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.
Christs Kingdome and these remaining wicked shall be the Nations ruled with Iron Rev. 2. 27. for no Saints shall be so severely ruled and Isa. 65. 28. the sinner though living long as well as the Saint shall be cursed therefore they shall be but be cursed tributaries as the Gibeoâ—ires to the Israelites for all the credit and happinesse in those dayes shall be in Christ and in being holy vers. 16. therefore they are described in a slavish state Isa. 65. 13 14 15. speaking of this time as appears by vers 17. And this is the second thing Christ will doe when he comes to set up his Kingdom Thirdly Christ will examine blame and shame the Saints who are alive at that his coming if they be found to have walked loosely he will not kill them nor change them in a moment that is to be done at his last coming to judge all as we shall shew afterwards but he will shame them that have been loose Rev. 14 15. therefore Peter exhorts to be holy that we be not blamed at his comming 2 Pet. 3. 11 12 14. now when Christ hath thus done and put his Kingdome into form he will withdraw to heaven againe and leave the Government to the dead Saints raised up among whom the Apostles shall be chiefe therefore he saith Luk. 22. 29. as the Father gave him so he gives them a Kingdom in which they immediately shall rule which is Christs first part of his Kingdome which finished Christ will come againe and in person administer things as we shall see anon but for this first part of Christs Kingdome he will give it to the Saints that is to them immediately to rule therefore saith Matth. 19. 28. they shall judge on thrones the twelve Tribes that is they and all beleevers shall rule the world in which the twelve tribes shall be chiefe and they shall not onely rule as Kings but as Priests Rev. 20. 4. that is Discipline their Soules as well as rule their bodies yet this rule is said to be with Christ Re. 20. 4. because in his name and by his appointment and in a speciall presence of his though not bodily therefore the Kingdome is said to be sometime Christs and sometimes his Saints Daniel 7. 13 14. 18 22. which surely is said because as he will at last be constantly on the Throne visibly and come at the first visibly to set up this his Kingdome So he will depute the Saints Governors and withdraw his visible presence for a time to Heaven again for 1 Thes. 4. 5 6. and Matth. 25. 31. both of which speake of the last Judgement at the worlds end yet he is said then to come from Heaven though he had come before therefore he must have gone to heaven again therefore the Apostle comforteth them at the last Judgement That they shall be ever with the Lord intimating that before he had come and with-drew without them but now would doe so no more If yee say it is better then to die before this Kingdome begin since all the Saints who died before this Kingdome begun shall be raised from death and live immortall Lifes and rule the World whereas the Saints that live to it and in it shall live but mortall lifes and under the Government of the other Saints I answer God hath appointed somewhat proper and peculiar to every Age of his Church and people but the last Ages shall in this life and world excell the former Hebr. 11. 40. the former without the latter Ages shall not be perfect and for the latter Ages are better things provided then for the former wherefore these Ages which shall fall in Christs Kingdome shall farre out-strip all former Ages and not onely in happinesse in this World but for ought I know as they shall be more holy in their mortall Life so they shall be ever more glorious in Heaven therefore it is to be desired to live to these Times of Christs Kingdome though I confesse in some respects to this present world and time on earth the Saints dead before Christs Kingdome shall have an advantage of them who live to it because the dead Saints shall bee raised and live also but in a nobler way by which dispensation God recompenceth them for they who live and dye before Christs Kingdome live most by faith in trouble and darknes and therefore are raised up on earth to inherit Christs Kingdome But they who live in Christs Kingdom have a life of peace and joy and most promises fulfilled so that comparatively their life is a life of sence wherefore they shall have no Resurrection till the last Judgement but yet they have more glory and holinesse in this world which is the seed-time for eternitie and so shall have more glory at the last day and for ever whereas the deeds of dead Saints raised up being wages and reward and not a worke or service shall not adde to their account at the last day but they shall bee judged according to what they did in their mortall lives even as in hell they that dye and are cast into it shall not be judged at the last day or punished in hell for what they doe being dead except the poyson on earth which their counsells and practices when they lived shall spread so neither shall the Saints departed though raised againe So that it is to bee desired to live to Christs Kingdome though we may be much comforted if God please to have us dye before it come If you object how can soules of Saints dead be fetched from heaven to live on earth againe with men in their bodies since it is a damage to be fetched from heaven to earth and from the bodily presence of Christ and face of God and innumerable company of Angels to converse againe on earth with men I answer this objection supposes the soules of the dead Saints to be in the highest heavens which is not so but if their soules were in the highest heavens yet it becomes them to doe it to serve Christ as the Angels come from heaven to serve the Saints and as Lazarus his soule came into his body againe at the commandement of Christ but it is likely the soules of the dead Saints are not in the highest heavens but in a middle place better than this world but inferiour to the highest heavens which is meant in the New Testament by Paradise in which they have full joy and perfect happinesse Heb. 12. 23. and a speciall presence of Christ Phil. 1. 23. and 2 Cor. 5 6 8. that is a presence to their minds which may be though they be not where Christs â—ody is and in this place they are kept till this Kingdome of Christ come and then they shall assume their bodies till the worlds end when with soule and body they with all other Saints shall goe up into the highest Heavens for ever To prove this there are
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
namely all the heavens but the third and highest that is all thatâ— that God made the first part of the first day before he made the Light which is also called Earth Gen. 1. 1. and the heaven there is onely meant the highest heavens for out of that earth which was a darke confused lump and is therefore called a Chaos vers. 2. God afterward made the other lower heaven as the light that is the element of fire ver. 3. and the aire calling it heaven vers. 8. so that all these lower heavens and earth habitable and every creature and ornament were made out of that Chaos which God created immediately Now at the worlds end God will reduce all these to that Chaos which they were at first as he doth mans body to that dust it was made of and leave no order comfort or delight in any place nor any light therefore Hell is called utter darknesse but a meere place for their bodies to subsist in which shall live without aire because they shall be made immortall to be tormented for ever For the things which God immediately made out of nothing shall never change as the highest he â—â—eâ—s and the Angels in them and the soules of men and this Chaos call'd the earth but all other things being made out of something even out of this earth or Chaos they shall after a time change and so all this world shall come to an earth or Chaos againe Rev. 20. 11. at the last Judgement the earth and heaven vanisheth for ever that is the earth and heaven made out of the Chaos the second and third day Gen. 19. 10. and they and all workes in them returned for ever to a Chaos or first darke earth and lumpe againe So that this visible world is but as a Stage on which God and man and devils shall act their parts and then it shall be removed and all the furniture thereof which also is deserved by mans â—in for whom it was made and on whom God bestowed it and surely if Christ had not kept in and upheld it Heb. 1. 3. it had runne into this Chaos so soone at man sinned for confusion is sinnes proper effect but Christ tooke it up and upheld it because he meant to have a Kingdome in it which had and resigned then shall the world turne to confusion and become that Chaos or earth made at first and so the place of sinning shall be the everlasting hell and men of earthly minds shall have an ever lasting earth as it is called Gen. 1. 1. but not so comfortable as this is to be tormented in And thus as God in an eternall Counsell had ranked all reasonable creatures into an eternall estate of two sorts joy or pain so he did make in time two places heaven and earth immediately out of nothing to be eternall places the one of joy the other of torment Thus you see when hell was made but it was quickly covered and shall not be uncovered till Christ doth it at the last day at which time when Christ hath all enemies under his feet even death for after the first resurrection none shall die any more and hell that is then present hell that now is 1 Cor. 15. 26. 28. Rev. 20. 14 He casting away all death and hell that is swallowing up all misery in hell torments then he resignes his Kingdome that is his administration of things to God and leaves this world to what it was at first and would have beene so soone as man sinned if he had not stept in and all Angels devils and men fall into those eternall states and places in which God the Father beheld them in his eternall decrees of Election or Reprobation and so the Fathers Kingdome come in namely that eternal estate which is called his Kingdome Matth. 13. 43. And as all Counsels about the Creature begin in the Father so they end in him and he is for ever all in all through the Son and holy Ghost 1 Cor. 15. 28. Thus much for the manner of Christs Kingdome Thirdly consider we the time of its continuance how long it is to endure as every age of mankind as well as every man in particular and every Monarchy for Christs Kingdome being in the world is also to receive a period or end though yet this Monarchy of Christ hath no end as we shall shew anon in some sense yet in a true sense it hath an end and shall be resigned and finished or as that Text so oft quoted sheweth expresly 1. Cor. 15. 24. Now to find out its time of expiring and shew how long it is to last it will be considerable that there is of Christs Monarchy a double estate One is the evening or first part the other is the morning or latter part Now it is the first part or evening which is usually taken for Christs Kingdome and is that of which we are now speaking and the duration of it is expresly determined by the Scripture which saith it shall be a thousand years or ten generations Rev. 10. 4. it is observable that in all other prophesies times were obscured by speaking generally as a time times c. or at plainest putting dayes for yeares as Dan. 12. 11 12. but here is plainly said a thousand years so that it is not to be questioned or interpreted as a dark saying for so wee should slight sin against Christ whose death and resurrection bought this opening the Book Rev. 5. 6 7 9. that whereas before all prophesies were sealed up as Dan. 12. 4 8. now they be open as Rev. 5. 6. 7. 9. I know the taking this in the Revelation of a thousand years literally hath for a long time and of old and to this day beene condemned by worthy men for an heresie But God left the next Ages to the first after the Apostles to fall into diverse mistakes for the bringing errour and darknesse out of which Anti-Christianisme was to arise for many generations amongst which this was one That they abused this sweet and refreshing Prophesie of Christs Kingdome lasting a thousand yeares and perverted their opinion of it to a kind of Mahumetan Paradise of sensuall and sinfull pleasures Wherefore holy men taking up that opinion as they laid it never examined it to find the gold and separate it from the drosse as it was done also and is to this day with divers other opinions by Popery abused and so they found not out a spirituall sense of every Scripture which contained any thing about this Kingdome of Christs and carrying it spiritually they rejected all literall sense in it and they were not wholly mistaken for there is a spirituall sense in most of those Scriptures besides a literal as was shewed before That which is literally applyed to this time of Christs Kingdome Rev. 21. 4 â— iâ— also spiritually applyed 2 Cor. 5. 17. But their error was that though truly they expounded these places spiritually yet
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
counsels of mens hearts shall be made manifest not onely to the mans selfe but to every one In a word every act of reasonable Creatures being immortall Creatures though the body once die is immortall the thoughts words acts and shall not onely abide for ever in hell or heaven but shall be revived and brought forth before all the world in this great day in as much as every thing was in Gods sight it shall be openly shewed before all the world this is taught when it is said Every thing shall be made manifest for this is to make them manifest when they be declared before all And all those workes from Adam to the last of mankind shall be orderly and clearly proceeded in by bookes Rev. 20. 12. as in a Court of Justice wherefore wee need not run hazard to know what is done in other places for we shall see and heare all one day and this may well take up much time though by an infinite power God will do it yet it shal be done by Christ as man and before men and therefore leasurely Now when this worke is dispatched and the finall sentence is pronounced upon all creatures both the blessed and cursed as is expressed Matth. 25. 31 to the end then will Christ resigne the Kingdome to the Father and this world together with his Kingdome shall end Object But you will say though this be long that Christ shall raigne yet it s not ever but it s said that he shall reigne for ever Ans. I answer it is said to be for ever though it is thus and at this time to end as the Apostle saith expresly he shall then resigne yet it is said to be for ever First because it is to be to the worlds end and the end of time and therefore is truly for ever as Moses Statutes were said to be because to last till Christ came and the end of that Discipline Christ and his Saints shall stand on the earth at the latter day Job 19. 25. that it shall be the last that shall rule and possesse the earth for so soone as they resigne all this world shall end Secondly because this Kingdome shall never be swallowed up by any other or after Monarchy as the former were by the latter and all by this of Christ therefore it is said Dan. 2. 44. It shall not be destroyed it shall not be left to other people Thirdly because it lasts long yea longer than ever any Monarchy and we say of long lasters that they last ever Fourthly because though his Kingdome be resigned yet it is but a translation or swallowing up of it into glory it remaines but is perfected not in the Sons but in Gods hand not in this world but in heaven The estate also of the Church shall never decay in grace or peace though once it shall be assaulted and the Saints after this Kingdome shall never dye they who lived and dyed before it began were raised up and died no more they who lived in the 1000. years of it died but together with the Saints found alive at Christs last comming they are raised up and changed and are all with Christ during the last Judgement and when it is done they with him go into heaven and are ever with the Lord 1 Thess. 4. therefore in these regards is that true Ps. 102. 27 28. God hath no end of years and the children of his servants shall continue and be established before him that is abide for ever in glory as hee is Thus much for the third thing the Duration of Christs Kingdome how long it shall continue when it shall end Now followeth the fourth thing to be considered namely the beginning of this Monarchy when the time shall come that it shall be set up This Monarchy of Christ is to be the last in the world as it is to last to the end of this world and therefore it is to begin when all the foure Monarchies are expired and ended Dan. 2. 34. this stone is to simite the Image on the feet that is it is to be set up when the Monarchy is passed the Head Armes Brest Thighs is come to the Legs and that in the Feet or Toes of it which is the fourth and last Monarchy namely the Roman after it is divided into the East and West Monarchy and their Westeâ—ne is broken into many petty Kingdomes then when their reigne is expired shall the Monarchy of Christ come Dan. 2. 44. In the daies of these Kings not one but many when many Kingdomes are made up out of the Roman Monarchy shall God set up Christs Kingdome So Dan. 7. 3 27 c. Foure Beasts that is States and Monarchies though called foure Kingdomes The first was the Babylonian then in being and expiring the second the Medes and Persians the third the Grecians under Alexander as a Leopard and with wings swiftly over-comming the world the fourth the Roman which was stronger and more stronger than all the formeâ— because of the many changes that should be in it as Ten Hornes or Kingdomes rise out of it and among them another fearfull little Horne Dan. 7. 7. which is interpreted ver. 9 20 23 24 c. The sum of which is that after the Roman Monarchy was parted in two legs the Eastern and Western Monarchy in this Western Monarchy for the Eastern which contain now the Persian and much of the Turk Tartar c. he passeth over in that the Churches were in those dayes to be in the Westerne parts of the world I say in this Western Monarchy should ten Hornes or Kingdomes arise and among them another little horne most blasphemous Now by the ten Hornes are meant ten Kingdomes which rose out of the Westerne Roman Monarchy and by the little Horne so blasphemous is meant the Papacie which rose up among or together with their Ten Kingdomes as is exprest Rev. 17. 12. For about the same time that the Bishop of Rome usurped Papall dignity or Authority these Kingdomes in Europe began to be set up and to become severall distinct Kingdomes but by the little horne is meant the Papacie as appeares because of its base words Dan. 7 8. 21 25. and its continuing for a time times and halfe a time is onely applyed to the Papacie Rev. 12. 14. Dan. 12. 7. and is the same time named in the same phrase and the same Oath which in reference to the Papacies prevailing is used Rev. 10. 5 6. and therefore he saith time shall be no longer expressing the end of the Papacies prevailing by the generall phrase of the time because it was prophesied of in Daniel in those dark phrases of time times and halfe a time now whereas it is said to rise up after the Ten whereas Rev. 17. 12. the Beast or Papacie is said to be one horne with the Ten to be ruinated v. 16. whereas this roots up three of the ten Kingdomes or