Sonne of thine Handymayd T. B. I wholly submit my selfe and opinion to the determination of our long expected Venerable Synod Its Auctoriâ—â—e in libello Docto Iupiter laborioso There is extant also in Print this last yeare a Treatise of one Master John Archer sometimes Preacher of All-hallows in Lombardstreet Intituled The Personall Reigne of Christ upon Earth The Author as I â—eare is with God but his Booke thou maist have on every stall But so farre out of some of our English Divines Let us now heare the Incomparable Tycho Brahe Tycho Brahe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} His Testimony taken out of his first Tome Astronomicorum Progymnasmatum not farre from the end IT is worthy our best observation that as all the former uneven Revolutions of the Fiery Trigon namely the first third and fifth have ever beene auspicious to the world as having ushered in some great and singular favours of the Almighty to mankind so it is probable that this seventh Revolution which now Reignes ever since the yeare of our Lord 1603. is the forerunner of a more happy and glorious state then all the afore pâ—ssed ages have eveâ— yet enjoyed Neither doth this disagree with the most ancienâ— prophecies of the wisest men and enlightned by the Holy Ghost who have foretold that before the generall conflagration of all things that there shall be a certaine quiet and peaceable age for some good space of time upon Earth wherein the tumults and confusions happening 〈◊〉 politique States and by reason of varieties of Religions shall be setled and appeased and at length be made more conformable to the Divine Will and pleasure Which we may also not abscurely collect from the Prophets themselves who foretold that some golden age should be for a time on Earth in which men should beate their swords into Plough-shares and their Speares into pruning-hookes neither should Nation lift up a sword against Nation nor learnâ— warre any more But they shall sit every man under his Vine and â—nder his Figureâ— and none shall make them afraid as Micah the Prophet hath it ch. 4. and Esay ch. II. prophecyeth of the same in this manner The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie downe with the Kid and the Galfe and the young Lion and the â—atling together and a little childe shall leade them And the Coâ— and the Beare shall feed their young ones shall lie downe together and the Lyon shall eate straw like the Oxe And the sucking childe shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned childe shall put his hand on the Cockatricuden They shall not hurt in all my holy Mountaine For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea And that passage also Esay 60. is to be referred to the Mysticall Hierusalem or more perfect state of Christianity then hath beene hitherto For Brasse I will bring gold and for Iron I will bring Silver and for-Wood Brasse and for Stones Iron I will also make thy Officers peace and thy exactors righteousnesse Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy wals salvation and thy gates praise And what goes before and followes where at length lie thus concludes I the Lord will hasten it in his time More places are likewise to be found as well in the Prophets as in the * Revelation promising an unusuall and unexpected happynesse of earthly things such as never hath beene in any age of the world hitherto The truth therefore of this Prophecy shall be fulfilled before the generall destruction of all things for it cannot faile proceeding wholly from the infallible Spirit of God and it is probable that the accomplishment thereof is at hand Why then may not all these things obtaine an expected event within the compasse of this renewed Revolution of the fiery Trigon and of the other three ensuing which compleate 800. yeares Hactenus Atlas ille Coeli Mathematici The Testimony of Carolus Gallus out of Dr Hakewill in his Advertisement to pag. 476. for I have not the Booke by me A Booke written by Carolus Gallus a Professour of Divinity in the University of Leyden published in the yeare 1592 and intituled Clavis prophetica nova Apocalypseos Iohannis Apostoli Evangeliographi In his Epistle Dedicatory to the Prince of Orenge and the States of the Netherlands he professeth it was a worke In quo saith he jam inde a viginti quinque annis c. that is In which for these XXV yeares I have very much laboured by reading meditating searching writing disputing and publiquely teaching both in Churches and Schooles seeking out and letting slip nothing which seemed to concerne the finding out of this Divine Treasure Now this man after all this travell search and study thus concludes his eight Observation upon the 20. Chapter of that Booke Breviter spiritus propheticus in hac Iohannis Apocalypsi c. that is Briefely the Spirit in this Revelation of John Prophecyeth concerning the particular and wonderfull Resurrection renovation and restitution of the Church that it in this last Age shall appeare made one of Jewes and Gentiles both living and dead and more gloriously then ever heretofore in a wonderfull manner shall live againe from the dead or first death and shall be renewed restored and flourish againe I THESS IV. Commate 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} THE DEAD IN CHRIST {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for Christ that is The Martyrs SHALL RISE FIRST THe interpretation will not seeme strange to any one who knowes that the same Paul who in his owne words is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ephe. 4.1 was a prisoner on bound for the Lords sake the preposition as feaâ—heâ— men know sometimes signifying the cause propter qâ—â—â— That place also Rev. 14.13 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} They that dye in the Lord is no otherwise interpreted by some Learned men for the whole pericope or passage there seemes plainely to point at the Martyrs who verse 4. are more elegantly called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The first fruites unto God and to the Lambe as purchased by a particular prerogative from among men Io. Bodimus method Hist. cap. 7 Epist. ad Paulinum Quot babet verbâ— tâ—â— Sacramâ—ntâ— * Dâ—â—tate exuperant latae contra ingraâ—os leges Amm. Marcell lib. 23. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Themiâ—t Orat. 3. * Xenophon {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} â— Cic. Academ. Quâ—st l. 2. Acts xvii â—â— 19 Lâ—ers de librâ—s Heâ—selitâ— Anthol lib. gâ—â—p 33. * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} O 〈…〉 dictâ— vide Epâ—cterum {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 4.3 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 1 1â— * {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Marc.
is mean't of the faith in Christ without which no man's heart is cleansed The tenth place is Deut. 32. to the 44. verse Here from the first verse to the 40. divers passages occurre concerning the Conversion of the Iews as Heurnius doth learnedly expound them Then from the 40. verse to the 44. is the prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles For the Apostle Rom. 15.10 alleageth the first part of the 43. verse to this purpose Now here it is prophesied of the destruction of the enemies of the Church and of the spilling of their bloud in fight Which destruction hath not happened yet as is plain by this Syllogisme If the Destruction here prophesied of by Moses agrees with that which is prophesied of Revel. 19. vers. 20.21 it hath not yet happened out but is to come But the Antecedent is true Therefore also the Consequent The Assumption is made good by the comparing of these two places And here it shall not be amisse in brief to call into our memory how many dâ—structions of the enemies of the Church after the Babylonian captivity we meet withall in the Prophets And they are in number three The first Destruction is of the enemies of the Church of the Iews in the time of the Maccabees Dan. 11.34 35. The second Destruction is of the enemies of the Church of the Gentiles Dan. 11.34 35. Revel. 19. vers. 20 21. The third Destruction is of the enemies of the Church of both Gentiles and Iews a little before the end of the world Revel. 20.4 The eleventh place is Nehem. 1.8 9. Here the promise of God Deut. 30.3 4. a little before explained is repeated and is applyed to the bringing back of the two tribes from the Babylonian captivity which was a type of the deliverance of them all which is yet to come For God promised the twelve Tribes that he would gather them together whither soever they were scattered among divers Nations although they were driven to the utmost part of Heaven that is into the most remote Countreys Which cannot be interpreted of the Babylonian captivity alone For neither then were all the Tribes brought back neither was their bringing back from the remotest Lands The twelfth place is Psal. 22.27 28. All the ends of the earth shall remember and be converted unto the Lord And all the kindreds of the Nations shall bow down themselves before him Compare Psal. 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name So Psal. 117.1 O praise the Lord all ye Nations praise him all ye people Let us search through the Monuments of Hictories and then let us examine whether this hath been or no We shall finde indeed in some new found Lands detested in ours and our fathers memory that the works of the Conversion of the Nations hath had some beginning and small progresse But in many parts of the East to this day we shall finde so little progresse that not so much as a beginning thereof will anywhere yet appear The thirteenth place is the whole 97. Psalm This Psalm containeth a Prophesie of the Kingdom of Christ in his Church of the New Testament as may be gathered out of the 7. verse the latter part of which the Apostle Heb. 1.6 alleageth concerning Christ Again Many Islands are bid to rejoyce which cannot be accommodated to the Church of the Old Testament Whence by the word Sion verse 8. the Church of the New Testament is to be understood as almost every where in Isaiah Moreover in the 6. verse it is said All the peâ—ple see his glory Lastly the judgements of God upon his enemies and the Ioy of the Churâ—h which both are here described have not as yet been accomplishâ—d The fourteenth place is Psal. 110. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike thorow Kings in the day of his wrath He shall judge among the hâ—athen he shall fill the places with dead bodies He shall wound the head over many Countries That these things are not yet come to passe will appear to any one that will take into his consideration History and Experience But that is especially to be taken notice of which he speaks concerning the Head over many Countreys For without douâ—t it is to be understood concerning that Great Antichrist whom many Countries acknowledge for the HEAD of the Church The fifteenth place is Isai. 2.1 2 3 4. Here is mention made of the last times and four things are prophesied of which then shall happen out 1. The Mountain of God shall be placed on the top of the Mountains 2. All Nations shall flow in unto it 3. The Law shall come out of Sion 4. They shall beat their Swords into Plough-shares c. Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation c. Of these the first and the third are fulfilled The second will be brought to passe more and more every day The fourth is not yet accomplished as experience hath hitherto taught us and doth yet teach us The 16. place is Isai. 11.10 11 12. Two things are here prophesied of 1. The Conversion of the Gentiles a little after the first coming of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel Verse the tenth For it shall come to passe at that time of the coming of Christ of whom is the foregoing Prophesie from the beginning of the Chapter hitherto that the Nations shall seek unto the roote of Jesse 2. The Conversion of the Iews and Gentiles together Verse 11 12. See Hâ—urnius upon this place Compare this Prophesie with the sixteenth Verse of this Chapter and with the following twelfth Chapter The 17 place is Isai. 24.23 Where there is foretold that the Lord shall reign gloriously in the mount of Sion and in the City of Ierusalem and in that manner That the Moon and Sun shall be covered with shame at this glory of the Kingdom of God in his Church so great shall be the glory and splendor thereof Now this so great glory hath not as yet been seen either in the Church of the Old or New Testament Therefore in it 's due time it shall be seen The 18 place is Isai. 25. from the 1 to the 13 verse Here is contained a Prophesie concerning the Church of the New Testament as it appears by the comparing of the 8 verse with Rev. 7.17 and chap. 21.4 as also by comparing the 2 verse and the 1â— with Revel. 16.19 c. and chap. 18. ver. 2.10.18.19 Now here it is prophesied concerning the deliverance of the Church from the persecution of enemies ver. 3 4 5. concerning the destruction of the enemies thereof vers. 10 11. and namely the destruction of the City of Rome ver. 2 and 12. Lastly concerning the joy of the Church being now delivered from them that persecuted her vers. 1.6 7 8 9. And here you must take notice That by Moab or the Moabites the enemies of the Church of the New Testament are
interpretation oâ— these thousanâ— yâ—ares permitting to the Revelation it's divine authority they ceased from their attempt which could by no meanes be freed from the censure of impiety Conceive thus them that the Seaventh Trumpet with the whole space of those thousand yeares and other predictions belonging thereto doth set forth that great day of judgement so much spoken of by the ancient Church as also by Christ and his Apostles and is not the short space of a few houres as commonly it is beleives but according to the manner of the Hâ—brewes using a day for a time the continued intervall of many yeares and circumsâ—ribed with two resurrections as with two set or limitted tâ—rmes I say that this day shall bee begun first with the partâ—culâ—r and tâ—mely judgement of Antichrist and othâ—r eneâ—ies of the Church then remaining alive with the glorious appearance of our Lord Christ in flames of fire and that at length after the Kingdome of a thousand yeares granted to his holy Spouse the New Ierusalâ—m here on earth and others that shall afterward be borne this great day now drawing to an end shall bee finishâ—d aftâ—r the letting loose of Satan and uâ—ter destruction of the Churches eâ—emies with the generall resurrection and judgement of all the dead which being performed the wicked shall be thrust downe iâ—to Hell to bee tormâ—nted eternally and the Saints translated into Heaven to live with Christ there for ever This indeed is the Time of the anger of God upon the Nations and avenging the cause of them who dyed for Christ for which after the blast of the seaventh Trumpet chapter eleâ—enth the Elâ—ers give thankes with triumph because therein God was to gâ—ve a reward to his servants the Prophets and Saints and to them that feared his â—ame small and great and would destroy thâ—m who destroy the earth This is that day of judgement and destruction of wicked men of which Peter 2. Ep. 3.8 having spoken prâ—sently addes But beloved be not ignorant of this one thing for before I shewed it was called a day that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day In which very day the Apostle with his brethren and kinsfolk the Iewes to whom he writeth doth expect a new fashion of things to happen of which hee saith Presenâ—ly BVT WEE EXPECT A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH according to his Promise where in dwelleth righteousnes Take notice according to his promise Now where was this promise to be found of a new Heaven and new Earth seeing Iohn had not yet had this Revelation but Esaya 65.17 and 66.22 which promise whosoever shall reade I should wonder if he think that it is to be accomplished anywhere else but vpon Earth This is also that Kingdome which is ioyned with Christs appearance heere on Earth to Iudge the world of which Paul to Timothy 2. Ep. 4 1. I charge thee before god and the lord Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 shall Iudge the quicke and the dead at his APPEARING and HIS KINGDOME For after the last and Vniuersall Resurrection the same Paul being witnesse 1. Cor. 15.24 Christ having destroyed the last enemy death shall deliver up the Kingdome to the Father that he himselfe may be subiect to him that put all things vnder him so little can he be said to enter upon a new kingdome The Kingdome therefore which neither was before the Appâ—arance of the Lord neither shall be after the last Resurrection must necessarily be concluded to be batweene them both This is the kingdom of the son of man which Dan. saw the times of the Antichristian HORNE being finished or the times of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 being accomplished who shall appeare in the clouds when power and glory and the Kingdome shall be given to him that all people nations and languages may serve him for when as the Angel streight expoundeth it the Kingdom and Dominion and greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven mark it well shall be given to the people of the Saiâ—ts of the most high For neither as I sayd before shall this Kingdome be after the last Resurrection seeing then the Sonne of man shall not enter upon a Kingdome but as Paul saith he must lay it downe and deliver to his Father Now that the same kingdome is spoken of by Daniel and Iohn may from hence be evinced First because both Kingdomâ— begin with the ruine of the fourth or Roman Beast that of Daniel when the Beast under the last command of the Horne which had eyes was slaine and his body given to the burning flame that in thâ—Revelation when the Beast and false Prophet that wicked Horne is Daniâ—l having mouth and eyes like a head were taken and both cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone Secondly from the same sitting in judgement which went before both for that one place is borrowed from the other and both enteâ—d the same thing will appeare from the comparing of the descriptions of both DAN. Cap. VII APOC. XX 4 Ver. 9. I beheld till the Thrones were placed For so it must be rendred with the Vulgar LXX and Theodor and so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is used of a Throne in the Targum on Ier. 1.15 And I saw Thrones Ver. 10. And judgement was set That is Judges as in the great Sanbedrim or Councell of the Jewes according to the manner of which this whole description is fitted And they sate upon them Ver. 22. And judgement was given to the Saints of the most High That is Power to Judge whence is that of Paul The just shall judge the Earth And judgement was given unto them And the Saints possessed the Kingdome That is with the Sonne of man who came in the clouds of Heaven And the Saints lived reigned with Christ a thousand yeares Moreover I would advise the Reader of this whatsoever wholesome truth almost is delivered by the Iewes or by our Saviour in the Gospel or anywhere in the new Testament by the Apostles concerning the day of the Great Iudgement is taken out of this vision of Daniel namely the Judgement which shall be by fire Christs comming in the Cloudes of Heaven his comming in the glory of his Father with a multitude of Angels the judging of the world by him with his Saints the abolishing of Antichrist by the glorious appearance of his comming c. So that they goe about to take away a pillar of our Evangelicall faith who neglecting this ancient tradition of the Church goe about to carry this Prophecy another way Lastly to make an end This is that most great Kingdome which as Daniel interprets it was shewed to Nebuchadnezzar in that representative Statue of the foure Kingdomes Not that of the STONE which the succession of the IV Monarchies yet remaining was cut out of the Mountaine for this is the
can never be able to stand in competition with the holy Word of God and the * sound and undeniable doctrine thereof Such is alwaies my temper and moderation that if by * one conviction thou demonstrate my error much more it the CHVRCH shall interpose her judgement whether it be in matter of opinion or action I will retract the one and relinquish the other And till thou dost this in the matter which we have in hand be not offended if I stand close by my Author but especially to reason and plaine Scripture it selfe alleaged by him Truth it is the onely thing I seâ—ke after for the puâ—â—uiâ— of which no man ought to be blame any more then they are to be execused who wilfully continue in known error and ignorance By the way then good Reader let me tell thee what credit soever I gaine from thee that it was the constant opinion of the Church in the very next age to the Apostles that there should be a resurrection before the generall rising at the last day and an happy condition of the faithfull upon earth for CIO yeeres This we may learne from a Tertullias and b Irenaeus And c Iustin the Martyr who of a Philosopher became a Christian some xxx yeeres after the death of Iohn the Evangelist and Penman of this holy Prophecy tels us plainly that not only himselfe but what d Christian soever in his time were in all respects Orthodox maintained the same grounding their opinion upon these words of Esay * Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my mind But be glad and rejoyce for ever in thâ—t which I create I know not whether so great a testimony as this of Iustin Martyrs may be brought concerning any opinion among Christians if you expect the maine articles of our Beliefe And the generall consent of all the orthodox and in the age too next the Apostles is no small argument or prejudice against the contrary opinion or succeeding ages It seemed the Heretiques of those times especially or indeed onely beleeved it not and that for some private respect because admitting thereof they must needs also confesse a resurrection of the flesh and that the same God who was mentioned in the Law and Prophets is also the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ I am sure Cerinthus that Arch Heretique in those daies whom the after-ages do make the first e broacher of this opinion and they would also have him the Author of the f Revelation is never taxed for it by them g who have diligently noted his heresies And perhaps if he had any sensuall conceit hereabout as it seemes he had he was beholding to Judaisme for it and he himselfe being a Iew it was not taken notice of in him But for a Christian to have any such doting imaginations would render him more wild-headed and besides himselfe in sober mens judgements then any Poet of Dithyrambique verse Yet no man ought to be blamed for maintaining a Truth in a Iewes company either in this matter or in any else if with heed he passe by those grosse fancies and stupid absurdities which doe infatuate and blemish the same truth More deservedly may we finde fault with Dionysius of Alexandria and his followers the great impugners of this opinion who when about the end of the third age the dispute about it grew very hot to lessen the authority of the Revelation by the evident and undeniable proofes whereof the matter in question was asserted O foule shame and impiety they fathered it upon I know not whom yet one of the same name against the manifest witnesse of h Iustin Martyr Irenaeus and all the Fathers before them who inscribâ— it to Iohn the beloved Disciple of Christ and Evangelist Neither can Hierome himselfe be exâ—used though a very learned man otherwise but easie to be deceived who with the same Dionysius doth upon an uncertaine report falsâ—ly affix to the opinion of them who according to truth beleeved the thousand yeeres happinesse on earth the i injury of Circumcision the blood of Sacrifices and rest duratiâ—n of all the ceremonies of the Law Which old pieces and rags of Indaisme or perhaps the dreames of some Heretiques being gathered out of a study of contention and ill will were patched to this opinion of the Primitive Church But if he certainely knew that the first Christians and holy Martyrs did expect Circumcision and Sacrifices in the Kingdome of Christ how is he to be blamed that condemned them not for it but k left every man to the freedome of his owne judgement either to approve or dislike thereof But what countenance soever this opinion hath or shall finde in this age let me tell thee this one thing Reader which I will leave to be considered of by thee that seeing there are so manifest proofes of a glorious Kingdome of the Saints here on earth out of the old Testament there will be no better or easier way to deale with the Iewes in matter of their conversion then not to wrest the plaine prophecies of a second and glorious appearance of Christ to his first comming but rather to perswade them that they must expect no other Messias who should fulfill all these promises expecting what is to be expected for we are not herein wholly to agree with the Iewes but to examine all things according to the rules of Christian faith besides that Iesus of Nazareth whom their Ancestors crucified And this way is every where almost through the whole Revelation diligently insisted upon For whilst we force those most cleare prophecies concerning things promised in the second to his first comming the Iewes scorne and deride us and are more and more confirmed in their infidelity But for the cours which I have here set downe I am much mistaken if it be not the same which was observed among them by Peter himselfe Act. 3.19 20 21. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord And he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heaven must receive untill the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the â—â—uth of all his holy Prophets since the World began But I forget my selfe For indeed I thinke it more fit to set downe and publish what might be safely and piously beleeved concerning this Teneâ— rather in another mans sense and expressions then in mine owne being more willing l modestly to learne and be instructed from the abilities of others then impudently to obtrude mine owne weaknesses upon the world And to this end I have also collected what some of the most eminent Divines of the Church of England Dr. Hakewill Dr. Twisse Mr. Mede c. that thou mightest not thinke it onely an outlandish toy or a
be welcome to us because it contains the last Divine Revelation of Gods will after which no Prophecy following is to be expected and because this Book is very profitaâ—le in this Age in which the lively performance of things hitherto abstruse and concealed is presented before our eyes 2. Of the Subject of this Chapter THis Chapâ—er discourseth of the singular happinesse of the Church both under it's Warfare and Triumph The singular happinesse of the Church during it's warfare or being militant is let down in three respects 1. In its security from the hostile incursions of the wicked for a 1000 yeers 2. In the resurrection of the Martyrs before the generall resurrection 3. In the wonderfull dâ—livâ—rance of the godly from the last persecution of the wicked which shall happen after those thousand yeers The happinesse of the Church Triumphant is hâ—re described so farre forth as the beginning of its Triumph in the last Iudgement That these things may be made more plain I will from the very beginning make a repetition of the state of the Church here upon earth and I will say something briefly concerning the State and condition thereof in Heaven The State of the Church hereupon earth was either that before the fall of the first man and that was wholly Legall or that after the fall and this is wholly Evangelicall Again The State of the Church after the fall is either Internall and perpetuall or Externall and temporall The State of the Church Internall and perpetuall consists in the Union and Communion with Christ as also in the enlightning and guidance of the Spirit Isa. 54.5 Hos. 2.15 19 20. Iob. 6.56 1 Cor. 6 17. Eph. 5.30 1 Cor. 10.17 2 Cor. 11.2 Eph. 3.6 Gal. 3.28 Câ—l 3.15 Hence it is that the Church is one Holy and Invincible The Externall or temporall State of the Church is as well under the Crosse and Persecution as Light and Comfort or refreshing which two changes the Church undergoes here on earth by turns as well under the Old Testament as the New and that either more or lesse For Adam and Eve after their most grievous fall were raised up again by the most sweet promise of the Gospel and after they had begot Cain and Abel and their Sisters they were comforted with this Infancy as it were and first foundation of the Church But no small grief followed hard upon this joy when as Cain slew his brother Abel However this breach was made up again in Seth whose posterity propagated the Church although not without grievous persecution by the race of Cain which had an end put unto it by the delâ—ge in the yeer of the world 1656. From whence the Church was enlarged to the yeer 1757 without any notable persecution which at that time the building of the Tower of Babel brought and hence sprung the division of Languages In the yeer of the world 2023 the Church was contracted into the Posterity of Abraham only And here begin the four hundred and thirty yeers dwelling of the Israelites in Egypt where Abraham Isaac Iacob and Ioseph underwent manifold changes both of prosperity and affliction And their posterity after the death of Ioseph was detained under a most horrid slavery from the yeer of the world 2360 even to yeer 2453 in which the Israelites were brought out of Egypt From which time to the yeer 2493 they had experience of divers blessings and judgements of God in the Wildernesse Now after they were brought into the Land of Canaan which happened in the yeer of the world 2493. Iosuah with very good successe for the six first yeers conquered the Canaanites vanquishing one and thirty Kings After the death of Iosuah to the yeer of the world 2879 the Israâ—lites were vexed with divers slaveries and persecutions and rescued from the same by severall Judges namely Deborah Gedâ—on Samson and Samuel And now the Kingly power being established in the dayes of Saul or yeer 2879 the Church presently in the very beginning thereof suffered persecution from Saul himself After that it underwent divers chanceâ— and changes namely under David and Solomon it exceedingly flourished under Rehoboam it suffered a great losâ—e ten Tribes falling of to Ieroboam By occasion whereof a most sad rent of the Kingdom happened the Church by little and little degenerating in Israel whose ten Tribes under Hoshea in the yeeâ— of the world 3228. were led away into a most grievous and yet continuing captivity as farre as the Col. hi Iberi c. As for the Church remaining in the Kingdom of Iuda it had severall entercourses of deformation as well as reformation of calamities as well as victories unto the yeer 3350. in which began the Babylonian captivity continuing Lxx yeers In the yeer 3419 Cyrus released this captivity giving the Iews free leave to return into their Country and to establish their own Laws and Religion as farre as their own Country did reach But not withstanding this Priviledge of using their own Laws was many wayes interrupted untill the yeer 3527 that is for 107 yeers From which time to the yeer 3781. the Church of the Iews enjoyed happy and Halcyonian dayes under the Persians and in like manner under Alexander the Great But under the Successors of Alexander especially the Kings of Syria they were divers wayes afflicted untill in the yeer of the world 3783 and so downward the Maccabees fought with happy successe for their Religion and possessions From the yeer 3887. Iudea was laid wast and severall wayes oppressed by the Romans and Parthians so that the whole State thereof was exceedingly troubled Let us now come to the estate of the Church of the New Testament which we will divide into four periods The first period is of the Church of the godly Iews in Iudea from the time of Iohn the Baptist to the Councell of Ierusalem that is from the yeer of the world 3948. to the fiftieth yeer of Christ In all which space of time Christ was born Baptism instituted Iohn put to death the twelve Apostles and Lxx. Disciples called by Christ Christ himself suffered the Holy Ghost was powred out upon the Apostles the Apostles were whipped for their bold preaching of the Doctrine of Christ c. The seâ—ond period is of the Church spread over the whole world and contains the calling and conversion of most nations from the 51. yeer of Christ to the beginning of the thousand yeers And this period hath four branches I. Under the Henthâ—n Roman Emperours till Constâ—ntine the Great 's time wherein the Church was propagated under divers Persecutions of which tenne were more notable from the 64. yeer of Christ to the 3â—3 II. Under Christian Emperours from Constantine the Great to Phocas in which time it was adorned with divers priviledgâ—s by Constantine the Great and other godly Princes yet so That notwithstanding it felt great persecutions by the Arians by Iulian by the Persians Sandals Gothâ—â— c. to the yeer of Christ