Family or Houshold as it were all the Inhabitants of the World who were scatter'd and divided before are now brought under one Head and Governour one Supreme Catholick Ruler as St. Chrysostom expounds the place All Nations divided before by false ways are now united in Christ the Way and the Truth He brings all the Severals into One and makes up a full Church Militant and Triumphant whereas before there was a dispersion Thus Heaven and Earth are happily joined Again the Greek word sometimes signifies to restore or repair and accordingly is rendred by the Vulgar Latin and then the meaning of the Apostle is that all things in Heaven and Earth are restored and renewed by Christ and his Coming There is a happy Restauration of Man's Nature by the Incarnation of the Blessed Iesus the former State of Integrity is now renewed and Man is in a far better Condition than he was at first And as for Angels their State also is much amended they are now confirmed in their Integrity and Happiness Thus according to Theodoret's Interpretation of the place the things in Heaven and on Earth are Restored Renewed Reformed by the Evangelical Dispensation But there is a third and that the most probable Interpretation of the words which is this and the Margin in our English Translation takes notice of it that in the Dispensation of the fulness of Time or the Dispensation of the Gospel God was pleased to sum up all things in Christ. Which may refer to Arithmetical Computation or bringing all Numbers into One and so here is signified that all the former Dispensations being cast up and briefly collected are reduced to this of the Gospel This is the Sum total Christ is all and in all Col. 3. 11. Or it may refer as St. Ierom on the place thinks to the way of Orators and Pleaders who in the close of their Speeches and Declamations briefly repeat and recapitulate all the foregoing particulars and represent the whole Cause in short In like manner what had been spun out and prolonged in divers foregoing Dispensations is now under the Gospel briefly gather'd and summ'd up in Christ Jesus This is the time wherein God hath made an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath drawn into one all that went before He hath finished the account for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred or the Work and cut it short in Righteousness bâ—cause a short Account or Work will the Lord make upon the Earth Rom. 9. 28. which as you will â—ee by consulting the Context and the place in Isaiah from whence it is taken is meant of the Gospel This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that abbreviated word or short Account or because a word and a thing or work are frequently convertible among the Hebrews whence this is borrow'd short work which God hath made upon the Earth The Law was tedious with its multiplicity of Observances but Christ comes in a compendious way and requires none of those long Undertakings which Moses exacted This saith one of the Fathers is the short word that is here meant the brief words of Faith Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved is the concise way of the Gospel This comprises the greatest things in short Christ the Incarnate Son of God is the Sum and Substance of all the Old Testament and of all the different Oeconomies from the beginning of the World The Evangelical Dispensation is the Recapitulation of all the preceding ones All is to be shut up with this nothing more is to be expected this being the Upshot and Conclusion of all the Administrations that are upon Earth I might argue likewise from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament for the Greek Word signifies both a Covenant and a Testament Sometimes even when it is rendred a Covenant in the Margin it is translated a Testament But by the very import and scope of the Text we are forc'd to render it a Testament in some places as in Heb. 9. 16 17. The Chriâ—tian Institution and the New Covenant of Grace therein contained are the Will and â—estament of our Saviour wherein he hath set down what he would have done after his death â—or that is the true notion of a Testament Christ the Testator died and bequeathed us the Gospel this his Last Will must stand and that only therefore no other is to be looked for Moreover I might argue from this that the time of the Gospel is call'd the last Time I grant that sometimes the last Day and last Times and the end of the World are understood of the Day of Judgment and particularly the last Day is applied no less than four times in the 6 th Chapter of St. Iohn to the time of the last Resurrection or the Day of Judgment Some modern Writers understand the last Times and the end of the World of Christ's coming to destroy Ierusalem and it is certain they may in some places be understood so But for the most part they are taken otherwise and those Learned Mâ—n who defend the contrary shew too plainly their Prejudice and Partiality in asserting a Notion which they have once taken up But nothing is more evident than this that the last Times and the last Days which latter is different from the last Day in the singular Number are generally meant of the Gospel Dispâ—â—sation which is last of all This I prove from such places as these both in the Old and New Testament Isai. 2. 2. It shall come to pass in the last days that the Mount of the Lord's House shall be establiâ—â—ed on the top of the Mountains and so in Mic. 4. 1. where by the Consent of all Interpreters the last Days signiâ—ie the time of Christ's Coming the Appeaâ—ing of Christianity in the World and in other Prophets this is express'd after the same manner The Apostles use the same way of speaking and all the time from Christ's Coming to the Day of Judgment is call'd by them the last Time and the last Days as in 2. Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 5 20. 1. Pet. 3. 3. 1 Iohn 2. 18. and in other places the Time of the exhibitâ—ng of Chriâ—â— in the flesh or of the Reign of the Messias iâ— thus express'd It is also call'd the end of the World by the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews who saith Christ appear'd in the end of the World to put away sin Heb. 9. 26. This Consummation of Ages as according to the Greek it may be most fitly rendred this Close or Shutting up of the former Dispensations especially of the Iewish one is call'd by the same Holy Writer the World to come Heb. 2. 5. And the very Iewish Writers fre-frequently give this Denomination to the time of the Messias This according to Daniel is the time of sealing up the Vision and Propâ—ecy Dan. 9. 24. i. e. of ratifying and verifying all the Visions and Prophecies
comprised in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Time of Reformation mentioned by the same Apostle Heb. 9. 10. for he uses this Expression with reference not only to the Mosaick Law which was to be corrected and retrenched but in regard of the Gospel itself which was designed to amend and reform the World and to set it right Now this was not to be a Mock-Reformation but it was to be to Purpose and throughly to be carried on which I call the Heighth and Perfection of the Evangelical Dispensation This may have been signified when St. Paul would have the Corinthians and with them all Christians in future Ages wait for the Revelation of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 17. And when St. Peter exhorted the Converted Iews whom he wrote to and with them all holy Men in succeeding Times to hope for the Grace that is to be brought unto them at the Revelation of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. He had been speaking in the foregoing Verses of the former Dispensations in the Church of God together with the Evangelical one which was then present and now he acquaints them that there is to be a higher Degree of this last Dispensation The Time shall come when the Effects and Fruits of the Gospel shall be more Conspicuous and Eminent when the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation shall produce greater Things in the World to the Astonishment of all the Enemies of the Church and to the Amazement even of Holy Christians themselves This is the Revelation of Iesus Christ. This last Condition of the Church is also expressed by New Heavens and a New Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. For this is the Style of the Evangelical Prophet Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. where by New Heavens and a New Earth he sets forth the State of the Gospel and therefore the Heighth of it deserves these Titles much more Whence it is probable that this is the New Heaven and the New Earth which St. Iohn saw Rev. 21. 1. For it is observable that he frequently makes use of the same Expressions and Phrases which are found in the Prophetical Writers And though it is true some Learned Expositors understand this New Heaven and New Earth in the Revelation of St. Iohn concerning the Church Triumphant the State of the Blessed in Heaven yet if any â—an narrowly scans this Chapter he will not be backward to acknowlâ—dge that this can't be the Meaning of it For the New Heaven and the Nâ—w Earth are the same with the Holy City the New Ierusalem in the same Chapter into which the Kings of the Earth bring their Glory and Hâ—nour ver 24. they come with all their Honourable Retinue to submit to the Scepter of Iesus to own themselves his Converts and they are ambitious to be Members of this Glorious Church upon Earth Next I will produce those Plaâ—es of Scripture where this Full and Final Settlement of the â—hristian Church in the last Times of the Gospel is call'd a Kingdom and set forth by Reigning It is not to be question'd that David's Temporal Kingdom was a Type and Earnest of this And those sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 3. are the Faithful Promises made by God to David concerning the Messias and his Kingdom which are not yet fully accomplished and therefore are to be in this Reigâ— of Christ which I am speaking of Of this we often read in the Prophet Daniel as in Chap. 2. ver 44. In the Days of those Kings viz. the Monarchs mentioned in the Verses before among whom 〈◊〉 was one under whom Christ was born shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed That is Christ's Kingdom then began to be erected which afterwards shall more eminently deserve that Name viz. when it shall arrive to its Perfection It is said here expresly that it shall break in pieces all these Kingdoms that is the Four Monarchies Of which we are further ascertain'd in the next Verse for Christ 〈◊〉 is that Stone which was cut out of the Mountains without Hands and was to break in pieces the Iron the Brass the Clay the Silver and the Gold This Famous Stone was to beat down all the Four Metals Christ was to destroy the Four Monarchies that is when these cease Christ's Kingdom immediately succeeds It is true it did succeed in part when the Pagan Roman Empire expired and so in some measure this Prophecy was fulfilled but there shall be a more illustrious and eminent Succession than this upon the compleat expiring of the Fourth General Monarchy Wherefore when we see this quite at an end we may conclude that Christ's Reign approacheth i. e. that the happy Condition of the Christian Church in this World draws near This Fourth Monarchy the Roman is now wearing off being translated to the Germans it is but a meer Name and Title The Wings of this Imperial Eagle have been plucked its Plumes are fallen its Feathers are gone its whole Body almost consumed Rome itself and Italy are not so much as the poor Remains at this Day of the Roman Empire This Image is now on its last Legs and those are infirm for the Holy Spirit tells us that the Feet are of Clay and Iron which Two Materials will not well cement and hold together long Therefore another State of Things is approaching viz. the Fifth Monarchy or Empire here prophesied of the Reign of Christ Jesus here on Earth or which is the same a more illustrious Manifestation of Christianity a more Visible and Glorious Displaying of its Vertue and Power than ever yet was in the World Of this Kingdom of the Son of Man you have another express Prediction in Dan. 7. 14. There was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroy'd Again ver 22. The Time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdom Agreeably to what was said ver 18. The Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever This Kingdom is again delineated ver 27. There is a great Number of Texts in Isaiah Ieremiaâ— Ezekiel and the Lesser Prophets which speak of this Kingdom of the Messias but they are it is true generally interpreted by Expositors of Christ's Coming in the Flesh and the prevailing of the Gospel afterwards and even to this very Day but they are not thought by them to reach any further This I conceive is a Mistake from the narrow Thoughts which Men are apt to have of those great Things spoken of by the Prophets which we shall find upon diligent comparing of Things to have a very large and comprehensive Meaning Most of the Prophetick Expressions of this Nature have reference not only to the first Times of the Gospel and these at present but to those that are to come Ultimately and completely and in their highest
3. 1. to explain this Place in the Revelation for as Christ is said to be crucified among the Galatians i. e. they had been so clearly and fully taught and instructed in the Nature of Christ's Sufferings as if Christ himself had been crucified in their Sight So in a resembling sort the SAINTS are said to live again i. e. their holy Lives and Actions whence they are denominated Saints are as evidently and completely copied out in the Persons then upon a kind of a Resurrection On such the second Death bath no Power i. e. those who have the Honour to be reserved to that excellent State of the Church which is called Reigning with Christ being Holy and Righteous Persons they shall be rescued from the second Death which is no other than Everlasting Destruction For as there is a Twofold Resurrection as hath been said so in the same way of Allusion there is a Twofold Death a Death of Temporal and a Death of Eternal Destruction This latter is called the second Death because it comes after the other and is a great deal more terrible than it Therefore to be free'd from this is the greatest Mercy imaginable And this is that which all those who live under the Heighth of the Evangelical Dispensation shall be rescued from At the end of those Thousand Years when the Books shall be opened and the Dead shall be judged out of them they shall escape everlasting Death and Damnation and they shall pass from Earth to Heaven from the happy State of the Church here to endless Blessedness in the Mansions above The short then of all is this That the Living and Reigning of the Saints with Christ which is foretold in this Chapter is to be understood of the most Prosperous and Flourishing State of the Church of Christ here on Earth which is the Thing that I have undertaken to prove and illustrate Indeed it is not expresly said that this Reign shall be on Earth but we may most rationally infer as much from this Chapter The Angel who was to bind Satan came down from Heaven ver 1. therefore the Scene of these Things spoken of in this Chapter was to be here below Afterwards ver 3. it is said that Satan was shut up that he might deceive the Nations no more Now none can deny but that these Nations were on Earth And in ver 9. it is said of Gog and Magog That they went up on the Breadth of the Earth and compassed the Camp of the Saints about The Saints then are upon the Earth as well as Gog and Magog And this appears yet further from what follows in the same Verse Fire came down from God out of Heaven and devoured them Therefore neither they nor the Saints were then in Heaven but on Earth else the Fire could not be said to come down from Heaven upon the latter It is out of question then that this Reigning of the Saints with Christ is meant of that happy Administration of the Church here on Earth Though the common Doctrine of the Millennaries viz. of the Saints and Martyrs leaving Heaven and coming down to Reign on Earth and so likewise of the Personal Reign of Christ with them be a groundless Fancy and built neither on Reason nor Scripture yet I have in some good measure shew'd that Tâ—is which I am now speaking of is founded on Both. The former dictates to us that there shall be a more perfect State of Christianity than ever yet hath been and the latter in several Places speaks of this higher Degree of Christianity Though Christ will not come in Person yet he will come in the Spirit to renew his Church and to exalt it to a greater Measure of Holiness and Purity And there shall then be such a joyful blessed Season as never was before and never will be again upon Earth It remains now that I speak particularly and distinctly of the Duration of this Spiritual Reign It shall last a Thousand Years which some have thought is to be understood iâ—definitely As in Iob 9. 3. 33. 23. One of a Thousand is One of a great Many And in Psal. 50. 10. A Thousand Hills and Psal. 105. 8. A Thousand Generations is as much as very Many Hills and Generations so they think here a Finite Number is put for an Indefinite and accordingly the Reigning of the Saints a Thousand Years signifies no more than the long Time of the Churches Prosperity St. Augustin who takes the Thousand Years in this Indefinite manner holds that they began either at Christ's Birth or his Passion and last to the Worlds end or till a little before it when Antichrist is to come and appear in the World Others say they commence at Christ's Death and that as the Saints are said to Reign so the Devil is bound a Thousand Years i. e. all the Time from Christ's Passion to the Consummation of all Things excepting only that little Time when he is Loosed But these are very extravagant Assertions and no considerate Men have undertaken to make them good Why therefore should I undertake to confute them I will only say this to baffle their Notion who take these Thousand Years Indefinitely that first it is expresâ—y asserted in this Chapter that the Godly shall Reign a Thousand Years and that Satan shall be bound just so many Years which indeed are but the same Time Again The Thousand Years are repeated no less than Six-times by St. Iohn here which clearly makes against and Indefinite and Uncertain Number Unless a Certain Determinate Portion of Years were here meant this Definite and Precise Number would not have been reiterated so often For this reason both the Ancient and Modern Expositors of this Chapter universally agree that the Thousand Years here are to be taken in the most obvious and Proper Sence viz. for that Particular Determinate Number But then there is a great Disagreement about the Beginning and Ending of these Thousand Years thus precisely taken Some say they began at Christ's Nativity and lasted till Pope Silvester the Second which was about a Thousand Years after for Idolatry and all Superstitious Rights in the Church broke out and manifestly appeared under him first of all So our Wickliff and Bilney and Aretius a Foreigner thought But others as Bede Primasius Pererius fix the Date at Christ's Passion Others hold the Thousand Years began at the Preaching of the Gospel or about the Destruction of Ierusalem and ended when Popery first began Eminently to prevail which was they say about the Year of Christ 1073. when Hildebrand i. e. Gregory the Seventh invaded the Chair then Satan also was loosed This is Dr. Lightfoot's Opinion as it was also of our Broughton and Vsher and of Pareus and Iunius abroad But surely it is harsh to say that the Devil was bound all the time of the Ten Persecutions when he had Power given him to stir up those Bloody Emperours and Tyrants to commit such Outrages against the
by St. Peter and others and it appears from this Chapter that it was after the Devil was loosed after the Thousand Years Reign of Christ here on Earth yea towards the Consummation of all Things This is the true Time of its happening and therefore we are not to credit the fanciful Conceit of the Highâ—flown Spagyrick Tribe who talk of the Calcining of the Earth by that Fire and preparing it in a Chymical Way for the reception of its new Inhabitants after the Resurrection of the Saints Of Kin to this is what the Author of the New Theory of the Earth asserts That the last Conflagration is to alter and dispose the Earth for a New State to receive the Saints and Martyrs for its Inhabitants who are at the first Resurrection to enter and to live and reign a Thousand Years upon it Before this we were told by another Writer that the Millennium shall begin after the beginning of the Conflagration But another Learned Gentleman is positive That the Millennium shall be after the Conflagration is quite past Any Man may see that this latter Author misplaceth the World's Conflagration only to make way for his Paradisiacal Earth of which he expects a New Edition for he fancies that this shall arise Phoenix-like out of the Ashes of that other For this Reason it was necessary to hold that the blessed Reign of the Thousand Years shall begin after the Conflagration is over viz. between this and the last Judgment But so far as I am able to judge most of the Places he quotes are rather against him than for him if they be well scann'd As to what he lays so great Stress upon that the Iudgment and the Reigning of Christ and joined together in the Apocalypse Chap. 11. 20. he should consider that the Iudgment is oftentimes introduced in this Book not as if it were then to happen when it is mentioned but to strike Terrour into the Minds of the wicked Persecutors of the Church and to represent to them the Certainty of their future Punishment viz. when that Day comes Besides that it were easy to prove that not only in this Book but in other Writings of the Prophets every great and Notable Revolution is compared to God's judging the World and is set forth by the Holy Ghost after that manner Again this Learned Writer frequently misinterprets the Places which speak of Christ's Coming as that in 2 Thes. 2. 8. which is not meant of his Last Coming to Iudgment but of that which I have been largely treating of viz. the happy Reign of the Godly when Antichrist shall be destroy'd which commenceth long before the Final Coming of our Saviour And therefore when he saith the Millennium cannot be till Christ's Coming he deceives himself and his Readers by not attending to the true Meaning of Christ's Coming in those Texts which he refers to Indeed most of his Mistakes proceed from this That whereas the Scripture often mentions the Coming of our Lord to set up a Glorious Church on Earth before the end of the World which likewise he himself acknowledges he interprets it of another Coming i. e. he imagines it to be understood of the Last Appearance of our Saviour Another great Occasion of his Misapprehensions in the present Point is this That where-ever almost he finds in the Old or New Testament any Passages concerning Fire and Burning he applies them as the Reader may observe through his whole Treatise to the Last Combustion of the World which hath unfortunately betray'd him to many Errors Likewise wheresoever New Heavens and a New Earth are made mention of in the Bible he understands them of a New Material World whenas there was no such Thing intended for these Terms denote only a new State and Face of Things viz. that blessed Millennium before treated of Then there shall be such a great and notable Change that there shall seem to be a New World The Inhabitants of this Place shall be so strangely alter'd that there shall be as it were an Appearance of a New Creation In this Sense the Apostle uses the Expression 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a New Creature This Author might as well interpret these Words as the New Heavens and New Earth of a New Material Creation and hold that every Man when he is made a true Christian is physically Created again But I observe it is with this Learned Gentleman as it was with Origen of old who was generally faulty in Allegorizing those Places of Scripture which are to be taken Literally and yet was so unhappy as to expound a clause in Matth. 19. 12. in this latter way notwithstanding it is evident that it was spoken in a Mystical one So we find this Writer turning that part of the Bible which speaks of the Creation of the World and of the Fall of Man into Allegory and Metaphor though they are plain Historical and Literal Passages but those Texts of Scripture which mention New Heavens and a New Earth in a Metaphorical way of speaking are taken by him in a Literal and proper Sense The Heavens and the Earth with the whole Six days Works of the Creation in the first Chapter of Genesis are according to him Allegory and Mystery not to say a Fable But the New Heavens and Earth in Isaiah where they are interpreted to his hand of Ierusalem the the Church of God and in other Places are understood by him in a strict and literal Sense of a New Corporeal System of the World This is the Perverseness of humane Wit and it is its own Punishment I heartily wish the Learned Author were sensible of it and then he would see that this Notion of a New Material Earth and a New Set of heavenly Bodies for Men to inhabit in is all Romance and Fiction built only upon some distorted Texts of Scripture upon some mistaken Passages for want of comparing them with others in the Sacred Writ upon some Scraps and Fragments of a few Platonick and Stoick Philosophers upon the Prepossessions of some of the Fathers of the Church who had been Admirers of the Platonists Opinions upon the Rhetorical Flaunts of some others of them upon the high Flights of some fanciful Poets and lastly on the Dreams of some of the Iewish Rabbins These are too small too tender Wires to hang so great a Weight on as those New Heavens and that New Earth which he fansies If it be said that the New Heaven and New Earth are after the Burning of the World because S. Peter immediately after he had mentioned this dreadful Event adds these Words Nevertheless we according to his Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Epist. 2. Chap. 3. ver 13. I answer That this is Inconsequential for we cannot here argue from the Order of the Apostle's Words to the Order of the Things spoken of He relates the Consumption of the World by Fire and
according to that of the Apostle That which may be known of God was manifest in them for God shew'd it unto them Rom. 1. 19. But as the Apostle there adds they held the Truth in unrighteousness and when they knew God they glorified him not as God but changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and fourfooted Beasts and creeping things and were filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder and all manner of Vice and Villany But tho it was thus with the Gentiles generally yet it was not so with them All there were many that abandon'd Idolatry and profess'd the only True God There were excellent Persons even among the Heathens who were eminent for Grace and Holiness as the Examples before mention'd testifie There was a kind of a Church out of the Church Many of the Gentiles had the knowledg of 〈◊〉 and of his Covenant with Mankind for a great part of the Covenant consisted in the Moral Law which was solemnly proclaim'd on Mount Sinai and was the principal part of the Mosaick Religion but appertain'd to all Men for being the Law of Nature it had respect to the whole Race of 〈◊〉 it concern'd every Person of what Nation or Countrey soever And it might be remark'd to this purpose that at the promulgation of this Law there were present not only Israelites but Strangers and Gentiles Exod. 12. 38. Num. 11. 4. Deut. 29. 11. This intimated that the Church was not shut up within the Iewish Nation the Covenant of Grace extended farther than Iudea And thus we see this Dispensation is a Dispensation of Grace Not only as the whole Gentile World was a sharer in the common Favours and Blessings of Heaven but as some of them were actual partakers of the peculiar and saving Grace of God upon their owning the God of Israel and turning unto him Thus God excluded no sort of People from the participation of his Favour But that of St. Peter was verified God is no respector of Persons but in every Nation he that seareth God and 〈◊〉 Righteousness is accepted with him Acts 10. 34 35. And what I have said is not inconsistent with those places of Holy scripture which speak of the Iews as of a peculiar People and which exast them above all other Nations in the World What Nation saith Moses is there so great who hath God so nigh to them as the Lord our God in all things that we call upon him for As if he had said Other Nations indeed are great yea greater as to 〈◊〉 than the Iews in this they out do us but the Nation of the Iews is to be preferred to them all because God Himself dwelleth with us he is always nigh at hand and we converse familiarly with him daily whenever we inquire of him he answereth us whenever we stand in need of Direction and Assistance he goes before us as our Guide He protects and defends us He helps and delivers us Again What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgments so righteous Where he sheweth on another account the Iews Preeminence viz. their having so exact a Law given them by God It appears not that the Gentiles had any Special Rules and Positive Laws prescribed them as the Iews had The Laws of the Old Testament were revealed only to this People and to no other Nations They were peculiar Laws and therefore the Gentiles were not under the particular Obligation of them Moses his Law never bound any but the Iews and Proselytes who made themselves Inhabitants of that Land it obliged no other Nations under Heaven For it was designed for the Jews only and not for others that is Christ being to be born amongst them God granted to them Particular and Special Favours to distinguish them from other people to Sanctifie and Consecrate them especially Therefore God separated the Israelites from the rest of the World and gave them particular Constitutions and Injunctions he shew'd his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and Iudgments unto Israel he hath not deale so with any Nation and as for his Iudgments they have not known them Psal. 147. 19 20. i. e. the Nations of the World were not govern'd by particular Laws as the Iews they were not so highly honour'd and blessed God was not pleas'd to manifest himself to them in a like degree In this regard the Psalmist saith Psal. 139. 4. The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure And in this respect God saith to Israel You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth Amos 3. 2. God knew that People in a manner different from all others he convers'd with them in a more intimate way than with the rest of the World he reveal'd himself to them in a particular and special manner he govern'd and ruled that People by peculiar Laws and Sanctions and he wrought extraordinary Wonders to support and deliver them so that in comparison of the Iews God may be said not to have known the Gentiles The Apostle likewise declareth the Preference and Prerogative of the Iew above other People in answer to that question What advantage hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision much every way saith he chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God They had singular Discoveries and Revelations of God's Will above others which was a Sign and Assurance of the greatest Favour imaginable They had Holy Laws to make them holier than others and they carried the Sign and Mark of the Holy Covenant even on their flesh For this reason God may be said to have been the God of their Nation But whilst he shew'd more especial kindness to them he did not neglect the rest for besides that all of them lived under the Law of general Grace many of them were specially favoured and experienced the distinguishing Grace of God The Blessings of God's Church reached even to some of those that were not within the Pale of it A Divine Light was reflected from the Church to those that were not thought Members of it Some enlightning and refreshing Rays were sent out to them tho the Sun was not risen on their Horizon The Sum of all is that when God made a Covenant with Abraham and his Posterity the Israelites he did not debar other People from Saving Grace and all Spiritual Benefits There were besides Abraham's Family and the Body of the Israelites who came from Abraham other Persons in the World who knew and worship'd God in a true and right manner Some that were at a great distance from the Holy Land and were Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel were Heirs of Eternal life Some of all Nations were virtually included in the Covenant altho not mantioned Tho they were not to enter into Canaan and Canaan could not hold them which was part of the Covenant to the
the same Or suppose this Phrase from the foundation of the World doth not denote Eternity yet it is enough for our purpose that Christ the Lamb of God was slain from the beginning of the World for from thence we may gather that it was designed and appointed to reach to all following Generations 2. The way and method of Salvation was the same under all the Dispensations of Grace for Christ instructed his Church in all Ages the Gospel was preached to them aâ— well as to us Heb. 4. 2. All the Patriarchs and Prophets and Holy Men of past ages arrived at Heaven and Happiness by the Conduct of this great Guide Iesus Christ the same yesterday 〈…〉 day and for ever are words appliable to Christ nor only as he is King and Priest but also as he is Prophet and Teacher of his Church Which Sacred Office he hath faithfully performed in all Ages and there hath been no Time since the Church was founded but he hath been the Instructer of it The Covenant of Grace was made first of all with Adam in Paradise and God hath from Age to Age renewed that Covenant to his Church and the Grace of God in Christ was common to the Antient Patriarchs and Iews with us So that from the Fall of our first Parents to the end of the World the way of Expâ—ation and of obtaining Salvation hath been is and shall be the same viz. by Christ and by his Merits The Virtue of his Death altho he actually died long after commenced with the first Promise made to Adam The Socinians oppose this and generally hold that the Godly who lived before the time of the Messias were not saved by Him they assert that they knew nothing of it and that there were other means of being saved under the Old Testament than there are under the New But this is a Doctrine deservedly exploded by all Persons who are of the Orthodox Faith and who own the True Christian Religion They all agree that the same way of Salvation hath always prevailed that all who were saved under the Old Testament were saved by Virtue of Christ's Death and Satisfaction There was Justification under the Law tho not by it or by virtue of it Those that believed with their whole hearts on God and faithfully serv'd him were justified and obtain'd Remission of their Sins and Eternal Life by that Grace which was couched in the Law i. e. promis'd in the Messias and figured and represented by the obscure Types of the Law By virtue of the Grace to be exhibited by Christ even those who were before his arrival were saved This is the Doctrine which St. Peter preach'd Acts 15. 11. We believe that through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ we shall be saved even as They i. e. the Fathers before Christ as is clear from the foregoing verse The Holy Men then were acquainted with the Substance of this Covenant viz. the Promise of Restoration by Christ and consequently the Old Testament Saints were saved by him Thus we are told by another inspired Author that by means of Christ's Death there was Redemption for the Transgressors that were under the first Testament Heb. 9. 15. For tho the Redemption of Mankind was not actually wrought by him till he died on the Cross yet the Virtue and Benefit of it were in all Ages as the Sun spreads its light and illuminates our Region before its glorious Body appeareth above the Horizon 3. As to the Conditions and Qualifications on our part all the Dispensations of Grace were the same All substantial Duties towards God and Man are the same now that they were then Even Faith in the Messias is as antient as that Promise on which it was first founded that the Blessâ—d Seed should break the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. They who lived before Christ's Incarnation conâ—ided in this Promised Deliverer by whose Merit they hoped to be reconciled to God Faith in Christ was a Duty under the Old Testament because there were Promises concerning the Messias then as is evident from Luke 1. 72. and what were these Promisessor but to be credited and relied upon Therefore it is recorded that Abraham Believed Rom. 4. 3. Gal. 3. 6. And our Saviour witnesseth that Abraham rejoiced to see his day and he saw it and was glad Joh. 8. 56. The Reason was because as the Apostle saith God preached the Gospel to Abraham Gal. 3. 8. and discovered the Messias to him The just lived by Faith in Habakkuk's time Hab. 2. 4. which by the Apostle is applied to the Evangelical Faith in Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Therefore when Socinus tells us that Faith in Christ was not comprehended in the Mosaick Covenant and when one of his Scholars confidently avers that it is a gross Error to think that the Fathers under the Old Testament believed in Christ to come and were justified by that Faith we know whence to confute these bold Men. That the Evangelical Righteousness and Justification were in the Old Testament is clear because the Apostle brings Examples of this free Justification out of the Old Testament Rom. 4. 3 6 c. That Salvation by Faith in Christ was no New thing is evident from other places as Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins And Rom. 3. 21 22. The righteousness of God withâ—ut the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Aâ—d St. Peter 1 Episâ— Chap. 2. ver 6. proves that Chrisâ— is the foundation whereupon all the Saints are built from Isa. 28. 16. Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded From all which it may be undeniably infeâ—'d that under the Law they believed in Christ for Justiâ—â—cation and that the Fathers before Christ were saved by Faith in him and in a word that all from the beginning of the World have been Justified and Saved the same way viz. for Christ's Merits and upon the Gospel-terms of Sincere Faith and Obedience and of persevering in the same unto the end Thus in respect of the Designation the Way and the Efficacy of Salvation the Evangelical Dispensation differs not from the preceding ones This the Antient Fathers speak of particularly they defend the Antiquity of Christianity and prove it to be as old as Moses yea as Adam Iustin Marâ—yr reckons Abraham and Elias but he goes too far when he reckons Heraclitus and Socrates among Christians in answer to that Objection that those were Christians only that lived within a hundred and fifty Years This Pious Father in another place argueth from the Antiquity of the Christian Religion and the Authors of it That Religion which hath the best Authors and is oldest is
It is not necessary that there should be a Formal Abrogation of the Ceremonial Law because when the Reason of a Law ceases the Law it self ceaseth But yet it is shew'd from sundry Places in the New Testament that the Ceremonial Law is formally and expresly abrogated We are assured of the Truth of the Christian Religion from Humane Testimony The Testimony of the Outward and Bodily Senses is made use of and appealed to in the New Testament as an Argument of the truth of Christianity St. John's Words 1 Ep. 1 Chap. 1 2 3. ver commented upon There is no Certainty in Religion espâ—cially in the Christian if the Testimony of Sense be not allow'd of The Apostles and those who heard and saw the things done by our Saviour were Credible Persons The four Evangelists and other Writers of the New Testament were Competent Witnesses of what they relate Their Personal Qualities which are particularly reckon'd up render their Testimony worthy of all acceptation The Christians that succeeded them faithfully deliver'd things to us Their Lives are a proof of their Integrity Their Sufferings and Death are an undeniable Argument of their testifying the Truth to us An Heap of Evidences that we are not imposed upon by them The very Jews bear witness to the Truth of Christianity The manner of their Congratulating our Saviour at his riding into Jerusalem particularly consider'd Heathens attest the Truth of the Christian Religion So do Infernal Spirits 111. I Am to shew the Truth and Certainty of the Christian Oeconomy and therein of the Christian Religion And here first we must grapple with the tenacious and stubborn Iew for his Dispensation being so Antient and Authentick he is loth to quit it I must prove therefore before I go any further that it is nulled abrogated and superannuated We need not say much of the Iudicial Law It is the Ceremonial one which makes Iudaism properly and is the most opposite to the Christian Administration The Iudicial Laws so far as they make for Peace and good Order in the Government and so far as they are sutable to the present State of Affairs may be observed still but then they oblige not as part of the Mosaick Law but as they are good Rules of Government in themselves But the main Part of the Iudicial Law is not at this Day practicable amongst the Iews themselves they being dispersed and no longer in a Body that Law cannot be made use of and consequently doth not oblige them And any one may see plainly that that Polity and Government was not to last for ever as they foolishly dream For it was not fitted for the Tempers of all People not proper for all Countries but was in most things calculated for the Iewish Meridian only and for the present Circumstances that People were in at that time and therefore it is evident that it was to be changed afterwards I do not lay any stress on what may be observed of the different Manner of delivering the three Laws Moral Ceremonial and Iudicial but only let it be an occasion to suggest to us a right Notion concerning the different Nature of them The Ten Commandments or Moral Law was delivered on the top of the Mount in the face of the World as it were to signify that it was of universal Influence and obliged all Mankind But the Ceremonial Lâ—w was received by Moses in private in the Tabernacle which may hint to us that it was of a peculiar Concern it belong'd to the Iews only it was to cease when the Tabernacle was down when the Veil of the Temple was rent And as for the Iudicial Law it was neither so publickly and audibly given as the Moral Law nor so privately as the Ceremonial which may intimate to us the Nature of that sort of Law it is of an indifferent kind and may be kept up or not according as its Rules sute with the Place and Government It is then the Ceremonial Law wherein the Religion of the Iews as distinct from other People chiefly consisted which I am ingaged more especially to speak of at present The first thing that I will undertake is this to shew that the Mosaick Oeconomy was not designed to be perpetuated but that it was to be changed and to give way to the Evangelical one If this be proved it is a good step towards the main Point viz. the Truth of the Evangelical Oeconomy 1. That the Mosaick Dispensation was not to last always is clear from the many Promises in the Old Testament of inlarging Religion and of extending the Church to the uttermost parts of the World Which is no ways consistent with the Mosaick Oeconomy for according to the Law all the Males were to assemble at Ierusalem and to worship there thrice a Year But when upon the Messias's coming all Nations were to imbrace the true Religion how was it possible for the remotest Nations of the World to come and sacrifice at Ierusalem and constantly to meet there at solemn Feasts Ierusalem could not hold them the Temple would be too little for the Worshippers This is a Sign that God intended not to confine his Church to Iudea but that he designed a Religion which should be Universal and oblige the whole World According to the Law Sacrifices were to be no where but at Ierusalem But it is said in Isa. 19. 19 23. There shall be Altars and Sacrifices to the Lord in Egypt and Assyria and in Mal. 1. 11. From the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offer'd unto my Name and a pure Offering Therefore the City of Ierusalem was not to be the only Seat of solemn Worship and Sacrifice but upon the coming of the Messias Oblations were to be all the World over God saith of his Church which is his House that it shall be called a House of Prayer to all Nations Isa. 56. 7. Mark 11. 17. That is the Church shall be open to all without respect of Persons or Countries which must needs be and was always acknowledged a Prophesy concerning the spreading of Christianity and its being imbraced by some of all Nations under Heaven Therefore it is said by the same Evangelical Prophet in the last Days all Nations shall flow unto it Isa. 2. 2. So in Isa. 56. 3 4 5. we find that Strangers and Eunuchs Persons uncapable by the Mosaick Law of being of the Communion of the Iewish Church shall be admitted into it And that is yet more remarkable which you read in the same Prophet Chap. 66. where after it was plainly foretold that the Gentiles should have a Holy Church and that there should be an Offering to the Lord out of all Nations ver 20. this is added in the next Verse I will also take of them for Priests and for Levites saith the Lord. Observe it there shall be Priests and Levites taken from the
cogent Reasons to perswade us that they truly and faithfully delivered down to us those things This I will make good from the Consideration 1. Of the Persons that transmitted these things 2. Of the Evidence of the Cause First as to the Persons I will consider both their Lives and their Deaths Their Lives are sufficient proofs of their Integrity in delivering the Scriptures of the New Testament to us and of their confident belief of the Truth of all that is contain'd in them The Primitive Christians lived after another rate than we do now They did not wrangle and quarrel as we do they did not â—ight and devour one another as the manner of too many is of latter times but they were remarkable for their mutual Love and Concord for their Humility Meekness and Condescension to one another and they were admired for their Gravity Sobriety Self-denial and Patience they were eminent for their Piety towards God and their Innocent and Righteous dealing with all Men. The Ministers practised what they preached and the People were ambitious to imitate their Preachers and both were singularly Good and Virtuous This was it which gain'd so many Proselytes to Christianity in those first times this brought them to a perswasion of the Truth and Reality of Christ's Doctrine Therefore when Origen had excellently proved the Truth of Christianity to Alexander Severus that noble Emperor ingenuously confessed that he was more convinced of the Truth of that Religion by the humble and loving carriage of Christians than by all Origen's Arguments The exemplary and blameless Conversation of those Primitive Professors argued that the Doctrine and Principles of their Religion were real and certain For how can it enter into any sober Mans thoughts that such holy and upright Men true followers of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ would have constantly confessed and owned the Christian way unless they had been throughly convinced of the Truth of it and that it was the very same which was confess'd and acknowledg'd by the Apostles themselves These Holy and Godly Men made Conscience of a Lie and counted it a heinous Crime to falsify yea they esteem'd it no less than a damnable Sin to disbelieve or misreport those things concerning Christ and the Christian Doctrines They were really perswaded in their Minds that their Salvation lay at stake that their Eternal Welfare or Everlasting Ruin were concern'd in these things And can you imagin then that they would report them falsly and impose upon the World by delivering things which were counterfeit Again as the Lives so the Suffering and Death of the Saints in the Primitive Days and in the succeeding Ages are an undeniable Argument of the Truth of what was deliver'd to them and of what they conveyed to us They underwent the most exquisite Pains and Torments with ineffable Courage and Constancy and nothing could prevail with them to renounce the Christian Religion insomuch that when the Pagan Adversaries in those days would express any thing to be impossible they did it thus Ye may sooner make the Professors of Christ quit their Mastersâ— Doctrine This was a thing not to be effected for those Persons first of all forsook their worldly Goods and then parted with their Lives to hold fast their Religion This patient Suffering and undaunted Dying of so many thousands is an unquestionable Proof of the Truth of Christianity For those enlightned and sanctified Men would never lay down their Lives to maintain a Falshood and to perpetuate a Lie No they knew whom they believed in and for whom they suffer'd and that made them so couragious We may conclude then that the Christian Doctrine is confirm'd by the Blood of those Worthy Men those expiring Saints did testify the Truth of Christianity and therefore they are stiled Martyrs Secondly The Evidence of the Cause is an impregnable Argument of the Reality and Truth of these things which I am speaking of There is this following heap of Evidences 1. A great Presumption arising from just Causes and Circumstances yea and from a multiplicity of them which in all Courts of Judicature is of considerable weight and value with understanding Judges This first but lowest sort of Evidence the Christian Church since our Saviour hath not been destitute of for there were never higher Presumptions in any Cause under Heaven than there were in this But we need not mention this when we have 2. The Notoriety of the Facts i. e. when the things in trial are openly and commonly known when they are avouched by publick Fame and the universal Vogue of Men. And that this was the case of Christianity ever since Christ left the Earth cannot be denied by any Man of Modesty and Truth 3. The Succession of Christians and Churches in the World is a plain Proof that they verily believed those things which made them Christians and Churches Hereupon they deliver'd to us those Writings which they receiv'd from the Hands of the Evangelists and Apostles by their transmitting them to Posterity they shew that they believe them to be sacred and certain Verities 4. The Succession of Bishops and Pastors is an other Evidence for it was their Office to read publickly the Scriptures of the New Testament and to preach the Doctrines contain'd in them and consequently to own them to be Truth which is a good Motive to us to do the same 5. The frequent Disputes which Christians in all Ages have held with those who opposed the Scripture and Christianity are no mean Testimony in this Cause 6. To these may be added the famous Writings of the Christians in the several Centuries their Apologies Dialogues Sermons Homilies Orations Commentaries Histories All which proclaim their serious and firm Belief of what they have convey'd down to us 7. All Christian Churches have deliver'd to us certain Symbols or Articles of Belief which they reckon'd to be the Standards of Evangelical Faith and Truth 8. The Constant Communion of the Church and the publick Worship of God in the solemn Assemblies of Christians ever since the days of the Apostles the setting apart a Day for that Worship the reading of the Scriptures at such times the instructing the People out of them the celebrating the Lord's Supper the constant custom of openly rehearsing and proâ—essing the Christian Belief the Prayers and Praises offer'd to God in the name of Christ the yearly Commemoration of the Birth Death and Resurrection of our Saviour the Sacrament of Baptism which acknowledgeth the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 9. The sundry Decrees and Canons of Synods and Councils held in the Christian Churches Lastly the many Laws and Edicts of Christian Emperours and Princes in defence and confirmation of our most holy Religion These and all the rest before-named are clear Proofs and Evidences that the Evangelical Writings which contain the Doctrine and Actions of our blessed Lord were rightly and truly convey'd to us and that we are in possession of the same Faith and
the Truth of Christianity Particular Inferences from this part of the Discourse viz. 1. Assent to the Christian Religion 2. Assert and defend it More General Inferences from the whole Christian Dispensation are such as these 1. Admire the transcendent Excellency of it 2. Be thankful for it 3. Learn hence our great obligation to Holiness and strictness of Life This enlarg'd upon 4. If we live not sutably to this Dispensation our doom will be more intolerable than that of others under the foregoing Oâ—conomies It appears from the general behaviour of Men that this is not thought of 5. We are to look upon this as the last Dispensation This is the meaning of Eph. 1. 10. which Words are fully expounded This is infer'd from the Gospel's being call'd the New Testament And from those Expressions the last times the last days Wherefore we must not expect any New Dispensation Fourthly THE wonderful prevailing of Christianity is another Testimony no less than Divine of the Truth of it Observe the marvelous spreading and increasing of it at first Christ began with twelve Apostles and seventy Disciples after his Death the number of the Names of the Disciples is said to be about a Hundred and Twenty Acts 1. 15. Soon after three Thousand were converted to Christianity Acts 2. 41. and afterwards five Thousand more Acts 4. 4. Then we read that a great Company of the Priests were obedient to the Faith Acts 6. 7. And of honourable Women not a few believed Acts 17. 12. And several more at other times till Christianity in a short space of time got a considerable footing in the World The elder Pliny who was Proconful under the Emperour Trajan and therefore knew very well upon diligent enquiry the numbers of the Christians at that time acquaints us that even then which was less than fourscore Years after Christ's Passion that Multitudes of all Ages and Orders and of both Sexes embraced the Christian Religion and that not only Cities but Country-Towns and Villages were stock'd with the Professors of it We may well then give credit to what the Christian Writers say afterwards viz. that all Places and Offices were filled with Christians as Tertullian tells the Roman Senate It is now about two hundred and forty Years since the days of Christ the Redeemer said St. Cyprian and lo in this time the Church hath spread out her Branches wider than the Roman Empire At last Christ's Gospel broke in pieces Gentilism and within much less than a Century cast the Empire into the Lap of the Church This quick Advance of the Christian Church this strange progress and success of the Faith of the Gospel proclaim it to be from God and him alone This wonderful increase of Christianity in so short a time was signified in our Saviour's Parable in the 13th of St. Matthew where the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Grain of Mustard-seed which increases to a Tree in a short time So the Gospel at first was little and mean a few contemptible Men came to Christ and owned his Doctrine but their Numbers grew greater and greater and in few years the Christian Religion spread it self over the World and all the Kingdoms of the Earth In the same Chapter the Gospel is compared to Leaven which spreads it self through the whole Mass so the Evangelical Doctrine diffused it self of a sudden and was seen to be dilated into a very spacious Circumference in a little time Christianity so over-ran the Empire that those who before were named Ethnicks and Gentiles were now call'd Pagans because they lived in poor Country Towns only The Inâ—idels were now but few and of mean Quality the chief Cities and Towns were fill'd with those that profess'd the Christian Religion though as was said the Country was not left empty of them But by what means was this done Was it by deep Policy or mighty Force No. Christianity prevail'd not as Mahomets Sect did that got up by Military Success by Sword and War and force of Arms. But the Christians never struck one stroke for their Cause unless you reckon that of St. Peter when he cut off the High Priest's Servant's Ear but then he was commanded by his Master to put up his Weapon and they never drew it afterwards Christianity was not acquainted with Martial Discipline and the Law of Arms there was no use of these harsh Methods in the propagating of it Again Mahometism prevail'd in a rude and illiterate Nation that Impostor was witty and knew how to cajole the ignorant People But Christianity grew up in the most civilized parts of the World where there was the greatest Knowledg and the most Arts and we have Examples of the profoundest Philosophers and Sages that imbraced the Christian Faith I wave the mentioning of others besides Mahomet who had a Martial or a Politick Spirit to help them in their Enterprizes and to carry on their designs I only observe to you the marvelous Power and prevalency of Christianity which is seen in this that tho it made no use of these Means yet it daily increas'd and was every where propagated From low and mean beginnings it grew up to a vast Proportion and at length it arrived to the Sway and Soveraignty over the greatest Kingdoms Here I will insist on these two Heads 1. That in the propagating of Christianity the Ignorant prevail'd against the Learned and Wise. 2. That the Weak prevail'd against the Strong and Powerful both which are no mean Arguments of the Truth of Christianity First the Ignorant prevail'd against the Wise. For what were the Apostles Were they any other than ignorant and unlearned simple rude Men not bred up in the Schools of Learning not acquainted with Arts and Sciences wholly Strangers to Philosophy and the fashionable Learning of those days What were the Apostles but poor despicable Mechanicks who knew nothing but their sorry Boats and homely Cottages And what were the Men that these illiterate Persons opposed They were the Learned Doctors and Rabbins the Scribes and Pharisees who were the wisest Clerks and Scholars amongst the Iews Yet we read that some of these knowing Men attended to the Doctrine of the Gospel preach'd by Christ and his Apostles some of these owned Christ and Christianity When Jesus was presented in the Temple Simeon a Grave and Reverend Person one of singular Wisdom and Sanctity amongst the Jews acknowledg'd him publickly to be the Messias and Saviour foretelling also many things of him Christianity was favoured by Ioseph of Arimathea a wise Counsellour by Nicodemus a Doctor of the Jewish Law and afterwards by Gamaliel another Learned Doctor of the Law who by the advice he gave may be thought to have been a Friend of Christianity Saul a Man of great Learning and Abilities brought up at the feet of this or another Gamaliel and Apollo of Alexandria very knowing and powerful in the Scriptures were converted to Christianity and submitted themselves to
come the Kingdom of our God which is explained by the next Words The Power of his Christ his effectual Reigning whereby he shews his Power in the Church more than ever We have not yet seen the Consequences of the Seventh Angel's Sounding when it was proclaim'd with a loud Voice from Heaven The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever Rev. 11. 15. which in v. 17. is call'd his taking to him his great Power and his Reigning Which gives us to understand that he doth not at first exert his great Power in the Evangelical Dispensation he doth not fully Reign but that he will afterwards and upon Earth This is taking to him his c. There is one Text more which I will add and I request the Reader to consider of it He i. e. Christ must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. The Apostle had mention'd the Resurrection of the Saints at Christ's last coming v. 23. and thereupon adds in the next Verse then cometh or then is the end viz. of this World and Present State of things when he that is Christ shall have deliver'd up the Kingdom the Saints who are the chiefest part of his Kingdom to God even the Father when i. e. after he shall have put down all Rule and all Authority and Power which oppose him and his Kingdom For he must Reign i. e. in his Church till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet Now it is plain and undeniable that this time is not yet come therefore it shall be hereafter There must be a time here on Earth when Christ shall have put all his Enemies under his Feet when he shall Reign without opposition And this is the time I am speaking of viz. the Third Exertment of the Evangelical Dispensation But the most Signal Eminent and Renowned Place on which may be Founded and Built the Future Glorious State of the Christian Church on Earth is the 20th Chapter of the Revelation where is expresly foretold the Binding of Satan a Thousand Years and the Saints Living and Reigning with Christ a Thousand Years I know full well this Chapter hath been miserably perverted not only of late but at the first setting out of Christianity Some from this place asserted a Terrene Millennary Kingdom of Christ consisting chiefly in Corporal Pleasures and Carnal Delights as if they design'd to revive the Epicurean Happiness or to antedate the Mahometan Heaven Cerinthus is said to be the Author of this Opinion for being a Man addicted to Sensuality and Pleasure he founded an Happiness here on Earth of such a Nature viz. abounding with all Delights relating to Meats and Drinks Concupiscence and Effeminacy So saith an Antient Ecclesiastical Writer Dionysius of Alexandria 1. 2. de Promis And Eusebius saith the same Eccl. Hist. 1. 7. c. 19. But this savours too much of the Flesh besides that it contradicts our Saviour who said His Kingdom was not of this World John 18. 36. and consequently the Reigning of the Saints is not Worldly and Sensual but Spiritual and Heavenly And besides these Men held that this Reign of Christ here on Earth was to be after the Resurrection yea and after the last Iudgment which renders this Opinion yet more Improbable if not Absurd as if the Saints who had enjoy'd the Pleasures of Heaven would count it a Happiness to be entertain'd with those that are Sensual and Carnal There were Others of Old who had a more Tolerable Notion of the Millennary Reign for they placed it not in Sensual and Earthly Pleasures and mere outward Peace and Prosperity though they held it was not without these There Opinion in short was this that after Six Thousand Years in this World were compleated the Saints should all rise their Bodies should ascend out of their Graves or where ever else they were and their Souls should come down from Heaven and Christ also should descend from thence and keep a Jubile with them and Reign with great joy a Thousand Years here upon Earth and that all Kingdoms should be made subject to him and that the Righteous should be Bless'd with an abundance of the Good Things of this World but without any Intemperance Excess or Immoderation whatsoever This they call'd the First Resurrection from which all the Ungodly are excluded After this Seventh Millennary of Years is compleated all Men shall rise from the Dead which is the Second Resurrection This was the Sentiment of most of the Ancient Fathers yea of all Christians who were accounted Orthodox as Iustin Martyr acquaints us He and Irenaeus and Ierom and others tell us that this Doctrine came first from Papias Bishop of Hierapolis who pretended he had it from St. Iohn whose Scholar he was and from the Disciples of the Apostles with whom he was acquainted So that the Pedegree of the Millennary Opinion is this It was first broach'd by Cerinthus then reâ—ined by Papias and others and afterwards transmitted to the Latin and Greek Fathers Or if we will be more exact in the Lineage and Descent of it we must begin it higher and say that the Apostles set it on foot first for they dreamt of an Earthly Kingdom of Christ in this World as I have shewed before Or rather we may trace it up to the Iews before Christ the Millennium was borrowed from an Antient Tradition and Perswasion among that People that the Messias should Reign a Thousand Years on Earth in all Pomp and Grandure The Babylon Talmud in Sanhedrim in the Chapter Helek doth shew this to be the Opinion of the Hebrew Doctors about the Days of the Messias And Aruch mentions it as a thing of undeniable certainty and so speaks R. Eliâ—zer in Midrash Tillim The Days of the Messias are a Thousand Years So our Learned Lightfoot The Opinion of his Personal Reign in the affluence of all Sensual and Worldly Delights was an old Iewish Error saith St. Ierom once and again And several other Writers testifie that it was a received Notion among them That the Messias after Six Thousand Years of the World were expired should Reign in Person all the time of the next Millennary with his Elect on Earth in perfect Peace and Prosperity and hence the Christians converted from Iudaism borrow'd and retain'd this Notion And truly it was kept up a long time in the Church it was almost universally believ'd no less than the first Three Hundred Years after the Apostles At last the credit of Papias who was thought to be the first Broacher of this Doctrine was call'd in question Though he was a Man oâ— great Simplicity Honesty and Integrity yet he was one of small Judgment and mean Learning saith Eusebius And he adds in another place that this Papias spoke Strange and Fabulous things and did not understand the Apostles Arguings St. Ierom and St. Augustin
Judgment shall be chiefly Effected by the Preaching of Enoch and Elias So far we may allow it to be true that such Holy and Zealous Men as they were shall be the Instruments of this Great Work and you may be certain it will easily be brought to Perfection when such Persons are raised up by God to act in it And with Pathetick Instructions Invitations Admonitions and Convictions shall be joyned most Ardent Prayers for at such a time the Christian Church will be stired up to pity the forlorn state of this miserable People and to solicit Heaven with importunate Addresses in their behalf The Devout Mr. Herbert may be a Pattern in this particular who when he had express'd his sense of there Condition in these and the like Words Poor Nation whose sweet Sap and Iuice Our Cyens have purloyn'd and left you dry Compassionately adds O that my Prayers mine alas Oh that some Angel might a Trumpet sound At which the Church falling upon her Face Should cry so loud until the Trump were drown'd And by that cry from her dear Lord obtain That your sweet Sap may come again Moreover the wonderful Conversion of the Gentiles which shall be a forerunner of that of the Iews shall be another cause of the coming in of these latter and of their accepting the Gospel This is suggested to us by our Apostle v. 11. of the 14. to the Romans Salvation shall come for so we may read it because there is no Verb in the Original to determine the time to the Gentiles to provoke them i. e. the Jews to jealousie And this is yet more clear from 25 and 26. v. of the Eleventh Chapter before insisted upon which not only assert the General Calling of the Iews but that it shall be after the Fulness of the Gentiles i. e. when the Gentiles are Converted Blindness in part i. e. for a certain time is happen'd to Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And when this is come in then the Jews shall no longer be blinded I take this to be a clear Text for the Priority of the Gentiles Conversion before that of the Iews though I find it opposed by several and particularly by our Learned Hammond who attempts to distort the Words and by the Author of The State of the Church in Future Ages Chap. 6. where he contends that the Apostles Words are to be understood in a qualifi'd sense and that is this Blindness in part is befallen Israel for so long as until the time come in which the Gentiles shall come in in their fullness that is they shall come in then more generally than ever before But whatever this dark Gloss drives at this is a plain obvious and intelligible Truth that though there was a great and notable Conversion both of Gentiles and Jews in the Apostle's time yet that could not be meant here because the Apostle speaks of something to come in Future Ages viz. a Compleat and Vniversal Conversion of those two And as to the Order of them he lets us know that the Gentiles shall be first Converted and then the Iews for saith he the Blindness and Hardness of these latter shall not be taken away until the fulness of the other comes in i. e. until the full number of Gentiles be come into the Church of God by a hearty imbracing and professing of Christianity Can any thing be plainer than this Could the Apostle have used any clearer Words to express this matter viz. That the Conversion of the great Multitude of the Heathen World will preceed that of the Jews that it will be a means to remove their Blindness and Hardness and to cause them to own the Christian Faith Wherefore I can't submit to this Authors qualifi'd sence and that for a Reason which himself assigns in another Place To force an unusual Signification upon a Word where the Scope of the Place and Nature of the Matter where it is used does not necessarily require it hath little Authority in it to procure assent But this Sence which I offer is further evident from what the Apostle adds in the forenamed Place So all Israel shall be saved The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so is very Emphatical and Remarkable here for it acquaints us that the General Conversion of Salvation of the Iews shall be such shall be so that it shall be the Effect and Consequence of the Gentiles foregoing Conversion SO they shall be Converted in this Manner they shall be Saved and no otherwise The Jews shall behold that strange Revolution and sudden Change in the Pagan World and thence be stirr'd up to make an Alteration among themselves A holy Emulation shall possess their Minds which shall push them on to this great Work So i. e. in this Manner and Method all Israel shall be Saved the whole Body of the Jews shall be received into the Church Perhaps this Universal Call may be promoted by some extraordinary Appearance or Spectacle in the Heavens Some would infer from that Place before-cited They shall look on him whom they have pierced that our Saviour will come and be seen at that Grand Change of Affairs but from what I have said already on that Passage it is manifest that it is not capable of the Sence As for Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him and even they which pierced him and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him which is thought by some to be a parallel Place with that which I last named because there is some likeness in the Words in both Places I rather think it is spoken of the Last Day the Day of Judgment when they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven Matth. 24. 30. which is generally acknowledged to the meant of Doomsday Then all impenitent Sinners and more especially they that pierced and crucified Christ and died in their Sins shall see him to their unspeakable Sorrow But those Words if any in Dan. 7. 13. may seem to be some proof of Christ's Appearing himself in the Clouds when his Kingdom on Earth is to be set up anew One like the Son of Man came in the Clouds of Heaven and there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom c. for I have shew'd before that these Words are a Prediction of the Millennium Though I cannot be positive here for it may be this coming in the Clouds of Heaven may only refer to the Manner of the Vision which Daniel had I saw in the Night Visions saith he one like the Son of Man who appeared as if he came in the Clouds yet I must needs say I am rather enclined to think that this Place speaks of a visible Appearance of our Saviour at the Entrance of the Millennary Reign especially in order to the rouzing and alarming of the Hardned Iews who will be looking after Signs from Heaven And therefore at such a time it