21. Moreover Abraham that looked for such a City having foundations is called by the Apostle the heir of the World Rom. 4.12 through the righteousness of Faith by which Faith saith the Apostle he received Isaac from the dead in a figure Heb. 11.19 and accordingly the Apostle seems to apply the divine efficacie of his faith in some resemblance to Gods raising up the dead and calling things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.7 and proceeds to illustrate the power of his faith that neither the deadness of his own body nor the deadness of Sarah's womb did hinder it in believing that he should have that promised Seed and so of the promised inheritance often sworn by God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob Abraham had not of it to set his foot on Acts 7. and that promise was looked for a farr of by him and others Heb. 11.13 and yet believed and embraced by them yea many others set down afterwards which obtained a good report by faith yet saith the Apostle obtained not the accomplishment of the promise v. 39 40. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect to wit at the said Resurrection from the dead and in the said City which Abraham looked for which hath foundations v. 10. and that City prepared by God himself for the rest of the faithful v. 16. and v. 40 all which seem to point out the New Jerusalem state on earth at Christs second coming with many other great things to be accomplished in those times as we have shewed more particularly in a Tract on Gen. 3.15 and in our 4th Part Obser 31. and well may that condition be called an heavenly Countrey because it will be of an heavenly nature and in an excellent state and condition when there will be indeed an heaven upon earth when Christ will bind Satan and seal him up in the bottomless Pit that he shall not deceive the Nations for that space of a thousand years Rev. 20.3 7. and many wicked men be destroyed from the earth Rev. 11.18 and he will bring all his Saints asleep in him till then with him 1 Thes 4.14 and an innumerable company of Angels to attend upon him Psal 97 and all creatures shall bow the knee Phil. 2. to do him homage which are now in heaven or earth or under the earth whose name is above every name which seems excellently decyphered before us by his own spirit Rev. 5. after he had taken the book from the right hand of him that sat upon the Throne to loose the seals thereof the fulfilling of the contents of which will cause that wonderful praise by the 24 Elders and 4 Beasts or living Wights by Angels and all Creatures from v. 10. to the end and yet of that Countrey saith one it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Countrey where their Fathers dwelt as in many Prophesies and Promises it is stiled c. And the things concerning that State seem therefore to be so strongly and often asserted by the Spirit of God Rev. 19.9 and 21.5 and 22.6 to shew that though many would be backward to believe them yet they should be not certainly fulfilled in the world in due time 15ly It is said to be measured as we have elsewhere noted and likewise many other Prophesies and Promises are applicable from the Old Testament to that said New Jerusalem State as the Spirit of Christ in respect of those forenamed hath directed and which may more largely be observed in our Prodromus Pag. 18 19 20 21. in the letter of Nov. 3 1663. 3ly And so we come to the 3d. way of confirmation of the New Jerusalem to come on earth namely from the Series and Order of the time in Scripture assigned for the setting up thereof in the world to wit upon the destruction of the Beast at Christs 2d coming whom saith the Apostle Christ will destroy with the appearance of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 unto which he also adjoyns his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 at his appearance saith he and his Kingdom And to this purpose it is very observable that when God was about to destroy the Oâ—d Jerusalem for the greatness of the wickedness prevailing in it by the same Prophets whereby he denounced the destruction of the Old to the terrour of the wicked by the same also he foretold the setting up of the New for the comfort of the faithful wherein they in due time should have their shares as Es 29.19 Jer. 31.31 32 c. Ezek. 37. and these do not only speak of the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon after 70. years but of the great restauration of all Israel and Judah which they set forth with many peculiar Marks and Characters belonging to it as we observed from this Text Jer. 3.17 and from Es 60. and many other places But the Prophet Ezekiel in c. 37. of his Prophesie doth not only describe their deliverance to be wonderful like a raising of dry bones from the Grave and making them stand up in a great Army but also largely there also shews the uniting both Kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one under Christ the Great Messiah called there David of whose Seed he was according to the flesh and in whose Throne he is to sit so long as the Sun and Moon endure from the time of the raising up the Tabernacle of David that was fallen Acts 15 c. Yea this 37 of Ezekiel seems with the remainder of that book to the end to be as a comment or exposition of the main drift of divers of Daniels Visions respecting the latter times for as he by Visions as we said set forth how wonderfully God would raise and restore them c. 37. so in the two next chapters he largely by Prophesie fore-tells the stupendious destruction of their Potent Enemy Gog and his Multitudes with Magog which he specially declares twice shall be in the latter dayes c. 38. v. 8. and v. 16. with many expressions agreeing to their great Enemy the Turk and thereby God undertakes for the comfort of the faithful to remove him which is to be the great hinderer of their freedome And from thence in 9 chapters to the end he sets down his large Vision of the New Jerusalem and in the end declares the name thereof shall be Jehovah Shamma the Lord is there which is also by Scripture order to be set up when the Enemies are destroyed as Dan. 11.45 and Dan. 12.2 3 c. But Daniel in a more special way of Mercy from God to his faithful people from his time had for their more abundant consolation in divers Visions set down in order the times to pass over the Jews in their said Dispersions and the several Oppressors of them in order to be destroyed until their full deliverance come and this both more generally in 4 wicked Monarchies before the fift came that should destroy them c. 2. by
Kingdom on earth in that time of the uniting of Israelites and Gentiles in the grace of the gospel to come as Rom. 11. before named and the state of the said new Ierusalem when his rest shall be glorious as Esa 60.1 which by the context in Esa 11. both before and after the 10. v. may aboundantly appear But that which many such men seek chiefly to avoid is the yeilding of Christs Daviaical Kingdom here upon earth the doctrine whereof though in some parts of holy writ it be set down in a divinely mysticall manner yet the holy Scripture is plentiful for it and very punctual for the time when it shall appear and for many excellent and glorious things belonging to it if truly pious and dilgent search thereof be made as if that great Redeemer of his antient people beloved as the Apostle Paul saith for their Fathers sake would not come in his time appointed would not come to mount Sion to deliver them and others even to all such as shall turn away from transgression in Iacob as is promised Esa 59.20 when they shall look upon him when he appeareth whom they have pierced Zac. 12.10 and turn by true repentance to him from the iniquities of their fore fathers And in both these respects great scandal is given to the Iews for they know there is a strong entail of many great both spiritual and temporal mercies to their faithful fore-fathers and their posteritie in those times to come though for a time their sins withhold those mercies from them and that as they expect though haply not in that manner the son of David their Messiah will come to deliver them the sacred Scriptures give strong assurance and which time of their redemption seems to draw nigh as our Saviour teacheth Lu. 21.28 and that the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand v. 31. the signes whereof when they shall see he bids them there lift up their heads for then according to the prediction of the Angel to the blessed Virgin Luke 1.23 the Lord shall give to Christ the Throne of his Father David which is the same which our Saviour told his Disciples his Father had then as Dan. 7.13 14. appointed unto him even as he appointed unto them at the same time a Kingdom even that Kingdom that they may eat and drink at his table in his said Kingdom and sit upon Thrones judging the 12 Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. which will be the only time for them to doe for afterward in heaven there will neither be such eating or drinking or judgeing or ruling over others or their cities as Luke 19.17 18. and it is to be observed those texts of Scripture speak of such Kingdom as was to come and therefore not to be understood of Christs spiritual Kingdom which he had both then and in all the times of the old Testament and as when Solomon the type of Christ in that particular sat upon the Throne of David 1 King 2.12.24 it could not be said he sat upon his Throne spiritually but personally in Ierusalem so neither in this respect can it be said that Christ of the seed of David according to the flesh shall then only spiritually but personally sit upon the Throne of David in the new Ierusalem which then as in the text shall be called the Throne of the Lord. Though he hath always as God had a spiritual Kingdom in the world but the sitting upon the Throne of David for the future belongs to him as man as the fruit of Davids Loyns according to the flesh Acts 2.30 which the Apostle Peter v. 35. shews should be when God makes his Foes his foot-stoole for as when Christ is frequently in the gospel called the Son of David we cannot in that sense say he is the Son of God so when he is said to sit on the Throne of David as Esa 9.6 we cannot in that sense say he shall sit upon the spiritual Throne of God for the spiritual Throne of God is in reference to spirituals But to fit upon the Throne of David as man will be to order it with judgement and justice as is foretold of him Esa 9.7 yea this said Throne of David which shall be given unto Christ as Mediator by his Father is so distinguished by himself as another from his Fathers Throne Rev. 3.21 To him that overcomes will I graunt to sit with me on my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father on his Throne Moreover the spiritual reign of Christ in the hearts of men is common to all the three Persons in the sacred Trinity but to sit upon the Throne of David as man is peculiar to Christ as Mediator as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man in one person so the spiritual reign of Christ is one thing but his sitting upon the Throne of David is another and from what hath been said they may fitly be distinguished in these respects following First God the Fathers Throne and Kingdom is eternal but Christs visible glorious Kingdom as Mediator is temporal only for a set time which will begin at Antichrists destruction Dan. 7.9 10 11. and at his own appearance 2 Tim. 4.1 and will end when he shall resign it back again to his Father as St. Paul expresly declares 1 Cor. 15.24 2dly God the Fathets is originally in or from himself but Christs Mediators visible glorious Kingdom in the world is given to him of the Father Dan. 7.14 And there was given to him Dominion Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him Thirdly the Throne of God the Fathers Kingdom is in Heaven as our Saviour teacheth Rev. 3.21 but the Throne of his own Kingdom as Mediator God-man shall in that time be on the earth as in the text and People Nations and Languages shall then serve him as was last shewed and to make it evident it must be done on earth in the 27. v. of Dan. 7. it is said the Kingdom and Dominion and Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall serve and obey him Fourthly This Temporal Kingdom for the thousand years Christ will resign back again to the Father but his spiritual Kingdom as God he never received nor will ever part from of which there will be no end So that hence it may appear for Christ to reign spiritually in the hearts of his people as God is a thing many ways distinct from his sitting upon the Throne of David as man in the time of his visible glorious Kingdom on earth to come Let these things therefore by all such persons be seriously considered that they be not sinfully found to be pleaders against Christs Interest in this respect for which the Scripture is both clear and plentiful as Rev. 20.4 5.10 Dan. 7. Ier. 3.17 with many others c. See the Forerunner page 47 48. and let them remember the legitimate confession of Christ is to confess all things that belong to
whose name is above every name for as those in heaven do it so shall those in earth and under the earth in their due time do it Phil. 2.9 10. and so in such a glorious condition will those new Heavens and new Earth then be that his Name will be sanctifyed his Kingdom will be come and his Will then be done on earth as it was before in heaven For Christ when he was upon earth taught not his Servants to pray all along to his coming for those things which shall never be and God hath not made so many promises and given forth so many prophesies of such things as never will be performed and fulfilled But then will be that great Sabbatisme of such holy refreshment from the presence of the Lord and rest which remains saith the Apostle for the people of God Heb. 4 9. when those promised mercies to the Fathers shall be fulfilled on earth that his people may serve him without fear of their enemies in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of their Life Luke 1.73 74. and as Rev. 22.3 now these promised mercies were to Abraham Isaac and Jacob not yet fulfilled but seen a far off Heb. 11.13 c. There are also sure mercies of David not yet fully accomplished 1 Sam. 7.15 16 c. that his House and his Kingdom should be estabâ—ished for ever before him and his Throne shall be established for ever which he there largely by Faith applyed and by grateful acknowledgement praised God for as if it had been performed and then Job and Esay will find the effect and fruit of their own Faith Job 14. Esa 46. and Daniel shall then obtain his promised Lot with all the holy Prophets and faithful servants of God in those times Oh how should our Faith be exercised in these things that with faithful Abraham we may rejoyce aforehand at the day of Christs visible Dominion as he did both at that and his Incarnation Heb. 11.13 c. And so we should proceed to a second Use of thankfulness for such great mercies now manifest to the Church of Christ from his Word and chiefly from him the faithful and true witness but because we have been somwhat large to that purpose upon a like occasion towards the end of a former Treatise on Gen. 3.15 we here wave that and only touch upon some hints of further improvement by way of admonition and exhortation and so leave them to be enlarged by Christians in their private meditations c. Vse 2. For admonition to two sorts of persons First to such as own these Doctrines of Christs Kingdom of visible power to come c. so much the more to be careful to make sure their interest first in Christs spiritual Kingdom of grace here in this present life and state of things before they look or hope for any part in his Kingd of visible power on earth at his coming or in Gods eternal Kingdom of glory ensuing upon it for grace and Gods spirit here is the earnest and evidence of all blessedness hereafter only Wise Virgins will be admitted into the Bride-chamber when the Bridegroom comes and such only will he receive to himself to make them inheritors of everlasting blessedness in the Kingdom of his Father for though all divine Scripture truth is written for our learning as the Apostle Paul teacheth yet all divine knowledge not being duly improved will aggravate the sin and misery of all formal professors thereof both in the whole of Christian religion or in any remarkable branch thereof much more if such knowledge be perverted contrarie to the holy just and good laws of Christs Kingdom of grace that teacheth his people to deny ungodly and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously Godly in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. But for such as own these Doctrines are indeed faithful servants and subjects of their great Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to look upon all Doctrine respecting Christs Kingdom on earth as a great ingagement unto duty and thankfulness not only in word and outward profession but most especially to endeavour to manifest it in heart and conversation buth before himself and in the sight of men and that they may so labour the more to act thankfulness by walking so much the more Christianly and obediently to his Laws seeing by such Doctrine a greater engagement is laid upon them thereunto for as their expectations are greater than otherwise they could be from the evidence they have of their interest in Christs glorious Kingdom of power on earth to come by the redemption of their bodies and the union of them to their souls in that blessed condition appointed to the faithful in their order besides what others shall enjoy who then remain in their natural life that upon that account they study and labour to be more ready and forward to do such acceptable service for Christ as he assignes them unto though unpleasing to flesh and blood because it will be acceptable unto him and he requires it of them and it will be found no loss as some misapprehend but occasion of great rejoycing for those spirits of just men made perfect to be brought with Christ at his appearance and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 to attain to that desired Union with their bodies there to behold Christs glorie c. in that blessed condition above a thousand years sooner than the last resurrection as was manifest by that great exultation of the Representatives Rev. 5.10 as an addition to their spiritual joy and praise to the Lamb And say they we shall reign upon earth where they knew aforehand that they should personally enjoy in body and soul the blessed vision of Christ and all such happiness as is appointed for them in his visible Mediators Kingdom of power upon earth who will then be so admired of all his Saints as the Apostle Paul teacheth and glorifyed in them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 Vse 3. For Admonition to all real and faithful Christians that as yet own not these Doctrines of the Millennium which I confess till of late years I my self have often opposed as I shewed in the Irenicon to take heed and beware of slighting and over-looking so much divine truth as the fore-named and many other texts and portions of holy Scripture hold forth evidently concerning those things and to that end consider first some truths of that nature have been antiently received though the great Deceiver then stirred up some to cast unjust reproaches and false imputations upon the owners of them yea they have been owned both by antient Fathers and modern writers and the light and evidence of them is like to break forth more and more amongst faithful Christians as prejudices are removed and more Mysteries are accomplished and by Gods mercy greater discoveries made of what concerns his true Church and if diligent and impartial search were made of those Scriptures which concern these things but especially what Daniel