Being without a Blessing but misery Therefore in chap. 9. he largly distributes his Blessings to Noah his Sons to the beasts cattle and creeping thing fish fowls and every plant or green herb and subjects all to man only forbidding cruelty as appears by that expression Flesh with the life thereof that is the blood thereof shall ye not eat and again repeats his blessing v. 7. And then God largly establisheth his Covenant with all creatures and men again in v. 8 9 10 11 12. and then confirms it with the token of the Rainbow from v. 13. with a great deal of very gracious inlargment and improvement when they shall see that token to v. 17 Hence Gods Throne is compassed with the Rainbow Ez. 1. Rev. 4. where he gives an excellent Epephonema of his said grace as I may say And God said unto Noah this is the token of the Covenant which I have established between me and all flesh which is upon the earth Now as the earth with its fruitfulness and varieties of creatures is made the stage and accommodation too for all actings of promised and purposed grace from thence to the end of the world so the chief and greatest performances of fruitfulness are reserved for the time of Christs said reign as Psal 67. twice Then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God even our God shall give us his blessings And hence so many and great promises of those kindes upon the great Restauration of the Jews and Israelites and for both Davids house and Abrabrahams Isaacs and Jacobs then to have the Dominion See from this Covenant a strong assurance made thereof twice together almost yet in two Visions of the Prophet Jeremiah ch 33. v. 20 21. If saith God ye can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night c. Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant that he should not have a Son to reign upon his Throne c. that is Christ shall most certainly reign as the Son of David to the end of the world and what man shall dare to deny this and make any other meaning thereof And again v. 25 26. If my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob for I will cause their captivity to return and have mercy on them Many other places may here be produced to like purpose but this in brief at present 3. That all those Promises and Covenanted Mercies made and given to and with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and to their spiritual seed by that one Divine seed Christ for a thousand Generations which is a frequent expression in holy Scripture Jer. 32.18 Ezek. 34.7 Deut. 5.10 and particularly applyed to the promise and Covenant of the Land of Canaan and sung out by David at the bringing home the Arke to his Tent provided for it 1 Chr. 16.8 and again recorded Ps 105.8 c. in the last place said to be the Covenant which God remembred for ever and the word commanded for a thousand Generations c. as largly there set down to all three who in the grace they received resembled the Trinity Abraham as the fountain of mercy to his seed invested in himself Isaac as the conveyer thereof in thy seed alone not in thee Jacob as the immediate dispenser to the twelve Tribes to Ishmael his natural seed but in conjunction with Christ that what was wanting in Jacob should be made up in Christ therefore saies God to him in thee and in thy seed Christ shall all the families of the earth be blessed and God often stiles himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob in reference to the Promise yet to be fulfilled to them personally in their inheriting the promise of Canaan called the Lot of their Inheritance Psal 105.11 in the time of Christs Kingdom on earth but the 1000. generations seems to contain 7000. years from the giving the first promise Gen. 3.15 to the end of the world Which Promise contained in the bowels of it all the great Promises made to the Fathers afterwards and as from that Conduit head God hath disposed through those water pipes of future Promises his mercies to this or that person family or nation as he pleased ever since a generation being usually reckoned 7 years as 21 years is 3 lives suitable to Davids old age of 70 years which few of very many attain to in the intermediat 4000. years of the world for the ages of the old world and of the world to come differ for distinct reasons so the other seems to be the standard and the said Promise or Covenant seems be to here said to be remembred for ever and the other drawn from that for the residue of 1000. generations by Abraham Isaac and Jacob to their spiritual seed at the Resurrection of the just c. untill as Job saith The heavens shall be no more and the earth with all upon it become ve Tohu ve Bohu i. e. become again without form and void for ever c. or a perpetual prison Come we first to Abraham that Pater excelsus the Father of the faithful to whom the said grace was dispensed in a 7 sold gradation Gen. 12.2 3. and so forward c. Whereupon his ready obedience to Gods call he made a large comprehensive Promise of that land and all other mercies to himself alone personally as Gen. 1â— 18 through the Divine one seed Christ conceived then and afterwards so by faith in Abrahams soul that as our Saviour said John 8.56 Abraham saw my day and was glad yea and his future day also of injoyment a far of with Isaac Jacob and Sarah Heb. 11. at the said Resurrection represented in the deadness of Abrahams body and Sarahs womb and Isaacs saving from death in a figure c. 2. Upon his coming to Sichem God appeared to him and promised that land unto his natural seed v. 7. as it is expounded c. 15.13 14. whereof Abraham in person was to have no part v. 15. nor Isaac nor Jacob who all died long before the 400. years ended 3. When he was severed from Lot God said to him c 13 14 15 16 17. View all the coasts East West c. For I will give it to thee and to thy seed for ever namely to his one most Divine seed Christ Gal. 3.16 who should continue for ever and would retain his right and maintain Abrahams Proprietie which he hath purchased for him and all his and God bids him walk through that land then for saith he again I will give it unto thee 4. When upon Gods great incouragement Abraham represents his Age and Childless estate unto God c. Thereupon he bids him look up to Heaven and tell the Stars
27 28. of our Prodrom or Forerunne 8. That these Doctrines are summarily the Scriptural explications of two Articles of Faith vix of Christs coming to judgment Dan. 7. Rev. 20.4 and of his raising of the just at the first blessed and holy Resurrection v 5 6. 9. That the Jews aversness from owning Christs grace to the Gentiles before Peters Vision Acts 11. should caution the Gentile Christians against opposing those Doctrines from Scripture containing the Jews stronger title by far to much more ample mercies See that renownedly learned and religious Gentleman Sir Henry Finch his book of the calling of the Jews and his Epistle to them and that will be when their glorious Messiah shall come to those who are beloved for their Fathers sakes Rom. 11.28 to take away the Vail from their hearts 2 Cor. 3.16 10. The reason Mr. Mede gave of the clouding of these Doctrines when Antichrist was to arise viz. to make way for his coming The like also may be given for the clearing of them in some measure when the Date of that Man of sin is wearing out namly to help to bring him down I say but in some measure because the Scripture gives divers hints that they will not be received by many Rev. 19.9 21. 5. 22.6 Luke 18.8 Dan. 12.10 which now appears by prevailing iniquity by prejudice of some and interests of others ingagements of credit business shakings of the world many distractions tentations contrary seducements and the like See the emergent conjecture of 1666. from Christs Ascention on Rev. 22.20 p. 36 37 c. from four Mistical Numbes 11. That the Dominion of Gods people the Jews will be manifest then to be founded in grace and to be the Generation whom the Lord hath blessed Es 65.23 probably more especially the Tribe of Judah as distinctly so known from other people Es 61.9 when they shall be borne in a day spiritually and nationally for the most part probably at Christs appearance to them when his feet shall stand on mount Olivet from whence he ascended and then will cause the cleaving of the Mountain and great Vally to Azal as the Prophet Zachary c 14. foretels and their iniquity be taken away in one day Zac. 3.9 And as Justice and Judgment are now for ever the stability of Christs Throne so they will be then of all other Kings besides See Foundat 7. 12. That Abraham Isaac Jacob and Sarah expected by Faith their particular Shares or Lots in the Land of Canaan a far of Heb. 11. viz. at the Resurrection of the Just and in assurance thereof they would be buried there as also Joseph would have his bones as it were to keep possession till that time of fulfilling Gods promise thereof to each of them See p. 38 39. of the Prodr therefore they counted themselves Pilgrims 2dly they sought no opportunity to return v. 15. 3dly they looked for that heavenly countrey of Christs Kingdom v. 16. Rom. 4.16 17 18 c. Gal. 3.8 9 c. See our 15 Reasons in New Jeru and Prodromus p. 38. 13. That some of the Subjects of Christs Kingdom will be raised Saints the Children of the Resurrection in that world Luke 20.35 36. others converted Jews and Gentiles in their natural life in their several conditions as follows 14. There will be accordingly two New Jerusalems in the world the one came down from God out of heaven Meto-nymicolly in respect of the Inhabitants for the time to come being when they came down the spirits of just men coming with Christ to receive their bodies called the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 19. Rev. 21. and so to be the Inhabitants of that glorious City whose maker and builder is God Heb. 11.10 Rev. 20. where the said raised Saints will behold Christs glory which was by Christs last will bequeathed to them Joh. 17.24 The other New Jerusalem will be built by men and partly by strangers and their Kings for the use of such as shall walk in the light of the said New Jerusalem See Tract on Jer. 3.17 page 6 7. 15. The great discoveries to be made to Saints and Angels in the time of Christs said Kingom respecting Scriptures Creatures and Providences c. will probably much more enable both sorts of them more excellently to set forth Gods praise to all eternity G. Tit. page and greater discoveries to be in that Millen than in all the 6000. years before 16. Scripture Theologie of that world to come in the time of the New Heavens and New Earth is of very large consideration in respect of the many particularities thereunto appertaining See first Arg. of the Word Written of things before the 1000. years in them and after them and our 31. Obser after the Tract on Rev. 22.20 with our 12. Foundat 17. The knowledge of Christs execution of his three great Offices as the work his Father gave him to do during the continuance of his Mediatorship in respect of his Mediatorship in the three great Periods of the World viz. as the great Prophet in the Old Testament by his immediate inspired Messengers 2dly As the great High Priest in the Newe First by his own Oblation Secondly by his Intercession during Gods Kingdom of the Stone wherein Christ appears to be the Fathers Commissioner to open the Sealed Book and execute the Coments thereof Rev. 5 c. In the third he begins his own Kingdome of the Mountain Dan. 2.35 which he went to Heaven to receive and then to return Luke 19. Dan. 7.13 14. the knowledge thereof I say is of very great concernment to all true Christians viz. as it is distinct from his particular execution of his said three Offices for particular Christians Souls in all times since mans fall in respect of the particular Application of them all in their virtue and efficacie as the Prophet Priest and King of every beleiving soul by the powerful work of his holy Spirit See 17. Thes p. 9 10 11 12. of the Prod. with the addition p. 44 45 46. and especially more largly handled in our Everlasting Gospel on Gen. 3.15 18. The last Trumpet Rev. 11. and the last sounding Trumpet 1 Thes 1. 1 Cor. 15.52 53. differ not only in above a 1000. years distance of time but also in their natures and uses See the Series of Prophesies in the Scheme of the Revelation and the Abridgment of the Revelation and Daniel which may much help as a standard with the Parallels to take due proportions in such cases c. 19. That there are two Gogs and Magogs to be destroyed the one at the beginning the other after the little space at the end of the 1000. years First the Pope Dan 7.7 8 9 10 c. with the latter part of the chap. the body of which Beast is to be consumed with the burning flame probably at the Armageddon Battle And the Turk of whom in the latter dayes Ezek. 38.8 16. as to his Armie
c. c. 15.2 3 and then said he So shall thy seed be i. e. all his spiritual seed and probably both for number and excellencie being circumcised or uncircumcised through the said one seed Christ this occasioned upon that account that famous act of his faith so often mentioned He believed in the Lord and it was counted unto him for Righteousness Whereupon our so heavenly learned Apostle Paul improving God 's larg Deeds so strongly according to Abrahams strong faith settling his interest upon him in the world stiles him the Heir of the world by faith Rom. 4.13 by which he was then secure and is and will be since that time his interest therein even to that very moment wherein he shall be actual possessor thereof in that world to come Heb. 2.5 and this he largly explains in that c. Rom 4. from v. 8. to the end shewing how he becomes father of the uncircumcision as well as of the circumcision and sets forth the excellency of his faith which was counted to him for righteousness in giving glory to God who quickneth the dead when his body was dead naturally and there was deadness in Sarahs womb yet knew God could call things that are not as though they were v. 11 1â— 16 17 18 19. So that from and by such a seed which by his faith was conceived in his soul should proceed all his promised interest and should by him be made sure to all his spiritual seed as the stars in respect whereof he is here stiled the heir of the world then past by faith but will most certainly then to come by actual fruition also be possessor thereof v 22 23 24 c. So also Gal. 3.6 upon that great act of Abrahams faith respecting such a seed to secure the real inheritance of the promised land to him and all the believing world in the time of the Law or Gospel for we must know all the Dominion of Gods people and all their then priviledges are founded in grace and much greater grace than these dayes have afforded in the last v. he concludes for the comfort of all truly believing souls among the Gentiles that they have in Christ the same priviledge in that state with the Jews which shall be the sure enterance to all Abrahams spiritual seed into eternal glory for saith he if ye be Abrahams spiritual seed then heirs according to promise viz. that which was made to him for that restored state of Canaan which Abraham Isaac and Jacob with all true believers shall most certainly enjoy and all the faithful till then shall also with them inherit that in the happy restored state of the New Heavens New Earth wherein will dwell righteousness yet to confirm to Abraham both an assured Title and Possession in time to come though then he saw it a far of by his faith Heb. 11. 5. And again God minds him c. 15. that for that end he brought him him out Vr of the Caldees to that land to inherit it which Abraham revolves as desiring to have a confirmation that he should inherit it v 7.8 and thereupon he gives him a sign by the beasts and fowls to be used as God appointed c. and then first he explains the condition of his natural seed for number as the dust that should first be afflicted a stranger till after 400. years which he made a promise to c. 12.7 as follows v 14 15 16 17. after which Sarah from diffidence puts Hagar upon her husband whence came the seed of the bondwoman as in the story c. 16. 6. But afterwards c. 17. when Abraham was 99. years of age God appears again to him and makes a Covenant and stipulation with a seal thereto viz. Circumcision then to be first upon his own flesh with all the males in his family and as in the Old world that Christ should be the seed of the woman was the comfort of that sex then first in the trangression So henceforth he was made known to be the seed of men lineally from Abraham Isaac and Jacob and especially of David as Gods King to sit on his holy hill of Sion Ps 2. as well as Davids son to sit on his throne stiled the the Son of man Ps 80.17 that man of his right hand made strong for himself as also seen in Vision by Dan. as the son of man when he will come in glory in the clouds to take the same Kingdom Dan. 17 13 14 c v. 27. Hence he so often stiles himself the Son of man in the Gospel which also should be a comfort for mans sex besides other reasons And for mans farther assurance that Seal is to be upon his flesh peculiar to his sex till Christ was indeed born of a Virâ—as foretold Es 9.7 and till God did a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man Jer. 31.22 So then I say c. 17. God renews his confirmation of his former promises to Abraham more fully and firmly and adds the said seal to it with the changes of his name and Sarahs to ratifie the same and relie him it should be an everlasting Covenant and an everlasting Possession and he would be the God of him and his seed to be fulfilled at Christs coming with his Saints Rev. 21.2.3 c. which Covenant should be established in Isaac whom Sarah should bear at this set time in the next year v. 21. 7. In c. 22. upon Abrahams ready obedience to sacrifice his Son Isaac after his long waiting for him and enjoyment of him God expresseth his love to him passionatly if I may so speak as Joseph to his bretheren in a large and full manner ratifying all by an oath v. 16 17 18. thereby farther to confirm all the said promises and covenants to him and his seed in general natural or spiritual circumcised or uncircumcised which also afterwards he again and again confirmed to Isaac and Jacob particularly 8. As first to Isaac c. 26.23 both for his person and posterity twice first when he was at Gerar and forbids him to go into Egypt I will said God be with thee and bless thee and give into thy hand all these countreys and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because that Abraham obey'd my voice and kept my charge my comandments my statutes my laws Mark these expressions he said not to him at all in thee as to Abraham c 12.2 3. but because Abraham had kept my charge c. probably in regard Abraham the father of the faithful or Pater excelsus as his name then signified had by his wonderful faith spiritually conceived Christ in his soul then seeing thereby Christs day and rejoyced as our Saviour himself speaks of him John 8.56 and was glad yea and God also again v. 24. confirms the same mercies to Isaac who was his great Type both in his birth and death and yet both of them with Jacob and Sarah Heb.