be part of the Restitution which God will then effect as we hope in due place farther to manifest from this Text. But for the clearer discovery of what hath been said let us a little look back again to the beginning of this Chapter where it is said this Holy Man had the Visions of the New Heavens and the New Earth which as to their time was not after the last Judgment as was said neither is there placed before it that usual expression in this Book when things which follow are spoken of After this I saw as chap. 18.1 chap. 19.1 but are 1000 years before it as is very evident neither is it any New making of the Material frame of them but they will be Prophetical Heavens and Earth as was said suitable to that Kingdome wherein Christ will reign with his raised Saints as the wood witnesseth of which Kingdom these are to be considered as the integral parts for never came such a King into the world before that must not only have all Nations to do him service and the Heathen to be given to him for his Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession but when he comes all the Elohim Angels or Gods must Worship him yea all knees in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth must then bow and be subject to him owning him to be Lord but he must also then have those New Heavens and New Earth then made for him and his Spouse As Satan had his Mystical Heavens before when the Pagans worshipped Sun Moon and Stars Their Mercury Jupiter Mars Apollo with the multitudes of their Heathenish false Deities And hence it was under Christs spiritual Kingdome of the Stone that there was in the primitive times a great Battel in Heaven betwixt Michael and his Angels and the Dragon and his Angels Rev. 12. but the issue thereof was that the Dragon was cast down from his Heaven to the Earth And as God very remarkably by the Ministry of the Prophet Jeromiah caused it to be proclaimed before the Captivity of Babylon chap. 10.11 and that verse is only written as Mr. Mede well observes in the Caldean Language whither that People was shortly after to be led Captives The Gods said he that made not the Heavens nor the Earth even they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens and accordingly chap. 25. God sent by him a Cup of Wrath to be drunk by those many Nations that owned such Gods And afterwards neither Bell nor Merodach of the Caldeans could save themselves or their Worshippers from their Enemies nor the Graecian Monsters and multitudes of feigned Gods and Goddesses could deliver themselves or those that served them and when Pagan Rome had ingrossed the Idol Gods of all Nations which they subdued they were at Christs first coming struck dumb and ceased to deliver their Oracles as formerly and after by Constantine the Dragon was cast out of his Heaven to the Earth and likewise that Beast that rose out of the Earth afterwards with all his Paganized Christianity of Popish Idolatry will shortly also find Jeremiahs Proclamation true That such Idol Gods shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens for not only all such supposed Heathen Gods but all Pagano-Christian Idols also will be then totally and finally casheired for ever out of the World Psal 97.7 Esa 2. And such like Heavens were ascribed in Scripture to Kingdoms and States according to many Oriental Notions as Mr. Mede observed who reckoned what was Superiour in their States were their Heavens as Monarchs and Governours and what was Inferiour their Earth But these New Heavens and New Earth being of an Heavenly Excellency not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Opinions or Customs of the vain World but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Truth are to be taken for what God hath promised then and as his Word sets them forth the Heaven of Angels will come with Christ then to wait upon him and to worship him and Christ coming personally with them then will make it an Heaven indeed and then also he brings all his Saints that sleep in Jesus with him so that there will also be then an Heaven of Saints also as he speaketh at the Whores Destruction chap. 18.20 Rejoyce thou Heaven ye Apostles and Prophets and even that Mystical Heaven the New Jerusalem shall then come from God out of Heaven as is explained v. 2. which is called the Bride the Lambs Wife ver 9. and for her also with the Lamb be made then also the New Earth wherein will dwell Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. when not only the Tabernacle of God will be with men as ver 3. but her Officers shall be Peace and her Exactors Righteousness Esa 60.17 and all that happiness in that time of refreshment from the presence of the Lord Acts 3. and as follows ver 4. that God will not only wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor crying nor pain but Christ will personally dwell with them in that Tabernacle wherein he was before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only for a little while made lower than the Angels as we said but then he will be exalted far above all Principalities and Powers and every Name c. and continue to dwell with them and be their God and they shall be his people and for the assured making of these Integral parts of Chtists said Kingdome viz. the New Heavens and the New Earth is Gods great glorious and gracious undertaking at that time set forth in this text and he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new c. Now having thus prepared the way by removing these former difficulties and opening the context we shall by Gods assistance proceed to consider the Text it self both in respect of the words and sence thereof which is a farther step and degree of that most excellent Vision given to this beloved Apostle and saith he he that sat upon the Throne said behold I make all things New In which words we have a most excellent declaration of the compleating of Christs outward visible work of Redemption in the world with its Illustration and Confirmation the Declaration is of the happy Renovation of all things in that very determined point of time and occurrence of affairs which the Series and order of this Vision leads to I make that is I now make when the great Enemies are destroyed and Christs Davidical Kingdom is to take place and the Saints raised even in that state of things I make all things New for Christs unalterable order of these things is a doctrinal Foundation as was said and this most Divine Declaration is first Illustrated from the person that spake the words and undertakes the work whole speaking then will be doing as at first so said the Psalmist He spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created so when the
much resistance much depravation much disorder opposition in men and Devils in all the Creatures in it saving that God hath given Christ Power and Authority by degrees aforehand to take it away for which end our Saviour in this excellent Book besides other Scriptures hath much therein set forth the usefulness of Preaching the Crown as well as the Cross though that in the first place but this as a motive to take up the Cross which was formerly of great prevalencie as is storied of the Primitive sufferers that desired Martyrdom that they might reign with Christ in that his Kingdom on earth surely they had much greater faith of these things than is usually found in our days when that world is neer approaching and in this whole Book something is propounded to all the Sufferers in their several times respecting the Jerusalem-state as to the Asian Churches to the Sealed ones Chap. 7. c. for their encouragements as we have shewed in our seventh Convincing Argum. pag. 28 29. But we proceed to some other remarkable portions of Scripture that one way or other point out these times unto us To which purpose we may in a special manner observe that peculiar mark in the the curious Divine contrivance of Revelation-prophesie twice set down therein at the pouring out of the last Vial Chap. 16 17. upon the Air of the Beast probably taking away or binding the Prince of the Power of the Air. Then came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying it is done which appears also to be at the time of the sounding of the seventh Trumpet when the Kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 which shews their coincidence about the same time and likewise that this great work of Gods renovation concurs in truth with both for the binding of Satan and the Reign of Christ with his raised Saints are fully contemporaries So it is added in the words next following this Text as being here again spoken by him that sat upon the Throne And he said unto me It is done which declares the same time that Satan is bound and Christ reigns this great work will be effected and therefore is another evidence that all things contained in Chap. 21. and 22. belong to the time and state of the said 1000 years of Christs Reign with his raised Saints in his said Davidical Kingdom upon earth But the Question here may be moved What is that that then will be done Ans In General many great enemies and workers of iniquity shall be destroyed but more especially it seems to have respect unto that great Divine Oracle fore-named The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool Psal 110.1 at which time likewise Christ receives his Kingdom for his enemies ruine is the beginning of Christs Reign so that in respect of both God himself saith It is done viz. what he himself had promised unto David's Lord before and this time and day seems to be set forth very emphatically upon occasion of the destruction of Gog the Turk then likewise and there also the Holy Ghost seems to use the same Watch-word for the time thereof as here was at the Beasts ruine and that with a great deal of Divine illustration Behold it is come and it is done saith the Lord God this is the day whereof I have spoken Ezek. 39.8 the said Text appears to be of great weight N. B. Quest But how doth it appear that the Turk shall then also be destroyed Answ By Daniels last great Vision Chap. 10.11.12 in Chap. 11. having spoken something briefly of the Persian and more of the Greek Monarchy he comes to the Roman ver 36. and of the Roman Antichrist ver 37 38 39. and then he proceeds to speak of the two Ruiners of the Roman Monarchy viz. the two Woe-trumpets Rev. 9. that is the Saracens and Turkish Mahumitans the first stiled the King of the South the last the King of the North whose History is set down as almost accomplished ver 41 42 43 44 45. as Mr. Mede judiciously applied it except the last his setting his Tabernacle of his Palace in the Holy Land when he comes to his end and none shall help him and then immediately follows then stood up Michael the Prince of Daniels people and in that troublous time delivers them at his appearance probably when his feet shall stand upon Mount Olivet Zec. 14. and that mourning be Zec. 12.10 and ruine of both the first Gog and Magog as well as the last is prophesied very neer together c. And this mark of destruction of both It is done c. seems the more to be observed besides divers others both in Ezech. 38. and 39. and in the Revel because as the Apostle shews Heb. 10.13 Christ had sitten to that time above 1600 years expecting till such his foes should be made his footstool Therefore how fitly is it by God himself so punctually declared both to the Jews and Gentiles that he is not unmindful of his promise to his Son Jesus Christ but as he promised so at that set time It is done as if he should say my Beloved Son hath many hundred years sitten at my right hand expecting this particular season for my fulfilling such my promise to him and now that time is come and it is done this is the day whereof I have spoken Hence also the Holy Spirit directed the Apostle Peter to assert the same thing for time The Heavens must receive him saith he till the times of the restitution of things Acts 3.21 as we shewed formerly more fully and remarkably And since Christ hath left the Book of the Revelation to open Daniels before shut up and sealed Mysteries until the times of the end whilst the Roman Monarchy should continue after God had set up the Kingdom of the Stone from Christs first coming in the 19 first Chapters of that Divine Book unto his second coming Chap. 20. and hath also given the remainder of that Book as a Divine Key or Bunch of Keys to open also the Mysteries of the most ancient promised Mercies and Covenants to the Fathers as we have shewed which are to have their completing from his said second coming in that state of the 1000 years and those times of the restitution of all things in my Text. What pity is it that such matters of so great concernment to all Saints now near approaching are no more considered or understood or duly prized or improved and now indeed is the proper and seasonable time to publish them and make them known when Gods wonderful Grace and Goodness therein w th his Truth Faithfulness in the performance of them shall shortly be beheld with admiration and adoration as in the Text Behold I c. Another remarkable deciphering of these times is the finishing of the Mystery of God when the seventh Angel begins
we hope to shew and therefore these Revelations of all such last things are not to be explained by other Scriptures that speak not of such things but all others that either speak in general of them or not explicitly of many of the said particulars are in those respects to be explained by our Saviours Revelation whose wisdom is infallible his truth unerring being the saithful and true witness and all such his Revelations are utmost resolutions in the case and sure foundations therein to rest upon and the rather because of the Divine charge to the contrary with the terrible penalty annexed unto these Doctrines which is very evident doth respect the same especially Chap. 22.18.19 concerning willing at least or much more willful adding to or taking away any thing from the Prophesie of this Book which ought not slightly to be overlooked besides many other considerations which might be added that of 1 Cor. 15. ver 23. as the Revelation explains it Christ was the first fruits of the Saints Resurrection above 1600 years before his coming at Antichrists destruction when the suffering Sts. shall rise which he brings with him ita deinde as saith the Apostle then cometh the end as in Rev. 20.1000 years after and more and a reason is added all Christs enemies must first be put under his feet viz. first Ezekiels Gog Magog Turk Pope as we shewed and all taken then out of Christs Kingdom that offend and 1000 years after when the last Gog and Magog Rev 20. shall be destroyed and the Devil that seduced them cast into the lake of fire then will the last enemy death also be destroyed but in the interim all the said thousand years saith the Apostle he must reign till that last enemy death be also destroyed after which he will deliver up his Davidical Kingdom to the Father as was said ver 24. but at ver 51 52. he declares certain mysteries not known before concerning the general sudden rapture and change at the last Trump and last Resurrection which suit with Revelation order also though those mysteries and Christs last descending with a shout at the same time 1 Thes 4. seem to be only revealed to the Apostle Paul yet the distinction of Christs bringing his said Saints with him at his next coming 1 Thes 3.13 and 4.14 and his sudden rapping them up above 1000 years after to meet him in the Air when he descends with the said Trump of God v. 16. at the coming of the Lord as it is also called ver 15. from which time they shall ever be with the Lord which was not true from the former as by Revel 20. is manifest which is also another evident ground of distinguishing the same and by the Revelation-order so to be explained which is not to be understood according to any mens apprehensions of other Scriptures but other Scriptures to be explained by that in all such matters as God hath given unto Christ in that most Divine Book to resolve his Church of in such particulars therein held out and as for that of Peter 2.3 upon which some mistaken apprehensions of some seem to have put some difficulties by the help of the Revel may easily be resolved if we consider he speaks both of the Scoffers of the last times and to faithful Christians likewise and suits considerations useful for both to the Scoffers he offers the consideration of the day of the Lord that is the great day of Judgment wherein is the morning Judgment contained when Christ is said to come as a thief at the end of the 6th Vial Rev. 16.15 about the Armageddon battle as here he is said also to come as a thief in the night then will be the consuming of the body of the Beast by fire Dan. 7. and ver 10. a fiery stream issued from the Ancient of days at that Judgment but this seems by our Saviour besides other considerations to be a partial destruction chiefly falling upon wicked men compared Luk. 17. to Sodoms and Gomorrahs destruction that will find out such where they are But then the deluge of fire and the passing away of the Heavens as Rev. 20.11 both which by Revelation-Prophesie are manifest to be above 1000 years after the Armageddon-battle when the Beast and salse Prophet were taken and said to be cast into the lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev. 19.20 but both these burnings the first partial the second general and ultimate are contained in the day of the Lord or the Judgment of the Great Day as Christs Revelation also teacheth without which this Text with many others could not be soundly resolved for his bringing in the exception of the New Heavens and New Earth v. 13. that is on the Saints part to comfort them against the Scoffers in these bad times not that they will be after the last destruction of the World but that there was such an happy state coming on wherein they were interessed though both at the beginning and ending of the day of the Lord such fiery Vengeance was in store for such wicked Scoffers hardned by Gods long sufferance in these last Days which the Apostle prophetically spake of and this Exposition from the warrant of this Divine Book given particularly for many such purposes and therefore stiled the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants c. is more satisfying to my Conscience than all the differing apprehensions of men whatsoever concerning the same Quest And whereas it may be questioned by some whether these Interpretations being mysterious be according to the intent of the Writers of those or the like said portions of Scriptures Answ That is not so much to be respected as that they be according to the minds of the Inditer of them who taught all his Messengers and Amanuenses to write and deliver what was Divine and sacred truth whether he gave them full Interpretations of them at the same time or not sometimes it is evident he did not as when Daniel was denied the knowledge of the times of the end therefore he said I heard but I understood not Dan. 12. and the Disciples could not understand the fulfilling of the Prophesie of Hosea Ch. 1. of the calling of the Gentiles then till by Vision to Peter and and gifts of the Spirit and the like he had resolved them and it seems probable that neither Moses in his Song for Posterity Deut. 32. or threatnings in order Lev. 26. or in penning Jacobs Prophefie or Balaams Parable as they all respected the last times did so understand them so whether the Apostle Paul or Peter in those things being guided by the Spirit of Christ to write concerning matters directly respecting the last times did know the particular meaning of them in those respects as they are explained since by the Book of Revelation I must ingeniously acknowledge that in things which were so by the same Spirit of Christ further in due time to be
revealed I believe they did not for first it is probable they would then with the said things have given the Interpretation of them if they had then known them And secondly the Holy Spirit of Christ would not have given particular Revelations to open and explain the particular meanings if they had not been necessary so to have been revealed in respect of the hidden parts of them and especially that God the Father in a glorious wonderful manner Rev. 5. should so give that most Divine Book to his beloved Son the Lamb so to reveal them as he hath done without which the Church had been in the dark in regard of many excelent points of Heavenly Doctrines now only knowable by the help and use of the said Book especially in what concerns the main Scope of all Revelation-Prophesie which is therefore highly to be esteemed and diligently to be studied by all wise and good Christians for the right understanding of the darkest portions of Scripture which are not rightly discovered by any other means but by these Divine Oracles of Jesus Christ and let it henceforth stand as an irrefragable Rule amongst all sound Christians that all those Texts of holy Scriptures concerning those last things viz. Resurrections and Judgment are to be explained by Christs Revelation and not the Revelation by them From the former said sure Rule and the many foundations formerly laid down in the whole work these Divine Conclusions or Christian Doctrines will evidently follow First That Christs Davidical Kingdom on earth will begin with the first act or session of the Judgment of the Great Day above 1000 years before the Last Judgment Esa 9. Luke 1.32 with Dan. 7. Rev. 11. and 19.6 9 11 to the end 2. That at the first said Session the quick namely the Beast fals Prophet with other great and small enemies then living will be judged by temporal destruction from the earth Dan. 7. Ezek 38.39 Dan. 11.45 Matth. 13.41 And the deceased Saints will then also be judged with a Judgment of reward or recompense at their holy and blessed bodily Resurrection when they shall rise to reign with Christ who will then so Judge both quick and dead at his appearing and Kingdom Dan. 7. Rev. 11.18 2 Tim. 4.1 Thirdly Christ will reign with his said raised Saints on earth in his said Kingdom all that same 1000 years wherein as he hath both strongly and emphatically taught us that Satan shall be bound from deceiving the Nations any more until the said 1000 years shall be sulfilled See Treatise on Rev. 21.5 page 37 38. and page 8. of this Fourthly The said 1000 years space to be so fulfilled beginning from the first said Session or Matutinum Judicium as Mr. Mede speaks or a greater than he Psal 49.14 and a greater than them both Luke 19.18 19. Rev. 2.26 before the little space of Satans loosing again is that interim before the last Judgment wherein shall be the performance of Gods most antient promised Mercies and Covenants to the faithful Forefathers and to their spiritual Seed viz. the then raised Saints and others then converted through their Divine promised Seed Christ by whom they shall all then have their sure Mercies of David Esa 55.3 and as the Lambs wife then inherit all things with him Rev. 21.7 Fifthly The New Jerusalem state the Marriage of the Lamb the Paradise of God with the pure River and Tree of Life therein and the Nations of them that are then saved walking in the light of the said great holy and beloved New Jerusalem wherein consists the New Heavens and new earth when God will make all things new as in this Text are the contemporaries of the said happy times and state in the said 1000 years and will make up that happiness in the said Davidical Kingdom of Christ both to the said Saints then raised and to the then converted Jews and Gentiles in the natural life when also the two second great calls of them both will be accomplished Deut. 32.43 Rom. 15.10 that Jews and Gentiles will rejoyce together Sixthly Satans last most wicked attempt with his last Gog Magog against the said holy City and the Camp of the Saints after the said 1000 years are ended will occasion fire from Heaven to consume them and probably the earth and the works upon it c. and thereupon also the destruction of the last enemy death when all the Saints both raised before and then living or lying in the grave to free them as is probable from the destruction with wicked men then shall be rapt up together and all be changed in a moment or twinkling of an eye to meet Christ in the Air c. when also all the wicked shall be raised at the last Trump to the last general Judgment and final sentence c. upon whose sitting upon the great white Throne will be the utter dissolution of the whole created world as Rev. 20.11 c. And these I believe are upon the many said accounts from holy Scripture the Divine truths of Jesus Christ not contradicting any thing taught in Gods Word before but only explaining many things formerly darkly yet Divinely couched therein and especially things respecting the said first and second bodily Resurrections and the proceedings of the Judgment of the great day of the Lord at above a 1000 years distance with the performance of the promised mercies in the interim as was said And thus have I given an account of my faith as respecting these things for which I bless and magnifie the glorious Name of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit three Persons and one true and everliving God and I do believe that all Saints will do the same here or hereafter Amen And thus for the Questions concerning the first Resurrection as being the Inlet to the Sts. that Christ brings with him when he comes into the happy said approaching state 1000 years before the said rest of the dead shall live again and that answers to sundry portions of Scripture that are by some otherwise expounded but are only to be understood by the help of the most Divine Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ as we have shewed And now before we proceed to speak particularly of the words or matters of this Text of the Renovation of all things which are to make up the happiness of Christs said Reign with his Saints upon the said first Resurrection we shall consider the preceding and following context thereof with its dependencie to remove some other seeming difficulties which for the greater evidence we shall endeavour to do by Answering some other Questions and resolving some doubts upon weighty reasons concerning the same Quest 1. Are not the New Heavens and the New earth the renovation of all things the New Jerusalem and Paradise of God c. Ch. 21.22 to be after the last Judgment wch is set down before them in Ch. 20.11 Answ Although the last Judgment is there placed in the