powerful wonderful gracious and glorious to his Church upon earth as her great Prophet Priest and King Eleventhly Christs execution of the said three great Offices is two ways to be considered 1. More generaly for his universal Church in respect of the several seasons wherein in order he was to execute them severally most eminently until his work of Mediatorship should perfectly be accomplished and full reconciliation made between God and all his elect people his mystical body the true Church being compleat in all the members of it and perfect union and communion attained with himself as their mystical head together with the Father and the Holy Spirit as also with the glorious Angels and one with another in most happy enjoyment of all good to all eternity 2. It is again considerable particularly and specially in respect of every truely beleiving soul in the particular application of the efficacy of those three great Offices to them by his holy Spirit making good means and ordinances effiâ—acious to every faithful soul so exhibiting himself to them 1. As their great Prophet inwardly powerfully and savingly teaching them all necessary truth and doctrine 2. As their great High-Priest in the like way evidencing their peace and reconciliation with God through that expiation he should or hath made for their sins 3. In the like-way also to evidence to them at one time or other that he is their powerful King and Protector that hath and doth and will subdue all his and their enemies and keep them in a loyal and good condition by Faith and Grace unto salvation Twelfthly Consider that the general more eminent and glorious execution of those three great offices for his universal Church more remarkeable in the world is in those three great periods of his manifesting himself in the world according to all that his father had given him to do 1. As the great Prophet of his Church by his spirit of wisdom and revelation in all his immediate Messengers till his coming in the flesh and so Christ is said to preach in the time of Noah to the Spirits in prison as St. Peter speaketh 1 Pet. 3.19 20. 2. As the great High-Priest in the second Period after his coming in the flesh where putting an end to all the types and shadows of his Priesthood he actually undertook in his person and executed the work and office of Priesthood as the great High-Priest having made a full and perfect attonement and satisfaction for the sins of all his people he ascended into the holy of holies the highest Heavens there sitting at the right hand of God the Father powerfully and gloriously there to execute and improve that office by making intercession for his people till his coming again 3. In the third great period of the world under or after the seventh Trumpet Christ will appear most eminently in executing the great office of a King in this general confideration in respect of his universal Church subduing wonderfully and manifestly in the world his own and his Churches enemies powerfully and graciously enabling his Saints to walk in the obedience of his laws taking away in a great degree the evil of sin and suffering with the causes of both by binding Satan and destroying the wicked powers of the world c. I say in a great degree though not then totally nor finally Lastly Consider how Christ hath and doth and will work in these three great Periods of the world In the first he wrought by his Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation making known the Will of the Father in all things for substance respecting Faith and Obedience In the second by his Spirit of grace and truth powerfully sanctifying his people more eminently and largely then in the former In the last when he will take to himself his Kingly power Rev. 11.15 and 19. He will work by his Spirit of Power and Domination Now from the former Theses duly weighed and considered these particulars ensuing or the like may be inferred viz. That 1. If the design of the Trin-Une Diety was to be eminently glorified in Christ the Mediator his three great Offices of being the great Prophet Priest and King of his universal true Church then that greatest glory must needs shine forth in the most eminent way of executing of them But the general performance thereof in the said three great periods is the most eminent way of executing them Therefore That design hath and will be therein most accomplished 2. If the drift and end of the great works of Creation Support and Providence in all things ever since time was and until time shall cease to be was in reference unto Gods glorifying of himself in such general management of these Offices of Christ for his universal true Church then in that respect he is most glorified But their drift and end is so in reference thereunto Therefore God is most glorified in such management of them 3. If such general execution of them in reference to the universal true Church be the foundation and securing thereof to particular beleiving souls or secondly in respect of any more special times or special conditions of the Church as will hereafter appear then all the good of the other is procured and secured by that general execution of them But such Christs general execution of these Offices it he soundation and securing of both the other Therefore The good of both the other is secured and procured thereby 4. If the great works of Creation Support and Providence have been all along ordered in reference to Chrifts carrying on of his great work of Mediatorship cheifly in those three great periods forenamed then such consideration of them is of great concernment to the true universal Church But all those said great works have been ordered all along in reserence to Christs carrying on his great work of Mediatorship therein Therefore Such consideration of these three great periods fore-named for the general managing of all the Mediators Offices is of great concernment to the true Universal Church 5. If such Christs general prophetical Office in the first great period hath revealed the substance of the whole counsel of God in respect of all to be done successively in such Priestly and Kingly Offices so generally considered in the other two succeeding great periods it shall so be done But it hath so revealed and in a great part hath been so fulfilled accordingly by suitable dispensations at all times hitherto Therefore What is so revealed for the future shall accordingly be fulfilled also 6. If according to Scripture experience hath manifested the glory of the Mediators office most eminently for what is past in such general consideration and doth witness the like for the time to come then in due time will be like execution for the general in regard of what remains to be done But according to Scripture it hath been so accomplished in experience in what is past Therefore According to Scripture it shall be so in the time to
1. In their falling down shewing their humble subjection 2. In their worship their sincere affection to the glorious object Him that lives for ever So that in this Cap. there is an excellent testimony of Jesus set forth by the spirit of Prophesie being the main substance and scope of New Testament Doctrine as in the Gospels are excellently set forth whereunto the Lamb as it were slain hath reference being eternally slain in the Fathers decree but then actually slain in due time and yet alive again and was but as it had been slain being the All-sufficient Mediator that had conquered Sin Death and Hell and had perfect power and providence over all the earth but by his Divine Spirit holily and wisely ordering all for the good of his universal true invisible Church and so according to his glorious excellency hath thence forward both the said Testimony and Spirit of Prophesie and power to reveal and execute all the holy pleasure of his Father in what remaineth to be accomplished upon the earth to the end namely in revealing and fulfilling all things contained in the Book of * The Book given to the Lamb to look into and to open the Seales thereof viz. The Book of Revelations is diversly apprehended by severall persons some describing it as a book bound containing many folio's or pages and yet to have seals upon it closing it up Others more probably to be a Volume or Roule containing the Prophesies of many things to be unfolded successively in order being one rouled upon another and on the outside to have 7 seals hanging down each by other as on 7 labels but it may seem rather probable they were 7 narrow Scrowls each one sealed down at the end upon the Roul one by another in the length of the Roul to hold it together till all the said 7 seals were loosed and that at the loosing of each seal the contents of each Seal-prophesie was made known thereupon successively but when the last was loused in what part soever of the length of the roul it was upon the taking of that came off the larger Volume of the 7 Trumpets which so proceeded out of the seventh seal being thenceforth loosened to be unfolded successively from the whole length the roul which in such case must needs greatly abate the bigness of the Book or Volume as first delivered to Christ the Lamb and thereupon the remainder of the same book might well be stilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little book in the Angels hand c. 10. which was open not sealed as before which St. John was afterwards bidden to take and eat up whereupon he was enabled from that Book-prophesie to set down what concerned the affairs of the Ceurch more especially begining at the same time with the first Seal-prophesie all along to the end of the world contained in Chapter 12. and so forward to the close of the Book Revelation in two distinct Prophesies through all times both first in the Seal-Prophesie of State matters respecting the Roman Empire in chap. 6 8 9 and 11. some things to ver 15. respecting both Church and State And secondly Of the Book-prophesie chap. 12. concerning the Church affairs to the end of the Book which was in the hand of the Angel Rev. 10. 1. Concerning the Seal-prophesie in chap. 6. are contained the six first seals containing all to be done in the first three hundred years till the woman in travel obtain'd a man-child from God to wit Constantine the Great the famous Christian Emperor after all those ten throws of persecution while Michael the Dragon fought hand to hand as it were whether the Devils religion of heathenish Idolatry or Christs true Religion should prevail and out of the seventh Seal proceeded the seven Trumpets containing all time succeeding both the interim untill Antichrist arose and his time and times and half a time or forty two moneths took place wherein as Christ in the first Seal rode upon a white horse and by the preaching of the Gospel went on conquering by bringing in the faâ—thful to the Gospel thereby so to conquer afterwards all his enemies by the red black and pale horse and other judgements to subdue his enemies successively and in the three first Trumpets took away the very seat and mansion of the Dragon that he that till that time letted might be taken out of the way that Antichrist might come in his room as the Apostle Paul foretold 2 Thess 2.7 But from the time Antichrists forty two moneths begun to the end of the sixth Trumpet or the second woe we have the fourth Trumpet proceeding in the ruine of the Empire in the West and the fifth Trumpet is the beginning of the ruine of it in the East cap. 10. by the Mahumetan Saracens those locusts out of the bottomless pit hurting all but the green fruits sealed to be preserved from that first wo Trumpet as was foreshewed chap. 7. who destroyed one half of the Eastern Empire and after the other Mahumetan Locusts under the sixth Trumpet namely the Turks took away the other part of the Eastern Empire whose 396 years are not yet expired till the end of the sixth Trumpet and the second woe as is said Rev. 11.14 which is to be at the rising again and the ascention of the Witnesses And from ver 15. of the 11. chap. is a brief comprisal of the seventh Trumpet to the end of the Seal-prophesie which ends all time yet in the first part of that 11. chap. is contained a Cronological Table having reference to both the Seal-prophesie and the Book-prophesie in the Angels hand Rev. 10.2 which begins again chap. 12. and so forward to the end But here first observe the table of all the times of both Prophesies Rev. 11. where the first verse hath reference to the primitive times when the Temple and the Altar and they that worshipped therein were regular and measured Verse 2. contains the time of Antichrist set forth by the Court without to be left to the Gentilizing Papists to be trodden under foot 42 moneths From that Verse to the 14. is the contemporary two Witnesses prophecying in sackcloth to the finishing of their testimony and last great killing and resurrection at the end of the aforesaid second Woe and beginning of the said seventh Trumpet to the end of the chapter But the second or Book-Prophesie in the Angels hand Chap. 10.2 contains all the former times in the Seal-Prophesie and to end at the same Period going over them again begins at Chap. 12. wherein was again contained what is given to Christ the Lamb to reveal and execute in reference to the affairs of the Church In Chap. 12. are contained chiefly in that respect the state of the true Church in the primative times before Antichrist arose both in regard of her primative glory and the rage of the Dragon against her till her flight into the Wilderness to be fed there by the two said Witnesses in
Throne the Church on earth in the face of Jesus Christ the Messiah that was to come as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 3.6 by the workings of the Holy Ghost in all successions of ages to the coming of Christ himself actually in the flesh Still from the Throne to the four living wights and by them to his twenty four Elders in all times hath he so in succession discovered himself of which discoveries we may observe two great Periods under the Old Testament besides many other lesser ones the two great Periods were the Old world before the Flood and the new world after the flood until Christs time and these two the Rainbow as we noted evidently implies in drowning the old world and assuring preservation to the new world from the like In the first period when God did communicate his pleasure to any living wights then neer to his Throne it was not by written word but by voyce or vision or dreams or any ways he was then pleased to use to any sorts of persons either extraordinarily inspired or to the fathers of Families or the first born as sometimes he used or such as were eminently raised up by him as Enoch Noah c. In regard they lived many hundreds of years they might well by tradition and verbal instruction personally teach the will and pleasure of God to his people and then they needed not the use of writing so God most wisely orders all things in their due seasons and indeed if they had had the gift of writing it would have been in a manner endless by reason of their long lives and great knowledge more then in Solomonâ— time who said Of making many books there was no end Some of the first Fathers lived almost two third parts or more of the Old worlds time after Adam and yet lived with Adam the man made immediately by God The other great period from the flood till about the year of the Creation 4000. as Bp. Vsher computes them which was from the time of the flood computed Anno. Mund. 1656. the sum of 2344. years more and for the space of 855. of those years by the said Reverend Authors account till the Law was given by Christ in Mount Sinai in the year of the world 2513. at which time Moses was taught and inspired to write his Pentetuch or five books the substance of the then revealed will of God to his Church there was no written word but then by reason of Gods many institutious to his late redeemed people of Israel out of Egypt and the shortness of their days he knew his written word to be needful to them and all posterities of his Church who might thereby from age to age have more of the Gospel-glory of the Messiah still breaking out in new glimpses of light till the sun of righteousness himself should arise with healing in his wings and that the whole counsel of God concerning him might in substance be revealed in writing and all needful things by his spirit of wisdom and revelation till his prophetical office in matter of Revelation of subostantial truths was fully accomplished under the Old Testament before he actually appeared in his Priestly office and though Gods Spirit in Noah Sem and others after the flood as he was pleased to raise and inspire them till Melchisedech if he was not the same with Sem as some conceive Abrahams Isaac's and Jacobs time and long after God was pleased to supply them otherwise without writing but yet even then he had no less his true and invisible Church viz. his four living wights or living creatures as Ezekiel speaks to be his seers both in respect of himself and his twenty four Elders his faithâ—â— people both to see for them and see to them to teach them and rule them by such special dispensations as he was then pleased to manifest himself to them by and round about his Throne his true Church upon earth where onely his glorious name is extolled in all his gracious manifestations of himself to them but no where else in the world as Psa 145. There his Saints bless him and talk of his power c. we might take occasion from this abridgement of the Old Testament to speak many things of the Ark wherein Noah and they with him were saved from the flood as salvation is onely to be had in the Church which God exalts on high above the reach of the worlds calamities and so of many particulars of Gods directing Noah to make it having fitted him both with grace and worldly wealth and power to accomplish it to be able to pay such multitudes of wicked wretches that though they might deride his attempt so long to sail on the Mountains yet for the reward and recompence of their labour would not resist as is probable but rather assist him therein it was a work doubtless for a Mighty Prince to accomplish so there are many other observable things as his going into the Ark his staying there his shutting up the persons and creatures taken in seven of clean creatures some for sacrifice and two onely of the unclean and his going out all appointed by Christ himself who is alway graciously present with his Church but especially more remarkably in the deep floods of her affliction or trouble Yea afterward we may observe that God would have an Ark made that as his Church was before saved in the Ark from the Flood so his Church instituted amongst his Israelites must know that the salvation and help was in him that would have his gracious presence figured to them by an Ark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. from whence and by means of which according to his own direction he would as from a divine Oracle reveal himself and his pleasure to them and where that was by his own order there his throne of grace and mercy-seat was to be attended by his four living wights and twenty four Elders both in the moving tabernacle of Moses Joshua and the rest till king David and all his time till his other type Solomon did afterward build him an house â—p Vsher Annal. p. 118. where the Ark of God was in the King of Judahs reign till the Jews Captivity in Babylon in the year from the creation 3395. which was not much more time after the flood then the world had being before the flood Now as Moses the great Prophet who by Gods direction first made that Ark foretold of Christ the great Prophet of his Church that him the Lord their God would raise like unto himself and that he should be heard in all things that he said unto them and as the Father required at his transfiguration that they should hear him Math. 17. whose spirit both informed Moses and all the Prophets so by himself he was excellently and immediately instructed in making of the Ark and the Tabernacle and all that belonged to them that all should be made according to the pattern in the Mount As Moses
ΕΙΡΗÎΙΚΟΠOR A Peaceable consideration of CHRIST's Peaceful KINGDOM on EARTH to come Rev. 20.4 Rev. 5.10 To be added to the ΠΡΟΔΡΟΜΟΣ or Fore-runner WHEREIN The Proof and Confirmation that such a Kingdom shal be is abundantly established upon a seven-fold foundation more particularly set down in the next ensuing leaf Whereunto is added an Appendix concerning the first Resurrection spoken of Rev. 20.4 5 6. compared with Rev. 11.18 manifesting it to be of the bodily Resurrection of the Just to begin not long after the glorious appearance of Christ and his said Kingdom Breifly and plainly set down for the benefit of all faithful Christians Ezek. 37.24 25. And David my servant shall be King over them and they shall all have one shepherd they shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes and do them And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant wherein your Fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David shall be their Prince for ever Dan. 7.21 22. I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed against them Vntil the Ancient of days came and judgment was given to the Saints of the most High and time came that the Saints possessed the kingdom 2 Thess 2.8 And then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming Among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or forms of Doctrine in the Council of Nice by Gelas Cyzicen History thereof this is recorded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is We expect according to the holy Scriptures the manifesting unto us the appearing and Kingdom of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ and then the Saints of the most High as Daniel saith shall take the Kingdom Answerably hereunto our Received Nicene Creed From thence he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead as it is Rev. 11.18 and then follows Whose Kingdom shall have none end as before explained Hoc Omega suis MVNVS Alpha tulit Printed in the Year 1665. THE CONTENTS THe Proof and Confirmation That such a Kingdom of Christ shall be is established in the sequel of this Treatise upon the sevenfold foundation ensuing First From a frame of Christian Doctrine containing the general consideration of Christs three great Offices of Mediatorship as the great Prophet Priest and King of his Church in seventeen Theses with six inferences drawn from them page 3 to 8. Secondly By a visional representation of Old and New Testament Doctrine suitable thereunto from the fourth and fifth Chapters of the Book of Revelations setting forth God the Fathers glory as Creator and the Lambs as Redeemer whence are also other seven inferences deduced to confirm Christs Kingdom to come on earth p. 9 to 35. Thirdly By divers evidences and expressions in those four Apostles writings to whom Christ in a special manner manifested his Kingly glory viz. to Peter James and John at his tranfiguration and Revelation to John and to St. Paul at his conversion from whose writings six several senses of Christs comings are observable since his coming in the flesh p. 41 to 56 Fourthly From the eminent Chronologers of the holy Ghost who writ of Satans three Babels namely Moses of the Tower of Babel Daniel of the Monarchy of Babylon and St. John of the mystical Babylon all which come to their utter confusions at the said setting up of Christs Kingdom on earth p. 57 to 71 Fifthly From the other Prophets of all times with the Psalms in the Old Testament and all sorts of Gospellers in the New Chap. 6 7 8. Sixthly By other Arguments drawn from the Lords prayer and the three usual received Creeds or Articles of Confessions of Faith p. 90 to 95. Seventhly From the most ancient Orthodox Fathers of the most pure primitive times who owned this truth in its untainted purity p. 96. All which with many other useful particulars to be observed occasionally set down in reference to Christs personal reign with his raised Saints will more fully appear First by the contents of each Chapter premised and then by the Chapters themselves in order unto which for brevities sake I refer the Christian Reader In the Appendix the bodily resurrection of the Saints is first explained from the distinct consideration of those two parallel Texts of sacred Scripture Rev. 11.18 and 20.4 5 6. confirmed from sundry Texts of Old and New Testament and many weighty considerations tendered to manifest that first resurrection there spoken of to intend the bodily resurrection of the Saints at that very time whereunto that Revelation of Jesus Christ for his Churches benefit hath particular reference Further shewing that the Antient Doctors and Fathers of the primitive times of the Gospel were of that judgement A TABLE OF CHRONOLOGIE BEcause the help of some Chronologie is very needful to the understanding of mystical Prophesies in the holy Scriptures especially for such as this small treatise is intended for and to that end they may neither be troubled or discouraged with too large or too many or curious notions or varieties of mens opinions concerning the order of times I shall here labour to set down such a general soantling for the use of ordinary capacities that by the help hereof together with what is all along set down ofttimes in the following Treatise they may in some sort have pointed out to them the times the things they therein read of have particular reference unto And this we shall indeavour to set down First More generally until the beginning of the four Monarchies set forth Dan. 2. and Dan. 7. 1. By the great Image Chap. 2. 2. By the four Beasts Chap. 7. Again secondly To consider particularly the times following them 1. Then more generally In the first place consider what Moses compendiously sets down before the general Deluge for the space of 1656. years of the old world as ordinarily it is computed 2. From Noahs flood to the promise made to Abraham about the year of the world Anno 2030. is 374. years Exod. 12.4 3. From the promise to Abraham to the Israelites departure out of Egypt 2460. is 430. years 4. The beginning of the Assyrian kingdom by Nimrod about 1788. which continued to the Chaldean Monarchy by Nebuchadnezzar about 1700. years 5. Take notice the Temple of Solomon was begun about the 3000. year of the world as learned Dr. Usher computes it from whence to the Captivity of Babylon he reckons likewise 395. years being in the year 3395. And may not the Antitype of Solomon and his Temble be glorious at the end of 3000. years more 6. I shall here adde a general computation of Bucholcherus for the apt concinnity thereof reaching first to the Captivity of Babylon and through all following times 1. Israel saith he
things were antiently and all along promised to the Jews and Israelites and foretold by the holy Prophets successively in all ages and much by the Jews in our Saviours own time though both unseasonably and unsuitably expected and as Mr. Mede and others from Justine Martyr and other Ancients Testifie how the things in the said thousand years were usually by Christians beleived in the times next after Christ yet what by the subtilty of Satan teaching the Jews and others to affix such vain fables and sensual delights somewhat like to a Mahumetan Paradise to that time of Christs glorious Dominion in the world that occasioned many ancient and modern worthies as may happily more hereafter appear too much to have declined from truth to avoid such affixed errors And since by mens apprehensions of inconsistency of those things with some Articles of Christian faith some have thereupon endeavoured as may appear to thrust this thousand years of Christs raign into such troublesome corners of times moving Tabernacle where it never could long find that rest and peace wherewith it must notwithstanding in due time be blessed And to give such harsh and forced interpretations of many Prophesies both in Old and New Testament concerning that happy time to come as are unsuitable to the purport of them And an other stratagem of late times Satan hath used upon the breaking forth of some beams of light again appearing concerning that said happy period to come to stir up the owners of such Doctrine to turn Libertines Spoken according to the then present apprehension I had tillfurther light through grace as after may appear upon serious view in the sequel from the bonds of moral obedience due unto Magistrates as Christs deputies yea to attempt even to take away Magistracy it self and Ministry too whereas Christs Saints must not take the Kingdom to themselves till he the great King of Kings give it to them in his own time not in theirs or else so personally to understand his raign in his humane nature upon earth in a bodily presence that it may seem inconsistent with some Articles of Christian Religion when sacred truth allows not so to determine or as others by putting unwarrantable senses upon the Divine Mysteries not accommodated to the scope of the Spirit of God therein observable which Doctrine when the Spirit of truth shall defecate and cleanse from all old dreggs and scum of former and late errors misapplications and mistakes I confidently believe for the substance it will be owned as a precious truth among the beloved people of God though we may not put weight upon the gronndless conceits or fancies of men and the sacredwritings both of Old and New Testament may throughly evince it but especially this Revelation of Jesus Christ will necessarily enforce it if rightly and orderly considered especially compared with Daniel Ezekiel and other Prophets My endeavour therefore shall be by the assistance of the Spirit of grace and truth who will lead his servants in due time into all profitable and comfortable truth to point out such things tending hereunto which my own infirmity may otherwise prejudice unto others which notwithstanding as I shall endeavour I humbly request may be done with prayers and faithful endeavours by others better fitted for such a work all prejudices to the contrary being wholly laid aside in considering the last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ in the last branch of it now upon proving and therefore at such a time men had need be wary they do not go about even then to disallow and disprove of it when it is neer to be put in execution especially since he upon earth gave this intimation to the world to beware of infidelity upon this occasion Luk. 18.8 as may appear from the former Chapter When saith he the Son of man shall come shall he find faith upon earth He knew well what wiles Satan would use to darken the knowledge of that time which he the Arch-murtherer of mankind beleiving trembles at as is conceived was the mark set upon Cain his first-born murtherer of his Brother Abel when he himself must be shut up in his dungeon of darkness from seducing men which will be his sore torment all that time and the fore-runner of his speedily ensuing perpetual unexpressible misery and that upon his imprisonment the long promised and hoped for happy light and glory of Gods Church shall arise and shine forth Isa 60.1 which will adde to his anguish And as Cain built Cities for his cursed posterity thereby to abate the sence of his trembling but the universal deluge both destroyed them and their habitations so ever since mans fall the Devil to abate the sence of his own horrour hath been building many Castles in the Aair of wicked designes and seducements but knows when Christs raign shall take place they must all perish with their Author And therefore no wonder that Satan should seek to conceal and hide that period from men raging the more because he knows his time is so short Let us therefore the rather by faithful prayers and diligent search of holy Scriptures commend our selves to the guidance of Gods holy Spirit to be led into all truth and particularly in what concern Christs Kingly rule on earth not with respect unto what owning it hath by men but as witnessed unto by the Word of God which is the said holy Spirits evidence which if he once appear to set his Seal unto none shall make it void but it shall powerfully overcome and be victorious in the end as all other witnessings of Christ Jesus have and do and shall overcome the opposers of them though never so great many or eminent in the world April 24. 1664. MVNVS AN Advertisement Christian Brethren YOu may be pleased to take notice that after the evidences in the letter of Novemb. 1663. in the Fore-runner and my serious weighing of many other Scriptures especially in the Revelations compared with Daniel I was abundantly satisfied that such an happy state of the Church was to come on earth but yet it seeming difficult to me for a time to reconcile a personal presence with Christs intercession at the right hand of God and taking it for a truth that the coming of Christ was not to be expected till the last resurrection And not having so fully discerned then the clearness of a personal appearance above 1000. years before as since I beleive to be evident as by the last Paper of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may appear I thought I had fairly-salved the matter and that my reasons against the personal and only for a mystical appearance then had been good and sufficient with the illustrations thereof added as you may observe pag. 35 36 37. c. But besides a remarkable gracious hand of God upon me as you may there likewisy discern both to discover such remarkable passages in Scripture that seem more strongly to hold out a personal appearance then and to
likewise his Deputy King in Jesurun and so all along in the Wilderness Moses was King and Prophet and Aaron and his Sons Priests So after that when they were to pass over Jordan to enter into the promised Land Joshua is then made Captain to fight Christs Battels under that great King that appeared to him Joshua 5. the Priests carrying the Ark dry-shod through the then overflowing waters of Jordan and Joshua again as a Prophet reveals the pleasure of God unto them not onely in civil affairs as to dividing the iâ—â—eritances but also in spiritual admonitions and instructions upon many occasions c. Again many times in the Judges days when Moses and Joshua's counsels were forgot and their predictions concerning that peoples revoltings were fulfilled yet even then Christ who was from the beginning the powerful great King of his Church ruled many times amongst them and their enemies too apparently as the Scriptures witness even then likewise he raised up his Deputies called Judges as Gedeon Jeptha Deborah Barack Sampson and others again to restore his instituted worship and Priesthood and be deliverers to his revolted and oppressed people as occasion did require instructing them by his prophetical spirit therein But from the beginning of Davids time as we noted these three great Offices were more remarkably and eminently set forth especially while things continued in any tolerable order in the good Kings raigns that followed wherein the glory of Christ the Mediator in his three said Offices as Prophet Priest and King was still set forth in their following times to shew that therein consisted the glory of Christs Mediatorship as much more might be observed in this kind Rev. Chap. 5. The further illustration of the former Doctrine from Rev. 5. chapter where after the summary consideration of that Chapter is briefly hinted the Doctrine of the New Testament therein comprized which first was set down largely before the giving of the Revelation in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles But secondly there more especially is Christs the Lambs Revelation and execution of the affairs of that book but so as to erect his Kingdom in the issue for which they so exuit vers 10. and we shall reign upon earth wherein the representative Church doth so eminently rejoyce v. 11. and the four living Wights add their fiduciall Amen after the praise of all creatures and the twenty four Elders fall down and worship v. 14. PRoceed we now to the fifth Chapter the Scene and the Chorus being so excellently set in the former Chapter as respecting God the Creatour worshipped on the seventh day Sabbath especially to glorifie him for his great and good work of Creation who as three in persons one in essence Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty so worshipped in the Old Testament untill the coming of Christ the Redeemer who having finished the work of Redemption as the Lord of the Sabbath changed it from the seventh to the first day of the week who in this fifth chapter is said to be a Lamb that was as it were slain who is therefore praised by men Angels and all creatures with him on the Throne for that most glorious work of Redemption and acknowledged in the great benefits that redounded to his Church thereby Where again consider First The Vision with the effect of it Secondly The Doctrine and Use of both 1. By Men. 2. By Angels 3. By all creatures The Vision for the greatest part is the same in substance the decyphering of the Father the Holy Spirit and the Church the same but God the Son who is represented as a Lamb that had been as it were slain whose glorious work of Redemption and Grace towards his true Church is the substance and drift of the Vision wherefore he is accordingly praised First Consider the Vision v. 1. to 8. and the effect on the four beasts v. 8. In Verse 1. A book was in the hand of him on the Throne In Ver. 2 3. A proclamation by a strong Angel for one to open the book Verse 3. None was found worthy in heaven or earth Verse 4. Is the great discouragement of St. John thereupon he wept much as without hope c. In Verse 5. One of the Elders comforts St. John that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the root of David had prevailed to do it In Verse 9. The former description of the true Church but with the Lamb in the midst of it Who is set forth first by his suffering he was slain Secondly By his victory 〈…〉 killed death and was thence but as it were slain and consequently by his dominion over all things in heaven and earth therefore set forth by seven horns denoting his perfect power Secondly by seven eyes denoting his perfect wisdom and providence in all the earth where by his holy Spirit he worketh as he pleaseth In Verse 7. The Lamb as was told St. John vers 5. takes the book out of the hand of him that sate upon the Throne whereupon follow the effects of the Vision in the Church First Worship by the Beast and Elders v. 8. Secondly Praise by a song Where I. The nature of it A new song for new Testament mercies II. The matter of it Thou art worthy v. 9 10. In the matter of the new song consider 1. An acknowledgement that the Lamb and onely he was worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof 2. The reason of the acknowledgement First from the greatness and extremity of his suffering thou wast slain Secondly By the efficacy and prevalency of his suffering Thou hast redeemed us unto God Where 1. The price by thy blood 2. The extent Out of every Nation Kindred and Language And thirdly the benefit redounding to the Church by such redemption vers 10. Thou hast made us to our God c. and we shall reign Where 1. Here is what all the faithful in the true Church spiritually here obtain They are made Kings and Priests unto God now in this life 2. For advantage and advancement which they shall have in that place where they have served Christ or suffered for his name there they shall reign with him We shall reign upon earth In Verse 11. A Vision of innumerable company of Angels about the Throne the Church In Verse 12. Their song of praise where first the Object i.e. the Lamb whose worthiness they likewise acknowledge for being slain Secondly The right and due belonging to him thereupon viz. That he receive power and riches and wisdom and strength In Verse 13. is the general concurrence of all creatures 1. In Heaven 2. In earth 3. Under the earth In the like acknowledgement and praise to be 1. To him that sits upon the Throne 2. To the Lamb for ever and ever In Verse 14. First The fiducial Amen of the four living Wights Secondly The assent and consent of the twenty four elders manifested 1. By their falling down 2. By worshipping him that lives for ever
and comfort and shall any think it not worth his enquiring into What is not that wonderful Majesty and glory of Christ to be considered and observed Is the peace and grace holiness and happines of his Church held out in Scripture abundantly in those times not worthy to be highly esteemed and prized Yea shall such multitudes of Saints have their portion in that heaven-born Jerusalem and shall they not take notice of their priviledge Is not the coming in of such multitudes of Subjects to their great King of Kings both of Israelites Jews and Gentiles there seriously faithfully and thankfully to be acknowledged beleived and improved which in comparison of the other times will be as an harvest to the after-gleanings or the Vintage to the after-gatherings Is not the salvation of such vast numbers of beleiving souls in these grace-prevailing sanctified seasons that shall greatly honour Christ Jesus in their times and enjoy eternal happiness afterward with him in heaven be a matter of exceeding rejoycing to the fellow-members of Christs mystical body If the glorious Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the conversion of one sinner that repents as our Saviour speaketh how should Gods people rejoyce by faith aforehand to see so many millions of millions that are then to come in to that glorious Church-state on earth If Gods faithful Servants have rejoyced in their seasons past when God hath prospered their labours to bring home poor souls to Christ though but a few many times how should it make the hearts of beleeving souls to exult but even by faith to foresee that day of salvation to come to Gods people and with faithful Abraham so foreseeing Christs first coming so to rej yce beforehand as he did Yea is that the mainfruit of the travel of Christs soul Isa 53.11 12. When he shall see his seed and prolong his days and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and wherein he himself shall be satisfied as the Prophet there shews and shall it not be the great satisfaction of all Gods people in these times to be assured thereof If from about 600000 natural Israelites and such as were born of them in forty years space in the Wilderness there is computed by learned and judicious Divines to have died above six millions in the Wilderness when almost the same number entred into Canaan that came out of Egypt How many millions then yea how many millions of millions may be conceived to spring up and be educated in the faith of Jesus Christ their King and Saviour in that thousand years space when there shall be such confluence of all Nations into the true Church and when they will not be cut off in judgements by untimely deaths as many times great numbers of those Israelites were and is not such blessedness and happiness of Gods Church reserved for those times upon many considerations if we duly weigh the many and large promises and evidences of Scripture thereunto to be referred of great concernment as many ways to all such as rejoyce in the happiness of Gods chosen and would glory with his inheritance It is then likely there will be a strange holy contention upon earth between God and his people as the holy Spirit seems to imply concerning those times Rev. 22.3 saying And his servants shall serve him whether God or his people should do better each towards other that is as I may say what is within the reach and sphere of their activity For Christ will greatly exalt his people under that his dominion and they by his grace will be such as the more he exalts them the more they will rejoyce to exalt him and the more they exalt him the more he will inlarge them both with grace and glory and the larger their portion of grace shall be the greater will be their peace security and happiness And this will be the more and more constant in that regard the interrupting and corrupting causes thereof which might otherwise hinder as formerly shall then in a very great degree by his kingly power and goodness be removed and taken away when Satan the Tempter is bound and shut up in his bottomless pit and strong tentations proceeding at other times from the prevalency of the corruption of men shall be much abandoned provocations much removed natural corruption manacled and fettered and in many as it is probable very greatly suppressed and accordingly grace holiness inward peace and with them consequently outward peace prosperity and all kind of security that is suitable to that condition and how will this work upon the sanctified spirits of that happy seed and generation blessed of God to consider still with holy David What shall we render unto the Lord our King and Saviour for all such his goodness conferred upon us So that if men have any Christian frame of spirit upon them they cannot but upon such considerations think of and inquire into the Kingdom of Christ to come on earth as many ways worth the while except they be onely carnal Gospellers that only make worldly marchandise thereof but otherwise regard neither grace nor glory for themselves or others or at least are conscious to themselves that they have no part in either Yet even such by the due consideration of these things by Gods mercy may learn to be wise hereafter and shew themselves men and not like such the Prophet David speaks of being in worldly honour have no understanding but are like the beasts that perish and thus much for answer to the vain pleadings of such persons CHAP. V. Which declares how the three great Chronologers of the Holy Ghost to wit Moses Daniel and St. John do successively foretel of the Kingdom of Christ at the end of the fourth Monarchy set forth in that Image expounded by Daniel Chap. 2. and how that the three Babylonish designes of Satan in the three Babels they severally speak of the first to promote confusion of tongues in Moses record at the Tower of Babel the second to erect oppressive tyranny against Gods people by the Monarchy of Babilon in Daniels time and thirdly to advance spiritual delusion and seducement by the mystical Babylon in the latter times all which will be at last by the setting up of Christs Kingdom altogether brought to confusion so that thence the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands that smote the Image before while there was regnum lapidis will then become a great Mountain filling the whole earth when there will be regnum montis as Mr. Mede appositely speaks FIrst then for the evidences of Christs Kingdom and reign on earth to come under or after the seventh Trumpet out of the Chronology of Moses and Daniel more darkly given but further cleared in the book of Revelation as we observed in which book we shewed the Spirit of God doth so much and in so many places refer us to the Prophets and as St. Peter saith directly that all the prophets since the world
of Antichrist as in the conversion of the Jews before the last judgement and the end of all things Again Page 5. he saith of this Text this I doubt not to aver doth principally belong to the Jews for to them pertain the promises saith the Apostle And the natural branches shall be grafted into their own Olive tree I shall onely add here that both terrible and comfortable Prophesie in Chap. 4.1 2 3. Behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble c. Vers 2. But to you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings c. So that by all these evidences we may see what exceeding great reason there was or the Spirit of God to call in the Testimony of the Prophets of the Old Testament to give witness to the reign of Christ in the thousand years under or after the last Trumpet and concerning his new Jerusalem come down from God Rev. 20. 21. as we formerly observed and are here in brief set before the eyes of all such as are not resolved to shut them against them and when the excellency and priviledges of this Kingdom both spiritually and temporally come in their place to be considered much more may appear but these may suffice at present as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that such a Kingdom of Christ is to come in the thousand years whereunto the Spirit of God in the Prophets of all times hath had a peculiar respect as Act. 3.21 Rev. 10.7 and may much more appear in what further might from the Prophets be hereunto added CHAP. VII Shewing upon several enforcing consideration◠that David in many Psalms prophetically spake of the said Kingdom of Christ on Earth VVE come unto the last head of Testimony according to our Saviours own distribution concerning himself and those are the Psalms wherein David chiefly the man after Gods own heart and therefore more like to be a secretis one of his Privy Counsel as we may say and unto 〈◊〉 the Counsel of God concerning the Kingdom of his So I upon earth was largely revealed above many other and this might come to pass for divers reasons 1. Because the great promises made to David of his seeds succession to perpetnity he foresaw could not be fulfilled in any other but the great Messiah 2. That the said messiah and great King of Jerusalem was to come of his race and lineage 3. Should so have a right according to promise to rule the people of Israel 4. Because Davids Kingdom was a type of his from a low beginning in appearance to the worlds eye at first Yet God setting it up against Sauls it grew stronger and stronger but the other weaker and weaker So with the beginning and increase of Christs Kingdom Isa 9. Again as David was victorious at last over all enemies and had peace round about so will it be with Christs Kingdom in the world over Satan and all his wicked dominion in the issue And by the spirit of Prophesie King David hath declared much to this and the like effect in the book of Psalms above others and hence the following Prophets as in the preceeding chapter may be observed so often call Christ not onely the Branch the off-spring of Jess the Father of David but oftner by Davids own name and was foretold to sit upon the throne of David to be of the house and over house of David to build the Tabernacle of David and the like so it is no wonder to have Davids heart full of such matter and his tongue in this respect like the pen of a ready writter And the breathings of the Spirit of God in Davids Psalms seem to vent themselves much in such delightful harmony concerning the Kingdom of Christ who in all the former considerations spiritually foresaw him not only as his Antitype and seed but as the great Messiah and Saviour of him and his people in whom both the great promises both to him and the foresathers should both spiritually and temporally in due time have their full accomplishment And therefore if any persons by the guidance of Scripture and cheifly of the Revelation by the assistance of Gods Spirit consider such Texts it may evidently appear to such unprejudiced and serious teachable spirits that a great part of the Psalmody of holy David is warbled out according to such celestial Ditties as might magnifie and exalct Christ the Son of David yet so as he might also appear to be the root of David as Rev. 5.5 even the eternal Son of God and therefore so many expressions are used in the Psalms which are incompetible to himself or his meer natural seed So that all the gracious beams of Divine light that to such purpose reached any time unto Davids soul seem to be concentered in the Son of Righteousness from whom they had their original who may fitly be observed to be the Alpha and Omega of that Book of psalms To begin with the second Psalm which usually is acknowledged to be of the Kingdom of Christ though some will not acknowledge that Kingdom to come on earth though God there promiseth to set him his King upon his holy hill of Sion After Satan with his wicked worldly powers have done their worst yea and suffered their worst too at the destruction of Antichrist even as it was with their type also the Jewish Hierarchie that when he came in the flesh would not have him reign but would destroy him which brought their destruction about forty two years after but when the other go about to destroy his people they shall utterly be destroyed themselves by him and in both respects Yet saith God have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion And therefore he shall break his enemies with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces as a potters Vessel And likewise he hath verse 8. the Heathen promised for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession which then will be fulfilled when he shall set up that his Kingdom upon earth That the 8. Psal refers to Christs Kingdom the subject matter declares since he regains that soveraignty over the creatures which the first Adam lost besides the Apostles testimony Heb. 2. The 9. Psalm contains much of the great works of God against his enemies and for his people which will be fulfilled at the setting up of Christs Kingdom And so also Psalm the 10. toward the latter end and the 11. Psalm seems to be of the like nature But in Psal 18. holy King David doth largely sing of Christ under the type of his own Kingdom but in such a way as was not competible to it saving in reference unto that King of Kings And Psal 21. is very much of the same nature but far exceeding what could be applied to Davids temporal Kingdom The latter end of Psalm 22. is remarkably of
Christs Kingdom upon earth And so likewise Psalm 24. where the King of glory is to enter as seems probable the everlasting doors of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven c. The 45. Psalm is eminently of Christs Kingdom under the type of Solomon and in part applied by the Apostle Heb. 1.8 And Psalm 46. of the like nature and so likewise the 48th and also the first part of the 50th and the latter part of the 53. The 67th seems wholly to be prophetical of the time of Christs reign But the 68. Psal contains much of the glory and grace of Christ then to be manifested And the latter end of the 69th is to the like purpose Psal 72. Is a very glorious illustration of Christs Kingdom above what could be fulfilled either in David or Solomon or any other but the Son of God who shall be feared through all generations in whose days righteousness and peace shall flourish so long as the Moon endures and shall rule to the ends of the earth and all Kings and Nations shall serve him and his name shall continue for ever and as long as the Sun endureth c. The 80. Psalm contains an excellent prayer for Gods Israel to use for the coming of the Messiah to take his Kingdom In the 89th such promises are made to David and his seed that could not be wholly fulfilled in any but Christ and his Kingdom And the 96. is likewise prophetical of the Kingdom of Christ and the 97. to the like purpose and the 99. contains high expressions of Christs reign and also the 102. The 110. Psalm is an eminent prediction of Christs Kingdom and applied often in the New Testament The 132. evidently concerns the Kingdom of Christ And not to insist upon divers others where there are notable expressions that seem to tend to the same purpose take for a conclusion the 148 and the 149. which eminently relate unto Christs reign on earth according to what in many former Scriptures and prophets have been foretold thereof so from the beginning almost to the end we may observe how the Spirit of God stirred up the spirit of holy King David to set forth the glory and excellent greatness of the kingdom of Christ as his Antitype seed and Saviour in whom the greatest promises of God shall be fulfilled which could not have accomplishment in any other CHAP. VIII Containg other evidences out of the New Testament to wit of the Gospel and Acts of the Apostles besides what was occasionally spoken of Chap. 4. by the four Apostles Peter James and John and the Apostle Paul to all which Christ gloriously appeared ANd now to appeal to the last sort of witnesses having seen such clearness in the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Psalms we may in like manner consider the testimonies of the Gospellers in the New But here the like course might justly be taken with us men of this generation for I put my self in the number who have but even lately received the truth which our Saviour did with his Disciples going to Emaus Luk. 24.25 O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have spoken concerning his suffering and entering intoglory so now of the beleeiving the things concerning Christs Kingdom to come onearth yea we might henceforth turn our argumentation into a vehement expostulation with our selves What was not the Angel Gabriel the first Gospeller we read of at the time of his annunciation before our Saviours conception by the Holy Ghost when he told the blessed Virgin of the holy glorious wonderful heaven-bred Babe that should shortly after that be born of her an evident witness of Christs Kingdom to come Or doth he to no purpose after he had informed the blessed mother of our Lord of many unspeakable glad tidings Luke 1.30 31. other ways then after adds verse 33. And the Lord shall give him the throne of his Father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his kingdom there shall be no end Surely this holy Angel well understood the meaning of the many Prophets yea of the Prophets of all ages before as being contemporary with them all along from the beginning to that time And did not that glad child John Baptist as one right bred of his beleeving mother Elizabeth upon this good news leap for joy in his Mothers womb when the Virgin came with it to her house whereupon good Elizabeth told the Mother of our Lord that assuredly there should be a performance of those things which were told her Verse 45. and was not this Kingdom of Christ one if not the main of them And that blessed Virgin her self in an holy rapture of Spirit breaketh out in no less then the Angel had foreshewed to her of this matter Vers 54 55. He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for ever beleiving all in that Covenant would be performed whereof the promised inheritance and Christs Kingdom therein was part And this again good Zachary though upon occasion of the Angels good news of his own son which at first he beleeved not he had been till then so dumb that both the Mother and the Babe acknowledged Christ before him yet when he had gotten the use of his speech again like a channel dammed up before the living waters of the spirit soon run in a stronger current from his beleiving soul then happily otherwise they would have done and very much concerning the Kingdom of his Lord and Saviour Vers 69. He hath raised up an born of salvation for us in the house of his servant David and this he confirmeth from the general successive Testimony of the Prophets which we in part set down in the two preceding Chapters Vers 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began And Vâ—â—â— 71. he declares how general the redemption was by Christ the mercy promised to the fathers the covenant with them the oath to Abraham as we noted out of Moses his prophesies to free them from all enemies and even from the fear of them Vers 74. which is the priviledge of Christs Kingdom on earth Again when the Angelimparted unto the Shepherds when Christ was born his very glad tidings of great joy to all people he tells them first of that that he was born in the City of David who by descent was the Son of David according to the flesh where also the Priests informed Herod that he should be born when under pretence of worshipping he thought to destroy him and thereupon made there many young Martyrs for him yet upon that occasion was found that great testimony of Micab Chap. 5.2 And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least among the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a governour that shall rule my people Israel Mat. 2.6 But the Angel tells
with glory to judge both the quick and the dead whose Kingdom shall have none end THose that acknowledge a Kingdom of Christ as Mediator after his first glorious appearance or coming to judge the quick and the dead plainly acknowledge his Kingdom of the thousand years But the composers of the Nicene Creed plainly acknowledge such a Kingdom of Christ after his first glorious appearance or coming to judge the quick and the dead Therefore The composers of the Nicene Creed plainly acknowledge Christs Kingdom in the thousand years This is proved from the quotation of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Title Page grounded upon the Prophesie of Daniel and after the thousand years Christ as Mediator will have no kingdom it being at the end of the world to be given up to God the Father c. Arguments from the Article of the Nicone Creed I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets At what times the Scriptures foretell that the Holy Ghost who spake by all the holy Prophets will most inlighten his Saints and Servants in the right understanding of them and will most be manifest to be the Lord and Giver of spiritual life and consequently to be most evidently to be worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son all Gods faithful people are bound specially to believe in him in reference to the fulfilling of all such Prophesies concerning those times But the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath expresly and particularly foretold that such things shall be eminently fulfilled in the time of Christs said Kingdom upon earth when he will most evidently appear to be the Lord and Giver of spiritual life and consequently most eminently to be worshipped and glorified with the Father and the Son Therefore All Gods faithful people ought specially to believe in the Holy Ghost in reference unto such eminent fulfilling of such spiritual promises concerning those times He first spake by the Prophets more rarely till Christ was come in the flesh namely only to those few special messengers from time to time whom he immediately inspired He was given more plentifully unto his Saints and Servants after Christ was glorified for so saith the Apostle Joh. 7.39 But after our Saviour commanded his Disciples to tarry at Jerusalem until they were indued with power from on high 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Phrase is Emphatical the same with Rom. 13.14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and they were so soon after indued with the holy Ghost Act. 2. which in verse 33. St. Peter calls the receiving of the promise of the Holy Ghost hence the Apostles had a spirit of power 2 Tim. 1.7 and so had all the company of the beleivers that prayed with Peter and John Act. 4.31 when the place was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Ghost So was Steven Act. 6. and many others not onely Jews but Gentiles which then seemed strange to the Christian Jews Act. 10.45 47. but this held not long but for the first setling and ratifying the Gospel of Christ in such extraordinary manner which is by judicious men conceived to be as a preludium of the great fulfilling of the prophesies fully to be accomplished in the thousand years to the end which were applyed likewise for that time by the Apostle Act. 2. out of Joel 2. and Esa 44.3 unto which great fulfilling seems the applying Psa 8. in Act. 4.24 and Act. 2.25 in that prayer when the place was shaken vers 31. to the end both which places have reference mainly unto those times as Heb. 2. and the context of Psal 2. doth evidently make manifest then all Gods Saints will more evidently with open face behold the glory of the Lord and be changed into the same Image by the Lord the Spirit that Spirit of power that was in those first times sent down upon the Apostles and others extraordinarily And if Christ shed forth his Spirit so wonderfully at that time when he went to receive his Kingdom how will he pour it out upon all his Saints when he shall come gloriously to rule and reign in his Kingdom in a different and more eminent way then ever before manifest unto the world which will be executed every way irresistibly and prevalently towards enemies and his people of all sorts by his spirit of Power and Domination as Tremel upon 2 Cor. 3.18 who will then likewise be more fully and evidently manifest to be our God with the Father and the Son proceeding from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son is to be worshipped and glorified as the Niâ—ene Creed excellently For the glory of the whole Trinity will wonderfully shine out in that Kingdom of Christ upon earth when the Tabernacle of God is with men So Rev. 11.19 and the pure river of the water of Life shall run through the New Jerusalem come down from heaven which is the place our Saviour tells his Disciples Joh. 14.13 that he went to prepare for them when he would receive them to himself that they might be where he is as divers Scriptures evidence where he injoyns them that as they beleive in God they should also beleive in him and presently after in the same Chapter doth twice promise to them the Holy Ghost First to be a Comforter to them Secondly to lead them into all truth Vers 16. and afterwards again Vers 26. and so God the Father Son and Holy Ghost will be then made evidently manifest unto the Saints when they shall possess that place which Christ there promised to prepare for his Disciples c. even to all the faithful in their degree for they shall all then know him from the least unto the greatest Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.11 As for Testimony of Primitive Churches and Doctors take the evidence of the Nicene Council and therewith the Nicene Creed of whose Kingdom there shall be no end set down in the Title page with sundry quotations of Ancients and Fathers breifly set down in the Appendix following concerning which particular it is not needful here to be large because it is so plentifully learnedly and judiciously already performed by Dr. Nathaniel Homes in the first part of the Dawning of the day-star and in divers other parts of that Book whither the Judicious Reader may be referred in this point for abundant satisfaction therein whereby this Doctrine of Christs reign is abundantly vindicated from novelty and manifested to be purely primitive THE APPENDIX Wherein is breifly considered what Rev. 20. Chap. sets down concerning the thousand years but more especially voncerning the first resurrection verse 4 5.6 compared with the other parallel Text having reference to the same time Rev. 11.15 16 17 18. Setting forth divers reasons for such resurrection of the Saints bodies then spoken of in the said Texts with sundry
person as Seven lamps of fire which are the seven spirits of God as cap. 1.4 In Verse 3 6 7 8. seems to be decyphered the superiour and inferiour members of the Church 1. The Inferiour by the twenty four Elders first set down vers 4. for whose use the Superiour were sent and given Ephes 4.11 2. The Superiour vers 6 7 8. described much after the manner of those Ezek. 1. and Isa 6. called by Ezekiel Living creatures by Isaiah Cherubims here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Wights translated beasts noting here Gods Messengers Ambassadours Officers standing before his Throne betwixt him and his people as Moses Aaron the Priests and Levites to minister c Heb. 1. 1 2. for them A Sea of glass to shew they have need to be washed before they come to worship alluding to the legal washing in the Temple Secondly In respect of the Doctrine three Persons Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come vers 8. The Use of which first the four living wights discover and set before the Elders the glory of him that fits upon the Throne though last spoken of are yet first in and leaders of Gods Worship and Service Vers 9. After them the twenty four Elders worship humbly casting down their crowns as acknowledging all their excellency or worth received from him Vers 10. 2. Giving him his glory due As. 1. Creatour of all things for himself So 2. Their Creatour in special in whom his end is promoted they give him praise and glory accordingly Vers ult So the true invisible Church of God here set forth by her constant representatives the four living wights and twenty four Elders is a Throne of God upon Earth where his glorious excellencie is discovered as Creatour three in Persons one in Essence according to the Ministration of the Old Testament in which the Rain-bow minding men of the Son the second person shews Gods justice in destroying the Old World in their height of sin and mercy to those in his Ark the Church at present clean or unclean creatures and so for preservation or reservation at least of those ever since in the New-World The four living wights were in the midst and round about the Throne as in the midst of each square of the Throne and had each eyes before and behind to look to God to have the knowledge of himself and his will in every quarter and to look to the people on every part how they might answerably inform them and guide them in all the will and ways of God They rest not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy c. They as Gods watchmen attend upon that to discern for and discover unto his people the Will of God For the Lord would do nothing but he revealed it unto his Servants the Prophets Amos 3.5 They shew unto the people of God the twenty four Elders when the Thundrings and Lightnings of judgements against their enemies come from the Throne and when voyces of joy c. whence matter of praise and glory to be rendered to him that sits upon the throne And doubtless if we look upon this Chapter in both respects of the visional representations and Doctrine and Use thereof we may discern an excellent abridgement of the old Testament discoveries set forth to us not that the Old Testament differs in substance from the New but only in clearness and the accomplishment of the main thing therein expected viz. The coming of the Messiah in the flesh for the finishing of the work which his father had given him for to do there is the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity both decyphered and taught as was noted before God is explicitely praysed there as Creatour That man had fallen is signified by the Rainbow signifying his mercy and judgement Judgement to the Old world after his long Patience exercised towards them and abused by them mercytowards Noah in the Ark and those with him there with security of preservation or reservation at least to the New world from drowning any more by a general deluge That sin was then grown to an height it must needs be conceived when God in such wrath drowned a world of men and creatures with them and that sin and disorders were long in the world before they came to that height and yet it was not destroyed until about 1656. years after God had created it which likewise shews God the Father Son and Holy Ghost who created it had a way of redemption for such as Noah else in justice it must have immediately perished as well as long exercised patience towards them in the old World and preservation for those of the New world from alike flood And this redemption and salvation was almost as soon published by God himself as sin had entered into the world to deface and disorder Gods good work of creation which Salvation was to come by the blessed seed of the woman then discovered which should break the Serpents head And no sooner were all the offenders convented at the fall before their great Judge in Paradise and arraigned and tryed and sentenced but this light of divine grace according to the decree of the holy and blessed Trinity which had before in a joynt concurrence created the world breaketh forth again to enlighten the world newly darkened by sin and death and God himself so shews himself in his way of grace that he hid the shame and covers the sin of his now new made and newly lost creatures that he maketh garments of skins of Beasts to cover them and even of such creatures as thereby might shew to our first parents that they had deserved death as those Beasts did whose skins did cover them but likewise the death of such beasts as usually should be for sacrifice might signifie unto them that they had such a Saviour to dye for them and by dying should deliver them from the jaws of the second death by a more perfect sacrifice which those beasts did but typifie and sacramentally set before them by whose most precious robes of righteousness put upon them by God himself they should be clothed both to hide their nakedness and shame and beautifully to adorn them in his sight as he then cloathed them with the skins of those innocent beasts viz. with the righteousness of the Messiah that promised seed of the woman whence I conceive may be a good argument for the salvation of both our first Parents Adam and Eve and that then God did not sorsake them the work of his own hands as Psa 138.8 in that he himself so covered their nakedness and cloathed them with those skins though their first born Cain perished with his wicked off-spring for the most part at least afterwards by the flood After this as Christ by sacrifices and other institutions of God was from time to time set forth to his people by the teachings of his holy spirit so God the Creatour made known his glory in his
kind of studies which afterwards they grosly abused And Moses by means of Pharaohs daughter was afterwards trained up in all the learning of the Egyptians But when God used the Ministry of Moses and Aaron to bring his people out of that bondage he set up an instituted Church and as he wrote the tables of the Law himself So he directed Moses in writing his five Books for the benefit of his Church Yet doubtless that excellent faculty of writing hath been likewise much after that time abused by Satan and evil men likewise to eclipse truth and promote errors amongst all Heathen people For that as God had by that means set down the sum of his true Religion for that generation of the children of the godly Patriarchs and Fathers and after forty years made their posterity a famous Nation and people and by degrees were formed into a glorious state and Kingdom in the end of Davids and beginâ—ing of Solomons reign So Satan had all along an apparent design to raise huge Mountains of tyranny in the world to serve his own purposes in his wicked Dominion thereby to promote Atheism and Idolatry and what ever was evil and to overpower oppress and subdue if it were possible Gods Church and professed people and so far as their sins gave advantage from time to time they did so by the just hand of Gods providence most wisely and powerfully steering and ordering all the affairs of the world to his own glory and the fulfilling of his own holy pleasure when Satan and evil men least intend it making them in such cases like refiners to his people to cleanse them from their dross and though several Infidel and Idolatrous Nations afflicted and oppressed Israel soon after Moses and Joshua's time as in the Book of Judges and the following stories in Scripture may appear many times until Davids victorious and Solomons flourishing Kingdom which in the next succession Satan by his engins of Idolatry and wickedness soon found a way to divide to make way for his own rule in the world and upon the ten tribes revolting got the greatest part even of Israel it self to turn to his side and promote his design for the most part Helvic till at the last the height of their sins and the fulness of their iniquity delivered them up into the hands of their Assyrian conquerours under which captivity they have lain above 2400 years and still by the like means and actings Satan afterward raised a greater mountain of opposition against Gods Church when advantage against them might be obtained and Judahs sin was likewise ripe so that the Assyrian rod that scourged Israel before being burnt in the Babylonian furnace these also might be cast and fashioned that head of gold the Babylonian Monarchy which by its massie weight meeting together with Judahs sins written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond might grind that people almost to powder wherein Satans designs seemed to attain their end But now for a remedy for this God reveals by Daniel as was fore-shewed that though Satan at the present seemed wholly to have wone the victory yet he should not always wear it but that first he would break in peices that head of gold by a meaner mettle and so make use of the succeeding breasts and arms of silver viz. the Medes and Persians and that not onely to destroy the said golden head but also as he promised graciously by his Prophet concerning Cyrus whom he therefore stiled his Shepheard Isa 44.28 to reduce his people in a wonderful manner again to Jerusalem and rebuild by a strange munificence and assistance his Temple there and though for their crying sins they were afterward in the two following Monarchies of Brass and Iron namely the Grecian and Roman long and soar afflicted they were also at length after the Promises of the Messiah were fully compleated by the Iron legs and thighs of the most terrible Roman power wholly made desolate upon their rejection and crucifying the Lord of life and glory the true King of Israel as Nathaniel had acknowledged him Joh. 1. But when diverse heads of that monstrous Roman Beast explained to Daniel Chap. 7. but more to St. John Rev. 17. had successively passed their seasons and when he that letted 2 Thes 2.7 was taken out of the way Satan then found advantage to erect another and worse then the former Babel namely That which is the third Babel to wit the Mystical under the great Antichrist the Pope wherein Satans design by winding that proud cruel and wicked Tyrant cunningly into his own seat and authority by hypocritical pretences to make that foul beast to defile and poyson the waters of life and by strong and strange delusions so to hinder and abolish both the truth and power of Christs new constituted Religion in the world as far as he could reach wherein his evil design hath likewise greatly prevailed for above twelve hundred years past But for help and remedy against this mystical Babel also Christ aforehand shewed unto his beloved Disciple John and by him to his Churches successively the utmost period of his continuance and manner of his now approaching ruine as of the Dragons before and that the said Beast likewise when the term of his Kingnom was out must with it go into perdition and be cast into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone denoting the perpetual ruine of all Antichristian Tyranny and an utter end of all wicked dominion being the last and lowest parts of the said Image to wit the feet and toes according to the interpretation given to Daniel Chap. 2. and at whose destruction the mystery of God should be finished in the world as the expression of the Spirit of Christ is Rev. 10.17 and Dan. 12.7 when the whole of what was revealed to St. John concerning the Beasts rise and ruine as was before noted should all in such ways as he hath set down be accomplished viz. by the prophecyings of the two sack-cloth witnesses and the pouring out of the seven last plagues upon all the Beasts worldly excellency as Rev. 11 and 15 16. Chap. So that then the Kingdoms of the world shall be the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and be given to the Saints of the most high as before Dan. 7. Rev. 11.15 So that as all the Devils designes and Gods had run counter before so by Christ these have all along been so managed that at length the usurped Dominion of Satan will be utterly subverted and the decreed Monarchy of Jesus Christ must be compleated in this world under or after the seventh Trumpet as a step to his eternal perfection of glory and happiness with his whole mystical body the true Church in the Kingdom of his father which as mediatour he will resign up to him at the end as St. Paul teacheth 1 Cor. 15.4 Now as by the miracles of Moses the first of Christs Chronologers the Egyptian Magicians were
confounded As by the spirit of Wisdom given by Christ to Daniel the second Chronologer the Astrologers Caldeans and South sayers of Babylon were overcome So by the Spirit and Word of Christs Testimony in the mouth of his sackcloth Prophets according to Saint John the third Chronologer the subtilty of the man of fin is quite defeated and he himself with his cheif followers made utterly desolate and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone so that thenceforward as the Devil the wicked one usurped a rule in the world in the hands of his evil powers abusing such their authority for the most part for the promoting of evill and hindering or preventing of any good so afterwards Christ will put all his authority under his reign and dominion in the world into good hands to remove and hinder evil and to maintain and advance good which happily may be the advantage Satan may take at the end of the 1000 years to stir up the wicked at that time in the world to attempt against Christs true Church at the last to cast off their iron yoke as to them it may seem which they have been so long held under by and to strive to break those bands asunder and to cast away such cords of good Government from them as Psa 2. But then He that sits in heaven will laugh them to scorn and by such means destroy both Satan and his followers and while so they seek to encompass the camp of the Saints they will find Christ come at last against them for ever to destroy both Satan and them when the Devil with his host of evil men shall be sent after the Beast and false Prophet into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death never any more to commit or work or even further to attempt any mischief in the world and so casting Death and Hell with them into the same destruction Revl 20.10 14. Christ will have the perfect victory when all his enemies are so put under his feet And thus we may observe how notwithstanding all Satans Babels of confusion Christs Kingdom shall be set up both to put an end to all such his designs and to put an end to all such attempts save onely that which after he shall be loosed for a little season will put an end to all his actings in the world and of all his seed and usher in all their misery eternally in Hell but in all the thousand years before that neither he nor they shall be suffered to annoy Gods servants but that will really be fulfilled in the time of the New Jerusalem which shall come down from heaven which will be her priviledge Rev. 22.3 And his servants shall serve him CHAP. VI. Wherein are briefly and summarily set down the Testimonies of the Prophets in all the ensuing times after Moses which have been sufficiently cleared from what hath been formerly said to the contrary to belong to the said time of the Kingdom of Christ in the said Thousand years HAving considered what in the three great Chronologers is observably spoken of our Saviours Kingdom upon earth we shall by Gods gracious assistance proceed in the method concerning the rest which our Saviour himself after his resurrection directeth us unto Luk. 24.43 It is written saith he of me in Moses the Prophets and the Psalms endeavouring to observe some things further out of the other Prophets to this purpose and to come to speak of what is recorded in the Psalms likewise of the Kingdom of Christ wherein that eminent sweet singer of Israel did so abundantly tune forth such melodious streins thereof and even upon occasion of his own Kingdom and Solomons delivereth such great things in reference to Christs Kingdom which could not have their accomplishment in any other then him that was the eternal son of God And the like may be observed in all the ensuing Prophesies of Gods ancient people of Israel and Judah the subjects in cheif of that Kingdom as likewise of their most glorious King and Governour who will then be manifest to them and we have the covenant of God in respect both of these Subjects and of their great King made with David for Solomon as a type 2 Sam. 7. but looking at Christ wherein consisted the sure mercies of David which are largely illustrated both by Gods free and gracious promise by both in Nathans message from vers 10. shewing that Israel should be planted in their own place and move no more nor afflicted any more by the sons of wickedness verse 11 And after speaking of the establishing of Davids house though as in Solomon and in his successors his naturall race might sorely suffer yet in a heavenly King the Son of David and the Son of God vers 13 14. applied Heb. 1.5 there is stability ascertained and so Davids faith and prayer improve it with much grateful acceptation verse 19. Thou hast spoken of thy servants house a great while to come and v. 26. Let thy servants house be established for ever and so again vers 29. this covenant Psal 89. could be in none but Christ the Messiah That the Prophesies and Promises that follow concerning both never yet had any suitably fulfilling nor can have other ways then in such a wonderful way and glorious manner as is peculiar to the Kingdom of Christ at such his appearing 2 Tim. 4.1 which as they have been strangely wrested to avoid a litteral sence by some so have they been sufficiently cleared by others to contain it so that the evident clearness and great vigour in so many Scripture Testimonies cannot but work upon such teachable spirits as this abridgement is intended for It is counted policy though wicked in slandering calumniare audacter haerehit aliquid So in so great abundance of Testimonies of truth upon good Christian policy we may confidently assert for in such clearness something will remain to wit to such as are not more disposed to shut their eyes against Scripture light then to open them to behold it I shall but as it were pass through them because I aim at brevity the large discussion being done by others already and especiall in the second and third books of The dawning of the Day-star composed by Dr. Nath. Homes wherein very learnedly and judiciously such Scripture-Prophesies and Texts respecting the quod sit That there is such a Kingdom of Christ to come on earth in the thousand years are very clearly and convincingly opened and applied thereunto which I had opportunity to peruse since these brief collections who both strongly asserts the truth therein and very satisfactorily afterwards answers what things have been objected to the contrary where I am well assured that intelligent persons by Gods assistance may finde more clear resolution as respecting those mystical Scriptures and Prophesies through the whole book of God then in many large Commentaries of most Writers on them for many hundred of years last past which differ therein from the most