Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	hold_v	pillar_n	2,991	5	10.6628	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86120	Christs kingdome on earth, opened according to the scriptures. Herein is examined, what Mr. Th. Brightman, D. J. Alstede, Mr. I. Mede, Mr. H. Archer, The glympse of Sions glory, and such as concurre in opinion with them, hold concerning the thousand years of the saints reign with Christ, and of Satans binding: herein also their arguments are answered. Imprimatur; Ia. Cranford. Feb. 12. 1644.	Hayne, Thomas, 1582-1645.	1645 (1645)	Wing H1217; Thomason E278_1; ESTC R200009	77,855	95

him and rode firth conquering and to conquer Rev. 6.2 This hee judges to bee in the beginning of the Apocalypticall times And that it was so I have above proved In the latter end of his Kingdom Christ makes an absolute conquest over the beast and ●alse Prophet and casts them into the fiery Lake and brings all men to judgment and then delivers up his Kingdom of governing and defending his Church in this world to his Father And they reign together eternally with the Saints in a setl●d and blessed estate Secondly I conceive the terms at his appearing and in or at his kingdom to bee in sense at his manifest appearing to bee the great King And that the form of speech is duobus pro uno positis by putting two expressions for one So Thunders and voices Rev. 8.5 are put for thundring or loud voices as both Mr. Mede and Mr. Brightman expound that place The reason why I thus understand it is because Christ ever truly the great King then appears manifestly to bee the great King indeed by an absolute conquest over the Churches enemies and by over-comming death and by bringing as the great and on●y King the whole world to judgement Object In Dan. 7.9 and Rev. 20.4 Thrones are said to bee set up and judgment given to the Saints who are said to judg the world 1 Cor. 6.2 and the Saints to obtain the Kingdom that is to live and reign with Christ Besides in Dan. 7.13 14. and Luk. 21.24 it is said That Christ shall appear in the clouds of heaven and have power glory and kingdom given him so that all people Nations and languages shall serve him and that these things shall come to passe when the times of the Gentiles shall come to an end That is when the little born Dan. 7.11 namely Antichrist is overthrown Therefore Christs glorious Kingdom and the Saints reign with him takes not place untill the Popedom bee ruined Answ. In Dan. 7.9 the Thrones that is those of the four beasts are said to bee so our new translation hath it cast down and the Antient of daies to sit on his Throne Hee gives judgement to the Saints that is on their party or inables them to maintain their party against the little horn that domineered over them before for a time times and half a time The Saints therefore in those daies after Antiochus his armies were defeated set up Gods worship again 1 Macc. 4. and maintained their cause against the body of the fourth Be●st which was then hornlesse Dan. 7.11 and 26 So that it began to decay and was consuming daily unto the end This the Jews Gods people did untill the Son of man came in the clouds of heaven and received the ●ternall kingdom Dan. 7.14 which began as was above proved one thousand five hundred years agon Secondly How Christs Kingdom so long agon begun the Saints judged and reigned I have likewise declared Thirdly Christs glorious comming to judgment is sometimes to bee understood of vengeance and punishment ins●icted on the world for their sins So the Lord is said Judg. 14. To come with thousands of his holy ones to give judgment against all men and to rebuke the ungodly c. when hee drowned the old world So Christ comming with power and great glory in these Texts of Daniel and Luke may expresse his comming with vengeance against the Romans and Jews that kild him and opposed the Gospel For it is said Luk. 21 22 and 32. That that age and generation should not passe untill all those things were fulfilled Besides it is not said that Christ shall not so come untill the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled but untill Jerusalem bee trodden under foot by the Gentiles and the power of heaven Sun Moon and Stars that is the government of that people bee shaken This was don when Jerusalem was overthrown Repl The sense of Luke 21.32 may bee {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this people Nation kindred of the Jews shall not passe or cease to be a Nation or people untill these things bee fulfilled The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} so signifies Ans. The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} expresses Dor generation in the old Testament a hundred times It is sometimes also put for Gnam Mispa●ha●h M●ledeth people nation progeny But then commonly it intends and denotes the Nation or family then living which is all one in meaning with Generation In this sense The People and Nation and race of men now living shall not passe or be extinct untill all these things be accomplished Repl If you deny the Texts Dan. 7.9 22. Rev 20.4 to expresse the great day of judgment Christs comming in the clouds with power and great glory and the Saints with him to judge the Earth and abolith Antichrist with the brightnesse of his comming in the thousand years yet to come you undermine the pillar of Evangelicall faith concerning the glorious comming of Christ Answ God is known by executing judgment Psalm 9.16 Not by the great and sinall judgment onely but by other particular judgments also on mankind Some Jews might mis-conceive of Gods dealing towards them and be perswaded that they should in or at Christs time get their necks from under the yoak of their oppressors But when they saw Jerusalem in that age ruined many Jews cruelly slain the rest grievously disperst how could they but think and you now conceit that God then sate gloriously in judgment against them who were grown as secure as they in the old world Mat. 24.37 Luke 17.26 As this judgment was conspicuous and shewed the great power and glory of Christ and verified Christs speech of some then standing by him who should not taste death untill they saw Christs kingdom come with power Mark 9.1 So I verily believe that Christ will come in the clouds or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with clouds of witnesses Mark 14.62 and great power to judge and destroy Antichrist and all his Churches enemies Apoc. 20.9 Thus doe I endeavour to hold up the pillar of Evangelicall truth and in no wi●e undermine it Christ I say hath already by the brightnesse of his comming in the word preached given Antichrist such a blow that hee shall never lick himself whole and will in his good time bring him to utter confusion What was done in the thousand years I have above sufficiently unfolded Object Justin Martyr tels Trypho the Jew that himself and all Orthodox Christians knew the resurrection of the body and the thousand years in which Jerusalem should be re-edified adorned and inlarged according as Ezekiel and Esay had prophecied of a thousand years in which shall bee a new heaven and new earth So that Jerusalem is made to triumph and the dayes of Gods people to bee as the dayes of the tree of life In these words saith Justin we hold that the thousand years are implicitly pointed at He further

is the wicked Emper●●● did persecute the Christian Church untill Constantine ruled which was about the year of Christ three hundred Secondly That Constantine imprisoned Satan that is the wicked Emperours and bound them a thousand years by so setling the government that they could not domineer over the Church as formerly In this time saith hee Antichrist reigned and the Saints lived and reigned with Christ that is embraced the Truth This period of time Rev. 20.2 lasted one thousand years Thirdly That Satan was loosed And then the Turk plagued the Roman Empire three hundred ninty five years that hee likewise vexed the false Church that of Rome and the true Church which began to appear out of the wildernesse in the year one thousand three hundred and forsook Romish superstition and opening her eyes to the truth rose from death by the first resurrection Three hundred years are now past saith hee since this began Further the Turk shall begin to fall in the year one thousand six hundred and fifty and bee quite overthrown in the year one thousand six hundred ninty five Antichrists or the Popes fall is in the year one thousand six hundred eighty six After this the Jews shall bee called and the Gentiles also come into the true Church So that seven hundred years moe being added to the three hundred above the Church shall enjoy happy times and the Gentiles continue in the truth This period of time Rev 20.4 is of years saith hee one thousand These three periods of time extend to two thousand three hundred years How long after the Jews shall continue to embrace the Truth God saith hee hath not revealed nor can any man tell But at length the world shall grow secure and wicked and then Christ will come and put an end to the Saints sufferings and patience and to the malice and misehievous practises of the ungodly against them Some truth is in these passages to it I assent First T is true that the wicked Emperours did persecute the Church untill Constantines time I adde that some of them after his time did also vex the Church T is a truth also that Constantine setled Christian government But not so say I that is continued one thousand years from his time For Rome infected the world with error about one thousand years after Christ I approve also his exposition of Antichrists reigning and of the Saints living and reigning at the same time with Christ But I hold these things not setled by him within their due limits of time T is true that rising from Romish superstition and errour is a first resurrection in some but I adde further that all rising from sin in this life is likewise a first resurrection I grant also that the Turks have much plagued Rome and that both Turks and Popes have don great mischief to the true Church and that their tyranny shall fall in due time But the just year of their fall who can tell Lastly the Jews calling and the Gentiles fuller conversion may justly bee expected and indevoured But Goe teach all Nations expresses a command to us and a duty for them ever from Christs time to the worlds end What more I do approve will appear in other parts of this Discourse with my reasons thereof That many other passages herein are unsound and groundlesse I will particularly shew First Satan himself and not the wicked Emperours his instruments is bound Rev 20.2 And lest any should mistake herein bee that is bound is expresly set forth by four titles the Dragon the old Serpent the Devill and Satan So also Rev 12.9 And secondly bee that is bound is tyed fast from deceiving the Nations Now the old and grand deceiver is Satan himself and Rev 12.9 is called as indeed hee was before Christs time the deceiver of the whole world The Emperours course was by the sword and violent meanes of war not by wiles Whence Rev● 13.4 the brag is made who can war with the Beast Therefore Satan himself and not the Emperours was bound Secondly if Constantine bound Satan first it may as well bee said that Maxentius a cruel Tyrant Julian the Apostate Maximus and other Arrians P●as the murtherer of his predecessour and other the like wicked Emperours let him loose again Secondly how could Constantine who ruled but thirty years binde Satan a thousand years it must bee Christ who by his Almighty and endlesse power could binde Satan so long a time Thirdly when Satan was cast down from heaven into the earth and Sea Rev 12 which are termed the Abysse in which hee was bound Rev 20. hee gives his power and great autority to the beast Rev 13.2 that is as most Expositors hold the secular power of Rome 1. in the wicked Emperours 2. in the Popes arrogating the same Satan therefore was bound the wicked Emperours were loose Thirdly Satan is not loosed Vntill hee Rev 20. in eminent manner deceive the Nations again whom Christ commanded the Apostles to teach what he commanded This was don about a thousand years after Christ For then darknesse overspread the face of the Church Popes pride exalted it self above all called God and tyrannized over Princes then were super●itious ●ites and humane inventions mixed with and preferred before Gods ordinances then nice and Scholastick disputes to little or no edification were agitated and the milk and strong meat of sacred Scriptures neglected Fourthly If the first resurrection bee the bringing of men from Popish errours to truth and a raising them from a sinfull course to an holy life ● qua pridem●erant alieni which was not in use with them before as Mr. Brightman sayes on Apoc. 20.5 then may it also bee termed the first resurrection when many thousand Jews and Gentiles were converted from heathenish superstition and Jewish errours and embraced the Gospel in and presently after Christs time This is rather the first resurrection then that in which men abandoned Bomish superstition three hundred years agon in the time of Mar●●●●● 〈◊〉 John de Ganduno John Wiclif and others as Mr. Brightman would have it Fifthly Suppose it granted that three hundred years are past since popish errours were gainsaid as indeed when ever did any errour manifestly spring but God had his witnesses of truth to oppose it what glound have wee to affirm that some Gentiles shall held the truth seven hundred years moe and the Jews no man knows how long after that By this account the world should endure two thousand three hundred years after Christs time which some learned men deny others will not define nor hath Mr. Brightman any found Argument to prove it If hee urg from Apocalyps 20. the thousand years mentioned for the reigning of the Saints with Christ and then the thousand years before them for Satans binding hee may as well adde a thousand years moe in which the Saints shall bee priests of God and reign also with him For the thousand years are a third time named and by

had for war and slaughter brought upon the world by Gods just permission strong delusion Thus the Pope became Abaddon and Apollyon the son of perdition the son of the great father of perdition cald usually in the Revelation the Dragon the Serpent the devill and Satan and hee the Pope I say {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with damnable heresies destroyes both himselfe and others So that many of the best writers judge the Pope not unworthy of these unglorious titles And therefore the learned and ever ingenuous Mr. Mede rather questions Is not the Angel of the ba●omlesse pit cald Abaddon and Apollyon any other but Satan chen asserts the contrary as some precipitate expositer would perhaps have don The devill {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was in combat thrown down fram heaven Apov 12. There are other fals thence as first of a star into the rivers and fountains Ch. 8.10 which may perhaps denote the hereticks wresting and imbittering the sweet streams of Scripture There is secondly also a fall of Rome which being once an holy spouse of Christ fell to bee the mother of fornication and the notorious whore Apoc. 17.2 18.2 This in the Apocalyps language is a fall from the heaven of the Church to earthly profanenesse Such is the fall of the Star here and most fitly suits to the Pope Wherefore Mr. Medes arguments are not of strength enough to prove that Satans binding is yet to come Come wee to other objections Object Satan is said in the Apostles times to goe about like a roaring ●ion seeking whom hee may devour and the godly are bid to hee sober and watch and to resist him 1 Pet. 5.8 and Revel. 2.10 Satan is said to cast some into prison for ten dayes and to have his throne in Pergamus Therefore Satan was then unbound and not onely did mischiefe to earthly unquiet and darke minded men but to faithfull men also and such as were members of the Church Answ. There are some in the Church who are not of the Church 1 Joh. 2. some pretending to bee members of the true Church which for the present might hee of the Synagogue of Satan Revel. 3.9 In the tr● Church then there were false Apostles Revel. 2.2 and 2 Cor. 11.13 and false Teachers 2 Pet. 2.1 Hence it is that Satan in the Church serks whom hee may devoure True Christians resist him and persist stedsast in the faith and hee sties from them 1 Pet. 5. But such at receive not the love of the Truth are caught by Sataus wiles believe lies and perish 2 Thes. 2.11 Thence it is said wae to the Inhabitants of the Earths and Sea that is to prophane and wicked men But the Heavens and all therein all true Christians rejoyce Revel. 12.12 And whereas it is said that Satan casts some into prison that is spoken of his instruments of Satanicall bent who acted it In which sense also Satan is said to have his throne where ungracious and bloody persecutors bear sway and tyrannize This was the reason why Judas was by Christ cald a devill Joh. 6.70 and others cald sons of the devill because his works they did Joh. 8.41 in calumniating and persecuting Christ and his servants Wee must distinguish as well as wee may between mischiefs done by Satan immediatly and those done by his instruments Obj. Satan is not by Christ to bee bound for a thousand years untill the Beast and false prophet bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone for Saint John saw the Beast and false prophet Chap. 19. cast into that lake and then afterward Chap. 20. Satan bound But the Beast and false prophet are not yet cast into that Lake the Secular and Ecclesiasticall power of Rome still exists and continues in the Pope and his substitutes Therefore Satan is not yet taken bound shut and sealed up by Christ This objection is Dr. Alsteds and the others joyntly Answ. The Revelation declares what John in order saw not what should in order continuedly and successively bee acted This truth in generall Mr. Mede approves though hee starts from it in this particular Clav. part 2. Synch 4. The reasons which drew him to this mistake are above answered I say then that Saint John saw the vision of Christs conquest over the Beast and false prophet and how they were cast into hell before hee saw the vision of Satans binding and sealing up and of his loosing and casting into the fiery lake Yet might Satan bee bound in the Abysse and therein incite the Sea Beast the wicked Emperours and Earth Beast the false prophet for both Sea-beasts and Earth-Beasts have their Abysse as above to doe mischief and both they and hee bee at once cast into the lake of sire Mr. Mede judiciously sayes in the end of the Clavis Corol. the 2. that as in histories so in visions divers matters don at one and the same time are not told at one and the same time but one after another and that they will mispend their pains who tie the events of matters mentioned in the Apocalyps to the series and order of the visions The observation is of very great use and proves true often in the Revelation Saint John after that hee saw the vision of the sealed book Rev. 5. and 6. saw the book open Rev. 10. yet the prophesie of the open book according to Mr. Mede and others begins its accomplishment at the very entrance of the Apocalyps times where the sealed books time also begins So the vision of the two witnesses who prophecie one thousand two hundred and sixtie dayes is related Chap. 11. before the vision in which the Beast Rev. 13.1 exercises the dragons power fortie two moneths yet Mr. Mede rightly though I approve not his setling their beginnings makes them contemporary In like manner the Beast false prophet and the dragon may bee all at one and the same time cast into the lake of fire and not Satans two chief instruments a thousand and moe years before himself though one in vision bee related before the other Nor indeed doth the originall Apoc. 20.10 say as some urge it that the Dragon was cast into the lake where the Beast and false Prophet are or were or are or were cast but were seen to bee cast by John as in Chap. 19.19 20. The words and context will bear this sense very well Dr. Alstede pag. 20.1.7 saith that after the thousand years are ended the great Antichrist reflorescet shall flourish again and have great power in the wars of Gog and Magog But how can that bee If the Beast and false Prophet by them the whole succession of them are understood were cast into hell a thousand years before the wars of Gog and Magog and not they onely thus punished but the remnant of their people kild by him that rides on the white Horse Rev. 19.21 Besides the Abetters of this opinion joyntly hold that the Papacy or false prophets Romes power

Judah from Israel 2 Chron. 15.9 Many were brought from Beershebah and mount Ephraim to worship God with Judah 1 Chron. 19.4 The chie● fathers of Israel covenant with Jebojadah as they of Judah did 2 Chron. 32.2 Israel helped Judah to repaire Gods house 2 Chron. 24.5 Hezekiah gathered the remnant of Israel who escaped Assurs rage 2 Chron. 30.5 6.11 The Israelites that lived in Judah helpt to put down Idolatry paid their tithes and otherwise shewed their religious practise 2 Chron. 31.1.5,6 Thus many of the ten Tribes whose kinred were carried away captive by Assur heard much of Christ to come and were of the same Religion with Judahs Tribe Secondly such of the 10. Tribes as were captived by Assur were carried to Hala● and Habor and the Cities of the Medes 2 King 17.6 and 19.11 So that when the Med●s and Persians ruled they had libertie by Cyrus Edict to return to Canaan out of any country subject to his Scepter Ezr. 1. And not Judah and Benjamin onely but all of Israel were in their Cities after the return Ezr. 2.70 and 3.1 and 6.16 Hence the returned offered twelve Goats for the sinne of all Israel Ezr. 6.17 And when Hester and Mordecai by Gods speciall mercy had brought the Jews nation into so great es●eeme that many of the people of the Lands turned Jews Hest. 8.17 much more some of the ten Tribes captived before would now also turne lews when a King then ruling over Assur in whose countries they then resided or in some neer coasts thereunto did abundantly favour them Thirdly The Jewes and proselytes from all nations under heaven from Media Persia c. Act. 2. as above divulged the Gospel in the countries where the ten Tribes captived are said to bee when Ra●ell wept for her children and a woman compassed a man and God made a New Covenant all which was done in Christs lifetime thereupon saith Jeremy the Israelites turn to God ler. 31. The Israelites were the sons of Seth as were all other Nations and were then unwalled with the rest The Aposi●s weapons were of force to pull down the strong holds ●pposit to Christ among other people and would not passe by their brethren of the ten Tribes For Saint Iames writes to the twelve Tribes seattered in divers countries Iam. 1.1 All which twelve Tribes serving God day and night looked for the promise of God Act. 26.7 Hence it is that as I conceive many myriads of them beleeved as above though they had their weaknesses And when Christ had wrought our salvation then bee was not a Iew who was one outwardly according to the flesh but bee was a Iew that was inwardly a Iew and circumcised in heart Rom. 2.29 Likewise when it is said that Christ was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth. 15.24 Israel includes all the twelve Tribes and in this sense is the name of Israel often used in the New Testament as Blindnesse is come in part upon Israel Rom. 11.25 that is on Indah and Levi as on the other ten Tribes Christ gives repentance to Israel Act. 5.3 that is to all of any Tribe whatsoever A remnant ●ely of Israel is saved Rom. 9.25 that is such of any Tribe as did beleeve in Christ yea to shew a larger extent yet of the term Israel t is plainly said that all the seed of Iacob or Israel are not Israel Rom. 9.5 But all beleevers both of Iacobs seed and of the Gentiles are the sons of Israel the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 and the seed and sons of Abraham Gal. 3.7 And fourthly I hope through Gods great mercy in Christ that many moe of that Nation yet obstinate in their errours will in Gods good time bee converted to Christianitie And I do heartily beseech all good Christians both Rulers and Teachers and people to bee very cautelous of holding any error which may give the Iews just offence For the Iews manner is to suck p●son out of Christians misprisions as s●ies from Vlcers Iustin Martyr Dial. with Tryph. observed this in his time nor are they much bettered in ours Let us Christians also so strive to be of one heart and mind which is ful often injoyned us for not any one will willingly learn of them who disagree among themselves As Iustin also truly affirms Inorat ad Gra● Object If the one thousand years of Satans binding began about Christs ascension then they ended about six hundred years agon at which time also Satan was Ioosed that is near unto the one thousand and thirty And then soon after Gogs wars began But Satan was not loosed six hundred years agon nor did Gogs wars then begin In these things Dr. Alstede and the rest agree Therefore say they the thousand years began not as is affirmed Alstede p. 53. Answ. Satan was so bound and restrained by Christ that the Church from Christs time to Pope Hildebrands stood in some indifferent estate of truth and then began Religion to bee turned upside down Mr. Fox Martyrol Pref. p. 5. So that about six hundred years agon Superstition and errour spread it self the sacred Scriptures were laid aside the originall Texts unregarded niceties broached controversies handled mostly by school disputes without Scripture the Popes Supremacy was advanced the people were generally kept in darknesse and made to serve dumbe Idols and worship Images These things could proceed from no other but from the Prince of darknesse who then being loose incited the Angell of the bottomlesse pit the Bishop of Rome with grosse and thick smoak of Heresies to darken the sun and aire which Christ had inlightned with clear truth By this means the Leaders of the people being blind led their blind followers into the ditch Secondly about a thousand years after Christ Sylvester obtained the Popedome by Sorcery and the finger of the Devill About that time the Clergy of Rome began to wring from the Emperour the election of the Pope then was Henry the fourth their Emperour accused of Heresie and of diminishing the autority of the Sea of Rome Robert Guiseard was set up Generall the spirituall Sword was not keen enough to maintain their cause to conquer the people and make them obedient to the Pope of Rome In these times Hildebrand or Helbrand as some call him shewed the height of his proud heart and over-ruled as Pope indeed before hee was Pope in place or name for hee did beat the Pope and compelled him to do whatever he pleased and ever stood out against the Emperours autority And when this Hildebrand had setled himself in the Popes chair hee deposed the Emperour Henry the fourth and discharged the people of their Allegiance Hee made Otho Duke of Saxony as also Rodulp King of Sweden to raise war against the Emperour and to attempt the depriving him of his Empire So that Mr. Fox saith That hereby this Hildebrand disquieted the peace of all ●umane life that ●ee caused such stirs in the Church as had never

been By his example his Successors were infected with ambition pride tyranny stoutness disobedience to their Emperours lawfull Autority So that Mr. Fox saith That the Popes after this Hildebrand imitated him on the Kings of Israel did idolatrous Jeroboam Whereupon the Clergy of France said that Hildebrand ruled not by the Spirit of God but of Satan It seems that they saw Satan loose in him and his practises Pope Alexander that proudly set his foot on the Emperour Fredericks neck confirmed the wicked acts of this Hildebrand Pope Adrian said that this Frederick claimed homage of the Popes required it of them that were Gods and Sons of the high God In brief the Popes in these times did so domineer that Kings could doe little in their own Realms because the Popes exalted themselves and to get'a boundlesse autority took away all unity and concord Not England alone but Germany and France and most parts of the western world felt this to their smart had their Estates impoverished by large contributions and heavy exactions at the Popes pleasure and their blood lamentably and profusely exhausted in the wars for the holy Land as the Pope stiled them and in other combustions So that Mr. Fox averres that these courses were taken to weaken and bring low Princes and to advance and inrich the Popes And that the restlesse spirits of Romanists and especially of the later sprung brood of the Jesuites more violent then ever have raised grievous combustions in the Church there is scarce any eye so dim that doth not clearly discern Thus it appears that Satan was loosed about six hundred years agon and then deceived the world as of old and that by the means of Romanists grievous Wars and bloudshed have broken forth which may well bee tearmed the wars of Gog. And so the learned H. Bullinger esteems them and more sully relates the miseries of those wars Of the same minde is the judicious D. Paraeus and others In those Wars many of Gods Saints were vexed with the Popes pride exalting himself above Christian Princes were much afflicted injured and slain the like may bee said of other Wars which have succeeded them for the holy Land Repl. The expresse words Rev. 20.3 are that Satan shall bee loosed but for a short time in which hee deceives the Nations and promotes the wars of Gog which compasse the holy City Therefore it is an errour to make the wars of Gog of five or six hundred years continuance already past Whereas Gogs assault will bee but a sudden ●urry and last but a little time nor in those wars shall an hair of the Saints perish Arch. 34. 41. So many years cannot bee counted a shors time D. Alstede p. 36. Answ. Five or six hundred years may in Scripture phrase be termed a short time For first Where the Saints Souls under the Altar are bid to rest a little season untill their fellow servants bee killed even as they Rev. 6.11 It is manifest that the Saints of God have been ●illed much more then six or seven hundreth years as were the Christians at or near the Primitive times of whose fouls in that place is mention Secondly Five or six or seven hundred years may bee termed a a short time of the Churches sufferings if they bee compared with the eternall blisse that Gods people shall enjoy after their miseries in this life are ended In the like sense the afflictions of Gods Servants in this life how great soever are termed light and momentary in regard of the most excellent and eternall weight of glory in the life to come 2 Cor. 4.17 And thirdly so many years in regard of the thousand years of Satans restraint are a shorter time and may bee termed a short time with respect to the thousand years In this sense Dr. Alstede himself and some others take them Fourthly Christ himself saith Behold I come shortly or quickly Rev. 22.20 and yet is not hee come to make an end of the world as there of revealing matters from the Primitive times to the worlds end in which space one thousand six hundred years are already past Thus six hundred years and moe may bee termed a short time Mr. Archer here erres against plain Scripture Gogs wars shall not bee a sudden and short hurry not much harmfull to Gods Saints For God tells us that Satans rage shall bee fierce because ●ee bath but a short time Rev. 12.12 Gogs wars are in the four Coasts of the Earth and are so great and furious that God comes down himself to put an end to them and to vanquish and punish the Autor and Instruments of the War Wherefore D. Alstede more soundly holds that in these wars will be a grievous and lamentable affliction of Gods people Repl. If the wars of Gog and Magog have already lasted so long as you conceive then surely they cannot bee far from their end and the last and finall judgment must be near at hand But it is expected that there shall bee a time of great prosperity of the Church in all matters not sinfull Arch. pag. 3. and that the same time should begin within some few years and continue many hundreth years before the last day of judgment And that the Jews also shall be called and enjoy those happy times Answ. It is very probable that the day of judgment is neer For first there hath been as was foretold 2 Thess. 2. a departure front the true Religion and that most conspicuous and manifest about a thousand years after Christ and the man of sin the son of perdition the adversary of Christ the exalter of himself above all that is called God is disclosed and by good proof demonstrated Luther and many other Learned Writers some in many since his time have laid open to the world Antichrists wicked enterprises by the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and shewed how in the ages before Luther the world was gull'd by strong de●sio●s and beleeved lies Secondly the new Babel that is Rome is fallen in her honour and repute Her grand claim of universall vicarship her power over Kings her unerring judgment in matters of controv●rsie her vast chalenge of all power spirituall and t●porall and her like capitall errours are plainly by the writings of the Orthodox party confuted and by religious Princes within their own Territories taken away in good part and will daily more and more fall to the ground At Cyrus conquest of the old Babel the Kings and their Nations subject to her Scepter left her So now England Scotland Denmark a great part of Germany the Protestant Churches in France and others elswhere once under Romes yoak have already abandoned the Popes power and censure the Roman Church justly as condemned by God himself in the Apocalyps And in truth the Pope is more honoured at a distance which often beguiles the eye then in some parts of Italy and even in the territories near Rome Thirdly are not men become self-lovers proud covetous boasters blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers c. 1 Tim. 3.1 such as Paul there saith men would bee in the last dayes Whereas Gods servants should bee endowed with righteousnesse faith charity peace and should bee gentle apt to teach patient c. 1 Tim. 2.22 which are vertues graces in these days somewhat rare Let us therefore not be secure and cry peace peace and happy dayes but remember the worlds stupiditie in the dayes of Noah and Lot Luk. 17.27 how the world then feared nothing till judgment seised on them Let us rather watch and waite for Christs comming and appearance being confident that as Christ by the Sword out of his mouth his heavenly word the bright shining light of the Gospel hath made a great manisest ●msumption of Antichrist so by his glorious and last comming he will abolish him 2 Thes. 2.8 Matth. 25.31 And destroy them that destroy the earth Rev. 11.18 among whom Antichrist the Pope of Rome hath been and is a chiefe actor Then shall all the world see most clearly Christ to be which in truth hee hath ever been the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Revel. 19.16 Then even his enemies shall see that his Kingdom was such as could not bee shaken nor prevailed against by all their malice power and designes and hee thenceforth shalll reign in heaven with his faithfull servants in happinesse for evermore Rev. 11.15 Concerning the Jews calling to the Go●el I have above spoken Here onely I adde that wee should take heed of any proud or contemptuous cariage towards them They were broken off from the true Olive and wee graffed in God is able to graffe them into it again It concerns us to use all good means to win them to Christ If wee can trade to the Indies for worldly commodities why should wee not take courses for reducing some at least of that once beloved nation into Christs fold FINIS