in opposition to both sorts of evils immediately afore recounted viz. not only to false Doctrines but to cruell persecutions and therefore a corporal as well as a spiritual salvation must be here meant and these to be performed on earth viz. in the inhabited world just where the Gospel preached converted them and where they endured to the end And unto which Christ doth gloriously appear FROM heaven ver 30 c. to make up the splendor of that state on earth we here speak of Now all these things cannot be fulfilled at the ultimate generall judgement nor are they hitherto fulfilled and therefore they remaine yet to be fulfilled which Mr. Mede solidly amplifies on Jer. 10. ver 11. thus Hitherto saith he we have spoken of the accomplishment of this prophecy for so much as is already past now let us see what that is which we expect as yet to come for though in regard of former times when Ethnicisme was so large and the worshipers of the living God so small a scantling the extent of the Church be now at this day a goodly and large portion of the world yet if we consider the number of Nations yet Pagans or not Christians it will seem too scant as yet to be the accomplishment of this and other prophecies concerning the largenesse of Christs Kingdome before the end of the world For one hath well observed that Christianity at this day is not above the sixth part of the knowne world whereas the Mahumetans have a fifth and all the rest are Ethnicks and Pagans So that if we divide the world into thirty parts Christianity is but as five in thirty Mahumetanism as six and Ethnicisme as nineteen and so is Christianity the least part of all and plain Heathenism hath far above the one half of the known world and the better part of the other is also Mahumetans And though Christianity hath been imbraced in former times where now it is not yet is it now spread in those places where in those times it was not And therefore all laid together we may account Christianity at this day as large I think as ever it was since the Apostles time But that this is not that universal Kingdome of Christ that flourishing and glorious estate of the Church which yet we expect hope for my reasons are these First These frequent places of Scripture which intimate that the Lord should subdue all People all Kingdoms all Nations and all the ends of the earth unto himselfe and that all these should one day worship and acknowledge him Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him for the Kingdome is the Lords and he is governor among the Nations And Psal 47. Clap your hands all yee people for the Lord is a great King over all the earth he shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feete And againe God is King of all the earth and reigneth over the Heathen Psal 66. Make a joyfull noise unto God all yee-lands through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee aâ— the earth shall worship thee and sing of thee they shall sing unto thy Name The whole Psal 67. which we read every day is as it were a prophecy and prayer for this great kingdome That the way of God may be knowne upon earth and his saving health among all the Nations let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yeeld her increase c. God shall blesse us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him And Psal 89. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name for thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone And Isa 2. which is a prophecy of Christs Kingdome it is said That the Idols the Lord shall utterly abolish or as some read the Idols shall utterly passe away So Esay 54.5 speaking of the amplitude of the Church of the Gentiles Thy Redeemer saith the Prophet the holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth shall be called Certainly this constant stile of universality implies more then this scantling which yet is small being but one of the least parts of the whole earth Secondly The same conclusion may be gathered from 1 Cor. 15.25 26. compared with Heb. 2.8 Christ must reigne saith St. Paul in the first place quoted till he hath put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy which shall be destroyed is death Hence it followes that Christ shall subdue all his enemies whereof the Prince of this world is the cheife before the last rising of the dead for the subduing of death that is the rising of the dead shal not be afore the rest shall be done the vanquishing of death being the last act of Christs reigning which done he shall yeeld up the Kingdome unto his Father In the other place Heb. 2.8 the Apostle speaking of the same thing alleadgeth that of Psal 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and then adds for in that he put all in subjection under him But now marke it we see not all things put under him If any say that the Apostle speakes here of the Kingdome of Glory in Heaven and not of the Kingdom of Grace on Earth I reply first out of the former place that he speaks of such a subjection whereof the rising of the dead shall be the last act of all and which shall be before he yeelds up the kingdome to his Father But neither of these can be affirmed of the kingdome of glory but the contrary viz. The rising of the dead is at the beginning and not at the end of the Kingdome of glory and so is also his yeelding up of his kingdom unto his Father Secondly I reply out of this place that the Apostle speaks of that kingdome and subjection of the earth or state of the earth which was to come For so he speaks v. 5. Unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earth or state of the earth which shal be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which we speak Here he affirms that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that of whose subjection he meaneth If then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signâ—â—â—s onely the earth ' and the earths inhabitants and is no where in the Scripture otherwise used I cannot see how this place can well beare any other exposition First then to confirme this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same which the Hebrews call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for so the Septuagint renders it whose use of speaking I doubt not but the Apostle followes But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most constantly signifies the habitable earth or the earth with the things that live and dwell therein whence the Septuagint though they commonly render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and he shall be to me a SONNE But when AGAINE to give it you as afore in termes and order of words close to the Originall * Thus Arias doth order them When the Apostle would say And againe he saÃd in verse 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in this sixth verse he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which last word is in the second Aâ—rist in the subj mood which sounds future and so the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But againe He SHALL bring his first begotten Sonne into the INHABITED world he saith let all the Angels worship him The sense is obvious That God never owned any one of the Angels to be his only first begotten Sonne but when againe he shall bring his first begotten Sonne into the world he hath given command that all the Angels shall worship him as his only begotten Sonne That this text speakes of Gods bringing his first begotten Sonne againe into the inhabited world now after Christs ascention when the Apostles wrote that we have afore largely discussed Book 3. chap. 2. Sect. 4. § id est sectiuncula 4. I only adde be heedfully mindfull of the Apostles expression in the future now after Christs coming in the flesh and that after the generall Iudgement Christ as Christ shall lay downe all his dominion over Angels and men and therefore it must be of some middle time between our present generation that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered here Angels must give Christ whiles he is Mediator a more ample and apparent homage then ever they have done according to the glorious state of Christ and of things at that time on earth 3 ¶ For this place of the Hebrewes Let all the Angels of God worship him is quoted by the Apostle out of Psal 97.7 which word for word according to the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Bow downe to him all yee Gods which as we said afore comprehends as all Angels so all Kings Potentates and Magistrates called by God himselfe Gods Psal 82. ver 1. ver 6. and so applied by Christ Joh. 10.34 Jesus answered them Is it not written in your Law I said YEE ARE GODS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he called them gods to whom the Word of God came c. And indeed they can properly bow or crouch downe as the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precisely signifie as the Angels can doe it only vertually And on the other side 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angel is oft used in Scripture to signifie eminent men in Office Mal. 4.1 Rev. chap. 2.1 chap. 2. chap. 3. But granting that the Apostles designe being to prove Christ to be above Angels doth render the Hebrew Text according to the Septuagint Greek then a common Translation in frequent use throughout the world since the late Greek Monarchy over all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship him all yee his Angels yet this is as true that as the Apostle closeth that his discourse in that first of Hebrews with a touch of Christs future dominion over all Angels and men on earth saying To which of the Angels said he at any time quoted out of Psal 110. sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole so that 97. Psalm doth really include and intend our position in hand viz. Christs visible glorious Kingdome over all the world yet to come For in the first verse of that 97. Psalm it is said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof Or the Lord reigning the earth SHALL rejoyce and the many Islands SHALL * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be glad ** 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This LORD is Christ as the Apostle applyes it Heb. 1.8 9. Now Christ had reigned in his ordinary providence and power from the creation to the Psalmists time c. as appeared in overthrowing his and his peoples enemies and preserving his people in the flood in the fire on Sodome in his miracles in Egypt Wildernesse and the Red-sea in his victories over the several Nations in Canaan c. And after the last judgement it is improper to say Christ reignes in glory 1 Cor. 15.28 And Christ never yet so reigned as is described in this first verse of this 97 Psalm That ALL the EARTH without limitation shall rejoyce at that his reigning and the multitude of Isles shall be glad By Isles according to an ancient usuall Hebraisme and Jewish phrase is meant all the Nations of the GENTILES Isa 41. v. 1. Keep silence before me O ISLANDS and let the PEOPLES or NATIONS renew their strength * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And v. 5. The Isles saw it and feared and the ENDS OF THE EARTH were afraid Chap. 42. v. 4. The ISLES shall wait for his Law and so nine times in this Prophet three times in Jer. 9. times in Ezek. in Zeph. once viz. Chap. 2. v. 11. The Isles of the Heathen or Gentiles * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. once Gen. 10.5 The Isles of the Gentiles The reason of the phrase is because the Jews dwelling in the continent of Asia they counted all the world Islanders that were divided from them by the Mediterranean Sea Whence is that phrase of Isles of the Sea Ester 10.1 Ahasuerus laid a taxe or tribute upon the land and upon the ISLES OF THE SEA And Isa 24.15 Glorifie the name of the Lord God of Israel in the ISLES OF THE SEA And Ezek. 26.18 Now shall the Isles tremble in the day of thy fall yea the ISLES THAT ARE IN THE SEA shall be troubled yea to make all yet plainer it is twice said viz. Jer. 2.10 Ezek. 27.6 The Isles of Chittim By which Chittim is oft understood the Roman Monarchy as Dan. 11.30 for one instance So that according to this sense of this 97 Psame vers 1 All the world of Jewes and Gentiles must be glad and rejoyce at the reigning of Christ as it follows in the sixth verse The Heavens declare his righteousnesse and ALL the people see his glory ALL without exception which two clauses cannot be aptlier applyed and expounded then by that Rev. 1.7 Rev. 20.1 Rev. 21.1 Christ comes in the clouds and every eye shall see him Christ as the great Angel descending from heaven binding Satan and causing his Saints to reigne on earth New Jerusalem a New Heaven and a New Earth being brought downe from Heaven wherein as Pet. 2 Ep. 3. chap. enlargeth dwelleth righteousnesse But ALL PEOPLE yet never saw that his righteousnesse and glory ALL the gods as in v. 7. all Kings and Princes Potentates Magistrates and Powers never yet worshipped him as Christ but generally in all ages from the Creation to this day have opposed him as such both of Jewes and Gentiles 4 ¶ But all must ere the last judgement either sincerely or seemingly worship him Psal 22.27 28 29. which Psalme is concerning
it Isa 26. the same things John applies to the fall of Antichrist and the ruine of his nest viz. the City where he rests Rev. 16.19 we have it once The City of Nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God But in Revel 18. we have it three times viz. v. 2. v. 10. v. 18. SECT XVII UPon the seventh place in Isa viz. Isa 33. v. 20 21. I will onely aske this question of all the men and books in the world When was that ever fulfilled since Isaiahs time which is here spoken viz. Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation a Tabernacle that shall be taken down not ONE of the stakes thereof shal EVER be removed neither shall ANY cord thereof be broken But there the Lord will be to us a place of broad rivers and streams wherein shall go no Gally with Oars nor gallant ship passe by I say when since Isaiahs Prophesie was this fulfilled For about seventy yeers after his begining to prophesie Jerusalem was taken by the King of Babylon and the King and Nobles carried away captive into Babylon And whereas they returned againe about the yeer five hundred thirty six afore Christ and enjoyed their Country a good space of time yet about one hundred sixty seven yeers afore Christ Antiochus Epiphanes being ejected out of Egypt by the Romans invades Jerusalem with a great Army and spoyles and wastes both City and Temple About threescore and eleven yeers after Christs birth the Temple was destroyed by Titus the Roman About threescore and one yeer after that viz. a hundred thirty and one after Christ the City was destroyed by Adrian the Roman Emperour After these the Saracens and Turks invade Jerusalem and Judea possessing it to this day SECT XVIII § 1 THe eighth place in Isaiah is Chap. 34. v. 1. to v. 18. wee shall need but touch upon some passages of so plaine a place as this Vers 1 2 c. Come neer ye Nations to hear and hearken ye people let the EARTH hear and ALL that is therein the WORLD and ALL things that come sorth of it observe this Prophesie concerns the whole Universe for the indignation of the Lord is upon ALL Nations and his fury upon ALL their Armies he hath utterly destroyed them he hath delivered them to the slaughter with many more illustrations and all for the sake of Zion to be avenged of Zions enemies v. 8. But there was nothing of this done at the Jewes return from Babylon carried captive thither about seventy yeers after this was spoken And at Christs Incarnation they were under the Romans power And to this day under the Turks who next succeeded the Romans in dominering over them Therefore St. John carries this down to the New Testament and the later times thereof unto the ruine of the Antichristian Nations that are incorrigible enemies of Christ whereby to make way for the glorious Restitution of which wee treat Rev. 11. There was a great Earthquake and the tenth part of the City fell and there were slain of men seven thousand a number of perfection to signifie a sufficient number for the designe were taken off The Lord takes to him his great power and destroyes them that destroy the earth Rev. 19. One sate upon a white horse called faithfull and true his eyes were as a flame of fire c. and out of his mouth went a sharp sword that with it he might smite the NATIONS and rule them with a rod of IRON And an Angel cryed with a loud voice saying to the foules c. Come and gather your selves together c. that yee may eat the flesh of Kings and of Captains and of mighty men and of horses and of them that sit on them and the flesh of ALL men both free and bond both small and great c. § 2 Againe vers 8 9 10. of this 34. Isa it is prophesied It is the day of the Lords vengeance and the yeer of recompences for the controversie of Zion And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch and the dust thereof into brimstone and the land thereof shall become a burning pitch and it shall not be quenched night nor day THE SMOAK thereof shall go up FOR EVER Now as there was none of this acted at the returne of the Jewes from Babylon or at Christs Incarnation or since but that still Antichrist both Easterne and Westerne dominere over most of the world So Saint John in the Revelation not onely in my judgement but in the judgement of the old Geneva Notes and of our New Annotationists too carries down these Prophesies of the destruction of the Antichristian world Rev. 14.11 Rev. 18.18 and Rev. 19.3 where it is said And the smoake of their torment ascended up for ever and they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name And they saw the smoak of the burning of Babylon and her smoak went up for ever and ever § 3 Again it is prophesied in the 11. â—erse of the 34. of Isa that in and upon the desolations of the enemies of the Church shall dwell the Cormorant Bittern and the Owle and Raven which being never fulfilled to the effect of Isaiahs Prophesie unto St. Johns time hee carries it downe as our New Annotationists consent with me unto the desolations yet to be made upon Antichrist Rev. 18.2 An Angel cryed mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen is become the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule spirit and a cage of every unclean and hatefull bird § 4 And which is very considerable the Hebrew Rabbins and Chaldee Paraphrase interpret these judgements denounced in this chapter of the ruine of Rome Chal. v. 9. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The streams of Rome shall be turned into pitch and its dust into brimstone and its land into burning pitch So the Chaldee which Kimchy cites and approves R. Kimchi also on verse 16. hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ruine of Rome With which passages the Roman Clergy being offended leave out in their Editions of those Authors the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome and put in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Cuthith and Javan that is Grecia § 5 And as all these things have not been hitherto fulfilled so they cannot be imagined to be fulfilled at the ultimate judgement at which time one place will be no more desolate then another no birds inhabiting desolations c. Therefore they must bee fulfilled in a time between this Age and the ultimate judgement § 6 If it be objected that the threats of this Chapter are directed against Idumea the Country of Edom or Esau and Bozra the Metropolis thereof v. 6. It is easily answered that though Idumea bee named in particular as a most intestine Jew-hating enemy as the manner of unreconciled kindred is and to be destroyed among the rest
this from him as he goes on I marvelled saith hee when I read in Tully Crispold otherwise a pious man in his manuscript Annotations upon this place which are in our Library thus It shall in time come to passe saith Tul. Crisp when the TIME OF NATIONS or THE TIME OF THE GENTILES shall be fulfilled that the City Hierusalem shall bee restored and there shall reigne the JEWES of the house of David and the Priests of the Tribe of Levi shall offer Christian sacrifices and also legall albeit of these legall ones they shall offer but a certaine as it were image and representation as now some Christians taste a Lambe in the Passeover Moreover there shall be Elias perhaps the PROPER APOSTLE of them at that time The Apostles of Christ neverthelesse then also existing yea CHRIST himselfe at least sometime appearing and conversing among them That is certaine saith Lorinus That the KINGDOME is to bee RESTORED to the ISRAELITES and JEWES before the end of the world c. as you have it in the Latine Lay all together and you may plainly perceive that Lorinus knew and could not deny it but that in all Ages since the Apostles learned men have been of our mind touching a glorious state of the Church yet to come before the ultimate day of judgement § 3 JOHANNES LORINUS è societat Jesu Commentariis in Acta Apostolorum haec habet in versum 6. Cap. primi scilicet igitur illativa inquit Lorinus significat Discipulos quod mirum simul videri potest non minus quà m cum de passione suâ loquente CHRISTO primas pro liberis fedes mater illa postulavit cum Christo egisset de regno Dei c. occasionem tamen accepisse interrogandi de regno temporali Hoc muliò probabiliùs ut etiam Oecumenius sentit quà m ut cum Chrysostomo de Judicii die et consummatione seculi Quid enim his cum restitutione regni Israel Fieri potest quoniam alios patres video sequi Chrysostomum Hieronymum Cyprianum Theophilum Alexandrinum Augustinum cum Bedâ hoc loco Justinus Irenaeus passimque de temporali regno intelligatur ut quamvis Discipuli non aliud quà m de RESTITUTIONE seu ut duo illi peregrini lequebantur de redemptione Israel interrogaverint tamen Christus respondendo etiam ad FUTURUM SECULUM respexit quo tandem cognoscetur regnum ipsius non esse de hoc mundo Verùm pace Lorini Apostolus ad Hebr. cap. 2. alibi ponit regnum in seculo â—uturo in mundo quamvis non facit ex mundo ut posteà abundantius disputabitur Sed age audiamus Lorinum pergit ad hunc modum Tolerari potuit utcunque in rudibus adhuc Discipulis error apud Judaeos carnales vigens c. sed minus ferendus Chiliastarum seu Millenariorum errorne dicam an haeresis cum Apollinarem hoc nomine Papa Damasus damnaverit ante quem praeter haereticum Cerinthum Papias Irenaeus Justinus Tertullianus Nepos Lactantius Sulpitius quamvis hic fuerit aliquando recentior aliique minus ut existimo pertina citer idem sibi de generali post Mille annos RESURRECTIONE TEMPORALI QUODAM REGNO persuaserant Quò aliquando Augustinus etiam propendet De aliis meminit Eusebius Hieron imus noster Ribera exponens Apocalypsis cäput vigesimum UNDE illi poâ—issimum ita existimandi ansam sumpserant praeter veteris Testamenti quibus aequè ad illum suum errorem Judaei utuntur testimonia fortasse in hunc sensum tum posteriores patres tum praecipue Discipuli Christi interpretabantur orationis Dominicae petitionem de Adventu regni verba illa Christi Matth. 26.29 Non bibam amodò de hoc genimine vitis usque in diem illum cum bibam illud vobiscum novum in regno patris mei Bene jam confitetur Lorinus sed audiamus ad finem Miratus sum cùm legi apud Tullium Crispoldum pium â—aeteròqui virum in manuscriptis notationibus ad hunc locum quae sunt in Bibliotheca nostrâ Futurum olim quando fuerit impletum TEMPUS NATIONUM ut restituatur Civitas Hierusalem ut ibi regnent de domo David Judaei atque de tribu LEVI sacerdotes sacrificaturi CHRISTIANA sacrificia simul etiam legalia quamvis ILLORUM duntaxat quandam seu EFFIGIEM REPRAESENTATIONEM ut nunc Christiani quidam agnum Paschate degustant praetereà ut sit Elias FORTASSE PROPRIUS TUNC ILLORUM APOSTOLUS EXISTENTIBUS QUOQUE TAMEN CHRISTI APOSTOLIS CHRISTO IPSO saltem aliquando COMPARENTE inter illos VERSANIE c. Illud certum est inquit Lorinus RESTITUENDUM REGNUM ISRAEL ac JUDAEIS sub mundi finem hoc sensu ut ad Christi spirituale regnum aggregati transferantur demum in Caeleste Siquidem disertè id reperimus apud JOANNEM PAULUM ESAIAM OSEAM DANIELEM MALACHIAM c. Sic Lorinus contra nostram Thesin necnon secum conflictans multas authoritates omnis generis res pro Thesi profert § 4 Doctor Alsted a German hath written in a Latine Treatise for our Position called Diatribe that is A Disputation concerning the Apocalyptical THOUSAND YEERES not those of the CHILIASTS properly so called and Phantasticks but of blessed Daniel and John § a. Which wee have well translated into English by that able Scholar Mr. WILLIAM BURTON § b. Who in his first Epistle before it gives this Testimony to the Author Work and Subject The AUTHOR is of a general repute among us for learning as any late Writer we have received beyond the Seas these many yeares and the WORKE is an explanation of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation The SUBJECT thereof is the assertion of the GLORIOUS KINGDOME OF CHRIST HERE ON EARTH a matter no doubt of great comfort and consolation to the Church of God I am not ignorant that Apocalyptical Discourses in generall are liable to many censures and that this divine Prophesie it selfe is as yet a sealed Booke Yet receiving my self MUCH SATISFACTION and SETTLEDNESSE of MINDE from THIS EXPOSITION thereof I thought also Gods people might reap some benefit thereby and this is the maine cause I have made it publicke In his second Epistle before the same Translation hee gives us this account of the History of the opinion of THE THOUSAND YEERS Let mee tell thee good Reader That it was the CONSTANT opinion of the Church in the very next age to the Apostles that THERE SHOULD BEE A RESURRECTION BEFORE THE GENERALL RISING AT THE LAST DAY and an HAPPY CONDITION OF THE FAITHFULL UPON EARTH FOR A THOUSAND YEERS This wee may learne from TERTULLIAN against MARCION and IRENAEUS in his Tractates against all Heresies and JUSTIN MARTYR in his Dialogue with TRYPHO the Jew And so goes on touching briefly out of JUSTIN MARTYR what wee have afore largely quoted And then hee addes his owne judgement in these words I know not saith hee whether so
great a Testimony as this of JUSTIN MARTYR may be brought concerning any opinion among Christians if you except the maine Articles of our faith And the generall consent of all the ORTHODOX and in the Age next the Apostles is no small argument or prejudice against the contrary opinion or succeeding Ages It seemed the HERETICKS of those times ESPECIALLY or indeed ONELY believed 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 that is mentioned in the LAW and PROPHETS is also the FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST I am sure CERINTHUS that ARCH-HERETICK in those dayes whom after ages doe make the first broacher of this opinion is never taxed for it by them who have diligently noted his HERESIES And perhaps if hee had any sensuall conceit hereal out as it seems hee had hee was beholding to JUDAISME for it and he himself being a JEW it was not taken notice of in him But for a HRISTIAN to have such doting imaginations it would render him more wild-headed Yet no man ought to hee blamed for maintaining a TRUTH in a JEWS company either in THIS MATTER or any else if with heed bee passe by those grosse phantasies which doe blemish the truth More deservedly may wee finde fault with DIONYSIUS 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 a foule impiety they fathered it upon I know not whom yet one of the same name against the manifest witnesse of JUSTIN IRENAEVS and all the FATHERS afore them who inscribe it to JOHN THE BELOVED DISCIPLE OF CHRIST and EVANGELIST Neither can HIEROME himselfe be excused though a very learned man otherwise but easie to bee deceived who with the same DIONYSIVS doth upon an uncertaine report falsely affixe to the opinion of them who according to truth believed the THOVSAND YEERS happinesse on Earth the INJVRY OF CIRCVMCISION THE BLOOD OF SACRIFICES c. which old peeces of JUDAISME or perhaps the dreames of some HERETICKES being gathered out of a study of contention and ill will were patcht to this opinion of the PRIMITIVE CHURCH But IF hee CERTAINLY 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 left every man to the freedome of his owne judgement either to approve or dislike thereof as Hierom expresseth himselfe openly § d. But what countenance soever this opinion hath or shall finde in this age let me tell the Reader this one thing that seeing there are so manifest prooâ—es of a GLORIOUS KINGDOME OF THE SAINTS ON EARTH out of the Old Testament there will be not better or readier way to deale with the Jewes in matter of their conversion then not to wrest the plaâ—ne Prophesies of a SECOND GLORIOUS APPEARANCE OF CHRIST to his FIRST COMING but rather to perswade them that they must expect no other MESSIAS who should fulfill all these promises expecting what is to be expected besides that JESUS OF NAZARETH whom their Ancestors crucified And this way is every where almost insisted upon throughout the whole REVELATION For whiles wee force those most cleare Prophesies concerning things promised in the SECOND COMING to his FIRST COMING the JEWES scorne and deride us and are more and more confirmed in their infidelity But for the course 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 YEE THEREFORE and BE CONVERTED THAT YOUR SINNES MAY BEE BLOTTED OUT WHEN THE TIME OF REFRESHING SHALL COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND HE SHALL SEND JESUS CHRIST WHICH BEFORE WAS PREACHED TO YOU WHOM THE HEAVENS MUST RECEIVE UNTILL THE TIMES OF RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS WHICH GOD HATH SPOKEN BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN § e. But I forget my selfe For indeed I thinke it more fit to publish what might bee piously believed concerning this TENENT rather in another mans sense and expressions then in mine owne being more willing to learne then obtrude mine own weaknesses To this end I have also collected Hee meanes in his Notes on his translation of ALSTED put in the Margin as I suppose What some of the most eminent DIVINES of the Church of ENGLAND Dr. HAKEWELL Dr. TWISSE Mr. MEDE c. that thou mightest not thinke it onely an Out-landish toy or phantasie of yesterday much lesse a savouring of POPERY have thought and published concerning this opinion Besides the irrefragable judgement of divine TYCHO BRAHE and with him the determination of CAROLUS GALLUS omitted by ALSTED and not long since one of the STATES PROFESSORS OF DIVINITY in the University of LEYDEN § 4. DIATRIBE de MILLE ANNIS APOCALYPTICIS non illis CHILIASTARUM PHANTASTARUM sed BB Danielis Johannis per JOHANNEM HENRICUM ALSTEDIUM Francofurti 1627. § a. Hunc Tractatum fidelissimè W. BURTON cum doct is suis Annotationibus in margine juxià positis in nostram linguam vernaculam transtulit § b. Is in priori suâ Epistolâ translationi praefixâ cùm AUTHORI tum OPERI tùm etiam SUBJECTO hoc encomiasticum per hibet testimonium AUTHOR eruditione aequalis censetur aestimationis cuilibet Scriptorum recentium transmarinorum mult is abbinc annis transactis OPUS est exegesis vigesimi Capitis Apocalypsis SUBJECIUM ejus est splendentis regni in terrâ Christi assertio res maximi proculdubio solaminis Ecclesiae Dei consolationis Non me latet Apocalypticos plerumque discursus multis obtrectationibus esse expositos ipsamque hanc Prophetiam etiamnum librum fuisse obsignatum Quum verò ego ipse multum ex hâc illius exegese satisfactionis recepissem statui apud me item Dei populum ex eâdem aliquid fructus posse emetere Quod sanè praecipuum fuit in causâ me illam omnium publicam fecisse In EPISTOLA ejus secundâ eidem praepositâ in hunc modum opinionis nostrae HISTORICE rationem reddit Quam brevibus sic accipite Liceat mihi bone lector tibi narrare perpetuam fuisse opinionem seculi Apostolis proximi RESURRECTIONEM fore ante ILLAM Die ultimo generalem beatamque fidelium conditionem in TERRA MILLE ANNOS Hoc nos edocebunt Tertullianus contra Marcion Irenaeus contra Haeres nec non Justinus Martyr in Dialog cum Tryph. Jud. ut prolixius è Justino nos anteà citavimus Quibus Justini verbis hanc suam addit sententiam Nescio inquit an tantum ut hoc JUSTINI testimonium pro aliquâ Christianorum opinione exceptis fundamentalibus fidei articulis afferri possit Generalis autem ORTHODOXORUM consensus
Prophet is to point out that Dominion and that Glory c. which the other foure Monarchs had And ALL PEOPLES and NATIONS and LANGUAGES should SERVE him whose dominion is for ever c. that is as long as the world below lasts all which manifestly relate to a Kingdome of Christ on earth compare v. 23 and v. 27. Thus far the Kingdome is given to Christ as if in comparison hee had none afore The vers 17. c. it is said to be the Saints Kingdome in these words These great Beasts which are foure are foure Kings that is foure Emperial Monarchies under foure races of mighty persecuting Monarchical Emperours of foure several sorts namely First Assyrio-Chaldean Secondly Medo-Persian Thirdly Grecian Fourthly Roman which shall arise out of the EARTH that is by violence succeed one another in that inheritance of the world But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdome that is that very Kingdome of the world that the other foure former Monarchs had and possesse the Kingdome for ever and for ever and ever that is in all ages as long as time shall bee as the original signifies adding v. 23. c. to the end of the Chapter The fourth Beast shall bee the fourth Kingdome upon earth that is the Emperour of the Roman Empire which shall bee divers from al the Kingdomes namely in Rule in Conquest and Cruelty and shall devoure the whole earth and shall tread it down and breake it in peeces meaning that the Romans shall conquer the whole world utterly defacing all Kingly dominion in the same And the ten Hornes out of this Kingdome are ten Kings that shall arise to wit the Roman Empire at last is divided into ten Kingdomes as John hath it severall times in the Revelation as a tendency to the ruine of that Empire for it follows here And another shall rise after them and he shall bee divers from the first and he shall subdue three Kings That is the Easterne Saracen-Arabian Turkish power ascending to a monstrous height of strength differing from the former in Nation Religion and Tyranny shall take away three of the said tenne Kingdomes And he shall speake great words against the most High see the Turkish Alcoran and shall weare out the Saints of the most High that is in a great measure slaying so many Christians at one battel as the tippes of their right eares filled nine sackes and thinke to change Times and Lawes that is those of divine institution as appeares also in his Alcoran and they shall bee given into his hand untill a time and times and dividing of times meaning that the Saint◠shall by divine permission fall under the Turkish power three hundred and fifty yeers from his first invading the Jewish Countries to his full and finall fall But saith the 26. v. c. to the end of the Chapter The judgement shall sit and they shall take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it to the end that is to say The Ancient of dayes as fitting in judgement judgeth to vindicate the Saints and so gives them opportunity and virility to deprive the Turke of his Kingdome and utterly to consume his power and strength And so in the 27. verse The Kingdome and Dominion UNDER the whole HEAVEN shall bee given to the people of the Saints of the most High c. That is the same Dominions of the whole world below that the former tyrannicall Monarches usurped shall now be given into the hands of the converted Jewes and holy Gentiles adhering to them to reigne on earth with Christ to whom these Dominions were delivered in the former part of this Chapter This place of the seventh of Daniel hath beene so large touching the Saints reigning with Christ on earth that we shall adde but one or two places more and that very briefly Revel 11.15 c. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of the WORLD are become the Kingdomes of our LORD and of his CHRIST or of him as CHRIST and hee shall REIGNE for ever and ever that is throughout all AGES from hence forward over the Kingdomes of the WORLD as if hitherto he had not in comparison reigned over them And the foure and twenty Elders c. fell upon their faces c. Saying we give thee thanks O Lord c. because thou hast TAKEN TO THEE THY GREAT POWER and hast REIGNED and the Nations were ANGRY which shewes this was not at the ultimate day of judgement and the time of the dead that they should bee judged is come that is the Saints should bee vindicated for so it presently followes that thou shouldest give rewards to thy servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that feare thy name which what should it bee but to reigne on earth as it is both before expressed in the Preface Rev. 5.10 and after in the Catastrophe Revel 20.4 in regard of which reigning on earth they may bee said to bee the FIRST-FRUITS to God Rev. 14.4 because this is but the beginning of Gods worke of glorifying his Saints Let us close this Paragraph with Heb. 2.5 c. to 10. The world to come the Greek is the INHABITED world to come must be put under man though not under Angels according to Psalme 8. quoted there by the Apostle which Psalme relates to Gen. 1.26 where God gives Adam dominion over all the Creation But saith the Apostle in his time Wee see not yet all things put under him onely Jesus as the pledge is crowned with glory Therefore say I there is such a thing yet to come Let not the Reader if I may intreat so much despise the allegation of these Texts for the present purpose which are little more then barely alleadged onely to hint the Saints reigning with Christ on earth I desire to ingage him upon this request but for a time till I come to critically scan if I may assume so much confidence to my selfe these and many other places of Scripture And then upon his serious joynt view of all all together if he can bee of another minde different from mee let him for mee abound in his owne sense § 4 But to wheele about from this digression to our owne post and businesse in hand viz. the Reigning of the Saints WITH CHRIST at this time and in this place aforesaid Before they reigned but sometimes over their corruptions and Satans temptations but never over men but now totally and finally over Sinne MEN and Divels as wee shall demonstrate afterwards Their living must be after a RESURRECTION as the word is twice mentioned in this 20. of Revelation Though they bee made but spiritual Kings and Priests as the Objecters will have it in those words Rev. 5.10 Hee hath made us Kings and Priests to God yet how shall the next words be figured off from their proper sense where the Crowne of Dignity is put upon the head of REIGNING UPON EARTH Hee
hath made us Kings and Priests unto God AND besides Wee shall REIGN UPON EARTH And as through abundance of confidence begetting abundance of joy the Saints are brought in expressing it in a triumphing song And againe they praise for the same thing in substance in a song Rev. 14.3 And againe the same matter in the same manner in effect Rev. 19. first six verses And the reason given is because the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and hath avenged the blood of his servants and the Saints are then extant to praise for it and all this must bee yeelded to bee on earth by whomsoever the rest of the Chapter shall be read out curiously for whiles the Saints are all in Heaven properly so called Christ needs not as it is v. 15. rule the NATIONS with a ROD OF IRON or as it is v. 18. c. Call the fowles to eat the flesh of Kings Captaines c. and of horses whiles he slayes men with the sword But I transgresse in anticipating if not prejudicing my selfe in spending so much time in touches hints and intimations afore I come to the elaborate scanning of these and other Scriptures SECT III. Analecta de Sanctis in illo MILLENARIO CUM CHRISTO regnantibus SAnctos cum CHRISTO regnare his mille annis tam Canorâ profertur emphasi ut nemo facile surdeat incurius In praefatione Apocalypsis cap. 5. praefatam aliquatenus in libro cap. 20. liberè habemus prenunciatam In 5. cap. ovantes canunt Dignus es Agne qui accipias librum aperias c. quoniam mactatus es fecisti nos DEO NOSTRO reges sacerdotes ET observetur illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterea REGNABIMUS in TERRA Mirum si regnaverint in terrâ Christiani Christo ibidem non regnante Verùm non ita ab effectu sejungatur causa Sed vivent inquit vicesimum Caput regnabunt CUM CHRISTO mille annos 2. Ut verò Christus dicitur hoc Milleno ita in terris regnare quasi illum comparativè non anteà ibidem regnâsse dici videatur Apocal. 11.15.17 Ita Sancti pari analogiâ dicuntur tunc CUM ILLO illic regnaturi tanquam non regnantes ante haec videbantur 3. Videamus jam utriusque mappam Discutiamus postea Dan. 7. v. 9. ad v. 15. Videbam donec solia posita sunt ita Textus originalis it a vetus interpres ANTIQUUS DIERUM sedit coram quo myrias myriadum stabant Judicio considente libri aperti sunt Videbam tunc ex quo caepit vox verborum grandium quae cornu illud parvum nempe illud ultimum grandiloquum v. 8. loquebatur Videbam usque dum occisa est bestia illa scilicet decemcornupeta cum ultimo succrescenti cornu eradicanti tria v. 7 8. occisa est perditurque corpus ejus traditum incendio Residui etiam bestiarum ablatus est dominatus spacium tamen in vita datur iis us que ad tempus constitutum Visionibus videbam nocturnis quò◠ecce cum nubibus Caeli SIMILIS FILIO HOMINIS Christus nempe Veniebat deinde usque ad ANTQUUM DIERUM nempe DEUM PATREM pervenit ut sisteretur ante eum ETHUIC Christo scilicet datur dominatus gloriaque ac Regnum ILLUD Sic Graecè habetur emphaticè ad mentem Prophetae eundem domìnatum illam ipsam gloriam idemque regnum penes olim quatuor Monarchas jam Christo dari ut patet ex sequentibus ut omnes populi nationes linguae ei serviant cujus dominatus est perpetuus c. id est nulla post Christi dominatum Regnum sequitur in terris dominatio Vel perpetuum dicitur hoc Christi Regnum quod omni durante seculo est duraturum ut sonat origo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quae omnia cunctis ni captis oculis apertissimè referuntur ad visibile Christi REGNUM in TERRA expressiùs v. 23.27 collatis singulis quatuor Monarchiis quae praecesserunt ruentibus HOC Regnum hucusque Christo datum quasi nullum illi fuisset antea jam sanctis datur utpote cum Christo regnantibus v. 17. c. ad finem Hae bestiae magnae inquit unus ex astantibus juxta Danielem interpres quae sunt quatuor quatuor sunt reges e terrâ surrecturi id est quatuor Imperia Monarchica sanctos persequentia in terrarum haereditate invicem succedentia nempe Assyrio-Chaldaicum Medo-persicum Graecum Romanum Sed Sancti accipient Regnum HOC ut Junius dat emphasin qui possessuri Regnum IPSUM ut iterum dat Junius usque in seculum inque seculum seculorum Id est interpretanti Ephraimo Huito Sancti Judaei privabunt eas bestias suo dominatu eundem possessuri ad extremum mundi finem His visis Danieli optanti veritatem cognoscere de bestiâ quartâ ab omnibus diversâ dentibus ferreis conculcante caeteras deque cornibus decem in ejus capite deque ultimo succrescente cornu a cujus conspectu ceciderunt tria ore ejus loquente grandia gerenteque bellum cum sanctis eisque praevalente usque ad ANTIQUI DIERUM adventum judicium sanctis daturum ità responsum est Bestia illa quarta regnum quartum erit in terrâ quod diversum erit ab omnibus illis regnis consumet enim totam terram c. Id est Imperium Romanum diversum regimine victoriis crudelitate a caeteris eorundent dominatus regalia delebit Et cornua deâ—â—m ex illo regno sunt decem reges qui exsurgent post quos exsurget postremus qui erit a prioribus diversus tres reges deprimet Id est ex quarto imperio nempe Roma no surrexerunt decem status inferiores â—yrannici in quos hoc dividitur impeâ—â—um hâc praeparatione divinitùs factâ in ruinam ejus ut opportunè jam cornu Turcicum tres illorum domat dominaturque absolutissimè â—ejectis legibus imperialibus Romanis quâ ratione a decem omnino distinguitur Et loquetur postremus ille verba adversus excelsum excelsique sanctos deteret adeò ut cogitet se mutaturum tempora jus Id est quà m maximas inventas blasphemias contra Deum promulgabit crudelique tyrannide sanctorum debilitabit potentiam consulet de mutandis temporibus legibusque divinitùs institutis Tradenturque in manum ejus usque ad tempus tempora divisumque tempus Nempe Turca ita dicto conamine praevalebit ut Sancti ejus dominio trecentos quinquaginta annos subjicientur Sed judicium considebit dominatus ejus auferetur profligando perdendoque usque in finem Hoc est judicante Jehovâ sancti eripiunt illi regâ—um vim râ—bur potestatem ejus devastantes Regnum autem dominatusque amplitudo regnorum SUB TOTO CAELO dabitur POPULO sanctorum exceâ—sissimi Cujus regnum erit in seculum omnes dominatores ei servient auscultabunt Quibus
justissimè numerum MILLE annorum de eâdem ipsissimâ re nunquam variatâ phrase nisi quater in majorem emphasin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 MILLE Annos in mille ILLOS annos si ego interea fixero intervallum a MILLE alienum § 2 Clà m me habenda est uspiam Bibliorum similis phrasis quâ MILLE anni minus mille annis reverà significant ut ipse eò praesumptionis contrariae auderem Aliud planè est quomodo Deus aestimet 2 Pet. 3.8 aliud est realis computatio de quâ praesens instituitur disputatio etsi apud Petrum MILLE anni mente divinâ contrahantur in DIEM DIES vice versâ in MILLE annos ibidem prolongatur § 3 Partes insuper contextus contenta quae sigillatìm hoc MILLENARIO enumerantur ita cohaerent tanquà m causa effectus distinctio oppositio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ut exactissimo numerum MILLENARIUM nobis vo lentibus nolentibus retinebunt Primùm dicit Johannes Satanam vinciri MILLE annos ut non seduceret ampliùs gentes donec consummentur illi emphaticè mille anni Deinde videt Apostolus sanctos securi percussos bestiamque non veneratos VIVENTES cum Christo REGNANTES ILLOS iterùm emphaticè quasi dicat eosdem mille annos Postea dicit reliquos mortuorum non revixisse donec consummentur illi tertiò emphaticè anni mille quibus concurrentibus prima exstat resurrectio in quâ Sancti expressè versu 6. facti Sacerdotes Dei Christi regnant cum eo Mille annis Quibus quarâ—ò emphaticè Mille annis consummatis Solvitur Satanas post quod ultimum sequitur judicium seu universalis vel secunda resurrectio v. 12. Dignum observatu arbitror quamvis obiter e versu sexto Apostolum postquam dixisset Sanctos fieri Sacerdotes Dei Christi non addere ut Apocal. 5.10 fieri etiam reges sed in locum horum verborum substituit illa regnabunt cum eo mille annis Undè quid saniùs deduci queat quà m Sanctos fieri reges Deo cap. 5.10 in relatione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EORUM REGNARE IN TERRA ibidem dictum fuisse § 4 4. Nec minimae aestimetur considerationis ne hunc distendamus numerum vel decurlemus si modò obsignatam esse mensuram utrisque illius extremis libet animadvertere Duae quippe RESURRECTIONES tanquam ambo intervalli limites figuntur immoti PRIMA v. 5. ab incepto sanctorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VIVERE REGNARE quam relatione ad SECUNDAM dici necesse est descriptam v. 7. ad 14. quoad rem quamvis non nominatam ut omnibus ex charactere notissimam Consulite lectores benevoli locum accuratissime ut hic loci huic FINIS LIBRI PRIMI PRIMO LIBRO FINEM IMPONAM THE SECOND BOOK OF THE PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF CHRIST At least in the Clouds TO THE CHURCH ON EARTH CHAP. I. The generall Position divided into two parts § 1 HAving cleered it in the former Book that our Position is an ancient Scripture-truth and that in the judgement of the flower of godly Antiquity and later pious learned men Next wee must punctually distinguish how much CHRIST shall be seen and bee sensibly interested in this glorious state of the Church and restitution of all things for her use and how much the Saints For our Position doth couchantly containe these two parts 1. That Christ shall then at least appeare visibly in person more § 2 or lesse 2. That the Saints under him shall sensibly and properly reigne over the whole earth most gloriously § 3 The first of these it may bee will not appeare so cleerly as the second But whether not sufficiently let the next Chapter testifie CHAP. II. Of ten severall Scriptures out of the New Testament to prove the visible appearance of Christ Personally to the Church on earth at the time of her Restauration SECT I. 1. Place John points out Joh. 19.37 They shall looke on him whom they have pierced Which Scripture is cleerly quoted out of Zech. 12.10 And I will poure out upon the house of DAVID and upon the INHABITANTS of JERUSALEM the Spirit of grace and supplication and THEY shall LOOKE on him whom they have PIERCED and they shall mourne for him or concerning him as one mourneth for his onely sonne and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first-borne § 1 IT is true that there was an handfull of First-fruits so called Rom. 11.16 that truly then mourned for him whom they had pierced Joh. 19.37 Act. 2. And there was some effusion of the Spirit Act. 2. but was but First-fruits Rom. 8.23 But as the Prophesies of the Old Testament concerning Christ and his Kingdome are exceeding comprehensive and extensive so the fulfilling of them is as it is Calvins note progressive and successive in all ages to the last end of all This small number of those mourners cannot in my eye compleat and make up an answerable fulfilling of that which was promised to the INHABITANTS of JERUSALEM in generall and their severall families of David of Nathan of Levi of Shimei and ALL THE FAMILIES THAT REMAINE as they are expressely named in this twelfth of Zech. vers 12 13 14. Consider it Reader wishly § 2 Those that would wave the power of this Text and shun the dint of its argument for the point of Christs Personall appearing at the great future Restauration must of necessity make this Text either relate to the time about Christs Passion or to the time of Christs coming to his last and ultimate and univer all judgement But in my judgement they cannot referre it to either of them there to find the just and compleat and main fulfilling thereof Therefore it must relate to the time of the RESTITUTION of which we speak For from Babylon they were already returned and Christ was not then pierced § 3 First they cannot justly devolve it wholly or chiefly on the time of Christs PASSION for these reasons 1. This looking on Christ whom they pierced is to be at THAT DAY at some notable day some most eminent famous great magnificent day marked out in the Context with three eminent Characters 1. is in v. 6 7. In THAT DAY I will make the Governour of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of fire in a sheafe and they shall devour all the people round about c. and Jerusalem shall bee inhabited againe in her owne place c. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah to a Glory c. But it was not so with Jerusalem at the time of Christs Passion when the ROMANS possessed it and THEY and the JEWES crucified Christ The second Character is vers 8. In THAT DAY shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and hee that is feeble among them AT THAT DAY shall be as DAVID
distinct as that the Apostle makes them opposite 2 Cor. 5.7 Heb. 11. oft Therefore every eye seeing him cannot signifie a sight of faith onely There needed not any expression of EYE or of his being in the Clouds to signifie a sight by faith Wee can now see him in Heaven by faith It is a question whether every eye that is said here to see him shall at first sight see him by faith For EVERY EYE must see him and ALL KINDREDS of the EARTH shall mourne Sure his Antichristian enemies generally shall not see him by faith whom he destroyes at his coming Rev. 19. last 2 Thess 2. to make way for the reigning of the Saints Rev. 20. EVEN SO AMEN John did believe saw Christ by faith but for that sight of him in the Clouds to be visible to him and all the Kindreds of the earth he prayes and raiseth up his faith with an hearty Amen that so it shall bee So that by all these things it is most evident that of a time and state following Christs Ascention John speakes here Nor on the other side can this Revel 1.7 bee understood of the ultimate day of judgement 1. Because it is the same with Zech. 1.10 and so for the same reasons cannot bee meant of that day of judgement 2. Because this is set here as the maine and generall Proposition to the Book of the Revelation in which the Master-peece is to set forth Christ to come and set up his Church into a most glorious estate on earth before the day of judgement as wee shall see abundantly afterwards and to make her reigne with him on earth 3. It were very incongruous for John in the last clause of verse 6. to applaud Christs DOMINION as to continue FOR EVER that is while times and ages last as the Greek imports and in the next breath in the first clause of the seventh verse to say he cometh to make an end of his Dominion For the ultimate day of judgement is the last act of Christs Dominion which done Christ layes downe all his Dominion that God may bee all in all 1 Cor. 15.24.28 Wee may not imagine such incoherencies in Johns expression now most eminently filled with the Spirit Therefore I must needs conclude that there is no such likely time of such an eminent coming of Christ and appearing to his Church as this at the time of Restitution of all things Something of this place will be more plain by that in the next Section § 4 But before wee come to that let us collate and lay together the two precedent places of Zech. 12.10 and Revel 17. and out of both containing the same sense and in the same words let us draw this argument as the summe of both Zechary the Prophet and John the Apostle both prophesie in the aforesaid places of one and the same personall appearance of Christ visibly to the eyes of men on earth after his Ascention But this cannot bee understood of his appearance at the ultimate generall judgement because they speake of his pouring out of grace and giving repentance to the families of the Jewes and of his Dominion thence to continue for many ages to the ultimate end of the world Therefore the said visible appearance of Christ is yet to bee before the ultimate day of judgement Which when should it bee but at the conversion of the Jewes and the throwing downe of his apparent obstinate Antichristian enemies as the circumstances of the said places before hinted doe cleerly evince SECT III. OF THE third PLACE OF SCRIPTURE for Christs Personall Appearance at the great Restauration of the Church viz. Matth. 24. v. 30. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory § 1 OBserve distinctly every clause and word 1. Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man that is the Sonne of man shall appeare for a signe that great things are at hand as it followes in this verse they shall see the sonne of man and mourne 2. The signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven He was before in the highest third Heaven but now in the lowest first Heaven namely of the Clouds as it follows also in this verse 3. And then shall all the TRIBES of the EARTH intimating Jewes as well as Gentiles mourne Why They shall see the Sonne of man that is as man How mourne Doubtlesse Christ meanes as Zechary meant and John meant namely the Jewes with godly repentance and his obstinate open enemies with desperation for the ruine that is coming upon them 4. Coming IN the Clouds or UPON the Clouds See now what was Johns meaning Rev. 1.7 when he said Christ should come WITH the Clouds To this matter with and in is all one And which is considerable our New Translators concur with us as by quotation in the Margin to make this and Rev. 1.7 to be parallel places tending to the same thing § 2 Now Christ spake this before his Ascention and going away above the clouds Therefore it must needs be that this must bee fulfilled after he hath attended above the Clouds Then and not till then will it be rightly said and properly fulfilled that he comes in the Clouds So the Angels at Christs Ascention Act. 1. After that in v. 9.10 He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight the Disciples looking stedfastly towards heaven as he went up they say unto them This same Jesus which is TAKEN up from you into heaven shall SO COME It must needs be improper to say he shall COME IN the Clouds before hee be gone above the Clouds Before hee came at incarnation in the Virgins wombe and in a Manger But now after his Ascention above the Clouds hee shall come in the Clouds § 3 Nor can this his coming and appearance in the Clouds be here understood of his coming at the ultimate day of judgement because of that but foure verses after namely v. 34. which Christ affirmeth with grand asseveration namely Verily I say unto you THIS GENERATION shall not passe till ALL THESE things bee fulfilled And then hee seales it and binds it up in the next verse viz. v. 35. Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words and particularly those words aforegoing shall not passe away A seale doth sometimes represent the Writer as well as the words of the writing This doth something also explaine the former passages of this Chapter That heaven and earth shall passe at Christs coming that is in quality not in substance saith Oecumenius on the 21 of Revel there shall bee a new heaven and a new earth the old passing away as Isa 65.2 Pet. 3. Rev. 21. but Christs word for his Personal appearance to his people before the ultimate day of judgement shall not passe For this appearance of Christ in the
he that shall endure to the END the same shall be saved Of the other signes he said they did not signifie that the END was immediately at hand vers 6. These signs shall be saith Christ BUT the END is not YET But now hee comes to speake of the signe of the End of the world viz. that this Gospel of the KINGDOME shall be preached in all the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 published as by an Herauld And THIS Gospel of THE KINGDOME as pointing at this particular of the good newes of the Gospel that Christ should after all these darke clouds of the reigne of wickednesse have a Kingdome on earth And then saith Christ shall the END come which must of necessity import one of these ENDS and one of these wayes must be signified by the publishing of the Gospel in all the world That either the Gospel should be published in all the world to Jews and Gentiles as a signe immediately before the End of THIS present world that is before the thousand yeers of the great Restauration Or that the full and effectuall manifestation of the Gospel should be in the time of that Restauration in those thousand yeers which Paul calls Heb. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That inhabited world that is to come of which place much after as a fore-running signe of the ultimate generall end of the whole world Let the Reader take which he pleaseth For either of them concludes for us that after this signe according as we interpret the sequel shall be the beginning or ending of Christs visible appearance to us on earth As it follows vers 29. Then shall appear the signe of the Sonne of man not for a meer short sentence of judgement but to gather his elect from the foure quarters of the earth Of which place much in Sect. 3. of this 2 Book § 4 To gather all into an apparent argument the summe and signes of all is this If Christ in shewing the signes of his coming the second time doth clearly distinguish between his next coming and visible appearing and the end of the world and for that end gives distinct signes of both then Christ must come before the end of the world and visibly appeare But so doth Christ clearly distinguish and distinctly signifie those two as we have shewed Therefore there is yet a time wherein Christ will come and visibly appeare before the end of the world At first we know by the Gospels he came in a state of humility for salvation to sinners that should believe The next time he comes in glory to reigne visibly to the comfort of them that doe beleeve Rev. 20. first six verses Third and last time for terrour to the wicked vers 12. Of that second coming the thing now under consideration Christ having given signes as hath been shewed he concludes in verse 30. They shall see the Sonne of man in the Clouds of heaven with great power and glory which cannot be meant of the finall sentence of the ultimate judgement because of that in the 34 verse bound with an asseveration and attestation before and behinde Verily I say unto you this generation shall not passe till all these things be fulfilled Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away Of which 34. vers much afterward SECT X. Of the tenth Scripture for Christs visible appearance at the great restauration of the Church Luke 19. ver 11. to 28. He added and spake a Parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the KINGDOME OF GOD should immediately APPEARE A certaine noble-man went into a farre Country to RECEIVE FOR HIMSELFE A KINGDOME and TO RETURNE and he called his ten Servants and delivered to them ten pounds and said unto them occupy till I come But his Citizens hated him and sent a Message after him saying we will not have this man to reigne over us And it came to passe when he was returned HAVING RECEIVED THE KINGDOME then he commanded these servants to be called unto him to whom he gave the mony c. Then came the first saying Lord thy pound hath gained ten pounds And he said unto him well thou good servant because thou hast been faithfull in a little have thou authority over ten Cities and so proportionable to the rest But those mine enemies that would not have me reigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me § 1 THis Parable was spoken a little before Christs suffering as appeares by the order of the Story here and in Mat. 25. It is pend by Luke who wrote the Acts where he carefully reports Christs coming againe just as they saw him ascend in relation to the restoring of the Kingdome of which Christ spake and the Disciples enquired after Act. 1.3 4 5 6 c. to 12. only saith Luke Acts 3.21 The heavens must receive him for a time and then he shall come from heaven and cause the restitution of all things as hath been opened § 2 The Preface to this Parable is a golden key to open the curious Cabinet of the meaning of this Parable that we may not relye upon a meere Allegory Christ spake this Parable because he was night to Jerusalem and because they thought that the Kingdome of God should IMMEDIATELY APPEARE It doth not deny the appearing of the Kingdom Christ is for it only he is against the immediate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the suddaine appearance of it he must afore that as is the maine sence of the Parable goe away into a farre country viz. to Heaven and leave talents in trust with his servants giving them time to imploy them and to be so long absent that his enemies grow so bold as to send after him with this high affront they would not have him to reigne over them that is according to the direct sence Some seemingly professours by his long absence should grow quite carelesse of improving the talents or gifts of endowments to his honour and others by his delay as they counted it should become professed enemies against him § 3 But whatever these mistakers dreamed the truth was that as the diligent Talenters expected and accordingly acted Christ went away to Heaven not to returne no more but went thither to take to himselfe a Kingdome which phrase viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie a Kingdome peculiar to himselfe as he is Christ else how doth he take it or receive it to himselfe And being installed into it he is to returne He had his Kingdome of grace before he went away as he oft mentioneth it in his Parables and Sermons adding that that his Kingdome was not of this world And he had the Kingdome of glory as his triumph over his Kingdome of grace having finished his conquest on the Crosse So hee needed not to returne to receive either of these Kingdomes It remains therefore that it is the Kingdome we speak of that he returnes to receive He went to Heaven
are inconsistent with glory in the highest Heaven In like manner the residue of this one and twentieth Chapter shewes that the meaning is not of supernall eternall glory according to former common opinion of divines as ver 9 10. An Angel shewes John the Bride the Lambes wife viz. the great City holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God which cannot possibly be meant of a state in the highest Heaven no Angel need tell John or he us that the Church shall bee seen in that Heaven when there it shall be seen without shewing by all the inhabitants there Nor is this a direct but a crosse phrase to expresse the state of the Church ascended by its descending out of heaven from God The soules of the elect must descend to be united to their bodies on earth there for a time to inherit all things as said afore before their ultimate glory And for that description of New Hierusalem by measures c. from ver 11.22 can it meane the spanning of Heaven or the measures of the place of ultimate glory The parts and particulars are all too short and to no purpose wee beleeve more then all in this Text without this Text doubtlesse this Geometricall and Architectonicall Iconiâ—me or description is taken out of Ezekiel from Chap. 39. to the end of the Book in all the Prophet importing thus much that Gog the enemy of Israel shall be destroyed and they themselves shall bee gathered from their captivity and measures out to them their New Testament estate that it shall be more goodly and glorious then all their Old Testament state and therefore when John hath this given to him in Rev. 21. as an exposition of Ezech. 39.40 41 42 c. Chapters it would be but a darke dreame to apply it to supernall eternall glory which many circumstances forbid for if it be meant of that glory why ver 14. are only the names of the twelve Apostles to be inserted in the twelve foundations and not the names also of the twelve Patriarchs of the twelve Tribes What need was there to tell us ver 11. that the place spoken of here hath in it the glory of God and a light like a Iasper cleare as Chrystall or to minde us ver 17. that the cubits were according to the measure of a man or to warn us ver 22. that John saw there no Temple and for that in ver 23 24. That God and the Lambe are the light of New Hierusalem â—nd they that are sazed shal walke in it and Kings shal bring their glory and honour unto it I aske any ingenuous man whether he can keeping his reason with him apply these things to ultimate happinesse in the highest Heaven Is there a walking or conversation of life in spirituall light Is it not a quiet injoying and beholding the unspeakeable manifestation of Gods speciall presence Doe Kings and Princes there goe and come and bring their honour and glory to heaven Or doe they bring as ver 26. the glory and honour of Nations unto it Thus take altogether quarrell not peecely with this or that fragment but take the whole entirely and then tell me ingenuously whether this one and twentieth Chapter can meane any thing but a glorious state on earth before the ultimate Judgement at which time is rather a destruction then an extruction or building and therefore this Chapter clearly containes the admirable state of the Church of Jewes and Gentiles for the space of that thousand yeares in the twentieth Chapter the exposition whereof is the work now in hand to which we returne § 5 The third passage in this twentieth Chapter of Revelations is that the Saints reigne with Christ a thousand yeares or the thousand yeares This number of yeares is expressed six times in the first seven verses twice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and foure times with an emphaticall Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can any judicious man take this meerly Allegorically and not Historically and litterally Can he upon good grounds make it to signifie lesse then a thousand yeares It is true a thousand yeares in Gods account 2 Pet. 3. in regard of his present knowledge of all things or knowledge of all things as present and his eternall entity before and beyond all things are but as one day but still a thousand yeares are a thousand yeares in themselves how ever they be as nothing in comparison of God But can man make a long time and a short time all one Are a thousand yeares to him but as one naturall day or to the Saints here reigning surely then the Saints priviledge of reigning or the binding of Satan for their sakes will amount to a very small matter Then on the morrow Gog and Magog shall rise against the Saints for at the end of the thousand yeares they shall rise against them Or can any considering man make these thousand yeares to signifie more then a thousand yeares viz. eternity the Scriptures have no such phrase that I know And divers of the Fathers afore the Floud though in a worse life-cherishing state lived within a few yeares of a thousand Is there not a notorious eminent punctum or point of the beginning and period of the ending of these thousand yeares They begin with the fall of Antichrist the destruction of his Army Rev. 19.19 20. and the wonderfull binding of Satan chap. 20. ver 2. And they end with the loosing of Satan and the warre with Gog-Magog Is it possible now that any should referre this to the eternity of supreame glory therefore as ver 4. it must needs be meant of reigning with Christ on earth at least a thousand yeares properly understood as it is expounded Revel 5.10 for all the Saints that are found on earth at Christs next coming never reigned with Christ in heaven and after the last Judgement Christ doth not reigne as Christ but layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 § 6 Let us in the next place take some maine particulars of this twentieth Chapter and compare the mystery of the things with the history of times Johns science with our experience and see whether we can make these all hold together unlesse wee understand them of a glorious Kingdome of Christ on earth before the ultimate day of judgement We will cull out but three particulars 1 The resurrection of the Saints vers 4 5. They must so live as the dead wicked that while did not live But the dead wicked did live that while in soule therefore the Saints must live more then so viz. must live that while in soule and body too Againe the Saints must so live at this first resurrection as the dead wicked shall at the second resurrection But the dead wicked shall live in soule and body at the second resurrection therefore the Saints at this first resurrection live in soule and body Let the Reader piercingly weigh the Text and he shall finde these syllogismes little lesse then demonstrations As for the difference
of grace and non-grace that difference was made before death in the life time of the Saints and wicked The second particular is the casting of the Devill into the bottomlesse pit and shutting and sealing him in it that he may not seduce the Nations till the thousand yeers be finished vers 3. The third particular is the letting loose of Satan at the end of the thousand yeers to seduce all the Nations on the foure corners of the earth till he gather together an innumerable Army to encompasse the camp of the Saints the event whereof is that that Army is consumed with five from heaven After which immediately begins the last judgement vers 7 8 9. Now wee shall challenge literas omnes literatos all learned books and men when in all the one thousand six hundred and fifty yeers of the New Testament by-past were these three particulars fulfilled When did the Saints or Martyrs so rise For still they have been and are under persecution or sore afflictions in one or other or severall Nations more or lesse When was Satan so bound and imprisoned as that he did not seduce the Nations For to this day Lutherans Protestants Papists Turkes Indians Jewes c. are seduced by him in matters of Errour and War And when was there such an innumerable Army encompassing the camp of the Saints consumed with fire from Heaven upon which immediately followed that day of judgement when the Devill is cast into the lake of fire a Throne is set and the bookes are opened c. as it is v. 10 11 12 § 7 It is true some learned men doe say that the time of Satans binding that he could not seduce the Nations for a thousand yeers to the making of an happy time for the Church so long began three hundred yeers after Christ and so ended one thousand and three hundred yeers after Christ For say they at the end of three hundred yeers after Christ the ten persecutions ceased in which persecution say they Satan was loose to seduce the world But those persecutions being ceased the thousand yeers of the Churches comfortable condition began So Mr. Brightman on Revel and Mr. Fox in his book of Martyrs onely with this difference That one of them inserts within the said thousand by them laid out the five months mentioned Revel 9.5 as a so long interruption of their described quiet in those thousand yeers understanding by those five months certaine yeers that is that every day of those five months signifies a yeer which according to solary months makes the thousand yeers end an hundred and thirty yeers lower or according to â—unary months one hundred and twenty yeers later Pareus begins the thousand yeers of the binding of Satan c. at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus sixty nine yeers as he accounts after the birth of Christ At which time saith he the Jewish Temple and Worship ceasing the great impediment of the Gentiles imbracing the Gospel was removed So that this while Satan was bound from seducing the Gentiles or Nation § 8 Whence first let the Reader observe by the way that all these three godly and greatly learned men doe concur and fully agree with us in this that the meaning of the thousand yeers is literall That it signifies a thousand yeers properly taken yea and to include sensible events though they differ from us and from one another in other particulars § 9 But for the opinions themselves we cannot agree with them in the beginning of these thousand yeers and consequently not in their ending 1 ¶ Not with Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightmans computation First because they include the ten Persecutions which lasted three hundred yeers within the time of Satans beng loose and seducing the Nations preceding the beginning of their account of the thousand yeers whith ten Persecutions include the Apostles time and the Primitive purest times And so by consequence Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman make those primitive times more corrupt and more seduced then the ages following the ten Persecutions which is contrary to Rev. 11.1 and Revel 12.1 And contrary to experience out of all antiquity that in those times the Church was far more pure generally then ever since Secondly because this compute of Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman makes the times following the ten Persecutions to begin an happy thousand yeers for the Church and so to continue to one thousand three hundred yeers after Christ But this is contrary to experience from all approved antiquity who doth give us a particular account that after that little time in the life of Constantine the Great wherein the Church had some outward peace and prosperity anon began the black-heresie and bloody-persecution by the Arians upon the necke of which followed Pelagianisme and many other grosse and grievous errours and heresies 2 ¶ For the computation of Pareus that cannot stand for many strong reasons that batter it downe For first the Jewish worship did not cease as Pareus affirmes at the destruction of the Temple by Titus but doth continue to this day And instead of the exercise thereof in that one Nation of the Jewes it is practised by them in their Synagogues in most Nations in Europe if not elsewhere also as our Country-Merchants and Travellers are eare and eye-witnesses If by Jewish worship Pareus doth mean that particular of it of sacrificing as if that at least ended at Titus destruction of the Temple therein also is Pareus mistaken as most Ecclesiastical Histories and Chronologies abet us to affirme For say these Records when Titus had overthrown the Temple the Jews sacrificed in the City as neer the ruines of their Temple as they could Yea when Hadrian or Adrian the Roman Emperour had destroyed the City they sacrificed at Mamre where God appeared formerly to Abraham Nor was their zeale to sacrificing so extinguished when Constantine the Great beat them from Mamre For anon after Constantine Julian the Apostate the Romane Emperour encouraged the Jewes to returne to Jerusalem there to re-build the ruines and offer sacrifice till fire from heaven discomfited them which falls far lower then sixty nine yeers after Christ namely to about three hundred and sixty yeers after Christ So that this Jewish worship lasted all the time of the ten Persecutions in which Mr. Fox and Mr. Brightman say Satan was let loose and not bound up as Pareus affirmes 2 Within this thousand yeers of binding Satan computed by Pareus to begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ is found nothing for the Jewes nor their new Jerusalem contrary to the scope of all the Scripture as we shall hear abundantly after which cleerly drives at this that the call of the Jewes must be a great part of the glory of that state we speake of and they the principall partakers thereof 3 In all that thousand yeers which Pareus makes up beginning at sixty nine yeers after Christ and consequently ending at one thousand sixty nine yeers after Christ all things
a glorious state of all things Gen. 1.26 And God said Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them have dominion over the fish of the Sea and over the fowle of the Aire and over the Cattell and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth 27. So God created man in his owne Image c. 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and SVBDVE IT and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea and over the fowle of the aire and over EVERY LIVING THING that moveth on the earth Psal 8.1 O LORD our LORD how excellent is thy name IN ALL THE EARTH who hast set thy glory above the heavens 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy ard the avenger 3. When I consider thy Heavens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Stars which thou hast ordained 4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Sonne of Man that thou visitest him 5. For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour 6. Thou madest him to have DOMINION OVER THE WORKES OF THY HANDS thou hast put ALL THINGS UNDER HIS FEET c. Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection the WORLD TO COME whereof we speake 6. But one in a certaine place testified saying what is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him 7. Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels thou crownest him with glory and honour and didst set him OVER the workes of thy hands 8. Thou hast put ALL THINGS in subjection UNDER HIS FEET for in that hee hath put ALL in subjection under him he left NOTHING that is not put under him 9. But now WEE SEE NOT YET ALL THINGS put under him but we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste of death for every man § 1 AS Saint Iohn fetcheth in the Notions of the terrestriall Paradise to describe New Hierusalem of which Revel 21. or which is all one the glorious state of the Church that it shal have on earth before the last Judgement Revel 22. or else we shall make John to speake impertinently for in supreame glory is no need of a river of water or of streets or of a tree of Life or of twelve sorts of fruit one for each month or of leaves to heale the Nations or to make him speake untruly if any would turne it to an Allegory of a fountaine of Doctrine or of more and fresh effusions of the Spirit or of Christ to beare any further fruit he there laying downe all 1 Cor. 15.28 even so the Prophet David falls upon a divine meditation of the estate of Adam in innocency to compose a Propheticall Psalme of praise for what God would doe for his people on earth before the ultimate end of the world as the Apostle Paul expounds him in the place aforesaid § 2 Should seem that though some things by Adams fall were irrecoverably lost in specie in their proper kind though not vertually and equivalently as mans freedome from corporall death yet other things as this dominion of man over all things was not so forfeited but that in Christ first or last it is recovered And therefore though David knew full well Adams fall as appeares by Psal 51.5 yet looking upon the SONNE OF MAN Christ in this Psalme he holds up his head and heart and sings out shrilly this praise in this Psalme of hope that this dominion shall be made good to man on earth to the utmost § 3 For surely there is no imagining of this state to be of Saints in the highest Heavens that there they should have dominion over the Beasts Fishes and Fowls or over wicked men properly that are then in the infernal Lake wholly under the sole power of the Prince of Darknesse and this was not performed on earth unto Davids time who from his youth to his end was ever and anon in danger of Beasts or beastiall men of the Lion and the Beare of Goliah of Saul of Absolom of forreigne enemies c. Nor was it ever since fulfilled but that the Saints the Members of the SONNE OF MAN have been at the same passe for the generall with David or worse as we have and shall heare abundantly § 4 Yet this must be fulfilled visibly on earth as saith the Psalmist in this eighth Psalme so as the enemy and avenger among men must bee stilled ver 2. And all the Creatures subdued as it is in the rest of the Psalme and both so as that the Saints mouthes may be full of praise according to the forme of this Psalme and this must be fulfilled too visibly on earth saith the Apostle in the said second of Hebrewes Unto the Angels saith he ver 5. God hath not subjected THE WORLD TO COME of which WE SPEAKE No for they are charged to be in subjection to Christ chap. 1. ver 6. Nor hath God said to any of the Angels sit thou at my right hand * Mat. 24.14 Luke 2.1 Luke 4.5 Luk. 21.26 Acts 11.28 Act. 17.6 Act. 17.31 Act. 19.27 Act. 24.5 Rom. 10.18 Hebr. 1.6 Heb. 2.5 Rev. 3.10 Rev. 12.9 Rev. 16.14 untill I make thine enemies thy footstool ver 13. but this must be fulfilled on earth to men in Christ through him For the Apostles first phrase in that fifth verse of the second Chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is spoken with great emphasis with a double emphaticall Article sounding as we speake in English THAT SAME world even THAT that is TO COME and yet still meaning a state on earth for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered world in propriety of signification signifies the inhabited world as men inhabite their dwelling houses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house being of the Kindred of the world and in common use it is put to signifie the world on earth yea so used by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament at least fifteen times * The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the first Aor of subj mood as I conceive hath the signification of a suture Of this place of Scripture see more in this third Book chap. 2. Sect. 10. and sometimes in those places earth is adjoyned for plainer expression yea used so to signifie the world on earth in most of the said places as thereby to meane the Roman Monarchy the Romans then ruling the whole earth when the Apostles wrote as in two of those places viz. Luke 2.1 Act. 11.28 the Roman Emperour is expressed by name Yea lastly so constantly used in the New Testament
by the Apostles so to signifie as hath been said that it is never used to signifie the supreamest Heaven even as it would have been most unapt for such a signification So that put all the Apostles first phrase in Heb. 2.5 together and the inhabited world to come can signifie no other but that the Monarchy on earth in the Apostles time under the Romans should be hereafter before the last Judgement the Monarchy of Christ or of the Saints under him Which the second phrase of our Apostle viz. of WHICH WEE SPEAKE doth more explaine and demonstrate For where did the Apostle speake afore of that world to come as he intimates in this relative speech but in Heb. 1. ver 6. which being read ingenuously and with an honest plainnesse of interpretation according to the Greek * Our Translators in putting AND after the word saith doe goe against common sense against the propriety of our English against the contexture of the Greek and against the Hebrew text whence it is quoted Is it not against common sense and the idiom of our English to speake thus in a recitall of anothers words He saith or he said AND so and so What more ridiculous then for us about to tell the words of another man then to make And the first word of the recitall In a History of the Old or New Testament it is a common thing to bring in a party with And he said but in a quotation it is not tollerable And t is against the contexture of the Greek wch plainly runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as rendred afore runs smoothly but as our Translatours render and place the order of words of the whole verse they do with a vaine tautalogie as it were joyne to saith two ENDS for it runs thus AND againe he saith AND Lastly our Translatours intimate as if the latter AND were in the Hebrew whereas there is no such thing For the whole place in Psal 97.7 is to to a word thus Confounded he all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols WORSHIP HIM ALL YEE GODS runs thus But when AGAINE he bringeth in or shall bring in the first begotten sonne into the WORLD he saith Whence they that will grant us least will yeeld thus much that would in Heb. 2.5 must signifie the world on earth or else they utterly overthrow the Apostles reference there The world to come OF WHICH WE SPEAKE But we must by their favour inferre more viz. that in this Heb. 1.6 is mention of the same world to come on earth else how doth the Apostle chap. 2.5 speake all that For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come in forme of a repetition of what he had said afore of the selfe-same matter which hee no where afore mentions unlesse in chap. 1. ver 6. viz. BUT when AGAINE he bringeth in the first begotten into the WORLD he saith ALSO or in LIKE MANNER or LIKEWISE Let all the Angels of God worship him For our Translators have very untowardly and incongruously put and placed AND between saith and let †as they have needlesly if not prejudiciously to the genuine sence of the verse put And at the beginning and altered the order of words of the Greek which if kept as we have followed it in our translating runs exceeding smoothly Some dictate to us that Againe must be referred to saith not to bringing in I would if possible they had also demonstrated it to have saved our labour of demonstrating the contrary The first AND seeing they translate it And would serve one would thinke to signifie againe he saith For more surety they have put two And 's but it is safest for us to keep close to the Originall having chap. 2. ver 5. with many other texts to hold analogie which fluently runs as we said But when againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith likewise Let all the Angels of God worship him As to signifie Christs coming againe into the world to come on earth after the ruine of Antichrist and all his adherents as we say the Old and New world which was distinguished by the Floud ruining the ungodly whiles the race of visible Saints still lived And if all that I have spoken in the Text and Margine doe sufficiently evince with ponderating unprejudicated men that so as aforesaid the Text is rightlier read then the Quere will be when did God ever to this day bring his first begotten Sonne into the world Againe when the ninety seventh Psalm was pend Christ had not been brought in at all in the flesh into the world even as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as led by the hand And when the Epistle to the Hebrewes was pend Christ had been brought into the world but once never since againe And for the heavenly Angels of God they did worship him at his first coming attending serving and admiring his Incarnation Luke 2. Temptation Mark 1.13 Resurrection Mat. 28. Dispensation of the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 and Ascention Acts 1. Christ said he could have twelve Legions of Angels at his command but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angel in the Revelation signifies also Men-Angles that is Magistrates as well as Ministers so viz. the Angelicall Potentates Kings Emperours Judges and Powers over men as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim Psal 97.7 quoted by the Apostle †See more Sect. 10. §. 2. signifies the same Psal 82.1 so that according to the latitude of the words and the designe of God all human Principalities Powers and Dominions must submit to Christ and his Saints under his conduct command or government as well as the Angels then shall give him a more visible and fuller honour the Saints being made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are made able to see it But that we may returne to Heb. 2. this was never yet since Adams fall performed viz. man so to be over all visibly on earth as Adam was over all which is Davids application in Psal 8. of Gen. 1.26 c. and Pauls explication in this second of Hebrewes of Psalme 8. * Some weekes after I had pend these things upon Heb. 2.5 compared with Heb. 1 6. c. I met with Master Modes Opuscula newly set forth concurring with me in the Grammer and sense sense of those places with his learned reasons which I have therefore here inserted in the Margin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—nim inquit Terra est non caelum At ubi inquies de hac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in praecedentibus locutus est Apostolus ut dicat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aio ab istis verbis v. 6 cap. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est cum verò ITERUM introduxerit primogenitum suum in orbem terrae dicit c. Quae enim ex inde ex libro Psalmorum â—d finem usque capitis citantur de adora tione Angelorum de sceptro
be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the lad Trumpet for it shall sound both the dead shal be raised incorruptible and we shal be changed * So according to the best Greek Copies howbeit the common translation holds forth effectually what we intend Saint John in the Revelation tels us that the last Trumpet is the seventh Trumpet according to the many instances wherein God delights in the number of seven so that six as it is exprest in the Revelation sounded afore this and saith That the last end of all is not till the last Trumpet But there is a great intervall and space within the time of the last Trumpet many things being to be done within that compasse so that at the first beginning of the last Trumpet the enemy so falls that the Kingdomes of THIS world become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord his Christ in spight of all enemies and their anger the dead Saints are raised and a reward given to them Revel chap. 11. ver 15 16 17 18. which is a summary preface or a prefaciatory sum to the Catastrophe or upshot of the Revelation to follow unto the end as touching the Saints And in Revel 20. first seven verses is expressed how long this visible Kingdome of Christ on earth shall be and consequently so long is the space of the last Trumpet viz. a thousand yeares But the last end of all the ultimate period shall not be till the last end of the last Trumpet Revel 20. vers 12 c. Now let the Reader compare and consider all that Paul hath spoken in this quotation of and upon the one hundred and tenth Psalme touching the subduing of all things to Christ and the five notes of the time when it must be together with Johns explication and confirmation of Pauls last Trumpet and then let him tell me 1 Whether these things must not of necessity be fulfilled upon the earth 2 Whether these things are not yet to come yet to be fulfilled 3 Whether they must not be fulfilled afore the ultimate end of all when Christ resignes up his Kingdome to the Father 7 ¶ But there is yet one quotation more of this hundred and tenth Psalme insisted upon by the Apostle which gives us further light in Heb. 10. ver 11 12 13. Every Priest saith he standeth daily in ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifice which can never take away sin but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes SATE DOWNE ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD FROM HENCE-FORTH EXPECTING TILL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE HIS FOOT-STOOL c. Two things are here at first sight evident before our eyes viz. 1. That the Apostle quotes the words of the one hundred and tenth Psalme And 2. That the Apostle applyes them to explaine the eminency of Christs Priesthood above the Leviticall in that the Leviticall Priests offered daily Christ but once they oftentimes the same Sacrifice he only once they tooke not away sinnes he did they stood as Servants he sate downe as Lord according to Psal 110. ver 1. Now observe how this suits to our purpose For it is expresse here that Christ did effectually attaine to reigne spiritually in overcoming Sinne and Satan witnessed in making perfect attonement for the sinnes of all that are sanctified and his overcoming death the wages of sinne And the Divel the Gaoler of death by his Resurrection Ascension and Assession at the right hand of God whereby in regard of the place he got above all his enemies And yet for all this to that very houre that the Apostle wrote this Christs enemies were not made his footstoole But saith he still there he sits from THENCEFORTH EXPECTING TIL his enemies be made his footstool as he doth to this day Plainly signifying that Christ must have another-gates Regiment and Government another manner or degree of subduing his enemies then that Which can be no other then a sensible visible subduing of them Which as we on earth expect so he in heaven saith the Apostle sits continually expecting the same For his enemies on earth continuing his enemies under that notion so to be subdued are never subject to him spiritually And further as the Apostle minds us Christ expects that further subduing of his enemies upon his Fathers promise made to him Psa 110. Now at the ultimate day of judgment there is no more subduing of any thing to Christ seeing then Christ layes down all and he the same himself is subject 1 Cor. 15. Therfore this being yet unfulfilled must be performed afore that day and according to the sense of the 110 Psalm of which all this while we have spoken but upon the first verse There are divers other passages more in this Psalme that much concurre to and explaine our point 8 ¶ Verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy STRENGTH out of Zion Rule thou in the MIDST OF THINE ENEMIES Mr. Ainsworth and our New Annotationists parallel this with Psal 2. And withall assert that the Jewish Expositors generally doe acknowledge the second Psalme to be concerning the Messias and infer if that then there is as much reason for this Now as in Psal 2. it is said Christ shall rule his enemies with a ROD OF IRON and breake them incorrigible as a Potters vessel even so in this Psalme it is said the Rod of Christs STRENGTH * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of authority or power which I should wonder if any dare to restraine to meer spirituall efficacy especially if we heedfully observe that which follows Rule thou as with that Rod * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middest of thine enemies Now tell me how doth Christ rule spiritually in the middest of his enemies And if you grant with us that a sensible corporal rule must be here admitted then cast about and consider that Christ hath no rule at the ultimate day of judgement 1. Cor. 15. And before that to this day Christ hath not so ruled amidst his enemies in most Nations Therefore it is yet to come afore the ultimate day of judgement Verse 3. Thy people shall be willing or Voluntaries in the day of thy power or Armie as Ainsworth asserts Now Peter assures us that the great day of Christ is a thousand yeers 2 Pet. 3. And wee must of necessity yeeld that this day of power must signifie a distinct determinated time and then to be measured out when Christs power shall most eminently appeare above any former appearance Now whether we take this in a spiritual sense of acting grace after conversion or in an Ecclesiastical as our Annotationists that Christs people shall be assembled unto his Church whose increase shall be as it follows so abundant and wonderful as the drops of the dew falling from the womb of the morning or in a corporal sense that men shall bee willing to pull downe Christs
Pagans Papists Atheists Hereticks and prophane persons And without multiplying words the very phrases will not admit of a referring these to the ultimate day of Doome And therefore must yet bee fulfilled on earth before that day SECT XX. § 1 THe eleventh place in Isaiah is Chap. 49. wholly But I shall need to touch only upon three or four places of the Chapter which will give light to all the rest In generall the chapter is of the bringing in of Jews and Gentiles into the Church The Jews are here named by the generall termes that comprehend at least the ten Tribes if not the whole twelve viz. by the names of Israel ver 3 5 6 7. and of Jacob ver 5. and of the Tribes of Jacob v. 6. and the preserved of Israel ibid. In way of distinction from whom the two Tribes are called Zion v. 14. So that all the twelve Tribes that came of Jacob are intended in this Chapter in the close whereof as a seal the Lord stiles himself Their Saviour their Redeemer the Mighty one of JACOB The Gentiles likewise are expressely named in v. 6. viz I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest bee my salvation unto the ends of the earth quoted by the Apostle Act. 13.47 to prove the propagation of the Gospel for salvation to the Gentiles The concurrence of both Jews and Gentiles in coming in to Christ is expressed to the life ver 22 23. Thus saith the Lord God behold I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring THY sons in their armes and thy daughters shall be carryed upon THEIR shoulders and KINGS shall be thy nursing Fathers and THEIR Queens shall be THY nursing Mothers c. Adde that the engagement of God that thus hee will call home both Jews and Gentiles v. 13.15 19 18 26. is great Sing O Heavens and be joyfull O Earth and break forth into singing O Mountains for God hath comforted his people and WILL have mercy on his afflicted Can a woman forget her sucking child that shee should not have compassion on the son of her womb c. Yet VVILL NOT I FORGET THEE Behold I have GRAVEN THEE upon the palmes of mine hands As I LIVE saith the Lord thou shalt surely cloathe thee with them all that oppose thee as with an ornament c. And ALL FLESH shall know that I the Lord am the Mighty one of Jacob. § 2 These being premised let us but only put the question upon some Verses whether ever they were yet fully fulfilled and that will be sufficient to ingenuous reason to confesse they must yet be fulfilled and that on earth § 3 VVhen was the seventeenth verse ever fulfilled viz. Thy children shall make hasle thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall goe out of thee VVe read no such thing at their return from Babylon but that there were the crew of Sanballat Tobiah c. that opposed them Anon Alexander the Great the Grecian Monarch enters Jerusalem After him Antiochus Epiphanes alias Epimanes King of Syria wasteth it After these the Romans conquer it And now the Turks ever since possesse it § 4 And when ever yet was the nineteenth verse fulfilled viz. Thy waste and desolate places and the land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away Surely since the carrying away captive of the ten Tribes the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah were never full of their owne Inhabitants We never read that ever the Assyrians Babylonians Cutheans c. which the King of Assyria sent into the Kingdome of Israel 2 Kings 17.24 were sent for home againe Nor that ever those CALDEANS that were sent to governe Judea intimated in 2 King 25. were recalled And for after times as we have hinted afore when the Greek went out the Syrian came in when the Syrian went out the Roman came in when the Roman went the Turke came in and there he is to this day These expulsing one another there hath been a constant succession of them that swallowed up the twelve Tribes Their wasters and destroyers have been changed but have not been sent forth far away from Israel and Judah § 5 Againe did the Gentiles and Peoples ever yet as v. 22. bring the sonnes and daughters of the Jewes in their armes and upon their shoulders If we should wave the litterall sense of setling the Jews in their owne Land and condescend to a spirituall sense of the generality of the Gentiles compliance with the generality of the Jewes in matters of Religion and union into the universall Church wee cannot tell when ever this was done to this day § 6 Nor can we say that ever the Kings of the Gentiles as it is v. 23. and their Queens have been nursing fathers and mothers to the Jewes and bowing downe to them Alas poore Jewes they have ever since the beginning of the Grecian Monarchy long before Christ downe to this very day been under the awing power of the Gentiles and mostly used hardly and in most places of the world instead of reverence have been and are much villified Therefore John in Revelation tels us that this is yet to come and to be fulfilled upon earth afore the ultimate day of judgement as the circumstances of things and the phrases of the Prophesie necessarily require Rev. 21. v. 24.26 And the Kings of the EARTH doe bring their glory and honour into New Jerusalem And they shall bring the glory and honour of the NATIONS into it And yet so as there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth c. § 7 Wee are likewise utterly to seek when ever yet the 25. and 26. verses were fulfilled viz. The captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I will save thy children and will feed them that oppresse thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunken with their owne blood Wee know not of any such thing since the captivity of the Jewes in Babylon in all Histories divine and humane that thus the Jewes were saved by such destruction of their enemies The Jews indeed soon after their captivity made some attempts 2 King 25. v. 25. After that they made some attempts in 1 Book of Macchab And after that they made severall attempts in the time of Titus and Adrian Roman Emperours And since that the Turk hath dominered over them the Kings of the Gentiles especially of England have made some attempts of warre on their enemies managed by the stocke counsell and aide of severall religious orders for that end as of the Templars Knights of the Rhodes or of John of Jerusalem and of the Knights of Malta alias Melita But all these attempts have not amounted to Isaiahs phrase
glory to shew favour to you if we have not done well in casting you out yet the Lord should appear to their joy that had been so hated and cast out for his name sake and those their false brethren should bee ashamed § 2 In the seven and eight verses most evidently the Prophet setteth forth the manner of the conversion of the Jews I say conversion their settlement will cost longer time as it seems Dan. 12. the three last verses viz. their conversion shall bee as the birth of a child before the mother is in pain as the birth of a Nation at once which well may bee being to bee done by the appearance of Christ in the Clouds § 3 In the 10. and 11. verses All Nations must rejoyce with Jerusalem because they shall suck the breasts of her consolations that is share in her comforts ## § 4 In the twelfth verse The Lord will extend peace to Jerusalem like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream See a glorious conjunction of Jews and Gentiles § 5 In the 13 and 14 15 16. verses is set forth the sensible comforts of the Church and the corporall destruction of their enemies As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem and when ye see this your heart shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants and his indignation towards his enemies For behold the Lord will come with fire c. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many Illustrated vers 24. They shall go forth and look upon the carkasses that have transgressed against me for their worm shall not dye nor their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh Which in the generall to bee taken literally is confessed both by Jews and Christians Consult our new Annotationists upon the place See Sect. 41. § 5. ¶ 2. § 6 In the 18 19 20 and 21. verses is held forth to us the congregating of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles into union of true religious worship and beholding of the glory of God and that as the Jewish Doctors expound it in his destruction of the enemies of the Church in the dayes of the Messias In the 22. verse we have the height and length of this glorious estate of the universall Church of Jews and Gentiles on earth It is no lower then a state of a new Heaven and a new Earth And it is to be perpetuated It is to remain unalterable continue say our new Annotationists for ever § 7 Now these things were never yet fulfilled according to the phrases and circumstances of the place as to the Gentiles nor in the substance as to the Jews who remaine totally unconverted to Christ and are dispersed and despised to our sorrow throughout the world But God must be true therefore these must be fulfilled and on earth before the ultimate judgement as every verse doth hint unto us And therefore St. John in the Revelation Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 and Chapter 21. doth apply these in a way of Prophesie to the glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come at the fall of Antichrist I shal give you them in summe and short because I have before so often made particular applications of them Babylon the great is fallen is fallen How much she hath glorified her selfe so much sorrow and torment shall be given her Her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her And after these things I heard a great voyce of much people c. saying Allelujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are thy judgementss for he hath judged the great Whore that hath corrupted the earth and hath avenged the blood of his Saints And again they said Allelujah And the foure and twenty Elders said Amen Allelujah And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude and as the voyce of many waters and as the voyce of mighty thunderings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth And the beast and the false Prophet were taken and cast into the lake fire And the rest were slain with the sword But the Saints reigned with Christ a thousand yeers in the new Heavens and new Earth to whom the Kings of the earth and Nations of the world bring their honour § 8 Now let him that readeth understand and consider whether he were best to beleeve his owne phantasie or the opinions of men rather then St. Johns series and system of Visions and Prophesies so aptly in phrase and matter expounding the Prophet Isaiah of a future glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come Thus of the Prophet Isaiah SECT XXVII NExt we come to the Prophet Jeremiah The first place for our purpose is in Chapter 16. verse 14 15. compared with Chapter 23. verse 3. c. to verse 9. The words of that in Chapter 16. verse 14 15. are Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall be no more said The Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt But the Lord liveth that brought up the children of ISRAEL from the LAND OF THE NORTH and from ALL THE LANDS whither he had DRIVEN THEM and I will bring them againe into THEIR LAND that I gave unto their Fathers § 1 The Prophet calling these of whom he speaks by the name of Israel and in relation to their returne out of the Land of the NORTH and out of All Lands whither they had been driven must needs comprehend as well the ten Tribes as the two And the more cleerly to hint to us that his meaning is not onely of a reduction of them to their own Land but of their conversion unto their God and this not at a petty call of a few of them but at the great call of the generality of them all he subjoyns the bringing in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles verse 19. The Gentiles shall come unto the Lord from the ends of the earth and shall say surely our Fathers have inherited lyes c. At which time of the coming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles as their coming from the ends of the earth fully expresseth All Israel saith the Apostle Rom. 11.25 26. shall be saved § 2 Now let us parallel this with that in the 23. Chapter verse 3 4 5 6 7 8. wherein wee have the same expressions with further illustrations and explanations to confirme the same The words of the Prophet there are verse 3. I will gather the remnant of my flock out of ALL Countries whither I have driven them and will bring
nor any grieving thorne of all that are round about them that despised them and they shall know that I am the Lord. v. 25. Thus saith the Lord God when I shall have gathered the HOUSE of ISRAEL from the people among whom they are scattered and shall be sanctified in them in the SIGHT OF THE HEATHEN then shall they dwell in their LAND that I have given my servant JACOB v. 26. And they shall dwell SAFELY therein and shall build houses and plant vineyards yea they shall dwell with CONFIDENCE when I have executed judgements upon ALL those that despise them round about them and they shall know that I am the Lord their God § 1 Take notice that God pawnes his manifestation of himselfe to be the Lord God and to be their God twice repeated that this prophesie shall be fulfilled § 2 And fulfilled to the ten Tribes as well as to the two as appears by the severall expressions of Jacob of Israel and the house of Israel twice expressed § 3 The pricking briar and grieving thorne are exprest above to bee the adversaries of the Jews whereof some are named viz. Tyrus verse 1. c. to verse 20. Sydon verse 20 c. to 24. Both there threatned with ruine for being adversaries to the Jews Others are but intimated as verse 24. Nor any grieving thorn of ALL THAT ARE ROUND ABOUT THEM THAT DESPISED THEM § 4 Now mark the matter of the Prophesie viz. First Those adversaries must be destroyed or removed for the bringing of Israel and Jacob into their own land there to dwel SAFELY and with CONFIDECNE Secondly they must be gathered from all places where they have been scattered 3 They must be free from ANY pricking briar or grieving thorne And fourthly they must there dwell in their own land with full liberty as of their Politie to injoy their buildings and plantations so of their Piety to exercise the true spirituall worship of God as to sanctifie God or magnifie him and that fifthly in the sight of all the Heathen Now let the wisest men on earth that know History and take notice of the present state of all the twelve Tribes shew us whether ever this Prophesie was yet fulfilled to them And if not whether it be possible these things should be performed at the ultimate day of judgement And if not whether we have not just cause to beleeve as God is true that these things shall be yet fulfilled upon earth before that day SECT XXXIII § 1 THe second place in Ezekiel is Chapter 34. v. 11 c. to the end of the Chapter Verse 11. Thus saith the Lord I will searth my sheep and seek them out v. 12 illustrated by a comparison from a shepherd seeking his scattered sheep v. 13. God wil bring ISRAEL for that is the name used all along this Chapter from the Countries where they are scattered to their own land to feed them on the mountaines of ISRAEL v. 14 It is amplified that upon the Mountains of Israel shall be their FOULD v. 15. It is further illustrated in prosecution of the same Allegory I wil seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and bind up that which was broken and strengthen that which was sick And I wil destroy the fat and the strong and feed them with judgement i.e. as it is in verse 17. The wicked Rams and Hee-goats And why because verse 18. they eat up the good pasture and tread down the rest and drink of the deep waters and puddle the rest And verse 19. saith the Lord My flock eat that which ye have trodden with your feet and drinke that which you have fouled with your feet Therefore thus saith the Lord verse 20 21 22. I wil judge between the fat and the lean because ye have thrust with side and shoulder and pushed all the diseased with your horns till you have scattered them abroad therefore will I save my flock and they shall be NO MORE A PREY In the 23. and 24. is set down the manner and means of that saving them viz. And I will set up ONE shepherd over them and HE shall feed them even my servant DAVID he shall feed them And I the Lord will be their God and my servant David a PRINCE * Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among them or as the Chalde renders it ** Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a KING In verse 25 26 27 28 29. is held forth the manifestation or confirmation and the measure of this deliverance And I will make with them a COVENANT of peace and I will cause the EVILL BEASTS TO CEASE out of the land And they shall dwell SAFELY in the WILDERNESSE and sleep in the Woods And I wil make them and the places round about my Hill a blessing c. And the trees of the field shall yeeld her fruit c. And they shall be SAFE in the land and they shal know that I am the Lord when I have broken the bands of their yoak c. And they shall be No MORE a PREY to the heathen c. But they shall dwell safely and NONE shal make them AFRAID And I wil raise up for them a PLANT of renown and they shal be no more consumed with hunger in the land neither bear the shame of the Heathen ANY MORE § 2 Now that yee see so plainly before your eyes the height depth length and breadth of these Prophesies that they are to Israel without limitation over whom Christ the Sonne of David must bee Prince or King and their happinesse here prophesied must bee on earth in their own land with blessings sutable thereunto yet not without God in Covenant with them and they must be delivered from all sorts of evill for ever What need I multiply words to the intelligent Reader to prompt him that these were never yet fulfilled Let him but read distinctly the places afore quoted and keep those things together which the Prophet hath laid together and withall remember what the state of the Jews and Israelites hath been ever since both their captivities down to this day as we have before often and largely set forth and then his own reason will convince him that neither these things have yet been fulfilled nor can they finde room to be fulfilled at the ultimate day of judgement and that therefore the truth of God still lyes ingaged to perform them afore that day SECT XXXIII THe third place in Ezekiel is Chapter 36. the whole Chapter especially verse 9. c. to 37. * So long since at least as afore Jeroms time this Chapter also hath been alleadged for the glorious state of the Church in the time of the thousand yeers not onely by the Jewes but by the learned Christians so Jerome confesseth in these words Haec illi Judaei expectant in mille annorum Regno quando civitatem Hierusalem asserunt extruendam Templum quod in fine hujus voluminis lescribitur
adequatly and answerably to that name described in the first verse to be a day that shall BURN AS AN OVEN which shall burn up the proud and wicked as stubble leaving them neither root nor branch Now observe ¶ 1. This cannot be extended to the ultimate day of judgment at the universal resurrection of all the wicked then cast into the lake of fire Revel 20.12 c. to the end of the Chapter for these Reasons First Because at this day if not according to the order of the prophesie after this dreadful and burning day in this first verse of the fourth of Malachi Christ the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings to them that fear his name and they shall GO FORTH and shall GROW UP AS CALVES OF THE STALL Ver. 2. Now this cannot be at that universal resurrection and ultimate judgement at which time Christ hath done healing hath finished his mediatorship and resigned up all his power to God the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 25 26 27 28. and the elect have done growing Secondly Because ver 5. an Elijah must be sent BEFORE THE COMING of the GREAT and DREADFUL day of the Lord who shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers Which is not a work to be done at or near-upon that ultimate judgement but then he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still then is a time of destruction not of conversion Thirdly Because it is added in the last verse of Malachi That Elijah must come and shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children LEAST the Lord come and SMITE THE EARTH WITH A CURSE Now at the ultimate judgement there is no other smiting and cursing of the Earth but with that judgement it self it swallowing up all other evils And whether all parents or children be converted or not converted that ultimate judgement will be â—ure to come for the elects sake As concerning who this Elijahs is we shall dispute it particularly by and by ¶ 2. On the other side this prophesie cannot be cut so short as to terminate in Christs first coming For then was no dreadful day of the Lord so burning as a fiery oven to burn up the proud and wicked doers root and branch Christs coming is set forth in Matth. 21.5 according to Isa 62.11 Zech. 9.9 compared with Matth. 11.29 Phil. 2.7 c. in all meekness meanness lowliness and lowness And although there were wonderful days at his incarnation or birth Luke 2. Matth. 2. at his passion Matth. 27. his resurrection Matth. 28.1 2 3 4. at his ascension Acts 1. and at his mission of the Spirit Acts 2. Yet these were not THE great and dreadful day in the singular number they being many Or if we call them DREADFUL especially that of the resurrection and passion yet these days destroyed none For it is observable what Christ saith He came to heal or help not to destroy And therefore though he cursed the fig-tree to warn men yet with all his power and miracles he never killed or crippled any man being infinitely injured he revenged not but rather healed Malchus and his enemies wounds and maladies Yet see by this time how streightly and strongly we are butted and bounded with these two Paragraphs that we cannot fall so short as Christs first coming nor launch forth so far as to the universal resurrection of all the wicked at the ultimate judgement § 5 Now therefore to answer the question distinctly when this time is We assert That no time can shape and correspond to the circumstances and characters of this prophesie but the time abutting upon the beginning entrance or prelude of the whole day of judgement containing a thousand years as Peter speaks 2 Pet. 3. and bounded out exactly Revel 20. with two physical or corporal resurrections as we have before amply opened * Book 1. Cap. 2. Sect. 1 2 3 4. This we shall endeavor to demonstrate by these Arguments ¶ 1. That burning of all the proud and of all evil doers as stubble leaving them neither root nor branch Ver. 1. And that trampling them under the feet of the Saints as ashes Ver. 3. must rather be referred to such a time set down in the Scriptures as most aptly answer to those particulars then left at random to the imaginary times in mens brains of which we never read nor heard to agree to their character But these things do most harmoniously concord with the times of the last ruining of the Antichristian enemies of the Church before the raising of it to her great restauration and restitution of all things Rev. 18. wholly and Rev. 19.11 to the end of the chapter compared with Rev. 20.1 2 3 4 5. Therefore thither are these things to be referred I hope the very setting down of the words will convince the ingenuous Reader where after a large and particular description with all manner of corporal circumstances of the BURNING of Babylon Rev. 18. There follows alike iconism or corporal characterism of the ruine of the rest of the Churches enemies by fire and sword Chap. 19. I saw Heaven opened and behold a white horse and he that sate upon him was called Faithful and True in righteousness he doth judge and MAKE WAR His eyes were as a FLAME OF FIRE c. and he was clothed with a vesture DIPT IN BLOOD c. And the ARMIES which were in Heaven followed him upon white horses c. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the Nations And he shall RULE them with a ROD OF IRON and he treadeth the wine press of the fierceness of the WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS And I saw another Angel standing in the Sun and he cryed with a loud voyce saying to all the FOWLS that flie in the midst of Heaven Come and gather your selves together unto the SUPPER of the Great God that ye may eat the FLESH of KINGS and the FLESH of CAPTAINS and the FLESH of MIGHTY MEN and the FLESH of HORSES and of them that sit on them and the FLESH of ALL MEN both free and bond both small and great And I saw the BEAST and the KINGS of the Earth and their ARMIES gathered together to make WAR against him that sate on the horse and against his ARMY And the BEAST was taken and with him the false Prophet c. these both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone And the REMNANT were SLAIN and all the fouls were filled with their flesh And I saw an Angell come down from Heaven having the keyes of the bottomlesse pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon c. which is the Devil and bound him a THOUSAND YEARS And cast him
reserventur Quomodo autem vas fict le testâ—ceum si â—tactum â—uâ—â— it in actiquam speciem non potest reformari siâ— et populus Judaeorum Hierusalem subversa statum pristinum non habebune Hieronymus in Iâ—rem 19.10 This is evidently spoken not of the Babylonian but of the Roman captivity for after the Babylonians both the City is rebuilt and the people brought back to Judea are restored to their ancient abundance but after the Captivity that happened under Vespasian and Titus and after that under Hadrian the ruines of Jerusalem shall remaine unto the end of the world although the Jewes imagine that a golden and gemmed Hierusalem shall be restored unto them and that againe they shall have oblations and Sacrifices and the marriages of Saints and the Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour upon earth Which things though we follow not their opinion yet wee cannot condemn because many Ecclesiasticall men and Martyrs have said the same And let every one abound in his owne sence and all bee reserved to the judgement of the Lord. But looke how a Potters vessell of earth if broken cannot be againe formed into its former shape so the people of the Jewes and the City of Jerusalem being subverted they shall never have their ancient state Thus Jerom in which words observe 1. That all we asserted in the former § is here represented to a syllable before your eyes 2. That his argument he urgeth against the Jewes restauration after their Romish destruction is as weake as the earthen bottle whereof hee makes the foundation of it For he overstretcheth the Prophets comparison who therein intended onely a totall or universall dispersion of the Jewes but not a finall destruction this selfe-same Prophet else-where and of the rest the most in all the old Testament as we have largely discussed prophesying and describing to the life the glorious restauration of the Iewes yea and of the Israelites too And as Ierom formally urgeth the argument hee doth seem to ground himself upon the impossibility of that restauration as of re-forming a broken earthen bottle and so with a by-blow smites our hope of the resurrection because that may seem to men impossible But beleevers must not goe upon that ground in dispute It is a like easie for God to doe as to say witnesse his fiat let it be so in the creation Yea the comparison it selfe prompts a possibility and probability that as after a broken earthen bottle is mellowed and mouldered againe into clay may be new formed into a bottle so after the deep desolations of the Jewes they shall be restored againe as the Prophet Daniel chap. 12. v. 2. gives it us in a like comparison and the Apostle after him Rom. 11. v. 15. viz. of bodies turned to dust or clay reviving to life which metaphors are higher then the new-forming of an earthen broken bottle ¶ 2. Collate with Jeromes words the words of that most ancient pious and learned Justin Martyr in his very discusse of the future glorious restauration of the Jewes and of the universall Church and that in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Iew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin Mart. in Dialog cum Tryph. p. 340. Edâ—t Graec. Lat. Paâ—is A. D. 1636. and we shall find that Ierom did wrong in saying they expected again Iewish Oblations and Sacrifices Iustin Martyrs words are these For he is the excellent cheife Priest and eternal King CHRIST himself as the Sonne of God in whose coming again ye may not think that Isaiah or others of the Prophets did teach that the Sacrifices of blood or Oblations should be offered upon the Altar but true and spirituall praises with thanksgivings For indeed we doe not in vaine hope in him neither are we seduced from those that so teach Thus Justin In which words you see clearly the opinion of the religious learned Ancients Jewish Prophets c. of whom Justin speakes in the Plurall that their opinion yea and faith and hope was contrary to the sence that Jerom would put upon them ¶ 3. Jerom himselfe hath confest the same sence with us of divers places before alleadged for our opinion as on Hos 3.4 Book 3. chap. 2. Sect 39 on Mat. 11.14 on Mat. 17.14 c. Book 3. cha 2. Sect. 51. Margent and else-where ¶ 4. Hear Mr. Medes answer to all Ieroms speeches against us on those places of Scripture afore quoted § 1. Sed fidem tuam Hieronyme qui cum Dionysio tuo Alexandrino c. i. e. But O thy faithful dealing O Ierom who together with thy Dionysius Alex. doe fasten upon the opinion of the Millenaries that the injury of circumsicion the blood of Sacrifices and the rest of the legal Ceremonies are againe to be restored after their supposed death Indeed those things which Iewes or perhaps Hereticks out of Iudaisme dreamed concerning their Millenarie you odiously dash upon the Christians But hath this becommed your candor Yea thou Ierom no more but thy selfe being judge dost bewray thy crimination to be false For so thou writest on Jer. 19.5 Post captivitatem quae sub Vespasiano that is After the captivity which happened under Vespasian and Titus and after under Hadrian the ruins of Hierusalem are to continue to the end of the world albeit the Jews do thinke that there shall be restored unto them a golden and gemmed Hierusalem and that again ethere shall be oblations and sacrifices and the marriages of the Saints and the Kingdome of the LORD our SAVIOUR upon earth which although we follow not yet we cannot condemne because many Ecclesiasticall men and Martyrs have so said These are thy word O Jerome But prethee tell me did those Ecclesiasticall men and holy Martyrs say that circumcision and sacrifices should at the time of Christs Kingdom be restored take heed of saying so For certainly they taught the contrary as may be confirmed out of Justin Martyrs Dialogue with Trypho c. or if thou hadst certainly known they had so beleeved wouldst not thou have condemned them without any demur Thus Mr. Mede SECT III. Of the words of GAIUS seconded by DIONYSIUS ALEXANDRINUS both falsly fathering our opinion upon CERINTHUS and injuriously mingling therewith such impieties as our souls abhorre yet so far credited by EUSEBIUS PAMPHYLIUS therein too credulous as that they are alleadged by him for history without putting any check upon them * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euseb Pamphil. lib. 3. cap. juxta Graec. 26. 27. juxta laâ—motas in Irenaeo juxta Aug. cap. 24 25 In the discusse whereof our Opinion of the THOUSAND YEARS is VINDICATED from VOLUPTUOUS CHILIASME THE whole story is this About the same time viz. of the Sect of the Ebionites we learne that there was one Cerinthus an Author of another Heresie Gaius whose words we have aforealleadged in the controversie carryed about in his name writeth thus of him CERINTHUS also by revelations written as of a great Apostle brought
unto us certaine monstrous things faining them to have been revealed unto him by Angels that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly that in Jerusalem our flesh again should serve concupiscence and the lust of the flesh And being wholly set to seduce as an enemy to the word of God he said there should be the term of a MILLENARIE feast allotted for marriage Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his second Book after he had remembred the Revelation of Saint John received by tradition of OLD he reporteth of this man CERINTHUS thus CERINTHUS which founded the Cerinthian Heresie gave his figment a name for the further credit thereof His kind of Doctrine was this he dreamed the Kingdome of Christ should become earthly and set upon those things which he lusted after now being covered with his flesh and conpassed in his skinne that is the satisfying of the belly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eum quae sub ventre sunt with meat with drink with marriage And that he might the more colourably bring his devillish devices to passe he dedicated thereunto Holy-days Oblations and slaughter for Sacrifices So far Dionysius But IRENAEUS in his first Book against Heresies layeth down certain more detestable opinions of his And in his third booke he reporteth an history worthy the memory as received by tradition of Polycarp saying That John the Apostle on a certain time entred into a Bath to bathe himselfe and understanding that CERINTHUS was therein bathing himselfe John started aside and departed forth not abiding to tarry with him under the same roofe signifying the same to his company and saying let us speedily goe hence lest the Bath come to fall wherein CERINTHUS the enemy of the truth batheth himselfe Thus Irenaeus And thus you have heard at full Eusebius his report of the whole matter To prepare and make way for an answer whereunto let the Reader take notice that if Cerinthus did say that the Kingdome of Christ after the resurrection should become earthly yet we say not so though we affirme that the Church shall be resident on earth for a thousand years after the first resurrection as t is called Rev. 20. that is the resurrection of all beleevers as t is explained Rev. 11. For the true Church of beleevers hath been on earth from the creation to this day and yet as beleevers not earthly but the spirituall body of Christ The holy Angels and Christ Jesus have conversed on earth and yet they were not thereby earthly And if Cerinthus said That in Jerusalem our flesh againe should serve the concupiscence and lust of the flesh c. Yet our soules abhor any thought thereof But indeed Cerinthus for ought we can find by diligent search into the ancientest and most approved antiquity did not say any such thing nor did he meddle with our opinion at all in the particulars thereof And therefore wee have more cause to suspect Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius to be guilty of too light credulity then to accuse Cerinthus of that we cannot groundedly charge him withall We deny not Cerinthus to be an Heretick as the Ancients call him holding divers great impieties But we cannot beleeve Eusebius Gaius and Dionysius that he was guilty of those things they charge upon him in relation to our opinion To this purpose hear Mr. Medes * Opuscul Lat Ad rem Apoca spect par 2â— p 55. answer An non hinc merito quis suspicari possit Gajum istum c. i. e. May not one justly hence suspect that same Gaius to have been one of the number of the heretical Alogi ** Alogi are according to the signification of the word men without the word or without reason And therefore by the Ancients oft called Brutes and charged with denying the word of God both the axiomatical in the etter and the substantiall viz Christ in the flesh which Alogi or Alogians denied saith Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei THE WORD OF GOD and therefore they ascribed to Cerinthus as well the Gospell of John as the Apocalyps The time doth altogether agree to that For Theodotus the Champion of the Alogian Standard was cast out of the Church by Pope Victor and Gaius flourished in the time of Zephirus who next succeeded Victorius Neverthelesse the words of Gaius †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. loâ— citat § 1. hujus Sect. 3. may bee taken in that sence as if he had said Cerinthus had feignedly fathered upon the great Apostle I know not what Apocalypses beside that one and onely Apocalypse out of which feigned Apocalypses that forging fellow endeavoured to prove that after the resurrection the Kingdome of Christ should be earthly wherein men should serve the lusts of the flesh and the inticements of carnall pleasures But what ever was the mind of Gaius it is very likely he was deceived concerning Cerinthus For if this had been the Heresie of Cerinthus how could it be that Justin Irenaeus Melito Tertullian and Hippolytus should be ignorant of it of whom Irenaeus and Tertullian have purposedly numbered up the Heresies of Cerinthus but of that heresie deep silence How therefore came it to be knowne to Gaius Neverthelesse it seems that the words of Gaius an obscure fellow gave occasion to Dionysius Alexandrinus Eusebius and many others in the heat of contention with the millenaries to doubt of the authority of the Apocalypse Thus Mr. Mede § 4 That which I have to adde or illustrate is this that the words of Gaius and Dionysius and the story of Eusebius alleadging them are not to bee weighed in this matter My reasons are ¶ 1. If Eusebius and Dionysius yea and Gaius himself doubted of the auâ—henty of the Apocalyps in opposition to our opinion of the glorious state of the Church with a visible yet spiritual glory for a thousand years yet to come they must needs be mis-led thereunto by mistakes untruths and false reports For there is no just reason to doubt of the divine authority of the book of the Revelation Nor is there any thing in our Tenet unbecoming that divine book nor dissentanious there-from but is more evidently held forth there then in any other book of the Scripture ¶ 2. Irenaeus and Tertullian and I adde Epiphanius naming Cerinthus and particularizing his hereticall opinions have not one word of his holding any thing of our opinion * Iren. lib. 1. ca. 25. quoting in Marg. Euseb l. 3. cap 25 and Iren l 3 c 3 1. Irenaeus mentions Cerinthus and his wicked opinions and wickednesse twice yet hath nothing of his holding our Tenet either in the same words with us or in others of any proportion although Erasmus or Grineus or both in their marginall notes doe well mind what Eusebius had said quoting the place All that Cerinthus held as Irenaeus reports the matter was Cerinthus autem quidam in Asia c. i. e. And there was one Cerinthus in Asia who taught
and for Christ that he hath appointed to them a kingdome yea HIS kingdom ver 29 30 with which let the studious reader diligently compare Revel 11.18 Rev. 20.4 which tribulations or temptations all Converts that live on earth to any maturity of age to professe their godlinesse in life and conversation doe more or lesse undergoe on earth Act. 14.22 And therefore it is here promised that they shall be rewarded on earth as we have and shall abundantly demonstrate But if there be no such estate to be fulfilled upon earth but only a state of glory in the supreamest Heaven then all the Elect dying in their infancy to whom also the Kingdom of Heaven belongs Mark 10.14 who never indured any temptations c. shall have as much priviledge viz. the fulnesse of ultimate glory as those that have indured most and longest in temptations which seems contrary to the Text which holds forth a peculiar eminent prerogative to them that indure temptation with and for Christ compare Rev. 20.4 ¶ 2. Christ appoints unto them a kingdome as his father appointed unto him a kingdome But the father appointed unto Christ no kingdome in ultimate glory in the supreamest heavens which as on all hands t is agreed followes the ultimate judgement for then and there Christ layes downe all his Kingdomship Kingship or reigning 1 Cor. 15.24 28. And it is most improper to say the Saints the Members reigne when and where the head Christ himselfe a◠Christ doth not reigne Besides reigning in and over a Kingdome implies by an inference from relations that some are subjects to them in that Kingdome being brought under subjection to them but in the highest heaven there is nothing made subject to them If the Angels ministration be not at an end when the Church is perfected in glory yet they are said only to be servants for the Church but not subject under the Church at their command being subject under Christ alone Heb. 1.6.13 14. But if Christ according to that fore-quoted place 1 Cor. 15.24.28 doth then lay downe all his power and authority we cannot understand how the service of Angels should be thence-forward continued but in the glorious estate on earth the Saints have all the Creatures and men that truly beleeve not subject to them according to the many Prophesies afore alleadged and opened As for the Spirituall Kingdome of Christ beleevers were in that in all ages by past and therefore that could not be the meaning of this Promise and Prophesie given forth by our Saviour in this text Besides the Spirituall kingdome of Christ is the kingdome of patience as Saint John often intimates where the Saints indure those temptations Christ mentions and so cannot signifie the kingdome of reward which Christ promiseth to that induring ¶ 3. Eating and drinking are unsuitable expressions to signifie supernall eternall ultimate glory but very suitable to expresse Christs glorious Kingdome ou earth yet to come as we have before opened * Book 2. ch 2. sect 5. p. 91. ¶ 4. By the order of the words the Saints must first be in the Kingdome and then sit on Thrones and judge the Tribes of Israel But in the Spirituall kingdome of Christ they had not so done nor doth Christs speech relate to past but future and in the supreamest ultimate glory there is nothing to be judged neither persons nor things ¶ 5. Christ promising emphatically that the Saints should sit on Thrones in HIS Kingdome cannot be applied to the supreamest ultimate glory in which Christ hath no Kingdome but layes downe all 1 Cor. 15.24 25. Therefore this Kingdome here meant is yet to come before the ultimate Judgement and the state of glory is to succeed that SECT V. The fifth place in the New Testament is Acts 1.6 7. When they were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel And he said unto them it is not for you to know or as it is in the Greek it is not of you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power § 1 WHat formerly hath been spoken on this text by others see before in Page 33. § 3. where they assert that the Kingdome here enquired after signifies a Kingdome to be on earth after Christs resurrection afore the ultimate Judgement § 2 And see it plainly in the text that though Christs Spirituall kingdome in the height of it by John and Christs ministry in a New Testament exaltation had been now in being these four yeares past before the putting of the question in the text and the Apostles were fully informed of the state of ultimate glory by the tenor of all the Scriptures yet they expect another kingdome viz. one to be restored to ISRAEL yea to the TWELVE Tribes of Israel for as much as at present only the two Tribes were at and about Jerusalem and they under the power of the Romans the other ten being in captivity in forreigne Nations § 3 Note further that Christ doth not deny the thing but only the manifesting of it and at this time even as he speakes in the present tence IS not not it SHALL not § 4 And therefore the Apostles then present were not by this beaten off from expecting it but rather went on preaching it Acts 3.21 largely opened afore pag. 96. Sect. 7. pag. 165. ¶ 3. and 2 Pet. 3. discussed Book 3. chap. 2. sect 51. § 2. § 5 Yea in processe of time after Christs ascension Christ did fully reveale to John the Apostle in severall Visions the thing and the time thereof Revel 1.1 the particulars whereof wee have abundantly discussed upon several Chapters of that revelation * See before on Revel 20. in 1 Booke 3 chap. Sect. 1 2 3. 4th on Rev. 1. p. 80 c. on Rev. 5. p. 73 c on Rev. 7. p. 204. on Rev. 9. p. 49. 87. on Rev. 10. p. 67. 96. on chap. 11. p. 58. 72 91. on chap. 12. p. 94. on chap. 13. p. 87. on chap. 14. p. 67 73 74. on chap. 16. p. 309. on chap. 17. p. 88 c. on chap. 18. See Book 3. c. 2. S. 45. S. 3. P. 4. on chap. 19. See p. 62. 74. 89. 56. 58. on chap. 20. See again p. 116 c. p. 55 56. 66 c. 226. on chap. 21. See p. 116. on chap. 22. see p. 94. and see after in this third Book Chap. 4. Sect. 12. and shal more hereafter ** Lastly if Christ had here meant either his Spirituall kingdome or the kingdome of ultimate glory he would not have been shye to declare those unto them having been alwayes free to preach and manifest them from time to time to all his Disciples See John 14. c. to the end of the seventeenth Chapter and often elsewhere SECT VI. The sixth place in the New Testament is Rom. 11.25 26 27. vers
equally of the middle voice as of the passive both being in terms and syllables the same in the Greek And then if in the middle voice they may wel be rendred actively as before we have rendred them And so the Syriack renders them actively which Beza highly approves And for justification of our rendring baptizing by washing we have good warrant from Mar. 7.4 where the Greek word Baptisme is rendred washing viz. of cups and pots and brazen vessels and tables as the nature of the things there mentioned necessarily require it to be so rendred Yet if any will contend for a passive signification then saith learned Beza there will be a verball nown included in the verb it selfe as is common among the Hebrews and so this Text must thus be translated What shall they do that is What shall be done to them who are washed with a washing over the dead that is with a mortual as Plautus speaks or funerall washing or a sepulchral washing or a washing belonging to them that are dead It seems by that phrase of heathen Roman Platus and other passages of others of them as Tarquinii corpus bona faemina lavit unxit that is A good woman washed and anointed the body of Tarquin that the Heathen were wont to wash the bodies of their dead which they had learned of the Patriarchs and Jews mentioned in their Talmuds and practised in Act. 9.37 Now saith the Apostle to the Corinthians who formerly were heathens why do the heathen wash their dead if they expect no more of the welfare of such bodies in another world then of the bodies of beasts Others bring I confesse other Interpretations But I leave them to learned Beza and our New Annotations who have elaborately confuted them Onely I adde this word That baptizing with blood in suffering persecution an unknown phrase in Pauls Epistles cannot be here meant as some would because it will not have the force of an argument on them that doubted of the Resurrection For to such out of doubt suffering for Christianity newer then the doctrine of the Resurrection was as doubtful if not more doubtfull then the Resurrection it self Such would bee ready enough to say That it is their stubbornness and pride or at least their valour and honour c. as in Duels not to be mastered by their adversaries that makes men dye for that Religion else if they preferred life they would keep it whiles they had it and comply or conceale their Religion Indeed for Paul to satisfie himselfe and his fellow-beleevers that they were in jeopardy every day for the Gospels sake upon the ground of hoping for a Resurrection is something But to them flatly denyed the Resurrection with whom hee disputes hee must urge Extra scripturian or Scripturelesse arguments viz. customes of men c. in several Nations as touched afore to convince them For surely they that doubt of the Resurrection doubt of the Scriptures that so often as well in the Old Testament as in the New mention the same But of this in the fourth Chapter of this Booke Out of the Heathen Sybils for the glorious state on earth yet to come wee had many of Lactantius his quotations in our first Book And we had not need make repetitions when haste to prevent our friends fear of our tediousness will not permit me to insert all I would assert CHAP. III. Next wee come to the MAHUMETANS viz. the SARACENS TURKS and ARABIANS touching their opinions of the future glorious state on earth yet to come § 1 IN the generall they have this ancient Tradition received among themselves That they last of all shall be subdued by the children of ISAAC So Purchas in his Pilgrimage that large and laborious History informs us and pious and learned Mr. Huet on Daniel takes it up as credible § 2 In particular in their Alcoran according to the English Edition they say * Pref. to the Alcoran That Jesus Christ a great Prophet borne of the Virgin MARY a Virgin both before and after her delivery conceived by the divine inspiration without a Father shall come againe on earth at the end of the world to confirme the Law c. That * Chap. 2. of the Epitome of the Alcoran beleevers after the Resurrection shall enjoy the immense pleasures of PARADISE wherein flow many Rivers and shall there finde all sorts of fair and savoury fruits c. Which particular is there sometimes much illustrated and often repeated in all that mine eye in a cursory reading took notice of to the number of thirty times * To Chap. 3. twice 4. thrice In 5.10.13.14.15 16 18 19 20 21. 22.35.42.48 twice 52.56.64.69.76 78 81 83 88 99. That this happinesse then on earth is better then that now ** Chap. 4. That that happinesse on earth shall have communion with the happinesse in heaven *âŽ* Chap. 3.48 89. That there shall be no evill †Chap. 19.74 There the possessors shall praise God * Chap. 35. Shall enjoy the great grace of God ** Chap. 42. That when JAGOG and MAGOG shall come running from the eminent places of the earth then shall the day of judgement appear *âŽ* Chap. 32. Chap. 21. That all men shall one day be assembled before him to be judged a THOUSAND YEERS being BUT AS ONE DAY before him †Chap. 43. That the comming of JESUS the Sonne of MARY shall bee a signe of the certainty of the day of judgement †Epit. Alcor lat cap. Creatoris rerum ordo num in margin 8. § 3 In their Alcoran according to the Latine Edition for I finde more in that then in the English Edition not onely upon report but by the Epitome of the Alcoran in Latine translated out of the Arab. into Latine by Robert Ketenensis an English-man I say in the Latine Edition of the Alcoran I finde a discourse of the duration of the world to seven thousand yeers six of which much past Of the signes of the day of judgement * Ibid. num in Marg. 60. Of the returning of all mankind and creatures to God That God will raise the dead and make them to returne to him †Ibid num in Marg. 33 That good men shall be in Paradise as Co-heirs with God * Ibid. num in Marg. 60. § 4 In the Theology of Mahomet translated into Latine by Hermannus Nellingunnensis in Quarto and conjoyned in my Copy with the said Epitome of the Alcoran There is a large description of the Paradise which good men shall enjoy on earth after the Resurrection setting forth both the quality and continuance of it Touching the quality Paradise is there described by gold and precious stones not altogether different from some phrases in the Prophets Isa chap. 54. and Revel chap. 21. And by Trees and Rivers not utterly dissonant from Revel 22. The account of the continuance doth something differ The day thereof saith that Treatise is
in the general vote of their Rabbins laid together by R. Menasse Ben Israel Next hear learned Mr. Mede give you the summe of them Diatriba pars 4 pag. 461. Though the ancient Jews whilst they were yet the Church of God had no distinct knowledge of such an order in the Resurrection as first and second but only of the resurrection in grosse and general to be in die judicii magni yet they looked for such a resurrection wherein those that rose againe should reigne some time upon earth according to that Apocalyps 5.10 we shal reigne on earth as appeareth by Wisdome 3. from the first to the eighth verse inclusivè where it is expresly said That the soules of the righteous which were departed should in the time of their VISITATION shine and that they should judge the Nations and have dominion over the people and their LORD SHOULD REIGN for ever See the place and consider it This opinion is also here and there dispersed in the Chalde Paraphrase and in the Talmud as of ancient tradition and in the opinion of the Jews at this day who as they look not for the Kingdome of the Messiah untill Dies judicii magni the day of the great judgement so they expect that their fore-fathers at least such as were just and holy should arise at the beginning of the same and reigne in the land of Israel with their off-spring under the MESSIAH I can hardly beleeve saith Mr. Mede that all this smoak of tradition could arise but from some fire of truth anciently made knowne unto them Besides why should the Holy Ghost in this point speak so like them unlesse he would induce us mutatis mutandis to mean with them In fine the second and universal Resurrection with the state of the Saints after it now so clearly revealed in Christianity seems to have been lesse knowne to the ancient Church of the Jews then the first and the state to accompany it § 5 Let us close this discourse of the suffrage of the Jews touching the glorious state on earth yet to come with the Prophesie of Tobit or Tobias about to dye concerning the twofold Captivity of the Jews and the last state of things according to the most exact Hebrew copy * Not that of Munsters tempered and patched up out of the Greek and Latine Translations But that most ancient Constantinopolitan copy purely Hebraising set forth by Paulus Fagius So that this Copie differs something from that in Greeke◠and that we have in English formerly annexed to our English Bibles Should seem this Copie wee alleadge was originally in Chalde and was translated most faithfully by some Jew that was singularly learned in the Hebrew Dialect We shall with the Translation give you a taste of it in some main parts in the Hebrew That we intend is in the Prophesie of Tobias according to this said copy in Chapter 14. v. 3. c. And it came to passe when Tobias was old that he called his sonne Tobias together with his six sonnes which were borne to him and said unto him My sonne thou knowest that I am now spent with old age Take heed therefore after my death that thou stay no longer at NINEVE For certaine it is and cleare to thee that it shall come to passe that the Prophesie of the Prophet JONAH shall bee confirmed Wherefore take thy sonnes and all that thou hast and goe into the Land of the MEDES for THERE shall bee peace unto the appointed time But the rest of our brethren of ISRAEL 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are in Jerusalem all of them shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goe into exile and Jerusalem shall bee for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or into heapes * For so and in the very same words the Prophet Micha had now prophesied about the beginning of Hezekiah in which time Tobias was carried away into Captivity See Jer. 16.18 Micha 3.12 and the mountaine of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 House for or into high places of a Forrest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall remaine desolate for a little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then shall the children of Israel go up and rebuild it and also the Temple but not according to the former structure and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall remaine there MANY DAYES UNTIL A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CERTAIN SERIES OF AGES BE FULFILLED †In the Greek tis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Till the seasons of that age or world be fulfilled Then shall they againe goe forth into a Captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by farre the greatest they were ever in * Those words Then againe they shall go into Captivity by far the greatest they were ever in are left out of the Greek Copy either by mischance or of purpose because it savoured of our opinion which the times then when it was expunged likely in Jeromes time could not bear it And therefore Jerome even for that cause left out not onely that clause but also two whole Paragraphs in that place to the utter routing of the coherence of the sense even as he translated the whole exceeding perfunctorily by his own confession For in his Prologue to that his Translation he saith Because the Chalde tongue is neer in kin to the Hebrew finding a ready man of speech in both languages I snatched the labour of one day and what he expressed to me in Hebrew that by a notary I expounded in Latine But the blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy God shall remember them and shall gather them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the four quarters of the world Then shall Jerusalem the holy City be restored with a beautifull and excellent structure as also the Temple shall be built with a famous structure which shall not be destroyed nor demolished for ever as the Prophets have said Then shall the Gentiles be converted to worship the Lord and shall cast away the graven Images of their gods and shall give laud and praise to his great name The horne also of his people shall be exalted before all Nations and all the seed of ISRAEL shall celebrate and glorifie his great Name Then shall his servants that serve him in truth be glad all that do righteousnesse and godlinesse shall rejoyce and triumph before him If all that I have produced touching the Jews suffrage for the glorious state of all things on earth yet to come be not sufficient for some though perhaps I have quoted too much for others let such read the Chalde Paraphrase on the Bible if but in the Latine Translation the Rabbins at least as quoted in Mercer on the minor Prophets Petrus Galatinus Buxtorfs Jewish Synagogues and the fourth book of Esdras of which last Mr. Medes censure is worth the hearing especially in that it relates to the point in hand Whereas you say saith he in answer to Mr. Haines that the Jews since Christ brought in this opinion of
family in heaven and earth is named There is Bethel even where God in special appears which special appearance is in the person of Christ And lastly where ever Christ is with us wee are with him so as that for that time is heaven to us therefore the Apostle Paul desiring a state in the world to come Phil. 1.23 calls it a being with Christ not heaven So that yet still it remaines to bee proved that Christ shall not appear to his people before the ultimate day of judgement or that Christ hath no place of refreshing his people for a time before the ultimate day of judgement but onely the highest heavens after the ultimate day of judgement SECT II. Mr. Baylies second Argument § 1 AS to his accusation of coyning new and false senses to many Scriptures wee say it is a begging of the Question And we retort it For Mr. B. opinion for many generations hath so allegorised upon all the Prophets speaking of the state of the Jewes and of the universal Church to be on earth afore the ultimate day of â—udgement that I confesse I was thereby for a long time kept in the darke so that I could make no use of the Histories and Prophesies of the Old and New Testament in relation to these things but onely here and there by way of morall observations and allusions § 7 But let us heare his Argument Christ sits at the right hand of God till the last day therefore he comes not to reign on earth a 1000 yeers before the last day To which we say that this argument thus far hath been argued and answered in effect in the first argument yet because there are some fresh proofs we are contented againe to answer it and to discusse them And for answer we deny the Antecedent taking the last day in Mr. Bailyes sense for the ultimate day of judgement But if we take the last day for that day in 2 Pet. 3. which shall be a thousand yeers then Mr. Baily concludes nothing against us But Mr. Baily will prove the Antecedent that Christ doth sit at the right hand of the Father till the last day meaning the ultimate day of judgement viz. the evening of our last day For so I suppose he means his proof is his major Proposition in Ps 110.1 Christ sits at the right hand of God till ALL his enemies be made his footstool Whence he assumes this minor But all his enemies are not made his footstool till the last day For till then Satan death and all wicked men are not fully destroyed therefore c. To this major Proposition out of Ps 110.1 Mr. B puts in a word of great consequence to serve his own turne which in divine arguing from a text is very foule play viz. the word ALL. For as it is not in our English Translation so nor is it in the Hebrew text where it is onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thine enemies indefinitly And the Apostle having an infallible spirit to know the mind of the Scriptures quoting this place Heb. 10.13 renders it that Christ sits there expecting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. putting no ALL in But suppose it be said ALL all his enemies this is sufficiently fulfilled when Christ overcomes all all his enemies are so subdued yea visibly in themselves or in their effects that they shall never hurt the Church more which shall come to passe when the Iewes are settled at the beginning of the thousand yeers as many Scriptures afore shewed And to speake according to St. Iohn in the Revelation then as in Chap. 19. Antichrist and all his adherents shall downe then as in Chapter 20. Satan shall downe then as in Chapter 21 Sinne shall downe And for death this is destroyed Chapter 20. For if all the Saints then live and reigne a thousand yeers then is this a state of immortality of their bodies And for the ultimate day of judgement then is not a destroying of death but a reviving of the worst death sc the second death to the worst of men so that the wicked live onely to dye that death Rev. 20.12 to the end It is said that the last enemy of the Saints that is destroyed is death 1 Cor. 11. Because so St. Iohn names the enemes in order First all the wicked Rev. 19. Then the Devill Rev. 20.1 And last of all death v. 4. and all these orderly at the beginning of the thousand yeers at the beginning of the seventh Angels sounding his Trumpet I say at the beginning thereof And to make all our answer plainer When it is said All shall be under Christs feet the meaning is not that all shall be annihilated For after the ultimate day of judgement there shall be viz. in hell sinne and devils and wicked men and the greatest death viz. the second death i. e. eternall condemnation therefore the meaning must bee that all shall be so under Christs feet that they shall no more mischiefe the Church Satan shall not seduce them Sinne shall not touch them Death shall not dissolve them But at the end of the thousand yeers Satan and the hypocrites in the corners of the world shall begin to make an head and this immediately draws downe Christ to the ultimate day of judgement who raiseth all the dead wicked and takes them and the wicked that are then alive and passeth everlasting condemnation upon them Rev. 20.7 to the end of the Chapter SECT III. Mr. Bailyes third Argument § 1 ALL the godly at Christs comming from heaven doe rise immediately to a heavenly glory ergo none of them doe arise to a temporall glory for a thousand yeers upon earth § 2 Answ We might deny that wee call the Argument you call it the consequence because Mr. Baily doth not say to glory in heaven much lesse the highest heaven For their state on earth a thousand yeers is not onely an heavenly glory but the state is called Heaven Rev. 21.1 c. 2 Pet. 3. But that we shall fix our answer upon will be the denying of the Antecedent and expounding of the proof Mr. Baily brings for proof of the Antecedent 1 Cor. Chap. 15. vers 22.1 Thess 4.14 Matth. 25.31 Joh. 6.39.40.44 Heb. 9.28 ¶ 1 To the two first we answered afore For the third place of Matthew it concludes nothing to the said Antecedent For Christ separates the sheep from the goats notably at the beginning of the thousand yeers when the open wicked then alive generally perish Revelation 19. and all the Saints alive are set in a glorious condition Chap. 20. ¶ 2 To the fourth place viz. in Joh. 6.39.40.44 I will raise it up at the last day We answer this doth not infer any thing in behalf of the Antecedent For lo this thousand yeers is truly the last day For as it is in 2 Pet. 3. before it are the last dayes in which men shall say Where is the promise of his comming And it is after said A thousand yeers
YOUR FILTHINESSE c. and I will save you from ALL YOUR UNCLEANNES 9. Ezekiel Chap. 44.9 speaking of the glorious state of the Church in the last dayes addes Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in HEART shall enter into my Sanctuary ¶ 10 Dan. 12.3 At the time that Michael shall stand up and deliver his people they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNES OF THE FIRMAMENT and they that turne many to righteousness AS THE STARS FOR EVER AND EVER Which is to come to passe before the last universal resurrection and ultimate judgement as we have before demonstrated ¶ 11. Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel SHAL NOT DO INIQUITY nor SPEAK LYES neither shall a DECEITFUL TONGUE be found in their mouthes which words relate as the context afore shews to a state of the Church in the last dayes on earth as the thing demonstrates that it was never yet fulfilled ¶ 12. Zach. 14.20.21 Upon all shall be holinesse to the Lord. ¶ 13 Malach. 4.1 c. The day commeth that shall burne as an oven And all that are proud and doe wickedly shall be as stubble and the day commeth that shall burne them up saith the Lord that it shal leave them neither root nor branch All these places and others have been demonstratively cleared to relate to the time following upon the Call of the Jewes and their settlement All which laid together make up a sinlesse condition § 2 Which will be more cleare and more clearly settled on our spirits by adding some places of the New Testament ¶ 1 In 1 Cor. 15.52 54 55 56. it is said When this corruption shall put on incorruption at the sound of the last Trumpet then O death where is thy sting The sting of death is sinne But thanks be to God that gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Now as wee have before proved there is a vast space viz. of a thousand yeers of the whole terme of the last Trumpet afore the universal ultimate Resurrection ¶ 2 In 2 Cor. 3.18 it is said When the Jewes shall have both vayles taken away as wee have before opened viz. that on Moses namely his forme of worship and that on their hearts viz. their unbeleef instead of the remainders of sinne they shall with open face behold the glory of the Lord being transformed into the same image from glory to glory ¶ 3 St. Peter likewise asserts 2 Pet. 3.13 That after the dissolution of this present vaine sinfull world there shall not onely be New Heavens but also a NEW EARTH wherein dwels RIGHTEOUSNESSE Proving it out of Isa 65.17 for those words be repeats This is spoken to the Jewes and concerning their share in the future happinesse on earth And that dwelling of righteousnesse there must signifie an eminent and absolute degree or else it will not surmount the present state of the Chuch in which as such dwels much righteousnesse But I need not struggle about this with most knowing men who incline to understand this place of a perfection as absolute as that in the supreamest Empyrean heaven ¶ 4 Let us adde but one place more viz. That in Rev. 21. v. 1. c. and verse last of that Chapter in a continued description of the glorious state of the Saints on earth yet to come And saith St. John I saw a new heaven and a new EARTH and I saw the holy City New Jerusalem comming down FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN Behold the Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN c. and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that DEFILETH c. but they that are written in the Lambs Book Every verse of this Chapter as before we gave a particular account hath something in it incompatible and incompetible with the supreamest heavenly estate § 3 But then the question will bee where shall abide all those thousand yeers all those hypocrites called Gog and Magog that shall at last break out and go about to oppose the Church though in vain their opposition and subversion concluding in the same moment Rev. 20.8 Wee answer according to that light wee have attained that most probably they shall not be in but without the Church Rev. 22.15 Without shall be dogs evill men and such as make and love a lye The Heathens as appears by Homer * Iliad 8. did use to call the place of out-cast men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaros alluding likely to some dismal remote place of the earth as Tartary is from us and from Jerusalem The Apostle takes up that word in 2 Pet. 2.4 and makes a verb out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaroâ— to signifie the putting of men into an Hellish solitary place So that most likely the unregenerate shall be as remote from the Church as Tartary is from Jerusalem and the Christian Church as far as it were from Hell to Heaven The Church now being as in an Heaven on earth the false-hearted spawn of future Gog and Magog shall bee remote on earth neer their future Hell To which that place of Gog and Magog Rev. 20.8 doth contribute some proof in that it saith that Gog and Magog shall bee fetched up against the Church by the Devil from the FOURE QUARTERS OF THE EARTH § 4 But if these Hypocrites were permitted neerer the Church they might perhaps be converted VVee answer no. For it is if we may use that word the Fate of this Millenary period I meane Gods righteous peremptory sentence that as all that time there shall be no degenerating of any beleevers so no more regenerating of any unbeleevers There is a judiciary sentence peremptorily passed to this purpose Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and be which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still That is They shall be so still In order to which it follows WITHOUT are Dogs c. that love and make a lye And I come quickly and my reward is with mee The appearance of Christ at the preface to thiâ— thousand yeers will be as it is represented in the Preface to the Revelation Chap. 1. among the Churches viz. that then are or have been Chuâ—ches Therefore it behooves Churches and all Professors to beware they bee not sound as the Foolish Virgins that never had the oyle of regenerating grace in the vessels of their hearts and the oyle of sound principles in their heads by which they made the blaze of Profession is spent i. e. they have lost their principles and so being unready at Christs comming they come when as Ierome saith well the doors are shut SECT II. It is Sorrowlesse § 1 HAving shewed that this future glorious state of the Kingdome of Christ on earth yet to come shall be sinlesse next with good dependence we assert it is a sorrowlesse condition For sorrow came into the world by sinne therefore sorrow shall
happinesse then it must not be taken from them by the old misery of death If all the Elect dead and alive must reigne on earth a thousand yeers as we have proved then there must be no death to cut this time shorter They doe not reigne if subject in the thousand yeers to that great enemy Death Nor do any of them live a thousand yeers if by succession they dye in that thousand yeers If there shall be no more sorrow nor cries nor paines as wee heard afore how then can this Man-eater death continue If sinne be gone why should death remaine § 2 But to leave discourses and come to plaine places of Scripture which are divers ¶ 1 Isa 25.8 He i. e. the Lord mentioned in the former verses will swallow up death in victory and the Lord God will wipe away all tears from off all faces and the rebuke of his people c. Wee before demonstrated that this place belongs to the glorious time we speake of sc when the Jewes are called And you see how full it speaks to the thing of the removal of death Calvin confesseth that this is under Christs Kingdome and addes under Christs universal Kingdom And sure Christ as Christ hath no Kingdom in heaven after the ultimate judgement nor universal now ¶ 2 Another place is in Hos 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave And I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I wil be thy destruction Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes Which place is evidently spoken to Ephraim the ten Tribes verse 12. therefore this cannot relate to the return of the two Tribes from Babylon And it is as evident that more then a spiritual deliverance of a mans soul from death in sin is meant in that here is joyned deliverance from the grave with deliverance from death And twice a mention of grave But much adoe there is with some that would faine make this Text a continuation of the Prophets minatory speech in the former Chapter But the words are plaine words of mercy and a Prophesie of mercy quoted by Paul not onely that God can doe such a thing as in the Text but that he will do it Again how common is it for the Prophets in their preaching mifericordias cum minis mifcere to mingle mercies with minatories So that they may as well say almost that the 14. Chapter is a continuation of threatnings It is frequent in this Prophesie to make threats and comforts so take their turnes Chap. 1. Chap. 2. c. And to me it is plaine and evident that as it is noted in our English Translation at verse 9. begins a Sermon of mercy and so is continued to the end of the 14. verse It is said in verse 9. O Israel thou not I hast destroyed thy self Thou hast brought thy misery on thy selfe But I will be thy King where is any other to save thee in all thy Cities So plainly according to Heb. And for experience the Lord tells Ephraim that the King they desired and had could not save them And therefore God was their onely saving King and therefore was not pleased in giving them a King and in anger did he take away Kings from them because of their confidence in them but this taking them away would make way for their imbracing God for their King according to that which follows in the ensuing promises As for verse 12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up and hid Hiding as well sounds of justification and pardon of sin Psal 32.1 Rom. 4.7 as of punishment And for the 13. verse close to the Hebrew thus Sorrows of a woman in travel will come upon him viz. Ephraim He an unwise Sonne * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If vid. Schindl if he shall stay long in the breaking forth of children i. e. in the straitnesse of the womb i. e. If by repentance he doe not help himselfe out of his sorrows But however verse 14. I sayes the Lord if Ephraim be unwise and helps not himselfe yet I the Lord will ransome them c. as aforesaid Sure enough these words are plaine for the point in hand even as both those two places aforesaid are severall times quoted in the New Testament and applied to a state that is to be afore the ultimate day of judgement ¶ 3 For 1. both places seem to mee to be touched in 1 Cor. 15.54 55. As our new notes on the Bible concur with mee For in the 54. verse seems to be quoted Isa 25.8 For the Apostles words are plainly the same with Isaiah Death is swallowed up in victory And in 55. verse seems a quotation of Hos 13.14 For the Apostles challenge is plainly according to Hosea O grave where is thy victory Secondly The Apostle makes application of the fulfilling of these Prophesies to be at the time we speak of sc of the visible glory of the Church on earth For which observe these particulars First The Apostle mentions our restitution to our state in the first Adam by Christ the second Adam v. 49. compared with Psal 8. As Psal 8. with Gen. 1.26 to which end the visible glorious state of the Church is set out by having a Fountain and Tree of life alluding to Paradise Rev. 22. All which import a state upon earth Secondly That the Apostle mentions the time to be at the sound of the last Trumpet importing other Trumpets to sound first so that the last Trumpet is the seventh as John numbers them not hid from Paul Now from the beginning of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet so many things follow as wee have several times demonstrated that there must of necessity be a state of the Churches visible glory before the ultimate day of judgement For when Rev. 11.15 the seventh Angel sounded then First There was an Earthquake v. ibid. Secondly A proclaiming that the Kingdomes of the earth are the Kingdomes of Christ v. 15. Christ shall reign for ages of ages till time be no more ibid. Fourthly Saints sing praise for it v. 16 17. Fifthly Christ takes to him his great power and now reigns v. 17. Sixthly Nations are angry at it v. 18. Seventhly The Saints are raised and rewarded v. 18. Eighthly A destroying of them that destroyed the earth and care is taken of the earth v. 18. Ninthly The Temple of God is opened and the Arke discovered v. 19. Tenthly Lightinings and thundrings and earthquakes and great haile v. 19. All these here beside that in Rev. 20. Rev. 21. Rev. 22. From the beginning of the seventh Trumpet to the end of it Now let any ingenuous man judge by these ten particulars whether they are consistent with heaven above and whether they must not necessarily import a state on earth So that the Apostle here in this 1 Cor. 15. mentioning the raising of the Saints the cloathing of them with incorruption and the changing of them that are alive quoting those two
shall not If we might be tempted this were not a sorrowlesse condition It was a part of Christs great humiliation that he was tempted though he could not be prevailed against If wicked men the instruments shall not be neer to tempt them then nor Satan the Author So the Text Rev. 19. The wicked are removed Chap. 20. Satan is removed bound up that he should not seduce the Nations any more which phrase would be weighed more then it is I have before shewed in our answer to Doctor Prideaux That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any the least temptation And now I adde that for ought I know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may fitly be rendred Satan shall not to that end wander up and downe among the Nations The Greek may beare it And the context speaks for it For were all those expressions and acts sc laid hold on and bound him cast him into the pit and sets a seale onely to that end that he might not seduce If God had onely laid his command it had been enough to restrain his acting as when Christ commanded him out of the possessed Rather therefore the meaning is that hee might not have so much as the liberty to peragrare Gentes to wander up and downe over the Nations It must not be with him as in the dayes of the Churches afflictions Job 1.7 and 1 Pet. 5.8 Now he is held chained cast down sealed that he may not wander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the active is to wander as planets that compasse the Earth And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the middle voice signifies to wander from place to place viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greek Criticks give instance obire multa loca to travel over much ground And Christ saith Now is the houre of temptation and the Kingdome of patience Then the Kingdome of perfect peace purity and exultation Rev. 11. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. The Serpent then shal only eat his dust Isa 65.25 in opposition to Gen. 3.14 And the devill that abused his body shall be shut up Now shall be fulfilled that promise Rom. 20.16 The God of PEACE mark Gods title shall tread Satan under your feet c. Now that Satan is in the pit he must be under their feet while the Saints stand on their feet on earth Satan must be under them As all things under Christs feet Heb. 2. As for Satans utter prevailing that was subdued when the Apostle spake those words For this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.8 Observe it is said works c. therefore now Satan himselfe must be under their feet as that text speaks Rom. 16.20 now is to bee fulfilled perfectly that Heb. 2.8 c. All must be subject to Christ And he must destroy death AND HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH WHICH IS the Devil verse 14. So that that time that is a Deathlesse condition is a Devil-lesse a Satanlesse time And as in Rev. 20.7 the letting loose of Satan and Satans tempting go together so by an Antithesis Satans binding and his Non-tempting goe together verse 3. Indeed it is said so frequently in the Revelation that at the seventh Trumpet at this first Resurrection when Christ reigns and the Saints with him on Earth that their businesse shall be to joy praise triumph and sing Hallelujahs Rev. 5. Rev. 7. Rev. 14. and Rev. 19.5 or six times in the beginning of that Chapter that it cannot enter into the thoughts of the purest reason that there should be any sad songs of Satan sung to the ears of a Saint Sin and temptation are more sad then death to a Saint and therefore if the lesser sorrow and death shall be gone at this time then much more temptation If nothing that defileth shall enter into this state then not the unclean spirit as Christ calls him O glorious time when there shall be no disposition within nor temptation without to sinne but so full of God and happinesse in manifestation of Christ that there shall be no thoughts but in relation to him The souls of the Elect shall not returne to their bodies to be tempted that were their losse And the living Saints are changed therefore to a state of grace beyond that now which at present is liable to Temptation SECT VI. The next Quality is the RESTAURATION OF ALL THE CREATURES AS Isa 65.17 it is said there must be New Heavens sc a New Church-state so a New Earth a New naturall politick state of persons and things For there is mention of plantings and injoying of them And verse 25. of the Wolfe dwelling with the Lamb c. and that dust shall be the Serpents meat no devouring or hurting So the close They shall not destroy nor hurt in all the holy Mountaine Of this of the Wolfe c. we spake once afore largely on Isa 11.6 7 8 9. which Lactantius takes litterally See before and after the Text it is intended for the time we speake of And the reason of all is For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Knowledge signifies oft all spirituals and here imports that there shal be such an abundant manifestation of Gods presence that all whether taken litterally or metaphorically shall be as in Paradise before Adams fall So Psal 8. makes Gen. 1.26 A Prophesie or Type or both of what man shall injoy in after times And Heb. 2. applies Psal 8. to the time we speak of And Heb. 4. applies Gods resting the seventh day to a Sabbatisme on earth yet to come So the 2 Pet. 3. and Rev. 21.1 apply the New Heavens and New Earth to the said time and call it the New Jerusalem comming downe from God out of Heaven And the addition to the glory of this New Jerusalem shall be a lustre of all creatures materials of building shall be like all manner of precious stones and men shall be like Angels Kings honouring the Church No sea sc to devoure but adorn and comfort man if it be not in a great part crusted into a chrystal body like heaven above consolidated for men to travel upon and come together and to shine to adde an inlightning to the earth for more glory Adde to all this that of Rom. 8.18 As vox naturae THE VOYCE OF NATURE for our point full to our purpose though it may be not heeded for this purpose For Peter gives us a good item when being about to speak of the New Heavens and New Earth 2 Pet. 3. He tels us in v. 3. That before that shall be scoffers and slighters of this opinion of Christs comming they will be as heedlesse as men were before the renovation of the world by Noahs flood Chap. 2. And then having spoken of the New Heavens c. according to Gods promise verse 13. then in the 14. verse he exhorts men to be diligent to bee found blamelesse
the glorious representations They shall have the word for inspection Rev. 22.14.19 and admiration to see all revealed and all fulfilled They shall be taught of God to know the full minde of that word and they themselves shall see with their eyes that fulfilled which out of the word they heard with their ears So that their Joshua sc Jesus shall say to them according to their experience Nothing hath failed of all that God hath spoken They shall have the effect of sublime purity and glory of Discipline sc Angelical order Rev. 21.12 sc 4. Gates and three Angels at every gate So that verse 25. Though the gate be never shut yet verse 27. no unclean thing shall enter in which is the cream and quintessence of the effect of all Discipline In summe As then the labour of the body in moving shall be more excellent a labour-lesse labour a pain-lesse labour a pleasant labour so the worship of the minde shall be without irksomenesse So full of grace that all actings of grace shall be heavenised into all sweetnesse SECT V. The fifth Priviledge Union of Saints throughout the world UNion of heads and union of hearts sc unity in judgement and unity in affection Zach. 14.9 The Lord shall be King over all the earth In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one Is hee not King now Yea but not so actually visibly and absolutely before the eyes of all many great wicked ones yet domineering as he shall be then Is not his name now one yes in it selfe he is the God of truth But by mens pretences that he favours this way and that way men intimate of him several names as Papist Lutheran Calvinist Episcopal Presbyterian Independent But then it shall be cleer which is the onely way of truth And so God shall have one name because as Zeph. 3.9 They shall serve the Lord with onenesse of consent all being of a pure language So that their judgements being one and consequently their practises one great will be the onenesse of affections as Isa 11.13 The envy of Ephraim shall depart Ephraim shall not envy Judah nor Judah vexe Ephraim If so great was the union of Saints in the first fruits Act. 4.32 how much more when the whole lump is fully perfected surely their union shall be as that in Paradise before Adam fell The history of dissention now is grievous to Saints therefore on the contrary how sweet will the mystery bee in the injoyment of Union SECT VI. The sixth Priviledge Honour shall be given to all holy things sc to Religion and religious men § 1 GOd hath in several passages you heard afore promised to take away the reproach of his people as in other things so in Religion This is Gilgal the Great to rowle away the reproach from Israel In the day when the Jewes shall be converted ten shall take hold of one Jew Zach. 8.23 therefore it is said divers times in the Revelation sc Rev. 14.1 Rev. 22.4 The Saints shall have the name of their Father in their foreheads They shall be no more ashamed of their Religion then of their faces Though the Church kisse Christ sc dearly imbrace him yet shall she not be despised Cant. 8.1 Hebrew I will finde thee in the streets I will kisse thee and also they shall not contemne me Publick profession and imbracing of Christ shal not be despised as 't is spoken in the very same Chap. of Canticles where is handled the call of the Jewes So Isa 49.23 Kings shall bee thy Nurses Rev. 21. Kings shall bring their honour to the Church Isa 60.13 The glory of Lebanon c. shall come to beautifie my Sanctuary and I will make the place of my feet glorious Christ the head the Church the feet And there Christ walks Rev. 1. And that Christ will make glorious afore all though formerly men trampled Yea Zach. 9.16 The Church shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up Not as stones in the street but of a Crowne Not of a Crowne falling but of a Crowne lifted up Zach. 12.5 The Governours of Judah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Jerusalem my strength in the Lord of Hosts We know that of late dayes governours have put all the reproachfull names upon the Saints and Churches of the purest judgement and profession as Faction Schisme Puritans c. But the time is at hand they shall be convinced and shall know that Saints are the best men the interest and stay of Kingdomes § 2 Let the consideration of these Priviledges make us walk like them that shall see these times let the dawning be upon us now the Sun is about to rise cleaving to Christ in Ordinances and to one another in love honouring them most that have most holinesse Yea let this comfort us that all the glorious Promises and Prophesies shall then be fulfilled Finis Libri Sexti THE SEVENTH BOOK Containing an Essaie Touching the time when this future Glorious state of the Church on Earth for a Thousand Yeers probably shall begin CHAP. I. The Introduction unfolding and cutting out the Worke for this BOOK § 1 I Know Lubrious est hic locus this is a point wherein my Pen may soon slip and as soon will sleight-spirited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carp and over-austere Cato censure As for the extremous multitude whose Motto or Character is Hosanna to day and Crucifie to morrow they will deifie if a man hit right but infinitly vilifie if he mistake But the ingenuous prudent will neither reckon me a God for the first nor cypher mee into lesse then a man for the second The best of men in such a labyrinth and lesse have mistaken Upon this ground I take my trip Christo duce the Lord being my Leader § 2 And the better to stave off some blows I shall take into me the guard of other learned pious mens judgements and present the Reader with variety of accounts with their grounds and thence let him not I Prophesie if any will so call it § 3 The worke we have to doe in relation to this is ## ¶ 1 To give the Reader severall Prognosticks shewing indefinitly that this glorious state of things is not far off ¶ 2 To cast up the severall Computations found in the Scriptures pointing at a determinate time when most probably this state shall begin CHAP. II. HOlding forth the several Prognosticks that the Glorious time we speake of is not far off but now approacheth especially in the introduction thereunto viz. The Call of the Jews SECT I. The first Prognostick The expiration of Accounts § 1 IN the first place severall numbers of yeers Prophesied to fore-run the Commencement of this state are now almost expired I shall now but touch and but some of them intending by Gods assistance to give you as I am enabled a more exact account in the third Chapter ¶ 1 The One thousand two hundred and ninety dayes that is yeers foretold Dan.