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
him all ye gods and the Greek imperative Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him in sense is future that is They all shal worship him as the Epistle to the Hebrews in the Hebrew copy expressely renders it in the future * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall adore or worship him As the Angels of heaven do and ever have done and shall more eminently when they shall be more apparently his Ministers and servants to dispense his mercy and justice in that sudden great work sudden in regard of the greatnesse of setting up New Jerusalem the great restitution of all things so the Kings Princes Emperours Potentates Powers and Angels of Churches SHALL WORSHIP HIM They shall they must doe it afore Christ layes downe his power at the ultimate day of judgement 1 Cor. 15.28 and afore they be condemned men when nothing wil be accepted from them They must do it as a sign they are brought into Christ as the intent of this Epistle is to win the Jews to him 2. ¶ To this of the time of Christs universall visible power over the whole world the one hundred and tenth Psalme sings excellent harmony a Psalme so eminent that it is quoted no lesse then seven times in the New Testament and so apt for our purpose that as the two and twentieth Psalm is of the Passion of Chirst so expounded Mat. 27. The sixteenth Psalme of Christs Resurrection so expounded Act. 2. the sixty eighth Psalme of Christs Ascention so expounded Eph. 4. So this 110 Psalme is of Christs Assession or sitting at the right hand of God till all the world be made subject to him Every verse of it almost hath something in it of this as the Chalde Syriack Arab. Rabb well expound * The Chalde on those words The Lord said to my Lord saith the Lord said to HIS WORD which is the stile of Christ in S. Job phrase but some Syâ—iack thus It is a Psalme concerning Christ and his victory over the Devil who rules in the children of disobedience and gathers the Nations together to oppose Christs Kingdome And upon those words v. 2. Rod of thy strength â—oth say An iron rod to break the enemies of the Gospel Moses with the rod of God being a type of the Mesria Some Arab. thus In the day of thy power in the beuaties of holinesse That is Thou Christ art King of thy holy and beautifull Church and of thy Princedome over the Saints shall be no end that is as Daniels phrase is oft After Christ no Monarch on earth shall succeed Christ in that respect also is Alpha and Omega the first Monarch spirituall and the last visible And upon those words Womb of the morning thus Thou wast before the wâ—mb of thy mother which can be said of no Propher but Christ of whom it is said â—s 72. Thy Name is before the Sun R. Isaak Arama in Gen. 47 apud Nebiens dicit Before the morning star that is he was begotten before he shone in the world in the Gospel Suirably other Rabbins Ex Ab. Ezra in Ps 110 Rabbo expoâ—unt de Melchisedech Abraham sed dumum est Sion de Abraham explicare And upon those words The Lord hath sworn Iuravit Deus cum Davide semine suo Ex. R. Osâ—ad in Psa 110. De Christo Sedeas quia non adhue est tempus revelationis tuae And upon the word Priest Messias fililus Ioseph qui erat occisus Now we know the Apostles quotes this Psalme oft after Christs ascention ver 1. The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole c. By the LORD is meant JEHOVAH as it is expresse in the Hebrew By my Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant Christ who according to his humanity is Davids Sonne but according to Deity is Davids Lord as Christ himselfe expounds it Matth. 22.44 Mar. 12.36 Luke 20.41 Accordingly the Chalde calls Christ by the same title John doth Chap. 1. v. 1. In the beginning saith John was the WORD And saith the Chalde on this Psalme The Lord said to his WORD And because Christ is Davids Lord therefore tho Psalmist David himselfe infers that he must rule over Davids poesterity though now for present with many others they be enemies Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole Which phrase cannot with any congruity be meerly spiritually understood For how can we say Converts are enemies or if by conversion his friends how can it be said they are his footstool Christ is upon other termes with men when once made beleevers as that they are one with him Ioh. 15. Ioh. 17. Therefore the plain meaning is that Christ must so rule over all that his very enemies must corporally and visibly be subject unto his power And this is prophesied and promised for future after his ascention and after his first sitting at the right hand of God But to this day now after 1600 yeers since that time Christ hath not ruled over the generality of the Iews either the ten Tribes or two Tribes either corporally or spiritually besides Indians Turks c. so as to bring them into any outward acknowledgement of him And therefore as yet All his enemies are not made his footstool but it remaines to be done before the full and finall destruction at the ultimate day of judgement 3 ¶ Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool is like that Act. 3.21 whom the Heavens must receive untill the times of the RESTITUTION he saith not DESTITUTION of all things And that Rev. 19. last Rev. 20.1 He shall slay his incurable Antichristian enemies and shall descend from Heaven 4 ¶ The Apostle doth yet much more give us light in this thing Heb. 2.8 9. In putting all things in subjection under him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he left nothing that is not put under him Now saith the Apostle We see not yet all things put under him though the Apostle there confesseth that Christ was already ascended So that Christ must sit in Heaven till his enemies be put in subjection under him which cannot be at the ultimate generall judgement For before that Christ at his next coming must receive a Kingdome Luke 19.11 c. which hath been largely cleared afore 2 Book Sect. 10. hee must in order of nature at his next appearance first have a Kingdome and then judge 2 Tim. 4.1 which also hath been abundantly opened afore 2 Book Sect. 6. For upon the ultimate day of judgement he layes downe all his authority 1 Cor. 15.28 5 ¶ The Apostle addes further light to this in his quotation of this of the 110. Psal in Act. 2.32 33 34 35 36. This Iesus hath God saith the Apostle Peter raised up c therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this as
Antichristian enemies in the day of his Army raised up to that end and whether we understand it specially of the Jewes by speciall emphasis his people first chosen to be a Church and after of his blood kindred or generally of all sorts of Nations when saw we or our forefathers since the Incarnation that day of power wherein the generality of either sort in either of the said senses were a willing people But on the contrary in all ages ten for one are obstinate against Christ and more especially the Jewes And therefore that God may be true this must bee fulfilled before that ultimate day of judgement which doth not mend but end the incurable enemies of Christ Verse 4. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech The Apostle hence infers Heb. 7. the exceeding eminency of Christs Priesthood above that of Aaron First In that Christ was made so by an oath not so the order of Aaron which obligation by the oath of God the Apostle Heb. 6. urgeth upon the Jewes as a great ground of faith and that they should not doubt as he will not repent Secondly In that as Melchisedech so Christ must be above the order of Aaron a Kingly Priest a most righteous and peace-bringing King and that at Salem Now seeing Christ by the oath of God was made King of Salem the contract of Jerusalem we must expect that infallibly to be fulfilled according to Psal 2. and v. 2. of this 110 Psal Hee hath indeed been at Salem alias Jerusalem and there acted in his offering up himselfe visibly as well as spiritually the Priest-hood But he hath not since the Apostles writing of that Epistle acted any visibility of his Royalty or Kingly-hood there which is cleer by that in Verse 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath So that when this Psalme is fulfilled to exalt Christ according to the tenor thereof then the Kings of the earth that submit not to Christ must be stricken through by the wrath of God But since Christs Incarnation generally all the Kings of the earth of all men have been least subdued to Christ their Nobles siding with them and have acted most opposition against him drawing all their peoples into confederacy with them But saith this Psalme there must be a day of Gods wrath wherein he wil strike through Kings that stand out against his Sonne And this stroke must be a corporall stroke as it follows Verse 6. He shall judge among the Heathen and fill the places with dead bodies He shall wound the HEAD * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is in the Heb. in the singular number and therefore ill rendred in our English Bibles plurally Heads over many Countries The words are plaine for a bringing in of Jewes and Gentiles into a submission unto Christ or they must be slaine on heaps Now hitherto the generality of Jewes and Gentiles both Kings and peoples doe not yet submit to Christ nor are they strucken through or slain in heaps And at the ultimate day of doome the judgement is by fire not by sword and unto eternall death not temporall And therefore this yet to come before that day In fulfilling whereof the Lord shall wound that same HEAD over many Countries that is as Dr. Alsteds and Mr. Ainsworths opinion pleaseth me wel he shal wound the head of Antichrist that pretends to be Head over many Countries or if we say the wicked Rulers of the world who unite under an Antichristian head it comes to one effect This head the Lord must wound or to render it nearer the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transfixit sic Arias Pagn pierce through So that the Lord will not onely wound a part of the Head-ship as if it should bee healed againe as Rev. 13. But he will utterly destroy as Jael did Sisera when shee pierced his head through Judg. 4. the last and greatest headship of that head as in Rev. 19. three last verses And then Verse 7. Christ shall lift up his head That is his power shall bee visibly exalted above his Capital enemy as visibly as his enemies were exalted against him Thus of two of the Heads touching Christs Kingdome yet to come deduced out of the Psalmes Viz. 1 The Universality of Christs power 2 The time when to be fulfilled 3 Now follows viz. The Sabbatisme the Saints shall then enjoy § 3 For this third Head out of the Psalmes viz. the Sabbatisme which the Saints shall enjoy in the time of Christs future visible Kingdom on earth we have in the 95. Psal from vers the seventh to the end v. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice v. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse v. 9. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works 10. Forty yeers long was I grieved with this generation and said it is a people that doe erre in their heart and they have not knowne my wales 11. Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest 1 ¶ This Psalme was penned more immediately for the Jews as it was penned by the Psalmist a Jew and is first urged upon them by Paul a Jew Heb. 3.7 c. to the end of the Chapter by way of exhortation to heare Christs voice whereby they may not miscarry as their forefathers did in the wildernesse and so misse of entring into Gods rest Secondly propounded by the same Jewish Apostle to the said Jewes now scattered Heb. 4. v. 1. c. to v. 12. by way of consolation that in these words is a cleer intimation and concession that some of the Jewes though they in the wildernesse did not shall enter into Christs rest which the Apostle collects by a strong consequence thus The severall premises of the argument from that 95 Psalme he layes downe in the 5 6 7 and 8 verses viz. 1. For God saith IF THEY shall enter into my rest Seeing therefore it remaineth that SOME must enter therein and THEY to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbeleef He limiteth a CERTAINE day saying so LONG A TIME as it is said to day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts that is long after the Israelites were entered into Canaan under the conduct of Joshua the Psalmist in his time saith to day if ye will heare his voyce c. For if Jesus that is Josuah being so written in Greek viz. Jesus and Jesus and Josuah are of the same signification had given them rest he would not afterward have spoken of another day These two premises being laid downe the Apostle inferres a generall conclusion serving to both v. 9. viz. There remaineth therefore even to the Apostles time and by equall reason downe to this time a rest to the people of God Observe
were had been in the opinions of most men buried in oblivion and his glory covered he must rise againe from that obscuring himselfe from men to reign over them Which the Prophet Daniel c. 12. calls His standing up as a great PRINCE to deliver his people which shall begin saith the Angel one thousand two hundred and ninety dayes that is so many yeers from the ceasing of the daily sacrifice and shall bee five and forty yeers in finishing ere all the Iews enemies shall be thrown down After which immediately begins the great Restitution of all things the Resurrection of the Saints Daniel standing up in the lot ¶ 3 So that this Text of the 11 of Isaiah is most cleerly to bee extended beyond the Iewes deliverance out of Babylon unto Christs personall coming and on the other side cannot be confined stinted and terminated in Christs first personall coming in his Incarnation but must be carried on far beyond that as these arguments following will evince First after the Prophet had in the first of verse this 11 of Isaiah prophesied of Christs coming and verse 2 3 1 Arg. of his qualification with gifts and graces then in the fourth verse he prophesies that Christ with righteousnesse shall judge the poore and reprove with equity for or in behalfe of the meek of the earth and shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his mouth shall he slay the wicked But Christ did not reprove in the behalf of the meek nor slay the wicked at his first coming in the flesh But it is extended by the Apostle 2 Thess 2. after Christs ascention unto future times when Christ shall destroy Antichrist who was not revealed when the Apostle wrote whose destruction is the introduction to the future Restitution as hath been afore demonstrated upon that 2 Thess 2. c. in our second Book Secondly when the Prophet had prophesied of Christs coming and the excellency of his person and gifts in the 1 2 3 4 and 5 verses 2 Arg. before he comes to the maine of the Prophesie whereon I shall chiefly insist in verse 10 11 c. he inserts between in the 6 7 and 8 verses a Prophesie that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye downe with the Kid c. meaning the restitution of the creatures from the enmity of the curse by Adams fall according to Rom. 8.19 20 21 22 23. For which saith the Apostle not only the Saints but the creature it self earnestly expects and the whole creation groaneth to bee delivered from the bondage of corruption and vanity to which it is now subject and to be put into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God Which yet never was nor can it be imagined to be at the ultimate day of doom and therefore is yet to come I know full well that divers understand this part of this Prophesie metaphorically of men by nature fierce as beasts to be made tame and loving by the power of the Gospel at Christs first coming Too common a fault in Writers through lazinesse or blindnesse to take the sent and cry of the former and to run with full mouth after them But if this be a sufficient argument to assert the sence of a place of Scripture we can produce both Jewes and Christians averring that this place is to be understood literally of the change of the nature of the wilde Beasts at the restitution of which we speake The Jewes take this according to the Letter as if the Prophet should say In the time of the Messiah the Wolfe the Leopard the Lion and the rest of the wilde Beasts shall be made tame and shal no more hurt just and good men And thus much is acknowledged by Alapide upon this place Calvin * Unde sequitur eum formare ipsis fidelibus ingenia caelesti suo spiritu quanquam longius spectat Prophetae oratio Perinde enim est acsi promiiteret BEATAM MVNDI REPARATIONEM c. Calv. in Isa cap. 11. v. 6. 7. also doth in his owne judgement assert hence the change of the nature of wilde Beasts and the restitution of the Creation as at first Hence saith he it followes that God will forme the spirits of Beleevers by his holy Spirit Howbeit the speech of the Prophet lookes farre beyond this For it is all one as if he should promise that there shall be a blessed REPARATION of the world For he describes what was that order from the beginning before that unhappy and sad subversion or disorder befell us by the fall of man under which wee now groane c. Surely there had been no disagreement between the Creatures of God if they had stood in their first and perfect originall c. Seeing therefore when Christ shall come he shal by abolishing the Curse reconcile the world to God the INSTAURATION OF A PERFECT STATE is not impertinently ascribed to him As if the Prophet should say THAT GOLDEN AGE shal returne in which before the fall of man full felicity flourished Thus Calvin with much more to very good purpose to our point which I forbeare to repeat or quote other latter Writers * Mair c. of the same opinion because I may have occasion in that kinde to speake more to this Text upon the WHAT this glorious RESTITUTION shall be Meane while I attaine what I aimed at that if some Learned men be opposite to us in their giving the sence of this place we have other Learned men to ballance them and that as I conceive grounding upon Divine reason upon a better account For to that the Analogie of other Scriptures concurre Rom. 8. ver 19. c. Psal 8. compared with Heb. 2. fully opened afore To that also agrees that full enumeration of all the worst and most hurtfull Creatures whereas a lesse reckoning or a shorter expression would have served to signifie an agreement among men by the power of the Gospel Which whiles some so peremptorily defend to be the full meaning of this place they had done themselves much right and given us some satisfaction if they had shewed us that effect of the Gospel at Christs first coming answerable to the minde of this Prophesie viz. That it should exceed that agreement and peace that was in the Nationall Church of the Jewes afore Christs coming and that since Christs coming that hath been as better so more generall But alas this they cannot doe and therefore we cannot imbrace a sence that cannot be found out For as Christ himselfe at his first coming said I came not to bring peace but a sword and to set those of the same family one against another so we know by the Histories of the foure Evangelists and of the Acts of the Apostles that great Oppositions mighty Tumults hideous Persecutions followed upon Christs first coming and so continued from Age to Age the streame of a deep torrent of bloud running
which at the ultimate day of judgement cannot be imaginable and therefore are yet to be fulfilled before that day SECT XXX THE fourth place in Jeremiah is in Chapter 50. the foure last verses viz. v. 17 18 19 20. The words are these Verse 17. ISRAEL is a scattered sheep the Lions have driven him away first the KING of ASSYRIA hath devoured him and last this NEBUCHADNEZZAR King of BABYLON hath broken his bones v. 18. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of ISRAEL Behold I will punish the King of BABYLON and his land as I have punished the King of ASSYRIA v. 19. And I will bring ISRAEL again to his HABITATION and he shall feed on CARMEL and BASHAN and his soul shall be satisfied on mount EPHRAIM and GILEAD § 1 That this Prophesie is not yet fulfilled nor can it be fulfilled at the ultimate day of judgement and therefore to bee fulfilled on earth afore that day note first that he dittie is of ISRAEL which must at least comprehend the ten Tribes which appears not onely in styling God here in relation to this the God of ISRAEL but by severall passages after that all the twelve Tribes are here meant Now the deliverance of the ten Tribes was never yet performed to this day § 2 Secondly the deliverance must be in a hostile way viz. by the destruction of their enemies namely of Kings and Kingdomes expressed v. 18. in relation to which God is called the Lord of Hosts But as yet the Kings and Kingdoms who in a constant succession down to this day have been the enemies of the Jews are not destroyed § 3 Thirdly that God promiseth to come downe in a methodicall order to punish their enemies successively in time and place as successively as they afflicted the twelve Tribes First the King of Assyria had devoured Israel which can be no other then Salmaneser his taking Samaria c. captive 2 King 18.9 which Samaria was the Metropolis of the Kingdome of the ten Tribes And this is the King of Assyria's devouring Israel Nineveh being the Metropolis of that Kingdome whiles called the Kingdome of Assyria 2 King 19.36 Then secondly Nebuchadnezzar alias Nebuchadrezzar King of Babylon came up against Jerusalem the Metropolis of the Kingdome of the two Tribes and took it and carried away all the considerable persons of that Kingdome and all their substance of any value captive to Babylon 2 King 25.1 c. And this was the King of Babylon his breaking of their bones called the King of Babylon because Babylon then was the Metropolis of the Kingdome of Chaldea the Chaldeans then ruling over the Assyrians And therefore the Monarchy was afterwards called the Assyrio-chaldean Now as God hath punished some of their enemies heretofore viz. Nineveh of Assyria according to the Prophet Nahum And Sennacherib their King and his Host 2 King 19. So he must according to his promise descend in order with destruction in an hostile manner upon Babylon and upon the Kings of Babylon whatsoever and whosoever that Babylon and those Kings be in the Scripture name and notion and extended in the promises of the New Testament And therefore as God did punish Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon with turning him as it were into a beast for certaine yeers Dan. 4. And after hee punished Belshazzar King of Babylon and that City by Darius the Mede invading it Dan. 5. and Darius the Mede then King of Babylon by Alexander the Greek and Alexanders successours then King of Babylon by the Roman and the Roman Emperour then King of Babylon both old and new that is Babylon and Rome by the Arabian Saracen or Turk the now King of old Babylon Dan. 7. so according to the explication and application in the New Testament of this promise made in this Text in the Old God must yet goe on corporally to destroy the Turk the present King of old Babylon and the Roman that once was the Tyrant of Old Babylon and after that continued to be the Tyrant of New Babylon viz. Rome first by Heathen Tyranny and after by Papal and Antichristian Tyranny down to this day acording to Prophesies in Dan. 7. and this must bee done by the power of Christ and his Church ibid. and Dan. 2. Now neither the Turkish King of Babylon nor his Kingdome is yet destroyed but rather mightily prospers and prevailes yea and God is behinde in arrears of judgements with New Romish Babylon for her heathenish ten bloody persecutions extending by intervals about three hundred yeers and hath not given her her present pay for her late Papal and Antichristian massacres inquisitions tortures and blasphemies as to the matter of destroying the supream power and the Kingdome of this Babylon according to the amplification of Revelation 17 18 and 19 Chapters § 4 Note fourthly that the successive punishing the enemies of the Jews in succeeding generations following this Prophesie must so succeed as to have this successe that ISRAEL and JUDAH may be delivered from their dispersion and restored to their own land and distinctly to their severall quarters there viz. Carmel Bashan Ephraim and Gilead One Carmel was a City of the Tribe of Judah some twelve miles from Jerusalem Southward Another Carmel was of the Tribe of Issachar about threescore and foure miles from Jerusalem Northward not farre from Prolemais toward the shore of the Mediterranean Sea Josh 19. Jer. 46. Bashan before the Israelites came up from Egypt to Canaan was of the Country of Og but after became part of the portion of the half Tribe of Manasseh Numb 21. Isa 2.13 Mount Ephraim is between Jericho and Jerusalem extending towards the Sea It was the portion of the sonnes of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh Josh 13. and 17. And as one halfe of the Tribe of Manasseh stuck to Judah so Ephraim is an usuall expression to signifie the Kingdome of the ten Tribes or Israel Isa 7. Isa 9. Hos 5. Psal 59. Gilead was a Country that lay between the sea of Galilee and mount Gilead some sixty miles from Jerusalem It separates the Country of Galilee from Israel By this description of the scituation and owners of these places it evidently appeares that Gods minde in this Prophesie of Jeremy is that not onely the two Tribes but also the other ten and so all twelve are to be restored to their own land though it cost the ruine of all Kings of all Babylons whatsoever But this is not yet fulfilled as the present and long time past condition of those twelve Tribes sadly speak § 5 Therefore as sure as God is true these Prophesies of Jeremiah must be yet fulfilled on earth And that before the ultimate day of judgement as we said before the nature of the things necessarily requiring it Thus of Jeremiah SECT XXXI NExt wee come to the Prophet Ezekiel The first place is in Chapter 28. v. 24 25 26. Vers 24. There shall be NO MORE a pricking briar unto the house of ISRAEL
was divided And the breaking off three of these ten by the one Horn that grew up among them doth further notably describe the Body of Antichrist arising out of the Roman Empire with its two sides The Turke one Eye Legge and Arme and the Pope the other Eye Legge and Arme Both making up one Antichristian Body to keep the world from imbracing Christ and his pure Gospell I have already largely shewed * Lib. 2. cha 2. Sect. 4. §. 2. how Turke and Pope are generally considered one Antichristian body that they jarre among themselves it nothing prejudiceth this Notion no more then the foure heads of the Leopard prejudiced the onenesse of the Grecian Monarchy or the ten hornes the onenesse of the Roman or the severall factions between the severall Popes co-existent at the same time with mighty factions of their severall sorts of Friers did null the union of the Roman Antichrist As Herod and Pontius Pilate disagreeing in other things became friends in that tertio of crucifying Christ so the Turke and Pope however they disagree in other things yet they are most deservedly called by the same NAME Antichrist and described by the same number of their name The Turke keeping off the Jewes and the Pope the Christians so called from imbracing Christ And both their names making exactly six hundred sixty six of which afore loco citato Even as their SEATS are both called by the name of Babylon both in the Old and New Testament Their RISE also being the same compare Revel 13. with this seventh of Daniel the Pope rising out of the Romane Empire and the Turke out of the Pope viz. out of Popish advise for Religion and the Popish Territories for dominion The Pope taking part of the Romane Empire and their Heathenish religion and the Turke Mahomet formed his religion by the advise of Sergius a Monke of which largely afore and tooke part of the Romane Empire viz. three parts of tenne towards his Territories as it is in this seventh of Daniel Their END OF DESTRVCTION is also the same both in time and manner they falling immediately one after another by which the fourth Beast is destroyed and much after the same manner as we may see by comparing Dan. 7. Revel 19. 2 Thes 2. and most justly their EYES and MOVTHES of wit and blasphemy against Christ being so like Dan. 7. ver 8.25 Rev. 13. ver 5.6 Neither doe they differ in their PRIDE Dan. 7.20 2 Thes 2. advancing themselves above all that is called God not only above Magistrates but above Christ the Turke in preferring Mahomet the Pope in dispensing with great sinnes continually practised which Christ threatens and nulling much of his Word and ordinances They both also concurre in TYRANNY in changing Lawes and times ver 25. of this seventh of Dan. 2 Thes 2. Their CRVELTY is also described as one in continuall making warre with and prevailing against the Saints of the most high Compare this seventh of Dan. ver 21.25 with the thirteenth of Revel ver 7. But it is but for a TIME which is measured out as the same in the generall term viz. A time and times part of a time So in the twenty fifth verse of this seventh of Dan. Dan. 12.7 compared with Revel 12. ver 14. Revel 13. ver 5.6 And if we reckon the difference of the commencement of one thousand two hundred ninety dayes and one hundred and sixty dayes mentioned Revel 11. Dan. 12. the account will arise to be neare the same of which computation God permitting more after For close of this identity or likenesse as the Turke pulled off at first three hornes of the ten of the Roman Empire viz. Syria Aegypt and Africa or rather as other reckon Syria Grecia and Africa so the Pope arrogates a triple Crowne over the Romane state § 7 Before we can fairely goe on any further upon this seventh of Daniel I must insert here my thoughts touching the LITTLE HORNE I know the Learned differ much about it Not to mention as if worthy of words that impossible opinion that it signifies Antiochus Epiphanes the learned Parker and others hold it meanes the Antichrist of Rome But learned Graserus and others understand by it Mahomet and give very strong reasons for it The answers whereto that some give are not to me sufficient nor are their owne Arguments for the Roman Antichrist as to peculiarise that Horne to him in my judgement convincing I have here nor place nor time patching in this seventh § after I was past it in the Copy to discusse the Question at large but I shall propose this expedient to the learned 1. To consider as hath been even now and afore hinted as we pointed in the Margin that Turk and Pope with their successours are but the maine Integrals of Antichrist 2. That upon exact review of what ever is said on both sides touching the little horne it may appeare that all may handsomly and fairely be accommodated to both Turke and Pope if not more appositely to the Turke 3. That as they that make it a Romane Horne may be led thereunto with feare of omitting any thing that Prophesieth and promiseth the ruine of that Roman Antichrist so we must be jealous of waving any thing that threatens the ruine of this Mahometan or Turkish Antichrist intended in Revel 9. by Mr. Parkers owne confession as after in the sixteenth of Revelations in the sixth Vial and elsewhere For with me I confesse it is a rule which diligent observation as I have gone along over all the Scriptures hath irresistably ingraffed into my reason That all the Scriptures touching the great Restauration or Restitution of the Church to her glorious estate on earth before the ultimate day of Judgement doe more directly and immediatly look towards the Jewes consequentially inclusively and mediatly upon the Gentiles And therefore by consequence doe more immediatly threaten the ruine of the Mahometan Turkish Antichrist as their more immediate and cruell enemy inhabiting all their borders and next extend to the Roman Antichrist taking him in under the generall notion of a grand enemy to the conversion of Jews and Gentiles unto Christ and of the glorious reformation of the Church and of the pure Doctrine and ministration of the Gospel conducing to both Nor doth it hang handsomely together in my eye that the little Horne breaking off three of the ten should be the Romane Antichrist his conquering three of the Mahometan Emperours because the breaking off three of the ten was to disjoyn them from the ten not to reunite them unto the ten and so make up thirteene or to make up the ten to be ten for they were ten afore over which the Roman Antichrist ruled afore the three were broken off Thus in briefe I have in this strait of place modestly presented my thoughts which with all my heart I humbly submit to the judgements of the more learned that can produce stronger
degenerating into pontificall From the fortieth verse to the end of the chapter it is described so far forth as it became first Saracenicall and then Turkish For the King of the South intends the Saracens who next to the Romans were the immediate oppressors of the Jewes which Saracens were described to be a people of the South 1. Because of their rise who arose out of Arabia which is Southward from Judea 2. Because of their seat who planted themselves in Egypt Alexandria being their Imperiall City of their Souldan which was also South from Judea The King of the North intends the Turke who next to the Saracens were the immediate oppressors of the Jewes the Turk winning from the Romans several Countries of their Empire These Turkes have the notation of a people of the North partly because they arose out of Scythia being the Natives thereof which was North from Judea partly because they possessed the Country of Syria which was North from Judea Of the Romans oppressing the Jewes we heard afore on Chapter 2. and Chapter 7. and hinted in this in verse 36. as instruments of Gods indignation Which held to the Apostles times and further as we shall hear more after The Turkes joyning with the Saracens beat the Romans out of Judea and severall other Countries adjacent but to no advantage of the Jew the Jewes hereby onely changing their oppressor but not their oppression into a deliverance as hath been touched afore upon the 40 and 41 verses in this chapter § 17 The deliverance of the Jewes from these oppressors 1. From the Roman Empire as Roman is hinted in verse 36. in those words till the indignation be accomplished for that that is determined shall be done that is the time of Gods wrath against the Jewes is but for a certain terme of yeares There must be a deliverance of the Jewes c. after the period of this misery as Daniel hath more abundantly declared in the former part of this his booke Their deliverance from the Roman last Monarchy so far as it was become Saraceno-Turkish is expressed verse 44 45. But tidings out of the East and out of the North shall trouble him therefore he shall goe forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away with many and although he shall plant the Tabernacle of his Palace between the Seas in the glorious mountaine yet he shall come to his end and none shall helpe him That is the Jews rising up in the bordering Countries lying East and North from Judea thereby become the object of the Turkish fury in their owne land The application of these rumours from the East are ill applyed to Antiochus disquieted about the Parthian warres And as ill are the reports of the commotions from the North applyed to Judas Maccabaeus his prevailing as Mr. Huet hath learnedly demonstrated But that they plainly signifie the rising of the Jewes as aforesaid thereby provoking the Turke severall arguments speak strongly ¶ 1. This propheticall booke of Daniel hath constantly kept in all the Chapters preceding viz. chap. 2. chap. 7. chap. 8. chap. 9. and chap. 10. wherein hath been mentioned the misery of the Jews under the foure Monarchies of the world I say hath constantly kept this method to annex a close concerning the delivery of the Jewes it being the scope of this whole Book to set forth the Trage-Comedy of the Jewish state the Ante-Scene or prelude to be sad to the Jewes glad to their enemies but the Catastrophe and turn of the stage and state of things as glad to the Jewes sad to their enemies the Jewes deliverance arising out of their enemies ruine The Holy Ghost well minding the sad captivity of the Jewes at the time of this prophesie and therefore had dear need upon any mention of their oppressions and continuance of them of some comfort at least to bee presently added Now unlesse this comfort of their deliverance bee here hinted this method is quite broken off ¶ 2. Daniel holds this method in the 12. chapter For mentioning the Jewes troubles the first verse hinting them againe in the third verse he spends the rest of the chapter in discovering their deliverance This therefore being the method of the holy Spirit in the mouth of Daniel from first to last in this prophesie it is altogether most improbable that it should bee omitted in the eleventh chapter ¶ 3. The conversion of the Jewes is prophesied expressely to come from the East Revel 16.12 in mentioning the drying up of the great river Euphrates that the way of the Kings of the EAST might be prepared ¶ 4. It is observed that at this day the Jewes are especially conversant in those Eastern parts neare Judea hankering after Canaan for the sake of whose residence there the Arabian parts thereabouts viz. Ammon Edom Moab c. are spared by speciall divine providence as is intimated afore v. 41. ¶ 5. The enemy himselfe for the prevention if he might of the returne of the Jewes into their owne land pitched ver 45. the Tabernacle of his palace in Judea therefore there and thereabouts especially shall be the insurrection of the Iewes § 18 But notwithstanding all the power and prudence of the Turkish enemy he shall vers 45. come to his end by the said rising of the Iewes to re-possesse themselves of Iudea § 19 For * Our Translators render it And. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft and must of necessity be rendred For as we gave instances afore and most congruously to the sence is here so rendred at that time saith Daniel chap. 12. vers 1. shall Michael stand up the great Prince who standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time And at that time thy people shall be delivered By which words considered in their substance and dependence we may perceive the necessity of our opening so much of the eleventh chapter as hath been presented to you For the whole of that and this put together clearly amounts to thus much in expresse termes that at the end of the fourth Monarchy Christ most fitly called Michael which signifies who is as God stands up to deliver the Jewes called the children of Daniels people or Nation and that as well from their civill bondage as from their spirituall Now this cannot be at the ultimate generall judgement For first Then are the Iewes no more delivered then any other people of other nations who were beleevers Which were but a small priviledge to the JEWES as to them in peculiar And a small comfort to them now in captivity that their full deliverance from captivities under Tyrants should not be till the last day of the generall Judgement 2. Nor can the Jewes then be so delivered unlesse they be first grafted in againe by faith as the Apostle speakes Rom. 11. the last judgement being a destruction not a deliverance of
to this day falls far shorter of the fulnesse of the Gentiles coming in and therefore shorter yet of the Saving all Israel as the Apostles phrases are Rom. 11 We have it from day to day before our eies that not one of ten Christians hardly is more then called a Christian and not one Jew of ten thousand bears the name of a Christian And therefore in this first branch this place of Ioel is not in the main yet fulfilled 2. This of this second of Ioel is not yet fulfilled That at the time the Prophet mainly means there must be such wonders in Heaven and in Earth as must be accompanied with blood and fire and pillars of smoake and such a darkning of the Sun and discolouring of the Moon c. As all these things must amount to the making up of a GREAT and TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD And that in relation to the destruction of them that believe not so as to call upon God in faith as the last verse intimateth Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved And the destruction shall be especially of those unbelievers that are enemies to the Jews as the same last verse of this second Chapter and the first and second verses of the third Chapter do evidently hint For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call For behold in THOSE DAYES and in THAT TIME when I shall bring again the captivity of JUDAH and JERUSALEM I will also gather ALL NATIONS and will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat and will PLEAD with them there for my people and for my heritage ISRAEL whom they have scattered For by the wonders at the passion of Christ Matth. 27. there was no destruction of any man At the effusion of the Spirit after his ascension Acts 2. There was nothing but consolation or at least admiration At the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus according to Matth. 24. there was the sad destruction of the Jews but of none of the Jews enemies 3. This of this prophesie of Joel is not yet fully fulfilled viz. In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance AS THE LORD HATH SAID and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call For this was not compleated in the few Jews converted in the Acts or since as these Reasons induce me to think 1. The Apostle Peter in Acts the second quoting Joel makes not the least mention of this clause 2. Christs coming to Jerusalem as a Spiritual Deliverer in his publick ministration of the Gospel was before that of pouring out of the Spirit about five years as his disputing with the Doctors was two and twenty years before and his incarnation above four and thirty years afore But the deliverance mentioned according to the Apostles method yea and of the Prophets is after the pouring out of the Spirit And indeed follows after as naturally as the effect succeeds the cause This pouring out of the Spirit fitting instruments for the salvation of those ages 3. The Prophet addes as the Lord hath said viz. By his Prophets But they mainly spake of the Jews corporal deliverance as we have before opened in the discuss of many places For as for spiritual they then had it and there was no doubt but it should be continued in all ages else the Church would be extinct or Gods Covenant with Abraham and David would fail 4. The Deliverance must be not onely in Jerusalem but in the remnant whom the Lord shall call But Christ did not at his being on Earth save the generality of the remnant either corporally or spiritually The Two Tribes were then under the Roman captivity and they generally refused Christ John 1.11 Acts 13.46 47. and for the Ten Tribes they for the generality neither saw nor heard Christ but continued in their captivity in Assyria c. 1 Pet. 1.1 Jam. 1.1 They were not returned to Zion or Jerusalem and for the Gentiles if any will make them of the remnant which is hatsh being the greater part of the world they and the Jews were never yet incorporated in Religion as the copulative And promiseth viz. There shall be deliverance in those days and at that time in Jerusalem AND in the remnant whom the Lord shall call 5. The Prophet Joel speaks of such a deliverance of the Jews as shall be by bringing down their enemies to the valley of destruction to them though of salvation to the Jews as the next Chapter vers 1 2 c. shews But this hath not been yet fulfilled as was touched afore neither can it be fulfilled at the last judgement For that being once come there is no effectual salvation or invocation as the last verse of the second Chapter mentions SECT XLI THe second and last place we shall touch in this Prophet Joel is Chap. 3. v. 1 c. to the end of the Chapter For behold in § 1 those days and in that time when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem 2. I will also gather all Nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the Nations and parted my Land 3. And they have cast lots for my people and have given a Boy for a Harlot and sold a Girle for Wine that they might drink 4. Yea and what have ye to do with me O Tyre and Zidon and all the coasts of Palestine will ye render me a recompence and if ye recompence me swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head 5. Because ye have taken my silver and my gold and have carried into your Temples my goodly pleasant things 6. The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians that ye might remove them far from their border 7. Behold I will raise them â—ut of the place whither ye have sold them and will return your recompence upon your own head 8. And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people far off for the Lord hath spoken it 9. Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles prepare war wake up the mighty men let all the men of war draw near let them come up 10. Beat your plough-shares into swords and your pruning-hooks into spears let the weak say I am strong 11. Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen and gather your selves together round about Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down O Lord. 12. Let the Heathen be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about 13. Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe Come get you down for the oress is full the fats overflow for the wickedness is great
14. Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision 15. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining 16. The Lord shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy Mountain then shall Jerusalem be holy and here shall no stranger pass thorough her any more 18. And it shall come â—o pass in that day that the mountains shall drop down new wine and the hills shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim 19. Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness for the violence against the children of Judah because they have shed innocent blood in their Land 20. But Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from generation to generation 21. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth in Zion This as it follows close at the heels of the former place so notwithstanding mens chapter-divisions hath it a great coherence with it Calvin upon this third Chapter verse 1 2. tell us in the general Confirmat his verb is Propheta quod prius docuit de Ecclesiae RESTITUTIONE i. e. The Prophet in these words confirms what before he had taught concerning the RESTITUTION of the Church More particularly let me tell you That the most if not the all of the former place in the second Chapter is again mentioned in this third Chapter and with four great emphases of connexion both sounding of confirmation and explanation of what had been said before 1. FOR Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if the Lord should say I bring this for a proof that I will do as I have said 2. BEHOLD Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As much as to say There shall be some notable thing done some grand event as an eminent sign that I will be as good as my word 3. IN THOSE DAYES and AT THAT TIME with great emphasis of Pronouns and Articles both in Hebrew Chalde and Septuagint Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chalde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sound to this effect That methodically and in a just order when I do the former things I will do these following also so that the plurality and magnificence of exploits shall force the eyes of men to see my truth and true performance of all that I have spoken 4. I will in pursuance of that deliverance of my people mentioned in the former Chapter Gather all Nations to the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people which amounts justly to thus much for our present observation That the famous remarkable circumstances as before of time so here of place shall be undeniable witnesses of the substance of my true performance For as the great Philosopher saith Many common accidents concurring may amount to a proprium quarto modo to an infallible property and so to a demonstration And we know that circumstances of time and place c. beget in us great credence to a report That such a thing was done Thus for the coherence of this place with the former § 2 Next for the substance of this place in order to our point take notice in the entrance That the people that shall according to this prophesie be delivered are named in the first verse Judah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem signifying the Two Tribes In the second verse and verse sixteen they are called his heritage Israel and the scattered among all Nations which most aptly set forth the Ten Tribes who of the Kingdome of Israel became the greatest dispersion among all Nations far beyond those of Iudah And the deliverance of both is so expressed in the Hebrew Chalde and Septuagint that the words may well be extended to a spiritual conversion of their souls from infidelity beside the corporal deliverance of their persons from captivity as many Translaters render it And for confirmation observe That whereas in Hosea chap. 1. the Lord calls them speaking of both the said Kingdoms of the Iews Lo-ammi NOT MY PEOPLE and Lo-ruhamah I WILL NOT HAVE MERCY viz. Whiles they are to be in captivity where for the general they lost their piety as well as their liberty in not receiving Christ and his Gospel from thence to this day Behold here in this Text of Joel the Lord speaking of their deliverance expresseth it in relation and to the effect of receiving them at their return as his people and to be his heritage v. 2. For surely if God did justly for their great wickedness carry them away captive he had little reason to receive them from thence if they were no better then when they went Put now all together and all plainly spells that this first clause of the deliverance of Judah and Israel hath not been fulfilled to this day according to the sence before demonstrated which will clearly appear by the rest that follows § 3 For in the next place we are to observe that this must not bee a meer still and tacit deliverance of the Jewes but withall a tumultuous destruction of their Enemies that formerly caused their bondage and with-held their deliverance ver 2. I will gather all Nations and being them down into the Valley of Jehosaphat and plead with them there or my people c. Which last clause the Chalde renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And I will take vengeance on them there for my people which is much further amplified in ver 9 10 11 12. c. The valley of Jehosaphat is particularly named here as the place where God will avenge his people 1. Because there Jehosaphat overthrew the Ammonites and Moabites and their Confederates that rose up against the Jewes 2 Chron. 20.22 c. 2. Jehosaphat signifies pleading or judging viz. the thing that God will doe upon the incorrigible enemies that yet remaine ver 12. 3. Because this is also called the valley of Beracha that is the valley of blessing Because there Jehosaphat blessed and praised God first in hope of the said Victory Secondly for helpe in the said Victory 2 Chron. 20.22 compare ver 16. 4. Because this is called the valley of decision or threshing twice in this fourteenth verse of this third of Joel because there God threshed his Enemies as the chaffe from the wheat according to Isai 25.10 and thereby decided the controversie between the Jewes and their Enemies viz. that the Jewes should
have the mastery not their enemies But though the valley of Jehosaphat be here named by these names yet they are to be understood in intent and meaning appellatively in a larger sence as is most safe to signifie and typifie any eminent place or places where the Lord shall overthrow the incurable enemies of the beleeving Jewes For first Let any reasonable Hebrician looke into the original and he shall plainly perceive that the holy Ghost useth the name Jehosaphat onely as a Paranomasia I will bring them into the valley 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As if we should say in English I will bring them down to the valley of Jehosaphat and there I will Jehosaphatize them that is overthrow them as Jehosaphat did his enemies Secondly Let any rational man judge whether Jehosaphat as a proper name of a place in Judea doth signifie that there and there onely God will judge the enemies of the beleeving Jewes when as their enemies are scated in every place where the Jews are scattered and those enemies shall oppose them and the beleeving Gentiles that shall help in their returne where-ever they stirre to that end Yet I contend not but that that very place may be one where of some notable overthrow of some cheife enemies of the Jewes as of the Arabians Saracens and Turkes that shall enter into the Holy Land to hinder the Jewes sitting downe and settling there Now this clause of the Prophet Joel in this third chapter was never yet fulfilled since the first Assyrio-Chaldean captivity of Israel or Iudah For the Prophet gives us a sign that this is to be done after the Jewes are sold to the Grecians The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its first originall sence and use signifies to yeeld up and deliver up And so the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which most commonly as the composition of the word requires signifies to yeeld up or to deliver up into another mans jurisdiction and power And this transmitting of the Jews from their Native Country to Graecia seems to be charged upon several Nations who handed them from one to another vers 2 3 4 5. But the Greeks came not to any considerable repute power and jurisdiction till above two hundred years after the beginning of the Second viz. The Medo-Persian Monarchy Since which time the Jews were never delivered according to the character of the Text viz. By a destruction of their enemies and to such an effect and degrees as that no stranger should pass through Jerusalem any more verse 12 13 14 15 16 17. For we know the contrary by History Experience and sight of our own eyes in our travells § 4 The opening of this destruction of the Jews enemies at their deliverance and the collation of their happy condition when delivered will yet further demonstrate that this prophesie of Joel in this third Chapter is not yet in the main to this very day fulfilled ¶ 1. The destruction of their enemy must be very formidable v. 14 15 16 19. Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision the Sun and the Moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining The Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness c. ¶ 2. On the otherside the happy condition of the Jews shall be as glorious as their enemies destruction shall be miserable which is interchangably enterwoven within the same verses the better to minde us that they both concur to the same time and in that method that the ruines of the enemy is the rise of the Jews Vers 16. But the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of ISRAEL V. 17. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy Mountain then shall Jerusalem be HOLY and there SHALL NO STRANGERS PASS THROUGH HER ANY MORE V. 18. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Mountains shall drop down new Wine and the Hills shall flow with milk c. V. 20. Judah shall dwell FOR EVER and Jerusalem from GENERATION to GENERATION You see here in this Chapter a corporal destruction of all the Nations that irreconcileably oppose the Jews You see the happy condition of the Jews following thereupon to be expresly both temporal and spiritual and you see it set forth with most ample extension both for latitude and length Need I now upon things so plain spend six sentences to declare this was never yet fulfilled to the Jews since their first captivity in Babylon to this day Surely if the succeeding Monarchy punished the preceding they did withal keep the Jews under their subjection and so from Assyrians to Medes and Persians from them to the Grecians and thence to the Romans and so to the Saracens and Turks to this time the Jews have been more or less under forreign power and not a free people much less so happy or their enemies so miserable as hath been described Lastly If we mark some references of this third of Joel made § 5 by the Apostles themselves in the New Testament we shall beyond all dispute of them that believe the New Testament clear it That the prophesies of this Chapter are not yet fulfilled ¶ 1. Consider how exactly the thirteenth verse c. of this Chapter of Ioel is repeated and applied Rev. 14.15 16 17 18 19 20. to the ruine of Antichrist Put ye in saith Ioel in this third Chapter v. 13. the sickle for the Harvest is ripe come get you down for the press is full the fats overflow for their wickedness is great And then follows expresly the destruction of the enemies of the Jews as we before repeated Sutably Saint Iohn saith in the said place of the Revelation An Angel came out of the Temple crying with a loud voice to him that sate on the cloud thrust in thy sickle and reap for the time is come for thee to reap for the Harvest of the Earth is ripe And he that sate on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the Earth and the Earth was reaped And another Angel came out of the Temple which is in Heaven he also having a sharp sickle And another Angel came out from the Altar which had power over fire and cryed with a loud voice Cry to him that had the sharp sickle saying Thrust in thy sickle and gather the clusters of the Vine of the Earth for her grapes are fully ripe And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the Earth and gathered the Vine of the Earth and cast it into the great Wine-press of the wrath of God and the Wine-press was troden without the City and blood came out of the Wine-press even unto to the horse-bridles by the space
joyntly together but rather for the most have been visibly to the eye of the whole world under a contrary condition For ¶ 4. Observe the high expressions the God of truth gives forth touching the glory of the state the said parties shall enjoy at the said time when this Prophesie shall be fulfilled viz. That the Peoples or Gentiles shall have pure lips wherewith to call upon the name of the Lord as it is in ver 9. That Israel shall not doe iniquity nor speake lies nor shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth ver 13. That they of Zion and Jerusalem and Israel shall be glad and rejoyce with all their heart ver 14. for it followes ver 15 16 17. the Lord shall so take away their judgements and cast downe their enemies and instead of them he himselfe as King will be so in the midst of them that they shall not see evill any more nor shall their hearts feare nor their hands faint He will be so in the midst of them in his might that he will save them and rejoyce over them with joy and that as with singing and will rest in his love Now did ever these things appeare in the state and condition of the Church either of Jewes or Gentiles since the Babylonish Captivity surely the contrary hath abundantly appeared down to these dayes 1 For their Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall state in relation unto Religion the Gentiles generally have been very wicked and for the most part the more is their sinne intestine enemies to the Jewes And for the Jewes whiles the ten Tribes of Israel were carried away captive the King of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Ava and from Hamath and from Sepharvalin and placed them in the Cities of Samaria instead of the Children of Israel 2 King 17.24 of whose returne to their owne Country the Scriptures leave no mention But they tell us that when the two Tribes returned there was a MIXED MVLTITVDE among the Israelites Nehem. 13.3 That there were many that pretended to be Priests who because they could not find their Genealogy were as POLLUTED put from the Priesthood Ezra 2.62 Nehem. 7.64 That the people of Israel and the Priests and the Levites had not separated themselves from the people of the land doing according to their ABOMINATIONS even of the Canaanites Hitties Perezites Jebusites Ammonites Moabites Egyptians and Amorites having taken of their Daughters for themselves and for their Sons c. Ezr. 9.1 2. And though they did repent of this great transgression and promised amendment Ezr. 10.9 c. Yet they are again greatly guilty thereof Neh. 13.23 Further the Scriptures tell us that some of the two Tribes of a slavish spirit stayed in Babylon to be servants in servile basenesse to that King when the generality returned 1 Chro. 4.21 22 23. which Josephus mentions at large And in the time of the Maccabees in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes of the root of the Greeks who began his reigne about the 137th yeare of their Kingdome * Which was in the one hundred seventy third year afore the incarnation of Christ Bucho Ind. Chron. Ad annum mundi 3798. or Empâ—re there went out of Israel wicked men who persuaded many saying let us goe and make a covenant with the Heathen that are round about us for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow So this device pleased them well Then certain of the people were so forward herein that they went to the King who gave them license to doe after the ordinances of the Heathen Whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customes of the Heathen and made themselves uncircumcised and forsooke the holy Covenant and joyned themselves to the Heathen and were sold to doe mischeife 1 Maccab. 1.10 11 12 13 14 15. Which corruption in the Jewes religion by the story seems to be voluntary as the Narrative precedes the history of Antiothus his Tyranny Nor was this only for once or a spurt but againe in the second book of Maccabees together with betraying one another and the publick welfare chap. 3 and chap 4. Come we hence to Christs time and there we shall finde at least six Sects of abominable corruptions in matters of Religion viz. Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Assideans Essenes and Gaulonites of whose wicked opinions wee have given you a more particular account afore * Viz. In this chap. Sect. 43. §. 4. P. 2. In the Apostles time the Jewes for the generality were persecuters of them that imbraced Christ and the Gospell as we have it all along the story of the Acts of the Apostles and among the Christians there were Anti-resurrectionists Judaizers wicked Apostataes Idolatrous and prophane Balaamites and Nicolaitans c. as the Epistles of the Apostles and of Christ to the seven Churches expressely shews us For the two next hundred years after the death of the Apostles was bloody persecution of the Christians over all the Roman Empire About the twelfth year of the fourth Century Constantine the great stanched that blood and settled the Church in peace for the space of about twenty five years viz. till the year three hundred thirty seven at which time Constantine the great dying by and by horrid Arianism and the Arian persecution succeeded And after that Papisme and Turcisme down to our daies So that fâ—om about sixty yeares after Constantines death the Church began according to the vulgar account to be hid in the wildernesse the witnesses to prophesie in sackcloth and the Beast to have power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 11. Rev. 13. And secondly for their civil condition all this while they have been ever under the usurpations successively of the Persians Greeks Romans Saracens or Turkes as we have often repeated So that all that hath been done in matters of salvation or outward deliverance since the returne of the two Tribes from Babylon the ten remaining there and still dispersed have been but as prefaces first-fruits and gleanings in comparison of the full vintage here described ¶ 5. Observe certaine notes and marks that this prophesie is not yet fulfilled First That ver 9. The peoples or Nations shall serve the Lord with one shoulder which in regard of the universality without restriction and the immediate connexion of Gods Suppliants of the Jewes as Calvin argumentatively asserts must signifie the unanimity and conformity of Jewes and Gentiles in general in one way of Gospell worship But alas besides the Jewes perseverance in their Judaisme the Gentiles themselves called Christians doe not harmonize into one consent and practice but are at too vast a difference in their Papisme Lutheranisme Socinianisme Calvinisme Episcopacy Presbytery c. Secondly That in ver 10. the calling of the Jews from beyond the river of Ethiopia which is not yet done the people of Judah but especially they of Israel remaining dispersed into the utmost parts of the earth Thirdly
come out of Babylon is carryed downe by the Apostles unto the latter if not to the last times of this world For St. Paul in the 2 Cor. 6.17 18 brings it down to his time which is far beyond any occurrences in Zecharies time who prophesied five hundred and eighteen yeares plus minus thereabouts afore Christs birth And Paul pens this Epistle at least fifty two years after the birth of Christ for about that year he wrote his first Epistle to Corinth his words are these Come out from among them and be yee separate SAITH THE LORD marke his quotation of the old Testament c. and I will receive you and be a father unto you Just to the same effect as Zecharie in the said sixt verse Come forth flee from the land of the North c. Deliver thy selfe O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon c. Lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. Thus far St. Paul extends it But St. Iohn Revel cha 18. ver 2 3 4. extends it much further and that in a propheticall way viz. to the time nearly preceding the fall of Babylon I saw another Angell come down from Heaven having great power c. and he cryed mightily with a strong voyce saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen c. i.e. shall surely fal And I heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receive not of her plagues Which two last clauses being of a future tense and sence clearly shew that is fallen is fallen signifies it shall fall and that in regard thereof the people of God must timously come out thence ¶ 5. There are high straines annexed to this prophesie in this second of Zecharie which effectually evince that it is not yet fulfilled as that ver 5. I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her That is a fence about the Church consisting of Jewes and Gentiles of absolute defence to them and of a devouring offence to the enemy And that ver 8 9. Thus saith the Lord after the glory hath he sent me to the Nations which spoiled you For he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye For behold I will shake mine hand upon them and they shall be a spoile to their servants And yee shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me That is after this glory of your famous return and rebuilt Temple the Lord hath sent me the Messiah to the Nations that spoiled you that is to your enemies who in touching you to hurt you did as it were thrust their fingers into mine eyes Therefore I the Messiah will shake mine hands upon them as Psal 2.9 To break them with a rod of iron and so to make them a spoile to their servants that is to you whom they rigidly made their servants Lastly that in vers 10 11 12 13. Sing and rejoyce O daughter of ZION for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of THEE saith the Lord. And many NATIONS shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and SHALL BEE MY PEOPLE and I will dwell in the midst of THEE and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee And the Lord shall inherit Judah in the HOLY LAND and shall chuse Jerusalem AGAINE Be silent O all flesh before the Lord Because he is awakened concerning the habitation of his holinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is a joyfull time is yet to come when the Messiah shall dwell in the midst of the Jewes they dwelling in the holy Land many Nations being joyned unto the Lord together with the Jewes into one Church he dwelling in the midst of them all for dwelling in the midst is againe repeated so that then they shall effectually know not only that this Prophet was sent of God to preach this to them but also that the true Messiah shall be at the appointed time sent to performe these things to them to the putting of all fleshly and carnall minds to silence that doubted or disputed against these thing I say to put them to silence by the appearance of Christ awakened and bestirring himselfe in the behalfe of his holy habitation or the habitation of his holinesse that is the Church in her pure state and worship Now when were these high straines these sublime expressions ever yet fulfilled We have a watch-word in the twelfth verse that we must looke for the impletion â—hereof far beyond Zecharies time For though he in his time of this Prophesie saw the returne of the Jews into the holy Land yet saith The Lord SHALL inherit Judah his portion in the HOLY LAND and SHALL chuse Jerusalem AGAINE Surely if wee keep the prophesie together as the Lord hath laid it and left it together there was never yet to this day since their return from Babylon that time and state of the Church that is here limbed forth to the life viz. that the Church should consist of Jews and Gentiles joyned to the Lord and owned by him as his people even while the Jewes possesse the holy Land and the Lord should be as a wall of fire protecting them and devouring their enemies and making the Jewes of servants to the cruell Heathens to be the spoilers of them c. and all these things to be carryed up to that height of glory that all spirituall hearts should sing and rejoyce and all fleshly hearts should bee struck dumb or astonished with silence We have before repeated usque ad nauseam foriè aliquibus very often how the Jewes ever since the return of the two Tribes have been little lesse or otherwise then in a captive condition under three Monarchies that when the Jewes a few of them imbraced Christ Acts second third and fourth chapters the Gentiles were not converted When the Gentiles began to be called the Jewes fell off Act. 13. Rom. 11. That the Maccabean conflict in regard of the catastrophe and event is not worthy to be named with this Prophesie And therefore this Prophesie is yet unfulfilled and requires by the circumstances of it a time of fulfilling before the ultimate universall resurrection SECT XLVI THe second place in Zecharie is in chap. 6. ver 13 13 14 15. which I need little more then name V. 12. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts saying behold the man whose name is the BRANCH and he shall grow up out of his place and HE shall BUILD THE TEMPLE of the Lord. 13. Even HEE shall build THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and RULE UPON HIS THRONE and he shall be a PRIEST upon his throne and the COUNSILL OF PEACE shall be between them both 14. And the Crowns shall be to Heâ—em and to Toâ—ijah and to Jedajah and to Hen the son of Zephaniaâ— for a
did at first when he overthrew Amalech and Og c. as the Iews approached near Canaan Surely we have had a sad account to the contrary in the very next preceding Section § 4. in a short but full Chronology from Zecharie to this very day And a meer spirituall notion will not help us out seeing the Text expounds it selfe That the Lord will goe out and fight against the Nations that spoile Jerusalem how or in what manner As he fought at first when the Iewes approached Canaan or to keep to our common translation as when he fought in the day of battle Which exposition needed not to be added if a spirituall sence had been mainly intended Which if it were yet that is not to this day fulfilled that the enemies of Jerusalem are either converted by grace or confounded in hell § 3 T is true that as not any Prophesie hardly so nor is this likely without some allegory But to convert all into a spirituall sence seemes to me impossible without selfe-contradiction or contradicting the Text. For how can we presume upon a spirituall sence when it is said ver 4. HIS FEET shal stand upon the MOUNT of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East c. which shall cleave in the midst And ver 5. Yee shall flee to the VALLEY OF THE MOUNTAINS which shall reach to Azal c. as yee fled from the EARTHQUAKE in the daies of Uzziah and the Lord shall come and ALL HIS SAINTS with him Or how can that be taken in a spirituall sence in ver 7. That there shall be a distinct ONE day and knowne to the Lord that shall not be day nor night but the evening shall be light Surely if the light of the time of the Gospell must bemeant as some will it is no distinct time nor one measured day of a round number of years be it of few or many for it hath been now above one thousand six hundred and twenty years since the first preaching of Christ continued to this day which hath been as well known to us as to the Lord And how should that in ver 9. be comelily and compleatly cloathed and covered with a meer spirituall notion That the Lord SHALL be King OVER ALL the earth And at THAT day he must be the one and onely Lord and his name one For the Lord from the beginning hath been King of power and King of grace secretly ordering and sanctifying whom and wheresoever he listed over the face of the earth Therefore this same shal must import his yet future visible Monarchy before which all must so fall down that they cast away all their Idols seeming Deities and different formes of worship and adore him alone with one uniforme way of worship according to his will which thing to this day is desired being never yet injoyed And as difficult it is if not impossible with cleare reason to fasten a spirituall sence upon the rest of the chapter That all the Land shall be turned or compassed AS A plaine pervious and profitable for habitation FROM GEBA TO RIMMON SOUTH OF JERUSALEM So that it shall be lifted up or exalted in the opinion of men and inhabited in her place FROM BENJAMINS GATE unto the place of the FIRST GATE unto the CORNER GATE and from the Tower of HANANIEL unto the KINGS WINE PRESSES And men shall dwel in it and there shall be NO MORE utter destruction but Jerusalem shal be SAFELY inhabited And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that fight against Jerusalem THEIR FLESH SHALL CONSUME AWAY WHILE THEY STAND UPON THEIR FEET and their EYES SHALL CONSUME AWAY IN THEIR HOLES c. And so shall be the plague of the HORSE of the MULE of the CAMEL of the ASSE and of all the BEASTS that shall be in these Tents as THIS PLAGUE â—oo wonderfull and industrious a circumstantiating of all places plague things c. to signifie meer spirituals § 4 Men may phantasie to themselves a satisfaction that spirituals are here meant because of the next verse that the residue of the Nations that came up against Ierusalem that is left shall go up from year to year to worship the Lord to keep the feast of Tabernacles But we did before give a rule and proved it that even in the Old Testament as wel as in the New the most Gospel Truths are sometimes cloathed with Jewish language and Leviticall phrases * Lib. 3. Cha. 2. Sect 44. §. 2. P. 330. See also Just Martyrs excellent Note in this third Book Chap. 3. Sect. 2. S. 3. and P. 2. Nor indeed is there any Gospell expression scarcely in all the New Testament that is not dressed forth with one or more Tropes and figures As Come to me all yee that are weary and heavy laden c. Matth. 11. And a bruised reed he shall not breake c. Matth. 12. Christ being no Porter nor Christians reeds in a literall sence Beside for the words of Zecharie themselves there is no more exprest but goe up and once a year and at the feast of Tabernacles as to signifie our deliverance from the Egypt of the world as Israel going out of Topal Egypt first pitched in Succoth that is Boothes And in memorial of that deliverance praised God yearly in the feast of Boothes As we hereafter shall often congratulate our LORD with HALELUJAHS for our deliverance from the Egyptian world frequently prophesied in the Revelation To this day we pray in hope but then when the great restauration of the Church and Restitution of all things is come we shall praise with joy And whoever will not shall be plagued with temporall plagues ver 17 c. For all that then will exist in peace must be holinesse to the Lord they and their imjoyments ver 20. § 5 If all those aforesaid Material expressions and corporal circumstances will not awaken some men but they will fall asleep and dream pleasant dreams of all figurative meanings and will not sensibly see the visible glory here prophesied then I would entreat them to tell us their dreams from point to point upon every Verse when all Nations obstinately at enmity with the Jews were spiritually destroyed when the rest that came in to close with them did joyntly with them own the LORD as King over all the Earth in one way of worship when was Jerusalem safely inhabited as free from spiritual evils And how could the Horse and the Mule and the Camel and the Ass and all Beasts be spiritually plagued § 6 There is but one thing more that I will adde and that is this That those of the Learned that have gone about to squeeze out of this Text a spiritual meaning have I know not how been forced to let fall from them many considerable passages for a literal sence A Lapide applauds Jerom for his spiritual interpretation of this prophesie Quocirca verè S. Hieron hic ad vers 11.
haec inquit c. that is Therefore Jerom saith truly upon the eleventh verse the Jews and our Chiliasts dream these things shall be literally performed but let us interpret Jerusalem to be the Church which walking in the flesh yet doth not live according to the flesh whose freedom is in Heaven c. So he and yet within a very few lines after the same A Lapide hath these words Dico ergo c. that is I say therefore according to the Letter it is here signified that Jerusalem is to be taken by Antiochus Epiphanes and to be restored by the Maccabees Which how untruly it is asserted we have afore demonstrated onely we alleage this to instance how A Lapide falls from his spiritual to a litteral sence Mr. Calvin whiles mighty much for a spiritual sence of this prophesie hath to this effect on those words in the third verse The Lord shall go forth and fight against those Nations as he fought in the day of battel Zechary saith he tells the Jews Certamen saepe vobis fuit c. i.e. You have often fought with the strongest enemies they have been conquered and that when you have been by far unequal in number and power Seeing therefore the Lord hath so often and so many ways cast down your enemies why shall ye not hope for the same thing from him So he Our new Annotations have many touches of a spiritual sence but many also for a literal expresly or implicitly On the second verse this Here the last destruction of Jerusalem seems more plainly described then afore On the third verse this As when he fought in the day of battel that is not slightly but earnestly as he did for Gideon and divers others Judg. 7.22 On ver the fourth Gods coming to defend his Church shal be conspicuous and glorious On ver the fift the very Jews themselves shall be afraid at the presence of Gods appearance It were needlesly tedious to recite the many passages more they have to the same effect though they are very considerable to our purpose seeing the Reader knows where to finde them SECT LI. § 1 FRom Zechary we come to Malachi where we will consider but one place viz. Chapter 4. but that throughout verse 1. For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch Vers 2. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall Vers 3. And ye shall tread down the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day I shall do this saith the Lord of Hosts Vers 4. Remember the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statutes and judgements Vers 5. Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord Vers 6. And be shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers least I come and smite the Earth with a curse § 2 There are so many famous Authors both Ancient and Modern that understand this Chapter of the second coming of Christ as you may see in the Margent * Paties Graeci Latini Cyril Theodor. Remig. Haymo Albert. Hugo Lyra. Chrysostom Euthym. Beda Anselm Hippol lib. de Consum sâ—culi Cyprâ— tract de Sina Sion Ephrem tract de Antich Prosper in dimidio temp c. 13. Tertul. lib. de anima c. 35. Justin Mart. Dialog contr Tryph. Nyssen lib. Testim contr Judaeos Augustinus 20. Civit. Dei Greg. 11. Moral Andreas Ambros Rupert Arethas in Apocalyp c. 11. Scholastici Thomas in Matth. 17. A Lapid in hoc cap. Malach. c. Translatores Septuag in Anâ—iq exempl Arab. quorum utrique vertunt Elijam Thesbiten Neoterici Oecolamp M. Mede D. Mayer Sibyllae Tum quoque caelesti curru devectus inibit Terras de caelo Thesbites signaque trina Ostendettoti mundo vitae pereuntis Omnes Judaei communi eorum sententia to the number if we should name all as amounts as Calvin confesseth to the major part that we shall go free from wonder novelty or singularity in holding the same Especially if the Reader will take notice that those that incline to the other interpretation of Christs first coming as Calvin our New Annotations c. do ingenuously confess that the things of this Chapter shall not be compleatly fulfilled till the second coming of Christ Jerom our great adversary though on this Chapter he inveighs against the Jews and Judaizers for their expecting Elijah to come in person yet as A Lapide also hath noted upon Matthew chap. 11. vers 14. chap. 17. ver 11. he clearly teacheth that Elijah must come in person which A Lapide endeavors to reconcile thus Because the Jews do yet expect the first coming of the Messiah and that Elijah in person shall be the fore-runner of that his first coming Therefore Jerom on this Text reproves them but Jerom yeelds that Elijah in person shall be the fore-runner of the Messiahs second coming ** Sunt qui propterea Johannem Heliam votari quod quodam modo IN SECUNDO SALVATORIS ADVENIU JUXTA MALACHIAM PRAECESSURUS EST HELIAS venturum Judicem nunciaturus Sic Iohannes in primo adventu fecerit ET UTERQUE FIT NUNCIUS VEL PRIMI ADVENTUS DOMINI VEL SECUNDI Ierom in Matth. 11.14 Ecce apparuit illis Moyses Elias cum co loquentes Scribis Pharisaeis tentantibus se de caelo signa poscentibus dare noluit sed pravam postulationem conâ—utavit responsione pindenti Hic vero ut Apostolorum AUGEAT FIDEM DAT SIGNUM DE CAELO Elia inde DESCENDENTE quo conscenderat Moyse ab inferis resurgente â—erom on Matth. 17.11 Thus Jerom. For my part I shall endeavor rather to demonstrate then as the manner of most is to dictate what I assert in the matters of this prophesie That this Chapter is of a state of the Church under the New Testament I need not labor much to prove Malachy being the last Prophet of the Old Testament And that V. 2. of this Chapter of the rising of the Sun c. is applyed to Christ John 1.9 Calling him the true light that lightneth every one c. As that V. 5. of this Chapter touching Elijah is applied by Christ Matth. 17.13 in part to signifie John Baptist his harbenger § 3 But the great question is How far into the times of the New Testament this prophesie doth run To answer which lay this for a ground work That the time to which this prophesie doth reach is called the GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD And it is as
by ascention to possesse the Kingdome of glory there to be installed into this on earth That being the originall of this or that being the Emperiality to which this the Tributary or Province Or Heaven being the Metropolis this below the Territories Sure enough expresse it is that he went away into a far Country which can be no other but heaven Christ having never travelled bodily out of his owne Country Secondly that though hee were before his going a Noble-man and had the Regiment or Government over a Royalty he had servants he had the command of imploying them as he listed And had the power of rewarding or punishing as he pleased so that the unprofitable servant that improved not his Talent he cast into utter darknesse where was weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 25.30 All which in that Matth. 25.14 c. is called the Kingdome of Heaven that is the Kingdome of Grace as appears in the former Parable of the Virgins the same in sence v. 1. c. Yet thirdly it is said this Noble-man went into a far Country to receive for himselfe another Kingdome and to returne vers 12. where as his receiving the Kingdome is put before his returning So on the other side it is said He returned receiving a Kingdome vers 15. * Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Arias renders in redire ipsum accipientem regâ—um where his returning is put before his receiving the Kingdome so that both Kingdomes must be here meant viz. Christ receiving the Kingdome of glory afore his returne and his Kingdome of visible power of reigning on earth after his returne For meerly his Kingdome of glory in Heaven cannot be here understood because touching his reigning there it was in vaine unpossible and altogether unlikely for his enemies to send an ambassage after him saying They would not have him to reigne over them And meerly his Kingdome of grace cannot bee here understood because that is otherwise expressed under the comparison of Talents compare Matth 25. And moreover it is here distinctly set downe that he is to goe into a far Country and then actually to receive another Kingdome partly before he returned and partly after he returned even as there is a diversity of actions In that Kingdome of Grace there is mentioned onely the neglect of improving the Talents but in this Kingdome of visible power received after his returne there is an high affront offered they send a message that they would not have him to reigne Again there is diversity of names The former are called Servants The latter are called Enemies Adde that there is a different dispensation of justice The unprofitable servant is put into a darke prison but the enemies must bee slaine AFORE HIM Therefore of necessity here must be hinted the Kingdome of Christs visible power That was it the Jewes expected yea and the best of them viz. the Disciples as we have heard afore and therefore to that Christ here speaks And for that Christ did not set up this at his coming in the flesh delivering them from the Romans therefore his Citizens his enemies hated him and sent a message after him They hated him as in relation of having him to be their visible King or King of visible Dominion when they cryed at his arraignment They had no King but Caesar And they sent an embassage after him when after his death in opposition to that kingly-hood they were angry with Pilate for writing in the Title set over him in Hebrew Greek and Latine THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWES § 5 There are also severall other passages in this Parable for Christs visible appearance and setting up his visible Kingdome of power on earth yet before the ultimate day of judgement As first His giving to the improvers of their Talents to one the rule over ten Cities to another the rule over five Cities And the Talent of him that had improved nothing to him that had improved much all which compared with the preface of the Parable touching the appearing of the Kingdome cannot in any thing well relate to the state of meer supernall eternall glory in the highest Heavens 2 His causing his enemies to bee slaine afore his face suits not to Christs meer Kingdome of grace whose Dominion precisely considered is in the power of the Gospel Nor doth it comport and comply with the ultimate day of judgement when instead of slaying enemies there is a making them alive And instead of punishing them before Christs face there is a sending them away from the presence of the Lord into eternal judgement But these extremely well agree with Christs appearing to set up his visible Kingdome of power For then Christ shall destroy his Antichristian Jewish and Gentilish and mixt Turkish enemies with the brightnesse of his appearance as hath been opened upon 2 Thess 2. in Sect 4. of this second Book And shall slay them corporally Revelat. 19. latter end § 6 Indeed the whole Parable appears to them that can leave the commonr ode of Tradition and wishly minde and ingeniously weigh the passages and preface thereof to aime at Christs next coming to set up such a Kingdome as shall not onely perfect the spirituall deliverance of the Gentiles but also to performe the temporall deliverance of the Jewes from their dispersion and corporall miseries For the naturall current of the Parable runnes thus Christ being neer Hierusalem the Jewes thought the Kingdome of God would immediately appeare Doubtlesse it was far from their thoughts in the captive condition they were now in to expect the appearance of the Kingdome of glory in Heaven For the hundreds of promises of their deliverance from the corporall captivity were not fulfilled And for the Kingdome of grace these men little minded And the better sort viz. the Disciples and Beleevers had seen it appeare already therefore it is the other Kingdome of Christ viz. that of his visible power and rule to deliver them from their corporall enemies that they supposed would immediately appeare Now to this saith Christ It will not immediatly appeare but I must saith he first goe into a farre Country viz. into Heaven and there be instated and Crowned King and after that come againe and actually and visibly reigne the meane while you to whom I have given Talents that is have endowed with gifts must imploy them and at my return as a signe of my visible actuall power I will take account of you and cause mine enemies that oppose my visible reigning to bee slaine afore me § 7 Now at the ultimate day of Judgement Christ receives no Kingdome but resignes all his Kingdome Power and Dominion 1. Cor. 15.28 CHAP. III. Of five places out of the Old Testament to prove the visible appearance of Christ to the Church on earth at the time of her restauration SECT I. The first place is out of Dan. 7.11 to end of the Chapter § 1 THis place we put first because it doth give much light
against Christ and scattered to this day SECT V. The fifth place for Christs Personall appearance Zephan 3.14 to end of the Chapter Sing O Daughter of Zion shout O JSRAEL the Lord hath taken away thy judgement he hath cast out thine enemy the KING OF ISRAEL even the LORD is in the MIDST OF THEE In that day it shal be said to Jerusalem feare thou not the LORD THY GOD IN THE MIDST OF THEE IS MIGHTY he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy I will gather them that are sorrowfull Behold at that time I will undoe all that afflict thee I will gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame c. NOw when was Christ ever so in the midst of Judah and Israel as to doe thus therefore this is yet to be fulfilled CHAP. VI. The close of the second Booke in a generall briefe Discourse of Christs visible appearance to the Saints on earth afore the ultimate Day of Judgement § 1 I Have spoken but briefly to the last Scriptures and shall no longer insist distinctly upon this Head of proving by peculiar places of Scripture the Personall visible appearance of Christ at the setting up of his Kingdome before the end of the World because we shall have many sprinklings of this in the prosecution of the whole of the point yet remaining about the Kingdome it selfe § 2 Only meane while I would have the Reader observe from the Scriptures that have been alleadged That Christ must be a King visibly it must visibly appeare he is a King or else men that are only sensible will never be convinced which is the maine intent of Christs visible appearance so that the Kings of the earth that of all men are drowned in sensuality shall come and submit to his Kingdome Rev. 21. and elsewhere as we have heard afore § 2 And is there not all reason that the King of Kings the Sonne of Man should be as compleatly and apparently King as the Kings that are under him They have not onely Authority by Writs Warrants Proclamations c. to punish or encourage by their Officers but they visibly are crowned sit in the Throne beare the Scepter and attended upon all just occasions with a visible power Then it is all equity that Christ also should not onely have sovereigne Authority but also a visible power so as he may visibly appeare to his very enemies to be King over all the earth § 3 Yea earthly Kings have as a providentiall care over all their subjects even to the punishing of the rebellious so also have they their secret way of insinuation and ingratiating towards their favourites and their manifest glorious presence at Court in the Metropolitan and most magnificent place of the Kingdome Therefore at least no lesse must be allowed to Christ viz. a providentiall power over all the world A spirituall efficacie over his Kingdome of grace or visible Church and a visible glorious reigning over all his true Saints § 4 Now Christ is not King in glory in the highest heavens with and over all his Saints for all shall not be there according to the common Tenet till the Lord Christ hath resigned all his power according to 1 Cor. 15.28 or at least when he hath brought all the elect soules to their bodies by a resurrection and changed them whom he findes alive at his coming and so brought them all to ultimate glory just then he layes downe all his authority So that he doth not reign with and over all his Saints in ultimate glory at all § 5 But he must be a visible King of visible glory over the Church made very glorious upon earth at his next appearance afore the ultimate judgement according to the Scriptures aforegoing A great comfort to the bodies in the grave that they shall not there lye so long as to the ultimate judgement when all the wicked shall bee raised as is evident by comparing vers 2. c. of Rev. 20. with vers 8. c. And a great comfort to them alive at his coming that have waited for him faithfully to the last and worst of the Tragedie of evill times § 6 I need not speake to the first two Kinglinesses of Christ viz. Providential of power and spirituall of grace But a word will do well here to the last viz. his visible glorious appearance before the ultimate day of judgement making all the world sincere or altogether seeming Saints and reigning over them as the alone Monarch He must as visibly succeed in government he foure mettals Dan. 2. and the foure Beasts Dan. 7. both signifying the foure Monarchies viz. the Chalde-Babylonian the Medo-persian the Grecian and the Roman as these foure did visibly precede him in government Dan. 2.44.45 The God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people but it shall breake in peeces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever And all this comes to passe in that the stone Christ Jesus cut out of the mountaine without hands brake in peeces the iron the brasse the clay the silver and the gold Dan. 7.13 14. The rest of the Beasts had their Dominion taken away The Sonne of Man comes with the Clouds and the Ancient of dayes gave him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people and Nations and languages should serve him So that Christ at his next appearance is the fifth Monarchy § 7 When the Lord spake but little to Eve of his dominion over the seed of the Serpent and consequently his succour of the seed of the woman how did he anon and after and all along the New Testament begin to act in Types this visible Monarchy He appears to Moses in a burning bush to give a visible signe of his presence to deliver Israel out of Egypt And appeares to Israel in a pillar of a Cloud and of fire sensibly to signifie he was their convoy They are a Royalty as Peter calls them but God onely their Monarch Moses and after Samuel were onely Interpreters between them and their Monarch And therefore when they rebelled against Moses it is reckoned as a rebellion against God And when they refused Samuel it is charged upon them that they refused God to be their Governour The Arke is placed amidst the Camp Numb 2. as the pledge of God to be their Generall Accordingly they carried the Arke in battell with them 1 Sam. 4. as having that opinion of it So verse 4. The people sent for the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of HOSTS which DWELLETH between the Cherubims And so the Philistims conceived For when the Israelites shouted at the coming of the Arke into the Camp of Israel the Philistims vers 7. are afraid and they said God is come into the Camp This Arke led them through Jordan as it did as it is
did put to death Christ and persecute the Apostles the Apostles thereupon convert the second Psalme with a part of the eighth Psalme for I suppose there is recorded but the summe into a prayer and doe turne the bent of that their prayer both upon Jews and Gentiles They lift up their voyce to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all that in them is c. as it is Ps 8. who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said Psal 2. v. 1. c. why did the HEATHEN rage and the PEOPLE imagine vaine things The Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy childe Jesus both HEROD and PONTIUS PILATE with the GENTILES and people of ISRAEL were gathered together for to do c. And now Lord behold their threatnings c. Both which Psalmes are prophetical of our point The eighth Psalme we opened afore and now we shall the second out of both which Psalmes though Luke records the story but briefly onely giving a touch upon the beginning of both the Apostles no doubt urged in their prayer whatsoever was in them pertinent to their desire of the advancing Christ there being farre apter pertinences to that in the sequel of those Psalmes then in the beginnings The summe of their desire is that God according to his promise in Psal 2. Psal 8. would set up the power and glory of Christ unto a predominancy over Jews and Gentiles notwithstanding all their fierce opposition at present And for a testimony that God did allow their application of those Psalms as right and did accept of their prayer grounded thereon hee fils them with the Spirit and shakes the place where they prayed Now this second Psalme is not yet fulfilled not the Apostles prayer upon it fully answered It is true that about forty yeers after Christs death came to passe that great destruction upon the Jewes their Temple City and Country too prophesied by Christ Matth. 24.1 c. And within fewer yeers Herod came to a miserable untimely end Act. 12. as also did Pilate and after him successively two and thirty Roman Emperours as the Ecclesiastical story shews us * M. Fox in his Martyr And about three hundred yeers after the incarnation of Christ Constantine the Great and many of his souldiers being converted unto Christianisme overthrew in battel his Antichristian Colleagues and their Armies that opposed it But Prophesies and Prayers as streams run on in a current still growing greater and greater in accomplishment till they rest in the maine Ocean the fulfilling of the full design of God according to the entire Plat-form God drew forth in the expresse termes of his Promises This Psalm therefore according to that rule was not fully accomplished when the Apostles turned it into a Prayer notwithstanding all the great things that Christ and his Apostles did towards the convincing of Jewes and Romans and converting many For what needed the Apostles to pray for a further fulfilling of that second Psalme if then it had been fulfilled No nor is that Psalme in any full measure fulfilled to this day the Heathen unregenerate Gentiles and the obstinate Jewish people are of the same temper still and tamper the same oppositions against Christ And God hath not hitherto so spoken to them in his wrath and vext them in his sore displeasure as to make them know that he hath set HIS KING upon his holy hill of Sion nor hath he given unto Christ the HEATHEN for his inheritance and the UTMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH for his possession to breake them that are incorrigible with a rod of Iron and to dash them in peeces like a Potters vessell to the making of the Kings and Judges of the earth wise to serve the Lord in feare c. Most Kingdomes are yet meere Heathens and the most of Kingdomes named Christians are Hereticall or disobedient unto Christ and Sion it selfe where Christ will mainly manifest his Kinglinesse is under the Turkish Mahometan Blasphemers as it was under the bloudy Heathen Romans all the time of Christ and his Apostles and the Jewes that are a maine part of his Kingdom are to this day unconverted There must yet come a time when Christs anger must be but kindled and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as a little and yet then must ALL they be happy that trust in Christ Marke accurately There must be a time when Christs anger must be but kindled in comparison of the last Judgement and but as a little time * So the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft applied to time is for degree â—is in kindle in respect of the speedy event of making All them that trust in Christ to be happy Now if you apply this to the time past since the Apostles made their prayer upon this Psalme it is neare one thousand six hundred and twenty years which you cannot call a little time much lesse can you call it a little time from Davids penning of it to this time And if you look forward to the ultimate Iudgement then Christs anger is not only kindled but it is totally on a flame and for ever the fire never goes out So that the fulfilling of this Psalme must be in a time between our present Age and the last Iudgement It must be at a time when Christs anger hath but a little time to be kindled and anon the Trusters in Christ to be blessed which must be when the generation or succession of the wicked opposers of Christ are perished who perishing are not said to be at their journies end at the ultimate end of the world but in the way in some notable way or race they ran in their Generation in opposing Christ as Revel 19. the three last verses These wicked ones must perish and the trusters in Christ be blessed at some notable time of eminent manifestation of Christ as he is Christ and King of Sion which must be before his laying downe of his Mediatorship and power at the end of all I say at some notable time of eminent manifestation of Christ For this phrase in this Psalme THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE is alwayes applied to such eminent manifestations of Christ the latter still being greater then the former As first in this second Psalme at the declaring the decree and proclaiming Christ to be King conversively of his Church and coercively over all the world of enemies Secondly at Christs resurrection Acts 13.23 and 33. Thirdly in relation to Christs appearance ere long to all the world to set up his visible Kingdome on earth of which we speake 2 ¶ For saith the Apostle Hebr. 1.5 6. unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my SONNE THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE And againe I will be to him a Father
you see and heare For David is not ascenascended into the heavens but he saith himself THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD SIT THOV ON MY RIGHT HAND UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES THY FOOTSTOOL therefore let the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom yee have crucified both LORD and THE CHRIST 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For from hence we may boldly conclude the sence of the Apostle that by Christs ascention not only was the Spirit to be poured out as Ephes 4. Joh. 7.39 but the house of Israel must know assuredly that he was there initiated enstalled and entitled to be LORD and THE CHRIST That as before we opened it out of Luke 19.11 Christ went away to heaven to returne and receive a Kingdome So that Christ must have besides his anointing with his Spirituall power another Lordship to subdue all his enemies to be his footstoole and this the house of Israel must know assuredly now after Christs ascention as after his ascention the Apostle there made that application of the one hundred and tenth Psalme But sure enough to this day neither doth the house of Israel know this assuredly nor are his enemies his footstoole but contrariwise Christ in his repute and in his Members and his Gospel is their footstoole 6 ¶ The Apostle carries on this yet further in 1 Cor. 15. ver 24 to ver 29. Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God the Father when he shall have put downe all rule and all authority and all power For he must reigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death For he HATH marke here he useth the past time put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifested that he is excepted which did put all things under him And WHEN all things SHALL BE SVBDVED UNTO HIM observe now the Apostle speakes in the future time then also shall the Sonne himselfe be subject unto him that put all things under him You see evidently that in the five and twentieth verse are quoted the words of the one hundred and tenth Psalme and in the twenty seventh verse is quoted part of the eighth Psalme which is the reason why the Apostle speakes there in the past time Not that the things were then fulfilled when the Apostle pend that 1 Cor. 15. for presently in the twenty eighth verse he speakes them in the future but because it is in the Hebrew in Psal 8. in the past time alluding to the type of it in Adam Gen. 1.26 c. Howbeit the sence is a Prophesie of things to come that they shall be all subject to Christ as they were to Adam as this our Apostle applyes it Heb. 2. of which afore These things being premised let us now see what the Apostle doth comment in this 1 Cor. 15. upon that one hundred and tenth Psalme First the Apostle layes it downe for a sure Position in the twenty fourth verse that the END OF ALL is not till Christ hath delivered up the Kingdome to God the Father 2. He gives us a signe in the same verse when he will so give up the Kingdome viz. When he hath put downe all authority rule and power 3. The Apostle proves this out of this one hundred and tenth Psalme ver 1. FOR saith the Apostle ver 25. he must reigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet which is all one with making his enemies his footstoole and plainly holds forth to us by this connexion that part of Christs putting downe all authority and power is to put all his enemies under his feet which saith the Apostle must be so universall that all enemies to Christ or his Members as well things as persons must be comprehended even Death it selfe as the last of all the rest 4. That all things were not subdued unto Christ when the Apostle wrote that 1 Cor. 15. for in the twenty eighth verse he speaketh of them as of things to come viz. when all things SHALL BE SVBDVED VNTO HIM Christ had before that about eighteene yeares by-past * Christ ascended about Anno 34. Paul writ his first Epist to the Corinthians about Anno 52. risen and ascended yet notwithstanding the Apostle speakes of putting all his enemies under Christs feet as of a thing yet to come which doth excellently confirme that sence we give of the Apostles words Heb. 2. viz. that Paul and those of his time did not see all things put under Christ or subject to him though they saw him ascend and to be ascended Nor doe we or have we now about one thousand six hundred yeares since that seen all things subject to Christ whereof the Apostle gives us six signes of assurance for saith the Apostle 1 If all things were subject to Christ then the END cometh ver 24. 2. The full end is not till Christ resigne up all viz. the Kingdome and Dominion c. to God ver 24. 3. That before that be done Death must be destroyed as one of the enemies to be put under Christs feet ver 26. By the destroying of death is not only meant a Morall or Spiritual destruction of it that it shall not prejudice our Salvation for so it hath been destroyed to all Beleevers from the beginning of the Promise of Christ revealed to Eve but Physically that there shall be no more death to the godly Revel 21.4 4. That Death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed ver 26. which is fulfilled to the godly at the beginning of the thousand yeares of which we speake when all the Elect deceased shall rise from the dead the wicked deceased not rising till the end of the said thousand yeares as before we have touched and shall be after demonstrated at which time Death shall be removed from those wicked to the end that they with their companions that a little afore made head against Christ in his Saints may receive their finall Judgement But because the Apostle here mentions Death as an enemy to Christs Kingdome for the death temporall or eternall of the wicked is a friend to Christs Kingdome he must of necessity meane the abolishing of corporall death from the Saints which is performed at the beginning of the thousand yeares which placing of Death in the order and relation of the last of the enemies of Christ and his Church doe clearly intimate that many enemies of Christ and his Saints must be destroyed afore that which stood in opposition to this All-glorious and All-peaceable visible Kingdom of Christ on earth And as death is destroyed Physically as wee have shewed so all that submit not to Christ are destroyed Physically that is they cease to be on earth 5. That Death is not destroyed till the last Trumpet ver 51. 52. in that 1 Cor. 15. Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shal
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
Christ but anon Arianisme arose then Papisme mounted up then the Beast did arise The Church is put into a Wildernesse-condition the witnesses prophesie in sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty yeares which are not yet expired for they have not yet laine dead in the Grave three dayes and an halfe 5 ¶ Nor is that in the 18 19 20. verses yet fulfilled That all Idols are abolished that God hath so shaken the earth that he hath made the inhabitants thereof to cast away all their Idols and to hide themselves for feare The Territories of the Papacie extending over France Spaine Italy part of the Low Countries part of upper Germany part of Polonia part of the Indies c. are full of Idols and doe openly worship them as they say in the sight of the Sunne The great shake of these is not till the Witnesses have laine dead in the Grave three dayes and an halfe Revel 11. and then is the great fall ibid. ver 11. and when those things are shaken downe then the things that cannot be shaken viz. pure worship purely Spirituall and pure Saints shall remaine unmoved Heb. 12.27 § 6 Nor can it be rationally imagined that these things shall not be done till the ultimate day of the generall Judgement for then there is no time of establishing of the mountaine of the Lords house upon the top of the mountaine no proceeding of the word out of Zion no running and hiding from the presence of the Lord for the Sea and Grave c. shall give up their dead And all good shall be turned into an eternity of absolute glory Therefore the time of fulfilling of the Prophesies and Promises of this second of Isaiah is yet to come afore the ultimate day of the last generall Judgement * The Diatribae pars 4. of Mr. Mede lately coming forth and come to my hands since I penned this eleventh Section I thought it convenient to insert into the Margine at least his judgement of this second of Isaiah ver 2 3 4. which I will give you in his owne words HILS or MOUNTAINES saith he are States Kingdomes or Societies of men which consisting of degrees rising unto an height one above another are compared unto Mountaines raised above the ordinary plaine and levell of the earth The MOUNTAINE OF THE LORDS HOUSE is that State and Society of men which is called the Church and People of God REGNUM CAELORUM the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. a Kingdome whose both King and Kings Throne have their place and residence in the Heavens These words therefore are a Prophesie or Propheticall promise of the GLORIOUS EXALTATION WONDERFULL ENLARGMENT and UNHEARD-OF-PROSPERITY of this Society of men called the CHURCH above all States and Societies of men whatsoever The glory and EXALTATION is expressed in the word THE MOUNTAINE OF THE LORDS HOUSE SHAL BE ONE DAY EXALTED yee mounted not only above the lesser hill but above the highest mountaine though at this time it were depressed and trampled under foot by the proud enemies thereof The ENLARGMENT is in the word ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW INTO IT i. e. though at the time of this Prophesie it were reduced to a small remnant yet the time was to come when it should not only consist of one Nation of the Jewes as then it did but of all Nations under the whole Heaven The PROSPERITY thereof begins to be described from these words ver 4. THEY SHAL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOW-SHARES c. i. e though the greatest part of JACOB were already captive and Judah and Jerusalem in a continuall feare and no lesse danger of the Armies and invasion of the King of Babel yet the time should one day come that the People or Church of God should not only be the most exalted state upon the earth and the most ample and universall Dominion that ever was in the world but the most peaceable quiet and flourishing State that ever was since man was FIRST CREATED This is the Prophesie But now comes the Question Whether this as we have described it be and hath already been fulfilled or whether if already any wayes fulfilled whether it be not in part only performed and the full accomplishment reserved for time to come c. For here the Church is to be established on the tops of Mountaines c. so that no other State shal over-top or over-looke it much lesse trample it under feet Now whether there was ever such a time when this was compleatly fulfilled c. I leave it to any mans indifferent judgement who can compare the description of the Prophet with the stories of fore past and present times In the times immediatly after Christs PASSION I think any man will grant the Church then was neither VISIBLE nor GLORIOUS In the time of the PERSECUTING EMPEROURS when the Church had taken foot among the Gentiles and the Nations began to flow unto it it was a Society indeed VISIBLE but not GLORIOUS I am sure it was not in the TOPS of the MOUNTAINES but the Imperial Mountaine of ROME not only over-topped it but over trampled it under their feet In the time of CONSTANTINE and thereabouts after three hundred yeares cruell persecution the Sunne seemed as it were to breake forth of a Cloud but presently that glory was eclipsed and even the visibility of the Church in a manner covered with the thick and a Universally overspreading cloud of ARYANISME This ARIAN cloud was no sooner blown over but another great cloud of that fore-prophesied APOSTASIE of the Church begun to arise whereby the Churches glory was not onely eclipsed but at length againe the visibility thereof wholly overshaddowed with the thick darknesse of Idolatrous ANTICHRISTIANISME untill after a long day of darknesse it pleased God of late somewhat to dispel the cloud c. and we hope when the cloud shall be wholly consumed by the beams of the Sun of the Gospel the Church shall become not more visible then yet it is but far more glorious then ever hitherto it hath been WHEN THE FULNESSE OF THE GENTILES as St. Paul speaks SHALL COME IN. For we shall finde in the Prophesies of the Scriptures that there are two sorts and times of the CALLING OF THE GENTILES First that which should be in the REJECTION OF THE IEWS as St. Paul saith to PROVOKE THEM TO IEALOUSIE Such a calling as should be in a manner occasionall that God might not want a Church the time the Iewes were to be cast out So Rom. 11.15 The CASTING AWAY OF THE IEWS is the RECONCILING OF THE WORLD i.e. The CALLING OF THE GENTILES Whence we may see that the Apostles were not to preach Christ to the Gentiles untill being first offered to the Iewes they refused him And this is that calling of the Gentiles which hitherto hath been many yeares But there is a second and more glorious calling of the Gentiles to be found in the Prophesies of Scripture not a calling as this is
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
to a full saving of the Jews by the destruction of their enemies destroying their flesh and pouring out of their blood But in all these attempts in the end the Jewes party had the worst even as Israel and Juda are still dispersed and those in Judea are still under the power of their enemy the Turk Therefore these things are yet to be fulfilled viz. at the fall of Antichrist Rev. 16.5.6 and Rev. 19. v. 19.20 21. Thou art righteous O Lord c. because thou hast judged thus For they have shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast given them blood to drinke And the Kings of the earth and their armies were gathered together to make warre against him that sate on the white horse and against his army and the beast was taken and with him the false Prophet and cast into the lake of fire c. and the rest were slaine with the sword c. SECT XXI THe twelfth place in Isaiah is in Chapter 54. v. 11. c. to the end of the Chapter Verse 11. O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundations with Saphires 12 And will make thy windows of Agates and thy gates of Carbuncles and all thy borders of pleasant stones 13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall bee the peace of thy children 14 In righteousnesse shalt thou bee established thou shalt be far from oppression for thou shalt not seare and from terrour for it shall not come neer thee 15 Whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake 16 Behold I have created the Smith that bringeth forth an instrument and I have created the waster to destroy 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement shalt thou condemne This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. § 1 If wee keep all these together in their twisted dependance here set downe and in their joynt relation and intent to the glorious estate of Jews and Gentiles conjunctively as is intimated v. 3. c. Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles c. when were these ever fulfilled unto Christ and the Apostles dayes And therefore they doe cleerly carry downe these things far beyond the age wherein they lived upon earth Saint John prophesies that v. 11 12. of laying the Churches foundations with precious stones that it shall bee fulfilled at the great restauration of the Church yet after one thousand six hundred fifty and two to be fulfilled Rev. 21. v. 18. c. The building of the wall or New Jerusalem is of a Jasper and the City pure gold the first foundation a Jasper the second a Saphir the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerald c. proportionably all the twelve foundations So Christ carries downe that in the former part of the 13. verse All thy children shall be taught of God beyond his time unto after times Joh. 6.44 45. That whereas the Jews then murmured against him yet the time should come that they should be ALL TAUGHT OF GOD quoting this of Isaiah Which must the rather relate to future times after Christs time in regard of that annexed in that 13. verse of the 54 of Isaiah so closely as that with the former it makes but one period viz. ALL THY CHILDREN shall be taught of God And GREAT shall be THE PEACE OF THY CHILDREN which being not fulfilled unto Johns time he refers it to the time of the glorious state of New Jerusalem on earth Rev. 21.4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine c. so that the time must come that the Jews must not have onely pure inward peace being taught of God but GREAT outward peace also which is further confirmed by that which follows in the next verses viz. v. 14 15 16 17 of this 54 of Isaiah That in righteousnesse they shall be established and they shall be far from oppression and from feare and from terrour that all opposing them shall fall and no weapon shall prosper against them c. as you have it above written before your eyes in the first Paragraph of this one and twentieth Section which Peter 2 Pet. 3. and John in Rev. Chap. 21. apply as things not fulfilled to their time unto the glorious state of the New earth that therein shall dwell righteousnesse and no uncleannesse or abomination shall enter but all tears sorrow paine crying shall be removed as we have oft repeated afore All which wee cannot but expect yet to come being never yet fulfilled but the contrary alwayes extant and to be fulfilled before the ultimate day of judgement there being nor time nor place for foundations windows precious stones teachings from God c. as above described SECT XXII THe thirteenth place in Isaiah is Chapter 59. Verse 19 20 21. When the enemy viz of the Jewes shall come in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him and the Redeemer shall come to Zion or out of Zion as the Apostle renders it Rom. 11.26 For if the deliverer come out of Zion hee comes first to Zion the preposition 7 having great variety of significations as in at according to or for the sake c. And unto them that turne from transgression in Jacob or as the Apostle renders it Rom. 11.26 shall turne away transgression from Jacoh * The Heb◠is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may for ought I know beare to be rendred To the end to turn men from For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the infinitive mood is in value a future And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the root sometimes is used transively to turne a thing away or to turn it from viz. a termino a quo ad terminum ad quem Schindl or to convert from Pagn And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is oft paragogicall and sometimes put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Masora gives instances Surely the Apostle would not pervert the Text nor could he erre The Chaldee renders it neer as the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To convert the transgressors of the house of Jacob. The Septuagint likewise of the best Edition in Bib. complut in Bib. Reg. Gallicanis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Arab. likewise There shall come a Redeemer for Zion who shall turne away wickednesse from Jacob. As for mee this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed c. from henceforth and for ever § 1 The Prophet having in the next verses before shewed how God would recompence the enemies of the Jews according to their deeds hee presently follows
absolutely for ever 2. If any hanker and long after the sence that our translation hints as if the three former Beasts had a kind of life allowed them after their dominion was taken away to give these content we can give them this faire answer which may likewise be handsomely improved as to the illustration of the ruine of the fourth Beast and so of the glorious remaining of the fift Monarchy That though the three former monarchies were dis-robed of their Monarchicall paramount Emperiality the former by the latter yet those three divine providence permitting had continued unto them some degree of regality untill some good space of time that the fourth had been in being and power which is the more probable 1. Because how else could it bee said that the third trampled the second and the fourth the third yea all the remainder of the former unlesse they had some entiry or being to be trampled 2. Because the whole Image is broken by the ruine on the feet of the fourth and last And therefore probably there were certaine broken limbs of the three former remaining to be beaten into dust with the fourth 3. Because wee have some such account given us in the faithfullest humane Histories First For the Armenians part of Chaldea as some learned affirme had a King and Kingly dignity even unto the dayes of the Roman Monarchy Tigranes King of Armenia was subdued by the Roman Pompey and his Country made tributary and so stamped under foot But after a while even in the reigne of Tiberius the same Armenia was fortified against the Romans whom the Emperour rather pacified with promises then subdued with Warre who after got the staffe so far into their hands againe that in the reigne of Jovinian they were called Friends not Vassals to the Romans Secondly For Persia they had great power in the time of Antiochus the great and of his sonne Antiochus the vile of the Greeke Monarchy downe unto and farre into the times of the Roman Emperours Of whom Julian lost his life Valerian went under ransome and Jovinian put to the shamefull foyle of the losse of foure whole provinces Thirdly For the Grecian Monarchy after the Romans had trampled Egypt Anthony and Cleopatra being subdued by Augustus and their Countries reduced to Provinces yet after the Greekes did so far shake off the Roman yoake as that they withstood divers of their stoutest Emperours viz. Galienus Aurelian and Dioclesian And this last answer doth also well illustrate the prophesie That whereas somthing of the former Monarchies remained in the days of the later yet the fift should leave nothing of the fourth and so nothing of the former All being to be broken in the feet of the fourth So glorious should the fift Kingdome be Now let the reader take which answer he pleaseth § 11 Having cleared we hope this knot let us now goe on with Daniels visions wherein he having already shewed us towards the discovery of the Who and what that destroyed the fourth Beast the posture and Acts of the Session of Judicature next he represents to us the person or persons the Captaine and his Army that tooke from the fourth Beast the Roman Monarchy and all other Kingdoms into their owne hands of power and these are Christ and his Christians vers 13 14. Daniel saw in the night-visions fitly signifying the Antichristian darknesse that then clouded the Church one like the Son of Man come with the cloudes of Heaven This is Christ who relatively as a King and Captaine Generall as the Scriptures set him forth and Mystically as he is by union of the Spirit head of his Church doth infer as soon as he is come an Host of Christians at his heeles as part of his Session when hee sits all which must necessarily bee here understood as the 18 26 and 27 verses being of the interpretation of the vision give sufficient warrant vers 18. But the SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH shall take the Kingdome for ever Zech. 1.8 Heb. 2.10 Revel 19.11 12 13 14. even for ever and ever ver 27 28. But the Judgement shall sit and they of the Judgement viz. as it is in this vision the Son of Man and his ten thousand times ten thousand of all Nations Languages and Peoples that beleeve in him shall take away his the fourth Beasts dominion to consume and destroy it to the end And the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall bee given to the PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH whose Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve HIM Where most evidently Christ called here the Son of Man doth as a publicke person and a representative as the second Adam of all mankind that beleeve include and signifie all the sonnes of men that beleeve and they and he are so one mystically by faith and relatively as a corporation or united Emperiality that it is indifferent to the Holy Ghost to mention HIM or THEM to be the Ruler of this fifth Monarchy As for that his coming we mentioned but now Daniel expresseth it in the said thirteenth verse The Sonne of man came with the Clouds of Heaven Upon which words Mr. Parker saith thus The Sonne of man is Christ the Head including also his Body the Church as appeareth ver 26 27. He is said to come and this is his second coming in a large sence comprehending his coming to beare rule on earth by setting up his Kingdome breaking down the enemy and this is the space of forty five yeares and then his visible appearing at the Resurrection immediatly ensuing to finish the New Jerusalem begun in heavenly perfection And in this large description his second coming is usually taken in the Prophets He is said to come in the Clouds of Heaven that is on high above the glory and power of the Kingdomes of the earth in the supereminent Majesty of his Kingdom Rev. 11 12. Isa 52.13 Mat. 24.30 Thus Mr. Parker I only adde this that by the current and tenour of Scripture this phrase of his coming in the Clouds signifies withall that he shall visibly and really appeare in the natural Clouds at that his second coming but now mentioned as Christ himselfe and Saint John expounds the Prophets Matth. 24.30 Revel 1.7 Then shall appeare saith Christ in that twenty fourth of Matthew ver 30. 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 CLOVDES of Heaven c. And saith John in that Revel 1.7 Behold he cometh WITH CLOVDES and every eye shall SEE him and they also that pierced him § 13 He is said in the same thirteenth verse both to come to the Ancient of dayes that is as he is Mediator to the end to obtaine the Kingdome for his Saints being removed from the enemy So the Lamb is said to approach to him that
That v. 11. and v. 19. Their shame shall be taken away and they shall be made a name and a praise in all lands where they have been put to shame and all they that afflicted them shall be undone Instead whereof the Iews in all lands are under great reproach and contempt and their enemies rather undo them then that their enemies are undone for their sakes Thus of Zephany SECT XLV § 1 NExt we come to the Prophet Zechary who prophesied within two months at the same time that Haggy prophesied Hag. 1.1 Zech. 1.1 and therefore is commonly accounted as a co-partner with Haggy Both prophesying after Judah's return from Babylon in the second yeare of Darius sonne of Histaspis For Haggai reproves them chap. 1. ver 2. for not re-building the Temple And v. 6. declares that the scarcity upon them was for that neglect Neither of which could have been rationall if they had been then in Babylon Zechariah likewise hints the same time in chap. 1. ver 6. in acknowledging that God had then fulfilled the judgement threatned upon them And expressely in the 16 verse saith The Lord is returned to Jerusalem with mercies and his house shall be built § 2 These being premised the first place we pitch upon in this Prophet is chap. 2. ver 6. c. to the end of the chapter Ver. 6. Ho ho come forth and flee from the land of the North saith the Lord. For I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the Heaven saith the Lord. Vers 7. Deliver thy selfe O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon Vers 8. For thus saith the Lord of Hosts After the glory hath he sent me unto the Nations which spoiled you for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Ver. 9. For behold I will shake mine hand upon them and they shall be a spoile to their servants and yee shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me Sing and rejoyce O Daughter of Zion for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord. Ver. 11. And MANY NATIONS SHALL BE JOYNED UNTO THE LORD in that day and shall be my people c. Vers 12. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and shall chuse Ierusalem againe Of which words the introduction preceding in the § 1. leades us into this sence that they look beyond the two Tribes called Iudah unto the returne of the ten Tribes called Isreal § 3 It hath been often very grievous in my eyes to see how Authours commonly follow one another in expounding Scripture as if they were rather led by humain example then by divine reason And let this goe for one instance where they successively vote or dictate not demonstrate that that great call to the Jewes in ver 6. To come forth and flee from the land of the North c. relates to those of the two Tribes that tarryed behind when the rest of them returned I confesse as to wipe off singularity I am glad of the bare company in opinion of them that are learned but I had rather have one of their reasons if they give any then an hundred of their names Oecolampadius speaking for us saith Terram Aquilonis c. that is the Prophet calls Babylon the land of the North which is situated towards the Northern part Eastwardly And seeing that others were dispersed into divers parts of the earth according to the foure winds and others oppressed with other servitude all that are burdened are called c. And Pellican likewise voting for us saith the Prophet here foretels a double gathering of the Inhabitants and cals unto them for the dispersion of the faithfull was two-fold one of the people of Iudah in Babylon who are called together with Nehemiah unto the building of Ierusalem whom the Prophet exhorts to goe forth out of the province of the Babylonians and to beleeve the word of God and to restore the divine worship in the Temple The other was greater and more general of all Israel whom God had scattered into the foure quarters or climates of the world All which the prophet cals and desires to be congregated toward Zion c. But to leave men and words and come to reason ¶ 1. T is clear that this place of Scripture is a prophesie of future things by the language of it speaking all along from the fourth verse to the end of the chapter in the future tense that these and those things shall come to passe and such things and so God will do ¶ 2. And the exhortation in the sixt verse the thing in controversie is expresly there extended not only unto the Jews in the North viz. Babylon but to all of them dispersed in the foure quarters of the world as they are to this day Where marke the connexion For I will gather you from the four winds making this the meaning of coming out of the North. Compare also Zech. 8.7 a considerable place viz. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts behold I will save my people from the East Country and from the West Country and I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem Accordingly the Septuagint reads this of Zech. 2.6 thus Ω 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Ho ho fly from the land of the North saith the Lord Because I WILL GATHER you from the foure winds of Heaven saith the Lord. ¶ 3. The said two Tribes had been even now when Zechariah preached this Sermon returned from Babylon into Iudea near this sixteen years For as the best Chronologers cast up the account they returned from Babylon in the year of the world 3435. And Zechary began his prophesie in the year of the world three thousand foure hundred fifty one A faire time for the most of the Jewes of the two Tribes to take heart to returne that are mentioned in the beginning of their deliverance by Cyrus to have lingered behind the rest 1 Chron. 4. if feare of the Kings sincerity in dismissing them had remorated them and to have been incouraged by their fore-runners prosperity in Iudea if any considerable number staid in Babylon for feare of successe And therefore doubtlesse by this time most of the people of Iudah were returned Iosephus boldly affirmeth * and Sanctius approves the account that there returned of the Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin forty six hundred thousand Lib. 11. Cap. 4 and twenty eight thousand which may appear to have some truth in it if we compare Ezr. 2.61 62 63 64 65. and Nehem. 13.3 And truly the great work they did in re-building the Temple repairing the City wals and their bountifull offerings at the dedication speake aloud that they were a very numerous people And therefore t is very unlikely that the Prophet in that exhortation verse the sixt should mainly mind a gleaning of a few lingerers in Babylon ¶ 4. This exhortation ver the sixt calling for separation and to
with his Army he prevailed against it and miserably spoiled it and the Temple and slaughtered the people 1 Maccab. 1.21 22 23 24. When after him about seven years Antiochus Eupator came up against Judea and Jerusalem he prevailed against both partly by power and partly by policy and threw down the walls of Zion 1 Maccab. 1. ver 17. ver 48 c. to the end of the chapter About ninty eight years after him the Roman Pompey takes Jerusalem and the Temple sending Aristobulus the King of the Jewes bound to Rome and subdued the Jewes to the Roman power * Buchol Jud. Chron. Ad an Mund. 3909. About six years after which was about fifty six years afore the birth of Christ Gabinius the Roman invading Syria and then Judea he there conquered Alexander King of the Jews Son of Aristobulus in a maine battle slaying 3000 Jewes and taking as many prisoners * Iosephus As for the History after Christ t is more familiarly known that Titus the Roman Emperor about 70 years after the birth of Christ destroyed Jerusalem both City and Temple as likewise did Adrian the Roman Emperor after him about the year after Christs birth 133. and so Rome successively held it til the Saracens and Turks wan it away from them holding it to this day So that I renew my question When since the return of Judah was Judah and Jerusalem a cup of trembling to any enemy that ever came against it in that space of time And upon the same ground of history but now summed up I may put unaswerable questions upon most of the chapter following as When since their returne was ever Jerusalem a burthensome stone to all people of the earth to cut them all in peeces that shall burthen themselves with it as t is prophesied in ver 3 Or when as in ver 4. hath every horse been stricken with astonishment and his rider with madnesse Or when as ver 5. Could the Governors of Judah say in their heart the Inhabitants of Jerusalem under God shall be my strength Or when as in ver 6 Have the Governors of Judah been like a Hearth of fire amongst the wood and like a Torch of fire in a sheafe devouring all the people round about c Or when as ver 7. and 9. Hath the Lord so saved the tents of Judah and defended the Inhabitants of Jerusalem that he that was feeble among them was made as David and the house of David as ELOHIM and as the ANGEL of JEHOVAH and hath sought to destroy all the Nations that come against Jerusalem But mind the breviate of history afore recited and look upon the State of the Jews at this day and remember the account we gave afore of the Maccabees in the former Section and we cannot but expect the particulars yet to come And upon the same grounds adding the history of the carriage of the Jewes towards Christ penned by the Evangelists and the context in the ninth verse At that day it shall come to passe viz. at the time that the former part of the chapter shall be fulfilled with a collation of Revel 1.7 and Matth. 24.30 We may as boldly quere when were those things ever yet fulfilled mentioned in the 10 11 12 13 and 14 verses That God would so poure out upon the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication that they shall looke on him whom they have peirced and mourn for him with great bitternesse each family mourning a part which cannot be imagined to be fulfilled by the Jews afore Christ was peirced Which is the argument of two Jews of late with one of which I had conference that they expect the Messiah yet to come ☞ to convert their Nation because they must see him with a penitent eye after he is pierced Nor was it fulfilled upon the obstinate Jews who beholding his passion derided him or persisted in impenitency Nor upon the eleven Disciples who fled when he was led to suffering Nor did they pierce him Nor upon those mourners Act. 2. for they saw him not when they mourned nor did any of these sorts of mourners aforenamed mourn with their families Nor did they see him in the clouds and thereupon mourn for him as t is expresse in those places of Mat. 24 and Rev. 1. afore quoted § 5 Therefore the main of this whole prophesie is yet to be fulfilled And before the last universall Resurrection and ultimate Judgement because the Circumstances of it so require SECT L. § 1 THe sixt and last place in Zechariah is in chap. 14. from vers 3. to the end of the chapter which hath been anciently afore Jeroms time as he confesseth urged both by Jewes and Christians for the glorious time yet to come of which we treat And to me it seems so full for it that I know not what considerable thing can be rationally said against it As for quibling Jerom I grudg almost here to call him Saint Ierome because in his notes on this place instead of demonstration he jeers and that very obscenely we shall talk with him after and most justly arraigne him upon his owne confession § 2 Ver. 3. Then shall the Lord goe forth and sight against those Nations as when he fought in the day of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kerab which word as it signifies conflicting so also beginning or approaching near and may be aptly so rendred and applyed here according to the sence that most understand to Gods assisting the Iews in the beginning of their Wars as against Amalech and Og c. when they approached near towards Canaan Which words as that same THEN mindes us points at the after times following that Coming up of all Nations against Ierusalem to Battle rifling ravishing and captivating it which ruine was to come to passe in long processe of time after this Prophesie as t is hinted in the future expression of the first verse the Prophet having dispatched in the thirteenth chapter next afore the Prophesies that did belong to the time of Christs passion ver 1. and v. 7. of that 13. chap. For it was a long time after Christ ere all Nations confining our all to the all of the foure Monarchies did so miserably ruine mark the phrase Ierusalem For the Romans did it not the first time till seventy years afore Christs incarnation they did afore that some hurt to the Country as we said afore but did not miserably ruin Ierusalem Nor the Romans the second time till one hundred thirty three years after the said incarnation Nor did the Saracens of Asia till the year one thousand and nine thereabouts But however let the reader fix the depredation and devastation of Ierusalem by all Nations since Zecharies Prophesie where they will yet we are at a losse and all our books cannot help us to tell when yet to this day The Lord went out to fight all those Nations that fought against Ierusalem as he
into the bottomlesse pit that he should not deceive the Nations no more till the THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE FULFILLED and after that he must be loosed a little season And I saw Thrones and they sat on them and judgement was given unto them and I saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his image neither had received his marke upon their foreheads or in heir hands and they LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS But the rest of the dead LIVED NOT AGAINE untill the THOUSAND YEARES WERE FINISHED In which words opened laboriously afore in Book 1. Chap. 2. Sect. 1 2 3. and severall times else where we have a burning and trampling as in war both to purpose destroying bond and free great and small answerable to root and branch set on foot by the metaphoricall sword of Christs mouth his word prophesying and commanding the destruction of the Antichristian enemy out executed materially with physical fire and sword if so many material expressions and corporal circumstances can set it forth ending in eternal and all this before the raising and reigning of the Saints at the beginning of the Thousand years and a full thousand years afore the generall execution of all the wicked body and soule in hell fire For most emphatically it is said in ver 7 c. to the end of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation that after the THOUSAND YEARES WERE EXPIRED that Satan were loosed and had deceived the Nations that then hee was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone WHERE THE BEAST and FALSE PROPHET ARE or WERE viz. afore in chap. 19. ver 20. And with the Devil the dead wicked raised and judged according to the books there opened are cast also into the lake of fire Whether this corporal destruction as to means be ordinary or miracuâ—ary it alters not the case But to dream of a spirituall destruction by the Word and to be set forth by fire and war and in a continued speech that sounds of nothing but opposition against Christ to the very death cannot appear to my best reason any better then a meer chimaera and imaginary fiction And the rather because slaying of men to the giving of their flesh to the fowles of the aire is emphatically distinguished from casting the other ALIVE into the lake of fire as this casting of those alive into the lake of fire is distinguished from the general damnation in hell fire in the last verse of the twentieth chapter ¶ 2. That in the second verse of this fourth of Malachie unto you that fear his name shall the sonne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings cannot be more fitly applyed then to that 2 Pet. 1.19 The whole context runs thus Ver. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised tables when we made known unto you the power and COMING of our LORD JESUS CHRIST but were eye witnesses of HIS Majesty Ver. 17. For HE received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voyce to him from the excellent glory THIS â—S MY BELOVED SON in whom I am well pleased Ver. 18. And this voyce which came from heaven we heard when we were with HIM in the holy Mount Ver. 19. We have also a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed aâ— unto â—â—â—gh that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawn and the DAY-STAR arise in your hearts Peter in his first Epistle chap. 1. v. 1. writing to the Jewes being their Apostle Gal. 2.7 as Paul was of the Gentiles Rom. 11.13 holds forth to these Jewes in the words afore quoted three things 1. That all along there he speaks of Christ 2. That there is a twofold coming of Christ the one past when he wrote this second Epistle viz. when he came at first in the flesh receiving that testimony by voyce from heaven Matth. 17.5 afore mentioned in ver 17. of this 2 Pet. 2. The other to come held forth in a word of Prophesie in this v. 19. which when it is fulfilled the day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall dawne and the Day-star 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall arise c. 3. That this Day-star is Christ both by the contexture of Peters speech afore being all of Christ and by the sence of the Day-star which is the Sun as the Moon c. is the night-star Psal 136.8 9. So that Mâ—lachies Sun of Righteousnesse arising with healing in his wings that is in his beames and Peters Day-star shining into the hearts of men is all one And lastly by the Antithesis put between the word of prophesie named onely a light shining in a dark place as a candle or small star in the night and the day-star making full day no person being to be exalted above the word of the prophets but Christ which Sun or Day-star when he shines with a full body upon the whole periphere or compasse of the Moon his Church he makes her full of light that before had much darknesse mixt with her light 3. The Apostle Peter holds forth to the Jewes in the continuation of his speech to them When this Day-star shall arise in their hearts viz. when it shall shine in the generality of them that is that Christ shall be effectually made known to the lump of the Jewes as Paul Rom. 11. cals the Nation or body of them yet unconverted but in after time to be converted so that the ALL OF ISRAEL as is Pauls phrase there SHALL BE SAVED And further that he shall with a dawning of the day remove the long night of their afflictions For as for a spirituall shining by some grace in the hearts of a few Jewes the Apostle acknowledgeth that to be now done already ver 1. But this was but by or through a light shining in a dark place But hereafter when the day dawns the Sun the Day-star shall arise in their hearts And this by the processe of his speech shall be at the great destruction of the enemies and the restauration of the Church Chap. 3. For marke the proceed of the Apostles discourse closely woven together The Apostle having mentioned an adherence to the word of Prophesie UNTILL the day dawn and the Day-star arise c. which words plainly point at a time to come for the fulfilling of it he busies himselfe in nothing but in advancing the true divine prophesies dictated to holy men of God by his Spirit and the interpretation thereof according to the publicke tenor of the Prophets and Apostles ver 20 21. and declaiming against false Prophets and false Teachers damnably teaching and seducing the people chap. 2 throughout I say he busies himselfe in nothing but in these two till he return in the third chapter to exhort the Jewes afresh to be mindful of the words of the Prophets and consonantly of the words of Christ and his Apostles
second coming as John Baptist was at his first For to the Jews alone is this Elias promised and not to the Gentiles and John Baptist wee know the Elias of his first coming preached to them alone It is well known that all the Fathers unlesse S. Hierome somewhat staggered were of this opinion and why we should so wholly reject it as we are wont to do I can see no sufficient reason For if the Fathers erred concerning the person and other circumstances of this Elias yet it follows not but the substance of their opinion might bee true As we know also they erred concerning the person quality and reign of Antichrist and yet for the substance the thing was true Our Saviour rejected not the tradition of the Scribes concerning the coming of this Elias when the Apostles objected it though it were mingled with some falshood but corrected it onely for they looked for Elias the Thisbite but our Saviour admits it only of Elias in Spirit not of Elias in person so yeelding it true for the substance though erring in circumstance so should we doe in the like case For hee that throwes away what he findes because t is foule and dirty may perchance sometimes cast away a Jewell or a peece of gold or silver so hee that wholly rejects an ancient Tenet because it hath some errour annexed to it may unawares cast away a Truth as this seemes to be of an Elias to be the Harbinger of Christs second comming And that for these reasons First Though the prophecy of Esaias The voice of one crying in the wildernesse prepare yee the way of the Lord make his paths straight alledged by all the four Evangelists and by John himselfe seems appliable onely to the first coming of Christ yet the other out of Malachi expresly quoted by St. Marke and by our Saviour Mat. 11 though elsewhere alluded unto seemes by Malachi himself to be applyed not onely to the first coming of Christ but also to his second coming to judgement For in his last chapter speaking of the coming of that day which shall burne like an oven wherein all the pround yea and all that doe wickedly shall be as stubble and it shall burne them up leaving neither root nor branch c. he addeth Behold saith the Lord I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of that great and terrible day of the Lord and he shall turn or restore the heart of the fathers to their children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse If you wil not admit the day here described to be the day of judgement I know scarce any description of that day in the old Testament but we may elude For the phrase of turning or as I had rather translate it restoring as the LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers the meaning is that this Elias should bring the refractary and unbeleeving posterity of the Jewish nation to have the same heart and mind their holy Fathers and Progenitors had who feared God and beleeved his promises that so their Fathers might as it were rejoyce in them and own them for their children that is he should convert them to the faith of that Christ whom their Fathers hoped in and looked for lest continuing obstinate in their unbeliefe till the great day of Christs second coming they might perish among the rest of the enemies of his kingdome Therefore the Son of Syrach in his praise of Elias the This bite paraphraseth this place after this manner who wa st ordained saith he an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or type for so it may bee turned for the times to come to pacifie the wrath of the Lords judgement before it breake forth into fury and to turne the heart of the Father unto the Son and to restore the tribes of Israel Eccles 48.10 which explication also the Angel warranteth Luke 1.17 in his message to Zachary concerning his sonne He shall goe saith he before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just this is instead of reducing the hearts of the children to the Fathers to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. For the better understanding of this first reason we must know that the old Prophets for the most part spake of the coming of Christ indefinitely and in generall without that distinction of first and second coming which we have more clearly learned in the Gospel For this reason those Prophets except Daniel who distinguisheth those comings and the Gospel out of him that speake of the things which should be at the coming of Christ indefinitely and all together we who are now more fully informed by the revelation of his Gospel of this distinction of a two-fold coming must apply each of them to its proper time Those things which befit the state of his first coming unto it and such things as befit the state of his second coming unto his second And that which befits both alike as this of an Harbinger or Messenger may be applyed to both My second reason for the proofe hereof is from our Saviours own words in the Gospel Mat. 17.10 11. where his Disciples immediatly upon his transfiguration asking him saying Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come Our Saviour answers Elias truly shall first come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall restore all things These words our Saviour spake when John Baptist was now beheaded and yet speakes as of a thing future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elias shall come and shall restore all things How can this be spoken of John Baptist unlesse he be to come again Besides I cannot see how this restoring of all things can be verified of the ministery of John Baptist at the first coming of Christ which continued but a very short time and did no such thing as these words seeme to imply for the restoring of all things belongs not to the first but to the second coming of Christ if we will beleeve St. Peter in his first Sermon in the Temple after Christs ascension Acts 3.19 where he thus speakes unto the Jewes Repent saith he and bee converted for the blotting out of your sins that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive untill the times of the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began The word is the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the time of restoring all things be not til the second coming of Christ how could John Baptist restore all things as his first If the Master come not to restore all things at his first surely his harbinger
wit in the conversion of Constantine the Great and of his followers SECT V. § 1 THat wil surely come to pass which God pre-impresseth on mens spirits according to his word presignifies in the wonders of nature and prepares for and makes way by the transactions of men â—ut so hath God from time to time done especially of later times towards the fall of Antichrist and all the intestine enemies of the Church and consequently towards the restauration of the Church Therefore these things will surely come to passe I might enlarge much upon the proofe of the premises of this Syllogisme but for brevity it being high time to shut up this third Book When the Lord intended Israel should conquer Canaan he put a valour into their heart and sent before among their enemies the Hornet of fear and the Moth of decay and weakness Ex. 23.27 28. Deut. 20.21 Josh 24.12 Isa 50.9 Isa 51.8 when the two witnesses are about to stand upon their feet to the terror of all their enemies there shall a breath of life of resolution and boldnesse for that end enter into them Rev. 11.11 Before the thirty yeares of the late German wars against that tract of Antichrist and the Churches enemies the Lord sent eminent signes appearing many daies over the Country as Christ prophesied there should be such prodigies and prognostick signs over Jerusalem which had been an arch-arch-enemy to Christ before the destruction thereof Mat. 24. which accordingly came to passe as Josephus largely relates There is mention also in that 24. of Mat. of Earthquakes before the destruction of that Jewish Antichristian Jerusalem As before when the Prophet Amos prophesied the destruction of the enemies of the Church viz. of the Syrians Philistims Tyrians Edomites and Ammonites he emphatically sets down that that prophesie was committed to him two years before the Earthquake as if that Earthquake were a kind of seal to his prophesie that it should come to passe Amos 1.1 c. And it is prophesied that before the fal of the Antichristian enemies and of their nest the great City an Earthquake should precede Rev. 11.13 And we are assured by good information that of late yeares there have been divers terrible Earthquakes in the Popish Dominions How the Hornet and Moth have been among the enemies of Christ terrifying and weakening them both abroad and at home I leave the wise Reader to make up of his own observation As also what a spirit of resolution and action there is in all wise good men against real Antichrist and Antichristianisme I say real for I utterly disavow those whimsies of Phantasticks that call every thing Antichristian that soders not to their dreamed opinions nor centers with their interest Finis Libri tertii THE FOURTH BOOK Holding forth the judgements of all sorts of men almost of all Nations whether learned or unlearned viz. HEATHENS MAHUMETANS JEWS and CHRISTIANS confessing more or lesse our general THESIS CHAP. I. Containing a Preface to this Book § 1 THREE things I must necessarily here premise ## 1 What I mean by those four sorts afore named viz. I mean by Heathens all those that acknowledge not any part of the holy Scriptures that is eo nominâ— under that notion of the holy Scriptures or Word of God dictated by the holy Spirit and penned by holy men extraordinarily endowed with that Spirit By Mahumetans I minde all that adhere to the Doctrine of Mahomet viz. Turks Arabians Saracens who yet acknowledge some peeces of the Old Testament By Jews all know whom I understand who do acknowledge entirely all the Old Testament By Christians I here intend all that are so named whether they are so sincerely or but seemingly as Papists Protestants Lutherans Calvinists c. who acknowledge the totall of all the Books of holy Scripture both in the Old and New Testament 2 That I must bee briefe in my Collections in this large field â—ounded out in this fourth Book contrary to my intention and disposition § 2 who would most willingly have abounded in this thing But first the frequent fears of my friends so often mentioned in mine ears by that time we had Printed off the third Book have lured me off And secondly I am the more satisfiedly taken off partly by the great bulk of Antiquity and number of Modern Writers I presented to the Reader in the first Book And partly by the urgency of time our friends longing for it and this present gallopping age outrunning rule and reason needing it who boldly presume they have in part entred upon the possession afore indeed they doe in any measure know the thing much lesse the time which yet is many years off § 3 3 That the Reader is not to conceive that I approve of every particular clause which those foure sorts shall assert but he must mind my general intent viz. that directly or indirectly in whole or in part expresly or intimatedly such passages fall from their mouths as argue they had some light more or lesse by some means or other touching our general Thesis in the summary bulk and main matter thereof CHAP. II. Containing the passages in Heathens in favour of our opinion in our aforesaid Thesis § 1 THe Heathens in their Doctrine touching the Immortality of the soule reserved in the other world for happinesse in their description of the Elysian fields their state of blisse on earth in the next world in their discusse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The state of men in the World to come yet unseen and their professed expectation of the Platonick yeer however they mis-dream the computation wherein as they say all things shall returne to their primaeve perfection And their Tenet of Metempsychosis or Transmigration of souls passing from one body deceasing into another next living and so are cloathed with divers corporal shapes till they attaine the perfectest do speak in substance a glorious state of man on earth after the Resurrection It is wonderfull to read in History how earnestly some of them have sought death being ravished with the desire of enjoying the state of the immortality of souls upon their Philosophers description of the glory of it Their Elysium or Elysian fields they so named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the dissolution of the soul from the body For say they it is the place which good mens souls inhabit after they are freed from the bonds of the body ful of happines feated in the Fortunate Islands c. And it was the great comfort saith Homer of which learned Broughton takes notice that the friends of the Greek Captains slain in the Trojan war gave to their surviving wives that the souls of their husbands were gone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subintellige 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the house of Hades that is to the world unseen that is to the other world of bliss yet not visible to us Of the Platonick yeer restoring all things to their primitive perfection we had something
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
HARD BONDAGE Observe both to what persons and what time these high expressions relate before largely opened and we shal easily conclude this Text was never yet fulfilled and therefore according to the truth of God must bee fulfilled before the ultimate day of judgement for with that time this Prophesie cannot agree ¶ 6 In Isa 25.8 we have it plenissimè planissimè most fully and plainly That in that day viz. of the great restauration of the Church and ruine of their enemies verse 5 6. The Lord will WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM ALL FACES And the rebuke of his people shall hee take away FROM OFF ALL THE EARTH for the Lord hath spoken it Which was never yet fulfilled and therefore is yet to come at the time we treat off as hath been before demonstrated ¶ 7 Isa 54.13 14. is also very high in expressions Thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children In righteousnesse shalt thou be ESTABLISHED thou shalt be far from oppression for thou SHALT NOT FEAR and FROM TERROR for it SHAL NOT COME NEER THEE You see the expressions are exceeding high and they are evidently spoken concerning external rest as well as internal and wee see it by experience that this place was never yet fulfilled therefore it is yet to come as we have cleered it afore ¶ 8 In Isa 60.14 c. it is thus written The Sonnes of them that aâ—flicted thee shall come BENDING TO THEE and all that despised thee shall BOW THEMSELVES DOWN AT THE SOLES of thy feet Whereas thou hast been forsaken I will make thee an ETERNAL EXCELLENCY violence shall be NO MORE heard in thy land The dayes of thy mourning shall be ENDED Which place relates to our Thesis as is before demonstrated The expressions are far too high for us to acknowledge they have been fulfilled therefore we must expect them yet to come before the ultimate day of judgement for that will be no fit time for this Prophesie ¶ 9. Isa 65.19 is likewise very full to the particular in hand though in few words viz. I will joy in my people and the voyce of weeping or crying shall be NO MORE HEARD IN HER. Let the Reader judge whether this was ever yet fulfilled ¶ 10. Isa tells us Chap. 66.12 Thus saith the Lord I will extend peace to her the Church consisting of Jews and Gentiles as a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream I leave it likewise to the Reader to consider whether hee hath not reason to expect this as yet to come ¶ 11 We come to the Prophesies of Jeremiah Chap. 23.3 4. I will gather the remnant of my flocke out of all Countries c. and they shall fear no more nor be dismayed Which expressions are a great deal too high for our knowledge of Scripture of history or of experience to acknowledge them to have been fulfilled to this day And therefore our faith must be on God for the fulfilling of them and that before the ultimate day of judgement as the nature of the things require ¶ 12 We have in the same Prophet Chap. 30. verse 10. Jacob shall returne and shall be in rest and quiet and none shall make him afraid ¶ 13 Place is in Jer. 46.27 28. to the same effect ¶ 14 Place is in Ezek. 28.24 There shall be no more a pricking briar unto the house of Israel nor any grieving thorne of all that are round about them ¶ 15 Place Mich. 4.1 2 3. The same with Isa 2. v. 2 3 4. It s added here in verse 4. They shall sit every man under his owne vine c. and none shall make them afraid ¶ 16 Place Zeph. 3.13 14 15. They shall feed and lye downe and none shall make them afraid Sing O daughter of Zion rejoyce with all the heart the Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thine enemies The Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evill any more This and all the rest have been proved to mean the time intended in our Position § 2 Adde in the New Testament ¶ 1 Matth. 19.29 Shall receive an hundred fold and inherit eternal life of the large opening of this place see before in the third Book ¶ 2 That in 2 Thess 1.7.9 10. To you REST as Heb. 4. when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed FROM HEAVEN his enemies being punished from the presence of the Lord as Chap. 2. and from the glory of his POWER ¶ Rev. 7.16 17 They that are sealed c. serve him day and night in HIS TEMPLE he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more for the Lamb in the middest of the Throne shall feed them and wipe away all tears from their eyes ¶ 4 Rev. 21.4 St. John speaking of the state of the Church in the thousand yeers saith God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more sorrowing nor crying nor paine Every verse of this Chapter shewes it cannot bee meant of everlasting happinesse in the highest heavens Let the close of this Section be to encourage us to patience Patience in perseverance and patience in sufferance Now is Christs Kingdome of patience But anon his Kingdome of peace Twice it is said of the present state of sufferings Here is the patience of the Saints Rev. 13.10 and 14.12 Once it is said Keep the word of patience Rev. 3.10 But after a while comes the Kingdome of peace therefore Christ seales up all the Bible and all the Revelation almost with this Rev. 22.11 12. He that is righteous let him be righteous still He that is holy let him be holy still and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Then in the last verse save one sc 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Amen Then to that end Iohns prayer closeth all as I close in verse 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen SECT III. § 1 THus you have seen it is a sorrowlesse condition Next follows it shall be a deathlesse condition The Elect once raised at the beginning of the thousand yeers shall dye no more much lesse those alive and changed For if those alive shall not prevent them that are asleep given by the Apostle as an answer to an Objection against this Resurrection much lesse shall they that are alive being the patterne to whom the dead are promoted bee sent to death as to give place to the Elect dead that are raised And if all the Elect are raised to what end or use shall they dye that are alive If it be the priviledge that the other Saints shall be alive at Christs comming why shall they dye when here in soule and body they may behold him which is a fuller injoyment If this time of Christs appearance at the beginning of the thousand yeers be the Kingdome of Saints the prefacing beginning of their full
12.11 which were to run out saith Huet on Daniel from the ceasing of the daily sacrifice c. afore the Preface to this glorious state begins are now almost expired For if the daily sacrifice ceased about the yeer of Christ 367. For in that yeer saith Alsted in his Chronolog in the Reigne of Julian Apostata the preparations to re-edifie the Temple at Jerusalem were utterly demolished And we adde thereunto the said One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers we shall easily perceive if we credit our common Account making this to be the Yeer of Christ 1653. that the said One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers are almost expired ¶ 2 The two and forty months wherein the Beast Antichrist should have power as some Greek copies read it to do that is as hee pleaseth as Mr. Brightman expounds Rev. 13.5 which are allone with One thousand two hundred and sixty dayes Revelation chap. 11. verse 2. and verse 3. both signifying by the consent of the generality of all learned Protestants One thousand two hundred and sixty yeers are now neer their period For if as Reusner asserts * Elias Reusner Leorin Isagog Historic in Infantia Antichristi Ad annum 410. these two and forty months began when the Hinderer the Roman Emperour was removed 2 Thess 2.6 by the Goths that now the Roman Bishop was free from all impeding his will and pleasure in the yeer of Christ according to our common Account 410. And we adde thereunto the said One thousand two hundred and sixty yeers the termination of the said One thousand two hundred and sixty yeers are not far off I might annumerate many other accounts but I will not so mis-spend time nor anticipate my selfe in my intended designe of computations in the next Chapter These two here named may suffice to give the Reader a taste yea the first fruits of many Computations now not long hence about to determine whose periods immediately precede the beginning of the preparation or introduction viz. the call of the Jews to the glorious time we speak of SECT II. The second Prognostick The might of the Churches Enemies § 1 WHen the might of the Churches enemies appears universally and irresistably powerful then is the Churches great deliverance at hand Isa 59.16 to the end of the Chapter and the whole ensuing Chapter viz. the sixtieth alleadged and demonstrated afore to relate to this glorious time wee speake of Read the place it is too large to write out and you shall there finde it Prophesied that when the Lord should see that there was NONE TO HELP that then his owne arme should bring salvation that then the Redeemer shall come to Zion That then the Church should rise and shine because her light was come and the Gentiles should come into her light That her GATES SHOULD BE OPEN CONTINUALLY NOT SHUT DAY NOR NIGHT AND KINGS SHOULD MINISTER UNTO HER. THAT THE SUN SHOULD BE NO MORE HER LIGHT BUT THE LORD SHOULD BE HER EVERLASTING LIGHT which St. John Rev. 21. applies to the glorious time we treat of with many more passages in those Chapters of Isaiah to the same purpose Adde to this place of Isaiah that in the Revelation Chap. 18. verse 7. and 8. How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her for she saith in her heart I sit A QUEEN AND AM NO WIDOW AND SHAL SEE NO SORROW therefore shall her plagues come IN ONE DAY § 2 Now whether at present the Might of the Churches enemies bee not universal and irresistible the Turke prospering mainly the Popish party prevailing exceedingly and the rather because the Protestant Nations are onely busie in beating one another to peeces most sadly whence most impious corruptions abound among these as horrid and bloody persecutions among those fresh broken out againe in the German Empire and in the Kingdome of France c. so that Antichrist boasted in their late Jubilean solemnity all was his and the Church precisely considered and Religion every way goes to wrack and no remedy of Lawes or Armes appeare I leave the Reader to resolve To which end I would have him weigh what briefly I have hinted and surveigh throughly the present state of things and inlarge his meditation upon it and then he will easily be inabled to conclude whether the universality of all be not most corrupt and unsavoury and daily putrifying more and more and whether the salt wherewith they should be seasoned and preserved hath not lost its savour and then wherewith shall any of those things be salted And whether as Psal 11.3 if the foundations Political saith Mollerus be destroyed a David may not justly cry out what can the righteous doe SECT III. The third Prognosticke The height of the enemies wickednesse § 1 THis Prognosticke we have in Gen. 15. verse 13 14 15. and 16. God said to Abraham know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a Land that is not theirs and they shall serve them and they shall afflict them foure hundred yeers c. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again FOR THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES IS NOT YET FULL whence it appears that the fulnesse of the iniquity of the Amorites is a Prognostick of the Churches great deliverance out of Egypt so that when that should be full these shall be delivered Whence wee infer by the rule of Proportion that when the iniquity of the universality of the wicked on earth shall bee full that then shall the universality of the Elect have their grand deliverance upon earth This Prognostick that the Reader may see my inference to be good I will shew you in other places of Scripture which apply it immediately to the deliverance wee treat of In Isa 14. the first three verses most evidently as we have before demonstrated relate to the Glorious state on earth we drive at To which is annexed the Prophesie of the Churches triumph over Babylon as the necessary Appendix thereof with great assurance and much elocution and emphasis verse 4. c. to the end of the 18. verse Now what is the Prognostick of their fall but the height of their wickednes in oppression pride c. So verse 4 5 6. Thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babylon and say How hath the oppressor ceased The Lord hath broken the staffe of the wicked and the Scepter of the Rulers HEE WHO SMOTE THE PEOPLE IN WRATH WITH A CONTINUAL STROK He that ruled the Nations in anger is persecuted and none hindereth And verse 12. c. How art thou FALLEN FROM HEAVEN O LUCIFER Sonne of the morning FOR thou hast said in thine heart I WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN I WILL EXALT MY THRONE ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD AND SIT UPON THE MOUNT OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL ASCEND ABOVE THE HEIGHT OF THE CLOUDS I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH thou shalt be BROVGHT DOWNE TO HELL So
Problems and whose punctuall determination doth not concerne the essentials of our salvation to allow every man his modest liberty ingenuously to follow his owne light SECT I. Elias Reusnerus Leorinus his Account § 1 HAving touched this afore Chapter 2. and elsewhere I shall now present it in briefe Rome saith he * El. Reus Leorin in I sagog Hist De Antich Infant ad Ann. Chr. 410. having been Conqueresse and Mistresse of the world being now in the yeer of Christ 410. taken and spoyled by Alarick King of Goths according to Socrat. l. 7. cap. 10. from which time her Authority being much diminished she is exposed to the like depredation by the Vandals Heruls and Longobards and others of the German Countries c. from this declining of the Roman Empire HE THAT WITHHOLDETH 2 Thess 2. verse 6. being removed is the time of the SON OF PERDITION to begin Rightly therefore is here fixed the beginning of the Angelical two and forty months of the Kingdome of the seven headed beast with his ten Hornes Rev. 13. borrowing great power from the infernall Dragon and belching out horrid blasphemies against God that is the Roman Papacy c. The end of these two and forty months will fall into the Yeer of Christ 1670. § 2 So that by this account of Reusner Antichrist will bee downe within these twenty yeers and something lesse even as much lesse as more then 1650. is past SECT II. Mr. Ephraim Huet his Account § 1 THe taking away of the daily Sacrifice and the placing of the desolating abomination saith he * Ephr. Huet in his Paraphr Analys Com. on Dan. Chap. 12.11 having demonstratively confuted other Interpretations is to be applied to the action of our Lord who by his death did put away all Jewish Sacrifices and also by an Army of Idolaters did destroy Jerusalem placing Idolaters therein who after also did set up their Idolatries True it is our Lord did jure viz. in right destroy all sacrifices by his owne Sacrifice being the fulnesse of all their shadows but facto that is actually after his death divers yeers and by divers steps and degrees For after the sacking of Jerusalem by Titus * Who also destroyed the Temple according to the generall vote of the learned Historians and Chronologers therein fulfilling Christs Prophesie Math. 24.1 c. according to the judgement of most learned Divines the Jewes yet inhabited the City not yet demolished and continued their superstitions with great both power and zeale For first Afterwards in the Reigne of Adrian the Roman Emperour the Jews rebelled upon this quarrel The Emperour had built and dedicated a Temple in Jerusalem to Jupiter Olympius the which the Jewes stomaching made head and in the end were overcome by the Emperour and dispersed and the City named Aelia and he gave it into the possession of the Gentiles Secondly Yet did they continue their old superstitions in the Country so that whereas there was an Altar built under the Oake Mamre where the Angels appeared to Abraham and the Merchants that came to the Faires were forced to sacrifice thereon otherwise Traffick was denied them Constantine the Great demolished the Altar and built there a Church for Christians Thirdly and lastly in the dayes of Julian the Apostate and professed enemy of Christians in contempt of the Christian faith he gave licence to the Jews to build the Temple and to renue their Jewish worships Yea so large was their patent that all were interdicted any let or stoppage and the charges of this service to be allowed out of the publicke stocke Upon which grant they attempted the building of the Temple not wholly razed downe afore wherein they were affronted by a speciall hand of God A fearfull Earthquake in the night destroyed all their works and all their tools were consumed by a sudden fire * Ammianus Marcellinus in his History of the life of Jul. l. 23. c. 1 saith That certain fearful flaming balls of fire issuing forth neer unto the foundations and making many terrible assaults consumed sundry times the workmen and made the place unaccessable and by reason that this element still gave the repulse the enterprize was given over Socrates Scholast in his Hist 3. Book Chap. 20. according to the Greek but 27. according to the English adds that there came fire from Heaven that burned their Tools c. so that they were forced to desist from their worke In which their blinde zeale they were affronted by that zealous Bishop of Jerusalem Cyril who admonished them of this Prophesie and after no disswasion would avail he openly professed That now the time was come which our Lord foretold that there should not be left one stone upon another which should not be cast down which accordingly came to passe that night by the immediate hand of God in this earthquake and fire Now understand we the utter actual abolishing of the Jewish sacrifices to be here intended and not the time of the Lords sacrifice for that the daily sacrifice continued long after and also the abominable Idolaters were not placed in Jerusalem untill their dispersion by Adrian And if liberty of conjecture be granted I should thinke that as Jupiter Olympius with his Greekish worshippers is called the desolating abomination Chap. 11. verse 31. So the Romans are here an Army of abominables for their returne to the same Idol whose Temple Adrian built and whose Idolatries the Romans embraced as being amongst them the chiefe and father God The beginning of this One thousand two hundred and ninety yeers being at the final remove of the Jewish sacrifices fell out under the reigne of Julian Thus Mr. Huet § 2 But then he mistakes about the yeer of Julians reign For he puts the utter ceasing of the daily sacrifice in the yeer of Christ 360. Whence three Errots will follow ¶ 1 That Julian was not as he supposeth sole Emperor at that time but after that he began his reign as sole Emperor viz. in the yeer of Christ 361 saith Helvicus 362 saith Dr. Holland in his Chronol on Ammianus 363 saith Dr. Alstedius 365 saith the Translator of Eusebius ¶ 2 That however it was divers yeers after Julians beginning to reigne that the dayly sacrifice ceased by the aforesaid miraculous obstacle they that account least put it in the Yeer of Christ 363. * So Dr. Holland ibid. Helvicus in his Inden Chronolog others more of which presently ¶ 3 If we grant this ceasing of the dayly sacrifice in manner as aforesaid to have been fulfilled in the yeer of Christ 360. Then if we adde 1290. the time of the expiration of the whole is past and so the call of the Jews should be past which experience decries § 3 Therefore we must if we will make any benefit of that computation of one thousand two hundred and ninety yeers in Daniel follow low those Chronologers and Historians who remove that ceasing of the daily
to the last place afore handled out of the New Testament this vision much enlightening that Parable in ver 26 27. the close expounding that Parable as the Preface ver 11 12. explaines that it concernes the time following upon the ruine of the foure Monarchies § 2 In the eleventh and twelfth verses the foure Beasts that is the foure Monarchies are slaine as it is expounded after verse 17. The foure great Beasts are foure Kings instead of them Daniel sees in a vision ver 13 14. One like the Sonne of Man come WITH THE CLOVDES of Heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him neere before him which notably agrees with that place last spoken of Luke 19.11 c. where it is said Christ went into a farre Country to receive to himselfe a Kingdome and returne And that visibly saith this of Daniel with the Clouds or in the Clouds as Rev. 1.7 in way of Preface to this his Kingdome Rev. 11. Rev. 20. And saith Daniel ver 14. There was given to him that was like the Son of Man DOMINION and glory and a KINGDOME that all People Nations and Languages should serve him Just as Luke 19.15 according to the Greek he returned receiving the kingdom When he visibly returned he received a Kingdome here below else why did he returne Adde that here below he exercised visible destruction upon his enemies for it is not said as of the unworthy Talenter he cast them into utter darknesse but he caused them to be slaine afore his face SECT II. Of the second place of Scripture out of the Old Testament for Christs visible appearance at the great restauration of the Church Jer. 25.5.6 Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reigne and PROSPER and shall execute JUDGEMENT AND JUSTICE in THE EARTH In his dayes Judah shal be saved and ISRAEL SHALL DWELL safely and this is his name whereby hee shal bee called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE § 1 FIrst it is evident by the last clause that the Lord Christ is the person here meant it being his incommunicable name Act. 4.12 2 Cor 5. last § 2 Nextly It is as apparent by the whole Series of Jeremiahs Prophesie that this relateth to the times after Judahs Captivity in Babilon Israel having been carried away captive long afore § 3 Lastly It is beyond all objection that Christ did yet never so reigne upon earth as this Text holds forth as may be made appeare with few words in these particulars 1. Christ must reigne and prosper That is must be every way glorious and successefull so that Judah and Israel shall owne him for their King and call him the Lord their righteousnesse 2 He shall execute justice and judgement in the earth it is not said he shall preach justice or judgement or execute it in heavenly places but he shall execute it upon or in the earth 3. In his dayes JUDAH shal be saved and ISRAEL shal dwell safely viz. being gathered out of all Countries ver 3. But the Lord Christ did yet never thus reigne Instead of reigning and prospering in the eyes of Israel and Iudah he was as a branch blasted a thing accursed Isa 53. ver 3 4 c. so that the Iewes for the generall dis-owned him proceeding against him as a Malefactor guilty of many of the highest Crimes and for matters of Iustice and Iudgement in the earth he refused to meddle with the smallest matters as to give his opinion touching the Adulteresse or to divide the inheritance Nor then nor yet ever did Israel returne from Captivity and dwell safely if wee might say Iudah did at Christs first coming in the flesh as we may not because they were then under the Heathen Roman power as conquered and tributaries Luke 3.1 § 4 Nor may any put this off with Christs Spirituall reigning for so he did alwayes from the Creation but this is in the future tense hee shal reigne to signifie his reigning so as never before SECT III. Of the third Scripture â—â—t of the Old Testament for Christs visible appearance at the great restauration of the Church Zach. 2.10 11 12. compared with Zach. 14. ver 4 5 6 7 8 9. Sing and rejoyce O daughter of Jerusalem for loe I come and will DWELL in the midst of thee saith the Lord. And many NATIONS shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will DWELL in the midst of thee and the Lord shall INHERIT Judah his portion in the holy Land and shall CHOOSE JERVSALEM AGAINE And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives and the Lord shall bee King over ALL THE EARTH In that day there shall be one LORD and his name one ZEchary Prophesied after their returne out of Captivity in Babilon see Zech. 1.1 compared with 2 Chron. 36.22 Ezra chap. 1. ver 1. c. to the end Therefore this was not fulfilled in their return for it is spoken of a future time to come And Spiritually God did alwayes dwell among his people and therefore nor can that be the full meaning of this place And when Christ came and was incarnated this Text was not fulfilled for then many Nations were not joyned to the Lord to be his people nor so much as the generality of any one Nation the Heathen Romans then inherited the portion of Judah and filled all Countries with their persons or powers and instead of Christ then choosing Jerusalem againe he pronounced woe against it and gave it up to desolation which accordingly about forty yeares after Christs Passion was fulfilled Mat. 23. three last and Matth. 24.1 2 c. Nor was the Lord King over all the earth more then he had been before Christs Incarnation Instead of one Lord over all there were many SECT IIII. The fourth place in the Old Testament for Christs personall appearance Micha 4. vers 1 c. to 8. In the last dayes it shall come to passe that the Mountaine of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountaine and MANY NATIONS SHALL COME AND SAY Come let us goe up to the Mountaine of the LORD and HEE shall JUDGE AMONG MANY PEOPLE and rebuke the NATIONS afarre off and they shall BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOW-SHARES NATION SHALL NOT LIFT UP A SWORD AGAINST NATION neither shall they learne warre any more but they shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree and NONE SHALL MAKE THEM AFRAID In that day I will assemble her that halteth and will gather her that was driven out and her that I have afflicted and I will make her that was cast off a STRONG NATION and the Lord shal REIGN OVER THEM IN MOVNT ZION FROM HENCE-FORTH and FOR EVER NOw when was ever this since the Creation much lesse was it performed at Christs Incarnation when the Jewes were under the Roman power obstinate