be faithful or saved and that in a few successions amongst such long-lived persons at the end of 1656 years as the old World's time is computed it was then for mans wickedness and impenitency drowned by an universal deluge saving those few in the Ark with Noah and they not all good neither But afterwards the more remote men lived from the first Adam's fall and the nearer they drew on to the 2d Adam's first coming the more clearer manifestations of God's Grace have appeared in the World But when Christ at his said first coming both purchased and tendered greater Grace towards both Jews and Gentiles and that more clearly and largely than ever before Yet how few as our Saviour warned of either sorts in comparison even in the best times have under that Kingdom of Patience been saved Mat. 7.14 Luke 12.32 but especially all that time the Wrath hath lain heavy upon the Jews according to their own Curse upon themselves and their Posterity in a remarkable visible manner for above sixteen hundred years And so strait and narrow hath the way been found to Heaven in all the times of this Kingdom of Patience even to the Gentile Christians through all the Heathenish Heretical and Antichristian Persecutions even to this day that few as our Saviour said Mat. 7. have since found it But when the times of the Jews free-promised mercy who are also yet beloved for their Father's sake Rom. 11. shall once appear the Grace of God by Christ will not only be rich and wonderful to them and to them more especially But also together with them to those Gentiles then to come in at their rising Isa 60.3 to 17. with other like places for then he the great Messiah will appear wonderfully glorious in respect of both then made one in him Joh. 10.16 the second Adam and that not only in the tenders of his Grace as formerly to the Jews before Christ's birth and afterwards towards all in the first preaching of the Gospel but also then his glorious Grace will appear in the power and efficacy thereof abundantly in his pouring-forth his Grace and Spirit upon them both and causing them to walk in his wayes according to his promises Ezek 36. Jer. 23. Deut. 30. 1 to 11. And likewise then he will shew himself in his Person more powerful to save his Saints and subdue his Enemies than the first Adam was weak and sinful in ruining his natural race and giving all Enemies advantage against all God's Chosen People till that time that as Luke 1.74 they shall then be delivered from those Enemies and the hands of all that hate them to serve him c. for from that time of his Kingdom of Power neither Enemies temporal or spiritual shall have thenceforward any advantage or power to hurt the Saints though once they will attempt it Rev. 20.8 9. So that what the first Adam lost for himself and his posterity so foolishly sinfully and shamefully the second Adam will then happily manifest he hath again regained even to his spiritual seed on Earth most holily powerfully and gloriously 25. Obser Our Saviour ascended from Mount Olivet Acts 1.12 and was then taken out of his Disciples sight by a cloud ver 12. and he shall so come again in the clouds said the Angels v. 11. as is shewed Mark 13.26 Rev. 1.7 and it seems probable that Propbecy of his feet standing upon Mount Olivet at that time when he will at his coming again manifest himself to the Jews for their National Conversion and as Mr. Mede is of opinion will then speak to them will then have its fulfilling Zech. 14.4 which chapter sets forth many things then to be accomplished c. 26. The Prophet Malachi speaks of two harbingers or forerunners of Christ at his first and second coming The first was John Baptist Mal. 3.1 Behold I send my Messenger before thy face c. which was applied by the Angel Luke 1.76 Matth. 11.9 10. shewing in what sense he was called Elias by the Angel here and by our Saviour afterwards as Luke 1.17 namely in the Spirit and Power of Elias and our Saviour speaketh of both Eliases together Mat. 7.11 12. and what the turning of fathers to the children may be see Eph. 2.14 The other harbinger or forerunner which Malachi speaks of chap. 4.5 6. to be before the great and dreadful Day of the Lord come which whether it shall be Elias the Tishbite or John Baptist raised again from the dead as several of the Ancients have severally conceived or whether it shall be one at that time to be sent as John Baptist was in the Spirit and Power of Elias at his coming again as the Angel before expounded concerning John Baptist Luk. 1.17 I will not contend But this I assuredly believe that that Messenger to be sent before Christ at his second coming spoken of Mal. 4.5 6. shall then also be spirited and fitly qualified for so great a work c. 27. Observ When the stamp of the Primitive times Dan. 4. latter part of the verse Many shall run to and fro See Irenicon p. 63 64. and knowledge shall be encreased and then Antichrist's time times and the dividing of a time v. 5 6 7. set forth mystically and very darkly to Daniel being things that concerned not the Jews directly but the Gentile Christians in both those times being to come a long time after He thereupon said v. 8. Though I heard yet I understood not though in part expounded to him before by the Angel Dan. 7.24 25. But of what concerned his People the Jews both before and after he had further such marks set down in the following part of the chapter that were like in time to come to be more discernable by them ver 10 11 12 c. as mainly concerned themselves in the time of the end chap. 40 c. but were to be shut up till then v. 4 9. See Abridgment on Dan. 12.4 5 6 7 c. 28. Obser Christ's eminent execution of his three great Offices in respect of his Universal Church in the three great Periods of the World is very observable in Scripture and Providence First of such his Prophetical Office under the Old Testament by his Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Secondly of such his Priestly Office under the New Testament both by his Sacrifice and Intercession unto his coming again by his Spirit of Grace and Truth Thirdly in his eminent Kingly Office in his Thousand years Reign beginning when he shall begin to judge quick and dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom 1 Tim. 4.1 and continuing to the loosing of Satan after he hath been bound sealed up in the bottomless-pit the said thousand years Rev. 20. to be manifest then by his Spirit of Power and Dominion See these largely considered in seventeen Theses with Texts of Scripture in the Forerunner pag. 12 13. and confirmed by Arguments in the Irenicon pag. 33 34. 29. Observ The Spirit
six copies distinguished by a comma to be understood in that sense of new creation of things not spiritual regeneration as men use to take it when all such faithful Spirits shall be counted as our Saviour speaks worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection of the Dead that which is called the World to come Heb. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's posterity shall enjoy that Land with them Deut. 30. to ver 11. Deut. 32.43 as Davids Kingdom shall then be stablished before himself for ever to the end 2 Sam. 7.16 And so likewise the Promise and Covenant made to David of the Kingdom for himself and his Seed for ever will then in Christ the Seed of David on Earth be fulfilled when also the first Adam's lost dominion as was fore-prophesied Psal 8. and explained and applyed by the Apostle Heb. 2. will be regained to the raised Saints from the dead at the first said Resurrection by Christ the second Adam Consider seriously these Scripture-evidences and the things held out by them 16ly Such Prophecies as speak of good things to come to Israel Ephraim or Joseph together with Judah joyned with them usually contain something belonging to the great Restauration at Christ's appearing and his Kingdom 1 Tim. 4.1 when he first begins to judge quick and dead at the first session of the day of Judgement when God's ancient People of Israel or Ephraim and Judah shall be joyned together into one stick under one King to them both for ever even Christ being his Promised Seed which will be accomplished in those last dayes as was said from Ezek. 37. 17ly When David by his prophetical Spirit foretelleth of things incompetible to his own Kingdom or to his natural seed such things must necessarily be referred to Christ's glorious Kingdom on Earth See Iren. p. 77 78 79 80. in the thousand years 18ly Again it is observable in Mystical Prophecies that the Spirit of God seems many times to lay down great things in generals and after by degrees to give expositions of them See Abridgm on Dan. as in Nebuchadnezzar's dream Dan. 2. and Daniels Visions of the same matters Dan. 7. both which are by Daniel and the Angel in the same chapters in some brief way first expounded and both again more particularly afterwards in the following Visions in their order chap. 8. and somewhat in chap. 9. but afterwards more fully in many things in their order in his last large Vision chap. 10 11 12. and so in the Revelation in chap. 4 5 7. some general heads are touched at which are more particularly explained in a great part of the Book following So in the latter part of chap. 14. the decay of the Papacy is spoken of which afterwards is again explained chapters 15 16 more briefly and some of the Vials again more largely chapters 18 19 20. 19ly In the Book of the Revelation when things are not said to succeed one the other as 1st 2d 3d c. as the Seals Trumpets Vials but one measure of time is assigned and suited to them all or one table of Chronology is fitted to them all such distirct Visions are contemporaries as all that concerned the true and false Church in Antichrist's time have the same measure though diversly computed by months dayes and a time times and an half all agreeing in 1260 years the date of the Beast the mourning-time of the Witnesses the Woman's Wilderness-condition by which also the Whore of Babylon the ten crowned Horns with the two-horned Beast c. are limited to their seasons So all those Visions under or after the 7th Trumpet See the Irenicon pag. 30. have one Chronological Table to compute their time as chap 11. to v. 15. contained the forty two months for the night-workers in darkness and a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes of such as are of the Light and walk therein So all the Visions I say in the three last chapters have one Chronological Table to compute the time of them all to wit a thousand years wherein Christ will reign with his Saints the Devil shall be bound and shut up c. the New Jerusalem come down from God and God's Tabernacle be with men and the New Heavens and New Earth and the Paradise of God and the Tree of Life and the pure River c. all for the said time of the thousand years and so are contemporaries and all strongly there asserted and confirmed See Irenicon in several places 20. Observ After Christ Jesus our Saviour had finished his Farewel Sermon Joh. 16. he then in the presence of his Disciples made that most excellent declarative Prayer Joh. 17. wherein a large Prophecy of many things to come is very divinely though mystically couched wherein we may observe many things in order according to the Will of his heavenly Father set forth by Christ which should afterward according both to his prayer prediction or disposal be done and hath herein caused to be recorded which shall have their due accomplishment in their times begining from his making that excellent prophetical Prayer who alwayes prayed according to his heavenly Father's Will and as he said was alwayes heard of him and so it is to be known by us that all here he prayed for in respect of himself his Disciples and the faithful Pastors and Christians succeeding even all such as his Father had given him till his coming again and all that believed through their word namely the Apostles Doctrine through the time of the wicked world which he prayed not for till the time of the good world came that should both believe and know him whom the Father had sent when that Glory should be given to his own that the Father had given him concerning which he then made his Will v. 24. that they should behold his Glory in his Kingdom Dan. 7.13 14. at the Resurrection in that World to come of which he speaks Luke 20.35 36. which as was said Heb. 2.5 is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world habitable to come of which the Apostle there said he spake namely chap. 1.6 where he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he shall bring his Son again into the World that is the second time he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him for he shall then as both Daniel and from Daniel three of the Evangelists witness Christ's words of his coming come in the clouds of Heaven as was foretold of him and all his holy ones with him both Saints and Angels And in reference to this order of this prophetical declarative Prayer of our blessed Saviour observe the ensuing steps of his proceeding therein to the said purposes which we have already hinted to be now further observed and duly considered accordingly Ver. 1. he saith Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may also glorifie thee which was evidently soon after answered in his Resurrection from the dead
and also the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie lower than the Angels and crowned him with Glory and Worship making him to have dominion over the works of his hands and putting all things under his feet c. Which the Apostle applyes to Christ Heb. 2. and also saith he hath made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little while as our Translation hath it in the margent likewise inferiour to the Angels and then speaketh of the same subjection of the creatures under him then afterwards to come and therefore ver 8. he saith we do not yet see all things put under him only we see Christ in his own person that for a little while was made lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour But he again further teacheth Phil. 2.9 c. that God had given him a Name above every name that at the Name of JESUS every knee should bow or be subject of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Which will not be done till he hath received his Kingdom and shall return as he himself speaketh Luke 19.12 15 and all these things can at no other time upon Scripture-ground be expected but at his said 2d coming when God shall bring again his Son into the world and say Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 and that was also foretold Psal 97.7 which whole Psalm beginning The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce c. setteth forth prophetically in what a glorious manner Christ will come then to set up his glorious Kingdom both by destroying his Idolatrous Enemies and wonderfully delivering and exalting his People as is observable throughout the whole Psalm and this as to the time and order Christ succinctly explains Rev. 20.4 saying the Saints reigned with Christ a thousand years And accordingly thereunto are all the Promises of raising again the Tabernacle of David which was fallen Amos 9.11 Acts 15.16 and those for the perpetuity of Davids Kingdom to his seed so long as the Sun and Moon do endure See Irenicon p. 77 78 79. and the like are all to be interpreted which will be manifest when the Kingdom of the Stone Dan. 2.33 34. shall become a great Mountain filling the whole Earth And this is that Coming of the Son of man in his Kingdom spoken of by Christ Matth. 16.28 of which he soon after shewed a glymps unto his three Disciples Peter James and John at his Transfiguration Mark 9.1 Luke 9.27 Neither can these Texts be justly denied to be meant of such a Kingdom of Christ to come upon his coming again nor warrantably be interpreted in any other sense if the said Texts be seriously and duly considered 22. Obser I have observed only three great Earthquakes spoken of in all the series or order of the Book of Revelation And where the Spirit of God calls them great we may expect they will be great indeed For Earthquakes are often spoken of besides these great ones The first is upon the opening of the sixth Seal Rev. 6.12 when God by Constantine the Great overturned Satan's Paganish Kingdom when five or six several Caesars were so potent to oppose him See Fore runner p. 29. and cast down Satan from his Heaven of Heathenish Worship into the Earth Rev. 12.9 which was spoken of the same time which is described as a day of Judgment Rev. 6. to the Paganish Powers as indeed it was and there the Spirit of God sets down an Ecce before it and Lo saith he there was a great Earthquake The second is Rev. 11.13 at the ascension of the two Witnesses after their resurrection and then the holy Spirit tells us at the same hour there was a great Earthquake when the tenth part of the Dition of the City of Rome probably will quite fall from it See Fore runner p. 8. where the Witnesses are to rise again c. and this Earthquake we may daily expect But thirdly there is another great Earthquake afterwards spoken of to come which he further illustrates much above both the former and that will be at or about Antichrist's final destruction at the end of the sixth Viol and pouring-out of the seventh for the compleating of his ruine Rev. 16.17 18. and then the Spirit of God speaks with a great deal of emphasis of it saying v. 18. And there was a great Earthquake such as was not since Man was upon Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great Which seems to be further described in the three following verses and seems to be at or about the same time of Michael's standing up to deliver Daniels People when such a time of trouble will be as never was since there was a Nation Dan. 12.1 and when St. Paul saith of Antichrist 2 Thess 2.8 Christ will destroy him with the appearance of his coming and happily of both Rev. 14. latter part of the chapter And then will not only the Earth be shaken but also the Heavens as saith the Prophet Hag. 2.6 7 21. Heb. 12.26 and as upon good reason from several Scriptures seems to be the main drift of them then to be fulfilled as Mal. 3.2 Rev. 11.16 Which shaking of the Earth probably may seem was first at that great Earthquake Rev. 6.12 when God by Constantine the Great overthrew Paganish Idolatry and may be again by the next great Earthquake now approaching Rev. 11.13 which will also begin to shake Antichristian Idolaters who are called in this Book the men of the Earth and the perfecting of that shaking is to be at that third and greatest Earthquake Rev. 16.18 when not only the Earth and evil men will be shaken but also the Heavens namely such Churches as will be then in a degree reformed Churches and thereupon will the new Heavens and new Earth ensue of both reformed Church and State in the whole World I conceive at the setting up of Christ's Kingdom on Earth Rev. 20.4 5.10 23. When the Prophet Moses denounceth threatnings against the twelve Tribes the Spirit of God seems to guide him divers times to set them down prophetically as including Prophecies in their order afterwards to be fulfilled as is observable Lev. 26. Deut. 28. 4.30 which he said expresly should be in the latter dayes and Deut. 32. from ver 1. to 44. See these Texts more fully in the Irenicon pag. 60 61. 24. Obser The heavy weight of God's wrath upon mankind next after the fall of the first Adam seems very observable through the first great Period of the World until the Flood for first good Abel the remotest type of Christ after Adam being slain by his brother Yet cursed Cain was then suffered to live to people the World which further appears that in those first ages of the World to the Flood few are recorded or hinted in Scripture to
be ended See them at large in the Plain Discovery after the Parallels At the first Christ removes the hinderers and opposers of his reigning in the World towards whom God had shewed long Patience all the time of Christs sitting at his right hand and his faithful Servants patience had been all along exercised by them Yet notwithstanding by their Faith and Patience all along that Kingdom of Patience now almost at an end have inherited the Promises hitherto and still shall do through the thousand years But Psal 110. at the end of Christs sitting at Gods right hand in Heaven he will begin to make his foes his foot-stool by destroying the first Gog and Magog the Turk and Pope by a complication of Judgments Ezek. 38 39. Rev. 19.11 16.18 Dan. 12.1 with Dan. 11.45 And binding Satan Rev. 20.1 2 3. See Observ 3. Then God will set his King upon his holy hill of Sion Psal 2. and so perform the sure mercies to David for ever and that before himself for all which it is plainly recorded as is to be well observed 2 Sam. 7. in a great part of that Chapter See Observ 21. And then he will make every knee to bow to him in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth Phil. 2. Having given him a Name above every Name c. For then those in Heaven Angels and Saints come with him into the World when God shall bring his Son the second time into it as Heb. 1.6 which was prophesied of by David Psal 97. throughout and many other Scriptures Vide Irenicon from pag. 42 to pag. 88. And then all such as sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thess 4.14 See Obser 21. And he will then bodily begin to reward his Servants the Prophets and his Saints c. Rev. 11.18 by that blessed first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 and probably as they were eminent in grace or sufferings or both so much the sooner And in Earth the Jews will then become upon a miraculous Call and Conversion a very zealous and blessed People being beloved for their Fathers sake Rom. 11. See Observ 15. The heathen Gentiles will earnestly then seek Christs face and favour and even make use then of the Jews interterest to procure Christs favour Isa 6. Isa 19. c. The very inferiour creatures then will be freed from their bondage of coâ—uption Rom. 8. For there shall be no wicked men that shall then dare to abuse them or tyrannize over them as formerly See Observ 21. yea even such wicked men as will then be spared proving hypocrites as is probable will themselves be made slaves then as diverse Scriptures seem to speak For as sin brought alwayes with it a Spiritual slavery before so it is like always remarkably to add an outward visible slavery to all evil men in the world then But those Creatures will be matter of Gods praise to the Saints c. Christ will then delegate the power and management of that his Kingdom to the Saints for him Dan. 7.18 22 27. even that Kingdom he received of the Father and which he gave to them as he speaks and that they may rule for him v. 27. First to the first raised Saints and then to other eminent Saints in the natural life as his enemies which he came to destroy had ruled against him before which will be the just reason and cause of their ruine then Luke 19.27 The Covenant and Mercies to Abraham Isaac and Jacob promised and sworn to them personally and yet never personally performed in respect of their enjoying the Land of Canaan neither had their natural Seed that Land as it was made sure to that one seed Christ Gal. 3. for ever Deut. 30. and Deut. 11.21 and that as the dayes of heaven upon the earth c. See Observ 15. But it shall be then accordingly performed as it was promised and sworn As likewise the Oath to David in David's Seed and Saviour and Antitype to reign so long as the Sun and Moon shall endure See Irenicon pag. 77 to pag. 80. And Observ 21. So of the New Jerusalem called Jehova Shamma Ezek. 48. ult which is said to come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21. where the Tabernacle of God is said to be with men See Observ 3. And the new Heavens and new Earth See Observ 22. later end with divers other Contemporaries for that thousand years as the Tree of Life and pure River See Iren. pag. 30. whereby the blessed gracious and glorious state of all things then are decyphred c. If these and the like points of Doctrine were enlarged upon and sitly placed in their due order of accomplishment as the holy Scriptures set them forth with such Rational and Scriptural Illustrations as are best suitable to their natures amongst themselves and in their sweet harmony with all other divine Truths there set down I doubt not but when once God shall give any sorts of men such Faith as to receive these things upon the divine authority of his Word they will appear both comfortable and excellent and prove forcible to such true Believers for increase of sanctification above what they received before and make to them as I have found by experience many parts of holy Scripture more clear and sweet and many wayes more useful than otherwise they can be to them whereas without these Doctrines I find I did not nor could ever have rightly understood or known them namely what such Texts of Scriptures respecting these and the like Doctrines do chiefly mean or drive at and I believe many others by degrees may find the like experience thereof in time But I am now many wayes restrained from enlarging therein and therefore only at present hint these things to believing Christians in such respects c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To Glory's God all Glory 's due for aye To Him alone this Due let all his pay FINIS A brief representation of the Doctrine of Christs Kingdom of Power to come upon Earth together with an endeavour to remove unjust prejudices from it To prevent the great sin and danger of being ashamed of Christ and his Truth even that great Truth of his Kingdom Joh. 18.37 Before a sinful and an adulterous generation of both which we are warned Mat. 8.38 True Christian Friend c. THE great and precious Truths respecting Christ Jesus our Saviours glorious appearance to destroy Antichrist to convert the Body of the Jewish Nation to begin his glorious Reign with his raised Saints on Earth for a thousand years c. And all this probably shortly to be manifest in the World which God hath been graciously pleased to discover unto me a poor weak and an unworthy instrument in such remarkable wayes as he hath led me according to his Word and by the guidance and operation of his holy Spirit and hath so strongly evidenced to my own soul and which hath been by sundry learned men and judicious Christians acknowledged
A plain and evident Discovery of the two Personal Comings of CHRIST one at the beginning of his Thousand years Reign Rev. 20.4 with his holy and blessed raised Saints in the Now Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21. the other after the little space when the Thousand years are ended c. Whereunto are added many profitable Applications of the same Doctrine for all sorts of persons Rev. 22.20 Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Jesus THese words contain Christ's most certain Asseveration of his second Personal Coming whereunto is annexed the Spirits and Brides assent consent thereunto and their assured expectation thereof in its time and due order They are the last words of holy Scripture saving a usual Salutation and therefore like to be words of great consequence and that if we consider how and by whom spoken and how and by whom entertained and improved as in the latter part but we shall not here insist on them as to handle them as a Text save only as they hold out to us the great Personal Appearance of the Coming of Christ 1 Thess 2.8 now shortly approaching which the world in great part as it is likely will not believe till they in great part feel the terror of it when at the said Appearance and his Kingdom he will begin to judge both quick and dead 1 Tim. 4.1 as in the sequel we doubt not will by the assistance and guidance of God's Spirit and Truth be made to right enquirers evidently to appear In chap. 1.7 it was proclaimed with an Ecce a note of observation Behold aforehand for the Churches great consolation before her troubles began that even then her Deliverer had begun his journey as it were for her help and deliverance Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also that pierced him but also for the wo and misery of the wicked world likewise for all Nations shall wail because of him and both these ascertained with Even so Amen to shew that his coming in the clouds of Heaven in such a glorious manner as the holy Scriptures abundantly shew or with clouds as here shall be most certain and infallible and of great concernment for his faithful People to observe all along to remember consider and improve through all the orders of times in this most sacred Prophetical Book But now at the latter end when he comes to set home this lesson in its due order of accomplishment as foreseeing what hindrances in that respect his People would find in the latter dayes he then striketh hard and often upon this string to rouse them and awaken that Faith that then would be hard to be found Luke 18.8 saith he in his own person three times in this 22th chapter first v. 7. Behold I come quickly again v. 12. And behold I come quickly and lastly in this 20th vers Surely I come quickly still in each verse encouraging his People to wait for his coming that would make amends for all and that in the worst times before his coming which would then shortly be when the last head of the Roman Monster was to fall in its order into utter perdition in the Armageddon battel Rev. 16.14 16 17. and fully executed chap. 19.11 c. and that he should most certainly then so come to set up his glorious Kingdom on Earth and then to have his reward with him for all sorts v. 12. Rev. 11.18 that so as the Apostle Paul speaks all that suffer with him in his Kingdom of Patience may reign with him in his Kingdom of Power as their Messiah and Deliverer on Earth 2 Tim. 2.12 That they may serve him without fear there in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of their lives Luke 1.74 So by these and the like means the Bride the Lamb's Wife the Mystical Body of Christ then shortly to be made perfect in one as John 17. our Saviour prayed on Earth at his first-coming for his Saints happiness on Earth at his second coming should according to the due order of things set down in this most divine Book expect it in the end of the Roman Kingdom and when his own glorious Kingdom as Mediator should succeed on Earth and become that Mountain filling the whole Earth Dan. 2.35 of which he sets down in the four last chapters First the removal of the hinderers the Pope and his adherents chap. 19. and then of the Devil and his angels chap. 20.1 2 3. Secondly the erecting of his excellent Dominion first by the Brides making ready when she should so sing her Alleluja's upon her Enemies ruine in the old mother-tongue c. Rev. 19.1 2 3 4 5. and also the Saints be raised in order first such as were beheaded and then c. chap. 20.4 and more fully chap. 11.18 who must then have Judgment given to them that is power of judging on Thrones ver 4. Dan. 7. and this for a thousand years and having shewed what Satan with the last Gog and Magog chap. 20.7 8 9 10. should attempt for a little space till both be sent to Hell and in what way and manner he will thereupon begin the last Session of Judgment from ver 10. to the end he then in the two last chapters decyphers the excellent blessed and holy state of his own and his Saints Kingdom upon Earth with their priviledges and advantages therein as may abundantly appear from chap. 21 22 wherein from the consideration of this his own next Personal Coming he stirs up all his People to come to him to be fit to welcome his Coming v. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth spiritually come and let him that is athirst come c. that when they hear him say ver 20. Surely I come quickly they may by faith and with fervent desires as his Bride say Amen Even so come Lord Jesus And all these warnings with frequent assertings of these things which he sets down in these four last chapters of this Book as chap. 19.7 8. These are the true sayings of God ch 21.5 These words are true and faithful chap. 22.6 These sayings are faithful and true and v. 10. forbids this Book to be sealed because the time is at hand viz. in the order of the accomplishment of all contained in this Book and in this 20th vers concludes with his own most sure testimony He which testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly c. All which he seems to do as knowing how the faith of these things would be resisted in the world about the time he should so come in the clouds or with clouds as chap. 1.7 even this coming of which he saith Surely I come quickly And as we now find by experience at this very time as respecting his special spiritual powerful coming so much slighted and opposed by most of men and his next personal coming is not like to be less slighted
and mocked at 1 Pet. 3.3 but by the Scoffers of those times very possible much more Now whereas besides Christ's coming in humility to take our nature and to suffer for his Church there remains according to holy Scripture as we hope by the Grace of God to make manifest to all impartial searchers into these Mysteries there still remains a twofold personal coming of Christ One when God will subdue and destroy the great Enemies of Christ and his People both Jewes and Gentiles namely the Turk and Pope set forth by Ezekiel under the titles of Gog and Magog chap. 38 39. before he set up his New Jerusalem chap. 40 to the end of the Book Whose name shall be JEHOVAH SHAMMA the Lord is there just as the Beast and his Armies shall be destroyed Rev. 19.11 c. before the Jerusalem Rev. 19 20 21. called the Holy Beloved the great and holy Jerusalem which is also there the Bride the Lambs Wife be built by God's own hand as Heb. 11. which will be accomplished at the sounding of the seventh Angel Rev. 11.16 upon which comes in the thousand years when Christ will take to himself his great Power and reign as chap. 19. v. 1 to v. 10. And afterwards when our blessed Saviour had given a clear and perfect computation of all succeeding times to the end of the world with all the suiting circumstances before in at the end and after his said thousand years Reign on Earth in that last Table of the last and best times in the new World in chap. 20. as he gave a Table of all the last and worst times chap. 11. to ver 16. in the old bad World he shews manifestly from the compleating of that Judgment upon those great Enemies from his second Personal Apearance or Coming at that time when the Judgment was set to destroy the Beast Dan. 7.9 10. there are to pass above a thousand years before the third when is to be the last Session of the day of Judgment at the general Resurrection of all that lived not again before both good and bad as our Saviour distinctly teacheth chap. 20. called there the rest of the dead that lived not again before ver 5. setting forth to the end the manner of God's carrying-on many wonderful works from thence unto the end And then Christ further proceeds in the two last chapters to set forth in a very divine and wonderful manner the succeeding glorious estate of his Church upon Earth with her excellent prerogatives and priviledges all that time of his thousand years Reign from his second coming to his third saving the little space Satan is after loosed and seduceth the last Gog and Magog chap. 20.7 8 9 10. to their destruction to which ensueth the last Judgment ver 11. to the end when he will again descend from Heaven not with clouds as at his second coming but with a shout and the voice of an Arch-Angel and the Trump of God as the Apostle sheweth 2 Thess 4.16 c. and as here chap. 20.11 sitting upon a great white Throne before whose face Heaven and Earth fled away Now to that end we may the better and more clearly carry on this great work to satisfaction of some hitherto unresolved consciencious Christians we shall endeavour to this purpose to set down many evident Texts of holy Scriptures upon the advantage of what hath been already said which may appear manifestly to relate to those two Personal Comings and then come more fully to consider them from the order of their distinct times wherein they are to be both from Daniels Visions and the Book of Revelations in both which we have the series and order of the accomplishment of the Generalities of the greatest marters wherein God's glory and the Churches concernment should lie from the beginning of Daniels Visions for the space of above three thousand three hundred years 2dly To observe for Christians information the different names and titles sometimes given to them and answerably thereunto their natures as suitable to those names 3dly The different things to be done by Christ at both those said Comings with many distinct particularities under both those heads besides what is orderly to be accomplished both according to Daniel and the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ the faithful and true Witness from his second to his third personal coming at the last resurrection of good and bad which our Saviour after his ascension into Heaven hath at last declared and opened and left unsealed as was noted for his Churches instruction and comfort as by special order is manifest Rev. 22.10 by which means his People are inabled rightly to understand many otherwise dark passages of Old and New Testament and besides hath given great incouragement of blessing to the faithfull and diligent searching into them to the spiritual hearing or believing of them and to the keeping of the sayings of that Book chap. 1.3 Now therefore in reference to the first part of our business let it be observed That many judicious men well vers'd in the mysteries respecting the latter times unanimously agree that Christ will remain from his appearance or coming at the destruction of Aptichrist thenceforward all the thousand years of his reigning with his raised Saints in the â—orld Rev. 20.4 and will as Mr. Mede conceives probably through that time be raising up all the dead bodies of all the formerly deceased Saints to the end of that thousand years in their own order having departed out of this life during the Kingdom of the Stone or the Kingdom of Patience for almost seventeen hundred years having believed through their word as is said John 17. namely by the Apostles Doctrine with all the Faithful under the Old Testament even till that time when they shall all be made perfect in one with Christ their visible Head then in that his glorious Kingdom on Earth for the said thousand years space unto which that Scripture must necessarily be referred Joh. 17. from ver 19 to 25. But it seems from the time that Satan at the end of the thousand years shall be loosed for a little season that Christ will withdraw from the world for that little season to give as it were opportunity to the Devil to play his last most abominable wicked prank in the world with his seduced Hypocrites the last Gog and Magog as followeth Rev. 20.7 8 9. to bring on that last destruction of all them and the whole World v. 10. which thereupon will suddenly be dissolved as follows ver 11 to the end when the Apostle Paul plainly saith 1 Thess 4.16 Christ will again descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God and shews that immediately the dead in Christ shall rise first namely such as had died in the thousand years since his second coming that they with such as are alive and remain all the time since they were raised to live
since Christ saith it will be but a little season we have reason to believe it will be so whereunto will ensue the last Resurrection and general Judgment this last state of things our Saviour hath clearly distinctly opened Rev. 20. which Daniel had but darkly set down in such manner as God's Spirit then taught and guided him for such time as God was pleased to have many things which he delivered then to be shut up til the time of the end when Christ should unseal and open them as both Daniel and the Revelation do witness the space as was said of above 3300 years of Daniel's Prophecies beginning with the Captivity of Babylon who darkly hold out the generals of things to be fulfilled in their order to the end of the World saving we finde nothing there of the little space after Christs Reign the thousand years is ended which both for the continuance of it for a thousand years and what was to be done in the little space after our Savior the great Prophet and faithfull Witness hath made known to his Church Rev. 20. and which could not by any wisdom of creatures otherwise be found out and the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ explains so much of Daniel's Prophecy though mystically as was to be fulfilled to the end from the time of the opening of the first Seal under the Roman Empire when our Saviour at his Resurrection having received all Power in Heaven and Earth gave Commission for the preaching of the Gospel Mat. 28.18 19 20. Now for the time of Christ's second coming both Dan. 7. Rev. 19. joyntly agree as all serious men acquainted with the order of mystical Prophecies universally agree and is evidently discernable to any unprejudiced searchers into them St. Paul gives this Epitome of that Coming to destroy Antichrist which both Daniel and Christ are large in saying Christ will destroy him with the appearance of his Coming and so in other Scriptures before Daniel hath much in generals that shall be in the world at the second personal coming of Christ but the third I find not that he hath any touch of whence the Jews did so much expect and speak of such a coming as his second will be to restore the Kingdom to Israel c. which saith Mr. Mede the Jewish Doctors call the day of the great Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies judicii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnus dies judicii in the 4th Letter to Mr. Hain from Dan. 7.10.22.26 But our Saviour most clearly and St. Paul and Peter likewise seems but especially Christ in the Book of Revelation chap. 20. hath set forth his third coming as a point of Doctrine most needful to be known and considered in the last times when his second coming approacheth near unto us As the order of Daniel's Prophecy in our Abridgment and the order of the Revelation in the Letter of May 20. in the Fore-runner pag. 22. and the sum of the Revelation in the Irenicon p. 26 27 c. will evidently make to appear so that both Daniel and the Revelation do orderly hold out his second personal coming with other Scriptures And the Revelation of Jesus Christ most clearly decyphers the third shewing what shall be done at the begining of and all along the thousand years and what at the end of them and how the day of the last general Judgment will be brought on and executed to the end of that 20th chapter with the state of things in the interim in the two last chapters Rev. 11.15 to the end which respects the same time or at least the entrance upon that period And secondly As these two personall comings are distinguished by Christ the great Interpreter of both these Prophetical Books so their names and decypherings in Scripture are much distinguished suitable to the nature of both the said comings The first is called the appearance of Christ or the appearance of his Coming the other his descending from Heaven with a shout c. The first is his coming with clouds c. at the other no mention of clouds but contrarily Heaven and Earth will then flee away before him the former stiled the Revelation of Christ when the mystery of Godliness is finished 1 Tim. 3.16 but the last will be after a long manifestation of his Glory all the thousand years in the world with other names more fully to be seen in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 43.44 45. and the reason the former is so often called his appearance seemes to be because Christ at his coming in the clouds of Heaven then will only appear in clouds to the world no mortal eye being able to behold his Glory in the brightness of it and probably because this appearance will be in the clouds but a short time cheifly to be so manifest unto the Jewes to take off the hard vail of unbelief from their hearts and as Mr. Mede probably conceives he will speak to the Jewes then at their conversion as he did to St. Paul for a pattern thereof And after that done I find not that he wil any more be seen of mortal men at least not ordinarily in the world though his Glory will shine fully and inlighten the raised Saints in the New Jerusalem as in many texts we have shewed as Isa 66.1 Rev. 21. Joh. 17.24 c. But his third coming is stiled his descending from Heaven with the voice of an Archangel and with the Trump of God but not so at the former 1 Thes 4.16 Mat. 24.31 his coming in his Glory with all his holy Angels and sitting upon his Throne where all shall be gathered before him Mat. 25.31 and the like in several texts fore-cited Thirdly As they differ in a long distance of time and the titles given to each according to their natures so they differ in the things that will be done at both those personal comings At the first God begineth to make Christ's foes his foot-stool both by binding of Satan Rev. 20. and by destroying many wicked men from off the earth that would not have him rule over them miraculously calling the Nation of the Jews and delivering that Nation fully from their temporal and greatly at least from their spiritual bondage Dan. 12.1 3 c. and making the wicked to be slaves and likewise then brings such as sleep in Jesus with him and all his Saints with him when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven which is that Jerusalem whose maker and builder God is said to be Heb. 11. and that City prepared for the fore-fathers who without us that believe will not be made perfect c. where the blessed and holy raised Saints shal behold Christs glory which he hath given them their part in John 17.22 24. and shall raign with him there the thousand years But the third coming of Christ will be his descending from Heaven with a shout and the voyce of the Arch-Angel as was
said and with the Trump of God above 1000 years after the former to raise first those dead in Christ that had died from the time of his appearance at the begining of his thousand years raign till his last coming and to change such as were in the natural life in a moment instead of a death who alltogether with such as were made alive and to remain by a powerful resurrection in the thousand years should then also be altogather rapt up into the aire to meet Christ and thenceforth ever to be with the Lord which the Saints raised before were not in the little space when Satan was loosed after the end of the thousand years and then suddenly after such a rapture of all the Saints to meet Christ in the air all the wicked will be raised to the last Judgment Rev. 20.11 c. 1 Thes 4. at Christ second coming he brought all the deceased Saints with him but at his third all the other after deceased and liveing on Earth shall be raised and changed and with all the former be kapt up altogether to meet him in the air for none must in that as the Appostle saith prevent the other before only the Just that had died were raised up in their order in the thousand years to have their time and measure of glory then with Christ in the New Jerusalem that came down from God for every faithful sufferer for Christ in the Kingdom of patience shall then reigne with Christ in the Kingdom of power on Earth but all the other both good and bad that lived not again as they are decyphered Rev. 20.5 till the thousand years were ended shal then be raised or changed as was said at Christs last coming 1 Cor. 15.25 Rev. 20.11 c. Before Christ came with clouds to vail his wonderful Glory that he might be seen by mortal eyes and especially of the Jews to convert them therfore called his appearance as we noted that that Nation might be born in a day as the Scriptures declare Isa 66.8 and the iniquity of that Land might be taken away in one day as is said Zac. 3.9 But at his last coming he will shine out in the fulness of his glory and his Saints shall be like him then in their degree at his former coming will be but a partial destruction upon the wicked world compared to Sodom and Gomorrha c. Luk. 17. upon the Armies of Gog and Magog and such as he sends not his Angels then to save them as he did Lot and his Family the Lord being merciful unto them when two will be in one bed two in the field two women in the Mill the one taken the other left But at his last coming Heaven and Earth will both at once flee away before his face Rev. 20.11 c. and no place be found for them the Sun Moon and Stars all then losing their light and motions when nothing but the light of the glory of Lord and of his glorious Angels and Saints will shine out then in the world to the wonderful rejoycing of the blessed and the terrour and amazement of wicked men and Devils Many such like different considerations I dout not but God will shew to humble and faithful searchers into these great things of the last times which the Scripture gives Testimony unto which the hazard and charge of printing with other reasons barre me at present to inlarge upon or so by application to improve them as otherwise was meet and as the matter requires Yet I hope by what hath been already laid down a plain way may be laid open for others whom God may guide into the like paths to proceed profitably therein to some greater measure of discoverry and happily upon more outwardly helpful advantages then peradventure I have found from men Yet nevertheless that a special divine assistance of Gods Spirit hath been with me graciously herein I must ever thankfully acknowledge to the praise of the riches of his grace towards such a poor weak and unworthy instrument who am therefore so much the more obliged to render all the glory thereof unto his Divine Majestie Amen Amen Yet notwithstanding I shall a little endeavour according to what I find sacred Scriptures point out to me on this or the like account by way of improvement of this great and weighty subject to give some brief hints at least to those purposes and leave the inlargement thereof to all truly Christian Spirits for their own use and others only thereunto adjoyning my earnest and hearty prayers for a blessing upon all sorts in the right use thereof Vse 1 First then let all faithful Ministers and Superiors consider for their own benefit this terrour of the Lord that thereby they may be the more effectually moved to perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 and cheifly such as are under their charge and all within their reach upon all advantages which God puts into their hands c. Secondly Let all such arm themselves with the whole armor of God Eph. 6.11 13 14 15 16 17 18. and help to arme others against any of Satans most violent assaults which God puts into their hand for Satan knowing his time is short hath the more rage against all the faithful Rev. 12.12 Thirdly Let all hence learn to exercise this three-fold watch upon this account Mat. 24.41 Mar. 13.33 34 35 36 37. 1st Watch and be sober in affections of temporal things in passions in opinion in practices avoiding whatever Gods word condemns as drunkenness or is contrary to true Christian moderation Phil. 4.5 Luke 21.34 1 Thes 5.6 1 Pet. 4.7 2ly Watch and pray as our Saviour frequently chargeth upon this account Luk. 21.36 Math. 24.42 Mar. 14.38 13.33 1 Pet. 4.7 3ly Watch and keep their garments Rev. 16.15 of Justification Sanctification and an holy Conversation c. Fourthly Let all that seek their own or others chief and true good take more care and pains by reason of such disovery of Christ's coming approaching to preserve and secure the safety of their own and others souls upon that account and less care then ever for the procuring or securing of temporal things to themselves or others this being Gods undertaking to cast in unto the other Matth. 6.33 though now the contrary is sadly observable in this decrepit age of the world which is now about to leave men and yet men pursue and cling to it more then ever in former ages when they were more like to be taken out of it then that as now the world was about to leave them God in our due use of means hath undertaken for our temporals but it was ever without limitation our duty to take care for Spirituals which in the due use of all God's means and in God's way we can never be too careful for in respect of our own or others souls Fiftly Let us approve our selves wise Virgins Mat. 25. by getting Oyl into our Lamps and to have our Lights burning that
Revelation and by means of that together with the assistance of God's holy Spirit what was shut up before in Daniel likewise till the time of the end but ever since to be sought after to be known for the benefit of his Church as they are recorded by his Apostle St. John with promise of blessing to the due performance thereof 13ly Such Scriptures as have special stamps upon them of the last times as Jacob's and Moses his Prophecies of the twelve Tribes Gen. See Iren. p. 59 60 61. 49. Deut. 33. and that Song of Moses penned for posterity Deut. 32. and Balaams Prophecy Num. 24. c. usually contain something in them respecting the same times 14ly That usual phrase in Scripture in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the postremity of dayes in the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last of dayes by ours read in the latter dayes hath reference usually to these Times wherein these great Mysteries were to be opened by degrees and the things contained in them accordingly fulfilled in their orders as is observable in these Scriptures following Gen. 49.1 Numb 24.24 Deut. 4.30 Prov. 31.25 Isa 2.2 Mic. 4.3 Jer. 23.20 Ezek. 38.16 Hos 3.5 But especially take notice of these two following places Dan. 2.28 10.14 to which may be added Dan. 8.17 the time of the end and ver 19. the last end of the indignation and the like chap. 11.36 till the indignation be accomplished where the former or such other like expressions of the latter dayes are used which all usually refer to the Mysteries of these latter times But Daniel in the first text tells Nebuchadnezzer expresly that God had made known unto him what should be in the postremity of dayes c. viz. in the fourth and fifth Monarchies as he proceeds to explain to him And chap. 10 14. after Daniel had seen a glorious Vision of Christ an Angel was sent to comfort him and told him expresly that he was sent to make him understand what should befall his People in the latter or postremity of days See Abridgm on Dan. 11.36 40 and so the other like phrases at the time of the end Dan. 11.40 that is in the last times So chap. 12.4 9 13. in the end of the dayes at the resurrection of the Just that is when Daniel was to be raised again to stand in his lot and the other phrase the last end of the indignation Dan. 8.19 and chap. 11.36 is to be understood of the Jews full great Restoration at Christ's Appearance as Dan. 12.1 which are the particular drifts of those several phrases by the orders of his Visions and the intents of them as may appear by their accomplishments in part and by what is further still to be done as we have set down in their due place in our Abridgment of Daniels Visions on divers of those places and phrases Therefore besides many other considerations from the Prophecies of Daniel which might be convincingly added take notice of this one How unwarrantably somâ— men contrary to the scope of the Spirit of God and the natural signâ—fications of these many phrases and expressions set down by the holy Ghost along that Book besides the experimental fulfilling of divers things therein accordingly as chap. 11.40 12.4 9. 2.28 in part fulfilled yet notwithstanding all these they have I say very mistakenly gone about to limit and confine all Daniel's Prophecy to the Greek Empire which our Saviour hath manifested in the Book of Revelation will not be fulfilled wholly in about two thousand years after or happily near upon it See our Abridgment on Daniel and the fum of the Revelation in the Irenicon pag. 26 27 28 29 30 31. 15ly God's Covenant with Abraham to be the Lord his God and thereupon to give to him and his seed the Land of Canaan renewed afterwards to Isaac Gen. 26.3 and also to Jacob Gen. 35.12 See Fore runner p. 38 39. and confirmed by Moses for all three together Exod. 6.3 4. yea and as he speaks sworn by God to them Deut. 30.20 Yea and again with a very remarkable and strong expression reaching to and comprehending the Kingdom of Christ in the thousand years as appears Deut. 11.21 he sware it saith Moses as the dayes of Heaven upon Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon the account of all which God seems to tell Moses Exod. 3. that that should be his Memorial through all Generations that he was the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob which Memorial he there three times repeated v. 6 15 16. to assure all Generations of the first Resurrection of the Just Rev. 20.5 6. having not only personally promised it to them all but sworn it in such manners as Moses recordeth And yet again his own Spirit and Word in his Servants mouths again declares that in their natural lives they lived on Earth this Promise made personally to them was not fulfilled as St. Stephen expresly speaks Acts 7.5 they had not so much as to set a foot upon by that Covenant though they purchased Burying-places that their dead bones might keep possession thereof by that means till the Resurrection of the Just or first said Resurrection Rev. 20.5 6. when Christ that one promised Seed Gal. 3.16 in special and chiefly to be understood as their Seed not Seeds as the Apostle remarkably distinguisheth and expoundeth too in that Text I say Christ that promised Seed should put them into possession then of that Land of Canaan wherein they had been only strangers and pilgrims before as Heb. 11.9 and dwelling in Tabernacles as was the condition also of Isaac and Jacob as the Apostle shews though they were Heirs of the same Promise ver 9. and yet he had said of Abraham particularly ver 8. That Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he was afterward to receive for an Inheritance obeyed not knowing whither he went So that not having yet received it he must according to Scripture receive it at the said first Resurrection See Fore-runner p. 38 39. for God's Promises and Oaths will not fail though many mens faith may much fail in these things as is by our Saviour foretold Luke 18.8 when he Abraham shal appear to be the Heir not only of Canaan but of the World through faith as the Apostle Paul further teacheth Rom. 4.13 and this Mr. Mede shews to be the drift of our Saviour's Argument Mat. 22.27 Mark 12. that therefore God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob according to the tenour of that Covenant in that they must live again upon Earth to inherit then that promised Land of Canaan to wit at that time of the restitution of all things Act. 3.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Creation of all things as our Saviour shews Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things new and in this sense Beza understands that place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to five or
of which God said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2.7 applyed largely by St. Paul to Christ's Resurrection Acts 13.33 34 35 36 37. with other Scriptures of which saith he again Rom. 1.4 he was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead And being so glorified by his Father he also glorified him by setting up the preaching of the Gospel and give Salvation thereby v. 2 3 4. when all power being given to him in Heaven and in Earth as he said Mat. 28.18 he then mainly improves the same in commissionating and fitting and sending his Disciples to be his Apostles to preach the Gospel as in the Prayer is to be observed afterwards and Mat. 28.19 20. Go preach the Gospel to all Nations and Mark 15. Go preach the Gospel to every creature and also glorified his Father many wayes in the forty days after his Resurrection but especially he is said then to speak to his Disciples of the things that concerned the Kingdom of God Acts 3.3 4 5. whereupon seemed that question of the same Kingdom then to be moved by them c. The next step was his Prayer for his Ascension into Heaven v. 5. to be glorified with that Glory which he had before in the Bosom of his Father before the world was when he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thenceforward should as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man in one person sit at the right-hand of the Father in his Caelestial Glory which he had with the Father before the world was and then v. 6 7 8. having declared divers things respecting his Disciples what he had done towards them and what effect was found in them c. he proceeds in v. 9 11. to make his Prayer for his Disciples after to be his Apostles being in the world when he was ascended that his Father would keep them from that evil world as he had done for them to that time v. 12. having shewed their joynt interest ver 10. and shews the end why he spake these things suitable to their present state v. 13 14. and shewing what Persecution they were to look for but how they should be preserved c. he proceeds to limit his Prayer for his Disciples v. 15. not that they should be taken out of the world but that they should be kept from the evil And since they were not of that world v. 16. he prayes further in v. 17. to have them sanctified by the Word of God's Truth and giving them their Mission v. 18. he shews the end of his sanctifying himself was for their sanctification by that means v. 19. So having done with what concerned his Disciples to be sent as Apostles into the world and in them for all faithful Messengers of the Gospel that were to succeed he then proceeds v. 20. to pray for all truly faithful and believing souls through their Word as he speaks even from that time of their Mission to his Coming again as may many wayes appear by what follows from ver 20. to 25. wherein all such faithful persons should be equally concerned shewing that the end and drift of all their believing through their Word or of any of his Messengers was that they might all be one as the Father was in him and he in the Father that they might be one as the Father and the Son were one v. 21 22. that is that they should be as the Bride the Lamb's Wife is one with her Head in the New Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21. and so made perfect in one v. 23. at Christ's second coming or his coming again into the world as Heb. 1.6 when that good world to come shall believe that the Father hath sent him yea and know it too in an especial manner as he adds and repeats in part the same thing v. 21 23. having shewed in v. 22. that he had given them the same Glory that the Father had given him in his Kingdom Dan. 7.14 15. and for that end that they might be one as was said before as he and the Father are one who loved them as he had loved him And v. 24. he further declares his own last Will and Testament in that particular respecting the enjoyment of that happiness with himself in the said Kingdom which his Father had given him as Mediator as a reward in time for that work finished in the time of that his Office which the Faithful should enjoy with him in the time of that said good World to come when they should be where he should be and behold to their happiness the Glory then given him by his Father from his love to him as his obedient Son and faithful Servant before the foundation of the world and in the two last verses concludes with some special consolations respecting his Disciples as follows ver 25 26. to the end of the chapter Thus divinely hath our blessed Saviour according to his infinite Wisdom couched the order of these glorious Mysteries in his making and leaving this most excellent Prophetical and declarative Prayer of his before his departure out of the World recorded by his beloved Apostle St. John for the information and consolation of his poor and little little Flock to whom with himself it was his Father's pleasure to give that Kingdom with himself on Earth Rev. 20.4 Rev. 5.10 And the advancement of that state is the great drift of our Lord's Prayer recorded also by two Evangelists namely that God's Name may be hallowed See Irenicon p. 30. and his Kingdom come and consequently his Will be doen in Earth then as in Heaven before for which purpose as God's People should alwayes endeavour faithfully so they have abundant ground to believe from the Word it will be so done in the time when the Devil will be shut up in the bottomless-pit from seducing the Nations for a thousand years space Rev. 20. The blessed and holy Saints shall come with Christ to take their bodies in their own order The glorious Angels shall come and worship him and do their service to him in the world Heb. 1.6 And all the creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth shall bow the knee and be subject unto him Phil. 2. and all things be made new by him Rev. 21.5 all which since his Word declareth most surely shall be performed 21. Observ That the perfect Dominion over the Creatures which was part of the Image of God upon Man in his innocency will be restored again unto him the holy Scriptures make evident which the Apostle Paul saith The whole Creation groans for to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8. and this David prophetically foreshews will be done in Christ Ps 8. where he saith God had visited him the Son of man and made him for a little time as both the word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and I doubt not will be owned more and more I am well assured are of so high concernment both for the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ and for the edification and comfort of his People in the last times that I shall be ready by his Grace upon all fitting occasions to warn all such as truly fear God to take heed either of slighting or rejecting of them for though they are of that nature that God hath in his most wise counsel reserved to be more especially known for his true Churches benefit in these last dayes when his ancient People the Jews are shortly to be converted unto Christ their Saviour as the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 11. and all Israel shall be saved that even as the Mystery of the Gentiles Conversion was hidden to the Jews and even for a time to the Apostles themselves when it was to take place until by Miracles Word Spirit and Visions they were powerfully taught to acknowledge it So theirs is like in great part to be hid to the Gentiles And as Antichrist was to come to be revealed to reign to be consumed with the breath of Christ's mouth uttered by his Witnesses but all to be fulfilled in a great Mystery all along to the most in the World saving unto some few persons and places unto whom by degrees God in special wayes of mercy hath been pleased from time to time to manifest these things and yet I say but by degrees for the accomplishment of God's Mysteries have in all times been very wonderful and above mens reach ordinarily to discover And as the Apostle Paul was greatly honoured and imployed by the Jewish Rulers and learned Rabbies of his time whilst he persecuted the Christian Faith yet when afterward he preached that Gospel of Christ crucified and that unto the Gentiles was as much by those Jews persecuted and opposed himself and by all of their way so in a degree may it be expected of such as God manifesteth such things unto as he will accomplish in the end of the dayes as Daniel's phrase is which shall appear to be against the interest of men in the world or above the ordinary strain of the times that many though not all will slight and oppose them even until God fulfils them and such their slighting and opposing is like to be as to the Jews of old the occasion of such his fulfilling of them Dan. 12.10 But then many such will they nill they must give glory to God as Rev. 11.13 for so it pleaseth God usually to hide great things from the wise and prudent and to reveal them unto babes Luke 20.21 But to prevent and remove prejudices First then Let all serious Christian Spirits take notice that in those two first Books I have endeavoured to vindicate the true Doctrine of Christ's Kingdom on Earth to come from those unjust aspersions of Disloyalty to Kings and Magistrates as most opposit thereunto which though haply it hath been unpleasing to some yet otherwise I had not therein so approved my self unto God satisfied mine own conscience done right to many sorts of men nor to the Doctrine which I have been taught as I said before and this may three times be seen in the said Books in the first pag. 15. somewhat largely and pag. 41 42. reckoning such delusions among Satans Vials on Christ's Kingdom and in the second Book in the Preface of it towards the end of the second leaf c. Secondly Let all such observe that those things which as I believe I have by God's special guidance published are for the substance nothing but the true Scriptural explications of the old Articles of the Faith as Learned-men had before manifested from the best Antiquity and owned in great part in the most pure Primitive-times But yet upon a better ground for us are now to be owned from the most pure and infallible Word of Truth that more sure Word of Prophecy as 2 Pet. 1.19 whereunto all Christians are bound to take heed For as we profess to believe that Jesus Christ will come from the right hand of the Father to judge the quick and the dead and likewise to believe the Resurrection of the Just and the Life of the World to come as the Nicene Creed according to Heb. 2.5 And how these things shall be fulfilled our Saviour who best knew hath himself instructed his Church together with the time when in some good measure as Rev. 11.18 at his glorious appearing both beginning to judge the quick then by destroying of them that destroyed the Earth i.e. Antichrist and his Accomplices with the appearance of his coming as 2 Thess 2.8 and 2dly by giving reward unto his Servants the Prophets and unto his Saints and to all that fear his Name both small and great which is then to be done in the Resurrection of the Just as is further explained Rev. 20.4 5 6. when also begins the Reign of the Saints with Christ on Earth the said thousand years while Satan also shall be bound as ver 1 2 3. during which time our Saviour shews that the Apostles shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 concerning which Period he more fully explains himself Luke 22.29 I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me where his Throne must be distinct from his Fathers where he sate on his right hand in Heaven as Rev. 3.21 is clearly explained which Kingdom appointed to him by his Father the Apostle shews 1 Cor. 15.24 at the end the same shall be delivered again to his Father when ends the said Kingdom that the Father had appointed to him with his Saints on Earth which began at his beginning to judge the quick and the dead at his first appearing as was shewed which continued all the said thousand years and the finishing of the Judgment of the Just and Wicked concerning which there are so abundant and evident proofs in Scripture that when Antichristian prejudices shall once be removed even that spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh as 1 John 4.3 which such do not in the Apostles sense that acknowledg not the fulfilling of all Christ's Offices in their seasons as the Scripture holds them out till his Mediatorship be consummate which the spirit of Antichrist hath all along opposed c. Then I say I confidently believe those glorious Truths will evidently be manifest and received in the true Church of Christ Thirdly Now for the Subjects of that Kingdom of Christ on Earth that we may give a little further taste of the Doctrine thereof before we proceed to the removal of the prejudices against it They will be first the Body of the Nation of the Jews c. for the most part miraculously converted upon Christ's glorious appearance and probably his speaking to them as in that pattern of St. Paul's Conversion and of many Jews about three hundred years after Christ as
in Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Twisse's second Letter See Zech. 12.10 11. with Rev. 1.7 Isa 66.8 Isa 60. with many other Texts of Scripture 2dly Another sort of subjects then will be Converted Heathen Gentiles then to come in Isa 60.5 6 c. Isa 19. who shall be then Christ's Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth his Possession as Psal 2.8 which the Apostle reckons the greatest riches of the Gentiles Rom. 11.12 If the casting off the Jews was the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness And afterwards v. 25. he reveals it as a Mystery to humble us Gentiles in the mean time that blindness was in part happened to the Jews until a first fulness of the Gentiles was come in which our Saviour expresseth by the fulfilling of the times of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 for so long was the Jews calamity and miserable Captivity to endure from Jerusalems destruction as is evident from the context 3dly Christ's chief and best Subjects or Assessors and Deputies then in that his Kingdom will be the blessed raised Saints in the New Jerusalem come down from God Rev. 21.2 who is said to be the Maker and Builder of that City Heb. 11.10 16. which are they our Saviour saith that are counted worthy of that World and the Resurrection of the Just called there also the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20.35 36. even in that habitable World as the Apostle calls it Heb. 2.5 And at that time when God brings his Son again into the World Heb. 1.6 Where those which God gave him before shall see his own Glory given him as Mediator by the Father as a manifestation of his eternal love to him who he knew would perfectly fulfill that Office and therefore in his last Testament-Will he bequeatheth it to them in the presence of his Father and his Disciples saying John 17.24 Father I will that they c. Observe well both the words and the context they are very weighty all full to this purpose that those raised Saints shall there be where Christ is in his own Kingdom as Dan. 7. there beholding his Glory and many other Texts to the like purpose Consider in the Books wherein many other excellent and sweet points of Christian Doctrine to serious spirits may be observable bordering upon these which to such may by God's Grace be exceeding available to promote Grace and Piety and that from a great advantage above what usually hath been taught or is yet expected by most Christians namely from the weighty consideration of the happiness of the whole man both in soul and body together and that upon Earth where those Saints were formerly despised and suffered when their enemies shall not live in body Isa 26.14 but they shall live with Christ in a triumphant state of Glory Rev. 20.4 5. and that above a thousand years sooner than is ordinarily expected and this happy estate will be a sure entrance into the possession of eternal blessedness in the highest Heavens Men use too greatly to prize and very dearly purchase many times with the loss of their precious souls their earthly falsly supposed perpetuities and when they have done all know not that they or their heirs shall possess I will not say enjoy them for a thousand dayes on Earth but suppose a lawful acquired purchase and left ordinarily with the greatest hope of blessing by a Godly Parent to a gracious Christian Posterity yet how soon do successions many times here degenerate and in some few hundreds of years how are Estates and Nations turned up-side down as sacred and other Histories abundantly evidence and the best mens best estate is here full of evil as well as good bitter sweets at the best yea they and every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39. And doth Christ by his own peculiar teaching and his evidence must needs be best assure his faithful Servants he hath procured and appointed unto them not a small pittance but a Kingdom and one that cannot be shaken not for a life here or a few successions but for a thousand years on Earth free not only from outward enemies but in the judgment of the best Christians from far worse scil from Sin and Satan with all their retinue Shame Sorrow Death Hell with all that black Regiment that guards them c. On the other hand What bruitish madness do wise men reckon such to be possessed with that cast away a great Estate with the casting of a Dye or by any other sinful earthly frenzy but what is it for any worldly vanity with a curse hereunto entailed and sometimes pursuing it close at the heels to cast away a sure Christian Interest in such a Kingdom as Christ's is sure to be on earth so glorious so satisfying as every condition of the faithful after death is satisfying fully so secure every way blessed in what they enjoy at that period and in what they know they shall enjoy to all eternity For as evil men are made to know all the degrees of their cursed estate both of soul and body likewise to come to their exceeding horror from the very moment of their death when their Conscience being let loose is their accuser witness judge executioner and continual tormentor so godly men appear to know from the very moment of their departure hence every happy condition they are to pass through to eternity therefore of this state said the representatives Rev. 5.10 almost one thousand six hundred years ago we shall reign upon earth so that on the one hand upon this said great advantage Christians may be urged by the Apostles argument a fortiori more strongly as the good is so great and near approaching wherefore Beloved brethren since these things are so what manner of men ought we to be in all holy manner of conversation c. And on the other hand in respect of evil men a fortiori they will not only lose such happiness which they wil not now believe but they will presently know they have lost it and that it will from thenceforth be irrecoverable and which ever will make them miserable they will find they were taken hence in wrath from the tenders of mercy which they had shal never have tenders thereof again made before Christ's second coming or at his coming nor after the last resurrection so that whether thus taken away in particular-displeasure or in the common destruction of the wicked they will throughly know each miserable estate which shall abode them privatively positively as well their poenam damni as poenam sensus as well what they have irreparably lost as what in every estate to eternity will be inflicted upon them Qu. But here by the way is one great Question How will this Doctrine be proved for many great and learned men do not assent to it Answ Whether any Doctrine that is founded evidently and strongly on Gods Word is owned by learned men or eminent men in the
of the proceedings wherein I have endeavoured in sundry places on several occasions to give an account advantagious to serious Christian souls and greater than if it had been otherwise as upon sundry considerations might be made to appear and though in such subjects for divers reasons men that write of them cannot well be much in explications and applications lest they be too voluminous in laying down the principles and confirmation as the foundation of them in the first place necessary yet afterwards it will be easie by God's assistance for all sorts of understanding Christians to do it for their own benefit and the edification of others And to which purpose I shall likewise by God's Grace be ready upon any call of his to approve my self to all mens consciences in the clearing and improving of such needful Truths according to my measure and as he may give me opportunity which haply I conceive may be the chief work remaining to me in this world though haply they may find resistance from Satan the end of whose Kingdom they hold out or from several sorts of men either upon prejudice or want of searching and trying them by the Scriptures or from some evil disposition of spirit or other or worldly engagements to the contrary c. as it hath usually been with the Witnessings of other Truths of God in their seasons but this is the comfort in such case Truth shall prevail and Gods Word shall stand when all is done for he that is with such as witness for it is Almighty and will suffer no Truth of his utterly to fall to the ground though for a time it may suffer an eclypse but in the mean time the work of his Witnesses is with him their Lord and their labour with their God And as no Truth of God is in its season to be rejected so concerning these there seems to be less reason in this regard because the Spirit of God seems in all times of his Messengers to be so abundant in giving testimony thereunto that men may not onely find much in Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms as our Saviour then directed to search for his first coming in his Kingdom of Patience Vide Irenicon p. 81 82 83 c. but concerning his second coming and Kingdom of Power then to be set up in the World they may have abundant evidence besides from his Apostles Evangelists and many sorts of persons there recorded to have been divinely inspired and after all our Saviour's most sure Explications and Applications of all the former strongly asserted and sent by his beloved Disciple St. John unto the Churches for their Edification and Comfort unto his said Coming again as all along by the quotations in the said two Books by his remarkable hand sent abroad of late may more fully appear to such as duly weigh the Scriptures Obj. But it may be alledged against these things as it was at our Saviours first coming Have any of the Rulers believed on him So Do the Great and Learned or Eminent Men in the World of many Ages past acknowledge these things Answ It was a great stumbling-block to many sorts of the People of the Jews that their Rulers did not But were they not both by our Saviour therefore characterized by Blind leaders of the blind c. and the same obstacle hath many times since and still is like to fall in the way of many But the Scripture informs men on the other hand Not many Wise not many Learned not many Noble c. though some of all those c. So neither are these Truths without some Witnesses of all such ranks and many in the purest primitive times besides more late ones as hath been abundantly not long since published but while men as we hinted before have more respect to Men than God's Word it is no wonder they are in some great matters misled Therefore in a word they are to be warned that they pin not their faith on other mens sleeves but with the Noble Bereans search by the holy Scriptures whether these things be so if they would stand upon a sure foundation c. It matters not to thee saithful Christian who are the persons that plead for or against any divine Truth whilst thou mayest find the Word of God evidently to give witness to it and if in this thou follow any sort of men rather than Christs truth thou wilt certainly be misled above what thou mightest in other things for our Saviour hath in these things forewarned thee Luke 18.8 Their Faith will be wanting when he cometh as in the latter part of the foregoing Chapter is particularly described wherefore they should pray and not faint c. Object But there is one dangerous shifting here comes on to be avoided i.e. Many good men able faithful and well approved do not at all own such Doctrines and some reckon them to be little better than fancies c. Answ No good men however qualified or approved in this world are perfect Who better or equal to the Apostles of Christ yet the chiefest of them shewed their infirmities Peter and Paul were so at difference that they parted from each other and Barnabas was far carried away with the dissimulation of a mistaken party and there was much adoe among some of them before the believing Gentiles could be received though the Word and Will of God was for it till God made the business out of question but the evidence of the Jews conversion and things contemporary with them have much more clearness that they shall be accomplished and though good men in many things have been upheld in upright wayes pleasing unto God yet they may fail in others and what sorts of good men have not had their failings and is not that vanity in many able approved and learned men that they are apt so to conceive of their light or parts or learning or experience that nothing is to be owned and received that is not suited to their own standard and all is but fancy that is not comprized within the summary of their Faith although they have not searched and tryed them by the true touch-stone of the Word But let all such be they who they will either in their own esteem or in the esteem of others take heed of being in such regard resisters of any divine Truth God hath more Truths yet to reveal than any times past have been hitherto capable of receiving or that these times we are in can attain to but will be revealed and received too at the time when his Temple shall be opened in Heaven and when men shall see in his Temple the Ark of his Testament Rev. 11.19 But he hath now in our times revealed some things which he would have owned by us which have not of many years past been so manifest and clear but are now very seasonable to be many ways improved in these last days Object But the Teachers of such or such Doctrines have