holy Catholick Church upon earth that we are to believe or hope for and the excellent Communion of Saints that we are in this world to expect And likewise that we are now especially by our prayers to labour to promote as God of old directed his people when their time of deliverance from Babylon drew on Jer. 39. Then said he they shall call on me and I will answer c. And when Daniel by Books understood the mind of God therein he set himself by fasting and prayer to seek for and help forward if it might be the accomplishment of such revealed Grace So now also that new Babel is abundantly revealed to God's People to be shortly to be thrown down and the New-Jerusalem much more abundantly revealed in Scripture shortly thereupon to be set up The Faith and Prayer of God's People ought in their sphear to seek to promote it and I observe the Dutch Notes though by men of different Judgments yet in the Preface of the nine last Chapters of Ezakiels Prophecy apply what is there said to some wonderful Glory of a Jerusalem to come of which the former restoring of the Jews from old Babylon was but a Type Besides I observe many Psalms and many passages in many other Psalms more than I read in Mr. Archers Book to tend so this way that otherwise as such prophetical-Scriptures besides seem not to have any probable fulfilling but according to Revelation Interpretation as I may call it which I must acknowledge I never did nor ever was like rightly and groundedly to have understood but according to the tenour of that blessed book And as Israels coming out of Egypt tended to the actual giving of them after forty years space the possession of Canaan of old so God's Peoples coming out of the spiritual Egyptian Antichristian bondage now approaching tends to bring all God's true Israel into the New-Jerusalem that comes down from Heaven Rev. 20. and is it not a main drift of the most if not of all the petitions in the Lord's Prayer to this purpose for when hath Gods Name been so comperably hallowed in Earth as it is in Heaven as then it will be both by Men and Angels in all he is made known by to his People When will his Kingdom come with such power to any suitableness in Earth as it is and will be in Heaven but when the Kingdoms of this World are the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 And likewise when at the same time Rev. 19. God's People shall so rejoyce when the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth because as it followeth in the next verse his Bride hath made her self ready And consequently when will the Will of God be done in Earth as it is by the blessed Aegels in Heaven but when his Subjects are of most obeddient hearts and loyal spirits as they will be under suh a prevalent reigning of Christ When my daily Bread this day any day be so comfortably and confidently prayed for and expected as when the particular promises of the greatest confluences of Temporal and Spiritual Blessings are to be fulfilled in their proper season to their best purposes c. When may we with such comfort and confidence pray for forgivieness of our Trespasses this day any day as when our hearts shall witness with us we least allow our sins When shall we be so assured of our own pardon as when our spirits are most free and clear in pardoning others in case they offend against us When can we so confidently pray to be delivered from the evil one and evil works with the consequents thereof this day any day as when Satan shall be known to be bound Rev. 20.3 and many great temptations removed and a very great measure of Grace attained and neer Communion with Christ enjoyed in this World Yea and will not the following enforcements of Prayer set down by our Saviour be then most clearly aplicable when the Kingdom is most manifestly Gods and the Power both to obtain it at his own time and pleasure and so likewise to retain it appears clearly his and consequently all Glory as his due shall be rendred unto him to all eternity Amen Amen And for the Martyrs and Saints to be raised at the entrance of Christ on this his Kingdom to have their part in the New Jerusalem I had the like thoughts before to what I find in other Authors That they should be in a state such as Christ was in after his own Resurection while he was not acssended to his Father but when I consider the many Prophesies of all those great things in the Old Testament so confirmed in the New and especially applyed in the Revelation to the New Jerusalem not only by allusion but by application of the Spirit of God and Christ himself in a special manner Rev. 10.7 as he declared to his Servants the Prophets And at that time reward is to be given to his Servanis the Prophets Rev. 11.18 and to his Saints and to them that fear his Name both great and small as it follows in the same Scripture And it is of main weight in this point that when the Chorus was set about the Throne Rev. 4.1 2 3. c. when Saint John was to receive the visions of that Book there is a Glorious appearance of God described and the Rainbow round about the throne as doing all to his Church through the Covenant of Grace through the Blood of Christ his only begotten Son and the seven Lamps burning before the Throne deciphering the seven Spirits or the Holy Ghost with his Gifts and Graces as Rev. 1.4 more clearly in Rev. 5. there is a Book in the hand of him that sat upon the Throne which none was found worthy to open but the Lamb that had been as it were slain having seven Horns and seven Eyes vers 6. which occasioned the four living Wights and twenty four Elders to sing a new Song and afterwards fall down and worship but the top of rejoyceing for all that was in the Book and after all that should be done and suffered by and for and in Christs Church which they represented in that vision it was this which was the great enforcement of their joy while the World was to continue And say they vers 10. we shall reign upon Earth And that Subject of such their reign there after all their labours and sufferings of the Saints as their time of refreshment Acts. 3.19 and Sabbatism or rest Heb. 4. is largely treated of in sundry Particulars in the 19 20 21 22. the four last Chapters of the Book of the Revelations and that those things therein contained must necessarily be understood of the state of God's Church upon earth according to the series and order of the Book in the last times and therefore were never yet accomplished take into serious consideration the brief abridgment of Reasons and Testimonies following to that purpose 1. The New Jerusalem is said to come down
ended Isa 60.19.20 Her Joy everlasting Isa 61.7 For ever shall her Land be inhabited Isa 60.21 Zech. 14.11 For to the Lord is she married Isa 62.4 who sweareth by his right Hand and the Arm of his Strength to give her no more over to her Enemies Isa 62.8 As that day the Lord shall be King over all the Earth and in that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one Zech. 14 9. Thus we see what glorious Promises are made to the New Jerusalem when the Promises of the New Heavens and the New Earth shall be accomplished with many other of the like nature whence it may appear how strongly pre-possession of prejudice against an Opinion of Doctrine may carry grave and otherwise judicious men away from the Way of Truth sometime upon one advantage or other as by Prescription by Multitudes of wise learned or even good men If they try not all things to hold that which is good which was mine own late Error in this particular or at least want of defecation of appendant Errors cunnigly by Satan affixed on this Truth as we observed in antient and modern seducements not distinguishing between the Depravation and Corruption of that Truth and Truth it self which in its Original was pure and untainted as in other cases many times when the corrupt super-additions of men have long prevailed to mingle themselves with anciently untainted Truths which when men can learn to view with unprejudiced minds and adhere to with uninteressed Affections will soon appear to them in their native excellency But for the said New-Jerusalem the more I observe many places of Scripture not only in the New Testament and Revelations but in the Psalms the Prophets and even the Historical Parts the more I am minded thereof from time to time And besides Psal 2. 8. 96 98 99. which one mentions especially I have taken notice of sundry others since God hath opened my eyes as he did Hagers of old to see these refreshing Waters of Comfort as Psal 89. 50. and divers passages in others which seemed to tend that way as Psal 146.5 6 7 8 9 10. 148.11 12 13 14. 149. throughout and those nine last Chapters of Ezekiel 〈◊〉 the Dutch Bible reckons like Daniels to be Revelations of the old Testament which set forth things to be accomplished in the New though they seem not to own the Opinion yet sometimes again lay grounds of it The second and seventh of Daniel speak much of Christs Kingdom and many other places too largely here to rehearse The Spirit of God seems to me to have spoken so largely thereof and in many specialties likewise to these purposes and the things themselvs seem so to approach as evidently may appear from the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ th best Expositor of the meaning of his own Prophetical Spirit that it much concerns all Gods People diligently to search and examine all such Truths as he hath set down there for our now seasonable Instruction and Consolation being sunk down near to the very dregs of the Worlds evil Times And as our Saviour on Earth directed to search the Sciptures for Salvation so now being in Heaven he directs his people to search them in this for consolation And as then he said In Moses the Prophets and the Psalms as it is written of me for the former so for this he not only points out Moses the Prophets and the Psalms in the old Testament but hath likewise taught the Apostles the Evangelists with many other persons divinely inspired in the New Testament to give witness to these things and lastly by his own wonderful gracious divine Vide the Irenicon or Peaceable Consideration of Christ's Kingdome c. though mystical Revelation to the beloved St. John wherein very much is held out concerning his own Kingdom and the New Jerusalem and as it was when by the Ministry of Christ and his Apostles the Doctrine of the Resurrection had been more cleared than in former times yet afterwards the Apostle Paul shews a farther Mystery concerning the same 1 Cor. 15. We must saith he all be changed though not all dye so many things are still Mysterious to us concerning both the New Jerusalem and the Resurrection though concerning both our Saviour in his Revelation hath last super-added greater farther Discoveries in both than any were before at least in evidence and clearness Yet how are the Eyes of very many withheld from discerning these things and in great part it is like to be so to all save to them to whom it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God which he uses to do as Christ himself informeth us to Babes and Sucklings when they are hid from the Wise and Prudent Mat. 11.25 and therefore to be humbly and faithfully sought And though the Apostle Paul concerning the Jews general Conversion had discoursed largly in the ninth tenth and eleventh Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans yet still he reckons that Doctrine mystical v. 25 c. Let all such therefore as are of truly Christian Spirits wait upon God as by other means so by faithful and earnest Prayer to the true Teacher of his own Mysteries as may appear requisite in a matter of so great importance concerning all Gods faithful People who seem to have their peculiar interest therein Rev. 3.21 and 20.4 5. and 10.18 which is incomparably greater and better for that thousand years than all the Crowns and Scepters and Kingdoms of the World not improved in Christs service in the mean time This part of a Letter of May 20 1664. to Mr. Cal of the order of the times of the Seals Trumpets and Vials perused with that Abridgment of the Seal-Prophesie with the large Note page 26 27 28 29. of the Irenicon with the following Paper of two defects in Mr. Durhams book of Scotland may to observant Readers give much light to the book of Revelation and the Scheme of that whole book and Summarie of Daniel before the Parallels after drawn up when many hundred of both the other were burnt Anno 1666. serves for the like use but with somefarther advantages therein observable c. THe first six of the seven Seals are the first Times after the giving of the Revelation to St. John toward the end of the first Century or first hundred of years after Christs coming in the Flesh the which said six Seals reached to the time wherin Constantine the Great threw down the Heathenish Idolarry 〈◊〉 Romane Empire about the year 320. after Christ they are set â—ow Rev. 6. But out of the seventh Seal proceeded the Seven Trumpets whereof the six first contain all the ensuing time of the Roman Empire both Christian and Antichristian and the seventh Trumpet will begin at the ruine of Antichrist Vide Paper of Decemb. 7. 1664. where divers Reasons are given for it and continue as some conceive to be the last day of Judgment or
c. And thus of Satans seeming seven Vials on Christ's Kingdom but the glorious appearance of Christ will shortly abolish all appearance of truth in them and so all Satans Vials upon Christ's Kingdom will be utterly ended and yet will not that Kingdom be thereby in the least degree impaired Lastly Whereas the said Learned Author interpreteth the New Jerusalem to be the Church Triumphant besides the many considerable reasons to the contrary in the Letter of Novemb. 3. 1664. he might have observed that the Lamb's Wife was spoken of before Chap. 19.7 by which he there understands the coming in of the Jews to the Catholick Church I conceive rightly and that the beloved City Cap. 21.2 spoken of Chap 20. as being before the Battel of Gog and Magog when the Devil stirred up the Hypocrites of those times which had been long held under by good Government then to attempt to besiege that beloved City though to his and their utter ruine that so they might receive that portion of hypocrites as the Antichristian Scoffers had theirs before when both sorts should meet with their Leaders the Pope and the Devil in the Lake of Fire and Chap. 21. being but a further decyphering of the same City should therefore be expounded accordingly of that City that was in the thousand years it being the observeable Method of the Holy Ghost in that Book after some more obscure expressions of things more generally afterwards to give more full and particular Explications of the same as in the seventeenth Chapter an Explication of Babylon and the Beast c. and what was said of the ruine of Babylon Chap. 14. explained by the Vials Chap. 15 and 16. and further of the last Vials Chap. 18 19 and part of 20. and so somethings in the 19 and 20. further explained Chap. 21 and 22. besides many things belonging to the New Jerusalem are incompetible to the state of the Church Triumphant in Heaven see the forementioned Letter Novemb. 3. 1663. And for the first Resurrection it may appear not to be of the Spiritual Resurrection of the Soul from sin both from the drift of the Holy Ghost further to open the Mystery of the Resurrection which St. Paul had in some respect shewed before 1 Cor. 15. And the Doctrine thereof hath been gradually set down in the Scriptures and this Chap. 20. giveth light thereunto above all others both as to the Resurrection of the Just and Wicked which are opposed one to another as first and second and their distinct times set out for as Chap. 11.18 When the Kingdoms of the World shall be Christs then he gives reward unto his Servants the Prophets and to his Saints and to all that fear his Name both small and great such as not only suffered for him who are said Chap. 20. to be beheaded for him c. but such as have done his Will on Earth shall have such reward from him in Earth as 2 Tim. 2.12 And for such Souls that is Persons in Scripture language to live again what sense in Reason or Religion can fitly be applied to such sufferers or others but such first Resurrection I know many learned men have tired their parts to find shifts to avoid this but have been more solidly and substantially answered besides many others by Mr. Mede and Dr Homes in his Answer to Pareus Dr. Predeaux and others in one part of the Dawning of the Day Star Read them seriously c. Mr. Mede conceives that Resurrectio Justorum will be in acting all or most of the thousand years every one in their own order and the Ancients conceived there will be mora delay in respect of some c. but that the living again of such as were so beheaded to be meant of the Spiritual Resurrection is far from the scope of the Text besides all other considerations about it see the Appendix in the Irenicon and the forenamed Authors it is actum agere to say much of it c. And for the number of a thousand years to be taken indefinitely as it is contrary to the judgment of learned men on both sides for many considerable Reasons so somewhat this learned Author mentions himself namely That that that Thousand Years so often spoken of in respect of Saints and Satan and with all the considerable circumstances what was done at the beginning of them with all the continuance and what should be at the end of them c. might have swayed his judgment otherwise if he had not been prejudiced against the whole Doctrine thereof and all that concerns it for those Souls said to be Beheaded cannot fitly be said to live again but in respect of that state namely of their bodily living again wherein they had died before for as the Spirits of just men they lived ever since their departure from their Bodies so that living again denotes their living bodily and living in a different manner than they had done before Now the drift of all these things being for the comfort and edification of all God's People in this great point of the Resurrection of the Just and being specially useful against the evil times going before the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ when Antichristian Tyranny should most rage in the World God in Mercy to his People is pleased now again to cause the light of these precious Truths to break forth again more than they have done in many Ages last past when that said Glorious Appearance of Christ and beginning of the Day of Judgment and Joyful Resurrection following upon it do in their order near approach It is much to be desired and earnestly prayed for that true Christians would duly weigh and consider them being so mainly for their Edification and sound Consolation if they will not over-look their own good or put it off from themselves since the great goodness of Christ is therein manifest towards them A Paper of Septemb. 27.1664 concerning the Personal Appearance and Reign of Christ Rev. 20.4 AS for the personal appearance of Christ at the destruction of Antichrist and the general calling of the Jews when that Nation shall be born in a day as Isa 66.8 many Texts of Scripture seem to me fully to evidence it as first that great Promise That they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn with such a penitent Contrition promised to them in mercy Zac. 12.10 compared with Rev. 1.7 with Even so Amen as a great mercy in its time to be accomplished And from St Peter's Sermon to the Jews when he tells them That the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord at the restitution of all things shall come when God will send Jesus whom the Heavens must contain till then Act. 3.19 20 21. which the Apostle Paul calls Christs appearing at his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 and in Dan. 7. after the little Horn the Pope spoken of before verse 9. the Ancient of Days did sit and in