if the Apostle should have said The poore Jewes at present are blind-fold for the generall with a double vaile as afore explained as they are to this day But when they shall bee converted those vailes shal be taken away though to this day they are not Now the Lord is that Spirit and where-ever he is in any of our hearts whether we be Jewes or Gentiles there is liberty liberty of spirituall sight and liberty of Gospel worship freeing us from the numerous burthensome Leviticall considerations and observances and performances so that we doe see Jesus Christ the summe spirit and quintessence of all divine Lawes And or furthermore we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord we are transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord or as the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well beares and our Translators assent in the Margin by the Spirit the Lord as if the Apostle speaking of an higher matter would speake in an higher phrase meet to correspond to that matter Now as the two former verses are not yet fulfilled to the Jewes as to conversion so nor is this last to Jewes or Gentiles though converted as to that transformation it here expresseth meaning at the great restauration to which this text hath I conceive a speciall eye § 3 We will argue it first from the coherence of this verse with those going afore which plainly is this that whereas the whole precedent discourse of the Apostle is concerning the generall call of the Jewes from under that universall vayling that was upon them mentioning the liberty they should attaine to which liberty is a word so comprehensive that it is used by the Apostle in part Rom. 8.21 to describe that great state of the restitution of all things the Apostle cannot be conceived to contradict that discourse or to detract from it but rather to heighten it Even as it is agreed on all hands that confesse the generall call of the Jewes that then will be a most glorious time on earth And accordingly the Apostle mentioning afore liberty in the seventeenth verse here in this eighteenth verse he addes to it glory and in relation too unto the Sons of God so as to make up that glorious liberty of the Sons of God which the Apostle gives forth in that Rom. 8.21 as the description of the restitution of all things § 4 Secondly we will argue from the substance of the text scanning it almost terme by terme which though we deny not includes conversion and sanctification by way of a necessary supposition yet it transcends higher into a large prospect of the great Restauration For ¶ 1. There is a great emphasis in the WEE ALL even as the Apostle Rom. 11.26 having said Blindnesse in part is happened to Israel concludes but all Israel shall be saved So here having said ver 13. The children of Israel could not stedfastly looke to the end of that which is abolished now he asserts but we all with open face beholding the glory of the Lord c. are changed c. For it were wonderfully strange if the Apostle wholly discoursing afore of the conversion of the Jewes should make his conclusion an exclusion of the conversion of the Jewes As on the other side as we said the Apostle writing this to the Gentil-Corinthians and at last drawes up all into an ALL WE must needs include all converted Gentiles and so the time of conversion of the generality of both must imply a glorious time according to all the Prophets afore opened ¶ 2. Although the word to behold be in the present tence yet it is in a participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beholding noting a continuance of time and action in that time and so in effect signifies a future Even as in common speech in our and other vulgar Languages wee expresse a future by a present v. g. we are now say we miserable but dying in the Lord we are happy ¶ 3. Beholding as in a glass The Greek is all but one word expressed immediatly afore to signifie beholding and beholding in a glasse and therefore seeing our Translators were pleased to be so over-punctuall in following the composition of the word so close the Apostle intending only an open cleare sight as the next words with open face shew as the use of the word is to signifie the apprehending of a thing with a full imagination they might have dealt fairely to have expressed what glasse the composition of the word signifies which is there as much expresse as glasse for surely glass is not here intended as a sight-darkning glasse as a glasse window is some darkening to our eye in looking through to the object Cant. 2.9 but a light reflecting or a bright-representing yea lively presenting glasse as Spectacles Perspectives and Looking-glasses manifest the object more plainly And if we should pursue the Metaphor in the notion of a Looking-glasse which is most ancient and more to the proper Idiom of the composition of the word it would rather brighten then obscure the state the Apostle meanes and we expect for first a Looking-glasse infallibly supposeth the person neerly present 2. It represents the person plainlier 3. By reflection and refraction it makes all shining glory as that of the Sunne Fire Diamonds c. the more to returne their radiation upon us with a sparkling glare All which notably suit to set forth Christs presence and our extraordinary beholding of him in the time of the Churches glory on earth as the cause thereof We cannot see then perhaps the Deity immediatly but we shal then Behold that Suu of the God-head Psal 84. 11. in the glorious Body of Christ as the Apostles phrase is as in a Chrystall Lantern If Moses face so shone by his standing forty dayes and nights under the beames of a vision of God Exod. 34.29 how much more gloriously shall the Body of Christ radiate not only by his presence with God in the utmost glory above one thousand six hundred and fifty yeares but principally by his Hypostaticall union with God himselfe the time being then fully come for him fully to radiat Malac. 4.2 according as his transfiguration had prefaced Matth. 17. how glorious it should be If Stephens elevated soule through the operation of God saw he being now on earth the Sonne of God in heaven standing at Gods right hand to give way whereunto the heavens were made to open and Stephens face appeared like the face of an Angel Acts chap. 6. chap. 7. how gloriously shall Christ shine and we be radiated upon into a glorious aspect and hue or unto transformation into glory at the time wee contend for At present we see darkly through the glass of materiall Ordinances and the dimme eyes of imperfect and mixt graces 1 Cor. 13.12 though in comparison of Moses vailed God may be said now as in 2 Cor. 4.6 to shine upon our HEARTS in the
YOUR FILTHINESSE c. and I will save you from ALL YOUR UNCLEANNES 9. Ezekiel Chap. 44.9 speaking of the glorious state of the Church in the last dayes addes Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in HEART shall enter into my Sanctuary ¶ 10 Dan. 12.3 At the time that Michael shall stand up and deliver his people they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNES OF THE FIRMAMENT and they that turne many to righteousness AS THE STARS FOR EVER AND EVER Which is to come to passe before the last universal resurrection and ultimate judgement as we have before demonstrated ¶ 11. Zeph. 3.13 The remnant of Israel SHAL NOT DO INIQUITY nor SPEAK LYES neither shall a DECEITFUL TONGUE be found in their mouthes which words relate as the context afore shews to a state of the Church in the last dayes on earth as the thing demonstrates that it was never yet fulfilled ¶ 12. Zach. 14.20.21 Upon all shall be holinesse to the Lord. ¶ 13 Malach. 4.1 c. The day commeth that shall burne as an oven And all that are proud and doe wickedly shall be as stubble and the day commeth that shall burne them up saith the Lord that it shal leave them neither root nor branch All these places and others have been demonstratively cleared to relate to the time following upon the Call of the Jewes and their settlement All which laid together make up a sinlesse condition § 2 Which will be more cleare and more clearly settled on our spirits by adding some places of the New Testament ¶ 1 In 1 Cor. 15.52 54 55 56. it is said When this corruption shall put on incorruption at the sound of the last Trumpet then O death where is thy sting The sting of death is sinne But thanks be to God that gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Now as wee have before proved there is a vast space viz. of a thousand yeers of the whole terme of the last Trumpet afore the universal ultimate Resurrection ¶ 2 In 2 Cor. 3.18 it is said When the Jewes shall have both vayles taken away as wee have before opened viz. that on Moses namely his forme of worship and that on their hearts viz. their unbeleef instead of the remainders of sinne they shall with open face behold the glory of the Lord being transformed into the same image from glory to glory ¶ 3 St. Peter likewise asserts 2 Pet. 3.13 That after the dissolution of this present vaine sinfull world there shall not onely be New Heavens but also a NEW EARTH wherein dwels RIGHTEOUSNESSE Proving it out of Isa 65.17 for those words be repeats This is spoken to the Jewes and concerning their share in the future happinesse on earth And that dwelling of righteousnesse there must signifie an eminent and absolute degree or else it will not surmount the present state of the Chuch in which as such dwels much righteousnesse But I need not struggle about this with most knowing men who incline to understand this place of a perfection as absolute as that in the supreamest Empyrean heaven ¶ 4 Let us adde but one place more viz. That in Rev. 21. v. 1. c. and verse last of that Chapter in a continued description of the glorious state of the Saints on earth yet to come And saith St. John I saw a new heaven and a new EARTH and I saw the holy City New Jerusalem comming down FROM GOD OUT OF HEAVEN Behold the Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN c. and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that DEFILETH c. but they that are written in the Lambs Book Every verse of this Chapter as before we gave a particular account hath something in it incompatible and incompetible with the supreamest heavenly estate § 3 But then the question will bee where shall abide all those thousand yeers all those hypocrites called Gog and Magog that shall at last break out and go about to oppose the Church though in vain their opposition and subversion concluding in the same moment Rev. 20.8 Wee answer according to that light wee have attained that most probably they shall not be in but without the Church Rev. 22.15 Without shall be dogs evill men and such as make and love a lye The Heathens as appears by Homer * Iliad 8. did use to call the place of out-cast men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaros alluding likely to some dismal remote place of the earth as Tartary is from us and from Jerusalem The Apostle takes up that word in 2 Pet. 2.4 and makes a verb out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tartaroâ— to signifie the putting of men into an Hellish solitary place So that most likely the unregenerate shall be as remote from the Church as Tartary is from Jerusalem and the Christian Church as far as it were from Hell to Heaven The Church now being as in an Heaven on earth the false-hearted spawn of future Gog and Magog shall bee remote on earth neer their future Hell To which that place of Gog and Magog Rev. 20.8 doth contribute some proof in that it saith that Gog and Magog shall bee fetched up against the Church by the Devil from the FOURE QUARTERS OF THE EARTH § 4 But if these Hypocrites were permitted neerer the Church they might perhaps be converted VVee answer no. For it is if we may use that word the Fate of this Millenary period I meane Gods righteous peremptory sentence that as all that time there shall be no degenerating of any beleevers so no more regenerating of any unbeleevers There is a judiciary sentence peremptorily passed to this purpose Rev. 22.11 He that is unjust let him be unjust still and be which is filthy let him be filthy still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still That is They shall be so still In order to which it follows WITHOUT are Dogs c. that love and make a lye And I come quickly and my reward is with mee The appearance of Christ at the preface to thiâ— thousand yeers will be as it is represented in the Preface to the Revelation Chap. 1. among the Churches viz. that then are or have been Chuâ—ches Therefore it behooves Churches and all Professors to beware they bee not sound as the Foolish Virgins that never had the oyle of regenerating grace in the vessels of their hearts and the oyle of sound principles in their heads by which they made the blaze of Profession is spent i. e. they have lost their principles and so being unready at Christs comming they come when as Ierome saith well the doors are shut SECT II. It is Sorrowlesse § 1 HAving shewed that this future glorious state of the Kingdome of Christ on earth yet to come shall be sinlesse next with good dependence we assert it is a sorrowlesse condition For sorrow came into the world by sinne therefore sorrow shall
Cap. 11. The Sadduces â—â—kt R. Gamaliel whence he could prove that God would quicken or make alive the dead he answered them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of the Law Deut 31.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Prophets Isa 26.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the holy writings Cant. 7.9 The Greek and Latine Fathers likewise interpret this place of the Resurrection of the dead viz. Irenaeus l. 5. c. 15 and c. 34. yea and of the Resurrection of the just Tertul. de Resur c. 3 1. Cyril Aug. lib. 20. de Civit Dei Clemens Romanus in Ep. ad Cor. As for the third part the agreement between Isaiah and Iohn prophesying of the joyful state of the Church and their joying in it he that hath but half an eye may see that it signifies that great will be the glory of the Church when those things mentioned by Isaiah and Iohn shall be fulfilled and can signifie no lesse then a glorious restauration of the Church on earth as all circumstances concur in both places Even as great was the Prophets and the Evangelists joy personating or representing the Church in a way of Songs of praise John in the 9 10 11 12 verses of this seventh of the Revelation speakes of the Churches triumphing on this wise After this saith he I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white Robes and Palmes in their hands and cryed with a loud voyce saying Salvation to our God that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the foure Animals or living creatures and fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdome and Thanksgiving and Honour and Power and Might bee unto our God for ever and ever Amen Which expressions of Praise meetly suit to the words of our Prophet in the five and twentieth of Isaiah vers first second third and fourth O Lord thou art my God I will exalt thee I will praise thy Name for thou hast done wonderfull things by faith here praising God for things to bee done as if done as the Church doth in that seventh of the Revelation for thou hast made saith Isaiah of a City an heap c. Therefore shall the strong people glorifie thee c. for thou hast beene a strength to the poore a strength to the needy in his distresse c. And verse 9. It shall bee said in that day Lo this is our God wee have waited for him and hee will save us This is the Lord wee have waited for him wee will bee glad and rejoyce in his salvation Thus of the first Instance The second Instance John likewise in the 21 Chapter of Revelation first foure verses applies those three parts of Isa 25. viz. the Churches salvation the enemies destruction and the Churches exaltation unto a future glorious state of the Church yet to be upon the earth I saw saith John there in a Prophetick vision a new heaven and a new EARTH which sounds shrilly of a state on earth For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more Sea Pareus confesseth New in quality not in substance which plainly condescends to a glorious state of the Church to be on earth the highest heaven above being of so much better a substance physically as the Philosophers rationally contend that it needs not to be made better in quality Therefore the meaning must be that the lower heavens and the earth below shall be qualified with freedome from all evill as to the Church and the inhabitants thereof high and low shall be made better both physically and morally The old heaven and earth must passe away The enemies of the Church must be removed or converted Adams curse shall cease Rom. 8. and in this state shall as in 2 Pet. 3. dwell righteousnesse and absolute pure worship And the cessation of Sea signifies also the removing of all enmities against the Church farre from her For if it be taken figuratively it signifies no more brinish brackish waters of false doctrine in the Church as waters sometimes in Scriptures signifies doctrines and no more wicked men among the Church compared Isa 57. to the troubled Sea for there shall bee as John tells us in this 21 of Revelation no unclean thing to enter into this estate If taken literally with some acute wits it signifies that at the time of this great Restauration the Sea shall be no longer totally liquid and fluid but at least at top in most parts of the habitable world crusted over consolidated and compacted to be as a Chrystaline heaven below to bee an high-way for all parts of the world to travell each to other for spirituall communion without any impediment of wind or weather Then being a time as of a New creation there will be no need of trafficking for riches Nor shall the knowledge of the Lord be bounded from the poor Indians who have not the help art or animosity of Navigation to learn of Christians Then nor the Egyptiack Sea with the seven streams nor the great Euphrates c. shall hinder Jews or Gentiles from personall spiritual communion and communication God would rather either thus alter or else dry up all Seas then the glory and welfare of his Church should be hindered To that wee have said touching the meaning of the cessation of Sea our grave new Annotationists concurre thus farre No more Sea say they either literally for there will need none for trade The fire perhaps at the worlds end will dry it up or figuratively no more warre against nor trouble in the Church The Church shall not be like the raging Sea but like the quiet earth So they Saint John goes on in the description of the glorious state of the Church on earth of which Isaiah prophesies I saw saith St. John New Jerusalem coming down FROM Heaven saying The Tabernacle of God is WITH MEN and He will DWELL with THEM and they shall be his people and God himself shall be WITH THEM and be their God all which cleerly relate to a state on earth and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor paine Which words exactly answer to Isaiahs words in v. 8. of swallowing up death and wiping away all tears Third Instance In like manner St. John carries down other passages of Isa 25. to the times to succeed long after him not fulfilled to this day For what is there spoken in Isa 25. v. 2. and v. 12. of making the City of strangers an heap a defenced City a ruine a Palace to be no City an high Fortresse into dust c. to the great joy of the Saints so that they shall sing for joy of
on with this that I have now presented before you So that temporall and spirituall deliverances are here conjoyned in one and the same Prophesie to which in the first verse of the next Chapter he annexeth the glory of the Church of Jewes and Gentiles conjuctively of which in the next Section Now this present place the Apostle Rom. 11.25 26 27 referres unto the great call of the Jews upon the coming in of the fulnesse of the Gentiles both making one glorious Church which the Apostle speaks of as a thing to come to passe after his time His words are that ye may see how fully they answer to those of the Prophet Blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles come in and so ALL ISRAEL shall be saved as it is written THERE SHALL COME OUT OF SION THE DELIVERER and SHALL TURNE AWAY UNGODLINESSE FROM JACOB FOR THIS IS MY COVENANT UNTO THEM VVHEN I SHALL TAKE AVVAY THEIR SINNES § 2 Now this was never yet fulfilled as we plainly see by the forlorne state of the Jewes both temporall and spirituall to this day And therefore this Scripture is yet to be fulfilled and that afore the ultimate judgement which is utterly inconsistent with this Prophesie SECT XXIII THe fourteenth place in Isaiah is in Chapter 60 the very next Chapter the summe wherof our last Translators have meetly given us in saying that the Chapter is concerning the glory of the Church of the Jews converted to Christ in the accession and addition of the Gentiles The passages of most concernment to our point are § 1 Vers 1. Arise shine for thy light is come and the Lord is upon THEE v. 2. Darknesse shall cover the EARTH and grosse darknesse the PEOPLE but the Lord shall arise unto THEE and his glory shall bee seen upon THEE vers 3. And the GENTILES shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising v. 4. Thy sonnes shall come from farre and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side v. 5. And thine heart shall be inlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee and the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee v. 6. They of Midian and Sheba shall come they shall bring gold and incense and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. v. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee the Rammes of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee c. and I will glorifie the house of my glory v. 8.9 Who are these that flye as a cloud and as doves to their windows Surely the ISLES that wait for thee v. 10. The sonnes of the strangers shall build up thy wals and THEIR KINGS shall minister UNTO THEE v. 11.12 Thy gates SHALL BEE OPEN DAY and NIGHT that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles and that THEIR KINGS may be brought For the NATION and KINGDOME that will not serve thee SHALL PERISH v. 14. The sonnes of them that afflicted thee shal come BENDING unto thee and all that despised thee shal BOW THEMSELVES DOWN at the soles of thy feet and they shall call thee THE CITY OF THE LORD the ZION OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL v. 15. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated I will make thee an ETERNAL EXCELLENCY a JOY OF MANY NATIONS v. 16. Thou shalt also suck the milke of the GENTILES and the breasts of KINGS v. 17. For brasse I will bring gold for iron silver c. and I wil make thy OFFICERS PEACE and thy EXACTORS RIGHTEOUSNESSE v. 18. Violence shal be NO MORE heard in thy Land but thou shalt call thy wals SALVATION c. v. 19. THE SUNNE shal be no more THY LIGHT by day neither for brightnesse shal the MOON GIVE LIGHT unto thee BUT THE LORD SHALL BE THY EVERLASTING LIGHT and thy God thy glory v. 20. Thy Sunne shal no more go down neither shal thy Moon withdraw it selfe for THE LORD shal be thy EVERLASTING LIGHT and the daies of thy MOURNING SHALL BE ENDED v. 21. Thy PEOPLE also shal be RIGHTEOUS and they shal inherit the Land FOR EVER i. e. none after them v. 22. the close of all I the Lord wil hasten it IN HIS TIME § 2 Now I put the question to all the Learned and Libraries in the world when was ever any such estate of the Church since the Jewes going into captivity in Babylon If any are so heavy headed as falling fast asleep shall dream that all these passages concerne not a visible glorious estate of the Church on earth or that these all are already spiritually fulfilled let such know that they would be hard put to it so to expound this Chap. congruously and to tell us the time and manner and make all handsomely hang together And therefore St. John a surer Commentator having prophesied in Rev. 20. v. 4. compared with Rev. 5.10 of the Saints reigning with Christ on earth and in the 21 Ch. having given us his vision of a New EARTH and of New Jerusalem coming downe FROM heaven with many more passages of the future glory of the Church on earth of which abundantly afore severall times he goes on in that 21 Chapter to apply many of the passages of this sixtieth of Isa to that future glorious estate of the Church on earth yet to come after the fall of Antichrist which is not as wee see yet performed For example The third verse of this sixtieth of Isaiah but now presented afore your eyes is exactly so applyed Rev. 21. v. 24. And the Nations of them that are saved shal walk in the light of it that is the light of the glory of God and the Lamb as it is in the former verse and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour into it So that in the 11. and 12. verses of this sixtieth of Isaiah as you see it afore is likewise applied to that future glorious state of the Church on earth afore the ultimate judgement Rev. 21. v. 25 26. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shal be no night there And they shal bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it So the 19. v. of this sixtieth of Isaiah is in like manner applyed in Rev. 21. v. 23. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the MOON TO SHINE IN IT Mark to shine in it intimating that though those Planets continue in being yet there shall be no need of their shining for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof The same is to be seen in the application of the 20 v. of this sixtieth of Isaiah in Rev. 21. v. 3 4. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them c. and God himselfe shal be with them c. And shal wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shal be no more death neither sorrow nor
the LAMBS BOOKE OF LIFE The antithesis of which words distingnishing between them that are written in the LAMBS BOOKE and those that defile and make or dot abominations or leys doth seeme to intimate that they that are free from outward evill conversation but in all appearance and likelihood are holy are written in the Lambs booke And if any such fall off from this outward good conversation and fair-shew of holinesse and degenerate into an evill conversation they are put out of the Lambs booke As the Psalmist in Psalm 69. v. 21. to 29. speaking of those that should have pittied him in his afflictions but instead thereof so farre degenerated from their profession that they gave him gall for his meat and in his thirst gave him vinegar to drinke among other judgements upon them he prophesieth this for one Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous that is with them that at least in all appearance are righteous Which context of giving vinegar and gall c. is in the judgement of our last Translators applyed by the Evangelist Matth. 27.48 Mark 15.23 unto the degenerating Jewes of professors becoming persecutors of godlinesse offering Christ upon the crosse vinegar and wine mingled with bitter myrrh Even as one of those curses prophesied in that sixty nineth Psalm v. 25. let their habitations be desolate as it was first applyed to and executed upon that Apostate Judas according to the Apostles allegation Act. 1. So since upon the generality of the Jewes in their scattering for their falling off from the Gospell so plaine a Commentary upon their Law Suitable to this it is said in Revel 22 vers 19. If any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take away his PART OUT OF THE BOOKE OF LIFE and out of the HOLY CITY * ☞ and from the things which are WRITTEN IN THIS BOOKE And thus the generality of the Jewes at present are blotted out of the Lambs Booke whiles fallen off from the profession of true godlinesse And those likewise are blotted out in the second verse of this twelfth of Daniel that at first arose in outward profession for and in the behalfe of the common good cause at last fell off to their everlasting shame But those that are in the booke of election can never totally and finally fall away As their effectuall regeneration being once really begun can never utterly bee extinguished Once in Christ and ever in Christ ¶ For thirdly their awakening out of their sleep in the dust vers 2. signifies no more immediately and in the generall then the recovery of the Jewes from their dispersed despised condition among all Nations wherein they seemed afore that to lie as dead politically As afflictions are called a death killing and dying Rom. 8.36.2 Cor. 4.10 11. 2 Cor. 6.9 And a poore man because distressed and despised is as some learned conceive called a dead man in regard he is put in opposition to the living as meaning the rich Eccles 6.8 As on the other side the restauration of the Jewes from captivities under men is compared to the making dead bones to live again Ezek. 37. And their outward call thereunto is likened to a resurrection Rom. 11.15 though the event of both these two prophesies last quoted doth not stay there in an outward call and deliverance from captivity as to the Elect. For there are two sorts of Jewes as the sequell makes the distinction that are outwardly called and entered into the beginning or preparation to their restauration as it followes ¶ Fourthly It is said many not all shall awake and of them that awake some onely awake to everlasting life and the other to everlasting shame The meaning whereof must needs be to this purpose That all the native or naturall Jewes shall not be awakened to the generall call of the maine body of them unto their restauration but some there shall be even or them either so naturalized to Heathenisme or so diabolized to Turcisme or so superstitionized to Papisme at Judaized unto Leviticall ceremonies that they shall slight their call and so their recovery insomuch that they shall still sleep in the dust of their earthly miserable condition till the common deluge of destruction on Christs enemies sweepe them away with those to whom they adhered And againe of the maine body of them that are awakened even some of them imbracing true religion and the cause of Christ with a false heart and flagging in the pursuance thereof by reason of the then present troubles shall be cast off by the rest of the Church and so end in temporall and at last eternall shame Whiles on the other side the generality of the rest of them that were outwardly called attending upon that outward call till they were inwardly effectually called and so persevering in the saith and cause of Christ shall attaine to a three-fold life First The life of honorable liberty never more to be vassalized to other Nations Secondly The life of a most glorious religious Church-State never more to be scattered Thirdly At the end of their perseverance to the period of the thousand yeares to the life of eternall glory ¶ 5. So that the resurrection as some would call it here meant is not a resurrection to use their word in a proper sence That is it is not a Physicall resurrection viz. of the deceased bodies out of their graves but a metaphoricall resurrection of the living First politicall of their persons from bondage and then spirituall of their souls out of the state of unbeleefe The physicall resurrection of the dead elect Jewes is not till that resurrection of all beleevers which is at the end of these five and forty yeares mentioned vers 11 12. and at the beginning of the thousand yeares As the resurrection of all the wicked is not till the end of the thousand yeares as hath been afore discussed So that as the said thousand years of the RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS is bounded with two physicall resurrections as hath been afore discussed So this five and forty years of the preparation to that RESTITUTION by stirring up the Jewes to stand for their liberty till they be setled is bounded with two resurrections the first metaphoricall the second physicall of which more after when we come to dispute the time when this RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS shall begin as is hinted in the residue of this twelfth Chapter of Daniel from the fourth verse to the end § 22 The amplification of the Jewes State in that five and forty yeares is held forth in the third verse in two distinctions First In a distinction of their glory that are then effectually brought in Secondly In a distinction of their graces ¶ 1. The distinction of their glory is that they that be wise shall shine as the BRIGHTNESSE OF THE FIRMAMENT And they that turne many to righteousnesse or justification for
the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall SHINE AS THE STARS FOR EVER The meaning whereof is this that whereas the greatest glory of the Elect is reserved to the ultimate day of judgement when they all shall SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN IN THE KINGDOME OF THE FATHER Matth. 13.43 Yet meane while at this particular metaphoricall resurrection the effectually called shall have great glory proportionably to their relations They that are private converts shall have much glory but they that are instrumentally publicke converters shall have more The private converts or Schollars of wisdome called here WISE shall have much honour and glory in the eyes and approbation of their beleeving brethren for their patience and zeale But the publick converters to bring others to the imbracement of true justification shall have a greater degree of honour and glory in esteem among the beleeving Jewes and other Churches of God ¶ 2. The distinction of the graces of the converted Jewes is this that the peoples graces are expressed rather by the name of Wisdome then by naming any other grace because blindnesse of mind Rom. 11.25 and a foolish prejudice in heart 1 Cor. 1. Act. 28.27 was their cheife sinne that formerly caused them to reject Christ and his Gospell The Teachers gifts are named a bringing many to justification rather then to sanctification because formerly they had cheifly beguiled the people in the point of justification crying up the workes of the law as their righteousnesse see the rule Rom. 9.32 and see the example Act. 15.1 But did not teach Christ the true righteousnesse as the prophets had often told them calling him the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH and THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSE There might be other reasons of this compellation of their graces As of calling the peoples graces by the name of Wisdome because all grace comes in in the beams of knowledge without this no grace Though all knowledge is not accompanied with grace And of calling their Teachers gifts by the title of bringing many to justification Because justification is the door to let in sanctification Till we are united to Christ for righteousnesse there is no flowing forth of his fulnesse for holinesse § 23 And thus you see what is that time in general that Daniel means wherein Michael shall stand up to deliver his people viz. when the glasse of the period of the fourth Monarchy is run The time more particularly is in the remainder of this twelfth chapter of Daniel compared with other places But of there if God permit afterwards Thus of the Prophesies of Daniel SECT XXXVIII FRom the Prophesies of Daniel next in order we come to those of the the Prophet Hosea wherein the first conducing to our main Thesis is in chap. 1. v. 10 11. Yet or for all that or after that * The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here put is of a vast comprehension i◠the Hebrew language And therefore may be indifferently rendred as we expresse Only then best when nearest the sence Learned Grotius his note is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bis positum apud Hebraeos sape tempora connectit ita ut Latine per POST QUAM reddatur optimè the number of the children of ISRAEL shall be as the sand of the Sea which cannot be measured nor numbered And it shall come to passe that in the place where or instead of that †. T is well our Translators would at least put in the margin instead of that and had done better if they had turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That not where which That would have served both readings as the Hebrew word is oft so used although we rather imbrace the Marginal reading not onely for Grotius his reason that Illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valer FRO EO QUOD sic multi populi etiam nunc loquuntur in the place in the usuall vulgar languages as well as in the Hebrew signifies as much as we Englishmen say in our English ideom in the room of or in the stead and imitating the French we say in lieu of that But principally for this reason that the Prophet speaking of the unmeasurable and innumerable multitude of Jewes to be brought in to Christ the Prophet could not point at this or that particular place where onely some of them were it was said unto them yee are not my people there or leave out this there not being in the Hebrew it shall bee said unto them YEE ARE THE SONNES OF THE LIVING GOD. Then shall the children of JUDAH and the children of ISRAEL bee GATHERED TOGETHER and appoint themselves ONE HEAD and they shall come up out of the land for great shall be the day of Jezreel § 1 Least the memories of any might mistake and stumble by like sound of severall Scriptures let them heed well that this place of Scripture is not in any part or intent thereof a minceing or littleing of the number of them of Israel that shall be saved that the Apostle alledgeth Rom. 9.27 out of Isaiah chap. 10. v. 22. Though few of them as Isaiah means comparatively considered in relation to many past generations wherein they have laine blind and not owned Christ shall be saved yet looked upon absolutely as they are and shall be exstant and surviving at Christs next appearance or generall call of them there shall be an innumerable multitude that shall be saved And this is the intent and to this pitch are formed the high phrases of the prophet Hosea that those of them that shall be called Gods people shall be as the sands of the Sea unmeasurable and innumerable NOTWITHSTANDING that in former ages they were cast off and called of God YEE ARE NOT MY PEOPLE § 2 So that Vatablus doth well hit the naile on the head when he saith upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 erit autem solent Prophetae c. i. e. But it shall come to passe that the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand c. The Prophets are wont after they have threatned by and by to subjoyn consolation Therefore this Text ought to be understood of beleeving ISRAEL the true sonnes of Abraham As if the Prophet should say this that I spake before in way of threatning ought to be understood of those that shall remaine in unbeleefe For otherwise the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the Sea c. For all the Israelites shall not perish yea the number of the sons or children of the Church shall be exceeding great § 3 But to wind our selves a little deeper into the sence of the text that we may draw up thence the golden oare of comfortable inferences ISRAEL must at least signifie the Ten Tribes Hierom saith all twelve our prophet naming ISRAEL and JUDAH distinctly in ver 11. And in ver 4. He sets forth the Kingdome of Israel consisting of the ten Tribes by Jehu their King threatning for his pouring out of the blood
and power vers 25. For he must reigne till hee hath put all enemies under his feet vers 26. The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death vers 27. For he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith all things are put under his feet it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him vers 28. And when all things shal be subdued unto him then shal the Son also himselfe be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all § 1 VVHat I have largely Commented on these words for explication of the one hundred and tenth Psalme all in order to our point in hand see before * Pag. 166. P. 6. and p. 167. 168. as worth while for the reader to consider especially seeing that is premised we have the lesse need to be large now and so shall omit the repetition here of severall considerable things there asserted § 2 M. M. On this place hath these words first he analyseth upon â—hem in generall thus Every one must rise in his owne order Christ the First-fruits after they that are Christs therefore not the Martyrs only then cometh the end What presently after his coming No but when he hath delivered the Kingdome to God the Father meaning the ultimate end And when shall that be that he shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father When hee shal have put downe all rule and authority and power for he must reigne till he that is God the Father hath put all his enemies under his feet which will be fully accomplished where hee plainly mindes as aforesaid the ultimate end when the last enemy shal be destroyed which is death And when all things shall be thus subdued unto him shall follow unutterable glory the height of happinesse so he Which last clauses must warily be understood with this distinction That the destruction of Death as an enemy to the Saints and Christs visible Kingdome on earth of which we speake is the beginning and introduction to Christs and the Saints reigning in that Kingdome For that Kingdome and the thousand yeares of glory to Christ and happinesse to the Saints on earth begins with the resurrection of the deceased Saints Revel 11.11 12 c. and Rev. 20.4 5. often explained afore But the putting an end to death in the raising of the wicked unto the ultimate generall Judgement that it may no longer be an enemy to Gods ultimate designe of punishing the said wicked body and soule with everlasting punishment is indeed the end or period of Christs reigning Revel 20.12 Secondly our Author Commenteth on the generall of this place of 1 Cor. 15 thus Pauls words saith he doe clearly prove that the reigne of Christ as Man of which alone we treat doth neither begin before his second coming nor extend it selfe beyond the last resurrection and therefore cannot without a palpable contradiction be taken for the time when he shal give up his Kingdome to his Father or for the time that now is Betwixt which and his Kingdome our Saviour in my conceit hath put an irreconcilable distinction calling this not the time of a Kingdome but a time of temptation * See a little before in this fourth chap. Sect. 4. on Luke 22.28 c. that is a time of persecution for righteousnesse sake that thus fulfilling the rest of the afflictions of Christ for his bodies sake which is his Church they may at last wholly and together in body and soule reigne with Christ but their bodies as yet shall be captive in the Grave Or shal the Saints that are found alive at his coming be exempted from that his Kingdome For if he shall reign till then and then give up his Kingdome to his Father they are exempted But if as our Apostle shewes here his reigning begins not til his coming viz. his second coming then at that time the living and dead in Christ shal wholly and altogether reigne with him on earth 3. In particular our Author Paraphraseth on that clause After they that are Christs thus These words saith he doe shew that there is some distance of time between the Resurrection of them in Christ and other men or else it had been easie for the Apostle to have said They that are dead or they that are in the Grave And if there shall be a precedency of time then no doubt it shall be such a precedency of time as may bring some advantage and honour to the Saints and therefore not of a few houres or dayes but of a more notable continuance of many yeares For if Christ shall descend for no other purpose but to call men to Judgement as there would be no need of distinction of time so there could not well be any priority of time to distinguish their resurrection because in that act both good and bad must be assembled before him at the same time and the wicked doubtlesse should then be raised as soon to see his coming as the just to meet and accompany him there To all this I have now but a few words to adde my former discusse p. 166. excusing me here and that is this That the Apostle in this text hints to us three Physicall resurrections 1 The Resurrection of Christ which the Apostle saith is past vers 20. and there and ver 23. cals it the first fruits of the Saints Resurrection 2 The Resurrection of the wicked also called the end vers 24. which also followes the second at a distance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the gleaning doth the harvest and this succession is that which the Apostle calls ver 23. order each to rise in his owne order and it is a very distinct order for as there hath been now above one thousand six hundred yeares since Christs resurrection and yet the Saints are not risen so it wil be a thousand yeares between the resurrection of the Saints and the wicked as Saint John asserts Rev. 20. oft and much insisted upon afore And as at the resurrection of the Saints death as to them shall be destroyed so at the resurrection of the wicked life to them shall be destroyed their living being worse then death and therefore called the second death which over the Saints shall have no power because of the blessed life they are restored to Revelations 20. and first twelve verses SECT VIII The eighth place in the New Testament for the glorious state of the Church yet to come before the ultimate generall Judgement is 2 Cor. 3.15 16 17 18. vers 15. But even unto this day when Moses is read the vaile is upon their heart vers 16. Neverthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away Vers 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty vers 18. But or and or truly we all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are
changed into the same image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord. § 1 IN this Text three things are evidently asserted concerning the Jewes ¶ 1. What their present Spirituall condition was in Pauls time viz. That even to that day when Moses was read the vayle was upon their heart In vers 13. the Apostle had said Moses did put a vaile over his owne face that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished according to Exod. 33.32 c. to the end of the Chapter where you have the thing manner and the end thereof So that hereby are signified two vailes the one typifying the other one upon the thing beheld another upon the beholders so that through Moses representing the ministration of the Leviticall Law the Jewes could not looke unto Christ representing the ministration of the Gospel For saith the Apostle 1. There was a vaile of materiall types viz. of Bloud Sacrificing Washing c. covering and concealing the shining that is the Spirituall meaning and Gospel glory of Moses Law 2. The vaile of sence upon or over the hearts of the Jewes that whiles they made use only of their sences to discerne the things of Moses Law their apprehension was terminated at that which was only sensible not reaching to that which was spirituall and so the Divine Evangelicall meaning was kept from entering into their hearts and so they rested in the materiall grosse service and made no spirituall conclusions and applications concerning Christ And this saith Paul is the condition of the generality of the Jewes to this day Compare Rom. 11.25 especially Rom. 9.31 32. asserting there that the Jews attained not righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith viz. in Christ the sence and summe of the Leviticall Law but AS IT WERE he saith not really or altogether but as it were by the workes of the Law because in resting on the outside and acting of Leviticals they turned those Leviticals in their true intent and meaning Evangelicall into workes of the Law As if a man rest upon the opus operatum the labour and meere deed done of the Evangelicall duty of prayer praise c. he turnes that duty into legall ¶ 2. What their future spirituall condition shal be at the time of their call viz. when their heart is turned to the Lord the Pariphrasis of Conversion the vaile shal be taken away to wit both vailes 1. That vaile of Jewish worship that as de jure it was taken away in the authority of it upon rending of the vaile at Christs Passion and defacto in practise as to the sacrificall part at the destruction of the Temple by the Roman Titus and Adrian and fire from Heaven in the time of Julian so also it shall bee taken away as to the Jewes esteeme in the whole Mosaicall Liturgy thereof 2. The vaile of sence over their hearts shall be taken away so that by the Divine Illumination of the Spirit they shall looke through and beyond sence and carnall reason thence derived unto the spirituall minde and meaning of all the Law of Moses viz. unto the Gospel and Christ Jesus who is the spirit thereof which is plainly expressed in the following words now the Lord is that Spirit That is Christ as God is that Spirit Joh. 4.24 and Christ as Christ is the summe and marrow of the spirituality of the Gospel as the Gospel is of the Mosaicall Law and he hath the spirit above measure and sends the spirit to enlighten and enliven and allure them to the embracement of him For Lord in the New Testament phrase oft signifies Christ and Spirit often signifies spirituality and the spirituall sence and way of the Gospel and the communication of the efficacy of the Spirit as many instances might be given but for tediousnesse It is added Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty That is when the Lord is spiritually in the heart there is spirituall liberty that the Jews shal neither look at nor relye upon the Letter Character or outward acts of Judaicall services to which sence and from thence carnall reason held them in a kinde of bondage as thinking the command bound them and the threat awed them mainly to that The Law indeed obliged them to an actuall performance of all the materiall Leviticall services whiles in force but even then it was their sensuality and carnality that held their apprehensions in bondage and within those stinted bounds that they could not look further so that for want of the addition of Gospel knowledge faith godlinesse c they could not see afarre off But were short sighted as Peters phrase is But where the spirit of the Lord is in the heart by grace there they wil finde a liberty of apprehension to looke to the spirituality of all worship a liberty of action to act more with the inward graces then with the laboursomnesse of the body and a liberty of confidence to relye upon the object the things viz. Christ held forth in the Gospel and not on the outward for me of worship ¶ 3. What their estate both corporall and spirituall shal bee from that time forward till ultimate glory comes when the vaile is taken away and that liberty restored in lieu thereof viz. it shall be very glorious when WEE ALL both Jewes and Gentiles with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. The Verse is not to begin with But as an Antithesis or opposition to that afore but with an And as a Prosthesis or addition of a further degree of attainment so the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well beares and so the sence requires for at present there was never an ALL of Jewes so beholding and so transformed Nor were the converted Gentiles yet so glorified with that divine Metamorphosis as the Greek signifies And the Jewes must not be excluded because the Apostle a Jew speakes in the first person plurall We including himselfe and the converted Gentiles must not be excluded because he writes these things to the converted Gentile Corinthians So that this verse is knit on the former rather as an exâ—gesis auxesis an illustration and amplification then as an antithesis or opposition to the former verse It is true that this last verse is part of an Antithesis to the Jewes blindnesse but not to their spirituall sight and liberty but then that Antithesis began higher a good deale viz. ver 16. Neverthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall be taken away c. and so the Apostle falls first upon the discourse of the Jewes future spirituall condition and then from thence ascends higher in the last verse to their and our future visible glorious condition which on earth is to follow that spirituall condition For the plaine sence of the whole is as
generall Judgement because then is a totall destruction not an appearance for conversion of them that are found in unbeleefe Then is the Saints full enjoyment of utmost glory not their striving with the Nations Then Christ layes downe all power 1 Cor. 15. therefore doth not put power into the hands of his people SECT XI The eleventh place in the New Testament is Revel 3.21 To him that over-cometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also over-came and am set downe with my Father in his Throne § 1 VVHat can we make of this Text unlesse we understand the Saints viz. sincere Soules and cordiall Christians that persevere to the end reigning with Christ on EARTH As it is by and by added chap. 5.10 which the foure Animals and twenty foure Elders expresse in a Song of praise to Christ Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall REIGN ON EARTH On which our New Annotations confesse That this may signifie the PROSPEROVS TIMES OF THE CHURCH UNDER CHRISTIAN KINGS AND EMPEROVRS Dan. 7.27 which place as we have largely afore demonstrated * Pag. 126. S. 4. p. 127 c. Again p. 249 Sect. 36. c. doth plainly signifie the glorious state of the Church on earth yet to come Psa 37.11 But the meek shall INHERIT THE EARTH Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall INHERIT THE EARTH Thus they which must signifie a State to come as the expression is in the Future tence and experience shewes us that in past times the meeke have not in the generall INHERITED the earth but in all Ages have been sorely disturbed and distressed That state of Christs Kingdome hath not yet come for it followes in this text deeply to be considered that § 2 It is granted here by Christ himselfe that as he is God and Man he hath not hitherto sate upon his owne Throne but upon his Fathers Throne the highest heaven of glory should seem is the Fathers Throne as it is oft expressed in the Old Testament Psal 11.4 Isa 66.1 c. And there Christ is now Coloss 3.1 but the time is yet to come according to the future expression of the text long after Christs Ascension that Christ must have a Throne of his owne on which together with him those that overcome shall sit § 3 Now this must needs be on earth because after the Judgement Day on earth Rev. 20.11 c. to the end of the chapter Christ layes downe all his power 1 Cor. 15.24 28. SECT XII The Twelfth and last place in the New Testament which we shall urge for this particular under consideration is Revel the 18. 19. chapters § 1 THe Prophesies whereof are not yet fulfilled to this day so long since the Ascension of Christ ¶ 1. Note that ver 2. of the eighteenth Chapter where it is said Babylon is fallen is fallen for whether wee understand New Babylon figuratively so called viz. Rome described by her seven Hils and seven sorts of Government and the ten Kingdoms under the seventh Rev. 17.9 10 11 12. or old Babylon properly so named viz. where the Jewes were held captive neither of them since this Prophesie are so fallen as is described in the following Verses of this Chapter of which by and by but stil the Popish Antichrist possesseth the one and the Turkish the other and both in the ruffe to this very day ¶ 2. Nor is that in the fourth and sixth verses yet fulfilled wherein the People of God are commanded saying Reward her even as she rewarded you and double unto her double according to her works and the cup which she hath filled fill to her double for the people of God have not yet rewarded her either old or new Babylon single but as ver 7. Shee glorifies her selfe and lives deliciously yea and oppresseth the people of God ¶ 3. Nor is that yet fulfilled vers 8. That her Plagues have come in one day viz. Death and Mourning and Famine and utter burning But she both elder and younger stands in great glory to this day ¶ 4. Nor is that yet fulfilled ver 9. That the Kings of the earth that have committed Spirituall fornication and lived deliciously with her shal bewaile her and lament for her seeing the smoake of her burning But generally they rejoyce with her and for her glory in which she is at this day ¶ 5. Nor is that yet fulfilled mentioned from verse eleventh to the end of the nineteenth of the mourning of the Merchants over her destruction by fire standing afarre off crying Alas alas But contrariwise they flocke to her trade with her and admire her glory It is true the Gothes and Vandals have conquered new Babylon and spoyled her as we mentioned afore but not she nor old Babylon is yet totally destroyed by fire that there should be no Candle seen or Milstone heard in them ver 20. 22. but both flourish with great glory in their dominion over the people of God ¶ 6. Nor is that in the twentieth verse yet fulfilled that the holy Apostles and Prophets have yet since this Text was penned ever rejoyced in the destruction of either Babylons but both Babylons doe yet triumph in their owne prosperity and power over the Nations and among them over many Saints vers 7. yea the rejoycing of the Apostles and Prophets over Babylons destruction doth signifie one would thinke the triumph of the Church over their enemies on earth at the first Resurrection of which wee have so largely spoken afore For when else possibly can the Prophets and Apostles rejoyce over the destruction of Babylon § 2 ## For so it followes in the nineteenth Chapter and first seven Verses spoken over foure times Hallelujah that is as it is englished in verse the fift Praise yee God which praise is given to God by the foure Animals and twenty foure Elders and of a great multitude Why because Gods Judgements are righteous and true Wherein Because he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth and hath avenged the bloud of the Saints at her hand And he the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her selfe ready ¶ 1. Which last clauses cleerly relate to the first Resurrection wherein all the Saints rise so that the ruine of Babylon and the raising of the Saints immediatly concurre with the sorrow of the one and the triumph of the other But these have not been fulfilled to this day as the contrary face of things gives evident testimony ¶ 2. Nor is that fulfilled from the eighth verse of the nineteenth Chapter to the end of the Chapter of the glory of the Church of the glorious appearance of Christ and of the corporall destruction of all whatsoever that take part against Christ and his Church largely discussed afore more then once out of this Chapter But these things as sure as Christ is the
He confesseth that in those four periods the event hath dictated to the more circumspect observators that Satan was then loosed Set this against the Doctor and his many that agree that Satan was then bound ¶ 2 He confesseth that Pope Silvester the second in his first period of events sitting in the Papal chaire exercised Tyranny And that in him Antichrist was openly manifested to the world Now this wee oppose first to his minor That this can neither consist with the binding of Satan from seducing or deceiving the Nations according to the sense of the Greek word before expounded upon the third verse of the 20 of Revel and the antithesis between the state of the Church whiles he is bound Rev. 21.22 Chapters and the state of the loosing from 11. Chapter the end of the 19. Nor can it consist with the reigning of the Saints Chapter 20.4 compared with Rev. 21.27 And there shall in NO WISE enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye where Antichrist is excluded but they which ARE WRITTEN IN THE LAMBS BOOK So that onely the Saints have the dominion and the glory as it is in 24. and 26. verses The Kings of the earth dobring their glory and honour to it and the glory and honour of Nations unto it therefore it cannot bee imagined that Antichrist shall now tyrannise especially seeing in his time he hath most of the Kings of the earth in a string so that in time of his Dominion and Tyranny they cannot be free to bring their honour and glory to it but when they shall hate the Whore and burne her with fire Rev. 17.16 executed Rev. 18.19 Then Chapter 20. the Saints shall reigne so that Chapter 21. Kings shall bring their honour to it ¶ 2. We oppose this to his distinction in the close of his Argument that if now Antichrist was made manifest throughout the world and exercised tyranny over men how doth the Doctor apply this time and state of the Church to Satans occult hypocyisie and pretended impiety invading the Church ¶ 3 The Doctor confesseth that in the second of his periods one William Senones A. B. by the confession of C. Baron held forth this Position to Pope Alexander the third whom Reusner puts in Anno 1061. that Satan was then loosed in perniciem totius ecclesiae to the destruction of the whole Church And the same was preached by Glaber Rodolphus and Wickliffe c. Now these cannot consist with the Doctors argument or distinction of occult hypocrisie Yea it is inconsistent with Satans binding and the Saints reigning as is explained afore Surely when Satan is bound and the Saints doe râ—igne there shall bee none permitted to ruine the whole Church so grossely that not only Protestants but Papists shall take notice of it and cry out against it ¶ 4 The Doctor confesseth that in his third period of events was the destruction of Jerusalem Pope Hildebrand sate in the chaire whose life acts and decrees seemed so mischievous and hellish both to Divines and Historians that they did not at all doubt but that the mystery of iniquity in the Revelation had now attained its highest perfection maturity or strength And if so was their vote how can this be consistent with the Doctors Argument that Satan is now bound in any tolerable sense Is this the glorious promise Rev. 20. of binding Satan and of the Saints reigning that mean while Antichrist shall arise to his utmost maturity at least Divines and his Historians had great reason to thinke so Satans binding is a restraint and from seducing the Nations as well as from butchering the Nations Revel 20.3 therefore it doth not permit the full growth of the Devils greatest instrument Antichrist And this also doth somewhat blunt the edge of the Doctors distinction for if Divines and Historians then took such notice and declaimed against Antichrist how can it be truly said He invaded with such occult hypocrisie Besides remember the destruction of Jerusalem ¶ 5 The Doctor confesseth that in his fourth period of Events which is also within his thousand yeers of binding Satan was Pope Boniface the eighth of whom was this common Proverb He came in as a FOX lived as a LYON and dyed like a DOG Now in the word Fox was hinted his occult hypocrisie and in LYON was intimated his open violence which overthrows the Doctors distinction and addeth thus much more in answer to the Doctors minor proposition of his argument that in the time of the binding of Satan there is no LYON over the Church but Christ with whom the Saints reigne Rev. 20.4 called the Lyon of the Tribe of Juda Chapter 5. There is no Lyonish man to roare over the Church to hurt it in the least They that make lesse of that Isa 11.6 then others do conclude so much thence And if the roaring Lyon the Devil be chained then sure the Nations shall not be seduced to play the Lyons to hurt the Church § 3 Next wee answer in particular to the minor Proposition of this second Argument of Doctor Prideaux and the distinction annexed viz. by giving you some touches of the History of the foure periods of Events which the Doctor hath named Wee did in our answer to the Doctors first Argument give you a considerable account of the History of these times viz. of the first thousand yeers from Constantine M. beginning to reigne which the Doctor calls the thousand yeers of binding of Satan We shewed you the grim bloody face of those times in Persia under Sapores In Judea under the Saracens and throughout the Roman Empire under Constantius and Julian Roman Emperours and under the Goths and Vandals invaeders and wasters of the Church for neer foure hundred yeers so that the face of these times could not look like the face of the thousand yeers of which John speaks shall be filled with so much glory But now we will adde some few things in relation to the particulars the Doctor mentions which hee would varnish over that they might not bewray that Satan was then loosed ¶ 1 For the first period in Pope Silvester the second his time Reusâ—er tells us in his Chronology That this Silvester the second being a Magician gave himselfe to the Devil by whose helpe he attained to the Popedome And being about to dye he confessed it and commanded that his hands and tongue c. should be cut off and the trunke of his body to bee put into a Chariot to bee buried where the horses no man driving them would carry him The horses without any driver unlesse the Devill drew him to the Temple of John Lateran and there he was buried So Reusner which was but an ill signe that Satan was now bound as the Doctor affirmes when he could so prevaile on him who was the chiese Ruler over all the Churches Adde that in the time of this period was some persecution as Bucholcerus noteth viz. That
thousand that is to the universal Church who are verse 14. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comming or about to come out of tribulation not come out They were washed afore in the bloud of the Lamb ever since their beleeving but that was from sinne but they are not yet come out of great tribulation but that shall bee ere long So that that which follows to the end of the Chapter cannot now bee applyed to their persons viz. That they shall hunger no more nor the Sun light upon them any more And God shall wipe away all tears which are spoken in the future Tense as of things to come And it cannot be applied to their future state in heavenly glory For the Heathens that knew but the immortality of the soule never dreamed of hunger or thirst or feare to befall good men in the world to come Nor did the Philosophers thinke that the Sunne did shine above the highest of the orbs of the material heaven Therefore there is no probability in the least that this is a description of everlasting glory but of a state on earth where the Sunne hath smitten and there hath been hunger and thirst and have been tears So that still I minde you this Chapter is but a parenthesis of comfort put there by way of anticipation For it is put between the sixth and seventh Seal between which must be a methodical succession The sixth Seale is in chapter 6. which is most terrible obscuring heaven shaking the earth terrifying the sonnes of men And the seventh Seale is in Rev. 8. verse 1. In which eight Chapters whiles Christ intercedes over the prayers of the Church in regard of some slaine as it is in Chapter 6. The seven Trumpets appear in order to sound at their time Rev. 8.6 c. so that the calamities of the world goe on in the world upon earth and from hence forward till Antichrist be downe As for the 11 Chapter it is plaine that it is but the summary of all that which John prophesies of the more Ecclesiastical state of things in his ensuing Book of the Revelation as in the former he had prophesied of the more Political I say a summary For there is set down the more pure state of the Church v. 1. and more corrupt verse 2. And of the two witnesses in sackcloath one thousand two hundred and sixty yeers and their lying dead in the grave three yeers and a half as well as rising and ascending And there is Babylon falling viz. The tenth part of the City c. as well as Babylon trampling and triumphing over the Witnesses So that unlesse we will jumble all into a confusion this 11. Chapter is but the summary of what follow in the whole book of the Revelation And in the 12 Chapter there is as much for the loosing of Satan as for binding For the 13 Chapter it plainly sets out the time of Satans power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two and forty months or a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes viz. yeers which power he hath not when his master Satan is bound as we have and shall heare For the 14 and 15. Chapters the Churches triumphant songs of victory over the Beast are but in hope of a thing to come Another Parenthesis of comfort proleptically inserted For before and behinde their song in Chapter 15. is mention of the Angels having the seven last plagues to fulfill the wrath of God viz. The pouring out of the seven Vials as it follows Chapter 16. I need goe no further in my Antithesis to the Doctors instances ¶ 2 We answer to his Antecedent or first Proposition that if indeed as Doctor Prideaux would have it from the 6. Chap. of Rev. to the 20. Saints are in their reigning condition and Satan is bound according to St. Johns true intent Rev. 20. what means all that while all that adoe against the enemies of the Church of seven Seals Chapter 6. and 7. of seven Trumpets Chapter 8. of seven Vials Chapter 15. and 16. and in 17. is described the sin and the judgement of the Whore and in Chapter 18. the manner of her utter destruction and Chapter 19. the destruction it selfe And then and not till then in Chapter 20. S. John speaks of binding of Satan so as the Saints may be said to reigne indeed After which no Seals Trumpets or Vials onely there is a proleptic or anticipation of the ultimate day of judgement mentioned verse 11. of Chapter 20. because it is the period of the thousand yeers but the state of times in Satans binding and the Saints reigning is after described in Rev. 21. and 22. Chapters ¶ 3 We answer to his said Antecedent or first Proposition That by the Doctors tenet and proof that Satan is bound from Rev. 6. to Rev. 20. for he saith that the beginning was in Constantines time that the Saints began to reign And John tells us that the thousand yeeres doe end at the ultimate day of judgement Rev. 20. it will follow that from Constantine M. which the Doctor puts in three hundred yeers after Christ to the day of judgement is but a thousand yeers For the Doctor in his stating the question confesseth that the thousand yeers must be taken properly and precisely But wee and most Nations doe compute from three hundred yeers after Christ to this yeer one thousand three hundred fifty three and yet the day of the last judgement is not come No nor the War of Gog and Magog which precedes it No nor the fall of Antichrist and Babylon which precedes that c. Next we come to answer to the Argument or Consequent or last Proposition § 3 To the Proposition it self That therefore all this while the Saints reigned wee say that though they reigned over sinne which is no more priviledge then every Saint hath had since the beginning of the world yet they reigne not on earth over their corporall enemies as the fifth Monarchy or power which is the minde of the Scripture as we have before abundantly proved ¶ 2 To his first proof viz. So are they Kings as they be Priests But they are Priests spiritually Therefore c. We say to the major and minor ten Millinary yeers that they shal be Priests on earth therfore joyntly they shall be Kings on earth And they shall in body sensibly offer up sacrifices on earth of praises and Hallelujahs Rev. 11. Rev. 14. Therefore they shall in the body sensibly reigne on earth The notion is changed but the place and thing is the same Therefore it is said Rev. 5.10 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God AND we shall reigne on earth And Rev. 20.4 shall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers The time and place sheweth what reigning it shall bee even such as to whom Kings and Nations shall bring their honour Rev. 21. But in heaven the Saints enjoy but not reign with Christ because Christ as Christ doth not there reigne as we have
is risen upon thee Darknesse on the earth and people thereof but the Lord shall rise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee This shining is inward and outward For as the Church shall shine in her selfe with Gods beams So verse 3. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising And verse 6. They from Sheba c. shall bring gold and incense and shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. Accordingly Rev. 21 as the Church is glorious in her selfe so from without verse 24. The Nations of them that are saved shal walke in the light of the Church which God shines on it and Kings shall bring their honor unto it As is the glory of the Sun in its ascending over every Horizon is the glory of the world In the inside in the life of all things In the outside in the light and lustre on all So shall it bee with the Church If in this time as Isa 30.26 At the day the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun c. So gloriously shall God manifest himselfe to the Church that all glory shall her condition be As New Jerusalem is new decked c. Rev. 21. So all her buildings walls streets gates c. according to Isa 54. verse 11. are compared to gold and all precious stones which comparison of glorious gold and precious stones c. import all manner of glory of the Church If our bodies shall bee conformed to Christs glorious body so every bodily thing shall have the highest perfection that it was created in And the best jewels and treasures shall not be appropriated to Heathens Atheists Popish Hypocrites or gracelesse Kings and Princes and Potentates But if it may adde to the Churches glory they shall be brought to the Church as right owner ¶ 2 Environed with peace and safety Christ the King and Prince of peace Heb. 7. Isa 9. Createth peace for all his subjects far and neer Isa 57.19 sc As inward peace So outward too Isa 65. last No preying on one another no destroying no hurting So Psal 72.3.7 See the Title sc A Psalme for Solomon sc Solomon the Great sc Christ The Mountaines shall bring peace to the people and little hils by righteousnesse In his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace as long AS THE MOON INDURES See by this what Solomon is meant Mountains and Hils signifie that Emperours Princes Dukes Lords c. shall no longer as Mountaines shadow the Church by oppression or that men shall not make mountaines and hills holds and garrisons to subdue the Church Isa 11.6 There shall be peace between Man and all creatures between Children and Aspes the Wolfe and Lamb Cow and Bear of which say two learned Authors there is both a spiritual and litteral sense All men with their great power glory wits policies and potency shall be so tame as a childe may rule them and all creatures shall be restored as in the day of Creation Calvin upon this 11. of Isa 6. saith That the Prophet aimes at a further thing then we are aware of For it intimates saith he a restauration of all things as at the first creation and so goes on in many words See learned men consulâ—ò handling this question are lost in Allegories but when they are off of that question sincerely weighing the places of Scripture tending to it then it drops from them ere they are aware So Calvin here So Pareus on Rom. 8. is against Pareus on Rev. 20. ¶ 3 Enlarged with liberty It is the great yeer of Jubilee even in the opinion of the Jews As it is freedome from all evill as we have shewed so a freedome to injoy all good They shall have the waters of life the comforts of the Gospel free for their use Rev. 22.17 and enough for all And the Tree of life Christ free for all to injoy him fully Verse 2. And the Gates of the Church are alwayes open freely for all Saints to enter Rev. 21. They shall bee as free in all injoyments as in heaven for this is an Heaven ¶ 4 Perpetuated with stable equability Now they fully injoy him that is the first and last with an even continuance the heavens and earth must be as one as he pleaseth Isa 48.12 13. And this his Title of Alpha and Omega Christ makes his preface Rev. 1.17 to the glorious Catastrophe Rev. 20.4 c. to the end of the Bible Now the substance of all eternity is entred upon Christ the everlasting Father the eternall God the everlasting Spirit and Covenant c. must now appeare in a perpetuated stability of all perfect Church glory to all the Elect. Magog shall not interrupt but occasionally promote the Churches eternall blisse Therefore now let not our hearts be unstable in hope nor our affections unstable in love nor our judgements unstable in principles nor our practice unstable in duties and ordinances Remember the evill of the foolish Virgins Remember the good precepts and promises of Christ as a warning us afore his comming now at hand Rev. 22.7.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. v. 7. I come quickly blessed is he that keepeth these sayings of this Prophesie Verse 11. Let him that is righteous be righteous still 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me I am Alpha and Omega sc I make no other end or beginning but happinesse in and with me 14. Blessed are they that keep his commandements that they may eat of the Tree of life and enter the Gates of the City of the Church Without shall be Dogs They that are found out of it shall goe for Dogs 16. I Jesus have sent my Angel to testifie these things to the CHURCHES 17. Hee that testifies these things saith Surely I come quickly then John concludes as I Come Lord Jesus come quickly SECT X. This state will have the face and character of Eternity IN the three last Qualities of this state of the Church sc First No more time Secondly A perfection of Qualities natural and spirituall in the Saints Thirdly A confluence of all comforts in the injoyer and the injoyment I say in regard of these three This state of the Church will have the face a semblance of Eternity the property and character of Eternity For the idiom and peculiar of Eternity is to give a man all parts and degrees of his comfort at once throughout every moment of Eternity In Time is succession where is the beginning middle and the end The embrion augment and the highest perfection that that comfort will amount to but in Eternity a man is as happy the first moment as ten thousand yeers after if there were any time in Eternity So here proportionably the Saints blisse after Christ hath begun the compleatnesse of this estate shall be as full at first as at last The difference from a state in Time is as
to the Church Which is added to this All-New condition Rev. 21.4 As there shal be no place so no more time for any sorrowful or sorrow-making things or persons or mutable matters Christ will not allow them an houre nor a minute in the Church Dives had his time Their glasse is run Christs houre is come The Sonne of righteousnesse ariseth the dark must be gone ¶ 5 This imports that the happinesse of Saints shall not be given them by measure of time Tempus est numerus motus Time is measured motion Saints shall not be happy so long and no longer This thousand yeers is the prelude to everlasting infinite glory Saints shall not need to wish saying This is a happy condition if it would hold So that as miseries shall not have the least time allowed them on earth so the Saints mercies shall not be measured out to continue onely so long and no longer The thousand yeers are the preface and then Magog stirring at last gives Christ occasion to give them the Saints everlasting infinit injoyment So that in the glorious state of the Church shall be no measuring it out by time as so long to continue and no longer It shall be a thousand yeers happy on earth But then it is not said shall be an end But this is swallowed up of a greater Of this stability of things at this time see further in Isa 33.6 spoken in relation to the call of Jewes c. wisdome and knowledge shall be the stability of times and strength of salvation and the feare of the Lord thy treasure As grace shall not period with time And God cannot period with time so nor the Churches condition Isa 60.19 The Sunne shall be no more thy light by day nor the Moon thy brightnesse by night but the Lord shall be thy EVERLASTING LIGHT and thy God thy glory which applied to Church state in the seventh Trumpet Rev. 21.23 It followes Isa 60.20 Thy Sunne shall no more goe downe neither shall thy Moon withdraw it selfe for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be at an end Rather then the Sun and Moon shall play fast and loose with the Church they shall not Move There shall bee no more Sun set or change of the Moon No measuring out Saints happinesse by times SECT VIII The next Quality is That at this time there shall be a perfection of all qualities both natural and spiritual in the Saints § 1 AS before we said No measuring by fading time so now we affirm no stinting to an infirme degree Now there shall bee no lower degree then a freedome from all imperfection Zach. 12.8 It s spoken of this time see verse 12. viz. When the Jews shall see Christ and mourne and repent and bee filled with grace Then verse 8. Hee that is feeble shall be as David And the house of David as God better rendred as Angels The Hebrew is Kelohim Elohim oft signifying Angels and here is an Incrementum so that the last must be highest then it follows as the Angel of God Hebrew is emphatical Hamaleak the name of Christ Malach. 3. The sense then is They shall be as Christs how strong the feeble shall be viz. as strong firm and sublime in perfection as David And how shall David be As an Angel Yea as Christ Sutable to 1 Cor. 15. We shall be conformable to Christ And Phil. 3.21 Our bodies like his glorious body And 1 Cor. 13.12 Know as we are knowne our graces shall be as Rivers in the Ocean Isa 11.9 So that as our perfection cannot period so nor last by vicissitudes as now sometimes up sometimes sinke but shall be still at full height SECT IX A Confluence of all Comforts in the injoyers and injoyed § 1 AS it is said 1 Pet. 1. who in 2 Epist 3. Chapter speaks of this glorious time I say as it is said 1 Pet. 1. verse 3 4 5. He hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to an inheritance incorruptible RESERVED IN HEAVEN for you who are kept by the power of God ready to be REVEALED in the LAST TIME so now in this Heaven as it is called Rev. 21. the inheritance is kept perfect to us and us in it Of this see all the 35. Chapter of Isa Wee did before demonstrate that that Isa 34. relates to this time we speake of And this 35. Chapter is but a part of the same discourse As the forme viz. the 34. Chapter is of the ruine of the Churches enemies and the delivery of the Church so this 35. Chapter is a description what the Church shall injoy Viz. verse 1. The solitary places shall be glad for them and the Desart shall rejoyce and blossome like a rose Verse 2. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it The excellency of Carmel and Sharon shall see the glory of the Lord. Verse 3. Strengthen ye the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees Verse 4. Say unto them that are of a fearful heart be strong feare not behold your God will come with vengeance he will come and save you Verse 5. The eyes of the blinde shall be opened and the deafe eares unstopped Verse 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart and the tongue of the dumb sing for in the wildernesse shall waters break out and streams in the desart Verse 7. The parched ground shall become a poole and the thirsty land springs of waters In the habitation of Dragons shall bee grasse and rushes Verse 8. An high-way there shall be and it shall bee called the way of holinesse the unclean shall not passe over it Fools shall not erre therein Verse 9. No Lion shall be there nor ravenous beast shall goe up thereon but the redeemed shall walk there Verse 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flye away Yee see how all happinesse is upon the possession and the Possessor The possession shall not bee defective and unserviceable and the Possessour shall not by any impediment bee hindered of his injoyment All the Injoyers and Injoyments shall be varnished with beauty environed with peace enlarged with liberty perpetuated with stable equability ¶ 1 Varnished with beauty As Homer saith of the Golden Sea because of the beams of the Sun raditing upon it so the Church and all the Churches injoyments shall be guilded with beams guilded with beams of Christs glorious presence At this time Christ shall arise as the Sunne Malach. 4. as wee have shewed compared with 2 Pet. 1.19 And because he ariseth and shines on the Church therefore the Church shall arise and shine as the Sunne rising in the East looks on the Moon and makes it at the full in the West Isa 60.1 2. Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord