to sound Rev. 10.7 as he hath declared to his Servants the Prophets so that the Prophets are here alledged as the foundation of what ever should be fulfilled from the sounding of the last mystical Trumpet and therefore I conceive this finishing of the Mystery is not only applicaple to the Jews conversion though to that in special yet to all others then to be fulfilled in their their time I rather conceive it includes the completing of all the parts of the great Mystery of Godliness which the Apostle Paul sets forth so particularly in order concerning Christ 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh c. he concludes with his receiving up into Glory as signifying that when that state of Christs session at his Fathers right hand was ended all such Scripture Mysteries would end be finished c. the times of Revelation of all things would follow thereupon as well as the times of the restitution of all things when the Temple of God will be open in Heaven and there shall be seen in his Temple the Ark of his Testament Rev. 11. â—9 and saith that same Apostle We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 and it seems upon Christs sitting there he had the Book of Revelation in due time to be made known by his Servant John to the Churches containing the order and temper of all the times ever since to his second coming when this Mystery of God will be finished which the same Apostle there briefly recounteth in order which we shall a little touch upon particularly First God was manifest in the flesh at his first coming which was 4000 years in fulfilling saith Bishop Vsher from the first promise made to Adam and Eve at the fall and carried on all along that time by many confirmations and explications thereof by many Types Prophesies Promises Services and Sacraments till that great accomplishment of them all at his said first coming whereof that late many ways eminent and Reverend person Bishop Brownrig speaketh acurately upon that Text as follows All the Prophets saith he from Samuel and those that followed after as many as have spoken have foretold his coming Acts 3.24 Of this Salvation all the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently He is Abrahams promised Seed Moses his Great Prophet Jacobs Shilo Esays Immanuel Jeremie's Man compassed by a woman Ezechiels Shepherd Daniels Holy One Zechariah's Branch Solomons Lilly David's Lord Malachy's Angel all that prophesied looked at him he is the end and body and substance of all their Rites and Ceremonies He was Abels Sacrifice Abraham's first Fruits Isaac's Ram Jacobs Ladder Moses his Passeover Aarons Rod The Israelites Rock The Patriarchs Manna Davids Tabernacle Solomons Temple all Types and Representations of his Incarnation all their Kings were Figures of this Great King all their Deliverers and Judges Types of this great Saviour all their Priests were Ushers to bring in this High Priest of our Profession all the Mysteries in Scripture serviceable to this Mystery So the time of his coming the place of his birth the Tribe the Progenitors the Person of whom he was born with all things that mainly concerned the excellencie of his Person or the greatness of his humiliation were foretold by the Prophets yea and his exaltation too though the greatest part remains to be fulfilled in his 1000 years reign afterwards Again 2ly Justified saith the Apostle in the Spirit he was powerfully with him from his birth continued with him in his life in his increasing in wisdom and favour with God and men which was observably by his disputing with the Doctors in the Temple at 12 years of age and in the Spirits descending upon him in the shape of a Dove and sitting upon him at his Baptism In his Tentations in the wilderness 40 days in his holy and gracious conversation in his whole life-time in his Divine Doctrine which he taught in his many wonderful Miracles that he wrought in both powerfully declaring him to be the Son of God in fulfilling the whole Law and Prophesies of himself in satisfying fully by his sufferings for mans sin in powerfully raising him from the dead in instructing his Disciples in the forty days after in the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God c. 3ly Seen of Angels proclaimed by them to be the Saviour of all people at his birth attended on by them all his life honoured by them at his Resurrection testifying his coming again at his Ascention Acts 1. And shall also be worshipped by all those Elohim at at his second coming again Heb. 1.6 Psal 97.7 Fourthly Preached unto the Gentiles at their first calling upon the rejection of the Jews when as said the Apostle the sound thereof went into all parts of the world c. which hath been continued for almost 1700 years and will till they that pierced him shall penitently behold him as is hopeful Rev. 1.7 Zech. 12.10 Fifthly Believed on in that world by all Nations none excluded according to his Command to his Apostles to preach the Gospel to every Creature capable of the Grace of God by him therein to be so offered unto all Mark 16.15 And lastly received up into Glory wherein Gods said great Mistery was to be perfected at his coming again viz. when those Mysteries in the Revel will be accomplished that are to precede it and all the other said revealed Mercies then to be fulfilled in their seasons as the Prophets have foretold respecting those times as we said which the Angel Christ there declares should then be finished when the seventh Angel begins to sound c. Chap. 10.7 accordingly the raising up the Tabernacle of David also points out those times prophesied of Amos 9.11 and applied Acts 15.16 remarkably to these very times pointing out Christs Davidical Kingdom in due time to come whereby the great fulness of the Gentiles will come in at the Jews second call when Jews Gentiles will both rejoyce together Upon which we may observe how the Spirit of God inspired the holy Apostle to deliver that greatly useful Divine truths known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world as if especially he would teach that glorious Kingdom of Christ which was to be set up in the end of the world was Gods designe from the beginning for then the Serpents head will be eminently broken and that till then God fills up all times with all his foreknown works because to every purpose there is time and judgment c. as Eccles 8.6 7. whence we should labour to have our thoughts words and actings regular for he hath shewed us what is good Mic. 6.8 then we may be sure the issues of Providence will be good to us which will be a good improvement of that Divine truth and of that occasion of delivering it The threefold consideration of
regard that the words were true as antiently delivered by the God of Truth that cannot lye or deceive or be deceived but secondly they are likewise faithful grounded upon many gracious promises and Covenants as we hope farther to manifest Come we now to consider the main thing declared that God at such a time or state of things occurring in the world makes all things new being Emphatically called by the Apostle Peter The times of Restitution of all things which Renovation of all things is three wayes considerable first Negatively what it is not Secondly Privatively in respect of what God will then remove or take away Thirdly Positively in respect of what God will do in the performance of that great and gracious work 1. Negatively in respect of what he will not do it doth not imply that God will then bring a total destruction upon the Created World by destroying it and the Creatures in it with wicked men then to be destroyed out of it and other Creatures to be placed in a New world which we have no Scripture grounds for but for the contrary for that is to be done at Christs sitting upon the great white Throne at the dissolution of all things Rev. 20.11 above 1000 years after neither in reason can it be conceived for what use Creatures should serve when good and bad men were removed before out of it c. 2. Privatively by Gods removing and taking away many evil things out of the world which have been brought into it since he first in 7 days Created finished his great and good work of Creation by Satan Sin and wicked men such as the Curse Corruption Bondage and Enmity of the Creatures since abiding in it in an eminent degree with the causes thereof by destroying many wicked men out of the Earth Rev. 11.18 and binding Satan for the 1000 years in the bottomless pit that he deceive not the Nations any more till that 1000 years shall be finished therefore I say with the causes thereof for sublata causa tollitur effectus and contrarily to bring the world into a capacity to be made better and to be put into a New and better frame than when they prevailed in it he will then also eminently remove and take away those many evils caused and brought into the world by them first the curse brought in by them will then be taken away for saith Christ there shall then be no more curse Rev. 21.3 the earth which was cursed by these means upon the Fall shall be eminently restored unto its native fruitfulness peculiar to that time and state Ezek. 34.26 27. There shall then be showers of blessing upon it and the trees of the field shall yield her fruit and the Earth shall yield her increase and with that fruitfulness they shall then have safety and peace for they shall be safe in their Land and shall know that I am the Lord being delivered from their Enemies as there follows c. So also Ezek. 36.8 Ye Mountain of Israel ye shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people of Israel and ver 11. I will multiply upon you man and beast and they shall increase and bring fruit and ver 29 I will call for the Corne and increase it and lay no famine upon you c. yea their Land shall become for fruitfulness like the Garden of Eden ver 35. and Joel 3.18 The Mountains shall drop down with New Wine and the Hills shall flow with Milk which are high expressions of the fruitfulness of those times also Hos 2.21 In that day will I hear saith the Lord I will hear the Heavens and the they shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall hear Jezreel Again the Enmity of men and other creatures will then be also removed which have prevailed in the world from the fall first among men there hath been since the fall Murther Slaughter Blood shed prevailing and so will still untill those times amongst them but then Nation shall no more rise against Nation neither shall they learn War any more yea they shall beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning hooks Esa 2.4 and Hos 2.18 I will break the Bow and the Sword and the Battel out of the Earth and will make them to lie down in safety and for the peaceableness of other Creatures which not only Allegorically as some understand the Promises to that purpose but they will litterally be performed when that Savage Cruelty in their corrupt natures since the fall will then be taken away that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lamb as the Prophet Esa speaks chap. 11.6 and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid c. and they shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy Mountain and Esa 65.25 The Wolfe and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lyon shall eat straw like the Bullock c. So the hurtful influence of the Heavens and the distempers of the 4 Elements and the noxious qualities of the Creatures will be then wonderfully refined that the Heavens as God promiseth may hear the earth and they hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl c. And the Inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not then say I am sick when the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Esai 33.24 The Creatures which since the Fall have been held under the bondage of corruption under which the whole Creation still groaneth shall as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8.21 in that state be delivered from it and that also into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God The bodies of all Saints saving some few as Enoch Moses Elias have lien rotting in the Grave and so will till then but they shall all in that time and state receive the Adoption Rom. 8.21 the faithful Gentiles then receiving that with all benefits belonging to them as the spiritual Seed of Abraham Gal. 3.29 as well as to his faithful natural Seed both Jews and Israelites which he explains in the next words even the redemption of our bodies N.B. which as was shewed before will be the inlet to all those Saints into the happiness of that time and state c. And thus briefly of Gods removing the said evils or the like with the causes thereof When Christ the Universal King of Kings and Prince of the Kings of the earth Rev. 19. and Rev. 1.5 will not only rescue the great and excellent building of the World out of the power of the Prince of the Air but repair the ruines and desolations he and his retinue of wicked men and Devils have wrought in it and reduce it for himself and his Spouse the Saints into a far better condition than ever it was in before which will be by Gods said removal of the said evils then when he makes all things new Thirdly this renovation is to be considered Positively in respect of Gods conferring good upon
Saints being as it is described a perfect Cube of 1500 miles in length breadth and heighh fitted for the motion and benefit of their spiritual bodies yet said then to have foundations because then they will have their bodies who needed no foundations when they were Jerusalem above only the spirits of just men made perfect Gal. 4.2 and for the other in the natural life they shall lengthen their cords strengthen their stakes Esa 54.2 God hath prepared fit places for both who fully knows the number of them all Now many things in Scripture are said to be prepared by God or Christ that will not have their peculiar existence at present till the times come So our Saviour went to prepare the beloved great Jerusalem for his Disciples John 14.1 2 3. where they shall behold this his glory which his Father hath given him John 17.24 and this is the City prepared for the Forefathers Heb. 11.16 and for us v. 40. so saith Christ inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Matth. 25.34 and the eternal happiness which eye hath not seen ear hath not heard which God hath prepared 1 Cor. 2.9 and on the contrary Hell torment is prepared for the wicked Matth. 25.41 and Tophet is prepared of old for the King Esa 30.33 probably meant of the great Assyrian which will at that time be destroyed viz. the Turk called the Assyrian Mich. 5.5 when the Assyrian shall come into our Land that is possessing the Assyrians Kingdom then now all these so said to be prepared shall have their existence certainly in their times and it seemeth probable that this last Tophet with the River of Brimstone Esa 30. will be out of the matter of the earth dissolved at last c. which will yet make for the happiness of the Saints that they have not only escaped all such sufferings but shall inherit such wonderful manifold and everlasting happiness And now we come Fourthly to the last great Priviledge of the said New Jerusalem state and the said Kingdom of Christ with his Saints namely the Paradise of God then likewise to be restored instead of that which was first lost by the fall of the first Adam last mentioned in this Divine Key or bunch of Keys of our Saviour of which though from the fall intended yet we hear nothing particularly of it until our Saviour by his death had purchased it and then promised it to the penitent Thief upon the Cross with him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise whither Christs Soul then went to take possession of it for all his Saints before he said the Angels are said to carry Lazarus into Abrahams bosome but the Apostle Paul explains it afterwards to be the third Heaven and Paradise where then it was but after when the New Jerusalem comes down with Christ from God out of Heaven that Paradise of God is described to belong to that Holy City where is the Tree of Life which yieldeth fruits every Month and whose Leaves are for the healing of the Nations with the pure River flowing from the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22. which are Divine expressions of the happiness of the Saints then spoken in resemblance unto the first Paradise and to the living waters spoken of by Christ John 7.37 38. which all the Saints shall in that state enjoy And so we have given a touch of these several parts of Gods Renovation of all things at that time of the restitution of all things spoken of by the Apostle Peter Acts 3.21 But one thing more the Scripture speaks of to belong to the same renovation and that is the Dominion over the Creatures to be restored then also when God shall put all things in subjection under Christs feet Psa 8.4 and Heb. 2.8 together with the Creatures freedom from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God of which much in Scripture when the emnity shall be taken away from amongst them as was said when Christs rest shall be glorious ver 10. Now all these great Priviledges are founded upon the antient Promises and Covenants of God to the faithful Fathers and thus Divinely unlocked by this said Key of our blessed Saviour so graciously left for his Churches consolation in these latter days when the evil suffering times are almost at an end and that happy state of things for the Saints is near approaching as we hope many ways to manifest in considering what those times of renovaâ—ion or restitution are which is next to be considered And how should the evidence of these things stir up all Christians to believe and act as to secure their own interest in them and to cast off every weight that presseth down that might hinder them in running their Christian race to obtain the Crown with all such precious Jewels wherewith it is so richly adorned for these Scriptures for this happy state cannot be broken We proceed to the third Head namely to consider what are the the times or in what state or occurrence of affairs in the world God will work this renovation or restitution of all things Obj. But here an Objection must first be answered Doth not the Apostle Paul tell us the times of renovation are past 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is become a new Creature old things are past away saith he Behold all things are become new in the very words of this Text. Answ The Holy Apostle speaks there of the great spiritual renovation of the Souls of the faithful the foundation whereof was laid at Christs first coming and which will be the real ground to all Saints of obtaining their shares in the great renovation which God will work for them in that state to come we speak of wherein all such shall have their part for if Christ had not by his Death Resurrection and Ascension then laid the happy foundation by leading captivity captive triumphing gloriously over the powers of darkness there could have been no obtaining of this other but since he hath this will necessarily in its order and time follow thereupon in that perfecting of the work of Redemption in the world Again old things were then by that means passed away and all things become new then comparatively in respect of what they were under the Old Testament before he actually came in our nature before Gospel Grace was dark and more rare less efficacious under many types shadows and Ceremonial observances and Old Testament dispensations under the New Testament is a new and better Covenant new and better Promises new and better Ordinances new and better Dispensations as might largely be set forth So then by his first coming was the chief foundation laid of all following renovation of the world to come then was indeed the inchoation and powerful beginning of all happy renovation and the foundation laid of all the other the hopes whereof will be but building upon the sand without that founding upon the Rock
Christ by faith wrought in believers Souls by the powerful operation of the Holy Ghost but these times of restitution of all things we speak of are quite another thing to be fulfilled for Christ and his Saints at his second coming which the first made way for when the outward visible total and final Redemption will be fulfilled as well as the inward for Satan remains still the God of the world and Prince of the Power of the Air and works effectually in the Children of disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will not believe and he they both bring much suffering and persecutions upon the Saints but in the following renovation they will both be taken off so that the Servants of Christ shall then serve him in righteousness and true holiness before him without fear of their enemies all the days of their lives which is the mercy promised to the Fathers as Zacharias sweetly sings out Luke 1 72 74 75. for then the inward and spiritual work of Redemption will be much more perfected in the Saints as well as the outward and visible for the Saints And thus much for answer to that Objection Now to proceed to consider what these times are how set forth in Holy Scripture and how it doth appear that they are now near approaching for the resolution whereof we must chiefly make use of this most Divine Book of Revelation with some of Daniels Visions respecting the same times as they are by Christ more fully explained in their due series and order which is a matter of very great use in all the sufferings times of the Church to Chap. 19. but after of much advantage and benefit for the Church of God in those good and happy times to which our Saviours Divine Key of these things hath special reference and is graciously given by him to open the Mysteries of them for the great use and consolation of his people in these later days to which purpose we shall consider those principal Texts of Scripture that have their reference unto those latter days The first is that great declaration of God upon the Fall of man Gen. 3.15 which is the most comprehensive of all others both containing removal of evil conferring of good in the Restitution of all things upon which accounts Christ hath ever since proceeded in the execution of all his three great Offices of the great Prophet Priest and King for his Universal true Church as the work his Father gave him to do until he make his great enemies his footstool eminently by destroying of wicked men that destroyed the earth and binding of Satan so to still the enemy and the avenger and finally at his casting him into the Lake of fire as was shewed from Holy Scripture when he will be utterly stilled for by reason of prevailing sin he brought the old world to suffer the Vengeance of the Deluge by Waters and Sodom and Gomorrah to be consumed with fire and brimstone from Heaven and even Gods people to be led captive by the Assyrians and Caldeans with all other miseries befalling for sin before and since Christ stilled him in good measure at his first coming when he was struck dumb and his Oracles put to silence and more stilled him under the sixth Seal when he was cast down from his Regencie of Heathenish Idolatry in his Heavens under the Pagan-Rulers unto the earth whereupon in his great wrath he betook him to his last designe of setting up the twofold Beast to continue till the said great stilling of him in the 1000 years also that great Oracle of God Psal 110.1 much spoken of in the New Testament hath also direct relation unto the said times when Christ shall cease to sit at his Fathers right hand in Heaven and his enemies as was said be made his footstool till which times saith the Apostle Peter also Acts 3.31 the Heavens must receive Christ viz. till these times of restitution of all things deciphered in the Text by him that sits upon the Throne when his Church will be refreshed with Christs presence and the Tabernacle of God then be with men and he dwell with them that space of the 1000 years c. in the third verse of this Chapter till which times the Apostle saith Heb. 10.13 Christ sits there expecting till his foes be made his footstool when Turk and Pope who stand in the way to hinder Christs said Kingdom shall be destroyed Unto these times also relates that great promise made by God unto Abraham upon that great act of his faith and obedience in sacrificing his Son Isaac Gen. 22. that his seed should possess the Gates of his Enemies though it was partially and typically performed in subduing such as would have stopped their passage or hindred their possession of the promised Land above 400 years after when the iniquities of the Amorites were arrived to their fulness but the great possessiou will be given to the Divine Seed Christ at his second coming and by him to all the spiritual seed and that so as never to be cast out again as 2 Sam. 7. when they shall remove no more from it as also many other Scriptures manifest Then also shall be performed from the beginning of revenges upon the Whore of Babylon and the great vengeance upon the enemy Antichrist fore prophesied by Moses in that excellent Song for Posterity Deut. 32.41.42 when God will whet his glittering sword and make his arrows drunk in blood that Jews and Gentiles may rejoyce together as Rom. 15. then also will be fulfilled that great Promise Esa 51.20 21 22 c. respecting those times also made upon occasion of the destruction of old Babylon the Type of this and much of Jeremies Prophesie there is by the Spirit of God applied in the Revelations to mystical Babylons destruction but we read not of Gods peoples being then Gods Battle-Axe and Weapons of War then c. for they came home then by Gods working powerfully upon the Spirit of Cyrus and they were ever low upon that reduction but when they shall be again restored all that great prevalencie over all enemies will take place fully for they as saith the Prophet Malachy shall then be as ashes under the soles of their feet Chap. 4.3 and all Nations that will not then be subject to the beloved great and holy Jerusalem shall be destroyed Esa 60.12 And when the same Prophet Esay chap. 26.19 shews that Gods Saints shall rise at the first bodily Resurrection explained by our Saviour Luke 20.35 36. and Rev. 20.5 Esay declares the contrary of such as tyrannized over Gods Church before ver 14. they saith he are dead they shall not live then they are deceased they shall not rise then c. for the enemies shall be so taken away for ever from the Land of the living that they shall ever after be uncapable of good with the Saints in the world and to all eternity when those Children of the Resurrection as
Noah in our late Systeme preceding the Saints Resurrection 1. respecting Noah as a Type of Christs saving his as their true Ark at the overflowing de uge of the wicked worlds destruction at the beginning and end of the 1000 years Secondly in respect of that Covenant made with Noah for the worlds and Creatures preservation till those last times when the Scriptures also testifie the greatest fruitfulness also will be And thirdly in respect of his Prophesie Gen. 9. that the Posterity both of Shem the Jews and of Japhet the Gentiles as now we hinted should both in those times at both their second calls spoken of in Scripture Deut. 32.43 rejoyce together applied also Rom. 15. to those times with other Scriptures respecting the same c. The same times were pointed out by our four Computations of the Jews deliverance and the great enemies destruction out of Daniel and Revelation formerly explained in our Parallels The like may be observed from what we said before of the Tabernacle of God at the same time being with men and his dwelling with them c. ver 3 4. wherefore also the name of the City then seems to be called Jehovah Shamma the Lord is there Ezek. 48 last And at the same time the Sun is ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Antients gloriously Esa 24.23 which all â—â—spect the same times The New Covenant upon the New giving of the Law after the first Tables were broken Deut. 30. to 11. especially respects Gods People the Jews in those times which seems to be the antient foundation in Moses writings of which divers like in the following Prophets are the confirmations and explications as Jer. 31.33 Ezek 36. more especially belonging to that people after their reduction from their great dispersions though applicable to all Abrahams spiritual Seed in the times of the Gentiles also Heb. 8.9 10 11. These times are also pointed out by the great solemnity of the Marriage of the Lamb with his Bride the 1000 years at the New Jerusalems coming down from God out of Heaven which great solemnity was prophesied of by the holy Kingly Prophet David Psal 45. when she shall have Sons whom she may make Princes in all Lands To which purpose is that excellent Song of Songs by Solomon as respecting the return of the Shulamite in the Book of the Canticles probably about the time the Bride is said to make her self ready Rev. 19.7 And Solomons peaceable Kingdom of old was but a Type of that peaceful and glorious Kingdom and state which Christ with his Saints at the said times of restitution of all things shall enjoy the 1000 years The Scepter and Dominion prophesied of by Balaam Numb 24. and according to Jocobs Prophesie placed in the Tribe of Judah said by him to be a Lyons whelp and the Ensigne thereof was also the Lyon accordingly Rev. 5. Christ is stiled the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and in Ch. 22. stiles himself so when in those times he shall be as a strong Lyon to destroy his enemies Ps 110. who also is both the Root and Offspring of David Rev. 5. as will wonderfully 〈◊〉 manifest in the same times c. The first Adams casting out of Paradise compared with Christs Key for the restoring all the spiritual Seed to a Paradise in that State manifests it to be Gods designe from the beginning by that Goel or Deliverer promised to be at his second coming a more perfect Restorer of all things then than the Serpent Satan was or could be a corrupter or destroyer before it was called Abrahams bosom whether Christ said the Angels carried Lazarus his Soul but after by our Saviour was called Paradise at his death when he had purchased it and promised the Penitent Thief as we noted that he should be with him there that day and so the Apostle Paul said he was rapt up into the third Heaven or Paradise 2 Cor. 12. called after the Paradise of God in the world the 1000 years of Christs Reign with his Saints and so is coincident in the same times of the Restitution with the other The same times are also set forth by the world to come Heb. 2.5 and 1.6 as the general Deluge ended the Old World and began the New so the ruine of that last wicked Roman Monarchy in respect of each of those long God-provoking States therein viz. both Civil and Ecclesiastical with all the broken parts of the three former Monarchies Dan. 2. will end this world in the present state of things and Christs said 1000 years Reign in those times will begin that World to come and the Apostle Paul Ephes 1.21 uses the same distinction which by our Saviour had been laid down before when he taught that the sin against the Holy Ghost should neither be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 which will begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Father brings the Son again into the world viz. the second time as both Ancients and even Papists understand it when all the Elohim Angels shall worship him as Psal 97. Likewise the 42 Stages in the Childrens of Israel their passing through the Wilderness to possess the Land of Canaan was a Type of the womans the Christ ans's Church passing in her wilderness condition in the times of the Beasts 42 Moneths to attain in the issue to the New Jerusalem state in the said times of the restitution of all things or that redemption of the purchased possession as it seems Ephes 1.14 The restoring the Dominion over the Creatures lost by the fall of the first Adam was foretold by David to be obtained by Christ the second Adam Psal 8.4 5 6. c. as is explained and so applied by the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 2.6 7 8. which is another part of the Restitution of all things in the said times as we shewed And the said Creatures freedom from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 will be another ingredient to make up that blessed state and although the same holy man Heb. 2.7 did acknowledge that they did not then see all things in subjection unto him yet he declares in due time Phil. 2.9 10. That every knee of things in Heaven and Earth and under the earth shall bow and be subject unto that great King of the whole world And can it be conceived by rational men that these Divine truths are written in vain and that Christ when he takes to himself his great power shall not reign in these respects also unto the end of the world and have that honour reserved for him by Angels men and all Creatures in the world then It appears also to be the end and drift of all Revelation Prophesie by that general Doxologâ—â— Ch. 5.10 to the end by Angels men and all Creatures upon the fulfilling of the contents of
Babylon and of the great Mystery of her iniquity and the finishing the great Mystery of God bringing in the Revelation of all things as we shewed as well as the Restitution of all things spoken of in the Text which because they are both matters of great and universal concernment of the Saints are earnestly to be enquired into and for the difficulties that may appear in such endeavour serious and judicious Christians may by such conscientious endeavours in the use of good means find them much removed especially by the help of Christs Divine Key in our late Tract on Rev. 20.5 and in this on Chap. 21.5 and as for the bad times to Chap. 20. though things respecting them were at first much more darkly delivered yet by the long continued endeavours of many Ages past and by the experimental accomplishments already of most things therein contained much light is now given to them But now Christians ordinarily need not trouble themselves much in respect of those bad times of the man of sin because upon all accounts they are now almost expired whether we respect the Seal Prophesie holding out the ruine of the Roman Civil State or the Book Prophesie pointing out the like of the Ecclesiastical State or the Table of suffering times Rev. 11. relating to them both containing about 1700 years as was before shewed and fitly in a latitude concur with the two former Mystical Numbers in Daniel leading in the same until Israels great Restauration viz. first that of Dan. 8. ver 17 19 26. of 2300 years from the Captivity of Babylon to Christs appearance leading to the end of 1700 years since Christs birth the second of the Jews and Gentiles blessed times Dan. 12.12 to be 1335 years after the last taking away of Sacrifice very probably in Julian the Apostate Emperors time about Ann. Dom. 365. unto which if we add 1335 it makes up the full number of 1700 years ending at the same period only we must remember some error as was said is found in our ordinary account from Christs Nativity yet in a latitude they all concur and agree whence the ending number of the Beasts 666 years to which the whole number of 1000 being added as is usually understood by many Nations so making up 1666 years from Christs Ascention not from his Birth to about the end of the said 1700 by vulgar account when probably as the Apostle saith he will destroy the man of Sin with the appearance of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 and that Epoca of his Ascention which we also twice published Ann. Dom. 1665. first in our Parallels pag. 37. Secondly in the large Note on Rev. 22.20 page 10. seems also more congruous than of Christs Nativity that as he had at his ascending powerful and glorious Victory and Triumphs over the spiritual powers of darkness as Col. 3.15 so at the end of that date upon his descending again he should have a Visible and glorious Conquest over all his visible soes by making them his footstool when that man of Sin especially is to be destroyed when he will take to himself his great power and reign in the world Rev. 19. Now by such computation of the said suffering times of the Church to Chap. 20. an apt way is offered to apply the Table of them to both Schemes of the Civil and Ecclesiastical Roman-state of the true Churches condition under the 2 last Heads of Government therein namely under Emperors and the Papacie Now for the manifesting that the chief intent of that number of the Beast 666. Ch. 13. is to decipher in a Divine mystical way the ending term of his date we shall further by Gods assistance add some other weighty considerations yet withal acknowledging the divers usefulness of other conjectures upon several distinct accounts as by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old wherein the said number was found may fitly be pointed out the Country of the Beast whose Language and Laws and Liturgy and even whole Religion are Latin formerly also called the Latin Church and his Country Latium c. which fitly agrees to him in that respect Also 666 for so many Popish Errors as Mr. Durham intimates may point out to us the grosness of his Mystery of Iniquity being a long continued source of multiplied heresies seducements and errors through the course of many hundreds of years against which Christs two sackcloth witnesses have all along born their Testimony even till his measure is almost full And for Dr. Potters late Arithmetical observation setting forth the opposition of the Root of 666 which is 25. and much observable in the Beasts concerns to the root of 144000 of Christs sealed ones being after to be the New Jerusalem-inhabitants both in the East Chap. 7. and in the West Chap. 14. whereof the root is 12. by which their concerns are deciphered also c. And so by many other Notations of the name or number of the Beast in Hebrew Greek and Latin many observable things answerable to the diversity of mens enquiries have been found out as Romagnosh denoting the place of his Seat at Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the glory of his state like the Sun above the Stars c. as his flatterers would have it and even near blasphemy spake one of them Paulo Quinto Vice Deo setting him in Gods stead but to pass by many others like mentioned by Mr. Bernard in his Key of Knowledge and by others let us now offer our considerations whereupit may appear that the chief intent of the said number 666 is to set forth the end of the said Beasts date Though in respect of some of the other the wisdom power and providence of God may appear in setting forth and fulfilling upon such considerable accounts what concerns such a manifold Monster in iniquity as he is described Dan. 7.24 25. thereby not only prevailing against three Kings or Kingdoms but also in daring to speak great words against the most High by his strange Heresies and Blasphemies as may be seen in in our Abridgment of Daniel on that Verse and think to change times and Laws and persecute the Saints of the most High for his time times and dividing of a time till Christs appearance Dan. 12.1 7. when he shall be destroyed 2 Thes 2.8 But I say that the chief intent of the said number of the Beast 666. is to set forth the said time of his end these further reasons induce me to believe besides what we said before First we have the like in Dan. 5.26 at the end of the Caldean Monarchy at Belshazzers death God hath numbred thy Kingdom and finished it viz. for 70 years foretold Jer. 25 c. Even as Dan. 12.7 the Beasts date was explained to be a time times and a dividing of a time 2. The Epocha or beginning of his 1335 years Chap 12.12 referring to the times of the end when such as were faithful should be blessed were to take their beginning from the