so stiled becaus an Angel flying through Heaven cried Wo Wo Wo to the Earths inhabiters which are the most grievous of al. For when thos of the Christian Empire had defiled themselfs with Idol-Images of a new stamp during the four former Trumpets sounding God sent thos new plagues to punish a duple sin one for the Martyrs deaths under Heathen Rome the other for Iconolatry under Christians as 't is Rev. 20. intimated that they worshiped the Devil and Idols of Gold Silver Brass Stone and Wood. The fifth or first Wo Trumpet is of Locusts rising from the 5 Trumpet Rev. 9. 1. 10 12 smoke of the bottomless Pit which is meant of Mahometans seduced by their Pseudo-prophet to the perdition of many Nations This smoke obscured the Gospels light latly shining Exod. 10 13 14. abroad whos professors rightly resemble Locusts in many respects For thos which plagued Egypt cam from Arabia wher Mahomet spred his Hellish smoke and the Arabs likened to Judg 7. 12. them for multitud They are also stiled Sons of the East relating to Egypt wher the â—sralites learned so to term them Achmetes refers Locusts to troops of Enemies which devour ordestroy Countries Thes are compared to Scorpions for power and foâ—m having tails like Scorpions so they were Locusts-Scorpions which had power in their teeth and poison in their tails Thes were forbid to hurt grass trees or any green thing as the common sort doo but only Mâ—n not marked with Gods Seal so no Natural but Symbolical vermin are here implied They were like Horses prepared to battle with Mens faces and Womens hair but had Lyons teeth with brest-plats of Iron and sound of their Wings as Chariots of many Horses running to battle Al which import armed Souldiers as the Sarrasens erected a vast Kingdom by war yet subdued not the East Empire like the Turcs For while the former Trumpets sounded a new pontifical State started up from the ruins of the old Politic but Sarrasens subverted neither whos Kingdom crept up to so sudden greatnes as never any for Mahomet was but a Merchant as Romulus a Shepherd whos Kingdom in one Century subjected Palestine Syria Armenia minor Plin. l 6 c 28. l. 〈◊〉 c. 29. Asia Persia India Egypt Numidia Barbary Portugal Spain and part of Italy beside Sâ—cil Sardinia Corsica and other Iles wheras 500. yeers expired yer Rome subdued al Italy They had long hair like women as Arabs then and stil use whos durance to destroy was but fiv months as Locusts com at Spring and dy in Autumn
11. 15. Christs who shal reign for ever What can be cleerer Ergo the Time which the Angel swore shal be no more is the period of al four Monarchies in general or Roman in special which is one effect of a time times and half This consummation of Gods mystery is the matter of the seventh trumpet attended with seven thunders which uttered their voices while the Angel proclamed it and synchronize with that trumpet But John is bid to seal up thos things of the thunders being inscrutable til the proper times that God shal revele it This trumpet discovers the mystery reserved to another place but both Prophecies of the Seals and litle Book are concluded with one issu which this trumpet exhibits the ful opening wherof is deferd til a ful passage be made to the litle Books new Prophecy and then the seventh trumpets mystery which is the Catastrophe is aptly and amply declared as shal be shewed Hence this busines is undertaken by no other Angels but by that excellent one who held in his hand the litle Book eaten by John If that Angel be Christ as his Roial attire and furniture imports this suspending the last sound in favor of the other Prophecy agrees to none so wel as him but if it were Michael the great Prince or another Angel clothed in linnen and his Dan. 1◠〈◊〉 Dan. 1â— 6. â—oins girded with fine gold of Vphaz as appeered to Daniel the case alters not being from God Here the first part or Prophecy of Seals ends touching the 2 Part. Empires affairs the next or nobler concerns the Churches fate to be agitated John proceds herein The voice which I heard Rev 10. 8 9â— 10 11. from Heaven spake to me again saying Take the litle open Book in the Angels hand who oat it up as he was bid wherby he was prepared to Prophecy again before many People Nations Toungs and Kings but the mystery to be reveled was sweet as hony in his mouth and the secret part of the Churches woful condition bitter as Aloes in his maw the representation is taken from Ezekiel The Prophecy proceds which begins from Ezek 3. 1 2 3. his work about Gods Templeâ— which presents the Churches duple state by two Courts one measured and another cast out Ther was given me a reed like a rod and the Angel said Rev. 11. 〈◊〉 measure Gods Temple and Altar and them that worship but the Court without measure not for 't is given to the Gentils who shal tread the holy City under foot forty two Months Here the primitiv state of Christs Church conformable to Gods Word is described by measuring the inner Court the type wherof an Angel shewed to Ezekiel The outer Court not to Ezek 〈◊〉 be measured sets forth Gods holy City or Christian Church which must be given to new Idolaters caled Gentils becaus they defiled it with Antichristian Apostasy fourty two annal months as shal be fully handled in the Story of the two horn'd Beast contemporizing herwith Jerusalems Temple had two Courts 1 Inner wher the burnt Offrings Altar stood at the 2 〈◊〉 Temples entry which was open only to Priests and Levits 2 Outer or great Court common to the People cald the Court of Israel The first termed Thyasterium or Altar of Sacrafice John is bid to measure but ths outer is given the Gentils to prophane fourty two months If it be said 't is the holy City not out Court which must be troden under foot 'T is answered that both are one and cald the holy City becaus People assembled here for holy Services To thos Herod at rebuilding the Temple added a third for Gentils and unclean persons who were prohibited the two others I wil giv power to my two witnesses V. 3 4 5. who shal Prophecy in sackcloth one thousand two hundred threescore dais thes are two Oliv Trees and two Candle sticks standing before the God of the Earth If any wil hurt them fire proceds from their mouths to devour their Enemies and if any wil hurt them he must thus be killed Thes mourning witnesses are Preachers or Patrons of divine truth which shal bewail the filthy pollution of Christs Church Idolizing like Gentils as Monitors to desist from their abomination and guids for the Saints to persist pure They are named two according to three famous Pairs in the old Testament viz. Moses and Aaron in the wildernes Elias and Elisaeus under the Baalitic Apostasy Zerobabel and Jesua at the Babylonish Captivity For they sympathise with thos types in number power and acts as the state of the Church when thes Prophecied suting with that of Israel is resembled to the wildernes Baalatism and Babylon V. 6. Thes hav power to shut Heaven that is rain not during their Prophecy as Elias and Elisaeus had and to turn waters into blood as Moses and Aaron had and to smite the Earth with al plagues so oft as they pleas Thes are caled Oliv Trees and Candle sticks standing before the Lord like Zerobabel Prince of Juda and Jesua the high Priest whom God annointed to restore Zech. 4 3 11. the Jewish Church under Captivity as Zechary alluds This Prophecy til the seventh trumpets sounding is not presented in Vision but dictated by an Angel personating Christ The witnesses are caled two as the Law requires to confirm every word and in regard of Gods two Tables or Testaments which they used in Prophecying They shal Prophecy one thousand two hundred threescore dais being forty two months which are not natural dais nor three dais and half when they shal ly dead so meant becaus the Beast whos time they contain contemporized with the hundred fourty four thousand sealed and they with the six first trumpets which cannot run out in so short a space as 1260. dais If any ask why the Gentils prophanation Note is measured by months the witnesses defending Gods pure Worship by dais 't is becaus Idolatry is the power of darknes or night which the Moon rules but tru religion compared to light or day which the Sun governs So Paul is said To turn the Gentils from darknes to light from Satans Acts 26 18. power to God Sith then Months are measured by the Moons motion but dais and yeers by the Sun the Beasts blasphemy is stil reckoned by months and the Womans stay in the wildernes by dais or yeers Zechary likens the two Oliv trees to the Zech. 4. 14. two annointed Zerobabel and Jesua which stand by the Lord but he mentions only one Candlestick signifying the Temple of that time and John two implying haply the East and West Church as it was divided during the witnesses mourning Thes did not avenge or afflict their Enemies by war and weapons but by fire from their mouths or denouncing Gods wrath on the abusers of his Ministers As the Lord speaks to Jeremy I wil make my Words in thy mouth fire and this Peo-ple Jer
but 't is said the Gentils shal tread the holy City Rev. 13. 5. under foot fourty two months and the Beasts blasphemies shal continu the same space Al which sorts of sums are one and sute each other For the fourth Beasts three times and half in Daniel make fourty two months or one thousand two hundred threescore dais according to twelv months and three hundred sixty dais in a yeer So the Womans hiding for a time times and half or fourty two months or one thousand two hundred threescore dais uniformly or sinchronicaly signify one thousand two hundred sixty yeers Some suppose natural dais not annal are meant which make three yeers and half or fourty two Hebrew months or one thousand two hundred threescore dais simply which cannot be sith the holy City hath bin calcitrated the Witnesses prophecied the Woman nourished and the ten hornd Beast blasphemed long ago nor is it possible to accomplish al things ther spoken in so short a space 'T is writen your Children shal wander in the wildernes fourty Num. 4. 33. yeers after the number of fourty dâ—is in which ye searched the Ezek. 4 6. Land ech day for a yeer Again thou shalt bear their iniquity fourty dais I hav appointed ech day for a yeer John Napier and most Expositors jointly agree that Prophetic dais are meant which imply yeers So three times and half fourty two months and one thousand two hundred sixty dais being univocal or consignificant begin and end together as the Beasts three times and half commence with the Womans For when the red Dragon was cast to Earth by suppressing Heathen Idolatry he persecuted the Woman by the ten hornd Beast to whom he gav his Power Seat and great Authority but she fled and was fed in the wildernes one thousand two hundred Rev. 13 2. threescore dais The Beasts time and two Witnesses expires with the sixth trumpet Ergo they began together So the Gentils trampling on the holy City and two Witnesses time initiats at once but sith the Angel in Daniel speaks Dan. 12 7 11. of three times and half and after of one thousand two hundred ninty dais which are thirty mo then one thousand two hundred sixty precited many make doubt whether both signify the same Most Authors assert them for one but the Text infers it not and futures were only obscurely reveled to Daniel For three times and half concur with one thousand two hundred threescore dais which is the duration of the Beasts dominion but one thousand two hundred ninty is the terminus a quo of another Chronical computation to commence thirty yeers before it and expire both together So the two sums speak darkly of several subjects The words are thes indoctos docâ—o From the time that the daily Sacrifice shal ceas and abomination of desolation set up ther shal be one thousand two hundred ninety â—ais Now listen how he assoils it this time begins under Julian Apostat A. C. 363. or as som Chronologers comput A. 365 when the greatest devastation of Jerusalems Temple hapned to fulfil Christs prediction that not a stone should be left on Mat. 24 2. a stone as Cyril then Patriarch of Palestin acknowledged For tho the daily Sacrifice or Jewish Service ceased when Titus sacked Jerusalem yet was it not quit abolished sith the Jews under Constantin celebrated the Passover ther having hope to rebuild the Temple which Julian to despit Christians encouraged them to doo furnâ—shing them with meat mony and materials At which time God sent suâ—h thâ—nder lightning bals of fire and Earthquakes as disgorged the foundations killâ—d divers workmen and deterred al to persist which was the abominable desolation foretold by Christ from Daniel So the one thousand two hundred three score annal dais must inchâ—at thirty yeers later A. 395. at Theodosius death but terminat together A. 16â—5 next yeer as shal be shewed Here we must consider whether the Characters set on the 1 Character said sums may concur or cohere which are three 1. The Roman Empires bipâ—rtit division in thes words To the Woman Râ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were given two wings of a great Eagle to fly into hir place in the Wildernes The two wings are the Empires two parts as Theodosius shared it betwen his two Sons An. 395. to which Aera al three characters coincide but then the Barbarians broke in treading the holy City under foot and the Woman flâ—d into the Desart 2. The holy City is given the Gentils to tread on fourty 2 Character two months At Constantins conversion the Womans new born Child was set on Gods Throne and the Dragons worship got a great bâ—ow but Theodosius cast him to ground yet at his death the holy Cities calâ—itration commenced under his two young Sons when Goths Huns Alans and others under conduct of Alaric swarmed in on al sides first of the East Empire and after of the West who took Rome An. 410 destroying Churches and persecuting Christians in al places 3. A Beast rose out of the Sea having seven heads and ten 3 Character Rev. 13. 2. horns and on his horns ten Crowns Old Heathen Rome is resembled to a red Dragon with seven heads Hils and ten horns Provinces and upon his heads in Rome City seven Crowns or seven sorts of suprem Rulers forenamed but the Christian Empire hath ten Crowns on ten horns not seven on seven heads being the ten Kingdoms into which it was parted Now the beginning of this Beast was when it first rose out of the Sea under Alaric An. 395. but the ten horns were not ful grown til threescore yeers after An. 455. when ten Kings or thereabout reigned distinctly So al three characters 1. the spreading of the Eagles two wings when the Woman fled 2. The ten hornd Beasts rising out of the Sea at Alaâ—iâ—s entry 3. The Gentils treading the holy City comply or contemporize at once An. 395. but Daniels abomination which is to continu one thousand two hundred ninety dais being not the same with the Womans flight befel under Julian thirty yeers sooner An. 365. yet shal determin both together An. 1655. as aforesaid For al Writers date the downfal distraction and destruction of the fourth Monarchy at Theodosius death the last single intire Emperor after which it declined decaied or decreased daily This is very obvious or pâ—rspicuous but he makes the six 6000. yeers of the Worlds continuance to end at the same time A. 1655. by his wrested calculation wherin Chronologers infinitly vary which argues partiality of a Man wedded to his own opinion Yet the comparison of 1656. yeers from Mans creation to the Floods initiation corresponds somwhat semblably to our next yeer 1655. consummar or 1656. inchoat that the first destruction by VVater may symphonize or synchronize with the last by Fire if any faith may be given to such Chronical conjectures Howbeit we may make this use of it as Christ bids us Watch
from Fountains and Milk run in Rivers The World shal rejoice and al Nature be glad being manumised from the dominion of sin impiety and al error Beasts shal not feed on Blood nor Birds on prey but al things quiet and amicable Lions and Calfs shil eat at the same Cratch Wolfs shal not woorry Sheep nor Dogs hunt nor Eagles or Hawks doo harm Children shal play with Serpents Finaly it shal be as Poets tel of the golden age in Saturns time but they erred becaus tru Prophets to whos Eys divine Visions were presented as present foretel future contingents as if they were already acted which Prophecies when fame had spred prophane men not witting why they were uttered or when to be performed thought them to be antiently accomplished which yet could not be completed while Man reigned but when wicked Religions are extinguished and Sin extermined then shal the Earth be subdued to God and al thes things com to pass yea men shal liv long and happily reigning together with God The Kings of Nations shal com from the Earths ends with gifts to adore the great King whos name shal be reverenced and renowned to al People under Heaven and al Princes bearing sway on Earth so far this fine Orator and with such confidence as if he received it by special Revelation but later Chiliasts are contrary to him who say Christs millenar reign shal anteced the day of judgment but Lactantius that Christ shal first Judg the World Master Archer a most acut Lynx but boldest Bayard of al who shoots at blind mans Buts conjects from Daniels words From the time that daily Sacrifice Den 12. 11. 12. shal ceas and abomination which makes desolat be set up shal be one thousand two hundred ninty dais blessed is he that waits and coms to one thousand three hundred fifty fiv dais this is forty fiv mo then one thousand two hundred ninty and both Prophetic dais or yeers thes saith he began under Julian Apostata who revived Paganism and incited the Jews to rebuild their Temple but God defeated it by an Earth-quake and Subterraneal fires which cast up the foundations as Christ foretold So by his calculation the first sum 1290. should expire A. 1650. now past and the last A. 1695. 46. yeers hence But if that shal elaps too his Disciples like the Mahometans wil date it to a farther day He hath another cringe that no Soul ever entred the third Heaven no not Christs how then can he sit at his Fathers right hand But a Celical or Elementar Paradise as he promised the good Theef nor shal any Saint go thither til the last Judgment pass For Hâ—l he saith al Christians hav erred except himself for Hel wherto Reprobats now go is not the place of fire prepared for the damned at last day but a temporar prison in the Air Earth or Sea to confine their Souls til the Judgment day when they shal be sent into a most spatious Hel containing al the created World or what els is beside Gods mansion Lo the audacity and temerity of Sectists Who bear or boast as if they were inspired or of Gods Cabinet Counsil affecting novities tho never so fals frivolous or fanatical Thes great Clercs like Arrius and other learned Heretics Refutation mislead many ignorant Idiots specialy in dark mysteries but such squibs end in an Ignis fatuus of their fantastic brains for they hav no sound proof that Christ shal reign on Earth a thousand yeers but that the Saints shal reign with him in new Jerusalem which is no terren place but caled by Saint Paul Heavenly Jerusalem the City of the living God and by Joha that Hebr. 12. 22. Rev. 21. 2 10. great holy City descending down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for hir Husband the Lamb. The contrary Reasons are thes 1. Christ ascended into Reason 1 Heaven and shal com to judg the World Ergo not to reign a thousand yeers before that day for to say he shal descend to reign and ascend after a thousand yeers to com again is against the Scripture which warrants only two comings Master Mede to shun this Scilla fals into Charybdis of a strange singular crotchet making Christs secund coming to judgment one continued act with his millenar reign becaus Saint Peter speaking of the judgment day and perdition of ungoly men subjoyns immediatly or interruptedly that one day with the 〈…〉 3. 7. 8. Lord is as a thousand yeers and a thousand yeers as one day which he saith is meant precisely of that particular day but the same Apostle elswher saith God shal send Jesus Christ when Acts 3. 19 20 21. the times of refreshing shal com whom the Heaven must receiv til the restitution of al things as he hath spoken by al his Prophets This time of refreshing and restitution Chiliasts conceiv to be his millenar reign for they say none but Martyrs and som priviledged Saints shal partak the first Resurrection which is Dan. 12. 13. such a singular prerogativ as Daniel could not obtain it but by special promis but it shal be when the Jews refreshing by Christs presence shal com viz. at the general Resurrection For Christ saith I go to prepare a place for you I wil com again John 14. 2 3. and receiv you to my self that wher I am ther ye may be also this plainly provs that he wil com back but once at last day to tak his Disciples with him into Heaven not to dwei with them here a thousand yeers or for ever Saint Paul saith God Eph 1. 20. set Christ at his right hand in Heavenly places til the last day so David Sit at my right hand til I make thine Enimies thy footstool Ps 110. 1. c. which shews he shal not com thence til al is subdued to him at last day See Psalm 110 't is short but expounds four chapters of the Apocalyps 16. 17. 18. 19. cleerly 2. Al the godly or elect at Christs secund coming shal immediatly rise to glory upon sound of the Trumpet and 2. Thes 4. 16 7. thos then living shal be caught up in the Clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the Air Ergo he coms not to reside with them but to carry them with him for ever 3. Christ saith his Kingdom is not of this World but the Kingdom of God is within you that is Spiritual not Terren Luke 17. 21. or Temporal consisting in worldly Pomp Power Pleasure Armies Victories Slaughters Triumphs or such carnal courses as Chiliasts conceiv or vainly confide 4. The Church Militant is a amixd multitud of good and bad as a draw net which needs the comfort of Gods Word Sacraments and other Ordinances having Christ the high-Priest inceffantly interceding in Heaven on their behalf as Scriptures speak Ergo it shal not consist a thousand yeers soly of Saints which need no ordinary helps as they dream 5.
None know the day of Judgment nor direct time of it no not the Son of Man but if Christ shal reign on Earth one thousand yeers before it any Man can then tel it wil be one thousand yeers after 6. Jerusalem shal never be restored no more then Sodom or Samaria as the Prophets inform but eternal life in new Jerusalem is the reward of just Men at last day as St Paul Ezek. 16 53 Amos 5. 3. 2 Tim. 4 6. tels Ergo none shal reign on Earth with him in a rebuilt new Jerusalem much less he with them here 7. Antichrist is to be cast alife into the Lake burning with Brimstone at the Lambs mariage which shal be celebrat with his whol Church of Elect not part at the general Resurrection Rev. 19. Rev. 7. 20. Ergo he shal not be totaly destroyed til last day as is shewed 8. The reward of Mattyrs is eternal life in Heaven Ergo not temporal on Earth a thousand yeers but their Souls according to Chiliasts are in wors condition then other Saints which stay behind that space to enjoy the beatific Vision while they grovel below and return to bodies that eat drink sleep and delight in carnal things not like Christs glorious body nor thos immortal ones promised to the Faithful which must needs be irksom to them 9. The holy Martyrs Souls rest under the Altar in Heaven til their Brethren be fulfilled Ergo shal not return to reign here a thousand yeers Archer seing how absurd 't is to bring Rev. 6. 9. back Souls til last judgment rovs at random that no Soul shal enter the third or highest Heaven til then but abide in a sublunar Paradise with Enoch and Elias yet how knows he their Mansion is sublunar or can that be under the Altar To silv which scruple he frams a new Moon-calf-model of Heaven Hel and Paradise after his own Pythagorean Noddle 10. Antichrist is to continue til the last day of Judgment Ergo he shal not be fully or finaly abolished before thos thousand yeers commence as Chiliasts say who agree not together whether thos Saints during the millenium shal beget children as others then living must multiply incredibly nor how al shal be sustained with food and raiment whether miraculously or by industry Such are Sphynx Riddles and many mo Reasons may be alleged but let thes suffice Now to answer their arguments the chief arrows in their quiver folow who like al other Sects and Factions cul out the obscurest places of Scripture either misunderstood or misapplied or misinterpreted putting their own sens on them which shal be sincerely scanned Ob. To begin with their best Basilisc of battery Saint John Rev. 20 4 5. saith I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witnes of Jesus who lived and reigned with him a thousand yeers but the rest of the dead lived not again til thos yeers were finished this is the first Resurrection Ergo they shal regin so long Sol. The Apocalyps is a most misty mistical Prophecy and this the darkest part which treats of the Resurrection only obiter or occasionaly wheras first Resurrection in al places els is spiritual of the Soul from the grav of sin to Grace and the very words apply to the Souls not Bodies of thos that were beheaded for holy Writ hath no first Resurrection of the Body but we must seek the tru meaning wher Resurrection is purposly handled and much more is here included or intruded in the premisses then the conclusion can bear for no Ey able to pierce a Milston is able to espy Earth in al the Context nor that Christ shal reign with the Martyrs but they with him to the tru meaning of the words the very next much conduce They shal be Priests of God and Christ and shal reign with him Now his Priesthood is spiritual as his Kingdom so al Christians are Priests but not to offer bodily Sacrifices and al Kings but not to rule mens temporal stats els ther would be more Kings then Subjects in thos thousand yeers sith not only the Martyrs and a few privileged Saints but al the godly millions of millions that must be born in that space must reign as Kings nor can it in any property of speech be applied to Christs personal reign on Earth sith 't is eternal not to be measured by time but if it be referred to his regal office of Mediator that is far longer then a thousand yeers for if al his Monarchy past from his byrth til now 1654 yeers be cut off whith repugns al Scripture sith he stil sits on Davids Throne ruling his Church as King yet the future cannot be confined to so short a scantle sith sundry secular Stats Signiories or Soveraignties hav lasted far longer hence master Archer makes the millenium the evening or last daun of his personal reign contrary to master Mede assuming to the morning many mo as if Christ by his omniscience and opening the Books of every Conscience cannot dispatch Judgment in a moment but must imploy thousands of yeers as men will presum to appoint him Saint Paul hath three parallel phrases If Children then Heirs Rom. 8. 1â— of God and joynt Heirs with Christ if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together here we are Heirs Sufferers and glorified with him yet none imply his personal presence with men here but our spiritual communion with him in Heaven the case is semblable of this Millenar reign which is meant mysticaly and metaphoricaly of the Saints eternal reign with Christ this is the King-key of al the Fabric and therfore so amply answered Ob. Daniel saith many not al that shal sleep in the dust of Dan. â—â— â— Earth shal awake som to eternal life and som to shame and everlasting contempt but al shal rise at last day Ergo this is meant of the Millenar reign and real first Resurrection of Martyrs and som special Saints to Earthly glory Sol. He had need of cleer Crystal Specticles or Galilaeus great perspectiv who can see such a meaning for the Prophet speaks soly of the last Resurrection which Martyrs shal not partake as Chiliasts teach nor the wicked of the first til thos one thousand yeers end The Word many so hotly pressed provs not that al shal not rise at once but that thos which rise shal be many So Dr. Deodat senseth it wel to the Original the multitud of them that sleep in dust shal awake For al and many are oftimes Synonyma signifying the same as several subjects prompt and plain precedents prov Repl. Daniel ads the wise shal shine as the Firmament and Ibid. v. 3. Saints as Stars but at last Resurrection they shal shine as the Sun Ergo he means the first Sol. He expresseth no absolut but comparativ glory of Saints As St. Paul saith ther is one glory of the Sun another of Moon and Stars so is your Resurrection Nor doth
1 31. Resurrection when al power in Heaven and Earth was given him being set abov al Principalities yet the full accomplishment is not til last day when Death Hel and Satan shal be made his footstool Al this cannot be verified of the interstitial Millenium for yer that inchoats many things must terminat which cannot be subjected nor his chief Enimies subdued sith Death shal stil hav dominion Satan only bound in the bottomless pit not cast into the burning lake and Hel not utterly trod under foot Ob. Jeremy saith They shal say no more the Arc of the Lords Jer. 3. 16 17. Covenant nor shal it com to mind or memory then they shal cal Jerusalem the Lords Throne and al Nations shal gather to it nor shal they walk after their hearts imaginations Ergo al past things shal be forgot and Israel return to Jerusalem which shal be a Throne of Glory and al Nations joyn to them al which can be fulfilled at no time sav in thos thousand yeers Sol. The old things to be forgot are lawish Ceremonies not Gospel Ordinances the Arc and Temple were by Christs first coming removed the walking of Juda and Israel together with the Nations conjoyned imports the caling of Jews and Gentiles to the tru Church Heavenly Jerusalem For so saith Isaiah It shal com to pass in the last dais that the Lords Isai 2. 2 3. hous shal be established in the Mountain top and al Nations shal flow to it for out of Sion shal go a Law and the Lords word from Jerusalem The last dais were the Apostles times who from Sion and Jerusalem blew the Gospel Trumpet to al people as Jeremy speaks I wil giv you Pastors according to my Jer. 3 15. heart Christ and his Apostles which shal feed you with knowledg and understanding The walking after Gods heart implies no freedom from sin but a state of grace wherin God givs new hearts and writes his Law therin their main ground that Jerusalem new built shal be a Throne of Glory being before Jer. 〈 ◊〉 〈◊〉 but his footstool is a groundless crotchet for Sion Jerusalem and the Arc are caled in the old Testament not only Gods footstool but his Throne and in the new Testament not only his Throne but footstool Thus like other Sects they sens the Scripture literaly or tropicaly as they list Ob. Daniel saith In the dais of thes Kings God shal set up a 〈◊〉 2. 44. kingdom never to be dâ—stroyed but shal stand for ever Ergo Christ shal hav an everlasting kingdom and Jerusalem enjoy endless joy on Earth Sol. What a pretious inference is this so Preachers quote Texts and people turn their Bibles but may go beyond Seas to seek their glosses Daniels everlasting kingdom is meerly spiritual and celical as the Angel said to Mary The Lord shal Luk 1. 32 33. giv him his Father Davids Throne and he shal reign over Jacob for ever This kingdom for the matter is everlasting being the Glory which the Saints shal enjoy for ever with Christ in Heaven but for the maner of administration he shal resign it to the Father when the work of Redemption is perfected but no Millenar Earthly kingdom as they dream Ob. Saint John saith He was clothed with a vesture dipt iâ— Rev. 19. 13 14 15. blood Ergo Christ shal slay his Enimies and embru his vestments in blood that none shal be left to trouble the Church during that Millenar reign Sol. So they say but the next words speak contrary for his Armies in Heaven not on Earth folowed on whit Horses clothed in fine whit linnen not bloody yea his war-weapon is a sharp sword out of his mouth not in his hand who shal rule the Nations with a rod of Iron and tread the winepress of Gods wrath In a word thes bloody battles are not ascribed to Christ literaly as appears by a parallel place Who is this that coms from Isai 63. 1. c. Edom with died garments from Bozra meaning Christ by reason of the slain Edomits when in property of speech he had no body or bloody raiment being seven hundred yeers before his byrth Ob. 'T is said the City had no need of Sun or Moon and the Rev 21. 23. 24. Kings of the Earth bring their glory to it Ergo Jerusalem ther meant shal shine in great temporal glory and terren Princes be subdued to it at Christs coming to reign a thousand yeers Sol. Indeed Heavenly Jerusalem is ther meant and al such places or passages are Allegorical to shew the Churches condition on Earth and Saints state in Heaven which is elswher expressed by Metaphors of gold pretious Stones Fountains Fruits c. but to interpret them literaly of any City on Earth is like the Athenien Dotard who deemed every ship that cam into the Harbour to be his own Ob. Zechary saith hee that is feeble among them at that day Zech. 12. 8 9. shal be as David and Davids hous as God I will seek to destroy al Nations that shal com against Jerusalem Ergo the Saints who are to reign with Christ shal excel in glory and he wil destroy al Jerusalems Enimies Sol. Excellent inferences Ergo Potlid The Prophet plainly speaks of gifts poured on al Saints of the new Testament by the spirit of supplication which makes the least of them like David yea greater then John Baptist as Christ declares but Mat. 11. v. 11. what is this to earthly Jerusalem or Chiliasts Mathematical Kingdom Surely ther is no soundnes in it nor semblance for it in al Gods book Other places are heaped up which like Bay leafs cast into fire make much crackling in Pulpits and Pamphlets but if al the former be shadows the rest wil vanish into vapor Ob. The word Day in Prophetic phrase or Hebrew Idiom signifies som space of time not simply twelv or twenty four hours as the day of tentation in the Wildernes is fourty yeers long the Day of Babylonish captivity seventy Giv us this Day our daily Bread purports our term of life and 't is somtimes used for Eternity this day shâ—lt thou be with me in Paradise Ergo the Day of Judgment is to be taken in the same sens Sol. The antecedent is granted and consequent shal not be denied for none can tel how long that Judgment shal last specialy sith time shal be no more as the Angel swore Yet Mr. Mede makes it a continued act with the reign of just one thousand yeers For as Rabbi Elias confines the Worlds continuance to 6000. yeers so he puts the Millenium of Messiahs glorious reign to be a periodical consummation of al things when shal be a Sabbath of Eternal rest Why then doo common Chiliasts assign one thousand to that reign either before at or after the Judgment day Let them render a reason of the one and the other wil soon be resolved why Day implies a larger space more or
of the Son of Man and Saints of the most High in Daniel begins when the great judgment sits but Christs Millenar reign is the same with Daniels Ergo it begins at the Great judgment That both are one self Kingdom appeers thus 1. They both began at the fourth Beasts destruction Dan 7. 11. â—2 2â— that in Daniel when he was slain and his body given to burning flame That in John when the Beast and fals Prophet Rev. 19 20 21. Daniels wicked horn were cast alife into a lake burning with brimstone 2. Becaus John begins the Millenium at the same judgment Session for both say they saw Thrones and thos that sat on them and the Saints lived or reigned with Christ the Son of Man If then thos yeers begin with the judgment day it cannot consummat til the end for Gog and Magogs destruction and general Resurrection is not til then Ergo the thousand yeers are included in that judgment Day Hence it results that what Scripture speaks of Christs Kingdom at his secund coming or at Antichrists confusion is of necessity the same which Daniel saw should be then and consequently the Millen reign is included betwen the commencement and consummation of that great Day So thos sayings of St. Luke concerning Luke 17. 20 19 11 2â— 31 Christs coming in Clouds with power and great glory concluding when yee see thes things com to pass know that the Kingdom of God is at hand refer to Daniels Prophecy being no wher els found in the old Testament for Christ cals himself oft the Son of Man as he is stiled in that Vision of the great Judgment wherof we must at his secund coming expect the accomplishment 3. The Apocalyptic thousand yeers folow the times of the Beast and fals Prophet as the series shews which if we deny we must disclaim Rome to be Babylon the Papacy the two hornd Beast Antichrist the fals Prophet and the Apocalyps Canonical as the Opposers of old Chiliasts were driven to doo 9. Thos thousand yeers are yet to com but what the maner or condition of that Kingdom means Men much differ Most say Antichrist shal not be fully or finally destroied til Christ com to judgment which may be asserted without holding that this shal be before that Day as common Chiliasts contend for it may be a third time during it which shal continu so long At entrance wherof the Beast and Antichrist must perish for this is not a Day of few hours but a continued act of divers yeers wherin Christ shal destroy al his Enemies beginning with Antichrist and ending with the general Resurrection which is his Millenar reign in new Jerusalem So ther is one only Millenium which begins at the Beasts perdition when Satan shal be bound in chains and cast into the bottomless pit being before only cast from Heaven or the Imperial Roman Throne in Constantins time not to peep out til the thousand yeers expire 10. The first or secund Resurrection are proved to be boâ—h real 1. The place of the first Resurrection seems plainest for Rev. 20. 4 5. allegory sith it refers to the Martyrs rising 2. 'T is said Thos that were beheaded for Jesus lived and reigned with him a thousand yeers but the rest of the Dead lived not again til that time was finished Ergo if one be literaly of them which lived not again til the thousand yeers end the other must be so too of thos that lived and reigned when that time commenced caled the first Resurrection 3. Though the Jews had no direct distinct notice of two Resurrections sav only in gross to be at the judgment Day yet they expect such wherin som which rise shal reign somtime on Earth as 't is said The Souls of the Wisd 3. 1. 〈◊〉 righteous shal in time of their Visitation judg the Nations and their Lord shal reign for ever So the twenty four Elders sing We shal reign on Earth 4. The whol Church after Apostles Rev 5. 10. held as Justin informs that the first Resurrection belongs soly to Martyrs and chief Confessors as a special privilege which made Men much more affect Martyry and induced praier for the Dead that they might partake that Resurrection as Tertullian tels Thus we are bound to beleev the matter but the maner of the Saints thousand yeers reign with Christ in new Jerusalem is not so cleerly unveled 11. New Jerusalem and the Nations walking in the light of it are not one for new Jerusalem is not the whol Church but the new Worlds main Metropolis The Nations which walk in hir light shal be happy and glorious but changable and liable to great commotions at end of thos thousand yeers wheras thos in new Jerusalem shal be manumised from al mutation on whom the secund death hath no power and God shal wipe al tears from their eys Christs words prov God said to Moses Mat. 22. 32. Exod 3 8. I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob he is not God of the Dead but of the living that they shal possess Palestin the Land of promiss in person which yet they never enjoied but as Strangers or Sojourners For the Covenant is made to ech so wel as to their seed viz. to Abram Gen. 13. 15. Gen. 15. 7. Gen. 17. 8. to Isaac Gen. 26. 8. to Jacob Gen. 35. 12. to al three jointly Exod. 6. 4 8. Deut. 6. 18. Deut. 11. 21. Deut. 20. 30. Now this promiss is not yet performed to them nor shal be while they ly dead Ergo they must be raised to inherit the promised Land from which places the Rabins proved the Resurrection against the Sadduces This St. Paul intimats saying Abraham looked for Hebr. 11. 10. a City whos builder is God Again now they desire a better Country that is an Heavenly or from Heaven for God hath prepared for them a City This probably is new Jerusalem said to com down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for hir Husband Zacharias in his Prophetic Benedict us saith to Luke 1. 72. perform the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant meaning how he wil herafter remember to fulfil his Covenant to them of possessing the promised Land in persons which is not yet doon so they must liv bodily at first Resurrection to enjoy this promiss actualy Christ saith many Mat. 8. 11. 12. not al shal com from East and West who shal sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but the Children of the Kingdom shal be cast into outer darknes This seems to imply their Kingdom of new Jerusalem which shal dure one thousand yeers 12. Christs Kingdom the Church wher he reigns in his Church is one thing and that wher the Saints shal reign with him another the first began at his first coming which he shal resign to the Father the last is to commence at his secund and continu
spotless and blameless of him in peace accounting his long suffering for Salvation as our beloved Brother Paul according to the wisdom given him hath writ to you who in al his Epistles wherin are som things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction as they doo other Scriptures speaks of thes things viz. Rom. 2. 4 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 1. 7 8. 1 Cor. 3. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Phil. 1. 10. Ph. 2. 15. Ph. 3. 10. Col. 3. 4. 5. 1 Thes 2. 12. 1 Th. 3. 13. 1 Th. 5. 32. 2 Th. 1. 8 11. 1 Tim. 6. 14 25. Tit. 2. 12. 13. Heb. 12. 14 28 29. For better understanding St. Peter of the Worlds conflagration or combustion consider thes circumstances 1. That the old Hebrew the Scriptures language hath no one word to express the univers of superior and inferior Bodies caled in Greec Cosmos in Latin Mundus in English World but Heaven and Earth jointly so when St. Peter saith the World then being perished by water but the Heavens and Earth now are reserved to fire he might convertibly utter the Heavens and Earth then perished by water as the World now shal by fire so a new Heaven and Earth in Scripture notion imply a new World 2. That no other World or Heaven and Earth shal perish by fire then what before perishd by water as the antithesis argues which is the sublunar whos Heaven is Air and Earth the whol Geographic Globe both which were vitiated or defiled by the deluge and the Creatures destroied or much depraved Such a World then and no other Heaven or Earth shal suffer a secund flood of Fire for restauration as it had before a deluge of Waters for corruption This is a witty novity as ther be sundry such now adais but scars Orthodox sith 't is a Catholic Tenet that the Ethereal Heavens with al their Starry host shal be burnt up 3. That the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Elements is not distinguished from Heaven and Earth ther named becaus Heaven includs Air and Earth Water so three Physical Elements are implied and Fire if it be a fourth or not rather a quality of intens heat inherent in another Body must burn the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and can be none of that to be burnt So it must be rendred the whol Host of them or Furniture belonging to them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the works or Host of the Earth which shal be burnt Gen 2. 1. For Moses saith The Heavens and Earth were finished with al the Host of them which the Septuagints stile Furniture So the meaning is the Heavens and Host therof with the Earth and works or Furniture therin shal be fired The Scripture specifies three Heavens 1. Empyreal of Glory whos Host or Army are invisible Angels and blessed Spirits 2. Ethereal or Starry whos Host are shining Stars and Planets 3. Aereal or Sublunary whos Host are either visible as Meteors and Fowls or invisible as evil Spirits and Fiends with their Prince of the Air Satan the Devil To apply it St. Peter cannot intend the Empyreal which is increat and impassible nor Ethereal which is of vast immensity and sublimity in regard wherof this lower world is but a point or Center nor did thos two receiv any curs for Mans sin or contagion or contamination by the Deluge nor doo any of Gods enimies dwel ther to defile them So it rests That the Aereal only with al their Host shal be burnt up at last day Thes Heavens then shal melt with fervent heat being a metaphor taken from refining Metals which is his meaning who expounds dissolving by melting or purifying as the Septuagints stil interpret that word by refining but when the Aereal is so refined the Ethereal Lights wil shine to them on Earth far more glorious as passing their rais through a purer medium so that the world shal seem renewed As to the word passing away 't is an Hebraism signifying any change of a thing from the old Estate so al imply a secession from their pristin condition but no utter abolition by Fire more then the former destruction by Water If any ask whether the Host of invisible Spirits shal suffer by it 'T is answered That they shal not be burnt as the visible yet shal be exiled or excluded from thos lofty mansions into lower Dungeons as St. Jude intimats The Angels which lost their Jude v. 6. first estate and left their habitations he hath reserved to everlasting chains of darknes at the Judgment of that great Day Ther is another exposition to the same effect for Christ describing Mat. 24 29. the coming of this day useth prophetic expressions that the Sun shal be darkned and Moon giv no light the Stars shal fal from Heaven whos powers shal be shaken this cannot be construed literaly sith som Stars are bigger then the Earth and cannot fal on it nor can be darkned being essentialy lucid bodies so the meaning may be the World is either Mundus continâ—ns viz. the whol frame of Heaven and Earth or contentus viz. the Inhabiters and kingdoms therin so the Heaven of this politic world is the Soveraign part therof whos Host and Stars are the ruling powers or Magistrats and Earth the Pezantry or Plebeians together with al terren creatures serving mans use such acceptions are usual in the Prophets as Poets strains are to us If this notion of the contained world be admitted the whol Host of Heaven and Earth high and low Princes and Pesants Men and Beasts shal be consumed at Christs coming to judgment but wheras at the Flood the Contained only perished yet the Containing was also corrupted or contamined In the destruction by fire it shal be contrary For the world of wicked ones being destroyed the Heavens and Earth Containing shal be purged or purified for the righteous to possess This exposition is not so proper as the former yet if ther be som whom neither can satisfy but wil needs hav the Fire totaly to annihilat this visible world it may be answered that the judgment Day shal last a thousand yeers so saith he but none els and this Fire not be at beginning when Christs Enimies with Satans Kingdom shal be destroyed and then a restauration buâ— at end or evening shal be an utter annillation of the whol Creature so Saint Peters words may bear thus however Heaven and Earth shal in fine perish by Fire yet before that be we look for new or the worlds restauration to anteced this abolition according to his promiss Howbeit this suits not so wel with his chief scope nor with the Prophets promiss pointed at which specifies such a Fire only as shal forego a restauration and not caus a final abolition of the whol Univers with al therin nor hath it any ground in Scripture or if any such annillation shal be it stands with reason to be by Gods immediat hand or
power as he first framed it of meer nothing without help of any Agent or Instrument rather then by Fire Thes are his self singular speculations Quisque suo sensu sed Medus maxime abundat His wit reacheth beyond the Moon and diveth beneath the bottom of the great Deep being indeed incomparably piercing or profound for the familiarly conversed in the darkest deepest mysteries of al Prophecies specialy the Apocalyps and was most ready in al learned languages Hebrew Syriac Chalde Perfic Arabic Greec Latin and in the Jewish Rabbins or Doctors wherin he super-excelled nor was any part of abstruse literature strange to him or hid from him yet his gay gloss how specious soever it shews that as God created the Univers of nothing by his bare word Fiat so if his wil be to dissolv it into nothing he would doo it by his sole word sans help of Fire this is of litle solidity for he made only the Chaos or rude Lump of simply nothing as the common stock of al the rest wherof they were compact so at last dissolution he wil consum them al by Fire but the ashes or reliques left at last like the first Chaos shal be quite annihilated by his bare word Cesset or Desinat that is as Saint John renders it Let their place be found no Rev. 20. 11. more so the proportion holds pointly or perfectly between the first Creation and final Consummation of this World as the next Thesis shal shew His other cringe concerning Abraham Isaac and Jacob to Answers possess the promised Land in person hath no more solidity or sincerity then the former for they dwelt ther personaly though but as Sojourners and bought som parcels wherin their bodies ly as a livery and seisen of the whol as their progeny or posterity enjoyed it proprietarily for many ages according to Gods Covenant pacted to them and their Seed Gods saying to Moses and Christs inference He is God of the living not of the dead doo not argu that thos Patriarchs shal be raised to possess the promised Land in person a thousand yeers with or under Christ but only that they now liv in blessed condition with God and shal rise at last day to inherit eternal glory both in Body and Soul united in the highest Heaven wheras damned Reprobats ly dead in Hel whos God he cannot be caled The City which Abraham looked for whos builder is God must needs be Heavenly Jerusalem clyped his Country which is prepared for al the faithful not any new material Metropolis to be made in Palestine or any place of this Earth as they dream Zacharias words of performing his mercy promised to our Fathers and remembring his holy Covenant cleerly concern Christs first coming so oft promised in the old Testament wherof John Baptist then born was the faithful forerunner Lastly Christs words many shal com from East and West to sit down with Abâ—aham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven cannot in property of phrase possibly purport any terren temporal reign but Men are too prone to strain Scriptures after their own sens how violently or untruly soever God giv us al grace to be wise to sobriety and not wrest his holy Word according to our own Wils which may turn to our damnation and perdition of sundry silly seduced Souls For the main Thesis of Christs Millenar reign Mr. Mede Opinions saith Eusebius a strong Adversary to it fains one Gaius to father it on Cerinthus but none knows any such Man sav himself Surely he was a sincere Historian not given to foisting or faining and Cerinthus generaly reputed the original Author nor is any other alleged He farther saith St. Jerom did hâ—s best to decry or disgrace the Tenet but he usualy mis-related things out of peevish petulant partial passion yet durst not damn it becaus many authentic Authors and Martyrs maintained it Contrarily Justin Martyr an Apostolic Man ascribed the origin herof to St. John and told Trypâ—â— that none but Heretics gain said it Now for later writers Piscator holds that the Saints of the first Resurrection shal reign with Christ a thousand yeers in Heaven but Alsted Mr. Mede and almost al els on Earth Yet Piscator Alsted and the rest agree that it shal be at Christs secund coming to reign before his third to Judgment but Mr. Mede finding no warrant for a third coming dissents from them al making the Day of Judgment one continued act with the Millenar reign which is a devise of his own subtle wit never broched before Sic a principiâ— est fratrum concordia discors In varios sensus lis furiosa trahit Thus Brethren from beginning il agree Who into different minds distracted be My privat resolution in this point and that other whether Christ shal reign personaly on a new Earth for ever resigning his Kingdom of glory wher he now sits to his Father Must needs amidst such a copious cru of learned Clercs who hav diversly debated it both wais be very amphibolous or ambiguous as a giddy Ostrich which having laid hir first Eg at rovers on the sands regards not how she lodgeth the rest nor on what heap she sits on brood so that I may truly cant out thes two dubious Distichs Me trahit in dubios aliorum assertio sensus An reget in Mundo hoc Christus an Arce Poli Nec patet an terris regnabit mille per annos Cum superis sanctis Martyribusque suis Others Opinions make me doubtful whether Christ shal rule in this World or Heaven for ever If he shal reign on Earth one thousand yeers With Angels Saints and Martyrs it not appeers Touching the Argument or Contents of the Premisses they are couched or concluded in a few familiar verses like the former Impius asseruit Christum annis mille Cerinthus Persona in terris velle manere sua Vile Cerinth said Christ wil in person reign One thousand yeers and here on Earth remain Velle Redemptorem regere annis mille Chilarchae Aliteâ— Judicii in terris asseruere die Chiliarchs affirmd that Christ on Earth wil sway One thousand yeers at the last Judgment Day Mille annis Christum Chiliarchae in somnia produnt Aâ—ias Hic cum Martyribus velle manere suis Vain Chiliasts dream that Christ with 's Saints wil stay One thousand yeers and here on Earth bear sway Regnare in terris mille annis velle Chilistae Secus Christum cum sanctis dogmata fâ—lsa tenent That Christ with 's Saints one thousand yeers wil reign On Earth bold Chiliasts doctrins fals maintain De christ imperiâ— Chiliastae mille per annos â—â—ve Ante Diem extremum somnia vana canunt That Christ one thousand yeers on Earth shal reign Before last Day Chiliasts vain dreams doo fain THESIS VIII Mundi hujus Dissolutio The Worlds dissolution THe wisest Heathen held that this World shal hav an end even by fire as St. Jerom and L. Vives
reveled in his holy Word 7. Their clashing contradiction is a plenary confutaâ—son for som say no mixtils or Animats shal subsist but only Câ—lical bodies and two Elements yet can shew no caus or colour why they rather then the rest or how the world shal be more glorious being as a bare house unfurnished and unhabited sith variety makes it Mundus or comly som that al creatures shal be restored so wel as men yet know not how to stow them as two were of ech kind in the Aâ—c in the world unles they fain it of infinit capacity som that such only shal be reserved as are extant at last day that is good luck and bad as al the world is now ruled for why they rather then the rest sith al shal be incinerated so wel as thos already corrupted som that none now or then existent are capable of restitution or resurrection but new shal be formed of rare kinds like thos in the Lunar world to serv the Saints in a new material world to com Touching this Earth som say it shal be refined like gold in the fire and bettered or beautified tenfold for the Saints mutual commerce som that it shal be a mansion for such as neither deserv Heaven for their good deeds nor Hel for hainous crimes som that it shal be the habitation of unbaptized Infants which they hold better then Saint Austins dark dungeon Thes are al carnal conceipts or ungrounded unwarranted Phantasms sith the kingdom of Heaven is stiled the Seat of blessed Spirits wher they shal reside as in their proper place of perpetual possession not as an Inn to lodg in for a space and at last leav it for ever nor shal they hav a City hous and country Grange to remov from Heaven to Earth at pleasures as som sottishly surmise but shal enjoy a Heavenly habitation and beatific Vision for their eternal inheritance which wil be no boot to change for an Earthly mansion though they should enjoy Christs personal presence to boot which they also hav stil in Heaven Most Greec Fathers with many Latin assert annihilation Authorities Hilari saith this Heaven caled Firmament shal pass away and not be but that invisible wherin God dwels abides for ever Clement fains his Master Saint Peter to tel Simon Magus that ther be two Heavens one superior increat eternal wher blessed Spirits inhabit another inferior visible studded with stars which at last day shal be abolished Saint Jerom saith thos two Fathers Opinion was most approved as cohering with Saint Pauls saying The things seen are temporal but thos not seen 2 Cor. 4. 18. eternal meaning that al Visibles shal perish to nothing but invisibles abide for ever in infinity Dr. Hakewil cites sundry late L. 6 Apol. sub â—â—nem Protestant Professors as Patrons of annillation viz. Luther Melancthon Bucer Beroaldus Bartolinus Vorstius Junius Rivet Hunnius Tilenus Cassanius Meisnerus Polanus Martinius Brentius Wollebius Gerard Arnobius Frantzius and others whos pregnant testimonies to that purpose he produceth worthy of exact perusal which to recit or capitulat consorts not with my affected brevity who must hasten to answer the Ronovators and Substitutors Arguments Ob. Saint Peter saith The Heavens must contain Christ til the Acts 3. 19 21. times of refreshing and restitution of al things which God hath spoken by al his holy Prophets Ergo al shal be restored Sol. The Syriac Interpreter renders it til the end of al times or worlds consummation but the times of restitution or refreshing signify the complement of our Redemption for as Calvin comments becaus our restitution or redemption is yet imperfect while we grone under the bond of bondage we shal be restored to liberty at last day when 't is perfected but speaks nothing of the Worlds renovation after 't is burnt nor can it be wiredrawn or wrested to any such construction if rightly sensed Ob. David saith God laid the Earths foundations that it Ps 104. 5. shâ—uld not be removed for ever So Salomon One generation passeth and another coms but the Earth abides for ever Ergo Eccles 1. 4. shal not be annilled Sol. Thes places are stifly urgd against the Earths diurnal motion with more color then to oppugn abolition yet truly against neither for the intention is that by Natures cours it is laid to remain for ever without decay or diminution in the whol like other elements had not God decreed to dissolv it but the parts of them al are subject to jugial alteration and corruption the word for ever is so long as Time or the World lasts so caled in comparison of mans mortal condition as circumcision is stiled perpetual Repl. The Lord saith Lo I creat new Heavens and Earth Isai 6â—â—7 Rev. 21. 1. for the former shal not be remembred So Saint John cals them new for the first passed away and ther was no more Sea so Saint Peter The Heavens shal pass away with a nois and Elements 2 Pet 3 10. 13. melt with heat but we look for new Heavens and Earth Ergo being burnt they shal be refined and renovated or new created and substituted but not al utterly abolished or annulled Sol. See how partial Sectists are it was pressed last that the Earth abides for ever now that it shal be renewed or a new surrogated but truth lies in the kernel of genuin sens not in the shel of words surely they are not meant literaly of material Heavens and Earth or if they be it tends rather to annillation then restitution oâ— substitution for Isai saith The former shal com in mind no more Saint John They passed away and there was no more Sea Saint Peter The Heavens shal pass away with a nois and Elements melt with heat how then renewed such as constru to perish pass away be no more c. of the worlds instauration or melioration and not of annihilation must answer wher in Grammar 't is so taken for in Philosophy and Theology renovation diametraly differs from destruction Beza applies Isais alleged words to the Churches State or Christs kingdom which also alluds to the Saints condition in Heavenly Jerusalem as Saint Johns immediat ensuing words import I saw the holy City new Jerusalem Rev 21. 2. coming from God prepared as a Bride trimmed for her husband which intimats their continual cohabitation or hir eternal Mansion with God hir Bridegroom So Saint John and Peter by new Heavens intend the Saints glory in new Jerusalem with God or the Lamb and not any material new Heavens as al authentic Authors expound Rep. Isaiah saith The Moons light shal be as the Sun and Isai 30. 26. Suns sevenfold as of seven dais Ergo at last day al things shal be perfected in far greater glory not totaly abolished to be no more Sol. The Prophet speaks Mysticaly and Metaphoricaly as oft elswher of the Church under Christ which he cals a new Heaven and Earth as the new Heavens
prophaned or mispent in riotous revellings by wicked persons specialy sith 't is founded in honor Thâ—s three are 〈◊〉 of our Saviour and commemoration of his chief mercy 4. Whether an express warrant of Christs precept or his 4 〈◊〉 Apostles practise be necessarily required to ratify every Religious Rite of the Church Or whether late Reformists walk by that Rule of Scriptural authority in sanctifying arbitrary daiâ— of Thanksgiving and Hamiliation with many mo Ordinances Customs and Ceremonies which they use 5. What warrant is ther to annul the seventh day Sabbath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or surrogat the Lords day in stead sav only that the Apostles somtimes meet on the first day to break Bread Yet the observation of this is no abolition of that specialy sith they stil frequented the Jews Synagogs on thos dais to convert them Or what for the Name sav that St. John saith He was in the Spirit at Patmos on the Lords day Yet is ther no irrefragable evidence that it was the first day Oâ— what for Pedo Bâ—pâ—sâ— excâ—pt that the Apostles Baptised whol Families in which most probably not infallibly were som Infants The bare letter reacheth not so far to assert a precise precept or precedent for either but we rely on the Churches testimony tradition interpretation and authority for al three with many mo Why not then in this point of holy Fests instituted and iâ—tended soly to our Saviours honor and service wherin is no danger but much devotion and sanctity 6. Whether Quis requisivit who required it be rightly 6 Qâ—â—â—e applied to such cases specialy the three precited Or whether it may not be better retorted who requires thes irregular Fests and Fasts appointed by particular Churches or privat Congregations upon arbitrary wil-worship or ordinary occasions Hav not Church Governors so much power or authority as modern Innovators Consider that thos great Clercs had far cleerer judgments to discern truth then silly shalow Sciolists and know that in al matters or mysteries of Religion 't is safer to offend by way of piety humility and devotion then in proud self-lov contempt or despication To take a sober reckoning on the other side what warrant hav Ministers to examin Communicants before the Lords Supper and repel whom they lâ—st Christ at first institution whos patern they pretend to folow in al particles did not examin his Disciples nor bid them so to doo but admitted Judas to partake it at his own Luk. 22. 21. peril knowing him to be a Traitor and Reprobat St. Paul 1 Cor. 11. 28. exhorts every Man to examin himself and so eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup but neither he nor any of the rest practised examination of others so ther is no precept practise or precedent for this modern innovation Yes say they St. Peter bids al be ready alwaies to render a reason of the hope in 1 Pet. 3. 15 16. them with meeknes and fear Tru but speak sincerely is this given as a rule for Pastors to examin Communicants or rather for Al Christians to satisfy Infidels or others Read the next words having a good Conscience that wheras they speak evil of you as of il doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Here is no cloke or color for examining Communicants therfore beware how ye wrest or wiredraw Scripture to serv turns Hos scrupulos solvas eris mihi magnus Apollo Cleer thes points and to me Great Phoebus thou shelt be This brief Essay or Epigram being a Theological Theory Corollary is purposly premised as a Prodrom or Patern of 670. such som larger som lesser to be published by Gods grace in two Folio Tomes so soon as they can be transcribed and impressed wherof the Enchiridion now com forth jointly with this work is as it were the Table or Catalog containing the Arguments of them al. Thus writers toil and travel in vain to pleas or profit variously disposed Readers led wholy by Opinion Affection or Prejudication most of which wil rather retribut sharp scofs and scurrilous censures then deserved thanks or commendations but 't is best Buoy-like to bear up amidst al boisterous billows of spite and scandal maugre Mens malice and al envious or venemous toungs To shut up al with two homespun verses His Epigramatibus facies non omnibus una Nec diversa subit quales soluere Gemelli Thes Essais hav not al one face to see Nor much unlike as Twins are wont to be Sitne superstitio Natalis Festa sacrare Christi inter varios lis odiosa fuit Ther 's hateful strife ' mongst som whether to keep holy Christs Birth-day Fest be superstitious folly Scaurus ait renuit Varus utri credere vultis Tam facile est lites conciliare graves Scaurus saith Varus gainsaith which wil ye Beleev So easy 't is great brawls t' agree In dextram potius pietate offendere praestat Quam laeva opprobriis spernere Festa sacra 'T is better right hand-wise by zele t' offend Then Holy dais left-like with scorn vilipend Discite quod verum est moniti nec temnite Christum Sed colite aeterno Festa dicata Deo Learn truth that 's taught and doo not Christ defy But Fests ordained t' eternal God apply Though my silly reason and shallow resolution specialy in Valeâ—â—ctâ—â—â— Dotage be no way regardable or reliable on in the learned Common wealth yet to satisfy som special Friends who earnestly entreat it I will openly unmasque or declare my judgment in six controversal points but very briefly and bluntly 1. Touching Mans Souls production I hold Traduction against the universal Tenet of Infused by Creating and Created in Infusing 2. For Predestination to eternal Life or Death I beleev it to be with reference to Gods prescience of pure simple Intelligence not of his free Pleasure to shew his Power by any absolut irresistiv Decree 3. Concerning Church Government I defend Episcopacy for the best form of Ecclesiastic Polity as instituted by our Saviour analogicaly and by his Apostles actualy or apertly but continued in al Churches ever since til Mr. Calvin changed it in case of necessity 4. About Christs Millenar reign on Earth immedialy before in or at the last day of judgment and general Resurrection of al human flesh and for his eternal personal reign on a new Earth resigning his kingdom of Glory to his Father my Opinion amidst such a copious cru of learned Clercs who debate it diversly both wais must needs be amphibolous or ambiguous like a giddy Ostrich which having laid hir first eg at rovers on the sands regards not wher she lais the rest nor on what heap she sits abrood but doo rather declare then incline to the former and profes my self advers to the later Me trahit in dubios aliorum assertio sensus An reget in Mundo hoc Christus an Arce Poli Others opinions make me doubtful whether Christ shal
so high as his Heavenly Throne or abov his earthly Footstool how can it consist with the dignity of Christ our King that his Saints shal sit at Table som at his right hand som on his left to eat and drink wiâ—h him freely and familiarly for ever Let this suffice for Scriptural confirmation of the elects eternal reign with our blessed Saviour in Heavenly habitations De aeterno Christi regno Of Christs eternal reign THat Christ at the Judgment day and general Resurrection of al Flesh shal resign up the Kingdom of Glory wher he now sits in Majesty to his Father and reign personaly on Earth at his Metropolis of Jerusalem to be new built with his Saints eternaly never to see Heaven again which is to suscipere gradum Simeonis from a Câ—lical infinit Kingdom to a Terrestrial finit Paradise Thus Scriptures seem to hav several sensâ—s according to Mens various interpretations of arbitrary authority This openly oppugns my last Opinion of the Worlds annihilation 8 Thesis against renovation of the old or substitution of a new wherto this Position of Christs eternal Personal reign at new built Jerusalem principaly tends but I defend that this present finit World which was at first made of meer nothing shal in fine be utterly abolished or resolved into nothing when 't is once dissolved or destroied by fire This is expresly evinced or evidenced by thes texts of sacred Scripture current coin David saith Heaven and Earth shal perish Ps 102 26. Mat. 24 3â— Job 14. 12. Christ They shal pass away Job They shal be no more Isaiah they shal vanish like smoke al their Host shal be dissolved and Isai 51. 6. Isai 34 4 2 Pet. 3. 10 Rev 20 11. roled together as a scrole they shal fal down as a leaf from the Vine and a faling fig from the figtree St. Peter they shal pass away with great nois St. John they fled away and no place found for them Al which phrases to perish pass away be no more vanish like smoke roled up as a scrole fal down as a Vine-leaf or fig from a figtree fly away and their place no more found strongly imply abolition or at least impugn a perfecter condition to be the place for our Saviours perpetual personal reign with his Saints yeelding up the Kingdom of Glory the third Heaven never to return 'T is a sory unequal exchange to quit a Celical infinit increat mansion for a Terrestrial finit created habitation nor can any of the premised terms plainly purport or senisibly signify melioration as if the new Heaven and Earth shal be bettered or beautified sith in al language of Men or Grammatical construction perfection is advers to perdition and to perish or pass away asystat to perfection If the World is to be renewed or repaired it shal hav no end but 't is said the end of al things is at hand and the ends of the World are com upon us In nature is nothing but time place and space but afterward al eternity ubiquity and infinity as in Man corruption shal put on incorruption mortality immortality weaknes power and dishonor glory Many most pressing reasons and authentic authorities are alleged on behalf of annihilation in the eighth or last Thesis which 't is not my guise or property to reaccumulat Howbeit having gleaned or gathered sundry select speculations scattered through his whol work som veracious som fucatious som dubious som suspitious som erroneous I presume to present them in public sans answer or animad version Specimina diversimoda Several sorts of Essais MAster Hobbs is a great general Scholar who hath an excellent Entelechy to devise novities but deems them al verities and would faiâ— hav the World dance after his Pipe which wil never be For Men may catch Ruddicks or Thrushes in Pitfals and Woodcocks in Springals but bigger Birds are too wild wily and wary then to be snapd in such silly snares Real inventions if good are very laudable and verbal too if veritable but novel Opinions contrary to common current Tenets of al Authors most suspitious and mostly erroneous Not to linger any longer in the Porch thes which folow are som of his sporadical Positions Touching the signification of som words in Scripture he saith they depend not Chap. 34. on the writers wil or vulgar use but on their tru proper sens in Gods word Body and Spirit in Schools language are stiled Substances Body what Corporeal and Incorporeal but a Body naturaly imports that which fils up som space room or place being a real part of the visible univers which is an aggregat of al Bodies and no part of it but a Body nor is any thing a Body which is not part of it and contained or included in it This Body being subject to change in various apparence to Animals senses is caled Substance or Subject of sundry Accidents as somtime to mov somtime to stand stil somtime hot somtime cold somtime of one color sound smel tast or touch somtime of another Which several seemings produced by diversity of Bodily operations on our Senses Organs we cal Accidents of thos Bodies according to which acception Body and substance signify the same so to conjoin or cal ought an Incorporeal Substance is to destroy ech other as if one should say an incorporeal Body Thus much for the interpretation of the word Body Now the vulgar doth not denomin al the univers Body but Spirit what only such parts as they find by feeling to resist their force or by seeing to hinder farther prospect but Air and such subtle substances not subject to the Ey they term wind breath or latinly spirits as that which in any Animal givs life and motion is caled the Vital and Animal spirits Wheras thos Idols of the brain representing bodies wher they are not either in Dream or to a distempered brain waking are nothing as St. Paul cals al Idols nothing at al wher they seem to be and in the brain it self nothing but tumult rising from the objects confused action or Organs disorderly agitation Hence som which search not their Causes but rely on others knowledg cal them thin Bodies supernaturaly compact of Air becaus the depraved sight judgeth them Corporeal and som term them Spirits or Spectres becaus the Touch descries nothing wher they appeer that resists their fingers So the genuin signification of Spirit in common speech is either a subtle fluid invisible Body or a Ghost Idol or Phantasm of the Brain but metaphorical meanings are many Somtimes it signifies a Mans disposition or inclination of Mind as one having a humor to comptrol others is said to hav the Spirit of contradiction if one be addicted to uncleannes an unclean Spirit If to peevish perversnes a froward Spirit If to sullennes a dumb Spirit If to holines the Spirit of God Somtimes any eminent ability or extraordinary passion or diseas of Mind as great prudence is clyped the
without torture of Body and Mind in which sens it shal endure for ever unquenchable and the torments endlesss Yet it folows not that he so cast in shal so endure or resist it as to be eternaly burnt and tortured but never dy or be destroied Yea tho many places prov everlasting fire and torments into which Men may be cast successivly one after another for ever yet none assert that any individual Person shal perennaly abide or endure therin but he shal hav an everlasting secund Death For when Death and the Grav Hel hav delivered up the Rev. 20. 13 14. dead in them and every Man judged according to his works Death and Hel shal be cast into the Lake of Fire this is the secund Death Hence 't is cleer that every Reprobat condemned at general Judgment must suffer a secund Death after which he shal dy no more But what is meant by Mind so oft iterated if not Mans Quaere Soul The jois of eternal Life are comprised in Scripture under Eternal Life the name of Salvation or being saved which signifies to be secured either respectivly against special evils or absolutly from al as want sicknes death Now becaus Man was made immortal or immarcescible and fel from it by sin it results that to be saved from sin is to be freed from al evil and afflictions acquired by the same Ergo Remission of sin and Salvation from death and misery is al one As when Christ Mat. 9. 2 5. cured a Paralytic Man saying Friend be of good cheer or comfort thy sins be forgiven the Scribes said within themselfs he blasphems but he asked whether 't is easier to say thy sins be forgiven or arise and walk Yet he used that form of speech to shew he had power to remit sins which implies that 't is al one to the saving of the sick to say thy sins are forgiven or rise and walk For sith death and misery are punishments of sin the discharge of it releaâ—eth the other two being absolut Salvation such as the elect shal enjoy after the Judgment day by Christ Jesus favor who for that caus is caled our Saviour Touching particular Salvations from enimies or miseries 't is needless to treat but becaus the general Salvation must be in the Kingdom of Heaven ther is great debate or difficulty about the place Becaus Kingdom is an Estate ordained by Men for security Kingdom of Heaven against enimies and want it seems this Salvation which sets forth our Kings glorious reign by conquest not a safety by escape shal be on Earth For wher we expect Salvation we must look for Triumph Victory and Battle in order which cannot be supposed in Heaven and wher els we must serch the Scriptures Isaiah largely describes it To be at Jerusalem Isai 33. 20. c. a quiet habitation a Tabernacle not to be taken down The Saviour is Our Lord Judg Lawgiver King The condition of the saved is The People that dwel therin shal be forgiven their iniquities By this 't is cleer that it shal be in Jerusalem wher God shal reign at Christs next coming and fil up the Salvation of Gentils which shal be received into his Kingdom for ever Isai 66 20 21. Isaiah more expresly declares it That the Gentils who had any Jews in bondage shal bring them from al Nations on Horses Charets and Litters to Jerusalem the place of Gods John 4. 22. worship As our Saviour told the Woman of Samaria that Salvation is of the Jews or begins at them As if he should say ye worship God but know not by whom he wil sav you we know it shal be by one of Juda and not a Samaritan This Rom. 1. 16 17. St. Paul explains The Gâ—spâ—l is Gods power of Salvation to every one that beleeveth to the Jew first and also to the Greec Joel 2. 30 32. So Joel describing the Judgment day saith God wil shew wonders in Heaven and Earth Blood Fire and Pillars of smoke wherto he ads In Mount Zion and Jerusalem shal be Salvation Obad. v. 17. c. So saith Obadiah On Mount Zion shal be deliverance and holines Jacobs hous shal possess their possessions which he particularly points out by The Mount of Esau Land of Philistins fields of Ephraim Samaria Gilead and Cities of the South concluding thus The Kingdom shal be the Lords On the other side no plain pregnant place provs the Saints Ascention into Heaven sav that 't is caled the Kingdom of Heaven which was becaus he governed the Israelits by commands sent to Moses from and after sent his Son as he wil again thence or els that his Throne is Heaven and Earth his Footstool but that his Subjects or Servants shal sit so high as his Throne or abov his Footstool sutes not with the glorious Majesty of so great a King Al thes Kickshews of arguing from similituds which he Answer derides in others are soon satisfied that his subjects shal not sit on his suprem Throne as Coequals or Coordinats but only dwel as Princes Servants doo in their Palaces in his holy John 14. 2. Hous of Heaven This saith Christ hath many mansions being infinity it self wheras not a tithing paâ—â— of Mankind can possibly find place to stand on a new Earth or finit world Three Worlds are specified in Scripture 1. The old before Noahs flood wherof St. Peter speaks 2. The present of 2 Pet. 2. 5. which Christ saith My Kingdom is not of this World 3. That to com of it St. Peter saith We according to his promiss look for new Heavens and Earth which is that World wherin Christ coming in the Clouds with great glory shal send his Angels to gather the Elect from the four Winds or utmost parts of the Earth to reign over them under his Father everlastingly Thus he But wher is the World to com taken for a Real material Quaere World as the other two be 'T is not Cosmos or Mundus venturus but Seculum vita vel Aevum futurum the Time Life or Age to com Nor is ther any warrant in al Gods word for thos last words that Christ shal reign over the Saints â—iz on Earth under his Father everlastingly but that they shal reign with him 1000. yeers as Chiliasts contest Touching Understanding he saith 't is only imagination Understanding raised in Man or any Animal that can imagin by words or signs which is common to Man and Beasts As a Dog by use understands his Masters cal or check with sundry strange tricks by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calture so doo divers other kinds yea som 〈◊〉 to speak but understanding peculiar to Man is not only to know one anothers wil but his thoughts or conceptions by the consequents of things Names into affirmations â—eâ—ations and other forms of speech of which he wil treat elswher For Witchcraft he holds it to be no real power yet are
or thin For Mans Soul they say 't is created by pouring in and poured in by creating what 's that For the caus of Sens they make an ubiquity of Species or shews of objects which appeering to the Ey make sight to the Ear hearing to the Palat tast to the Nostril smelling and to the rest of the Body feeling For the caus of willing to doo any act they make the faculty or wil it self doo somtime one thing somtime another making the Power caus of the act as if on should assign Mens ability to doo any things the very â—aus of good or evil acts Yet oftimes they put their own ignorance to be caus of natural events or effects but disguised in other words as when they make Fortune a caus of contingents wherof they know no caus or when they ascribe effects to occult qualities not known to them nor as they sâ—rmise to any els or to Sympathy Antiphaty Antiperistasis specifical properties which neither signify the agent producing nor operation produced being only Clokes to cover ignorance Their Moral and Politic Philosophy hath the like or greater Politics absonances for if any doo injury or injustice contrary to Law they say God is prime Caus of the Action but not of the injustice or deviation this is vain Philosophy as to say that one makes a right and crooked line but another the incongruity or inconformity This distinction was devised to defend the doctrin of Free wil not subject to Gods wil. Why not to vindicat God from being Author of sin notwithstanding Quaere his absolut irrespectiv Decree to Reprobat men who must needs sin Aristotle defines Good and Evil by mens appetit which may seem tru sith every one is ruled by his own list or lore but in a Common-wealth the measure is fals wher not mens privat appetits but public Law of the State is sole Rule yet their doctrin soly practised wher every one doth what seems good in his own eys To make lawful mariage unchast or impure as they doo who deny it to the Clergy under color of continual chast continence to attend at the Altar and administer the holy Eucharist is vain Philosophy wherby they make mariage a moral vice and themselfs by abstaining spiritual like the Angels in Heaven From Aristotles Civil Polity they cal al Common-wealths sav the popular such as then Athens was Tyranny and al Kings Tyrans so they termed thirty Legislators set up by the Lacedemonians who subdued Athens thirty Tyrans and Democraty liberty yet Tyran truly taken signifies simply a Monarch but when that Government grew odious in all Greece it was branded with the Popular hatred of Tyranny and when Kings were expeld from Rome they did the like So when the same men are displeased with Democraty or Aristocraty they nickname the first Anarchy the last Oligarchy or Tyranny of a few Hence riseth another error of Aristotle that Laws not men should govern as if men wil be ruled by words or paper and not by men which hav power by the Sword to punish or put them to death giving life to the Laws this is a pestilent pernitious error wherby they seduce men so oft as they like not their Governors to rais war against them which the Clergy cherisheth Another error in Civil Philosophy which they never learned of Pagans is to extend the Law the Rule only of actions to mens very thoughts and Consciences by examination or inquisition of what they hold tho they conform in Words and Actions Herby they are forced to answer the truth of their thoughts or an untruth for fear of punishment Another error not drawn from Heathens is that a privat Man without the CoÌ„mon-wealths authority may interpret the Law by his own Spirit but are not Scriptures wher they are a Law made a Law by the CoÌ„monwealths authority and consequently a part of the Civil Law So they which impropriat Preaching to one certain Order of Men wher the State leavs it free commit the like error for if the State forbids me not to Preach none els can If I be among Judians or Infidels shal I being not in Orders think it sin to Preach Christ Jesus or expound Scriptures In such cases of necessity say they wher is no Ministry it may be doon without mission as wherever a dispensation is du for necessity ther needs none when no Law forbids it Ergo to deny thes functions to whom the civil Soveraign denies them not is to take away lawful liberty The Schoolmens writings are mostly insignificant terms or trains of strange barbarous words otherwise used then in common Latin language which would pose Cicero Varro or any Grammarian of antient Rome For let any try whether he can translat them into any modern Toung which if he cannot how can that be intelligible in Latin which is not so in other languages Howbeit this insignificance of speech is no fals Philosophy but both a quality to hide the truth and make Men think they hav it being skild in School-notions and so desist from farther serch of it in others He saith elswher what kind of felicity God ordains for them that devoutly serv him one shal no sooner know then enjoy being Quaere jois now so incomprehensible as the School-mens words beatific Vision unintelligible but doth not that signify to enjoy the perpetual presence of the divine Trinity as Men delight in ech others company face to face Which if Christ must reign on a new finit Earth with his Saints for ever none ever shal doo For beatific Vision is to see the blessed Trinity face 4 Caus to face in his eternal mansion The last caus of spiritual Darknes is to mix uncertain Traditions and untru Histories like the golden legion of fals fictious miracles in Saints lifes of Ghosts Goblins and Apparitions alleged by Romish Doctors to varnish their Doctrins of Hel Purgatory Exoâ—cisms and such like Which tho som pious Fathers Pope Gregory 1. St. Bernard c. broched yet they were Men and might take it on trust from others as Beda also did but if any speak it of their own knowledg 't is no confirmation of such vanity but a detection of their fraud fallacy or frailty The suppression of tru Philosophy by Men that hav no authority nor sufficient study may be joind with the introduction of falsâ— for our late Navigators and al learned Men acknowledg Antipodes as it appeers daily more that yeers and dais are determined by the Earths motions yet such as only supposed it heretofore were punishd by Ecclesiastic power What reason had they Is it becaus 't is contrary to tru Religion That cannot be if the opinions be truâ— let the truth be first disquired by competent Judges or refuted by such as pretend to know the contrary Is it becaus they disturb Government or Religion established Let the Teachers be silenced or punished by civil Rulers who can chastise disobedience in thos that teach
This is meer obscurity fuâ— of contradiction as if the form of water in mixtils be less a form then formerly continuing stil the waters form yet cannot be caled water having changed its kind and becom another Bâ—dy Therfore 't is truer that Elements forms receiv intension and remission which variation provs them to be accidents not substances and when their just temperament is taken away they transcend or are transmuted into new Kinds So thos are idle questions touching Elements essential forms or integrity in mixtils of generation and corruption in an instant as if a form were educed or perisht in a moment with many mo of like bran For water is made gradualy in time by changing its temperament so in mixtils Stone Apple Flesh corruption corns by depraving the temperament which if vitiated beyond the utmost degree of proportion a dissolution folows by breaking the bonds of union which is doon by mixture of qualities Repl. If the temperament be varied definitions of things must also be altered but they are alwais constantly the same til the forms be changed Ergo form is no temperament Sol. This is Childish for definitions are made of things intire or perfect and abstracted by imagination of the intellect but if things be considered as they are in nature definitions must be changed as nature varies Can fading Flowers rotting Apples putrifying Flesh or sickly Bodies retain the same definitions of sound Shal the essence be changed by mutation of accidents and not varied with them Let such as so think feed on corrupt carrion til they acknowledg ther is one definition of sound food another of putrid Flesh or let them languish so long til they learn to distinguish betwen Corpus sanum aegrum nutrum What is substantial or material in Elements and mixtils that remains invariable but al accidental or formal is changed generated and corrupted by degrees as temperaments alter according to which definitions must be changed Now touching Souls ther be three sorts Vegetant Sentient Intelligent but for better explication he premiseth som Aphorisms 1. Ther be three Principles of Bodies viz two constitutiv matter of subject and accidents or qualities and one transmutativ the contrariety of thos accidents or qualities 2. Matter is al that is substantial in natural Bodies 3. Matter is indifferent to receiv al accidents yet is not simply the fountain or root of al. 4. The origin of accidents and subjects is one viz. Creation and concreation 5. The accidents of matter are duple 1. Som which immediatly folow its essence and coexist with it as passiv power quantity or extension place and time or successiv duration of which matter is the fountain 2. Such as make existence in a specifical kind as al first and secund qualities which doo not inhere primarily by necessity of nature but at the Creators pleasure to distinguish kinds 6. Both thes qualities are impressed immediatly like light in the air needing no intermediat substance to unite them 7. As quantities inhere immediatly in the matter so the operations and powers of working flow directly from the qualities 8. Al first qualities light heat cold humidity siccity and sundry of the secund thicknes thinnes heavines lightnes fluidnes firmnes existed the first day of Creation 9. The material substance of Heaven wherof Philosophers know little is common with inferior Bodies being made of one chaos so are the first accidents but thos of the secund sort differ by the discrepant conjunction of first and secund qualities 10. Ther be three Elements Air Water Earth needful to mixtion and haply two wil serv 11. Thes Elements essentialy differ in their proper qualities given by God in the Earth are conjoined cold siccity density gravity consistence in the water cold moisture remisser density gravity fluidnes in the Air remiss heat weak moisture levity tenuity and fluidnes 12. Fire is only intens heat whether in Elements or mixtils but no Element Body or Substance 13. Heat in Air or Mixtils is partly implanted at Creation partly infused or introduced by the Sun Soil and Elementar Fire if any such be but the implanted soon decais without supply of infused 14. Composition is duple 1. Of Matter with both sorts of qualities as in the Heavens and Elements 2. Of Matter so qualified and new mixture of qualities arising from the other as in al Bodies els 15. The union of qualities in Elements is most simple but in Mixtils more compound as 't is said of Colors that whitnes and blâ—â—â—â—es are made with the various mixture of bright and dark but middle colors rise from the mixtures of whit and black 16. The measure and maner of al Temperaments is founded on the first Creation from which primary patern if nature devâ—at in excess or defect a deformed Monster is bred 17. To beget a like is the property of al activ qualities in Inanimats and Animats as God bid them by his benediction to increas and multiply 18. The qualities doo so diffuse themselfs and beget others that they make the matter proportioned to exercise their forces or functions 19. The formativ faculty is founded on the very qualities which the more simple so much the more uniform configuration they produce but if compounded of divers qualities they make more diversity or difformity in figuring the material parts 20. Mixtion the less simple the more subtle for 't is a great Art to unite so many varieties of unlike qualities into one crasis or temper but the more compound the weaker becaus it consists of so many contrary qualities 21. Ther is a recripocal propagation of Temperaments in Animats viz. of the Seed and life of the Seed 22. The Prolifical power in the Seed proceds not from any spiritual substance inherent in it but only from a subtle temper of qualities in a pure spirituous matter 23. This energy is actualy in the Seed stil but asleep or unactiv til it meet with a fit Patient or rather Coagent to excite that virtu as the strong spirits which ly hid in Barly Wheat Plants Grain or Seeds are easily extracted by destillation 24. In Plants the Earth is a Womb to bring forth Seeds by supplying heat from the Sun and moisture from Soil wherby the Spirits in Seeds swel and extend the matter to fit proportion of several Figures 25 In Egbreeders Male and Female must concur to make them fertil but to hatch and inlifen them any heat natural or artificial if wel ordered wil suffice becaus the yelk is moist enough and needs only help of heat to rouz up the whits spirits 26. In perfect Animal-begetters both Sexes must actualy join to make one mass of Seed which being aptly mixd spirituous substance of that mass is blown up and augmented by heat of the Matrix and moisture of menstâ—ual Blood which begins to form the Birth and in fine brings 〈◊〉 to perfection 27. To the generation of living Creatures Seed is not simply necessary but a mixture of inâ—â—fening qualities in