CHAP. I. Of Satan's Confinement.

THE preparation to the Millennial happiness is the binding the Devil and shutting him up in the bottomless pit. ch. 20. 1, 2, 3. I saw an Angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great Chain in his Hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the Nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled. All which signifies no more than the close restraint of the Devil, and the retrench­ment of that liberty which hitherto for wise ends God is pleased to indulge him. Now he is permitted to go to and fro in the Earth and to walk up and down in it, Job 1. 7. to practise his Infernal devices and arts of deceit. But then he shall be [Page 5] confined to the aery Regions his proper Territories; or his walk on the Earth shall be limited to a narrower compass, viz, the nations not converted to the Faith of Christ. 'Tis said ver. 7. 8. that the De­vil being loosed out of Prison, goes to de­ceive the nations in the four quarters of the Earth, and to gather them together to Battel, which seems to imply, that the Heathen nations during the term of his confinement shall not be exposed to his deceitful practices. Which if true, pro­mises to the Pagan World a great freedom from the miseries and calamities of war. But whatever liberty the Devil may have in other parts, he shall be wholly exclu­ded the Nations walking in the light of the new Jerusalem. To which exclusion will be consequent a great encrease of of Peace, Truth and Piety in the king­dom of Christ.

1. As for wars and publick quarrels, Satan without question hath a principal Hand in them. The great battel at Ar­mageddon is undertaken at the instigation of unclean Spirits, which go forth unto [Page 6] the Kings of the Earth, to gather them to the battel of the great day of God Almigh­ty, Rev. 16. 14. And no sooner is the Devil let loose, but we find him at his old Employment, gathering the Nations to battel against the Saints ch. 20. 7, 8. Hence, without contradicting St. James, come Wars and Fightings, Quarrels and Dissensions. For even the lusts and passi­ons of Men, to which the Apostle intitles them, are excited and enraged by the De­vil, the professed enemy to Peace and Unity. Peace as is observed by a learn­ed Man, is the peculiar character of Man, as he is distinguished from Brutes. And the great design of the Gospel is to pro­mote this disposition, and to inspire the World with a Spirit of universal love and Charity. When therefore the Devil shall be under close restraint, and Men left to the Bent of their own inclinations, and the Conduct of Religion, there will doubtless be greater Friendship & Concord in the World both among particular Per­sons and public Societies. And such a peaceable State the Prophets foretell as the peculiar happiness of the Kingdom of [Page 7] Christ. For thus it was prophesied by Isaiah, that under his government Men shall beat their Swords into plow-shares, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks; that Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation, neither shall they learn War any more. Isa. 2. 4. And we meet with the same Prophecy in Micah with this addition, They shall sit every Man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree, and none shall make them afraid. Chap. 4. 3, 4. Hitherto hath been a perfect Reverse of all this. Men have beat their Plowshares in Swords, and their pruning Hooks into Spears. The Art of War was never more studied. And very frequent interruptions have been given to Mens security by rumors of Wars, and hostile Invasions which hath furnish­ed the Jews with a very plausible Objecti­on against the truth of our Blessed Saviours pretences. But these glorious Prophecies concern the Reign of Christ under the Millennial state, and shall then have their accomplishment. When Satan that grand Incendiary whose business and delight it is to disturb the peace of mankind, shall be Chained up; then the Peace of God, [Page 8] that Divine grace of peaceableness to which we are called by the preaching of the Gospel, shall more universally bear Rule in the Hearts of Men, and tune the World to a blessed Harmony.

This peace in the state will be attend­ed with peace in the Church, which shall enjoy a happy Calm, free on the one hand from the violences of Persecution, and on the other from the disturbances of false Teachers. The Names of Persecutors are distinguished in story by peculiar Marks and Characters of Infamy. But the grand Persecutor, the Devil, is not so common­ly taken notice of. 'Tis certain from Scrip­ture that he is concerned, as Principal, in all the Persecutions that have been raised against the Church of Christ. Thus the Christians of the Church of Smyrna who suffered Imprisonment in the cause of Religion, are said to be cast into Prison by the Devil, Rev. 2. 20. And ch. 12. 4. We find the red Dragon waiting the de­livery of the Starry-crowned Woman with an intention to devour her Child, that is the Devil instigating the Heathen [Page 9] Emperors to extinguish and destroy the Apostolic Church, and to suppress Chris­tianity at its First appearance. And when the Woman fled into the Wilderness, the Dragon pursues her, and by the assis­tance of the Beast with seven Heads and Ten Horns, to whom he committed his Power and authority, makes War with the remnant of her seed that refused to receive the Mark of the Beast, viz, the sincere professors of the Gospel. The in­human Cruelties exercised by these Per­secutors, whether Heathen or Christian or rather Antichristian, shew whose A­gents they were, and by what Spirit they were acted. 'Twas the red Dragon that inspired them with such Bloody and bar­barous minds, and prompted them to those outrages and violences so contrary to that kindness and compassion, which is one of the prime and essential inclinations of Mankind. And therefore when this cruel Fiend, who thus depraves the mild Tempers of Men, and inflames their minds to such cruelty and fierceness, shall be con­fined to the bottomless pit; and human nature left to the conduct of its own in­clinations, [Page 10] cultivatad and improved with the mild and merciful principles of Chris­tian Religion, the Church shall no lon­ger be assaulted with storms of Persecu­tion, but be Blessed with a most profound tranquility. And What thus with great reason is infer'd from the premises, may with greater certainty be deduced from the predictions of the Prophets. For this state of Freedom from Sufferings Isaiah Prophesies of. ch. 25. 8. He will swal­low up Death in Victory, and the Lord God will wipe away Tears from off all Faces. With which agrees St. Johns de­scription of the state of the new Jerusalem. Rev. 21. 4. God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes; and there shall be no more Death, neither Sorrow, nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away. Which does not Signifie that Men shall be immor­tal, and no longer obnoxious to Sicknes­ses and bodily Pains, but only that the Church shall enjoy a happy security from the calamities and sufferings of former times. Secondly, The Peace of the Church is not a little disturbed by the intempe­rate [Page 11] Zeal of false Teachers. By whom these Seducers that divide the Church into Sects and Parties are sent out and employ­ed, we learn from our Saviours explica­tion of the Parable of the Tares, Matt 13. 37, 38, 39. He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the World, the good seed are the Children of the Kingdom, but the tares are the Children of the wicked One. The enemy that sowed them is the Devil. Whence it appears that 'tis the Devil that sows these tares of He­retics and Schismatics that overrun the field of the Church, and infuses into their minds false and corrupt doctrines. And thus that Floud of Arrianism that well nigh overwhelmed the Primitive Church is said to have proceeded out of the mouth of the old Serpent, Rev. 12. 15. And the Corruption of the Christian faith in the latter times is attributed to the Devil by the Apostle, Tim. 4. 1. In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits and doct­rines of Devils, that is doctrines Sugges­ted by Evil Spirits. So that when the Devil shall be restrained from sowing his [Page 12] tares, and corrupting the minds of Men with false notions of things; there will doubtless follow greater consent in mat­ters of Religion, Truth will prevail and Flourish, and bear down all opposite Errors, which will find no patrons to maintain and propagate them. This Conclusion is grounded not only on reason, but Pro­phecy. For this Zechary prophesied should come to pass in the days of the Messias. ch. 13. 2. It shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the Idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembred: And also I will cause the prophets, viz, that speak lies, and the unclean Spirit to pass out of the Land. Satan hath had his Ministers, false Teachers, in every age of the Church, but the time will come when these lying Prophets shall cease and be removed out of it. They shall have no place in the new Jerusalem. For out of it shall be excluded them that make a lie. Rev. 21. 27. And such are false Apostles, those deceitful workers that transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ, and with fair speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple.

[Page 13] II. A great encrease of Piety will fol­low this confinement of Satan. The de­sign of the Gospel is to restrain Men from all impiety, and to oblige them to the practice of universal goodness. And con­sidering the nature of the laws the Gos­pel prescribes, their agreeableness to the best reason of mankind, and their ten­dency to promote both our eternal and temporal happiness, 'tis strange Mens ac­tions are not more conformable to them. It is true human nature by the Fall of our first Parents is very much corrupted, and tainted with evil Inclinations. And this inbred Corruption doth at once in­dispose us to Goodness, and betray us to many sinful practices agreeable to our de­praved appetites. But I cannot think Men would arrive at such heights of wickedness and villainy as we see many do, unless they were pusht forward by the Instigation of some wicked Spirits, who as the Scripture tells us work in, act and inspire the Children of disobedi­ence, great and notorious Sinners over whom they have a more immediate in­fluence [Page 14] and power. Eph. 2. 2. Nor is the Devil wanting to insnare and allure even good Men into forbidden courses. Hence he hath the title of the Tempter, because he makes it his great business and employment to seduce Men to Sin. So that the greatest part of the wicked­ness that is committed in the World is owing to the Temptations of evil Spirits, who by presenting to Men the oppertu­nities and occasions of sin, and infusing into them evil motions excite and actuate that Corruption which is inherent in our nature. When therefore the Devil shall be shut up in the Abysse, and restrained from tempting Men, without doubt im­morality and wickedness will decline, and there will be a general and more exact conformity to the dictates of Reason and the laws of Religion. And this flourish­ing state of Religion is clear from express texts of Scripture. For thus Righteous­ness is said to dwell in the new Heavens and new Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. And St. John saith that nothing that defileth shall enter into the new Jerusalem. Rev, 21. [Page 15] 27. Which plainly signifies a great en­crease of Piety and Vertue in the Millennial State of the Church.

CHAP. II. Of the Resurrection and Reign of the Saints.

I Saw Thrones and they sat upon them; and judgment was given unto them; And I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not Worshipped the Beast nei­ther his Image, neither had received his Mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a Thou­sand years. Rev 20. 4. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first Re­surrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection: On such the second Death hath no power. ver, 5. 6. Here are two things to be considered. 1 The judgment given to them that sat on Thrones. 2 The Living of the Beheaded and their reigning with Christ, The meaning of the First is clear from a paral­lel [Page 17] place Dan. 7. 22. Judgment was gi­ven to the Saints of the most High. That both the One and the Other belong to the same thing is evident, because they begin from the same Term, viz, the de­struction of the fourth Beast, That in Daniel, when the Beast (then ruling in the wicked Horn) was slain, and his bo­dy destroyed and given to the burning flame, ver 11, 21, 22. This in the Apo­calypse, when the Beast and the false Pro­phet (the wicked Horn in Daniel) were taken and both cast alive into a lake of Fire burning with Brimstone, Rev. 19. 20, 21, &c. vid Mede Ep. 15, They there­fore whom St. John saw sitting on Thrones are the Saints of the most High, that is the Jews, the holy People as they are cal­led Dan. 8. 24. 12. 7. And to them Judg­ment was given i. e. Dominion or Em­pire. For so it follows in the place even now, cited, The Saints possessed the King­dom, ch. 7. 22. When the Course of the four Monarchies is finished by the de­struction of the Fourth Beast, the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. And from thenceforth the [...]ngdom and Dominion [Page 18] and greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High, Daniel 7. 27. And thus of the new Jerusalem it is said, That the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour into it Rev. 21. 24. Of this see a more ful and particular account in the fourth chap­ter.

As for the other part of this vision, I find no Key to it in the Prophets. In de­fect whereof I think it safest to attend to the plain literal sense of the words. And if it be interpreted by this Rule, the thing signified must be the Resurrection and Reign of the Martyrs.

The Resurrection of the dead is a fun­damental Article of Christian Faith, built on clear and express texts of Scripture. But in what order the dead shall be rais­ed is no where expresly declared. This only we learn from St. Paul that the Good and the Wicked shall not arise at the same Instant, but that the Righteous will have the Precedency. 1 Cor. 15. 23. Every [Page 19] Man in his own order. Christ the first Fruits, afterward they that are Christs, at his Coming. Agreeable to this is that of the same Apostle 1 Thes 4. 13. The Lord himself shall de­scend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Now a Resur­rection of the Martyrs prior to the gene­ral Resurrection is very consistent with these assertions of the Apostle, which do not deny the Resurrection of some par­ticular Persons before the Coming of Christ to judgment, but only declare that Such of the Righteous whom Christ at his coming shall find in the state of the dead shall have the Precedency of the wicked, and be first restored to life. St. Matthew tells us, that at our Saviours Resurrection the graves were opened, and many Bodies of Saints which slept arose and went into the holy City, and appeared unto many. ch 27. 52, 53. And why may not the Privilege of a more early Resur­rection be indulged the Martyrs in recom­pence of their Sufferings? The invinci­ble Courage and Resolution of the Pri­mitive [Page 20] Christians proceeded in a great measure from the hope and expectation of it. And perhaps the Revelation of such a distinguishing Favour was design­ed on purpose for the encouragement and support of their Constancy under those Persecutions wherewith God thought fit to exercise the Faith and Patience of the first Christians.

That the Martyrs after their Resur­rection shall Reign on Earth is an opinion which hath no countenance from Scrip­ture. All St. John here saith is, that the Beheaded lived again and reigned with Christ a Thousand Years, which does not at all favour this Conceit, but rather sup­poses the contrary. The Dominion Christ was invested with at his Ascension, he is to possess to the end of the World. There is no new Kingdom to be erected for him upon Earth, nor will he descend from Heaven where he now reigns un­til the time appointed by God for the judg­ment of the World. Then he will arise from his Imperial Seat at his Fathers right Hand, and come down into these lower [Page 21] Regions in order to the holding his ge­neral Assizes. And this is the Conclu­ding act, and will put an end to his glo­rious Reign. Now if the Martyrs shall be admitted to a participation of Christs Kingdom, where should they reign but in Heaven, where Christs Throne is, where he reigns in Person and from whence he administers all the affairs of the World. There is nothing of Para­dox in this Supposition to them who be­lieve the Principles and Doctrines of Christianity, which teach that the bodies of good Men being raised out of the dust, and fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body, shall be translated from this Earth to the Mansions prepared for them in the Heavens. And So far is this Hypothesis of the Millennial Reign from contradict­ing any text of Scripture, that it seems to have a good foundation in it.

1 One principal act of Regality is the power of judging Now St. Paul tells us that the Saints shall judg the World 1 Cor. 6. 2. Which to be understood of the last and final judgment the fol­lowing [Page 22] verse does clearly evince. Know ye not that we shall judge Angels? That is, such of them as for their Rebellion a­gainst God were condemn'd to Hell, and are reserved in Chains unto the Judg­ment of the great day, Jude ver. 6. Which is the only judgment to which they are destined. The judgment therefore of the World by the Saints is no other than that at the last day. But who are the Saints to whom this autority and power is com­mitted? Not the Righteous in general, for they as well as the wicked must ap­pear before the judgment seat is Christ to give an account If their actions. But perhaps when their Trial is finished, and the Sentence of Absolution pronounced, they shall be translated into the Air, and being placed on Thrones around the Tri­bunal of Christ, shall bear a part as As­sessors in the ensuing judgment of Devils and wicked men. But our Saviours de­scription of the Process of the last judg­ment intimates the contrary. For the sheep and the goats receive their different Sentences, whilest they are standing the one at the Right, the other on the left [Page 23] Hand of the Judge. Matt 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right Hand Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Founda­tion of the World, But to them on the left Depart ye Cursed into everlasting Fire. ver, 41. Whence it appears that the Assump­tion of the Righteous into the Clouds of Heaven 1 Thes. 4. 17. must Succeed the trial of the wicked, and consequently they cannot be concerned in judging them. The Saints therefore by whom the World of the ungodly shall be judged, and in all probability the Martyrs who reigning with Christ in his Kingdom, will joyn with him in the exercise of his judiciary autority, and give their suffrages to the Sentence which he will pass upon the wicked. This Solemnity 'tis true is trans­acted after the Thousand years allotted for the Martyrs Reign are expired, which seems to exclude them from bearing any part in this Regal act of judging the World. But there is no necessity of concluding their reign with this term, which may very well be extended to the end of Christs Mediatorial Kingdom. But because the intermediate space from this period to [Page 24] the final judgment is but short Rev 20. 3. therefore the duration of their Reign is expressed by the complete number of a Thousand years, the odd years that fol­low not being brought into the account.

2. Besides the glorious Angels, we read of Myriads of Saints that accompany Christ in his triumphant progress from Heaven, Jude, ver 14. 1 Thes. 3. 13. To under­stand this of Angels is without reason to depart from the letter of Scripture against the generally received rule of Interpre­tation. But to apply it to the Souls of just Men is much more absurd. For these are disposed in Paradise or Abrahams Bosom till the Resurrection. Then being reuni­ted to their Bodies they appear before the judgment Seat of Christ, and being fi­nally absolved attend the judge in his re­turn to Heaven. And are now first of all admitted into the immediate presence of God, where there is fulness of joy and perfection of happiness. To send good Men directly to Heaven when they die, and to fetch them from thence at the last day to be judged, that after judg­ment [Page 25] they may return to their former happy seats with the greater Solemnity, is such an odd preposterous method of proceeding as no considering Man will easily admit, much less believe agreeable to the infinite wisdom of Almighty God. Whereas if a first and particular Resur­rection be supposed, a good account may be given of the forementioned texts. For then the Saints that come with Christ will be those holy Persons who for their constancy in Suffering Death for the sake of God, were Honoured with the pecu­liar favour of a more early admission into the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus this opi­nion of the Millennial Reign of the Mar­tyrs is not without some fair appearance of probability, and is very agreeable to the Gospel Oeconomy.

If a figurative Interpretation were to be admitted, the Living of the Beheaded and their reigning with Christ a Thou­sand years would signifie the Rising of the Church from a dead estate, and its enjoy­ment of peace and tranquility, to which sence most, that I meet with, incline, But [Page 26] this notion of a Metaphorical Resurrecti­on is encumbred with several difficulties which I cannot overcome, For First, e­very one that hath part in this first Resur­rection is pronounced Blessed and holy and secure from the Power of the second Death, that is, the miseries of the other World. But shall every member of the Church in the Millennial State be eternal­ly blessed? Secondly, The state of the Church before the Millennium shall be very quiet and peaceable in reference to op­pression and persecution. For the Beasts Power of making war with the Saints is contemporary with the mournful Prophe­cy of the two Witnesses, which ends with the sixth Trumpet. And the last act of hostility committed by the Beast will be the slaughter of the witnesses, who re­vive and are exalted on high before the seventh Angel sounded. Rev. 11. 11, 12. And from that time to the final destruction of the Beast under the seventh Vial, the Saints will live secure from the violence of Persecution. To understand therefore the first Resurrection of the rising of the Church from an oppressed and persecuted [Page 27] state is not agreeable to the condition of the times immediately preceding. These and some other reasons prevail with me to reject this opinion, and to interpret this vision according to the proper mean­ing of the words,

CHAP. III. Of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

AND I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth, for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away, and there was no more Sea, Rev. 21. 1. The Vision of a New World immediatly fol­lowing that of the general Judgment, seems to signifie the Production of a new and more glorious Earth, after the Destruction of the old by Fire, for the Seat and Habitation of the Blessed. But this is a Mystery past my understand­ing. All that is signified by it is a more flourishing and prosperous State of things. In the Prophetick Style great Changes are expressed by a New Hea­ven and a New Earth, which in the Language of the Hebrews signifies a new World, and was used by them according to the present Notion of it among us, [Page 29] to denote a new Face and Condition of Things. This new Creation God fore­told by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 65. 17. Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth, and the former shall not be remem­bred, nor come into mind. What follows in that Chapter does unfold the mean­ing of this Creation. Be you glad and rejoyce in that which I create, for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her Peo­ple a joy, vers. 18. And I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my People, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying, vers. 19. They shall build Houses and inhabit them, and they shall plant Vineyards, and eat the fruit of them, vers. 21. The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together, and the Lion shall eat Straw like the Bullock, and Dust shall be the Serpents Meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my Holy Mountain, saith the Lord, vers. 25. This Mountain is the Church or Kingdom of Christ, Isa. 22. And the joyful, secure, and peace­able condition of it, is that New Heaven and Earth which God promises to cre­ate. This new World, this happy State [Page 30] of the Church hath not yet been seen. Nevertheless we according to this promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, 2 Peter 3. 13. In the fore-going Verses St. Peter speaks of the melting of the Elements, of the burning of the Earth, and the Dissolution of all things. And then it follows, nevertheless we according to his Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth. Whence some have con­cluded that this New World must suc­ceed the Conflagration, which is a great mistake. For St. Peter's New Heaven and Earth is no other than that promi­sed, Isaiah 65. 17. And the New World in Isaiah doth clearly belong to the Kingdom of Christ, which must con­clude with the Resurrection and last Judgment, 1 Corinth. 15. 25, 26, 28. He must Reign till he hath put all Ene­mies under his Feet. The last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. If therefore [Page 31] the New Heaven and New Earth must be before the Conclusion and Surrender of Christ's Kingdom, then must it of necessity be before the Conflagration of the World, which will not begin, 'till the Judgment is concluded. And though there are no certain Characters in the Revelation, by which the precise time of this Vision may be found out; yet from that place in Isaiah it may be concluded to belong to the Kingdom of Christ, and particularly to the last Scene of it under the Millennium, when the State of Things will be vastly different from what they are or have hitherto been, as has been fully proved in the first Chapter. And so great will be the prosperity of the Millennial State, that there will be no longer need of Ships for War or Foreign Commerce and Traffick, which the present condition of things re­quires, which I take to be the meaning of what is added by St. John, and there was no more Sea.

CHAP. IV. Of the new Jerusalem.

And I John saw the holy City, the New Je­rusalem coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven, saying, behold the Taberna­cle of God is with Men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His People, and God himself shall be with them and be their God. Rev 21. 2, 3, Concerning the New Je­rusalem here are three things to be inqui­red. What is meant, 1 By the New Je­rusalem. 2 By its coming down from Hea­ven. 3. By the walking of the Nati­ons in the light of it, ver. 21. These I take to be the most material Points, the resolution whereof will give us a clear un­derstanding of this Mystery.

1. By the New Jerusalem or the Lambs Wife ver, 9, 10. Is meant the People of [Page 33] the Jews converted to the Faith of Christ. Upon the ruin of Babylon, the Elders re­joyce for the approaching solemnity of the Lambs Marriage. Rev 19. 7. Let us be glad and rejoyce for the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her self ready. Now the fall of Babylon and destruction of the seven-headed Beast, or Roman Empire, is the very point of time prefixt for the Conversion and Restaura­tion of the Jewish Nation, That their blindness and infidelity shall then be re­moved, we learn from St. Paul Rom. 11. 25. I would not that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery, that blindness in part is hap­pen'd to Israel, until the fulness of the Gen­tiles be come in, And so all Israel shall be sa­ved. This coming in of the fulness of the Gentiles, is of the same Import and Significancy, with the fulfilling the times of the Gentiles, which puts an end to the Miseries and dispersions of the Jews. Luk. 21. 24. And they shall fall by the Edge of the Sword, and shall be lead away captive in­to all Nations, and Jerusalem shall be troden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. The times of the Gentiles [Page 34] are the times of the four Monarchies, wherein the Gentiles have dominion. And when the time of the fourth and last mo­narchy is expired and accomplished, the Jews will every where embrace the Chris­tian Religion, and be restored to their an­cient Countrey from which they have so long been banished. Now if the Restitu­tion of the Jewish Nation, and the Mar­riage of the Lamb are co-incident and hap­pen at the same time, what can we im­agine the New Jerusalem, the Bride, the Lambs Wife to be, but the Jews, once Gods peculiar people, to whom after so long a divorce he will be graciously recon­ciled, and receive them again into favour. The greatness of the happiness they will enjoy in their native Land, is here repre­sented by a most splendid and magnifi­cent City, whose foundations are garnish­ed with all manner of precious stones vers. 19. Which had no need of the Sun or Moon to shine upon it, being inlightned by the Glory of God, ver. 23. By a Chrystal River of Water of life proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb. Chap. 22. 1. And lastly by the Tree of life [Page 35] bearing twelve manner of Fruits, yield­ing her Fruit every Month vers. 2. All which is nothing but a Rhetorical descrip­tion of the flourishing state of the Jews after their return from Captivity. Which kind of descriptions were familiar to the Jews, and very frequently occurr in Pro­phetic writings see. Isa. 54. 11, 12. 60. 19. Tob. 13. 16, 17.

11. By the descending of the New Je­rusalem from God out of Heaven, I un­derstand the Restitution of the Jews by the immediate Power of God. That Je­sus is the Christ is demonstratively evi­dent from their own Books, the Writ­ings of the old Testament. And yet in defiance of the most solid reasoning and discourse they have obstinately persisted in their unbelief near seventeen hundred years. So that their Infidelity seems in­curable by any human Methods of Con­viction. But that which to Men is im­possible, is possible to God, who by the Power of his grace can reduce the most perverse and incorrigible Sinners. How wonderfully and Suddenly was St. Paul [Page 36] converted, who of a bitter and virulent Persecutor of Christians became a most active and zealous Preacher of the Gospel? Whether the Conversion of the Jews shall be wrought after the same manner viz, by a vision and voice from Heaven, I cannot tell. But whatever may be the external and visible means, the Spirit of God will be the Principal Agent in this business. Who by the internal Illumina­tion of their minds, with the light of Hea­venly truth, will Scatter the clouds and mists of prejudice, and convince them of their Error and wickedness in rejecting the Holy Jesus. This their repentance Isaiah speaks of Chap. 59. 20. Which is much clearer from St. Paul's applicati­on of this Prophecy, Rom 11. 26, 27. There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my Covenant with them, when I shall take away their Sins. With this agrees that of Zechary. In that day I will pour upon the house of Judah and the inhabi­tants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they [Page 37] shall Mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only Son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born Chap. 12. 10. And the same Divine Power that worketh this inward change in the Jews, will incline the Hearts of the several Princes in whose Countries they are dispersed to give them liberty of returning to the land of Canaan, and to furnish them with all things needful. Surely the Isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy Sons from far, their Silver and their Gold with them. Isa 60. 9. Some are of Opinion that their Captivity shall be perpetual. But besides that the above-mentioned text Luke 21. 24. Which speaks of the dispersion of the Jews, and the desolation of Jerusalem, Until the times of the Gen­tiles be fulfill'd, implies the contrary; There are several Prophecies that foretell their return. Particularly that of Amos Chap. 9. 14, 15. And I will bring again the Captivity of my People Israel, and they shall build the waste Cities and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the Wine thereof; they shall also make gar­dens [Page 38] and eat the Fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their own land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the Lord. The perpetuity of the Settlement here spoken of shews that it is to come, and can­not belong to their reestablishment after the return from Babylon, which was not of much above five hundred years conti­nuance. But no where is the present Cap­tivity and future return of the Jews so clearly Prophesied of as in the Book of Tobit Chap. 14. 4, 5. Our Brethren shall lie scattered in the Earth from that good land, and Jerusalem shall be desolate, and the House of God in it shall be burned, and shall be desolate for a time: And again God will have mercy on them, and bring them again into the land where they shall build a Temple, but not like to the first [...], till the sen­sons of the age be fulfilled, which signifies the continuance of the second Temple till the dissolution of the Jewish Polity. And again they shall go into a long and great Captivity viz. the present, which words are wanting in the Greek and Eng­lish [Page 39] Versions, but are in the Hebrew Co­py set out by Paulus Fagius; and afterward they shall return from all places of their Captivity, and build up Jerusalem glo­riously, and the House of God shall be built in it for ever with a glorious build­ing, as the Prophets have spoken there­of.

III. The same of the Jews return be­ing spread over the World, Christian Princes pour in their treasures into the Holy Land, and contribute their assist­ances towards the rebuilding Jerusalem and the rest of the waste and desolate Ci­ties. The Nations of them that are saved, shall walk in the light of the New Jerusa­lem, and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour into it Rev 21. 24. Upon the return from Babylon, the building of the Temple and City met with great op­position and obstructions from the envy and malice of the adversaries of Judah. But now there will be no Rehums or San­ballats to obstruct their proceedings, the work will be vigorously carried on by the united forces and joint endeavours of Jews [Page 40] and Gentiles. This assistance of the Gen­tiles Isaiah speaks of Chap. 60. 10, 11. The Sons of strangers shall build up thy Walls, and their Kings shall minister unto thee; for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy Gates, shall be open continually, they shall not be shut day nor night, that Men may bring unto thee the forces or wealth of the Gen­tiles, And again Chap. 61. 4, 5, 6. They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste Cities, the desolations of many ge­nerations. And strangers shall stand and feed your Flocks and the Sons of the Alien shall be your Plowmen and your Vine-dressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord; Men shall call you the Ministers of our God; ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their Glory shall you boast your selves. But their greatest Glory will be the pro­fession and establishment of true Chri­stian Religion among them, with the knowledge whereof God will wonderfully inlighten their minds, for a Pattern to all the Gentile Nations professing Chri­stianity, who shall now conform to the [Page 41] Standard of the Jewish Church. And this I take to be the meaning of the Nations walking in the light of the New Jerusalem, and to be the full accomplishment of these words in Isaiah, the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Chap. 60. 3.

CHAP. V. Of Gog and Magog's attempt against the Camp of the Saints.

THE Jews being replanted in the pro­mised land, shall enjoy an uninter­rupted course of prosperity for several a­ges. But when the Thousand years of Sa­tans confinement are expired, he shall be loosed out of his Prison. And shall go out to deceive the Nations which are in the four Quarters of the Earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battel, the number of whom is as the Sand of the Sea. Rev 20. 7, 8. At whose instigation, They went up, saith St. John, on the breadth of the Earth, and compassed the Camp of the Saints about, and the beloved City. But this attempt ended in the total overthrow and destruction of that numerous Army. For fire came down from God out of Heaven, and devoured them vers. 9. A terrible Expedition this, and no less astonishing [Page 43] than the issue. And that which encreases the Wonder is the common opinion con­cerning the Amplitude of Christs King­dom, which long ere this may be presu­med to be arrived at its full extent. For if all the Nations under Heaven have of a long time received and professed the faith of Christ, as this opinion supposes 'tis very strange that such a prodigious number of Christians from the four Quarters of the Earth, should all on a sudden con­spire to invade Judea and to destroy the Jews, professing the same Religion, and whom their late reestablishment proclaims to be in a more peculiar manner the fa­vourites of Heaven.

The present limits of the Church no doubt will be greatly enlarged by the ac­cession of many Nations now sitting in darkness and the shadow of Death. And this enlargement (whatever encrease it may receive in the mean time, of which there is little prospect) may reasonably be expected at the time of the Jews Conver­sion, from which no less then from their Infidelity the Gentile world will receive [Page 44] great advantages. If the fall of them be the riches of the World, and the di­minishing of them the riches of the Gen­tiles; how much more their fulness, Rom. 11. 12. That is upon the coming in of the body of the Jewish Nation to the Church of Christ, the Gospel will be far­ther propagated among the Gentiles, which is all that can be concluded from that Text. 'Tis true there are several places of Scripture which seem to extend the Kingdom of Christ over all Nations of the Earth, and to foretell the reception of the Gospel by all People in all places of the World. Thus it is foretold of Christ, that there should be given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom, that all Peo­ple, Nations and Languages should serve him, and that all Dominions should serve and obey him, Dan. 7. 14, 27. And thus of the stone cut out without Hands, by which all agree is meant the Kingdom of Christ, it is said that it became a great mountain and filled the whole Earth Dan. 2. 34, 35. But these and the like Prophecies signifie no more than the vast extent and largeness of the Christian [Page 45] Church in opposition to the straitness of the Church of the Jews which was confi­ned within the narrow limits of a small Countrey. That these notes of Univer­sality All, Whole, are to be interpreted in a limited and restrained sense, is evi­dent from other Prophecies in this Book of Daniel concerning the extent of the Grecian and Roman Empires. For thus it is foretold of the third Kingdom that it should bear Rule over all the Earth Chap. 2. 39. And of the fourth Kingdom, that it should devour the whole Earth. Dan. 7. 23. And yet neither the Greeks nor Romans could pretend to an univer­sal Conquest of the whole World. There were several Nations never visited by the Roman Eagle, and where the Name of Alexander was never heard of, although 'tis said he was so vain as to weep for want of more Worlds to conquer. And thus a great part of the World will never be actually subject to Christ, nor under the government of his laws. For as the Greeks and Romans bearing Rule over and devour­ing all the Earth, signifies no more than the greatness of their Conquests and the [Page 46] largeness of their Dominions; So by the obedience of all Nations to Christ, and his Kingdoms filling the whole Earth, can be meant no more than the worship and acknowledgment of Christ by the grea­ter part of the World. And it is obser­vable that Isaiah Prophesying of the establishment of the Mountain of the Lords House on the top of the Mountains, and the exaltation of it above the Hills, and the Confluence of all Nations unto it Chap. 2. 2. In the next verse the uni­versal is changed into a particular proposi­tion. And many People shall go and say, Come ye and let us go up to the Moun­tain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, Intimating the reception of the Gospel by a great part of mankind, and the continuance of the rest of the World in the state of Heathenism. And now the wonder of this Invasion ceases. For 'tis easy to imagine the Camp of the Saints encompassed by an army of Infidels excited or provoked thereto by the Devil. But there is some difficulty in conceiving how this army should be drawn together from so remote and distant places of the World. [Page 47] For the Nations of which it is composed are said to be in the four Quarters of the Earth. But it hath been observed by a learned Man, that [...] in many places of the New Testament hath a Critical signi­fication, and does peculiarly refer to the Land of Judea. And in this notion it is here to be understood, as signifying not the whole World, but that Part or Portion of it, which by God was given to the Posterity of Abraham, and which is here distinguished by a new Name, the Camp of the Saints, in allusion to their incamping in the Wilderness. And then the Nations in the four Quarters or cor­ners of the Land will be some people sea­ted in the Countries not far distant from Judea, whom we may easily conceive en­tring into a Confederacy against the Jews, and uniting their forces for the destructi­on of these Saints of the most High. And thus the greatest difficulties relating to this vision are removed. And the plain meaning and signification of it appears to be the Invasion of Judea by some of the neighbouring Nations. Which event if it were foretold by the Prophets, there [Page 48] can be no reason to question or doubt of the truth of this Exposition. Now con­cerning this Invasion there are several Pro­phecies, but the most remarkable and ex­press is that in Ezekiel, between which and this vision there is an exact and admirable agreement.

CHAP. VI. Of the general judgment and end of the World.

THE last vision is that of the gene­ral Judgment which is the conclu­ding Scene, and ends with the Confla­gration of the World. And I saw a great White Throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life, and the Dead were judged out of those things which were Written in the Books ac­cording to their works. And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it, and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them: And they were judged every Man according to his works. And Death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire: this is the second Death. And whosoever was not found [Page 53] Written in the Book of Life, was cast into the lake of Fire. Rev 20. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. What St. John here saith of the dead stand­ing before the Throne of God, and their being judged according to their works, needs not much explication. The right of judging belongs to none but God, nor is any besides a God qua­lified for so mighty a performance. But we are assured from Scripture that this judgment shall be administred by God Incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ who is ordained the Judge of quick and Dead, Act 10. 42. For the Father judg­eth no Man, but hath committed all judg­ment to the Son, and that for this rea­son as Our Saviour himself tells us, be­cause he is the Son of Man, that is tru­ly and really Man as well as God, John 5. 27. For of the three Persons in the Blessed Trinity, the Son only is personal­ly united to Human nature. And there­fore being God-man is the most proper Judge of Men who must be judged in their Bodies.

The consequents of this judgment are [Page 54] not so clear and obvious. For as for the casting Death and Hell into the lake of Fire, with all whose names are not found Writ­ten in the Book of Life; and the flying away of the Earth and the Heaven from the face of him that sits on the Throne; these are somwhat obscure expressions, and not so easily understood,

1. St. Paul tells us that the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death 1 Cor 15. 26. Which destruction is here expressed by casting Death and Hell or Hades the place of separate Souls into the lake of Fire. And signifies that there shall be no more seperation of Soul and Body, but that Men arise to an immortal and end­less Life. But whether this immortali­ty and endless duration be common to all Men, or peculiar only to the Blessed is made matter of dispute. That good Men shall live for ever in a State of unspea­kable happiness, is a privilege beyond the merit of the most perfect virtue. But e­ternal Life is a gift very becoming the in­finite Goodness of God to bestow. And no Man ever Quarrel'd with God on this [Page 55] Score, for promising to reward the im­perfect Services of Men with Eternal Hap­piness. But by some it is thought very Hard, and no way consistent with the laws of justice, to punish the sins of a short life with an eternity of Torment, that Men who sin but a few years, must live for ever in insupportable Misery, there being no proportion between Time and Eternity. This indeed is a very great difficulty, and hath inforced some Men to put a period to the miseries of the Dam­ned, as not knowing how to reconcile the Divine Justice to the Eternity of Hell Torments.

Whatever is necessary for the preser­vation of Government, and securing obe­dience to laws, must be allowed to be just and lawful, Which justifies the severi­ty of God in denouncing everlasting mi­sery against impenitent sinners, because nothing less would be a sufficient restraint upon most Men from breaking the laws of God. For if the generality of Men des­pise these Terrors of the Lord! what re­gard would they have for menaces less [Page 56] severe? But that God should execute these threats according to the strictest sense of them, there is no necessity. For tho Pro­mises oblige to a performance, yet Threats do not induce any obligation, nor does justice require the Execution of them. And therefore God, if he pleases, may deal with Sinners more mercifully than he hath threatned. But whether he will shew them favour, and abate any thing of the utmost he has denounced, I cannot tell. This is most certain, that no Man shall suffer beyond the just desert of his actions. But who dare say that God can­not in justice inflict Eternal punishment? For any Man upon such a presumption to harden himself against the clear and ex­press threats of endless Misery, is the height of madness. For if at last the Tor­ments of a future state are Eternal, how sad and deplorable will his Condition be? And if they prove finite and end in his final destruction, yet what an ama­zing and insupportable thought is this, for a Man to suffer the pains of Hell so long as the Divine justice can inflict them, and at last with all sense of farther sufferings [Page 57] to lose his Being for ever. This indeed is the mildest fate the Sinner can ex­pect, but a much more severe may be his doom.

II. This punishment of wicked Men is exprest by being cast into the lake of Fire. Which some interpret, according to the literal sense, of Torment by real fire. Others understand this to be a Me­taphorical description of the unknown miseries of the Damned. The truth seems divided between these two opinions. For first, it is clear from St. Peter, that the Heavens and the Earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment. 2 Ep. 3. 7. And whatever operation this fire may have upon the Apostate Spirits, it will doubtless affect the bodies of wicked Men with most pain­ful impressions.

But secondly, This seems only the Prologue to a more tragical state which they must enter upon when this Confla­gration is ended, and of which a lake of fire and Brimstone is only a represen­tation. [Page 58] The miseries of Hell are descri­bed in Scripture by the most sensible and painful things. And because the most dreadful Idea of pain the mind can form, is the suffering by a raging and de­vouring fire, therefore this Metaphor of fire is most frequently used. And as for the lake of Fire and Brimstone so often mentioned in the Revelation, it relates to the lake Asphaltites or the Dead Sea, the lasting Monument of those showrs of Fire and Brimstone wherewith the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were con­sumed. These and the like descriptions are lively Images and Representations of Hell Torments, and signifie them to be intolerable great, but they do not ex­press the true nature of them. This in­deed is in a great measure unknown to us, and the most affrighted imagination cannot reach the truth and terror of them. For who can tell or conceive what evils and Miseries the wrath of God and his vengeance on the ungodly com­prehends.

III. By the Earth and the Heaven [Page 59] flying away from the face of him that sits on the Throne, I understand the de­struction of their present frame. I see no reason from this or any other place of Scripture to conclude the utter Aboli­tion or Annihilation of the World. The matter and Substance of the Earth and the rest of the Mosaic Creation will doubt­less continue the same, but they will receive a new form, or rather be rudis indigestaque moles, an indigested heap without form or order. This Dissoluti­on of things St. Peter speaks of, and tells us that this wonderful Metamorphosis shall be effected by Fire, 2 Pet. 3.

Some are apt to fancy that this Con­flagration of the World is in order to its refining, and that the Heavens and Earth being purged by Fire, God will erect a new World out of the old Ma­terials for the seat and habitation of the Blessed. But this is a mere Imagination and is directly contrary to Scripture, which teaches us, that the Kingdom, which the Righteous must inherit was prepared for them from the foundation of [Page 60] the World Matt. 25. 24. And as for the New Heavens and the New Earth which St. John and St. Peter speak of, I have shewed that they do not signifie the Creation of a New World after the day of Judgment, but a New state of things in the old.

Others think this Conflagaation to be perpetual, and to be designed for the punishment of the wicked who shall live and suffer in this Fire to Eternnl Ages. This seems to have some foundation in Scripture, which speaks of the condem­nation of the wicked to everlasting Fire. But this fire to which wicked Men will be condemned, is the same with that pre­pared for the Devil and his Angels, which cannot be a Real One. For the evil Angels are spiritual Substances, and have no sense of Material Impressinns If then the punishment of the Devil and wicked Men be of the same kind, the means and instrument of their Torment will not be Fire. And so this opinion of a burning World falls to the ground The fire therefore at the day of judgment [Page 61] is not intended chiefly for the punish­ment of ungodly Men though they, as I said before, will suffer by it, but for the destruction or dissolution of the World, to which God will then put an end and reduce it to its Primitive Chaos. And this dark, space out of which the Earth and Heaven are fled away, I suppose to be that Blackness of Darkness mentioned by St. Peter and St. Jude and which is said to be reserved for the Damned. For thus of the Angels that kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, St. Jude, saith vers. 6. that God hath reserved them for ever­lasting Chains, or to be bound in ever­lasting Chains under Darkness at the Judgment of the great Day, Vid. Pisca­tor in Loc. Mede Disc. 4. And the fate of ungodly Men is the same, for to them is likewise reserved the blackness of dark­ness for ever, vers. 13. And in this me­lancholy State of Darkness and Horror, the Devil and his Angels, and all whose Names are not found written in the Book of Life shall be tormented, and en­dure greater Miseries than the mildest [Page 62] fears and jealousies of the most guilty minds can imagine.

Nisi in hisce talibus liberius paulo sentiendi, imo & errandi venia concedatur, ad profunda illa & latentia veritatis adyta via nun­quam patefacta fuerit. Mede.