whole Earth be filled with his Glory Amen and Amen And then he concludes this and all other his Psalms with these words v. 20 The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Whence may be gathered that this Psalm contains the remainder of the last words of David and that this Psalm was the last of David's Psalms though it be not set last in the Book of Psalms For the clearing whereof two things may be considered 1. The Psalms are not all placed according to the time of their composure or the occasion of them for Psalm the Third is a Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom Now many made before this are set after it as Psa 34. A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech And Psa 51. A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba Soe also Psa 57 and 63. So then this may be the last though not set last 2. The Psalm it self gives us ground to conclude that it was the last and made by David a little before his death For thus he begins it Give the King thy Judgments O God Which shews that Solomon was now made king for so he is here called And this Psalm was made when both Father and Son were Kings Give the King thy Judgments There David is called King and thy Righteousness to the King's Son There Solomon is called King And that Solomon was King David's own words do declare 1 Kin. 1.48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath given me one to sit upon my Throne mine Eyes also seeing it By this 't is evident that the plain literal sense may stand that this was the last of the Psalms of the sweet Psalmist of Israel who never sung more sweetly than now And to this these three things may be added 1. The matter of this Psalm contains that which was the sum and scope of David's Prayers even that Christ might reign gloriously and that in his days the Righteous might flourish This is all my desire and in this my Prayers will reach their end 2. David being carried in spirit to the Day of Christ's glorious reign and being set in the View of his blessed Kingdom and seeing him breaking Oppressors in pieces and perfecting that which concerns the Saints and at last delivering up the Kingdom to God the Father breaks out into this joyful Acclamation The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended They are fulfilled and fully accomplished they are all consummated So much is in the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prayers of David and of all the Saints will at last have a full accomplishment and Faith may even as God doth call the things that are not as though they were So by a voice of Faith he might well say The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse are fulfilled 3. When Christ shall take to himself his great Power and Reign and shall have put down all that is to be put down and shall present all the Saints faultless before the presence of his Glory with exceeding Joy then Prayers will be ended As the Prayers of Saints so Christ's also who is David the Son of Jesse Hos 3.5 They shall serve the Lord and David their King There Christ is called David And Isa 11. A Rod shall come forth of the Stem of Jesse there he is the Son of Jesse So the Prayers of this David the Son of Jesse will be ended All that ever he prayed for will be accomplished yea all that he hath to pray for will be granted For then all the good things contained in God's Decrees shall be brought forth and whatever Christ hath purchased for shall be enjoyed by the Saints All Promises will be fulfilled to them and all the desires of their hearts given them And then as Faith will be swallowed up in Vision and Hope in Fruition so Prayers will end in everlasting Praises That the great things contained in this Prophecy in which we have been thus running to and fro may be the better understood and improved somewhat shall be added upon these following particulars 1. The Calling of the Jews 2. The Restitution of all things 3. The Description of the two Beasts Revelat. 13. 4. The Day of Judgment and the World 's perishing by Fire 5. Some Signs of the times when the Fall of Babylon is at hand 6. Some Advantages which the knowledge of these Truths will afford 7. The Conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions 1. The Calling of the Jews We may conceive that there will be a twofold Calling of the Jews A First Calling will be at the ending of the One thousand two hundred and ninety days Dan. 12.11 At that time the Jews Deliverance will begin and there will be then a calling and a gathering of them But at this time many will be called but not so many chosen This calling will be inward and effectual to some but to many but outward and in profession only For after this their calling they will have many Enemies causing great trouble to them Dan. 11.31 there is mention of an Enemy and 't is said Arms shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength And v. 45. He shall plant the Tabernacle of his Palace in the glorious holy Mountain Zach. 14.2 I will gather all Nations against Jerusalem and the City shall be taken Now as this will be a time of great tryal so many of the Jews shall fall away Dan. 11.30 This Enemy shall have indignation against the holy Covenant and have intelligence with them that forsake it v. 33. some he shall corrupt by flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall some such as Peter and others such as Judas The second Calling will be at the end of one thousand three hundred and thirty five days which is forty and five years more than the former number 't is said blessed is he that cometh to these days At this time all Israel will be saved as from their persecuting Enemies so from sin and all will be called and chosen and faithful Rev. 19. Thy People shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 All shall be effectually called and their Children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 these shall be of the Church and like John Baptist shall be sanctified from the Womb. No Noah shall have a cursed Cham no Isaac a prophane Esau for this would be a grief of heart contrary to that promise there shall be no sorrow God shall put the Law in the mind and write it in the heart and they shall no more teach every man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for all shall know him from the least even to the greatest of them They may need to be instructed farther in the knowledge of the Messias but no need to be taught which is the Messias no need to be taught as Andrew did Peter Joh. 1.41 We have found the Messias as the
surely it may be expected that upon diligent search accompanied with prayer much may be understood of this so dark a Prophecy 'T is again prest chap. 44.5 Mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear all that I say unto thee See and set thine heart as in the former place it is commanded behold with thine eyes the Frame and set thine heart to know the signification of it behold with thine eyes the shadow and set thine heart upon the substance and if the heart be set upon these things it shall be given to know the Mystery of them This Prophecy then should not be lookt on as unprofitable or that which cannot be understood Surely if all Scripture be profitable then this also and if all things were written for our learning then these things likewise how dark soever they may seem to be Luke 2.20 Christ read out of Isaiah the Prophet and then closed the Book and expounded the place to the Hearers saying This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And in this the Ministers of the Gospel should be like Christ they should read and give the meaning of Scripture But as to this Prophecy what do the most when they have read it but close the Book and lay it aside and are like those reproved by Christ Isa 29.11 The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which men delivered unto one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed and the book is delivered to one that is not learned saying Read this and he saith I cannot for I am not learned The Preachers excuse is the book is sealed the Peoples we are not learned but God hath not sealed it therefore let not men seal it either to themselves or others God saith Behold with thine eyes and set thine heart to all that I shew thee Let not any then shut their eyes nor turn away their hearts from these so admirable and glorious Discoveries For as God hath not said to the Seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain so he doth not here say See in vain Prop. 2. What is in this Prophecy given forth as a Precept and as shewing what ought to be is to be taken under the notion of a Promise and as declaring what shall be in the glorious state of the Church here set forth as chap. 45.9 O Princes of Israel remove violence Now as Princes at all times ought so then the Princes of Israel shall remove violence according to that promise Isa 60.18 Violence shall be no more heard in the land Chap. 44.24 The Priests shall judge according to my judgments Though 't is their duty yet it hath not been always their practice but in the estate of the Church here foretold it shall be as their duty so their constant practice Plato gave an Idea of a Commonwealth not such as ever was in the world but such as ought to be now here we have an Idea of a Church and Commonwealth not onely which ought to be but also which shall be Prop. 3. In this Prophecy one and the same Church is set forth by these two representations of a Temple and City by the Temple is set forth a pure and glorious Church constituted according to the mind of God wherein he shall be purely worshipped In it shall be the true Worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth The Father seeketh such to worship him and here they shall be found By City is meant the same Church as a spiritual and heavenly Commonwealth As the same people of Israel were a Church and Commonwealth so as that all that were of the Church were also of the Commonwealth of Israel and all of the Common-wealth were of the Church so will it be in this time and State here foretold In this Temple Christ is the High Priest and Priest upon a Throne ministring for men in things pertaining to God In this City he is a King in the Temple he is Head of Saints as a Church leading them in and out and being in the midst of them chap. 46.10 giveth counsel life grace strength and acceptance to all As the Heart is in the midst of the body the Fountain of Life as the Sun is in the midst of the Planets giving light to all so is Christ in the Church And in the City he is Head of the same Saints as a Commonwealth Prop. 4. The Church which is here set forth as a Temple and City is that glorious Church which shall be after the calling of the Jews even that Church whose Windows shall be of Agates and Gates of Carbuncles and all her borders of pleasant stones And as this is meant of the Church of the Jews when they shall be called so therefore it is described by a Temple like the Temple at Jerusalem and by Jewish Rites and Figures The Substance is given forth under the names of the Shadows and the Holy Spirit speaking of things which shall concern the Jews speaks to them in the Jews Language That the Church of the Jews when they shall be called is here meant appears because the Names of the Tribes of Israel are mentioned as having Portions in the Land and Gates in the City and the Strangers that is the Fulness of the Gentiles who shall be brought in shall have an Inheritance with them Prop. 5. There is an Outer and an Inner Temple mentioned in this Description the outer Temple with its Courts and Gates and the Chambers of the Courts and Gates are described chap. 40. and 41. and the building of the separate place chap. 41.13 which is there called the Inner House and Inner Temple verse 15. and 17. In this Inner Temple are North and South Chambers even many Mansions Here are Priests which approach to the Lord and eat the most holy things Without in the Outer Temple are Ordinances which are holy things but in the Inner Temple the most holy things are eaten that is Christ himself in a Beatifical Vision of him Here is also a City described with its Gates and without that Portions for the Tribes of Israel each Tribe having a Portion in the Land and a Gate in the City Now what doth this signifie but that there will be a Church 1. In the City New Jerusalem and in the Inner Temple that is the Church Triumphant consisting of Saints come up to the measure of the stature of the Fulness of Christ of Saints I say both raised and coming with Christ and also of those which shall be then changed 2. It shews that there will be Churches also without the City consisting of Saints which shall have Portions in the Land and Churches of the Outer Temple and Saints in the Chambers of the Courts and Gates as well as in the Inner Temple Those in the chambers of the Courts and Gates and Outer Temple shall have the Perfection there required and that measure
Matthew is called the Fathers Kingdom Mark 14.25 and Luke 22.18 is the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of God in the Gospel most usually is taken for Christs Kingdom Luke 11.21 The Kingdom of God is within you or among you which must be understood of Christs Kingdom It is to be observed also that what is called the Fathers Kingdom in Matthew is called Christs Kingdom Luke 22.30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom 2. Christs Kingdom is included in the Fathers in that Petition Thy Kingdom come The Prayer is made to the Father Thy Kingdom c. Now in this Petition the coming of Christs Kingdom is first desired and after the Fathers when Christ shall have finished the work given him to do as Mediator Consid 6. This House with the whole Limit thereof and every thing belonging to it shall be most holy Chap. 43.12 This is the Law of the House upon the top of the Mountain the whole Limit thereof round about shall be most holy And 't is added to shew the certainty of it This is the Law of the House Q. But how a Law A. The Law of this House shall not onely be a Law shewing what ought to be For thus 't is a Law now and at all times that all things in the Church should be holy 1 Cor. 3.17 The Temple of the Lord is holy That is ought to be so But also a Law shewing what shall be There is a Law commanding and a Law causing that to be which is commanded like the Law of the Creation Let there be Light and there was Light So God will say Let this House be holy and it shall be so There is the Law in the Word and the Law in the Heart and in relation to this time especially God promises I will put my Laws in their inward parts and write them in their hearts c. The Law in the Scriptures requires obedience the Law in the Heart inclines to it and makes it natural and pleasant Paul said of Timothy I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your state So when the Law is in the Heart it will make Men to care naturally for the things of God I mean with respect to the Divine Nature which Saints partake of Rom. 8.2 Mention is made of the Law of the Spirit Now such will be the Law of this House The Law of the Spirit which is mighty in Christ Jesus shall make the whole Limit of this House holy Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them And here let this farther be taken notice of and it will be a very comfortable consideration Not onely the Temple and Altar and those that worship therein are to be measured but also the Courts both inner and outer and the Gates and Chambers thereof all are to be measured and made according to their Pattern and so most holy Now compare with this Rev. 11.1 2. Where the Temple and Altar and those that worship therein are to be measured But the Court without was not to be measured because it was to be given to the Gentiles c. This sets forth the time of Antichrist's Reign who was to possess the outer Court But when the Gentiles thus tread down the Court which is without there is still a Temple and Altar and there are those that worship therein even a true Church holding Christ the Head and holding forth the truth as it is in Jesus and such who worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth And in this time the holy City must be troden down fourty and two Moneths Jerusalem in the Letter was trodden down of the Romans and Mystical Jerusalem hath been trodden down also As that by the Power of Rome when Heathenish so this by the Power of Rome Antichristian but Heathenish still Papists being but Heathens to the true Israel of God This Court trodden down of the Gentiles is cast out and not measured being cut off and separated from the Temple that is the true Church of God by the Reed of the Word as not belonging to the same Thus in John's Vision the outward Court is not measured but Heathens possess it But Ezekiel in his Vision sees the outward Court also measured with the Gates Thresholds Posts and Chambers thereof and all most holy What may be concluded hence but that 1. The State of the Church as it shall be after the Destruction of Antichrist is here set forth when the fourty and two Moneths shall be ended the Witnesses raised and the Jews called for so long as Antichrist remains he possesses the outward Court and it is not measured But being measured as we see in Ezekiel's Vision the Gentiles will be then cast out and Christ will tread in his anger and trample in his fury those who did tread down the Holy City And this measuring of the outward Court shews that the times of the Gentiles will be then fulfilled and the Jews inwardly and in the Spirit even a true Church shall be in the outward Court 2. Churches at this time will be pure yea most holy even the Churches of the outward Court for all will be measured The Wall on the outside of the House chap. 40.5 the Stairs the Gates the Thresholds and every little Chamber v. 6 7. all agree with their Pattern and so there will not be any Antichristian Church left but all will be holy yea most holy How will this be Churches will be as true so pure and in a degree of purity above what they have been at any time yet in the World The Church of the Jews in the Wilderness was holy the measured Churches which have been in the time of Antichrist's Reign have been holy And the Primitive Church gathered by the Apostles was more holy than any before or since But that Glorious Church which shall be after the Calling of the Jews being compared with the former shall be the most holy of all As Christ said of Iohn Baptist A greater than he hath not risen notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he So there hath not been a more Glorious Church in the World than the Primitive was but the least in the time here meant will be greater than that The least of Churches in the time of the New Heavens and New Earth will be greater and more glorious than the best in the times of the Old Heavens and the Old Earth And why may we not conceive that God is pleased to make use of the Names of the Types and Figures in setting forth this Glorious Church to declare that this Spiritual House will be framed as exactly according to an Heavenly Pattern as the typical House was and that true holiness will be as perfect and exact in this as typical was in that We know that Moses his Work was according to the Pattern
Cubits before the Temple and he said unto me this is the most holy place Not that which was the Figure but the true And this affords a strong Argument to prove that this Name The Lord is there intimates a personal presence For Christ must be personally present in the most holy place to make intercession which will be at last upon Earth Thirdly The Throne of God and of the Lamb will be in this City Rev. 22.3 And Christ on this his Throne sitting at the right hand of God and making intercession Under the Law there was a two-fold Throne 1. A Throne above upon the Ark called the Mercy Seat Exod. 25.17 There the Lord promised to meet and commune with the High Priest This was a Figure of the true which is called the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 This Throne will be in the New Jerusalem and Christ a Priest upon it Zachar. 6.13 praying for and dispensing Grace from it to the Saints 2. A Throne of Judgment Solomon made a great Throne of Ivory there was not the like in any Kingdom 1 Kin. 10.18 And this was a part of Jerusalem's Glory of old Psa 122.5 There are set Thrones of Judgment the Thrones of the House of David and upon David's Throne must Christ sit Now when 't is said the Throne of God and and of the Lamb shall be in it this also is meant And here let this one thing be observed As Christ shall give to the Saints to sit with him upon his Throne so this is not meant of the Throne of Grace where Christ is High Priest True they may go boldly to it to obtain Mercy because Christ is there making intercession But Saints shall not sit there as joynt Mediators with Christ though they are said to be Priests yet not Priests upon a Throne But the Saints shall sit with Christ upon his Throne of Judgment to whom they shall be Servants in executing Justice and Judgment in the Earth Psal 149.9 To execute upon them the Judgment written Christ shall write the Judgment and they shall execute the Judgment written by him This honour have all his Saints Having thus laid down some Arguments to prove the personal presence of Christ in the beloved City and some Objections against it being answered that this great truth may be the better evidenced let the last words of David be a little considered These we find in 2 Sam. 23. and Psal 72. In the former place v. 1. 't is said These be the last words of David and the Preface to what he had to utter shews that they were things of very great weight and very glorious truths David the Son of Jesse said and the Man who was raised up on high the anointed of the God of Jacob the sweet Psalmist of Israel said The spirit of the Lord spake by me and his Word was in my Tongue the God of Israel said the Rock of Israel spake to me He that ruleth over Men must be just ruling in the fear of the Lord. As these words were a direction to Solomon so chiefly a Prophecy concerning Christ which may be thus rendered Be thou ruler over Men just ruling in the fear of the Lord. Davids Sons succeding him in Government were not all such But Christ who was made of the Seed of David and is to sit upon his Throne shall be such a Ruler He shall be as the light of the Morning when the Sun ariseth even a Morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springing out of the Earth by clear shining after Rain v. 4. Christ the Sun of Righteousness shall arise he shall shine forth as the light of the Morning after the long Night of Antichristian darkness and then there shall be a Morning without Clouds Christ shall come in Clouds but being come the Clouds shall pass away and the tender Grass shall spring out of the Earth they of the City shall multiply and flourish like the Grass of the Field David did not expect it should be thus in the Generations then immediately following True in the beginning of Solomon's Reign there was a short Morning without Clouds but in his latter days he declined and after him things grew much worse Hence he saith Although my House be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure As if he had said I see by a Spirit of prophecy that my successors will not be all just yet the Covenant made with me stands sure and shall be made good in him who is my Lord and shall be my Son And here is all my Salvation and all my desire I see his day and long for the great Salvation of it and all my desire is that he may have a name above every name and be exalted and extolled and be very high I see the defections and desolations of my House but look beyond these and do well know that a Rod shall come forth of the Stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his Roots and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and he with Righteousness shall judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of the Earth In the latter place which is Psal 72. there is a Prayer added to this Prophecy and the conclusion of these last prophetick words of David The contents given of it are these David praying for Solomon sheweth the goodness and glory of his in type and in truth of Christs Kingdom Several passages in it shew that it must be meant of Christ chiefly as v. 5. They shall fear thee as long as Sun and Moon endure throughout all Generations v. 7. In his days shall the Righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth v. 17. His Name shall be for ever and men shall be blessed in him This was the promise made to Abraham In thy Seed shall all Nations be blessed that Seed was Christ Gal. 3.16 Glorious things are spoken of Christ's Kingdom in this Psalm He shall judge the people with Righteousness The Mountains that is Rulers shall bring peace to the people They shall not be the Mountains of Prey but the Mountains of Peace His Kingdom shall be universal even to the ends of the Earth An absolute Victory will be gotten over his Enemies they shall lick the Dust and the greatest shall be made to bow to him The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Sebah shall offer Gifts yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him And then will be the Churches full Redemption v. 14. He shall redeem their Soul from deceit and violence Now the fore-sight of this glorious Kingdom and of the happy Estate of the Church in it makes David to break forth into Praises v. 18. Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who onely doth wondrous things and blessed be his Glorious Name for ever and ever and let the
Woman of Samaria did the Samaritans Come see the man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ But they may then teach as Aquila and Priscilla did Apollo who instructed him in the way of God more perfectly This second Calling appears Zach. 13.9 Two parts shall be cut off and dye and I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine and try them I will say it is my People they shall say the Lord is my God And we may conceive that this second Calling will be by means of the personal appearing of Christ Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn Rev. 1.7 Every eye shall see him they also which pierced him Not only Judah which pierced Christ but also the ten Tribes Thus as Paul was converted by seeing Christ so shall the Jews And after this Joseph and Judah shall become one and one King shall be to them all And then every Tribe shall be in its portion in the Land and the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Saints coming with Christ shall stand in their Lot in the City 2. The Restitution of all things We read of a twofold Restitution of all things The first by Elias the second by Christ 1. By Elias Mat. 17.12 Elias shall first come and restore all things but I say Elias is come already The occasion of what was spoken of Elias was Christ's transfiguration which did prefigure his coming in glory And the Disciples from hence seem to conclude that Christ should then reign in glory But this lay in the way the Scribes say that Elias must first come To which Christ gives an answer in which two things are to be considered First Elias shall come and restore all things Here 's a plain assertion Elias shall come Which was spoken after John Baptist was come and gone And then this was a truth Elias shall come Secondly Christ answers Elias is come already So both are true Elias is come and Elias shall come As there is then a twofold coming of Christ so a twofold coming of Elias for an Elias is a forerunner of Christ at both his comings The first coming of Elias was foretold Isa 40.3 The voice of one crying in the Wilderness Mat. 3.1.3 this was fulfilled in John Baptist This is he that was spoken of by Isaias the Prophet And Mat. 17.12 Christ said that John was the Elias which was to precede his first coming The second coming of Elias is foretold Mal. 3.1 Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple c. Mal. 4.1 The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven v. 5. Behold I send you Elijah the Prophet Though these Prophecies had some degree of accomplishment in John Baptist yet certainly the full accomplishment is yet to come For an Elias shall be 〈◊〉 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Now this dreadful day must certainly be chiefly meant of the day of his second coming For first all here foretold cannot be said to be fulfilled at his first coming For did this day burn as an Oven so that all the proud and such as did wickedly were burnt up and had not root or branch left them This threat had not its accomplishment at the destruction of Jerusalem for this happened several years after the first coming of Christ 't is promised that at that time those that fear the name of God should go forth that is out of their bondage and afflicted state and should tread down the wicked so as that they shall be as ashes under the soles of their feet But no such thing was done then the Saints did not tread down the wicked Jerusalem was trodden down by the Romans This Prediction doth well agree with other Prophecies of the great destruction of Christ's and the Churches Enemies and very much with Peter's Prophecy of the world's perishing by fire The time of Christ's first coming is called The acceptable year of the Lord and of proclaiming liberty to sinners to get forth from their spiritual Captivity So 't is expounded by Christ This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luk. 4.21 Now how can that so sweet a day spoken of by Esaias be the dreadful day spoken of by Malachi In this dreadful day the Sons of Levi shall be purified and the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant as in the days of old This was not fulfilled at Christ's first coming for then the Sons of Levi were the great Enemies of Christ and had the chief hand in crucifying him And then Judah and Jerusalem killed the Prince of Life so far were their Offerings from being pleasant as in the days of old By this it appears that an Elias is yet to come who shall restore all things and that to the Church in general and to the Jews in particular First To the Church in general The Apostles first preached the Gospel and were Witnesses to Christ they laid the Foundation which is Crist and built upon that Foundation Gold Silver and precious Stones Their Doctrine was pure and the Truths they preached very precious They laid no Commands upon the Disciples but what they received from the Lord They planted and watered and God gave an Increase Doctrine was found and saving Discipline was good Ordinances were rightly administred and they were the true Worshippers who worshipped the Father in Spirit and in Truth They had the guidance of an infallible Spirit in what they did as Apostles and Ministers of Christ But false Teachers quickly arose the Evil One sowed Tares the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and there were those who did build Wood Hay and Stubble Damnable Heresies were brought in and at last the Man of Sin was revealed with whom came in Idolatry Superstition and all kind of Abominations But in the time of this departure from the Faith Christ hath his faithful Witnesses bearing a testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus They prophesie when the Beast reigns but in Sackcloth and at last the Beast slays them But after three days and half the Spirit of Life enters into them and they stand upon their Feet and as they were sown in weakness so shall they be raised in power and be the Angel flying in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel Now these raised Witnesses and this revived Ministry will come in the spirit and power of Elias And by the spirit of Christ's Mouth will the Man of Sin now be consuming And as Elijah did by Fire from Heaven convince the People that the Lord was God and Baal was no God and by this occasioned the destruction of the Priests of Baal Even so shall the Elias which is to come preach the everlasting Gospel and by him Apostolical Doctrine Ordinances and Discipline shall be restored And this Day shall declare Men's Works
after shall be shewn thus Heaven is sometimes taken And 't is to be observed that the Ruling part of that World was exceeding corrupt For those that were highest in power were most eminent in wickedness The great Men were the greatest Sinners and did fill the World with Violence Rapines Oppressions and all manner of unrighteousness Gen. 6.11 And therefore God brought a Flood in which these Heavens perished For all the Principalities and Powers of that wicked and ungodly World were swept away by the Flood 2. Ecclesiasticall Heavens Churches on Earth are sometimes called Heaven the Kingdom of Heaven frequently in the Evangelists signifies the Church Rev. 12.7 There was war in Heaven That is in the Church Now the Ecclesiastical Heavens that is the Churches of that World perished by Water even all except that in the Ark. 'T is said Gen. 4.26 Then began men to call upon the Name of the Lord. There were Churches of Seth's Posterity which worshipped God But these did at last exceedingly apostatize as we see Gen. 6.2 The Sons of God saw the Daughters of Men and took them Wives of all that they chose And thereupon the Lord says My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he also is flesh Observe these words He also the Sons of God were spoken of immediately before this He also therefore is meant of the Church-member even he that was called the Son of God was also flesh Not onely those without but also those within the Church not onely the Posterity of Cain but also the Posterity of Seth had corrupted their way and all the imaginations of their hearts were also evil continually Now these Heavens did also perish by water because of the great wickedness found in them There was an Analogical Earth also which perished by water that is as Superiours so Inferiours as Masters so Servants as the Mighty men so the mean men as the Giants so the Dwarfs the Flood swept all away and one as easily as the other And here we may do well to observe what kind of wickednesses they were which brought the Flood there was desperate Apostasie of the Sons of God there was Pride amongst them they became men of Renown and also cruelty and oppression they filled the world with voilence The Giants in stature were Giants in wickedness The old world was an Atheistical and desperately debauched world and when God gave space and warning to repent by Noahs preaching they repented not In a word 't is to be observed that the world of the ungodly then was become wholly arbitrary every one would be sui juris and not be subject to or act by a Law The mighty men and Sovereign part of it were absolute and arbitrary They would be arbitrary in ruling others and exercised what violence they pleased and arbitrary in ruling themselves giving themselves up to the lusts of uncleanness not only taking Wives of the Daughters of men but as Gen. 6.4 also after that they went in unto the Daughters of men to others that is besides their Wives and they took of all that they chose and therein the arbitrariness of that world appeared they chose by Lust and not by Law from their own wills and not according to the will of God The People of God will have God to chuse for them Psal 47.4 He shall chuse our Inheritance for us But these would chuse for themselves This was the first transgression Adam would become arbitrary he liked not Gods choise but he himself would chuse what Fruit to eat and we may observe how displeasing this was to God Behold the man is become like one of us Gen. 3.22 to know good and evil that is as God is absolute and his Will is the rule of good or evil what he wills is good and what he nils is to be lookt on as evil So now Adam would become absolute to know good and evil and have his own Will the rule of it this highly provoked God 'T is his incommunicable Prerogative to be absolute This arbitrariness God did avenge and that speedily upon him 1. He must not eat of the Tree of life 2 He was cast out of Paradise He that would be all and absolute loses all thereby And when the old world became arbitrary a Flood came and swept all away Thus we see what world it was that perished by water In the next place let it be considered what Heavens and Earth are to perish by Fire And now I shall endeavour to make it manifest that there are as natural so analogical Heavens and Earth and Heavens both Political and Ecclesiastical Isa 34. we have a Prophecy of the Judgments wherewith God will at last avenge his Church v. 2. The Indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his fury upon all their Armies V. 4. All the Host of Heaven shall be dissolved and the Heavens shall be rolled together as a scrole and all their Host shall fall down and the next verse shews what Heavens are meant My Sword shall come down upon Idumea and upon the People of my curse to Judgment The Unicorns shall come down and the Bullocks for it is the Day of the Lords Vengeance and the Year of Recompenses for the Controversie of Sion So that by Heaven here are meant the Churches Antichristian Enemies who have been in Power and above and long have had the upper hand in the World This will appear also from Hag. 2.6 7. I will shake the Heavens the Earth the Sea and the dry Land This shaking is to make way for the coming of Christ That it looks beyond his first coming is evident from Heb. 12.27 where 't is spoken of as a thing then to come And why shall these Heavens and Earth be shaken 'T is for the removing of things that may be shaken as of things that are made Not things as made by God for this is no reason for their removal that they are made by God therefore by things made are meant the things made by Men. For as there are Heavens and Earth made by God so there are Heavens and Earth of Mens making and that both in a Political and Ecclesiastical sence There are many Babels of Mens building The Turkish Religion and frame was made by Men. The Pope both in his Civil and Ecclesiastical Power was made by Men. The Popish Religion and that Antichristian Form of Worship and frame of Government which Popery doth establish is of Mens making Now this shaking will be to remove things made contrary to the Mind of God And this agrees well with Peter The Earth with the works therein even all Antichristian Works shall be burnt up And with Mat. 13.14 The Angels shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them that do iniquity There are now many things which offend God and good Men but at last all will be gathered out of the Kingdom This appears also from Rev. 6.12 13. I beheld when he opened the
Now whereas those that would bring in our evangelical obedience and intrest that in the business of justification do it because they suppose the Doctrine of justification by their imputed righteousness alone is Antinomian and tends to the making void the Law Paul spakes of such an objection as this doe we make void the Law through faith no we establish the Law It may be better askt of such Do ye not make void Christ to your selves by establishing your own righteousness and so from a vain fear of Antinomianisme run to Antichristianisme sure the Orthodox believer who holds fast the faith which was once delivered to the Saints may say to such as Paul did to the Galatians Chap. 1.6 I marvel that you are so soon removed to another Gospel from him that called you into the grace of Christ which is not another Gospel save that there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ But if after so much ado to discover this New way to attain to justification Our English R. B. had concluded as the Romish R. B. did with a Tutissimum est c. this had been ingenious 3. The righteousness we should have is the righteousness of Faith but that which is by the faith of Christ not that which is by the love of Christ not that which is by the sincere serving of Christ but that which is by the faith of Christ Most true it is that where there is faith there will be love and obedience Faith that is unfeigned and love that is sincere can no more be parted than Fire and heat and nothing provokes more to love nothing doth more vigorously promote evangelical obedience than a true lively faith who will love most said Christ to Simon He that had most forgiven said Simon and Christ said thou hast rightly judged Faith will purify the heart and reforme the Life In the business of sanctification and holy living Faith workes by love but in the matter of justification love doth not work by faith to the compleating of it 4. The righteousness which is of God by faith is that alone which we must have for our justification An imputed righteousness which was the gift of the Father was fulfilled by the son of which the Spirit doth convince and is received and applyed by Faith this is that which we must have if we would be justified Rom. 5.18 19. By the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men for the justification of Life And by the Obedience of one shall many be made righteous Christ was obedient in his Life and obedient in his Death he was obedient in doing and in dying the Law said do this and live The Man that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3 12. Do and do all do and do perfectly do and continue to do Man stood bound to this that by such doing he might glorifie the sovereignty of God and honor him as his Creator Now Christ putting himself in mans stead this he did and most highly glorified the sovereignty of God when he being in the forme of God and equal with God humbled himself and took the form of a Servant Again the Law said not doing thou must die In the day thou eatest thou shalt die the Death Now Christ became obedient to Death whereby all that doe believe are delivered from and need not be in bondage through fear of Death consider then what the Law sayeth and what Christ hath done and bring both together and be found trusting in him and in what he hath done so shall you be found in a justified state and so in peace 2. A sanctified state is a state of Peace There is no peace sayth my God to the Wicked Isa 48.22 But he spaketh peace to his Saints Psa 85.8 The pure in heart shall see God Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God in which is peace and the joys of the holy Ghost In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor un-circumcision but the New Creature the New Creature the Man made after God who hath concerning the former conversation put off the Old Man is in a state of peace 2. Be diligent that ye may be found of him in a peaceable frame A peaceable State and a peaceable frame goe together when God is at peace with men they shall be at peace with him who ever can look to Christ in Heaven as their peace they have the Spirit destroying that enmity which is in their Hearts against God Be at peace with the sovereignty of God Say not as those enemies we will not have this Man to reign over us but as Thomas my Lord and my God Not as Pharaoh who is the Lord that I should obey him but as Joshua As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Be at peace with the Commands of God say as David O how doe I love thy Law As Paul I delight in the Law of God after the inner Man Be at peace with all the Truths of God receive them in the light and love of them in the Life and power of them so as to obey the truth and be found walking in it Be at peace with all the dispensations of God even with such wherein evil comes as well as with those wherein good comes Be at peace with all the people of God Love those whom God loves whom Chrst hath redeemed and the spirit hath sanctified Thus much of the first Branch of the Exhortation 2. Be diligent that ye may be found of him without spot Q. But who is or can be in this life without spot Noah had his spot Lot had his spot David had his spot and Peter had his spot A. None in this life are altogether without spot 't was Christ alone who was absolutely without spot Heb. 9.14 He offered himself without spot to God and he was a lamb without spot and blemish 1 Pet. 1.19 2. Be such now as that you may comfornably hope to be without spot and to be made perfect in Holiness when your Souls shall be separated from your Bodies and that you may appear so at the Judgment If now you are regenerated If now you have faith working by love If now you have repentance unto life if Christ be yours and you Christ's then you shall be at last altogether without spot 3. Take the right course to be Without all spots of guilt and to have an unspotted Justification To this an unspotted righteousness is necessary personal righteousness is not so As Christ is the Lamb without spot as he offered himself without spot to God so therefore his Sacrifice was the Sacrifice without spot his righteousness which he fulfilled was the righteousness without spot and if this be imputed to us and trusted in by us we shall obtain a justification without spot whereas mens personal righteousness hath its spots their Holy things have iniquity in them and if our personal righteousness must be
Marriage of the Lamb then what is it but Christ's coming and receiving to himself his espoused ones to be with him in the holy City that they may have the refreshing of his presence Let the Husband dwell with the Wife this Christ will do And when the Bridegroom shall come then what was done before in a way of espousals betwixt Christ and the Saints in a state of absence shall be compleated in a Personal meeting and cohabitation in the New Jerusalem 3. How the Bride is made ready for the Marriage Rev. 19.7 The Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready Which in the general is to be adorned with Beauty and Glory like to Christ's The Kings Daughter must be all glorious within and her clothing of wrought Gold and she must be brought to the King in Rayment of Needle-work More particularly this readiness consists in two things First Unspotted Holâ—ness and Righteousness Rev. 19.8 To her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine Linen white and clean which is the Righteousness of Saints this will be the Wedding Garment At this Marriage Christ shall present to himself a Glorious Church without spot or wrinkle And Christ will say Thou art all fair my Love Secondly Bodies raised or changed and fashioned like to Christ's glorious Body The Lamb's Wife will consist at this time of Spirits of just Men made perfect dwelling in glorious Bodies like to Christ's For the adorning must be of Bodies as well as Spirits to make them ready for this Marriage and thus the readiness will be compleat and full The Bodies of Saints are Christ's as well as their Spirits 1 Cor. 6.20 And their Bodies are for the Lord and the Lord is for their Bodies v. 13. And therefore Christ will have his Wife made ready for the Marriage with himself in Body as well as Soul Psa 17.5 I shall behold thy Face in Righteousness and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Righteousness and Likeness make this Readiness and it must be Likeness in a glorified Body for 't is when I awake And when this shall be done the Saints shall have Blessedness and that even to satisfaction Christ shall see his Bride and be satisfied and Saints shall see Christ and be satisfied 4. When this Marriage shall be This we see Rev. 19.15 When Christ shall tread the Wine-press of the Fierceness and Wrath of Almighty God and when the Beast shall be taken and destroyed then will be the time of the Lamb's Marriage For then 't is proclaimed The Marriage of the Lamb is come And at this time will be the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb v. 9. Blessed are they which are called to the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb. Which is called the Supper of the Great God v. 17. To which the Fowls are called to eat the flesh of Kings and Captains and of Mighty Men. And why blessed Because now the Righteous shall rejoyce in seeing the Vengeance executed on their Enemies and this Joy will be their Supper By this it 's very evident that when the Beast shall be taken and the false Prophet and the Remnant slain at that great Battel of Armageddon then the Bridegroom will come and then will be the Lamb's Marriage and the Churches Glorious Estate will then begin The Marriage will be at this time because now will be the Marriage-Supper and when the Marriage shall be Christ must be personally present unless we will conceive a Marriage without a Bridegroom Compare Matth. 25.6.10 The Bridegroom came and they that were ready went in with him This all do understand of a Personal coming Arg. 4. There will be a Resurrection of all the dead Saints at the time of the Battel of Armageddon when the Beast shall be taken and if so then a personal coming of Christ 1 Cor. 15.23 They that are Christ's at his coming Now that there shall be at that time a Resurrection of dead Saints may be proved from Dan. 12.13 Go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in the Lot at the end of the days Where observe these particulars 1. Go Let thy Soul go its way to Heaven thy Body its way to the Grave 2. Stand Which intimates a Resurrection stand up from the dead 3. Stand in the Lot Canaan was divided by Lot To this there is allusion here More persons than one are concerned in that about which the Lot is cast So then at this time Daniel shall have a Lot in the New Jerusalem and if he then others of the dead Saints shall have their Lots there also 4. Stand in the Lot at the end of the days Go till the end be What end is this It hath reference to v. 6. How long shall it be to the end of these wonders v. 7. It shall be for a time times and a half and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy People then all these things shall be finished Whereby he understands the end of the Jews trouble which will be at the Battel of Armageddon Now at the end of these days of trouble and immediately after this tribulation as Christ shall appear so Daniel shall stand up from the dead even in the end of the days What days Doubtless the One thousand three hundred and thirty-five days which were last mentioned Blessed is he that cometh to them because then the Saints trouble will end And in the end of these days Daniel and the rest of the dead Saints shall stand in their Lot and inherit the Kingdom prepared for them and promised to them So here we find the First Resurrection of which it 's said Blessed and holy is he that hath part in it Arg. 5. Luke 19.11 c. He spake a Parable because they thought the Kingdom of God should immediately appear The scope of this Parable shews that there was to be a Kingdom of God and such a Kingdom which was not in Being at that time neither was immediately to appear but after a long time Matth. 25.19 For Christ was first to go to Heaven to receive a Kingdom and after that to return to the Earth to administer the same v. 12. Now this is not meant of his Spiritual Kingdom alone for that was then in being and immediately to appear more eminently Of this Christ said Luke 17.21 The Kingdom of God is among you which cometh not with observation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth not now come with Splendor and Majesty for Christ came not then to be Ministred to but to Minister Somewhat more then must be understood even that Kingdom which shall appear at Christ's return which will be the Spiritual Kingdom growing up to its due height and perfection And also that outward and visible Kingdom which Christ shall have over the whole Creation so that all shall bow to him and neither evil Spirits nor wicked Men shall have any thing to do in matter of Rule
and and Government This Kingdom will come with observation For as the Lightning shineth from one part under Heaven to the other so shall the Son of Man be in his day Then Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets shall be seen in the Kingdom of God and they shall come from the East and the West and North and South and shall sit down with them in that Kingdom Matth. 13.28 29. which hints a Kingdom on Earth for the East West North and South-parts of the Earth are not so called in relation to Heaven but with reference to some place on Earth For the farther clearing of this we may observe That there are in the Government two eminent prefigurations of this Kingdom The first is Christ's riding in triumph into Jerusalem Matth. 21.8 The Multitude spread their Garments and cut down Branches from the Trees and cried Hosanna to the Son of David blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Mark 11.10 Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David that comes in the Name of the Lord It came then in a small degree of it And when Christ shall come in his Kingdom at last then the Jews shall see him and say as the Multitudes did then Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord Matth. 23.39 And that which Christ did then seems to foretell two things which he shall do at his coming 1. He shall purge his Temple When he rode into Jerusalem he went to the Temple of God and cast out those that bought and sold in it Christ will throughly purge his Temple when he comes and make it the House of Prayer The Church shall be a Mountain of Holiness and that new World the Habitation of Justice 2. Christ will heal Infirmities v. 14. The Blind and the Lame came to him in the Temple and he healed them At his first coming he healed all manner of bodily Infirmities At his next he will heal not only bodily but spiritual Infirmities more eminently than at his first coming The second prefiguration of Christ's coming was his transfiguration of which we read Mat. 17.2 Christ said Chap. 16.28 There be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom And we may observe to whom Christ spake this It was to his Disciples v. 24. Jesus said to his Disciples and so continues his Speech to them till he spake these words Now although Mark saith that he called the People to him with his Disciples yet he directs his Speech to the Disciples especially and therefore we may conceive that when he said there be some standing here c. he means some of his Disciples and not all of them and then it follows After six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John So they were the same here meant And his transfiguration before them was a type of his coming in his Kingdom This sense hath a great confirmation from 2 Pet. 1.16 17. We have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of Christ but were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty As if he had said the power and coming of Christ was that which was shewn us for when we saw him on the Holy mount with his Face shining and his Rayment glistering we saw his power and coming and the glory in which he shall appear This is meant of his second coming of which we read Chap. 3. where he speaks of the Scoffers that should ask where is the promise of his coming Many look upon this glorious truth of Christ's coming to reign upon Earth as a cunningly devised Fable but saith Peter it is not so for that which we have seen with our Eyes declare we unto you How and when did they see it When they were with him in the Holy Mount and saw him transfigured before them Then they saw it in a Praeludium of it So when Peter spake of the power and coming of Christ and of the new Heavens and new Earth 't was that which he was an Eye-witness of at his transfiguration Hence three things may be concluded 1. When Christ shall come he shall come in his Kingdom 2. The raised and changed Saints shall then appear with him in glory of which the appearing of Moses and Elias was a type 3. When Christ shall come in glory and the raised and changed Saints shall appear with him in glory then there shall be other Saints in an inferiour state who may sometimes see Christ and the glorified Saints and have some converse with them Thus was it when Peter and James and John saw as Christ so Moses and Elias and why may it not be thus after the coming of Christ We may the better conceive it seeing those Saints which shall be in an inferiour state to the glorified ones will be much better capacitated for converse with them than Peter and James and John were at that time Arg. 6. The last argument shall be taken from Rev. 20. where Satans binding Christs reign and the resurrection of the dead Saints to reign with Christ and all for one thousand years are plainly declared Take the particulars in their order 1. The binding of Satan for one thousand years Concerning which observe First the description of him that shall be bound who is set forth under several names He is called the Dragon to set forth his cruelty being full of rage and wrath and the old Serpent to note his subtilty and cunning craftiness to deceive then the Devil a caluminator the accuser of the Brethren and lastly Satan the adversary the great Enemy of God and godliness of Christ and Christianity the hater of all men but especially of the houshold of faith 1 Pet. 5.8 Your adversary the Devil Now from this variety of Names we may conclude that this binding will not be partial and in some respects onely as they say who hold that he was bound at Christs Passion or at Constantines time but total and absolute from deceiving or doing mischief in any kind whatsoever He shall be bound as a Dragon and not be able to devour persecute cast into Prison or to cast a flood out of his mouth to swallow up the Saints He shall be bound as a Serpent and not tempt or beguile As a Devil he shall not accuse the Brethren and as Satan for though he shall continue an adversary yet he shall not be an adversary going up and down as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour In a word he shall be bound up as God of this world and Prince of the power of the Air and as a spirit working in the Children of disobedience This total binding will appear by considering Secondly the manner of his binding and the restraint which will be put upon him He shall be bound and cast into the bottomless pit and a Seal set upon him his Prison will be made sure he shall not break Prison