these Reasons First The Apostle puts a difference betweene Heaven and Paradise in two severall places 2 Cor. 12. 2. 4. and therefore cals it visions and revelations in the plurall number vers. 1. and Paradise is said to be the Kingdome of Christ that shall be in this world Rev. 22. 14. compared with Chap. 2. 17. Because that which made this Paradise is by Christ brought into this world and into this Paradise went Christs Soule and the Theeves which was not Heaven for it is called Christs Kingdome which is only in this world Luk. 23 42 43. and it s most probable that Christs Soule never went into the highest Heavens till his body went also for his going into the highest Heavens is a going unto his Father which when he doth declares his righteousnesse that is that he is justified from all guilt imputed Joh. 16. 16. which he is not till he rose from the dead and so ascended in body and soule Secondly None but the high Priest went into the holy of holyest which taught us that none but Christ and so none before Christ ever entered the highest Heavens Heb. 9. 7. 8. the way to Heaven was never opened till Christ the High Priest was entered Body and Soule for so onely he is the High Priest and whereas it might be thought none entered in their own name before Christ but they might in his name doe it before him That is not possible for the High Priest could not send any in his name into the holyest but must onely goe in his owne person and so must Christ into heaven for this the Apostle tells us the Holy Ghost taught us by that and so Christ hath the High Priests dignity that no man but he ever yet came into the highest Heavens as the holyest in the Tabernacle never had but one man in it namely the High Priest so the highest Heavens never had but one man in them namely Christ nor shall have till the Worlds end and till Christ came and went in thither it was shut up and never opened to any Heb. 9. 8. And whereas it may be said that the Soules of Saints may goe into the highest Heavens though their bodyes be not I answer That the bodyes of Enoch and Elias were taken up together with their Soules for they did not dye but were translated and changed and so left not their bodies behind them wherefore if their Soules were in the highest Heavens their bodies also were which is absurd to thinke that any bodies were there before Christs wherefore there is a place and not the highest Heavens in which the Soules of dead Saints are kept from whence was fetched the soule of Lazarus and other Saints who dyed and were raised up at Christs death whence they shall come and being raised shall be joyned to their dead bodies and rule Christs Kingdome on earth Christ himselfe as a man comming visibly with them And if you aske where this place of Paradise is I answer It must be below the third or highest Heavens therefore surely it is in the Region or Element of fire where the Sunne and Starres are or in the highest Region of ayre which is called Heaven in Scripture for Paradise is Christs Kingdom begun and shall be its perfection Rev. 2. Therefore as Christs Kingdome is in this world and the Fathers in the Heaven so is Paradise Nor doth this countenance the Papists Purgatory for that is a place of Penance and Satisfaction but this is a place of perfect joy and neere commanion with Christ though not locally in which they are reserved till the resurrection of their bodyes a condition much better then that on earth though short of the highest Heavens which Purgatory is not but a Prison Now these Saints fetched from this Paradise and joyned with their bodyes raised from the dead which is the first resurection they rule Christs Kingdom even all of them though some of them in more eminent places than others Now for the second thing namely the Persons that shall be governed or the Subjects of this Kingdom They shall be all that live upon earth and the place they shall governe shall be the whole World Psal. 45. 16. The Children of the Church that is the Saints shall be Princes in all the earth the wicked on earth shall be ruled like slaves Rev. 2. 26 27. the Saints that live on earth shall be ruled like the Israelites under Salomon themselves being as Lords therefore is Christ called the King of Saints Rev. 15. 4. where this his Kingdom is described because all that rule and are ruled there are Saints and he makes the Saints Lords and all the wicked slaves Now these Subjects of his Kingdome shall be both their Tribes converted unto Christ and the Nations of the Gentiles thereof Mat. 19 28. it is said they shall judge the twelve Tribes that is governe and rule them not that they onely shall be then governed but they onely are named partly because in these latter dayes the conversion of the Gentiles was not then knowne and partly because in these latter dayes ten of the twelve Tribes are lost but shall be found out and made Subjects of this Kingdome of Christ so Isa. 24. 23. God before his ancients shall reigne that is his ancient people the twelve Tribes Israelites and Jews they shall be the subjects of Gods kingdome Ezech. 37. 21. Israel and Iudah who never were ioyned since they were divided in Râ—hobâ—ams dayes shall be one people for â—ver under one King David that is Christ typified by David for this division was since David and as the twelve Tribes shall be the subjects of this kingdome so the Cities of the Tribes shall be built againe and inhabited by naturall Israelites especially Ierusalem which shall bee the most eminent city then in the world or that ever was in the world Psal. 69. 35. 36. which is a prophesie of what should bee done to Israel both as a punishment for their crucifying Christ verse 10. to 29. and also what should be done after Christs death ver. 35. 36. so Zach. 14. 9 10 11. when the Lord is one King over all the earth then shall Ierusalem be built and as the Israelites so all the Gentiles which are Saints shall bee subjects of this Kingdome Revel. 21. 24. but the Israelites shall have the greatest glory as the elder brothers double portion as the naturall branches of a sâ—ock before a wilde branch ingrafted therefore it is called the Kingdome of Israel Acts 1. 6. though it contain all saints Israelites and Gentiles because its primitive glory and principall shall bee Israels for indeed the Israelites shall bee first raised to this glory and at Ierusalem will Christ begin to shew himselfe and then by and from the Israelites shall glory descend to the Gentiles as the Gospell first did Luke 24. 47. there is a double fulnesse of the Gentiles Rom. 11 12.
because its a sure prophecie and so speakes as if it were in present as is usuall in the Prophets to speak as in present of a future thing He shall with Majesty and with Justice vers. 2. that is rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicked whom he shall destroy round about with fire vers. 3. and his Majesty shall be evident to all 〈◊〉 4 5 6. whereupon shall follow shame and amazement to all sinners vers. 7. even to such as he kils not which sinners are set out by one sinne for all the rest viz. the breath of the second Commandement because of that is God jealous and because a maine fin in Popery in whose dayes Christ shall come and set up his Kingdome is Idolatry against the second Commandement Thus also all they who are to enjoy the priviledges of this Kingdome of Christ are described by not beeing infected with Popery Rev. 14. 2. 10. 4. And therefore such onely are said to escape the poyson of Popery whose names were in the Lambes Booke Revel. 13. 8. that is inrolled to enjoy the Lambes Kingdome as is exprest Rev. 21. 27. For as the Father hath a Roll of all such as shall live in heaven which is his Kingdome so hath the Lambe for his Kingdome and this is subordinate to that whosoever is in the one is in the other And not only such are in the Lambs Booke as escape Popery but all Saints from the worlds beginning for ever since was â—e slaine and thereupon had a Kingdome assigned him a â—ooke in which hee inrolled all for whom he died as Rev. 13. 8. As all sinners shall be ashamed therefore when Christ reigns so shall all Saints be joyed especially the Israelites whose glory shall be chiefest Ps. 97. 8 9. for they shall have at his kingdome a harvest of light or joy Esa. 65. 14 17. The seed of which is sown in Gods purposes promises in their holinesse afflictions in which though the harvest of their joy appeares not but is covered yet it shall surely spring up at this Kingdome of Christs in hope of this the Saints should greatly joy all present as shal be shewed afterwards in pledge of this they have all present deliverances vers. 10. Thus much for the evening or first part of Christs Kingdome Now when this Kingdome of Christ hath lasted to many generations the slaves tributaries to this Kingdome will be grown to multitudes so propheâ—ied of under the name of Gog and Magog Rev. 20. 8. Ezek. 38. 39. upon whom the Devill shall be let loose to stiâ— them up to combine to ruine the subjects of Christs Kingdome which Satan shall draw them to by some deceitfull trick Rev. 20. 7 8. For if they were not deceived they wold never be drawn to assault the Saints of whose glory and power they had experience through so many generations Which trouble to the Saints shall not be long but for a little season Rev. 20 3. For it shall only be a violent and sudden assault the Devill having beene so long restrained being now at liberty will violently in a most sudden hurry draw in all the wicked of the Earth to assault the Saints but there shall not an haire of any of their heads fall to the ground for they were set above all trouble at the beginning of Christs Kingdome but Christ will suddenly come from Heaven and â—ith fire kill all these wicked ones Rev. 20. 9 even every Mothers child at this his coming he will not leave one wicked one on earth whom he will not slay for this is the only time for their first death Every wicked one must die as Heb. 9. 27. â—nd then come to Judgement And the wicked that live to the approaching of the last judgment shall die a violent death every one of them in the world and this is the third and last coming of Christ which hath been onely considered and the former namely his second coming hath not beene minded Thus by his second and third coming He will ruine 〈◊〉 world of Nations even all that are wicked with a first death besides their second death to which he will condemne them at his last generall judgement Rev. 20 14 15. even as it is said of him Ps. 2. 8 9 45. 5. 110. 5 6 7. But at his first coming when he came to live on earth like one of us he came not to hurt any but to save Joh. 3. 17. Joh. 12. 47. And Christ slayes thus many when he comes to reigne because his Footstoole which they be is so much the higher Ps. 110. 1. and his glory the more Therfore Ps. 97. 7. in his Kingdome he is high above all therfore the Father also reprobates so many which are to be his foot-stoole And this occasion will Christ take to come to the last generall Judgement not any back-sliding of his people but an assault of the wicked against his people whom to destroy Christ will come from heaven and so begin the last generall Judgement before which he will also in a moment in the twinkling of an eye change the bodies of all his Saints that are not dead before but alive on earth at this his coming 1 Cor. 15. 50 51 52. Which change is equivalent to death for all must some way or other die but the wicked then alive on earth shall be killed with fire every one of them and not one left at this timeâ—but the Saâ—its then living shall bear a change of a moment a great difference twixt them and the wicked and he will raise up the dead bodies of the Saints who lived died during this Kingdome of Christs they together who were living at this last comming of Christ but were changed in a moment shall all together meet the Lord Jesus in the aire coming from heaven againe and after this shall never be absent from him any more Christ indeed went from them the two former times after he came to them but after this coming he will take them with him and they shall never be parted because he hath now gathered together all the elect and ruined all the wicked which was never done till now For this purpose consider 1 Thef. 4. 13 to 18. in which place the Apostle speakes not of the beleevers then living though he speake it in their person nor of them who should live at Christs first coming to set up his Kingdome for they shall not then be killed though the ungodly shall be then slaine as was shewed before but the Apostle saith it of them who should live when Christs coming was to the last generall judgement for he speakes of them who should not die but be changed in a moment which befell not the Apostles nor any beleevers in those dayes but is to be the Lot onely of those who lived in Christs Kingdome and that at the dawning of the morning of it
immediately before his coming to the last generall judgement and they that slept that is died in the time of Christs Monarchy should not be behind them who were alive at Christs last coming for they should be raised up first For at the last coming of Christ he will come and joyne himselfe with them who were governing the world all those Ages of Christs Kingdome and the Saints who lived and dyed during that Kingdome shall be first raised that is before the wicked and then they that he alive shall be changed equivalent to death but though alive they shall not prevent the dead 1 Thess. 4. and then shall all the wicked be raised from Cain Rev. 20. 9. to the end This is the second and last Resurrection so that they who live at Christs comming shall not prevent that is be with Christ before them that dyed during that time of the reigne of the Saints over the world but one as soone as the other shall meet Christ And so this place in the Thes. doth not prove that all Saints shall lye dead till Christs last coming to generall Judgment but they who after Christs coming and setting up his Kingdome shall live and die they shall live and dye they shall be raised againe and be with Christ as soone as the Saints living when Christ comes but the Apostle speakes of this farre distant time as if it were all one as I shewed before Now when Christ thus comes and reignes over all the wicked and changes the bodies of all living Saints on earth and raiseth up all the dead Saints who dyed during that his Kingdome in which the Saints raigned and raise up also all the wicked dead from Cain to the last wicked man for all the wicked that were deadly dead all the time of this Kingdome of the Saints at last they shall be raised up and then is the Dawning and the Morning of the Day of Christ compared with which the former part of Christs Kingdome was but a Night though in it selfe most glorious for in it First Christ shewed himselfe but withdrew and ruled by Saints raised up from the dead but now Christ shall never withdraw from this visible Throne till he end all and resigne the Kingdome and all be translated from earth to heaven Secondly Before all the Saints formerly dead lived but none of the wicked and the Saints living on earth lived in a mortall way and the deviâ—l was onely chained up but now all Mankind shall be raised up and live and all Saints shall be glorified in body as Christ is Phil. 3. 21. 1 Joh. 3. 2. Whereas those of beleevers who lived in the first Resurrection ruled the world had their lustre of glory which held as Christ had the fâ—râ—y dayes on earth after his Resurrection and all Angels and Devils shall be judged and all tongues shall confesse Christ to be Lord whilest every Angell Saint Sinner Devill shall be absolved or condemned by Christ in his owne humane nature Thirdly before the earth was full peace and fruit as it could be whilest inhabited by sinners though sanctified but now in as much as all Minkind have died or have bin changed or translated the Earth and all Creatures shall be delivered from the curse vanity bondage inflicted on them when death was on Mankind and then shall all the Creation be in its primitive glory as it was in the first Creation which is that it hopes for Rom. 8. 19. to 24. For that place cannot be meant of the first time of Christs Kingdome but of this last part of it for all Beleevers not only some shall have the redemption of their bodies vers. 23. which all have not in the first part of Christs Kingdome nor can it be meant of Heaven for into that none enter but the Elect but here every Creature shares with Beleevers in a proportion therefore it s meant of this generall time of Judgement during all which time how long soever it be and it it shall be a long time at we shall shew hereafter all the Creation and every Creature shall be in its first glory as when created and not in vanity and bondage that is not abused to other ends than God made them unto namely to shew forth Gods glory and not to serve man in a way of sin and all this state of glory of every Creature shall be beheld by all men raysed from the dead Saints and Sinners the one standing on Christs right hand and the other on the left Now when this is then shall the judgment be which we call the Day of Judgment Mat. 25. 31. to the end as Rev. 20. 10. to the end which finished the Saints shall be all carried with Christ for ever into heaven and the wicked sent with the devill into hell Which hell shall not be that which is now called and used for hell but another for the hell that now is is but a prison not the place of execution serves onely to reserve condemned spirits which have no bodies till the execution at the last day at which this hell that now is shall cease and be swallowed up Rev. 20. 14. Now this hell which is at present either in the aire or seas for the spirits soules of the damned wanting bodies may be in either place because they do not so take up roome as bodies do The sea is thought to be hell because the devils called their place the deep Luk. 8. 31. did run their Hogs into the Sea as if there was their place But some rather think that hell is in the aire in that the devils are said to be there the prince of the aire but if it be in the aire it s a lower Region of it for in the highest Region of the aire or in the fire which is next above it is Paradise the place of dead Saints souls But I think that hell should not be in the aire because all the aire in Scripture even where the birds flie it called heaven But to be sure in some of the places of aire or in the waters is hell and not in the earth perhaps it s in those waters which are above Gen. 1. 6 7. Indeed the Apostle sets out them in hell by being under earth Phil. 2. 10. not to shew the place for under the earth is nothing but the water and aire in that the earth is the center and globe environed with the water and aire and heavens but to set out their base and condemned estate they are trod under-foot as the most â—asest of creatures all other being on or over the earth and the dead bodies are under earth which yet must bow to Christ But the hell which shall be the everlasting torment of all the damned shall be all this lower and visible world all the places of earth water aire sun moone stars and the fire called the heavens and the earth