SECT. IV. Of later Writers, of what Nation or Language soever.
SECT. IV. Scriptorum neotericorum cujus­cunque Nationis, linguae, vel Religionis.

SECT. I.

§. 1 IT is true, that there was an handfull of First-fruits (so called Rom. 11.16.) that truly then mourned for him whom they had pierced, Joh. 19.37. Act. 2. And there was some effusion of the Spirit, Act. 2. but was but First-fruits Rom. 8.23. But as the Prophesies of the Old Testament concerning Christ and his Kingdome are exceeding comprehensive and extensive; so the fulfilling of them is (as it is Calvins note) progressive and successive, in all ages to the last end of all. This small number of those mourners cannot, in my eye, compleat and make up an answerable fulfilling of that which was promised to the INHABITANTS of JERUSALEM in generall, and their severall families of David, of Nathan, of Levi, of Shimei, and ALL THE FAMILIES THAT REMAINE, as they are expressely named in this twelfth of Zech. vers. 12, 13, 14. Consider it Reader wishly.

§. 2 Those that would wave the power of this Text, and shun the dint of its argument for the point of Christs Personall appearing at the great future Restauration, must of necessity make this Text either relate to the time about Christs Passion, or to the time of Christs coming to his last, and ultimate and univer all judgement. But in my judgement they cannot referre it to either of them, there to find the just and compleat and main fulfilling thereof. Therefore it must relate to the time of the RESTITUTION of which we speak. For from Babylon they were already returned, and Christ was not then pierced.

§. 3 First they cannot justly devolve it wholly, or chiefly on the time of Christs PASSION for these reasons: 1. This looking on Christ whom they pierced, is to be at THAT DAY, at some notable day, some most eminent famous great magnificent day, marked out in the Context with three eminent Characters; 1. is in v. 6, 7. In THAT DAY I will make the Governour of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheafe, and they shall de­vour all the people round about, &c. and Jerusalem shall bee inhabited againe, in her owne place, &c. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah [Page 79]to a Glory, &c. But it was not so with Jerusalem at the time of Christs Passion, when the ROMANS possessed it, and THEY, and the JEWES crucified Christ. The second Character is vers. 8. In THAT DAY shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and hee that is feeble among them, AT THAT DAY shall be as DAVID, and the House of David shall bee as ELOHIM, Potentates, and as the AN­GEL of God. Or (so as still to keep the increment, and graduall ri­sing by stops, according to the true intent of the Prophet) The house of David shall bee as ELOHIM, that is, as Angels, and as that Angel or Messenger of God, Christ, as he is called, Malach. 3. v. 1. latter part of the verse, and elsewhere severall times. Now this was not the excellent state of Jerusalem at the time of Christs Passion as the Reader can easily understand by the foure Evangelists, without my amplifying of words. The third Character is vers. 9. And it shall come to passe at THAT DAY, that I will seek to destroy ALL the Nations that come against Jerusalem. But the Lord did not doe this at the time of Christs Passion, nor in many hundreds of yeers after, nor to this day. The strugling of the Maccabees came to little; sure enough not to so much as this Text imports; but notwithstanding (as after wee shall heare more of the Maccabees) Jerusalem was more and more destroyed by the Nations that came against her. THE ROMANS now at Christs Passion possessed it, as the foure Evange­lists, and the Acts plainly tell us. About forty yeers after (as Christ prophesied) TITUS the Roman Emperour destroyed the Temple. Some yeers after that, ADRIAN the Roman Emperour destroyed the City. And since that, the TURKES have miserably possessed it, and subdued and defiled it unto this very day. Therefore the day, or time of Christs Passion, or then about, cannot bee THE DAY here spoken of as the principall time wherein the Jewes shall looke on him whom they have pierced. St. John speakes of the thing, not of the principall time wherein this was to be fulfilled. But when they doe looke on him, &c. according to the maine meaning of this Text, it must be AT THAT DAY so made glorious with those Characters; for so it follows v. 10. with an AND, viz. AND I wil pour, &c. AND they shall look upon mee. This is the first reason why this Text cannot looke mainly at Christs Passion or then about. The second reason is, because we read not that then they had any such humiliations, of fa­milies mourning apart, or joyntly, as they did at Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon, for good King Josiahs death, 2 Chron. 35. For those are the platformes of their mourning, v. 11, 12, 13, 14. of this 12. of Zechary.

§. 4 Nor can our opposites cast the meaning of this Text of looking on Christ whom they have pierced upon the time of the ultimate gene­rall judgement, for these reasons;

• 1. That were a late and unlikely time of repentance; Then is not a time of pouring out of grace, no time of gracious supplications.
• 2. Then is no time of mourning, but of joy to the Saints.
• 3. Then the mourning of the wicked is a gracelesse, horrid, despairing mourning, full of slavish feare. But the mourning here mentioned is a mourning out of much love to Christ, [Page 80]as is intimated in the describing it to bee like one mourning for his onely sonne, yea for his first-borne, yea as good people mourned for Josiah slaine at Megiddo, or Megiddon, as it follows in v. 10. and v. 11. and 12.

And therefore the likeliest maine time to make out the true meaning of this Text is the time of the generall Call, and conversion of the Jewes yet to come, at the beginning of the Resti­tution of all things (of which wee treat.) Then as sensibly to see him, as the other things in the Context shall bee sensibly performed. 5. This place of Zechary the 12. v. 10. &c. will appeare much more evident for the personal appearance of Christ, by the second place in the next Section, being a parallel, yea a quotation of this.

SECT. II.

§. 1 THe Context adjoyning to this Text evinceth that this is spo­ken of Christ, and as adorned with such Titles and ex­ploits as are most congruous to our Position, v. 4, 5, 6. Grace be to the seven Churches from him which was, and is, &c. and from the seven Spirits, &c. and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witnesse, and the first begotten of THE DEAD, and the PRINCE of the KINGS of THE EARTH; unto him that LOVED US, &c. and hath made us KINGS and PRIESTS unto God, and his FATHER, to him be glory and DOMI­NION for ever and ever, Amen. Behold HEE cometh with Clouds, &c. Hee must yet come, so as to make good all these things to the Saints, and to manifest yet more his owne GLORY and DO­MINION.

§. 2 What can bee plainer then that this v. 7. is a quotation of Ze­chary 12.10. in the very same maine phrase and words, with ad­dition of more for explanation, and illustration?

§. 3 Which cannot be meant of Christs first coming in the flesh, because it is prophesied now so many yeers since Christs ascension; but must relate to that coming, Act. 1.11. (of which more largely after) This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner as yee have seen him goe into heaven; spoken when the Cloud (v. 9.) received him, after that (v. 6.) they had asked of him whether at that time he would restore the Kingdome to Israel; Leaving his Angels to give them this answer, as he left them at his sepulchre to informe the commers to seeke him concerning his Resurrection Joh. 20.12. &c. Every word almost of this 1. Revel. v. 7. intimates that this coming is meant of a coming after his Ascension, and yet before the ultimate day of doome. HEE COMETH implies a future thing now after his Ascension; HE COMETH in the present [Page 81]tense or time, fairly intimates that it is not intended of his last Act that ever hee will doe, which is the ultimate judgement. BEHOLD implies some eminent coming, and none more eminent then this, for RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS. A note above THE DISSOLUTION OF ALL THINGS. It is better saith Christ himself (in the Gospel) to save life, then to destroy it. HEE cometh WITH CLOUDS, That is, IN the Clouds. As the Greeks in the same phrase say, A man with Armor, meaning, A man in Armor. The meaning is out of doubt, that this coming of Christ shall not bee so obscure, as his Incarnation, or as his coming among the Disciples after his Re­surrection; but he shall come conspicuous and glorious visibly to all upon the earth, which phrase must needs import a proper ocular sight of him with proper sense; For by faith wee see him, though not vi­sible in the Clouds, 1 Pet. 1.8. EVERY EYE shall see him, must needs signifie more then a sight by faith. Faith and sight are so di­stinct, as that the Apostle makes them opposite, 2 Cor. 5.7. Heb. 11. oft. Therefore every eye seeing him, cannot signifie a sight of faith onely. There needed not any expression of EYE, or of his being in the Clouds to signifie a sight by faith. Wee can now see him in Heaven by faith. It is a question whether every eye that is said here to see him, shall at first sight see him by faith. For EVERY EYE must see him, and ALL KINDREDS of the EARTH shall mourne. Sure his Antichristian enemies generally shall not see him by faith, whom he destroyes at his coming, Rev. 19. last; 2 Thess. 2. to make way for the reigning of the Saints, Rev. 20. EVEN SO AMEN. John did believe, saw Christ by faith, but for that sight of him in the Clouds, to be visible to him, and all the Kindreds of the earth he prayes, and raiseth up his faith with an hearty Amen, that so it shall bee. So that by all these things it is most evident, that of a time and state following Christs Ascention, John speakes here. Nor on the other side can this Revel. 1.7. bee understood of the ultimate day of judgement:

• 1. Because it is the same with Zech. 1.10. and so for the same reasons cannot bee meant of that day of judgement.
• 2. Because this is set here, as the maine and generall Proposition to the Book of the Revelation, in which the Master-peece is, to set forth Christ to come, and set up his Church into a most glorious estate on earth, before the day of judgement (as wee shall see abundantly afterwards) and to make her reigne with him on earth.
• 3. It were very incongruous for John in the last clause of verse 6. to applaud Christs DOMINION as to continue FOR EVER, that is, while times and ages last (as the Greek imports) and in the next breath in the first clause of the seventh verse, to say he cometh to make an end of his Dominion.

For the ultimate day of judgement is the last act of Christs Dominion, which done, Christ layes downe all his Dominion, that God may bee all in all, 1 Cor. 15.24.28. Wee may not imagine such incohe­rencies in Johns expression, now most eminently filled with the Spirit. Therefore I must needs conclude that there is no such likely time of such an eminent coming of Christ, and appearing to his [Page 82]Church as this, at the time of Restitution of all things. Some­thing of this place will be more plain by that in the next Section.

§. 4 But before wee come to that, let us collate, and lay together the two precedent places of Zech. 12.10. and Revel. 17. and out of both, containing the same sense, and in the same words, let us draw this argument, as the summe of both. Zechary the Prophet, and John the Apostle both prophesie in the aforesaid places of one and the same personall appearance of Christ visibly to the eyes of men on earth after his Ascention. But this cannot bee understood of his appearance at the ultimate generall judgement, because they speake of his pouring out of grace, and giving repentance to the fami­lies of the Jewes, and of his Dominion thence to continue for many ages to the ultimate end of the world. Therefore the said visible ap­pearance of Christ is yet to bee before the ultimate day of judge­ment; Which, when should it bee but at the conversion of the Jewes, and the throwing downe of his apparent obstinate Anti­christian enemies, as the circumstances of the said places before hin­ted, doe cleerly evince?

SECT. III.

§. 1 OBserve distinctly every clause and word;

• 1. Then shall ap­peare the signe of the Sonne of man, that is, the Sonne of man shall appeare for a signe that great things are at hand (as it followes in this verse, they shall see the sonne of man and mourne.)
• 2. The signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven. He was before in the highest third Heaven, but now in the lowest first Heaven, namely of the Clouds, as it follows also in this verse.
• 3. And then shall all the TRIBES of the EARTH (intimating Jewes as well as Gentiles) mourne. Why? They shall see the Sonne of man, that is, as man. How mourne? Doubtlesse Christ meanes, as Zechary meant, and John meant; namely the Jewes, with godly repentance; and his obstinate open enemies with desperation for the ruine that is coming upon them.
• 4. Coming IN the Clouds, or UPON the Clouds. See now what was Johns meaning, Rev. 1.7. when he said Christ should come WITH the Clouds. To this matter with and in is all one. And (which is con­siderable) our New Translators concur with us, as by quotation in the Margin, to make this, and Rev. 1.7. to be parallel places tending to the same thing.

§. 2 Now Christ spake this, before his Ascention and going away above the clouds. Therefore it must needs be that this must bee ful­filled [Page 83]after he hath attended above the Clouds. Then, and not till then, will it be rightly said and properly fulfilled, that he comes in the Clouds. So the Angels at Christs Ascention, Act. 1. After that in v. 9.10. He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight, the Disciples looking stedfastly towards heaven as he went up, they say unto them, This same Jesus which is TAKEN up from you into heaven shall SO COME. It must needs be improper to say he shall COME IN the Clouds before hee be gone above the Clouds; Before hee came at incarnation in the Virgins wombe, and in a Manger. But now after his Ascention above the Clouds hee shall come in the Clouds.

§. 3 Nor can this his coming and appearance in the Clouds be here understood of his coming at the ultimate day of judgement, because of that, but foure verses after, namely, v. 34. which Christ affirmeth, with grand asseveration, namely, Verily, I say unto you, THIS GE­NERATION shall not passe till ALL THESE things bee fulfilled. And then hee seales it, and binds it up in the next verse, viz. v. 35. Hea­ven and earth shall passe away but my words (and particularly those words aforegoing) shall not passe away. A seale doth sometimes represent the Writer, as well as the words of the writing. This doth something also explaine the former passages of this Chapter; That heaven and earth shall passe at Christs coming, that is in quality, not in substance, saith Oecumenius on the 21 of Revel. there shall bee a new heaven, and a new earth, the old passing away (as Isa. 65.2 Pet. 3. Rev. 21.) but Christs word for his Personal ap­pearance to his people before the ultimate day of judgement shall not passe. For this appearance of Christ in the Clouds cannot, I say, be referted to the ultimate day of judgement, because Christ saith, This generation shall not passe (the Greek is passe away, it being the same word, as is rendred passe away, as referred to the passing away of the Heavens, and the Not passing away of his word.) But the maine stick is in the words, THIS GENERATION, and ALL FULFILLED; That is, the Nation of the Jewes, as a people most distinguishable from all Nations, shall not be extinguished, in Notion and Nation till ALL THOSE things afore spoken, by Christ, be fulfilled. But if Christ should not appeare to them per­sonally before the ultimate day of judgement, for they must (as the Prophet intimates Isa. 66.8.) be converted suddainly, at once in a miraculous manner, ordinary meanes having not prevailed with them these sixteen hundred yeers in the general, and then so by con­version congregate them together againe, according to the tenour of all the Prophets (of which after) in all likelyhood, as man may conceive, the whole Nation of them will bee extinguished. They will lose the memory of their Genealogy (as those at their returne from Babylon in lesse while, Ezra 2.62.) their language will be lost, their blood and persons swallowed up by mixture with other Nations; and so appeare in the common crowd at the last judgement, no more distinguished then other Peoples and Na­tions.

§. 4 Some would faine referre this 34. verse [This generation shall not passe till all these things bee fulfilled] to the time of the destruction of the Temple of Hierusalem of which Christ gave a touch, v. 2. of this 24. of Matth. fulfilled, about forty yeers after Christs Passion. But though that of vers. 2. might in part be then fulfilled, yet little reason is there, from thence to inferre, that therefore then ALL things spoken by Christ, from vers. 3. to verse 34. were fulfilled, Christ in vers. 3. is put upon speaking to three distinct things, viz. 1. Of the Time, when THOSE THINGS, viz. the destruction of the Temple and City of Hierusalem shall be. 2. Of the sign of his COM­ING marke it) AND 3. Of the END of the world (of which largely after in its proper place) so that the ALL Christ speakes of from vers. 3. to 34. cannot bee imagined to bee fulfilled in the SOME things that were fulfilled at the destruction of the Temple. Christ here assures us that at the fulfilling of all those things aforesaid hee himselfe will appeare in the Clouds. v. 30. But at the destruction of the Temple Christ did not visibly appeare in the Clouds. Nor did he then send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet to gather his Elect from the foure winds, as hee promiseth, vers. 31. But at his appearing at the sound of the seventh Trumpet at the beginning of the thousand yeers, of which we treat, hee will so doe, which is a thousand yeers before the last day of judgement, of which abun­dantly afterwards.

Therefore these words, This generation shall not passe, or passe away, &c. must signifie, that whereas many other Nations have passed away, and been extinguished, as those seven in Canaan, and many others since; leaving behinde neither name, not thing to keep up their remembrance; this Nation of the Jewes shall not bee so extinguished, or annihilated, but shall continue a distinct Nation, at least in note and name, till all these things be fulfilled aforementioned from vers. 3. to vers. 34.

§. 6 For the word here rendred Generation is not so proper to signifie an Age of people (to which they usually allow an hundred yeer, as that word used for it Matth. 1.1. Our word here in Matth. 24.34. more properly by use and derivation signifies a Nation. And further, it is not said THIS, as pointing to a present Generation, but THE Generation, indefinitely pointing at the persons and times of many Generations. All which doe much speake for this sense: That the NATION of the Jewes shall not passe away, or cease to be a noted distinct people, till all be fulfilled. As Christ saith after, My word shall not passe away, that is, change, as the Heavens, and the earth shall passe away, that is, bee changed, when that great Refor­mation shall come. So the NATION of the Jewes shall not passe away to be changed into another people, or mixedly drowned, as an ingredient among many others to extinguish their name and Genea­logies. But as to this day, so from hence forward, till that GREAT TIME, their name, kindred, and habitations shall bee distinctly knowne, at least of all them that are of their own blood. So that still (as at this day) they shall live, be extant, expect, and professe they [Page 85]expect Christs coming, and the sight of all these things to be fulfilled before their eyes, not a peece, but all.

§. 7 Which cannot be deferred to the utmost last generall judge­ment because of this reason also; that a little afore this mention of all things to bee fulfilled to the Nation of the Jewes before they passe away, Christ saith in vers. 32. and 33. That as by the Fig­trees tender branch putting forth leaves, wee may know that Summer is nigh; so when wee see all these things fulfilled, wee may di­scerne that the Summer of the great Restauration of the Elect (vers. 31.) and of all things, for their use, like the world in Sum­mer is at hand. For when Christ comes in the Cloudes (vers. 30.) at the time here meant, it is Summer, that is, all things are in their prime and perfection; not Winter, when is the decay and disso­lution of all things. I meane Christs last coming at the ultimate judgement, is as a Winter, that destroyes all; but his SECOND coming now againe, afore that day of Doome, is a Summer. A fit similitude to expresse the Restitution of all things. That Winter ends all. But by this signe of Christs coming in the Cloudes the SUMMER is discerned, and discerned to bee NEER.

§. 8 And further, that in verse 46, 47. well intimates, that the time Christ here speakes of is not the utmost last judgement, but of a glorious time afore on earth, viz. Blessed is that ser­vant whom his Lord, when hee COMETH, shall finde so doing (that is well-doing [...] in in verse 45.) Verily, I say unto you, hee shall make him Ruler over all his goods. (Greeke is, shall set him over all that hee hath.) Which phrases, one or other, suit farre better to the Saints reigne on Earth, then to any thing of their condition at the last judgement. For then Christ layes downe all his owne rule and power, 1 Cor. 15.24.28. and therefore gives no power of rule to his people.

§. 9 Upon these words, This generation shall not passe, let mee tell you that thus far that Pareus, and others are of our minde. ‘That though Others understand by Generation the whole World, yet it better pleaseth them to understand the JEWISH NA­TION, as upon whom these things shall bee fulfilled, Matth. 23.2. Therefore the NATION shall not passe, but continue scattered, till the end of Ages, when they shall experimentally finde the truth of Christs predictions, though at present they doe not believe. Thus farre they; with which wee close this third Section.’

SECT. IV.

§. 1 SHould seeme by this place that presently upon the Ascention of Christ, there went abroad an expectation of the coming again of Christ, afore the ultimate day of judgement (which began in the Apostles themselves, upon Christs discourse to them forty dayes from his Resurrection to his Ascention, touching the King­dome of God, which moved them to aske him, Wilt thou at this time re­store againe the KINGDOME TO ISRAEL? which Kingdome Christ did not deny, but onely then put them off, touching their knowing at present the time, Act. chap. 1. v. 3. and 6. I say then, (when the Apostle wrote this Text) there was an opinion (though a mistake in it, as touching the suddainnesse then) that Christ would come againe afore the ultimate day of judgement. For this Text speakes not of the generall destruction of the wicked world; but precisely of the destruction of Antichrist by the brightnesse of Christs coming; and so a way, and room is made for the gathering of the Jewes and Gentiles into one universall visible Church, which is to be afore the ultimate day of judgement, according to the tenour of the Texts of all the Prophets of the Old Testament, and the Commentary of the Apostles of the New.

§. 2 Wee need not I conceive prove that which is granted of all, and demonstrated here by all Characters, that Antichrist is meant in this Text. Nor is it materiall to dispute whether the Pope or Turke be The Antichrist! For Antichrist is the body, viz. the race of them that effectually oppose Christ, as Christ; and the Pope and Turke are the two maine limbs. So that in generall they are one in many respects; First in the rise of their heresie. For Mahumetisme was hatched by the counsell and advise of Sergius Sergius, Mona­chus Constanti­nopolitanus, hereseos Nesto­rianae sectator Mahumetum impostorem, & speudo-Pro­phetam, in Al­corano confi­ciendo, & com­pilando juvit, eumque omnis summam im­pietatis docuit. Zona. Tom. 3. & Car. Steph. a Popish Monck which he gave to Mahomet. Secondly, in Dominion. For Dan. 7.7, 8. There came up a little Horne among the ten Hornes of the fourth Beast (which fourth, was the Roman Monarchy) before which [Page 87]little Horne (viz. the Turke) having eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth that spake great things, three of the ten Hornes were plucked up by the roots, which after is explained, v. 24. viz. The ten Hornes, are ten Kingdomes that shall arise, And another shall arise after them, and hee shall be diverse from the rest, and he shall subdue three Kings. So that the Turke possesseth three of the ten Kingdomes that formerly were under the Pope. Thirdly, In their seat mentioned in this Text, viz. sitting IN or rather according to the Greeke ( [...]) OVER the Temple of God, the Pope ceased to bee in the Church since the Councel of Trent, where he execrates all the main Gospel-truths. And the Turke is said Rev. 9.1. To be a starre fallen from the Heaven of the Church. But I say they both agree in sitting UPON or OVER the Temple of God. For as the Pope doth by his power sit over a great part of the Spiritual Temple, namely of Christendome (as they call it) in which are many believers, he there suppressing the propagation of the Gospel; so the Turke by his power sits over the Material Temple of God, viz. the place of it at Hierusalem, there impeding men from imbracing the Messiah, preferring Mahomet as one greater then Christ. Fourthly, in the number of the name 666. (Rev. 13.18.) For as the numerall Letters either of the Greeke λατεινοσ or of the Hebrew רמענוש (both sutable names of the Pope, who is a Latine and Roman) make up exactly 666.

So the numerall Letters of Maomet, which written in Greek (as R. M. in his A. C. writes it μαομετισ doth (as saith the said R. M.) make up just. 666.

Which number (saith the same Author) agrees to the time of Mao­mets rising in the East against Christ and the Roman Empire, which was (saith he) in the sixth Century. Fifthly, In the nature of their name, and the name of their nature, mentioned also in this Text of the Thessal. For if the Pope be the Sonne of perdition, that is, actively and passively, to wit, hee doth monstrously destroy, and is at last destroyed. So also is the Turk styled Rev. 9.11. both in Greek and Hebrew by the Holy Ghost. His name (saith John) in the Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greeke Apollyon, that is A Destroyer, just as the word Turca (as the said R. M. asserts to be the opinion of the Learned) is all one with Apollyon or Abaddon, a Destroyer, which I say is the style of the Turke, Rev. 9.11. (For that Chapter cannot bee understood but of the Turke, as every verse doth shew to the observing eye.) I list not to stay the Reader with divers other agreements betweene the Turke (the Easterne Antichrist oppressing the Jewes) and the Pope (the Westerne Antichrist oppressing the Christians.) They are both effectually Antichrist, evacuating Christ, as Christ; though the Turke doth it more openly, and so doth more apparently merit the entire name of Antichrist, as it signifies Against Christ. For hee expressely advanceth Mahomet as a greater Prophet, above Christ, and hath [Page 88]made him a new Booke of Scriptures, which he calls his Alchoran. But the Pope acts it more covertly, as some how pretending in some things to be for Christ, and so may be called, upon an external consi­deration, pro-Christ (as [...] anti, Joh. 1.16. signifies For) though indeed he is against Christ in the effect of his processe, viz. in his Headship, opposite to Christ the onely head of his Church, in his Doctrine of Justification by workes, enervating Christs merits, and his Trentine Anathemaes cursing the fundamentall truths of Christ in the New Testament. But these things wee leave, as not the maine of our present businesse.

Now saith this Text in hand, of the 2 Thessalon. 2. The Lord shall consume Antichrist with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming. And although these two Master-limbs of Antichrist should not fall together, but that the Pope be first bowed downe (as he that by his imagery, Idolatry, and impurity in his worship of Christ, is the great stumbling blocke to impede the Jewes im­bracing Christ, whereby to contend with the Turke for freedome to owne our Messiah) and the Turk bee ruined after him, perhaps at the end of the five and forty yeers of the Jewes struggle with him Dan. 12 two last verses) yet this text (of the Thessalonians) stands firme, that Antichrist must fall by the Spirit of Christs mouth, and by the brightnesse of his coming. The Spirit of his mouth is his Word (called Isa. 11.4. The rod of his mouth, and the breath of his lips, with which he shall smite the Earth and slay, [...] the wicked one, for the settlement of his glorious Kingdom of peace on earth, as the context in that 11. of Esa. gives it in) with this word Christ prefaceth and perfecteth the ruine of Antichrist. That is, first Christ destroyes him morally, as he his [...] (as this Text in the Thessalonians calls him) that is, exlex (as Zanchy renders it) the lawlesse one. For he leaves Christs word, and substitutes his owne, viz. Alcoran, Legends, Tra­ditions, &c. And by them sets up Blasphemy, Idolatry, Heresie, Im­piety, and Tyranny, and that over consciences, as well as bodies. Now Christ discovering, and discarding, confuting, and confounding these by the breath of his mouth, viz. his word, he destroyes him mo­rally. Secondly, Christ by animating men by the same Spirit in his Word, to a corporall War against Antichrist, destroyes him Physical­ly, that is with a corporall destruction. By that Spirit of his mouth he rouseth up mens spirits to take up armes, and fight down Anti­christ with a corporal War. So it is emphatically set forth, Joel 3.9. to 17.) inserted between two Prophesies, the first immediately prece­ding, v. 1. &c. to v. 9. the other immediately succeeding, touching the glorious Kingdom of Christ on Earth, v. 17. to the end of the Chapter; weigh the place, with which compare Rev. 17.16. Rev. 18. the whole Chapter, Rev. 19.17. to the end. In which places the Holy Ghost, with all endeavour (as we may say after the manner of men) by all circum­stances, fitted to humane capacity, sets forth the corporal War, that must personally destroy Antichrist. (The scruples of men about those places of Scripture wee shall remove, when wee come after to the full discusse of the Quod sit, viz. That there is such a glorious state [Page 89]to come.) I say Christ shall with a corporall Warre, excited by his word, destroy Antichrist personally. For when, notwithstanding that Christ hath rendred the wickednesses aforesaid of Antichrist odious to the generality of the world, and hath dissected and cut them up by the roots with the sword of his mouth, that they take not with the myriads of men enlightened, yet Antichrist will act as Anti­christ, like himselfe, opposing Christ in the power of his Gospel, the purity of his Saints and worship, and the glory of his King­dome; then I say shall Christs word, the sword of his mouth, put the sword of his hand into the hands of his people; the rod of his mouth shall proceed to the use of his rod of iron in his hand, Rev. 19.15. And then as the Prophet speakes touching the corporall destruction of the bodily enemies of the Church, Jer. 48.9, 10. The Cities of Moab shall bee destroyed. Cursed is he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently, and cursed is he that keepeth backe his sword from blood. So that Christ, with this breath of his mouth, prepares, or begins the ruine of Anti­christ. The Greek is [...], that is, shall waste him, as an estate is wasted; or consume him, as a body by a consumption pines away. But by the brightnesse of his coming he shall make a full end of Anti­christ (as to the preparation for his glorious Kingdome on Earth) [...], shall abolish (as Beza renders it) shall make him a nothing, as the Greeke word is often used. Which brightnesse of Christ coming to doe this, is more closely to the Greek ( [...]) rendred, by the manifest appearance of his coming. And so our last Translators could finde the way to render [...] in relation to Christs Kingdome, by the word appearance, 2 Tim. 4.1. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quicke and the dead, [...], at, or according to his APPEARING, and his Kingdome. So likewise 1 Tim. 6.14. Keep this Commandement, &c. [...] untill the APPEARANCE of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sutably, it is our com­mon phrase to call the day of the appearance of the starre at Christs birth, Epiphanie. By all that we have said, it is manifest, that as the first Schene of the ruine of Antichrist is acted by the Spirit of Christs mouth; so the second is performed by the appearance of his person, or else what need that be added, [AND by the appearance of his COMING.] The breath or Spirit of his mouth doth not make an end of the worke, without the appearance of his coming. As in that of 2 Tim. 4.1. First is his appearance, and then his Kingdome. For Anti­christ must bee downe, ere Christ shall have an apparent Kingdome. And Christ must have his Kingdome, before the ultimate day of judgement, or else he will have no Kingdome; For then it is the Fa­thers Kingdome, not his, 1 Cor. 15.28.

§. 4 And most likely the method will be this: The Pope shall bee destroyed by the breath of Christs mouth; that will prevaile with Christendome (as they call it) that will be effectuall to all the Chri­stian world that owne Christ to bee come already in the flesh; to ex­cite them, seeing his mystery of Abominations (afore-named) to be discovered, to pull him downe root and branch. But to the [Page 90] Jewes, that to this day doe not owne the coming of Christ in the flesh, Christ must manifestly appeare at least in the Clouds, as Zech. 12. Rev. 1.7. (of which afore) to convert them, as at once (and so are brought in as a Nation borne at once, Isa. 66.8.) and thereby are stirred up as one man, to set against the Turke, from whence pro­ceeds his ruine.

§. 5 Nor may any man phantasie to himselfe, that he can put off what hath been said upon this Text of 2 Thess. 2. with obtruding a sense upon it, and devolving it upon the ultimate day of judgement; as if then were the just time of Christs destroying Antichrist by the brightnesse, or appearance of his coming. For first, this were to over­turne the whole tenor of Scripture, that tells us distinctly Rev. 17.16. of the means of the overthrow of Antichrist, viz. That the ten Hornes, or ten powerfull Dominions, Regalities, or Imperialities, shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate, and naked, and shall eat her flesh (that is devoure or destroy, by an Hebraisme imitating the Hebrew [...], and her flesh, and not only her spirituall or moral estate) and burn her with fire: And the manner, and measure, and effect, Rev. 18. Rev. 19. 19, 20, 21. viz. A milstone cast into the sea, the cessation of all musicke, mils, and trades, the extinguishing of all candles, are there used as types and signes of his destruction, and the wailing of Kings and Merchants. for his desolation are used to set forth the sequel thereof. And then it is added expressely, that the Beasts, and the Kings of the earth, and their Armies are gathered together to make war against him that sate on the horse, and against his Army, and the Beast was taken, and with him the false Prophet, and were cast into a lake of fire, &c. and the remnant were slaine with the sword, &c. and all the soules were filled with their flesh. All which things shall finde neither time nor place to be acted at the ulti­mate day of judgement. 2 There is a weighty consideration in this Text of 2 Thess. 2. to evince that it cannot relate to the ultimate day of judgement. For then is the destruction of all the wicked of the world (Rev. 22.10.) If any of Antichrist, precisely understood, as the brood of Turk and Pope be then extant, they are swallowed up, and drowned (as to the enumeration) among the crowd of Hypocrites, who shall then be judged, condemned, and executed as hypocrites (as oft the day of judgement is so described, Matth. 7.22. Mat. 25.41. Mat. 24.51.) But our Apostle in this 2 Thess. 2.8. speaks precisely of the distinct destruction of Antichrist as Antichrist. And there­fore mentions him, and his brood, in a singular phrase, as a single man. In vers. 3. he is called [...] The man of sin. And in the same verse [...], The sonne of perdition. vers. 4. [...] &c. That opposer, vers. 8. [...], That same lawlesse one. For if I may have leave to speake my notion, then in precise consideration wee may thus distinguish; That as lapsed Adam with all wicked men (consi­red in him, Rom. 5.) is called the one and onely first man, 1 Cor. 15. And Christ the second Adam, with all true Christians (reckoned in him, Rom. 6.) is called the one and onely last man, 1 Cor. 15. So An­tichrist is one middle person, partly a Man, and partly a Beast (as it is oft in the Revelation) in whom all Antichristian men, that are [Page 91]neither openly wicked without all shew of Religion, nor yet sincerely Christians, are to be reckoned as one with him (as limbs and Trunck make but one body) one Antichrist. So that as Antichrist is a distinct thing in precise notion, from the dirty open wicked, so his destructi­on is distinct afore the ultimate day of judgement. For Rev. 11. 13, 15, 18. Antichrist is destroyed, WHILES Christ hath a Kingdome distinct from the Fathers ultimate Kingdome. And WHEN the Nations were angry at Antichrists beginning to fall. And Rev. ch. 18. and c. 19. he falls, afore New Jerusalem is set up in Rev. 21. And in c. 20. it is set forth, as the cause of both, that Christ reignes (at least) in and by his Saints, on earth, a thousand yeers. So that the appearance of Christ, destroying Antichrist is at the beginning of the thousand yeers. For Christ appeares as well at the beginning, as the ending of the thousand yeeres. At the beginning for two maine ends; the one for the conversion of the Jewes (Zech. 12. Rev. 1.7.) the other for the destruction of Antichrist, as we have it in this 2 Thess. 2.8. which, though it doth not hold forth the last and ultimate generall judgement, yet it holds forth a day of judgement, yea the beginning and preparation to that day of judgement; setting his sheep (as Matth. 25.) on his right hand first, speaking comfortably to them, for a thousand yeeres, to make them triumph on earth, where they have been trampled on, and after, at the end of that thousand yeeres, sets the goats on his left hand, condemning them at that time of the ultimate day of judgement.

SECT. V.

§. 1 THis Scripture is alleadged by Mr. Burroughs, for one place, to prove the appearance of Christ personally, at the thousand yeeres. ‘It is true, saith he, this place is usually interpreted in a mysticall sense. But there is no reason why wee may not take it in a literall. And a little afore, hee said, It is a good rule, that all Scriptures are to be understood literally, unlesse it make against the coherence of the Text, or against some other Scriptures.’

§. 2 It may be some may thinke that commonly this place is under­stood of Christs conversing with the Disciples, after his Resurrection. But not so commonly, for the most renowned Calvin, Marlorat, Grotius, &c. are against that.

§. 3 Besides, it is not said, Luke 24.42, 43. that he did drinke with the Disciples after his resurrection; eate he did with them, to shew the verity of his Humanity, now risen; but it is not said he dranke, [Page 92]as if he needed it either for concoction, or to allay some corporall passion of heat.

§. 4 It is true that it is said by Peter, Act. 10.41. touching him­selfe, and the rest of the Apostles, We did eate and drinke with him af­ter he rose from the dead; which may signifie their more familiar so­ciety with him (as Luk. 13.26. We have eaten, and dranke in thy pre­sence) but doth not assert Christs drinking. It is said expresly, We did eate and drinke, not that he did drinke. Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 15. the body is raised a spirituall body; And, Christ is the first fruites of them that sleep; which signifies that after the resurrection of the body there is no need of drinke, though Christ did then eate, to shew himselfe to be true man, and therefore it is generally conceived that this cup, Matth. 26.29. was hisSumpto po­culo, renunciat Corporali po­tioni. Theophyl. En [...] rat. in Matth. 26.29. last parting cup that hee dranke in this present world; as never more to communicate with them in any sort of drinking, till he dranke new with them in the Kingdome of his Father.Quare non videtur loc intelligendum de vino, quod unâ cum discipulis biberit Dominus p [...]st resurrectionem suum. Nam etsi per dies illos quadraginta, sese illis subinde ostendit, atque etiam cum iis e [...]it, nulla tamen potus sit mentio. Nec moris erat apud Judaeos bibere vinum in prandiis ac caenis quotidianis, sed tantum in solenniotibus conviv [...]is, Pisc. Schol. in Matth. 26.29. See Piscator on Matth. 26.

§. 5 And if any will needs presume, that he did drinke after his re­surrection some sort of drinke or other: Let them stay their sto­macks with this, that it is spoken in this twenty sixth of Matthew, with a double emphasis upon both Phrases, that [...] I will by no meanes drinke from hence-forward [...] of this, this same fruit, or kinde of the vine, untill, &c. so that beyond all dispute, its evident, that Christ will no more drinke of THIS KIND untill that day, when he shall drinke it new with them, in his Fathers king­dome; which Emphasis at THAT day, with the distinction of his Fathers kingdome, cannot relate to three dayes after; Christ then still being in execution of his maine Mediatorship rising againe, (Rome. 4.25.) for our justification, as he was delivered to death for our offences.

§. 6 All which is pinned faster, by the phrase in the Adjective, not in the Adverb. For he saith not, I will drinke it newly, but I will drinke it new; which could not be within three dayes after, and in the winter time (when there was need in Judea of a fire in the High-Priests Hall, Luk. 24.55.) at which time, and in so short a space, there could not be made either new wine, or any meere naturall crea­ture new. But at the thousand yeares all things are made new, 2 Pet. chap. 3.13. Isa. 65.17. Revel. 21.1.4, 5. ‘The learned Grotius saith [...] Simile est [...] in Apo­calypsi Grot. in Annot. in Matth. 26.29. The fruit of the Vine is said to be new, as it is said, New Jerusalem in the Apocalyps.’ Now we know that Jerusalem is new (in St. Johns sense) in the time of the thousand yeares, as appeares by collating Revel. 21.1. with Revel. 20.1. &c.Ev [...] Nempe in regno lo Cae­lesti & glorioso, seu in convivio illo Nuptiali ac regio, in quo accumbent Abraham, Isaac, & Iacob, & unâ cum illit, omnes electi ut docet Dominus supra 8.11. Piscat. in Mat. 26.29. Schol. ‘And Pis­cator saith, That the Kingdome of his Father signifieth that Royall [Page 93]Nuptiall, whereat Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Elect shall sit downe together with Christ.’ And it is said, Revel. 20.4. the Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares. And Mat. 19 28. That they that have followed Christ shall (so is the right pomting and sense) I say shall in the regeneration, when the Sonne of Man shall sit on his throne, sit also upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Is­rael; So Theophyl. points it, and saith, Per rege [...] ­nerationem au­t [...]m resurrectio­nem intellige, which resur­rection of all the Elect de­funct, is at the beginning of the the mand yeares. where we have the fruit of the vine new, explained by [...] that is, Another Genesis, or creation of the world (as Genesis is the name of the Booke, containing the Story of the first Creation) which other Genesis is, whiles Christ sits on his throne (saith this text) afore he resigne his kingdome to his Father, 1 Cor. 15. And (saith the A­postle, Rom. 8.21.) this second Creation is such as wherein the Crea­ture it selfe, the whole Creation, as well as the election of Beleevers, shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, &c. as it followes, vers. 22. & 23. That is, the Creatures shall be delivered from the blasting curse by Adams fall; namely both from the vexation, wrong, and abuse of them by mans sinfull use of them; as also from the vanity, weaknesse, and empti­nesse that is in them for fallen mans sake. Now this Nuptiall royall Banquet must be at that Wedding, Revel. 21. ver. 2. ver. 9. which in order falls into the thousand yeares mentioned afore, Revel. 20. even as it is expresse, Revel. 19.7.9. that it followes the ruine of Babilon, mentioned Revel. 18. throughout the whole Chapter. The greatEt [...] In­quit Theophy­lactus [...] id est non vulgari, neque commu­ni, sed novo & singulari modo. loach Cametar. Commentar. in Matth. Joach. Camerarius upon that twenty sixth of Matthew, vers. 29, approves of Theophylacts sence upon this new, and thus re­cites it; "New, that is saith Theophylact after a new manner, that is "not in a vulgar or common, but in a new, and singular way. To which let me adde what further Theophylact there adds; ‘Vel etiam (inquit Theophylactus) sic intelligas, Novum poculum, revelatio, & sacramentorum Dei, hoc est in secundo adventu revelabuntur quae verè sunt nova, qualia non audivimus uspiam, Theophyl. Enarrat. in Com. Or else (saith he) by New, understand a new Cup, and the revelations of the mysteries of God; that is in his second comming shall be re­vealed what things are truly new; such as we have not any when, or where heard.’

§. 7 But it may be some will object, that it is said in the foresaid text, he would drinke it new in his Fathers Kingdome; and there­fore that place is not so cleare for Christs Kingdome. To which we answer two wayes; 1. That this Kingdome of Christ, in this text, may be called also his Fathers Kingdome, because the Father gave it him, Psal. 2. v. 8. And therefore is Christ called there (in v. 6.) HIS King. And the Apostles pray to the Father, in the words of this Psalme to maintaine his Sonne in his Kingdome, Act. 4.24. &c. whereof the glorious state of the Church in Constantine the Great his time, and other short shinings forth of the splendor of the Church in succeeding ages, were but types or prefaces. So Psal. 8.4, 5. What is man that thou art mindfull of hem, or the SONNE of man (the common stile of Christ) that thou visitest him, for THOU [Page 94] hast made HIM a little (time [...] is a little waile. For [...] signifies (say the Cri­ticks) a little space of time. And so is the Greek, Heb. 2.7. See the margine [...] here.) lower then the Angels, AND (that is to say, after that) hast CROWNED him with glory and honour. THOU hast made him to have dominion over the workes of thy hands. THOU hast put all things under his feet. All which the Apostle Heb. 2. v. 5, 6, 7. &c. expounds of Christ, and of the inhabited world to come (as the Greek is vers. 5.) and saith, that when Christ was ascended, yet then all things were not put under his feet. For all must be so, all (saith the Apostle there, v. 8.) that nothing must be excepted, except as 1 Cor. 15. God himselfe. But of this of Heb. 2. abun­dantly after.

§. 2 Secondly, we answer: That it is the Kingdome of God his Fa­ther, because Christ reignes over it as in unspeakable union with the God-head: That though he be but one person, yet he hath two na­tures; So that the sense is the Kingdome of my Father, that is, the Kingdom of God, as it is in the Syriac [...] that is, it i [...] the Kingdome of a God-Christ, or a God-man Christ. For Father is ascri­bed in Scripture to the God-head usually in relation to Christ in­carnate. So that because the two natures are joyned as Collegues in one person, over this Empire, therefore it is called the Kingdome of CHRIST, and of GOD. And such a phrase, and upon such an occasion, as cleerly relates to the Kingdome whereof we speak doth the Apostle use, Eph. 5.5. The words are these; This know that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, &c. hath any INHERITANCE in the Kingdome of CHRIST, and of GOD. The Heathens never imagined that vicious persons should enter into their heavenly Elysian-fields, or the blissfull immortality of soules. And Inheritance more suits to Earth then Heaven. And lastly, after the ultimate day of judgement Christ hath no Kingdome, 1 Cor. 15.28. Therefore this place of Ephes. 5.5. relates to the Great Resti­tution, as plainlier appears by paralelling another place which fully answers to that of Ephes. 5.5. viz. Rev. 22.11.15. The words are these; He that is filthy let him be filthy still, WITHOUT are [...] &c. the dogs, the whoremongers, &c. when is this? viz. in the time when the Throne of GOD, and of the LAMB shall be and ap­peare glorious in the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, verf. 1, 2, 3. twice expressed. There is also the like phrase of calling it the Kingdome of God, and of Christ, in effect Rev. 12.9.10. And the great Dra­gon was cast out, that old Serpent, called the Devill and Satan, &c. And I heard a loud voyce saying in Heaven, Now is salvation, and strength, and the KINGDOME OF OUR GOD, and the POWER OF HIS CHRIST. So that Christ as MAN joyntly with GOD doth reigne in this Millenary Kingdome. And therefore Christ speakes of new Wine. New in the Kingdome of his Father, before the ultimate [...]ay of judgement. For after that day Christ hath no KING­DOME, nor POWER, but layes downe all (as wee have oft [...]epeated it out of 1 Cor. 15.28.) God the Father is then to be all in all. And therefore that expression so frequent in Rev. 20. The Saints hall reigne with Christ a thousand yeers, cannot be meant of supernall eternall glory after the last judgement, because that place but now [Page 95]quoted of 1 Cor. 15.28. affirmes, that then Christ himselfe is said NOT TO REIGNE, but to lay down all, and to be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all; so that then Christ only injoys glory with his Saints, not reigne (as Christ) in glory.

SECT. VI.

§. 1 THe Kingdome of Christ here mentioned, cannot be referred to his past Government of the Church; for it is expresse in the future tense, now so long since his Ascention, that he shall judge the quick and dead at his appearance, and his Kingdom.

§. 2 Nor can this Kingdome of Christ here spoken of, signifie any Kingdome of Christ after the ultimate judgement, for then Christ hath no Kingdome; as but now, and oft before, was touched from 1 Cor. 15.28.

§. 3 But when Christ appeares next, to judge the quicke and dead Saints, to reward them, and to destroy the then living incurable, and incorrigible wicked, by a particular day of Judgement, at the begin­ning of the thousand yeares, which is the Preface to the ulti­mate Judgement, Christ all that while being busied in executing that first Sentence of Judicature, (Matth. 25.) Come ye blessed of my Father, inherite a kingdome provided for you; according to Revel. 11.15, 17, 18. (of which much after, compare Revel. 19. three last verses) I say, when Christ shall then appeare, hee shall have a Kingdome.

§. 4 The word appearance is the same in the Greeke, as that 2 Thes. 2.8. so that Christ must appeare to the inhabitants of the earth, where this his Kingdome is. For the present, (as it is said, Luk. 19.11, 12. by Christ himselfe) Christ is gone into a farre Coun­try, viz. into Heaven, to take to him a Kingdom; that is, in the Metro­polis Heaven he is to be crowned King of this his Kingdome he is to have on earth, but he is to returne, and then to take account of his ser­vants in this his Kingdome, and to dignifie the well-doers. Christ must be the fifth Monarch, Dan. 2.45. Dan. 7.13, 14. I say, Christ is to be the fifth Monarch. The Jewes now have no King, but in the last dayes they shall have David, (that is, Christ the Sonne of David) to be their King, Hos. 3. ver. 4, 5. And Christ in Acts 1. ver. 3. having for forty dayes spoken of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God, and thereupon being asked by the Disciples, ver. 6 of his restoring the Kingdome to Israel, he doth not deny the thing, but only refuseth then to tell them the Time when it should be done. [Page 96]But after he tells us by John in the Revelation, as we shall see a­bundantly after.

SECT. VII.

§. 1 THis place of Scripture is the more considerable, in that it is ur­ged by some (that looke upon things only with a cursory eye) against Christs glorious Kingdome yet to come on earth; which if well weighed, speakes most strongly for it.

§. 2 For 1. Time, and especially times twice mentioned in the Plu­rall, cannot so well relate to a state after the last Judgement, when time shal be no more, Rev. 10.6, 7. And the Angels sware by him that liveth for ever, that there should be TIME NO LONGER, but in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh Angel, the Mystery of God should bee FINISHED.

2 This time or times are said to be spoken of by all the Prophets §. 3 since the world began; they therefore that pretend to be skilled in the Prophets shame themselves, in denying that maine thing which is in all the Prophets. Now all the Prophets since the world be­gan, have not spoken of the last Day of Judgement; but of the King­dome of the Messiah they all have spoken, and so much, and so plainly, that the Apostles mindes did much run out upon it, even at the first appearance of Christ in the flesh, besides their Doctrines af­terwards in their Epistles, &c. concerning it. So it seemes by Matth. 20. ver. 20. in the request of the Mother of Zebedees Children, (that is, two of the twelve Disciples, ver. 24. intreating Christ, that her two sons might sit the one on his right hand, the other on his left hand in HIS KINGDOME; and by the strife among the twelve, Luk. 9.46. who of them after Christs Passion should be the greatest. The same wee have, Luk. 22.24. when Christ was ready to suffer. And by the question of the Apostles, Act. 1.6. touching Christs restoring the Kingdome to Israel; (in all which places Christ doth not in the least hint any negative to the thing it selfe.) And the Jewes yet much ex­pect the coming of the Messiah to restore them, now not long after one thousand six hundred and fifty. ‘Insomuch that one ancient learned Rabbin on his Death-bed exhorted the Jewes, that if the Messiah did not come about that time,’they should imbrace the Christian Messiah, as the true Messiah. And you heard afore in the [Page 97]first Book the hope of the learned Jewish Rabbins concerning that thing, with their quotations of the Prophets, upon which they grounded that their hope. And to this day that is a stumbling block to the whole dispersed of the Jewes, that Christ is not yet come, because he yet takes no care (as they thinke) to restore and settle them according to the many Prophesies and Promises of the Old Testament. For this cause therefore Christ will appeare (at lest for a time in the clouds) personally, to convince, and convert, and settle them.

4. One would wonder to see how many of the Prophesies, and Prophets of the Old Testament, godly and learned Dr. Alsted and §. 4 others doe cleerly alleadge for this Kingdome of which we speake. And therefore it must needs be our ignorance if we make a wonder at this point, questioning whether there be any such thing in the Prophets.

5 Peter also speaking to the Jewes in his 2 Epistle doth severall §. 5 times quote the Prophets and their Prophesies for this state of the Church which we speake, chap. 1.19. We have a more sure word of PROPHESIE whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as to a light that shi­neth in a darke place untill the day star arise in your hearts. Now that the Lord Christ had come in the flesh, finished our redemption, the effusion of the Spirit had been abundantly fulfilled, the Gospel openly promulgated to the world, and in part they to whom Peter writes converted, v. 1. and Christ ascended, the Apostle calls it a darke time, in comparison of the rising of the Day-star (that is the Sonne of righteousnesse Mal. 4.) in their hearts (which cannot be meant of eternall glory after the last judgement) to which the Prophesie of Old Testament doth lead them, to wait for it, till it be fulfilled. And chap. 3.13. Wee according to his PROMISE looke for new Hea­vens and a new Earth, &c. which promise is Isa. 65.17. And by the context there of inhabiting the earth, cannot be understood of super­nall glory after the last judgement.

§. 6 But what is particularly here mentioned in this third of Acts that these Prophets speake of? There are foure notable things:

• 1 That there is now so long since Christs ascension, a time of re­freshing to come for the Jewes (to whom these words were spoken) as well as for others: At which time their sins should be totally blotted out. For the state of the Church we speake of, by all we can gather from Scripture, shall bee a sinlesse time as to the Church.
• 2 That this time of refreshing shall be as proceeding from the PRESENCE, or ( [...]) from the FACE of the Lord, which evidently signifies a sight of Christ.
• 3 That God shall send Je­sus which was before preached to them. He had sent him already by In­carnation. But yet notwithstanding, God will againe send him. The Jewes had yet many sorrows, therefore he shall be sent againe for their refreshing. And they had their spirituall condition in part re­stored, but God will send againe for the restitution of all things.
• 4 It is said Christ comes for the restitution of all things. Therefore this can­not signifie Christs coming for the destitution, or dissolution of all [Page 98]things.

And therefore it altogether sounds of an happy time be­fore the all-destroying last judgement. Restitution signifies restoring; Restoring signifies an attainment of that perfection that was lost, viz. in lapsed Adam, either in men, or things, Rom. 8.21. &c. The CREATURE it selfe ALSO shall be delivered from the bondage of cor­ruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God. For the whole CREATION GROANETH &c. untill now, and not onely they, but we our selves also, &c. that have the FIRST FRUITS of the SPIRIT waiting for the Redemption of our BODIES. Lay all together, that both men and things groan after this estate; And that the Creatures shall share in it, as it relates distinctly with an emphasis to the bodies of the Saints, and then meditate whether it be likely that a super­nall state of glory in the highest Heavens is here meant! No, the New state of things below, the New heavens, and the New earth which Peter speaks of 2 Ep. Chap. 3. v. 13. quoting it out of the Prophet Isa. 64.17. is the meaning of this, Rom. 8. The Heavens above need no making New; Nor have they earth in them. The New Hierusalem, to which the Kings shall bring their honour, comes downe from hea­ven, Rev. 21. So that it is a new state of glory below.

§. 7 This also would be well weighed in this place of Act. 3. that in as much as it is said, Until the restitution of all things, the state of things here meant, must of necessity be before the ultimate end of the world, as our opponents conceive of the end of the world: Because at the end of the world according to their opinion shall be the dissolution of the earth, and no need of the Heavens. If then shall be the restitution of some men (namely the Elect) to supernall glory, yet that will not amount to the phrase in the Text, viz. the restitution of ALL THINGS. But the Apostle tells us (as wee touched but now) in Rom. 8. That all the Elect, and all the Creation expect a restitution of all things before the finall and totall end of all things.

§. 8 Moreover it is said, That the Heaven must containe Christ untill the restitution of all things, which cleerly infers, that Christ must come out of Heaven when hee shall restore all things. At the ultimate day of judgement is the destruction of Gog and Magog, and ten thousands of the wicked, Revel. 20. Again after the ultimate day of judgement he is not the Magnus Re­staurator, the Great Restorer, but is Subditus, he is himselfe subject, 1 Cor. 15.28. Therefore before that, he must come out of Heaven to re­store all things. And how? even as it is expresse in Act. 1.11. spoken by Angels, and attested by Saint Luke there: This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall SO COME in I LIKE MANNER as yee have seen him GOE IN TO HEA­VEN.

SECT. VIII.

THis cannot be meant of Christ coming after his resurrection, for it is plaine, that between the time of Christs speaking this, and his coming with that acclamation, Blessed is he that cometh, &c. there must be a desolation, their house, or habitation, to whom he speaks, must be left desolate.

§. 2 This speech is directed point blanke to the Jewes, and more keen­ly to them inhabiting Jerusalem. So the connexion, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent un­to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, and yee would not; behold, (marke the connexion, or inference) YOVR house is left unto YOV de­solate; For, I say unto YOV, YEE shall not see me, &c. Luke inserts, (Chap. 13.35.) Christs great asseveration, VERILY I say unto you, yee shall not see me. And expresseth it more fully, that this well-co­ming of Christ was not hard at hand, as at his resurrection, in that Luke saith, Yee shall not see me UNTILL THE TIME COME when yee shall say, Blessed, &c. And Luke as well as Matthew gives us, the Jewes not seeing of Christ till that time, with the emphasis of a double negative [...] that is, yee shall by no meanes (or man­ner) see me till that time; which was verified in that only the Di­sciples or Brethren saw him at his resurrection.

3 What this leaving of their house desolate is, our Saviour ex­pounds §. 3 presently; for having spoken in the last two verses of Mat. 23. Your house is left desolate, for I say unto you, yee shall not see me hence­forth, &c. presently in the next sentence he is recorded to speake in the twenty fourth Chapter, vers. 1.2. (Chapters being of late in­vention, nonein the ancient bookes either in Greek or other Lan­guages) is that of the buildings even of all they behold, that is, of the City, and expresse of the Temple, there shal not be left there one stone upon ano­ther that shal not be throwne downe; so that (as Christ pursues the dis­course, vers. 15.) They should see the abomination of desolation, set up in the HOLY PLACE, (expounded Luke 21.20. to be the compas­sing about Jerusalem, with Heathenish Roman Armies. And Luke 19.43. Thine enemies shal cast a trench about thee, and compasse thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shal lay thee even with the ground) And in the sixteenth verse of that twenty third Chapter of Matthew, They in Judea should fly to the mountaines, and he that is in the field shal not turne backe to take his cloathes. So that the leaving their house desolate is the destroying of the place, and face of worship in the [Page 100]Temple, and the grace and place of the City, for to that at last it amounted in two steps, whereof this was the first by Titus (the Ro­man Emperour) about seventy yeares after the birth of Christ, de­stroying the Temple; the second by Adrian the Roman Emperour, about the one hundred thirty fourth yeare after Christs birth, de­stroying the City; so that the Jewes never sacrificed there any more.Buchole. Ind. Chron. Ad anuum 134 ut (inquit Bu­cholce [...]us) in­telligeretur, Romanae po­testati Indaeo [...] subj [...]cere, & politiam Mosaicam cum Metropolis suae ruina redactam esse in ni [...]ilum, effu­sâ jam super eam finali perpetuâ (que) vastitate, ar (que) ita sciretur spem omnem Judaeo [...]um, DE MESSIAE ADVEN TV (quam Barcochebas id est stellae filius, juxta ut simulare [...]ur prophetiam Balaami iste, Pseudo-Christus, & causa rebellionis hujus in Romanos, inducentis cladem, p [...]i [...]s indiderat) extinctam, Hierosolymae (que) ruderibus obrutam ac sepultam esle; Adrianus, Christianis, & aliis Gentibus urbem Jerusalem inhabitan­dam dedit & mutatâ veteri appellatione, de suo nomine, Aeliam nominavit.

4 The word in Greek ( [...]) used here in this twenty third of Matthew, ver. 38. to signifie left, is in it selfe of a mild signification, as in Latine missum facere, and in English, to lay aside a thing; so that it doth not in its owne nature signifie an utter forsaking, but only a leaving for a time, as the couched Antithesis shew us, viz. left desolate UNTILL, and therefore the same Christ that is now going shall be [...] coming, and whiles hereafter he is coming, these Jewes of Je­rusalem, and of Iudea, that before had been angry with them that had cryed Hosanna to him (Mat. 21.9. to 16.) and anon cry, Cru­cifie him, should in time to come welcome him with this acclamati­on, Blessed is he coming (so the Greek) in the name of the Lord.

§. 5 Now this place of Scripture, and this performance cannot be re­serred either to the time between Christs Resurrection and Ascenti­on, or to the ultimate day of Judgement, and therefore must of necessity relate to a time since his Ascention, yet to come before the generall Judgement.

§. 6 Not to the time between his Resurrection and Ascention, be­cause this is spoken (as we have demonstrated) to the generality of the Iewes, Mat. 23. ult. Christus Judae­os ingratos ita alloquitur, Dico enim vobis, nequaquam me videbitis ab hee tempore usque dum dicatis, be­nedictus qui ve­nit in nomine Domini. Quibus verbis Christus indicat Judaeos upsum [...]andem aliquando vi­suros, non equi­dem in ultimo judicio, sed an­te illud, quia non in ultimo judicio accla­mabunt ipsi Benedictus, &c. (tum enim trepidabunt qui non fuerint conversi ad ipsum) sed illo tempore quo se ipsis ostendet ut convertat ipsos ad veramfidem. Alsted in locum, in Diatr. De Mil [...]an. who had killed the Prophets, and stoned them that were sent unto them (ver. 37.) whose house therefore is to be left desolate. They suffer in that destruction of the Temple, and City of Hieru­salem (aforesaid) who, as to this time of Christs speech, would not be gathered under the wings of Christ; so after his Resurrection did not welcome him with this, Blessed is he that cometh, &c. but belyed his Resurrection, Matth. 28. refused his Doctrine, A [...]. 13.45. and persecuted his Apostles, Act. 4.

Nor can this welcomming of Christ with, Blessed is he that cometh, &c. be referred to the ultimate generall Judgement, because then is a time for the generality, of lamentation, not of acclamation; then no time of conversion of the Iewes to cause this acclamation; but of judging men according to the condition they are found in.

Upon this text of Matth. 23.39. learned and pious Doctor Alsted hath these words; ‘By these expressions (saith he,) Christ shew­eth, [Page 101]that the Iewes a long time after should see him, not at the ul­mate judgement, but before that, for at the ultimate judgement, they shall not say with acclamation, Blessed is he, &c.) for then shall they tremble that are not converted unto him) but at that time wherein he shall shew himselfe to them, to convert them unto the true faith.’ Thus Alsted. I adde, Nor can this be meant of the Jewes seeing him onely by faith. For it is opposed to their not see­ing hence forward with bodily eyes between this speech, and that same untill. So that the result of the sense is the same with, Act. 1.11. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as yee have SEEN him goe up into heaven. Or with that Rev. 1.7. every EYE shall see him in the CLOUDS, which now promised after Christs ascension is taken out of Zech. 12.10. &c. described to be a time (at first glimps) of repentance, and pouring out of Spirit, unsutable circumstances for the ultimate judgement, as hath been most largely afore declared.

§. 9 Clearly therefore the meaning must bee, that as Christ thought it requisite to appeare visibly in the Clouds to convert so resolute an enemy to him as was Saul, so shall he thinke it meet to appeare yet before the ultimate judgement to convert the Jewes so long blin­ded, seeing unto this day nothing but desolation, rather then re­stauration.

§. 10 Just as it is said in Daniel 12.1. Michael shall STAND UP, that is (say some learned) visibly appear, which standeth FOR the children of thy people [...] rendred For, may be translated Over, as to say, hee should appear over them in the clouds, which is to be fulfilled saith the twelfth verse, one thousand three hundred thirty and five dayes, that is yeers, after the ceasing of the daily sacrifice, at which time Daniel shall stand in his lot upon earth, vers. 13. So that upon the re­sult of the whole, the meaning of this 23. of Matth. is, that Christ shall so visibly and comfortably come to the Jewes, that they shall joyfully and familiarly, as it were, speake to him, saying, Blessed is hee that cometh in the name of the Lord.

§. 11 So thatMatth. 23.39. Verba quibus caput hoc con­cluditur haec sun [...] [...] &c. de quo, ut a­liis quibusdam, verè di [...]i po­test, quot The­ologi tot sen­tentiae. Alii e­nim de visio­ne, non per fi­dem, quà hîc videtur Dominus, sed de eâ qûa cùm ad judicium venerit, denuo videbitur (quod non paucis placet.) Alii de de eâ intelligunt, quâ a Judaeis, qui in primâ agnoscere eum noluerunt, tum videbitur. Quae opiniones cum ab aliis resutentur singulae minori opera hic defungemur. Cer [...]è quam praecipuè hìc amplectuntur, quo nitatur fundamento, nondum video; Cùm praesettim ea de quibus hic agitur, non minori cum gaudio pronuncianda videantur, quàm cùm Domino adveneniente Osanna exclamavit populus. In Iudi [...]o autem tribui tetrosem impils, Iudaeis vel in primis, de quibus fusè ad hunc Evangelistam alibi Chrysostom [...]s, quis nescit? Dan. Heinsius the great Greek Critick, I think, wel hits the nayl on the head touching these words of Mat. 23.39. in his Annotati­ons upon them. ‘Surely, saith he, These things here handled, may seem that they are to be pronounced with no lesse joy, then when at the coming of Christ towards Jerusalem, the people cryed Hosanna. But at the day of judgement, terror is inflicted upon the wicked, upon the Jewes especially,’ of which, how largely Chrysostome upon this Evangelist is, who knows not? By which Heinsius doth plainly hint, that he understands this place of a time afore the last judgment, as he that can compare the margin, may more plainly see.

SECT. IX.

THree things are here inquired into:

• 1 The signes of the destru­ction of the Temple, and City of Hierusalem (which destruction had been hinted, chap. 23.38, &c. expressed vers. 2. of this Chapter)
• 2 The signes of Christs coming again, which he had in­timated chap. 23.39.
• 3 The signes of the end of the world, which they knew must in its time follow the other two (the first being the type, the second the preparation to the third and last.)

§. 1 Of the signes of the first, viz. of signes of the destruction of the Temple and City of Jerusalem, Christ speaks in the last place (being of a particular and lesse concernment) in the 15, 16. &c. in these words, When ye shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Da­niel the Prophet stand in the holy place (let him that readeth understand) then let them which be in Judea flye into the mountaines. Of which words we spake upon the occasion of those words in Matth. 23.38. in the former, viz. the eighth Section of this second Book.

§. 2 Next, as in the second place Christ speaks of the second, viz. the signes of his second coming (visibly to appear to them) from the fifth verse to the thirteenth, viz. there shall come,

• 1 False Christs decei­ving many.
• 2 Wars, and rumors of warres, Nations arising against Na­tions.
• 3 Persecutions, delivering the true Christians to be afflicted, and to be killed.
• 4 Scandals, Christians shall be hated of all Nations for Christs sake, and many shall be offended, betraying and hating one another.
• 5 The arising of many false Prophets deceiving many.
• 6 The abounding of iniquity, and the decaying of love.

All these in a great measure are already fulfilled, and much in these our dayes, and in these Nations to which we relate.

§. 3 In the third place Christ speakes of the third, viz. of the signes of the end of the world, v. 13.14. But he that shall endure to the END, the same shall be saved. Of the other signes he said they did not signi­fie that the END was immediately at hand, vers. 6. These signs shall be, saith Christ, BUT the END is not YET. But now hee comes to speake of the signe of the End of the world, viz. that this Gospel of the KINGDOME shall be preached in all the world. [...] published as by an Herauld. And THIS Gospel of THE KINGDOME, as pointing at this particular of the good newes of the Gospel that Christ should after all these darke clouds of the reigne of wicked­nesse, have a Kingdome on earth. And then (saith Christ) shall the END come, which must of necessity import one of these ENDS, [Page 103]and one of these wayes must be signified by the publishing of the Gospel in all the world: That either the Gospel should be published in all the world (to Jews and Gentiles) as a signe, immediately before the End of THIS present world, that is, before the thousand yeers of the great Restauration. Or that the full and effectuall manifestation of the Gospel should be in the time of that Restauration in those thousand yeers (which Paul calls Heb. 2.5. [...] That inhabited world that is to come, of which place, much after) as a fore­running signe of the ultimate generall end of the whole world. Let the Reader take which he pleaseth; For either of them con­cludes for us, that after this signe (according as we interpret the se­quel) shall be the beginning or ending of Christs visible appearance to us on earth. As it follows vers. 29. Then shall appear the (signe of the Sonne of man (not for a meer short sentence of judgement, but) to gather his elect from the foure quarters of the earth. Of which place much in Sect. 3. of this 2 Book.

§. 4 To gather all into an apparent argument, the summe and signes of all is this. If Christ in shewing the signes of his coming (the second time) doth clearly distinguish between his next coming, and visible appearing, and the end of the world, and for that end gives distinct signes of both; then Christ must come before the end of the world, and visibly appeare. But so doth Christ clearly di­stinguish, and distinctly signifie those two as we have shewed; There­fore there is yet a time wherein Christ will come, and visibly ap­peare before the end of the world. At first we know by the Go­spels he came in a state of humility for salvation to sinners that should believe. The next time he comes in glory to reigne visibly to the comfort of them that doe beleeve, Rev. 20. first six verses. Third and last time for terrour to the wicked, vers. 12. Of that se­cond coming (the thing now under consideration) Christ having given signes (as hath been shewed) he concludes in verse 30. They shall see the Sonne of man in the Clouds of heaven with great power and glory; which cannot be meant of the finall sentence of the ultimate judgement, because of that in the 34 verse, bound with an assevera­tion and attestation before and behinde, Verily I say unto you, this ge­neration shall not passe, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall passe away, but my words shall not passe away. Of which 34. vers. much afterward.

SECT. X.

§. 1 THis Parable was spoken a little before Christs suffering, as appeares by the order of the Story here, and in Mat. 25.

It is pend by Luke, who wrote the Acts, where he carefully re­ports Christs coming againe, just as they saw him ascend, in relation to the restoring of the Kingdome, of which Christ spake, and the Disci­ples enquired after, Act. 1.3, 4, 5, 6, &c. to 12. only saith Luke, Acts 3.21. The heavens must receive him for a time, and then he shall come from heaven, and cause the restitution of all things, as hath been opened.

§. 2 The Preface to this Parable is a golden key, to open the curious Cabinet of the meaning of this Parable, that we may not relye up­on a meere Allegory; Christ spake this Parable, because he was night to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the Kingdome of God should IMMEDIATELY APPEARE. It doth not deny the appearing of the Kingdom, Christ is for it, only he is against the immediate ( [...]) the suddaine appearance of it; he must afore that (as is the maine sence of the Parable) goe away into a farre country, viz. to Heaven, and leave talents in trust with his servants, giving them time to imploy them; and to be so long absent; that his enemies grow so bold as to send after him with this high affront, they would not have him to reigne over them; that is (according to the direct sence) Some seemingly professours by his long absence, should grow quite carelesse of im­proving the talents, or gifts of endowments to his honour; and o­thers by his delay (as they counted it) should become professed ene­mies against him.

§. 3 But whatever these mistakers dreamed, the truth was, that as [Page 105]the diligent Talenters expected, and accordingly acted, Christ went away to Heaven, not to returne no more, but went thither to take to himselfe a Kingdome, which phrase, viz. [...] must sig­nifie a Kingdome peculiar to himselfe, as he is Christ: else how doth he take it or receive it to himselfe? And being installed into it, he is to returne. He had his Kingdome of grace before he went away, as he oft mentioneth it in his Parables and Sermons; adding that that his Kingdome was not of this world. And he had the Kingdome of glory as his triumph over his Kingdome of grace, having finished his con­quest on the Crosse. So hee needed not to returne to receive either of these Kingdomes. It remains therefore that it is the Kingdome we speak of that he returnes to receive. He went to Heaven (by as­cention) to possesse the Kingdome of glory, there to be installed into this on earth: That being the originall of this; or that being the Emperiality, to which this the Tributary, or Province: Or Heaven being the Metropolis, this below the Territories. Sure enough ex­presse it is, that he went away into a far Country (which can be no other but heaven, Christ having never travelled bodily out of his owne Country.) Secondly, that though hee were before his going a Noble-man, and had the Regiment, or Government over a Royalty, he had servants, he had the command of imploying them as he listed; And had the power of rewarding or punishing as he pleased; so that the unprofitable servant that improved not his Talent, he cast into ut­ter darknesse, where was weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matth. 25.30.) All which in that Matth. 25.14. &c. is called the Kingdome of Heaven, that is, the Kingdome of Grace, as appears in the former Parable of the Virgins, the same in sence v. 1. &c. Yet thirdly, it is said, this Noble-man went into a far Country to receive for himselfe another Kingdome, and to returne, vers. 12. where, as his receiving the Kingdome is put before his returning: So on the other side, it is said, He returned receiving a Kingdome, vers. 15.Gr. [...] which Arias renders in re­dire ipsum acci­pientem reg [...]um. (where his returning is put before his receiving the Kingdome;) so that both Kingdomes must be here meant, viz. Christ receiving the Kingdome of glory afore his returne; and his Kingdome of visible power of reigning on earth after his returne. For meerly his Kingdome of glory in Heaven cannot be here understood, because touching his reigning there, it was in vaine, unpossible, and altogether unlikely for his ene­mies to send an ambassage after him, saying, They would not have him to reigne over them. And meerly his Kingdome of grace cannot bee here understood, because that is otherwise expressed under the compari­son of Talents (compare Matth 25.) And moreover it is here di­stinctly set downe that he is to goe into a far Country, and then actual­ly to receive another Kingdome, partly before he returned, and partly after he returned, even as there is a diversity of actions; In that Kingdome of Grace, there is mentioned onely the neglect of im­proving the Talents; but in this Kingdome of visible power received after his returne, there is an high affront offered, they send a message that they would not have him to reigne. Again, there is diversity of names. The former are called Servants; The latter are called Ene­mies. [Page 106]Adde, that there is a different dispensation of justice. The unprofitable servant is put into a darke prison, but the enemies must bee slaine AFORE HIM. Therefore of necessity here must be hinted the Kingdome of Christs visible power. That was it the Jewes expected, yea and the best of them, viz. the Disciples, as we have heard afore, and therefore to that Christ here speaks. And for that Christ did not set up this at his coming in the flesh, delivering them from the Romans, therefore his Citizens his enemies hated him, and sent a message after him. They hated him as in relation of ha­ving him to be their visible King, or King of visible Dominion, when they cryed at his arraignment, They had no King but Cae­sar. And they sent an embassage after him, when after his death in op­position to that kingly-hood they were angry with Pilate for wri­ting in the Title set over him, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latine, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWES.

§. 5 There are also severall other passages in this Parable for Christs visible appearance, and setting up his visible Kingdome of power on earth, yet before the ultimate day of judgement; As first, His giving to the improvers of their Talents, to one the rule over ten Cities, to another the rule over five Cities. And the Talent of him that had improved nothing, to him that had improved much, all which, compared with the preface of the Parable, touching the appearing of the Kingdome, cannot in any thing well relate to the state of meer supernall eter­nall glory in the highest Heavens. 2 His causing his enemies to bee slaine afore his face, suits not to Christs meer Kingdome of grace, whose Dominion precisely considered, is in the power of the Gospel. Nor doth it comport and comply with the ultimate day of judgement, when instead of slaying enemies, there is a making them alive. And in­stead of punishing them before Christs face, there is a sending them away from the presence of the Lord into eternal judgement. But these extremely well agree with Christs appearing to set up his visible Kingdome of power. For then Christ shall destroy his Antichristian, Jewish, and Gentilish, and mixt Turkish enemies with the brightnesse of his ap­pearance, as hath been opened upon 2 Thess. 2. in Sect 4. of this second Book. And shall slay them, corporally, Revelat. 19. latter end.

§. 6 Indeed the whole Parable appears to them that can leave the com­monr ode of Tradition, and wishly minde, and ingeniously weigh the passages and preface thereof, to aime at Christs next coming to set up such a Kingdome, as shall not onely perfect the spirituall de­liverance of the Gentiles, but also to performe the temporall de­liverance of the Jewes from their dispersion, and corporall miseries. For the naturall current of the Parable runnes thus: Christ being neer Hierusalem, the Jewes thought the Kingdome of God would imme­diately appeare. Doubtlesse it was far from their thoughts in the captive condition they were now in, to expect the appearance of the Kingdome of glory in Heaven. For the hundreds of promises of their deliverance from the corporall captivity were not fulfilled. And for the Kingdome of grace, these men little minded. And the better sort, viz. the Disciples and Beleevers had seen it appeare al­ready, [Page 107]therefore it is the other Kingdome of Christ, viz. that of his visible power and rule, to deliver them from their corporall enemies, that they supposed would immediately appeare. Now to this, saith Christ, It will not immediatly appeare, but, I must, saith he, first goe into a farre Country (viz. into Heaven) and there be instated, and Crowned King, and after that come againe, and actually and visibly reigne; the meane while, you to whom I have given Talents, that is, have endowed with gifts, must imploy them, and at my return, as a signe of my visible actuall power, I will take account of you, and cause mine enemies that oppose my visible reigning, to bee slaine afore me.

§. 7 Now at the ultimate day of Judgement Christ receives no King­dome, but resignes all his Kingdome, Power, and Dominion, 1. Cor. 15.28.

SECT. I.

§. 1 THis place we put first, because it doth give much light to the last place afore handled out of the New Testament; this vi­sion much enlightening that Parable in ver. 26, 27. the close expounding that Parable, as the Preface, ver. 11, 12. explaines, that it concernes the time following upon the ruine of the foure Mo­narchies.

§. 2 In the eleventh and twelfth verses the foure Beasts, that is, the foure Monarchies are slaine (as it is expounded after verse 17. The foure great Beasts are foure Kings) instead of them, Daniel sees in a vi­sion (ver. 13, 14.) One like the Sonne of Man, come WITH THE CLOVDES of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him neere before him; which notably agrees with that place last spoken of (Luke 19.11, &c.) where it is said, Christ went into a farre Country, to receive to himselfe a Kingdome, and returne. And that visibly (saith this of Daniel) with the Clouds, or in the Clouds, as Rev. 1.7. in way of Preface to this his Kingdome, Rev. 11. Rev. 20. And (saith Daniel, ver. 14.) There was given to him that was like the Son of Man, DOMINION, and glory, and a KINGDOME, that all People, Nations, and Languages should serve him. Just as Luke 19.15. (according to the Greek) he returned receiving the kingdom. When he visibly returned, he received a Kingdome here below, else why did he returne? Adde, that here below he exercised visible destruction upon his enemies; for it is not said, as of the unworthy Talenter, he cast them into utter darknesse, but he caused them to be slaine afore his face.

SECT. II.

§. 1 FIrst, it is evident by the last clause, that the Lord Christ is the person here meant, it being his incommunicable name, Act. 4.12. 2 Cor: 5. last.

§. 2 Nextly, It is as apparent by the whole Series of Jeremiahs Pro­phesie, that this relateth to the times after Judahs Captivity in Ba­bilon, Israel having been carried away captive long afore.

§. 3 Lastly, It is beyond all objection, that Christ did yet never so reigne upon earth as this Text holds forth, as may be made appeare with few words in these particulars.

• 1. Christ must reigne and prosper; That is, must be every way glorious and successefull, so that Judah and Israel shall owne him for their King, and call him, the Lord their righteousnesse.
• 2 He shall execute justice and judgement in the earth; it is not said, he shall preach justice or judgement, or exe­cute it in heavenly places, but he shall execute it upon, or in the earth.
• 3. In his dayes JUDAH shal be saved, and ISRAEL shal dwell safely, viz. being gathered out of all Countries, ver. 3.

But the Lord Christ did yet never thus reigne. Instead of reigning, and prospering in the eyes of Israel and Iudah, he was as a branch blasted, a thing accursed, Isa. 53. ver. 3, 4, &c. so that the Iewes for the generall dis-owned him, pro­ceeding against him as a Malefactor, guilty of many of the highest Crimes; and for matters of Iustice and Iudgement in the earth, he re­fused to meddle with the smallest matters, as to give his opinion touching the Adulteresse, or to divide the inheritance. Nor then, nor yet ever did Israel returne from Captivity, and dwell safely: if wee might say Iudah did, at Christs first coming in the flesh, as we may not, because they were then under the Heathen Roman power as con­quered, and tributaries, Luke 3.1.

§. 4 Nor may any put this off, with Christs Spirituall reigning, for so he did alwayes from the Creation, but this is in the future tense, hee shal reigne, to signifie his reigning so as never before.

SECT. III.

ZEchary Prophesied after their returne out of Captivity in Babi­lon, see Zech. 1.1. compared with 2 Chron. 36.22. & Ezra, chap. 1. ver. 1. &c. to the end. Therefore this was not fulfilled in their return, for it is spoken of a future time to come.

And Spiritually, God did alwayes dwell among his people, and therefore nor can that be the full meaning of this place.

And when Christ came, and was incarnated, this Text was not fulfilled, for then many Nations were not joyned to the Lord, to be his people; nor so much as the generality of any one Nation; the Hea­then Romans then inherited the portion of Judah, and filled all Coun­tries with their persons, or powers; and instead of Christ then choosing Jerusalem againe, he pronounced woe against it, and gave it up to desolation, which accordingly about forty yeares after Christs Passion was fulfilled, Mat. 23. three last, and Matth. 24.1, 2, &c. Nor was the Lord King over all the earth, more then he had been before Christs Incarnation. Instead of one Lord over all, there were many.

SECT. IIII.

NOw, when was ever this since the Creation? much lesse was it performed at Christs Incarnation, when the Jewes were under the Roman power, obstinate against Christ, and scattered to this day.

SECT. V.

NOw, when was Christ ever so in the midst of Judah and Israel, as to doe thus? therefore this is yet to be fulfilled.

CHAP. VI.

§. 1 I Have spoken but briefly to the last Scriptures, and shall no lon­ger insist distinctly upon this Head, of proving by peculiar places of Scripture the Personall visible appearance of Christ, at the set­ting up of his Kingdome before the end of the World, because we shall have many sprinklings of this, in the prosecution of the whole of the point, yet remaining about the Kingdome it selfe.

§. 2 Only, meane while I would have the Reader observe from the Scriptures that have been alleadged, That Christ must be a King visibly, it must visibly appeare he is a King, or else men that are only sensible will never be convinced; which is the maine intent of Christs visible appearance, so that the Kings of the earth, that of all [Page 111]men are drowned in sensuality, shall come and submit to his Kingdome, Rev. 21. and elsewhere, as we have heard afore.

§. 2 And is there not all reason that the King of Kings, the Sonne of Man, should be as compleatly and apparently King, as the Kings that are under him? They have not onely Authority by Writs, Warrants, Proclamations, &c. to punish or encourage by their Officers, but they visibly are crowned, sit in the Throne, beare the Scepter, and attended upon all just occasions with a visible power. Then it is all equity that Christ also should not onely have sovereigne Authority, but also a visible power, so as he may visibly appeare to his very enemies, to be King over all the earth.

§. 3 Yea earthly Kings have, as a providentiall care over all their sub­jects, even to the punishing of the rebellious; so also have they their secret way of insinuation and ingratiating towards their fa­vourites, and their manifest glorious presence at Court in the Me­tropolitan and most magnificent place of the Kingdome. There­fore at least no lesse must be allowed to Christ, viz. a providen­tiall power over all the world: A spirituall efficacie over his King­dome of grace, or visible Church, and a visible glorious reign­ing over all his true Saints.

§. 4 Now Christ is not King in glory in the highest heavens with, and over all his Saints; for all shall not be there (according to the com­mon Tenet) till the Lord Christ hath resigned all his power accor­ding to 1 Cor. 15.28.) or at least when he hath brought all the elect soules to their bodies by a resurrection, and changed them whom he findes alive at his coming, and so brought them all to ultimate glo­ry, just then he layes downe all his authority. So that he doth not reign with, and over all his Saints in ultimate glory at all.

§. 5 But he must be a visible King of visible glory over the Church, made very glorious upon earth at his next appearance afore the ulti­mate judgement, according to the Scriptures aforegoing. A great comfort to the bodies in the grave; that they shall not there lye so long as to the ultimate judgement, when all the wicked shall bee raised (as is evident by comparing vers. 2. &c. of Rev. 20. with vers. 8. &c.) And a great comfort to them alive at his coming, that have waited for him faithfully to the last and worst of the Tragedie of evill times.

§. 6 I need not speake to the first two Kinglinesses of Christ, viz. Pro­vidential of power, and spirituall of grace. But a word will do well here, to the last, viz. his visible glorious appearance before the ultimate day of judgement making all the world sincere, or altogether seeming Saints, and reigning over them as the alone Monarch. He must as visibly succeed in government, he foure mettals (Dan. 2.) and the foure Beasts (Dan. 7.) both signifying the foure Monar­chies (viz. the Chalde-Babylonian the Medo-persian, the Grecian, and the Roman) as these foure did visibly precede him in government, Dan. 2.44.45. The God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdome, which shall never be destroyed, and the Kingdome shall not be left to other people, but it shall breake in peeces, and consume all these Kingdomes, and it shall stand [Page 112]for ever. And all this comes to passe in that the stone (Christ Je­sus) cut out of the mountaine without hands brake in peeces the iron, the brasse, the clay, the silver, and the gold, Dan. 7.13, 14. The rest of the Beasts had their Dominion taken away. The Sonne of Man comes with the Clouds, and the Ancient of dayes gave him dominion, and glory, and a Kingdome, that all people, and Nations, and languages should serve him. So that Christ at his next appearance is the fifth Mo­narchy.

§. 7 When the Lord spake but little to Eve of his dominion over the seed of the Serpent, and consequently his succour of the seed of the woman, how did he anon, and after, and all along the New Testament begin to act in Types this visible Monarchy? He appears to Moses in a burning bush, to give a visible signe of his presence to deliver Israel out of Egypt. And appeares to Israel in a pillar of a Cloud, and of fire, sensibly to signifie he was their convoy. They are a Royalty (as Peter calls them) but God onely their Monarch. Moses, and after Samuel, were onely Interpreters between them and their Monarch. And therefore when they rebelled against Moses, it is reckoned as a re­bellion against God. And when they refused Samuel, it is charged upon them that they refused God to be their Governour. The Arke is placed amidst the Camp, Numb. 2. as the pledge of God to be their Generall. Accordingly they carried the Arke in battell with them (1 Sam. 4.) as having that opinion of it. So verse 4. The people sent for the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of HOSTS, which DWELLETH between the Cherubims. And so the Philistims con­ceived. For when the Israelites shouted at the coming of the Arke into the Camp of Israel, the Philistims (vers. 7.) are afraid, and they said God is come into the Camp. This Arke led them through Jordan, as it did (as it is conceived by the most learned) through the Red Sea. So when Israel was to re-edifie the Temple, and to settle in their owne land after the captivity, Christ appears as a Commander of an Army on horse back with troops behinde him, Zech. 1. And as the Sonne of man sitting in judgement, as a King. Dan. 7. Some will perhaps say these were types of his incarnation. If that so, in some generall semblance; yet these did more distinctly set forth his visible Monarchy to come. And therefore his incarnation is made a type or platforme of his coming as a Monarch, Act. 1.11. And therefore as the Prologue to his visible appearance againe as a Mo­narch to reigne as Revel. 20. he appeares as a glorious King, Rev. 1. with all circumstances to set forth the glory of his Royalty: much more therefore in consideration of all that Christ hath said and done in relation to that in the New Testament, may we expect him to come, and visibly appeare at the setting up of his Monar­chy. He tells Pilate he was borne to be a King, and therefore must be a King: But he would not set it up yet, afore his ascention, Act. 1. Hee must first goe into a far Country, and after that receive his King­dome, as wee heard afore out of Luke 19. Chap. 1. Sect. 7. of this second Booke; Hee must first ascend up on high, and then hee leads Capti­vity captive, spiritually, as a Preface to his visible appearance to [Page 113]make the Church spiritually and Corporally glorious, which the Apostle immediately hints in that fourth of Ephes. Untill wee come to a perfect MAN unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ, which by and by after that, in the same Chapter hee calls THE NEW MAN WHICH AFTER GOD IS CREATED IN RIGHTEOUSNESSE and HO­LINESSE: As alluding to the state of innocent Adam. And therefore as the first Adam did visibly appeare as a glorious Mo­narch over the visible world, so shall the second Adam, ac­cording to the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine in Psal. 8. Hebr. 2. being divine Commentaries on Adams Monarchy, Gen. 1. vers. 26, 27, 28. Of which place, God assisting, you shall heare abun­dantly in the next BOOK.

SECT. I.

§. 1 BEfore we take all the choice places of the whole Scriptures in order as they lye in our English Bibles, I shall pitch the foot of my Compasse (to draw a right and clear circle) upon the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation: It being the manner and method of the Holy Spirit to declare things, especially of this nature, gradual­ly, as the Church is meet to heare, the state thereof requires, and the time of fulfilling it drawes neerer, and [...]o speaks most and plainliest at last. Many other instances might be given, but that the subject under hand is vast enought of it selfe. All these advantages falling to the share of this twentieth Chapter of Revel. touching the point in hand, as the Catastrophe, result, and designe of all that God hath spoken before in the Old and New Testament, it makes this twentieth of Revel. no lesse then a golden key to unlocke the Bible, especially the Old Testament; that we may look further into other places of Scripture then meerly to make morall observations out of them, and mean while doe over-looke the Prophetical intent of God in them.

§. 2 In this twentieth Chapter of the Revel. vers. 1. it is said, AND I saw an Angel come downe, &c. which AND, or (as the Translator of the Arab.) furthermore, or as in sense it oft signifies, then, imports that John saw immediately afore something in order to this: what was that? even that which our late invented distinction of Chapters and verses, puts in Revel. 19. v. 19. I saw (saith John) the Beast, and the Kings of the earth, and their Armies, gathered together to make warre against him that sate on the horse, and against his Army (namely against Christ and his members, or Saints, vers. 11, 12, 13, 14.) And what was the issue of the War? That John goes on to tell us in the twentieth verse of this nineteenth Chapter. And the Beast was ta­ken, and with him the false Prophet (that is the Antichrist either under the notion of humane Imperialty, or of Ecclesiasticall Prophesie, or Teaching) were cast alive into the lake, &c. And the remnant were slaine with the sword of him that sate upon the horse. AND (saith John in this twentieth Chap. vers. 1.) after this, I saw an Angel come downe from heaven, having the key of the bottomlesse pit, and a great chaine in [Page 117]his hand, and he laid hold on the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devill, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, &c. which can meane no other thing, but Christ and his Saints conquest over the Beast, and the false Prophet, and their Armies on earth, notwithstan­ding all the power and policy of their seducing Generalissimo, the De­vill. Here then in all, is Christ and his Army, and Anti-christ and his Army conflicting, and they conflict with the Sword, and Antichrists Army is slaine with the sword, and so slaine with the sword, that the Fowles were filled with the flesh of them that were slaine, (chap. 19. verse 20.) A strange thing to me if any should dreame these things to be done only Spiritually, or in the world to come. There proceeded in­deed the sword out of his mouth, that is, Christ bid his Saints to slay them (which afore and after yee have explained) but they were materially, or corporally slaine, as the time, weapon, and their buriall in the bowels of Birds challenge that sence; yea, marke further, the Armies ruine is put in Counter-destruction, or opposition to the ruine of their Chieftain, or Chieftaines, whose destruction was to be cast ALIVE into the Lake, therefore the slaying of the Ar­my with the sword, to be devoured by the Fowles, must signifie a Cor­porall destruction.

§. 3 Now this destruction, Chap. 19.20. cannot be at the ultimate Day of [...]udgement, for that day is not till after the destruction of Gog and Magog, (which is long after the destruction of Antichrist) vers. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, &c. of this twentieth Chapter, clearly distin­guished from that destruction of Antichrist by two notable cir­cumstances, including many other particulars of order, time, place, &c.

¶. The first Circumstance is, That Gog and Magog warre a­gainst the Saints, whiles they are in their injoyment of their glorious peace, after the said Saints had reigned a thousand yeares, ver. 7.8. when they had been partakers long afore, viz. at the beginning of the thousand yeares of the first resurrection, as a pledge that they should not dye the second death at the second Resurrection, ver. 6. after that they had reigned, and as Kings and Priests, and too with Christ a thousand years, in the same sixt verse none of which particulars can consist with supernal ultimate glory, when Christ himselfe layes downe all his power (1 Cor. 15.28.) And after they have injoyed this condition a thousand yeares, then, and not till then begins the Gogicall-Magogicall warre, upon which comes the destruction on Gogmagog, ver. 7, 8, 9. but the warre of Antichrist in the nine­teenth Chapter is, when the Saints are in great trouble; their bloud had been poured out unavenged till then, vers. 2. the earth corrupted, ibid. The Nations are till now to be smitten, and to be RVLE'D with a ROD of Iron, ver. 15. The Wine presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of God Al­mighty to be trodden, ibid. with many the like intimations throughout the Chapter, of the different state of the Church now a thousand yeeres before Christ came to destroy Gogmagog, as the sequell of the twentieth Chapter makes the compute.

¶. The second Circumstance is, That after the thousand [Page 118]yeares of Satans binding, and Antichrists destruction, Satan is a­gaine let loose, he seduceth Gog and Magog, and then the Devill himselfe (Chap. 20.10.) is cast into the Lake of fire, WHERE WERE the BEAST, and the FALSE PROPHET, which had been cast in there formerly, Chap. 19. ver. 20. evidently pointing at the destruction of Antichrist, as finished long afore; the fore-being there of the Beast, and false Prophet, being made the description of Hell, as sometimes the portion of Hypocrites is the description thereof.

§. 4 The next passage in this twentieth Chapter of Revelation is, what he saw, in ver. 4. John saw Thrones, and they that sate upon them, and judgement was given to them, and he saw the soules of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the Beast, nor his Image, neither had received his mark upon their fore-heads, or in their hands; the meaning of all which you have in the next Chapter, viz. the 21. for vers. 1. it is said, And I saw a new heaven, and a new earth; little reason to mention earth, if it had been to describe a state in heaven above. The place is taken out of Isa. 65.17. (as Peter hints, 2 Pet. 3.13. We according to his PRO­MISE looke for new heavens, and a new earth) I say, out of Isa. 65.17. where God promiseth unto the Jewes to build new Heavens, and a new earth, but with all mentions their injoying of houses and vine yards. In the second Verse of the one and twentieth Chapter it is said, John saw new Hierusalem, indeed that on earth is old; but no­thing is old in the highest Heavens, so that nothing there can be said to be new, therefore this cannot be meant of that heaven. It is expresse, It comes downe from heaven, therefore it cannot expresse a state in that supernall heaven, even as it followes, PREPARED as a Bride; which plainly evinceth that it is not meant of ultimate glory, where the Church is not prepared (that is done in this world) but perfected; as vers. 3. it is said, I heard a voyce OVT of heaven, to import, that it was of things not in the supreame Heaven, viz. That the tabernacle of God is with men, where God WILL dwell with them; which if meant of the supernall Heaven, would have been exprest in a contrary phrase, viz. The tabernacle of men is with God; for there is no need of a promise to assure us, that in the highest Heavens God will dwell with us. Agreeable to which the fourth verse promiseth, that all teares shall be wiped away; of which promise, as in relation to the supreame Heaven there was not the least need, since God made it but knowne to the Sonnes of men that they shall inherit that place: all sorts, Christians, Heathens, &c. easily know, and be­leeve, that there in that place are no teares, nor cause of teares; as appeares in the Christians Creed, and the Heathens Doctrines of [...], and their Elysian fields. Every thing in that Heaven is so good that it cannot be made, (as in verse 5.) new, that is, better. No need there, of that in the sixth verse (either promise or perfor­mance) to give unto him that is athirst of the fountaine of the water of life. It is enough for God to promise that Heaven, as Paul thought it enough to say, Phil. 1. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; [Page 119]if we be once there, we shall not thirst. Even as there (according to ver. 7.) shall be no striving to overcome, much lesse to overcome that in ver. 8. Feare and unbeliefe, &c. They in the supernall Heaven have overcome all things, therefore all these demonstrate that this Chapter is of a state on earth, not of one in supreame glory; of such a state on earth it is proper to say, as v. 7. He that possesseth it shal inherit all things; not only Gods presence, but also all things, though as yet all things are not subject to Christ himselfe, Heb. 2.8. and he shal be Gods Sonne. For if we beleeve, we now are the Sons of God, afore we come to ultimate glory, then this promised with a shal be, must signifie a suture estate; and on earth, because of other cir­cumstances (as we are now enumerating) that are inconsistent with glory in the highest Heaven. In like manner the residue of this one and twentieth Chapter shewes, that the meaning is not of su­pernall, eternall glory (according to former common opinion of divines) as ver. 9, 10. An Angel shewes John the Bride, the Lambes wife, viz. the great City, holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, which cannot possibly be meant of a state in the highest Hea­ven; no Angel need tell John, or he us, that the Church shall bee seen in that Heaven when there, it shall be seen without shewing, by all the inhabitants there. Nor is this a direct, but a crosse phrase, to expresse the state of the Church ascended, by its descending out of heaven from God. The soules of the elect must descend, to be united to their bodies on earth, there for a time to inherit all things (as said afore) before their ultimate glory. And for that description of New Hierusalem by measures, &c. from ver. 11.22. can it meane the spanning of Heaven, or the measures of the place of ultimate glory? The parts and particulars are all too short, and to no purpose; wee beleeve more then all in this Text, without this Text; doubtlesse this Geometricall, and Architectonicall Iconi [...]me, or description is taken out of Ezekiel, from Chap. 39. to the end of the Book, in all the Prophet importing thus much, that Gog the enemy of Israel shall be destroyed, and they themselves shall bee gathered from their captivity and measures out to them their New Testament estate, that it shall be more goodly, and glorious, then all their Old Testament state; and therefore when John hath this given to him, in Rev. 21. as an exposition of Ezech. 39.40, 41, 42, &c. Chap­ters, it would be but a darke dreame to apply it to supernall eternall glory, which many circumstances forbid; for if it be meant of that glory, why (ver. 14.) are only the names of the twelve Apostles to be inserted in the twelve foundations, and not the names also of the twelve Patriarchs of the twelve Tribes? What need was there to tell us (ver. 11.) that the place spoken of here hath in it the glory of God, and a light like a Iasper, cleare as Chrystall? or to minde us, (ver. 17.) that the cubits were according to the measure of a man? or to warn us, (ver. 22.) that John saw there no Temple? and for that in ver. 23, 24. That God and the Lambe are the light of New Hierusalem, [...]nd they that are sazed shal walke in it, and Kings shal bring their glory and ho­nour unto it. I aske any ingenuous man, whether he can (keeping his [Page 120]reason with him) apply these things to ultimate happinesse in the highest Heaven? Is there a walking, or conversation of life in spirituall light? Is it not a quiet injoying, and beholding the unspeakeable manifestation of Gods speciall presence? Doe Kings and Princes there goe and come, and bring their honour and glory to heaven? Or doe they bring (as ver. 26.) the glory and honour of Nations unto it? Thus take altogether, quarrell not peecely with this or that fragment, but take the whole entirely; and then tell me ingenuous­ly, whether this one and twentieth Chapter can meane any thing but a glorious state on earth before the ultimate Judgement, at which time is rather a destruction, then an extruction, or building? and therefore this Chapter clearly containes the admirable state of the Church of Jewes and Gentiles for the space of that thousand yeares in the twentieth Chapter, the exposition whereof is the work now in hand, to which we returne.

§. 5 The third passage in this twentieth Chapter of Revelations is, that the Saints reigne with Christ a thousand yeares, or the thousand yeares. This number of yeares is expressed six times in the first seven verses, twice [...] and foure times with an emphaticall Article [...]. Can any judicious man take this meerly Allegorically, and not Histo­rically, and litterally? Can he upon good grounds make it to sig­nifie lesse then a thousand yeares? It is true, a thousand yeares in Gods account (2 Pet. 3.) in regard of his present knowledge of all things, or knowledge of all things as present, and his eternall entity before, and beyond all things, are but as one day, but still a thou­sand yeares are a thousand yeares in themselves, how ever they be as nothing in comparison of God. But can man make a long time and a short time all one? Are a thousand yeares to him but as one naturall day, or to the Saints here reigning? surely then the Saints priviledge of reigning, or the binding of Satan for their sakes, will amount to a very small matter. Then on the morrow, Gog and Magog shall rise against the Saints, for at the end of the thousand yeares they shall rise against them. Or can any considering man make these thousand yeares to signifie more then a thousand yeares, viz. eternity? the Scriptures have no such phrase (that I know) And divers of the Fathers afore the Floud, though in a worse life-cherishing state, lived within a few yeares of a thousand. Is there not a notorious eminent punctum, or point of the beginning, and period of the ending of these thousand yeares? They begin with the fall of Antichrist, the destruction of his Army (Rev. 19.19, 20.) and the wonderfull binding of Satan, chap. 20. ver. 2. And they end with the loosing of Satan, and the warre with Gog-Magog. Is it pos­sible now that any should referre this to the eternity of supreame glory? therefore as ver. 4. it must needs be meant of reigning with Christ on earth at least a thousand yeares, properly understood, as it is expounded, Revel. 5.10. for all the Saints that are found on earth at Christs next coming, never reigned with Christ in heaven; and after the last Judgement, Christ doth not reigne as Christ, but layes downe all, 1 Cor. 15.28.

§. 6 Let us in the next place take some maine particulars of this twentieth Chapter, and compare the mystery of the things, with the history of times; Johns science with our experience, and see whe­ther we can make these all hold together, unlesse wee understand them of a glorious Kingdome of Christ on earth, before the ulti­mate day of judgement. We will cull out but three particulars: 1 The resurrection of the Saints, vers. 4, 5. They must so live, as the dead wicked that while did not live: But the dead wicked did live that while in soule; therefore the Saints must live more then so, viz. must live that while in soule and body too. Againe the Saints must so live at this first resurrection, as the dead wicked shall at the second resurrection. But the dead wicked shall live in soule and body at the second resurrection; therefore the Saints at this first re­surrection live in soule and body. Let the Reader piercingly weigh the Text, and he shall finde these syllogismes little lesse then de­monstrations. As for the difference of grace and non-grace, that difference was made before death in the life time of the Saints and wicked. The second particular is, the casting of the Devill into the bottomlesse pit, and shutting and sealing him in it, that he may not seduce the Nations till the thousand yeers be finished, vers. 3. The third particu­lar is, the letting loose of Satan at the end of the thousand yeers, to seduce all the Nations on the foure corners of the earth, till he gather together an in­numerable Army to encompasse the camp of the Saints, the event where­of is, that that Army is consumed with five from heaven. After which im­mediately begins the last judgement, vers. 7, 8, 9. Now wee shall challenge literas omnes, & literatos, all learned books, and men, when in all the one thousand six hundred and fifty yeers of the New Te­stament by-past, were these three particulars fulfilled. When did the Saints or Martyrs so rise? For still they have been, and are un­der persecution, or sore afflictions, in one or other, or severall Nati­ons more or lesse? When was Satan so bound, and imprisoned, as that he did not seduce the Nations? For to this day Lutherans, Protestants, Papists, Turkes, Indians, Jewes, &c. are seduced by him in matters of Errour and War. And when was there such an innume­rable Army encompassing the camp of the Saints, consumed with fire from Heaven, upon which immediately followed that day of judgement, when the Devill is cast into the lake of fire, a Throne is set, and the bookes are opened, &c. as it is v. 10, 11, 12?

§. 7 It is true, some learned men doe say, that the time of Satans binding, that he could not seduce the Nations for a thousand yeers (to the making of an happy time for the Church so long) began three hun­dred yeers after Christ, and so ended one thousand and three hun­dred yeers after Christ. For say they, at the end of three hundred yeers after Christ the ten persecutions ceased, in which persecution (say they) Satan was loose to seduce the world. But those perse­cutions being ceased, the thousand yeers of the Churches comfort­able condition began. So Mr. Brightman (on Revel.) and Mr. Fox (in his book of Martyrs) onely with this difference, That one of them inserts within the said thousand, by them laid out, the five [Page 122] months mentioned, Revel. 9.5. as a so long interruption of their described quiet in those thousand yeers; understanding by those five months certaine yeers, that is, that every day of those five months signifies a yeer, which, according to solary months makes the thousand yeers end an hundred and thirty yeers lower, or according to [...]unary months, one hundred and twenty yeers later. Pareus begins the thousand yeers of the binding of Satan, &c. at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus sixty nine yeers (as he accounts) after the birth of Christ; At which time (saith he) the Jewish Temple and Worship ceasing, the great impedi­ment of the Gentiles imbracing the Gospel, was removed: So that this while Satan was bound from seducing the Gentiles, or Nation.

§. 8 Whence first let the Reader observe by the way, that all these three godly and greatly learned men doe concur and fully agree with us in this, that the meaning of the thousand yeers is literall: That it signifies a thousand yeers properly taken; yea and to include sensible events, though they differ from us, and from one another in other particulars.

§. 9 But for the opinions themselves, we cannot agree with them in the beginning of these thousand yeers, and consequently not in their ending.

1 ¶ Not with Mr. Fox, and Mr. Brightmans computation; First, be­cause they include the ten Persecutions (which lasted three hundred yeers) within the time of Satans beng loose and seducing the Nations, preceding the beginning of their account of the thousand yeers, whith ten Persecutions include the Apostles time and the Primi­tive purest times; And so by consequence, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Bright­man make those primitive times more corrupt, and more seduced then the ages following the ten Persecutions, which is contrary to Rev. 11.1. and Revel. 12.1. And contrary to experience out of all antiquity; that in those times the Church was far more pure ge­nerally then ever since. Secondly, because this compute of Mr. Fox, and Mr. Brightman makes the times following the ten Persecutions to begin an happy thousand yeers for the Church, and so to con­tinue to one thousand three hundred yeers after Christ. But this is contrary to experience from all approved antiquity, who doth give us a particular account, that after that little time in the life of Constan­tine the Great, wherein the Church had some outward peace and prosperity, anon began the black-heresie, and bloody-persecution by the Arians, upon the necke of which followed Pelagianisme, and many other grosse and grievous errours and heresies.

2 ¶ For the computation of Pareus, that cannot stand, for many strong reasons that batter it downe: For first, the Jewish worship did not cease (as Pareus affirmes) at the destruction of the Temple by Titus, but doth continue to this day. And instead of the exercise thereof in that one Nation of the Jewes, it is pra­ctised by them in their Synagogues in most Nations in Europe, if not elsewhere also, as our Country-Merchants and Travellers are [Page 123]eare and eye-witnesses. If by Jewish worship Pareus doth mean that particular of it, of sacrificing, as if that at least ended at Titus de­struction of the Temple, therein also is Pareus mistaken, as most Ec­clesiastical Histories, and Chronologies abet us to affirme. For, say these Records when Titus had overthrown the Temple, the Jews sa­crificed in the City as neer the ruines of their Temple as they could. Yea when Hadrian, or Adrian the Roman Emperour had destroyed the City, they sacrificed at Mamre, where God appeared formerly to Abraham. Nor was their zeale to sacrificing so extinguished, when Constantine the Great beat them from Mamre: For anon after Constantine, Julian the Apostate the Romane Emperour encouraged the Jewes to returne to Jerusalem, there to re-build the ruines, and offer sacrifice, till fire from heaven discomfited them, which falls far lower then sixty nine yeers after Christ, namely to about three hundred and sixty yeers after Christ: So that this Jewish worship lasted all the time of the ten Persecutions, in which Mr. Fox, and Mr. Brightman say, Satan was let loose, and not bound up as Pareus affirmes. 2 Within this thousand yeers (of binding Satan) com­puted by Pareus to begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ, is found nothing for the Jewes, nor their new Jerusalem, contrary to the scope of all the Scripture (as we shall hear abundantly after) which cleerly drives at this, that the call of the Jewes must be a great part of the glory of that state we speake of, and they the principall par­takers thereof. 3 In all that thousand yeers which Pareus makes up, beginning at sixty nine yeers after Christ, and consequently ending at one thousand sixty nine yeers after Christ, all things are found to be in a quite contrary estate to Satans binding from seducing. For in those ages were infinite monstrous Heresies and Apostasies (so well knowne to the learned that I spend not time to quote Histori­ans.) For beside the Heresies afore touched, there arose within the said thousand yeers (viz. about six hundred and odd after Christ) horrid Mahumetisme, spread to this day over a great part of the world. About which time the mystery of Papal iniquity had wrought to a great height: Both increasing for the generall to this day. Both, the one by their Turkish wars, the other by their mas­sacres, having poured out a sea of Saints blood. Now how can wee say with any shew of reason that Satan was bound this while from seducing the world, when he did so potently prevaile? 4 Where are the Learned, or the Libraries to tell us of the rising, or of the reigning of the Saints, or Martyrs from sixty nine, to one thousand sixty nine after Christ? 6 If the thousand yeers begin at sixty nine yeers after Christ, and consequently end at one thousand sixty nine there hath been since that a thousand sixty nine to this yeer one thousand six hundred fifty two above five hundred and eighty yeers, which five hundred and eighty yeers cannot be counted a litle season. It is said Rev. 20.3. After the thousand yeers are expired, Satan shall be let loose a little season: But by Pareus his account of the expiration of the thousand yeers at the thousand sixty nine yeers, Satan since that hath been let loose five hundred and eighty yeers (as wee have [Page 124]said) which cannot be reckoned for a little season in comparison of the thousand yeers of Satans binding (as is Saint Johns sense) for it is above halfe as much as a thousand yeers. Seventhly, and lastly, If the thousand yeers are so long since expired, where, and when since that expiration hath appeared that after a little season was gathered together Gog and Magog encompassing the Camp of the Saints (upon a new seducement by the Devil) and were consumed by fire from heaven, upon which the day of judgement began?

SECT. III.

§. 1 HAving laid the foundation of the proofe of our Thesis (touch­ing the glorious state of All things upon earth, yet to come) in the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation; Now let us take all the Bible afore us, both Old and New Testament in order, and hear what harmony they make as an Anthem, or Prelude before that glorious Scene begins. The Old Testament laid downe the ground of our hope. The New Testament now so long since Christs coming in the flesh carries on our expectation to look for such a thing. Wee shall cull out of the Old Testament those places that (to our best light) are most cleer, and have some touches of explanations out of the New Testament.

§. 2 And great reason there is to take before us the Old Testament, be­cause the New Testament in speaking of this visible glorious King­dome of Christ to be on earth, refers us to the Old. As Peter in 2 Ep. Chap. 3. v. 13. refers us to Esa. 65.17. Wee (saith Peter) look for new Heavens, and a new Earth according to his PROMISE, wherein dwels righteousnesse, which promise is that of Esa. 65. Not to repeat things spoken afore, Here is mention of Heavens in the plurall. The one Empyrean Heaven is unchangeable: Therefore Heavens of pure manifestation of Doctrine, of pure practise of Gospel order, of a new state of the Church, of new peoples added to it, of a renovati­on of all things on earth must be understood. It must be meant of such heavens as God will shake, Heb. 12.26. spoken by a Jew (Paul) to the Jewes (the Hebrews) after Christs coming, and ascending. At which time of his presence in the flesh, though he shooke down the vaile, viz. at his passion, and gave the Temple a shake by Prophesie Matth. 24.1.2. &c. which tumbled it downe about forty yeers after his ascension, yet he had not to that time shaken downe the vaile off the Jewes heart, 2 Cor. 3. Nor hath he to this day, as sad experience testifies. No nor the Iewish worship in their Synagogues practised to this very time. Nor hath he set up things so as they must remaine, instead of the things that are shaken. Therefore Peters promise of new Heavens, wherein dwels righteousnesse, is yet unfulfilled. A phrase too short to reach so high as to advance the commendation of the [Page 125] Empyrean Heaven, as it is impertinent to tell us, that there shall dwell righteousnesse, where, we well know, was never any the least unrigh­teousnesse. We expect, and must expect by all circumstances upon that place, such a fulfilling of that Promise as shall create, or make new Heavens on Earth, wherein dwels righteousnesse here below, where formerly hath been unrighteousnesse. That place onely can be said to be made new with the inhabitation of righteousnesse, that formerly had no righteousnesse, or little left, it being worne out.

In like manner the same Peter, in 2 Ep. chap. 1. ver. 19. speaking of Christs Kingdome, referres us to the Old Testament, viz. Numb. 24.17. We have (saith he) a more sure word of PROPHESIE, where­unto yee doe well that yee take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a darke place, untill the day dawne, and the Day-star arise in your hearts; which is taken out of that of Numbers 24.17. There shal come a starre out of Jacob, &c. out of Jacob shal come he that shal have dominion, &c. At Christs Incarnation this Star Christ did arise on some of their hearts, when the Starre guided the Wise men to goe to the place of Christs birth, and there to worship him, and after, some few gleanings of people beleeved on him. But this while he was but as an evening Star; Peter saith now after his Ascention, that the time was yet to come that he should be a morning Star, a Sunne upon the hearts of the generality of the Jewes. And it were strange if any wise man should dreame, that at the same instant Christ should call the Jewes, and come to the last Judgement: That in the same moment the black cloud of the day of Doome should cover the world, and the Day­star of the Sonne of righteousnesse should arise on the numerous peo­ples of the Jewes, scattered in all Nations. Thus in Act. 3.20, 21. we are referred to the PROPHETS since the WORLD BEGAN to know, and hope for the visible Kingdome of Christ on earth, of which we speake. One of which Prophets (to speake nothing of Acts 3. having spoken so much in the second Booke) is Enoch, to whom Jude also referres us, ver. 14, 15. and quotes his words to supply the losse of his Book. Enoch the seventh from Adam prophe­sied, Behold, the LORD COMETH with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgement, and convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, and of all their HARD SPEECHES. Something is in that, that he is numbred a seventh from Adam, a type at least in that, that Christ should come in the seventh Millenary, or thousandth of the whole Age of the world, at furthest. Which seven thousandth is farre nearer then generally we account (as after, God assisting, shall be demonstrated) at which time, according to the common consent of the Jewish Talmud, and Rabbins, viz. R. Ketina, R. Schelomo, R. "Kimchi, &c. ‘He shal bring a destruction upon sinne, so as the world shal be refined from the curse, as Gold from the drosse, [...] and the Lord alone shal be exalted, Isa. 3. And he shal shake the earth as at a day of Iudge­ment, as Hag. 2.6, 7. and the Lord shall be for a King, or instead of a King, to, or over all the earth. Then according to Psal. 90. shal be a Sabbath of rest, for a thousand yeares.’ I give you their owne very [Page 126]words, phrases, and quotations; a sufficient Commentary on Enoch, who saith, the Lord shall come with Myriads of his Saints. Now after his Ascention Iude alledgeth Enoch, that the Lord shall come; he doth not say he shall goe away to Heaven, but he shal come from Hea­ven; And how? As a Iudge, to convince and punish all that have persisted to utter hard speeches against Christ, viz. against him himself, or against him in his Saints; and this must be before the ultimate Day of Judgement, or else what priviledge is it to the Saints) or, how is Christs power vindicated afore hee lay downe his power?

§. 3 So that you may perceive, that this matter in hand is an ancient Tenet, no new thing, as many ignorant of the Prophets make it, and wonder and talke against it. But we in obedience to Christ, do search into the Prophets, and as we are enlightned, and led, as overcome with the truth, so we have, and shall fol­low.

§. 4 There is a second reason, leading us into the enquiry of the Pro­phets, viz. that thereby we may search out the grounds upon which the Iewes build their expectation of the coming of the Messiah, and in what manner they expect his coming, that so we may joyne issue with them in knowledge, hope, and prayer, or otherwise, within our spheare, to help them forward, and the businesse it selfe, against all the opposers thereof. We all, both Jewes and Gentiles, that have been candid enquirers into the Scriptures have from the beginning looked for his further coming, Heb. 11. oft. By faith they saw the pro­mise afar off, and saluted them (so the Greek.) And by faith they saw him that was invisible, &c. when he came in the flesh, the generality of the Iewes saw him corporally, but not spiritually, viz. as a man, not as the Messiah. But the generality of the beleeving Gentiles saw him spiritually, nor corporally. The Jewes therefore still expect his com­ing, that they may see him both corporally and spiritually. And it will be no griefe for the Gentiles, that have seen him spiritually, to see him also corporally. And though he will not come againe to the Jewes to be made flesh, yet hee will come againe to them in the flesh. And this later will be more glorious then the former, the greater containing the lesser, radiating more effectually upon the Jewes, to a greater effusion of teares from them, and infusion of the spirit of Christs grace into them, Zech. 12. which John prefixeth to his Revelation, Chap. 1. v. 7. as the end, Catastrophe, and upshot in a great part of that Revelation, as the fitting of them to entertaine Christs appear­ance, and to enter into the New Jerusalem.

But this is not all. There is a third reason why we should looke into the Prophets of the Old Testament, there being the maine, and most Types, and Visions used in this Booke of the Revelation: I will at present give but one instance, but a most apt one to our businesse in hand, viz. that in Revel. 20.4. And I saw Thrones, and they that sate upon them, and judgement was given to them, &c. and they lived and reigned with Christ, &c. which cleerly is taken out of Dan. 7.9. &c. I beheld till the Thrones were set (so it should bee [Page 127]translated Our last Translat. have mistaken in translating it. The Thrones were cast downe. I suppose they therein tooke Thrones tropi­cally or figura­tively for pow­ers, and so they would make this sense of it, the powers (viz Mo­narchicall and their appendices) were cast down, But they were not al down, till after the Judiciary sitting, v. 11. v. 21, 22. Besides [...](as some Chalde copies write it) signifies material Thrones whereon the Potentates do sit, whether we make the noune to be [...] or [...] and [...] to be Hemantick, signifying, As it were (for the Talmud useth [...] or [...] to signifie a material Throne) or whether we make the noune to be [...] taking [...] for a radical, so it signifies sometimes, a material place wherein to exercise, or act a gift, faculty, or power. And [...] (as other Chalde copies write it), also signifies material Thrones, as [...] signifies a materiall Throne. So that every way materiall Thrones to sir in, are signified by the words in the Text; even as the next word [...] plainly signifies, were lifted up, advanced, or set up; so plainly, that I cannot in the least imagine, nor conjecture what shew of reason our last Translators had to render it, The thrones wore cast down. Our old Translation hath it, The Thrones were set up. And most justly: For whether we suppose the root to be [...] which signifies he lif [...]ed up, he exalted, or was made high, or exalted (to Schindler) or whether we make the [...]oot to be [...] or [...], as Pagnin, Arias Montanus, and Hutter affirme, which also signifies he elevated, he exalted, or he, or it was high or ele­vated (so Arias Montanus in Apparat. viz. Dict. Syro-chald.) still our old Translation is right, The Thrones wer set up. And so runs the stream of the most learned Translators in severall languages. Pagnin, and Arias Montanus, Throni clati sunt. The Latine called Hier [...]ms, Throni positi sunt, the Syriak, subs [...]llia posita esse. The Arab. ecce sides positae sunt. So the Greek Sept. [...]. Ti [...]dal in his English Translation, The seats were prepared. The best French Translation Interpretee par Jean Diodati hath it les Thrones fuerent posés. Protestant Bruccioli in his Ital. Translation, Furono portate siede, and in his Commentary makes his meaning more plain, Throni suro [...]o essal [...]ati. The best High-Dutch, or German Translation by Luther is, Stule gesekt wurden, i. e. The stools or seats were put. And so the last, and best Low-Dutch, Stoclen gesette [...] werden. So that by all it ap­pears that this was a vision of material Thrones, and of them set up, set, or setled for Divine power to sit upon, which is exceedingly confirm [...]d by verse 10. and 26. where wee have the sitting of the Judgement, or Judica­ture.) and the Ancient of dayes did sit, and I saw, and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him neer before him. And there was given him domi­nion and glory, and a KINGDOM &c. And the Kingdome and dominion, and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven was given to the Saints of the most High, &c. Let us (for the advantage of the ge­nerall worke in hand, and the particular point now under con­sideration) weigh these two places together in the semblance of both Visions, in the circumstances of both, and in the samenesse of intents in both.

¶. 1 In the semblance or likenesse of both Visions in sundry parti­culars. 1 Semblance; I beheld till the Thrones were set. And why Thrones in the plurall? And for whom? These many Thrones were set (in the Vision) ONE for the Ancient of dayes, whose Throne was like a siery flame, v. 9. ANOTHER for the SONNE OF MAN, who came to the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him neer before him, and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a Kingdome, and all people, Nations and Languages to serve him, v. 13, 14. THE REST for the TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSANDS THAT STOOD BEFORE HIM, verse 10. viz. The PEOPLE OF THE SAINTS to whom the Kingdome and dominion, &c. under the whole heaven was given (under Christ the aforesaid Son of Man) vers. 27. So Rev. 20.4. I saw Thrones. The Second semblance is, that in Dan. 7. v. 10. where it followes, The Judgement or Judicature was set, (which confirmes that our reading of the former verse) That is, the Judges sate as in the great Sanedrim, as after in vers. 26. and 27. The judgement sitting, the Kingdome, and dominion, and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven is given to the people of the Saints of the most high. In like manner in Rev. 20.4. it is said by John, I saw [Page 128](saith he) those that sate on the Thrones, viz. those that had been beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus, and those which had not worshipped the beast, &c. nor received his marke, &c. Third semblance is in Dan. 7.22. Iudge­ment was given to the Saints of the most High, and the time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdome. In like manner, Rev. 20.4. it is said, Judgement was given to them, viz. to the Saints aforesaid, that having opposed Antichrist, sate upon the Thrones. As Paul saith, 1 Cor. 6.2. The Saints shall judge the world. Fourth semblance, in Dan. 7.22. it is said, The Saints possessed the Kingdome (viz. under Christ, to whom it is first in order given, vers. 14.) which cannot be at the ultimate day of judgement, when hee resignes all, and therefore the Saints then have no Kingdome subject to them. Just so it is said, Rev. 20.4. The Saints lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeers; which must be before the ultimate day of Judgement, at which time Iohn saith, Time shall be no more, and Paul saith (1 Cor. 15.) there is no more reigning by any, but by God alone, that then must be all in all. Thus of the Semblance.

¶. 2 The next thing is the Circumstances, viz. 1 The signall, or note when this shall be, namely when the Sonne of man shall come in, or with the clouds, Dan. 7.13. In like manner, the signall, or note is in the Rev. Chap. 1.7. where it is said (as the general proposition to the whole Prophesie) Christ shall be seen in the clouds, at his coming to set up this Kingdome, which is explained according to our sense, Rev. 20. v. 1. That Christ comes down from heaven when he restraines Satan, and gives this honour to the Saints of reigning with him. 2 The time it self. The time is saith (Dan. 7.25.) after a time, and times, and halfe a time of the powerful prevayling of Antichrist (whether ye understand one limb, viz. the Iewish Eastern, the Turk, called vers. 24. that same ANOTHER that ariseth and subdueth three of the ten Kings, or both, viz. the Western, the Christians Antichrist also, viz. the Pope, expressed in the ten hornes or Kings of his Kingdome, v. 24. it makes no mat­ter, if we minde our large discourse afore of the identity of both.) And sutably in the Revelation 11. it is said, that after the witnesses have Prophesied in sackcloath one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes, because the Woman, the Church was persecuted by Anti­christ, Rev. 12.6. for the space of one thousand two hundred and sixty dayes, which in vers. 24. is called, A time, and times, and halfe a time, because Antichrist had power so long to prevaile, viz. two and forty months, Rev. 13.5. which is all one with the one thou­sand two hundred and sixty dayes, or time, and times, and halfe a time, as here meant in the Revelation; I say after this time and times, and halfe a time, it is here said in that Rev. 11.15. That the KING­DOMES of this WORLD were become the Kingdomes of the Lord, and of his Christ, and of the Saints sharing in this Reigning, vers. 18. The third circumstance is the order of things in this time, viz. That in Dan. 7. v. 3. &c. to v. 9. There must be foure Beasts come up from the Sea, 1 A Lyon; 2 A Bear; 3 A Leopard. 4 A terrible one with iron teeth, and ten hornes, and out of the ten, one little horne, that brake off three of the ten. The foure Beasts, saith Dan. v. 17. are the foure Kings, [Page 129]or Kingly-hoods, Royalties, Emperialties, or Monarchies of the world vers. 23. (as by severall characters they are described in that Chapter.) The ten hornes of the fourth Beast are, saith Dan. v. 24. ten Kings, that is, ten Kingdomes under him. All these foure Beasts fall, as the maine of the first by the second, and of the second by the third, so the maine of the third, and the remainder of all the three former, by the fourth, Dan. 7.19.23. The meaning is, that as the first, the Assyrio-Chaldean Monarchy, whereof Nebuchadnezzar was the Golden-head, in Daniels time, Dan. 2. was broken by the second, the silver Medo-Persian, so this second by the third, the brazen Gre­cian, and this Grecian, and the remainders of all the other, were ut­terly subdued by the fourth, the iron Roman Monarchy. From this Roman at the time when it was something weakned, by a dividing of it selfe now the third time, which was about An. Chr. 799. into the Easterne and Westerne Empire, Constantinople being the Royall Seat of Metropolis of that, and Rome of this, the little horne that sprang out of the ten, and became diverse from the rest, brake off three of the ten, (Dan. 7. v. 20.24.) that is, about the yeer one thousand,Bucholc. Ind. Chron ad an. 1009. Perio­dus Judaica in­quit Helvic. ad an. 950. cir­citer. after Christ, the Saracens tooke Hierusalem, and have held it to this day. And about the yeer after Christ one thousand foure hundred and fifty, Mahomet, alias Mahumete took Constantinople, where Constanti­nus Palaelogus, the last of the Grecian Emperours was utterly over­thrownBucholc. Ind. Chron. ad an. 1453. & inde (inquit) orien­tis imperium penes Turcas fuit. Sic Hel­vic. in Chro. At­que hinc (in­quit) imperium orientis prorsus ad Turcas tran [...]rit.. So that the Turke plucked up by the roots (that is wholly subdued to him) three of the ten Roman hornes or Kingdomes, to wit, Asia, Graecia, and Syria (of which Jury was a part) and became absolute Emperour of all the Easterne EmpireVid. Huet in Dan. 7. v. 8.. But as for the rest of the ten hornes of the fourth Beast, the Roman Empire, being the fourth Kingdome upon the earth, and diverse also from all the Kingdomes, it is said it devoures the residue of the whole earth (v. 23.) and shall tread it downe, and break it in peeces. And thus the seven Roman hornes, and the one Turkish Horn subduing three of the ten, shall go on in their dominions, to enslave the generality of the whole earth; blaspheming God, and making war with the Saints, untill a time, and times, and halfe a time be finished, v. 24, 25. And then (v. 26.) the Iudgement shall sit, and they, i. e. the aforesaid judgement, Iudicature, or Sessions, shall take a­way the said dominion, and shall give it (v. 27.) to the people of the Saints of the most High. Sutable to this Circumstance of order in Rev. 13. 1. &c. There is a Beast rising out of the Sea, that is the Roman Em­periality, or Empire, Antichristed or Papized, that answers to all those foure Beasts in Daniel 7. For this Beast is like a Lyon in his mouth, like a Beare in his feet, like a Leopard in his adorned shining skin, or faire outside: And for his head it is sevenfold, with ten hornes: which ten hornes (say the learned) grew all on one head, viz. the last of the seven heads, said to have ten hornes, because so at first, as we said but now (upon Dan. 7.) but it hath for continuance but se­ven hornes, because the Turk (the King of the bottomlesse pit, Rev. 9.1. to 12.) brake off three. Againe, as the Beast aforesaid in Dan. 7. must hurt but for a time, and times, and halfe a time, or dividing of times: So this Beast in this 13 of the Revelation that contains all [Page 130]foure Beasts in Dan. 7. (because it hath the evill qualities, and Ty­rannicall power of all those foure; And from this one, ariseth the other with one horne, breaking off three of the others ten) must continue, and have power to doe (mischiefe) two and forty months (vers. 5. of this 13. of Rev.) which two and forty months is made all one with a time, and times, and halfe a time, Rev. 12.14.

¶ 3 The last thing wherein the seventh of Dan. and Rev. the twen­tieth agrees is, in intents, viz. to set forth, that the Saints shall yet have a glorious Kingdome on earth, over which they shall (under Christ) there reigne. For seeing both visions agree in forme, and matter, and sense, who can doubt but they must intend the same thing. In that seventh of Dan. it is oft mentioned, and hinted in sundry passages, that the SONNE OF MAN must have the same Kingdome, or domi­nion, which all the foure Beasts had successively, and he must give it to the Saints, vers. 13, 14. I saw one like the Sonne of Man, and there was gi­ven him dominion and glory, and a Kingdome, that all People, and Na­tions, and Languages should serve him: His dominion is an everlasting Dominion ( [...] seculi saith Arias, and oft signifies but for a long time) expounded presently, everlasting, that is, shall not be destroyed, that is, by any other earthly Monarch, as the other foure destroyed one another, vers. 17, 18. The foure great Beasts are foure Kings (expoun­ded here, and verse 24. Kingdomes) which shall arise out of the earth: But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdome, and possesse the Kingdome (which the other foure Beasts had successively v. 19, 20, 21.) the same is repeated againe with applications of the type or vi­sion, v. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. All which was never yet fulfilled; nor can the ultimate judgement be a time for it. In like manner, Rev. 20. Christ comes DOWN from heaven, v. 1. and chaines up the Devil, and for a thousand yeers. To what end? Not for a state of glory in the highest heavens above, as all those passages testifie: But that the Saints may rise and reigne with Christ a thousand yeers (on earth, as it is expresse, Rev. 5.10. as a part of the proposition to the whole Re­velation; that, and Chapter 1.7. making up the whole) I say to reigne in New Jerusalem, which to that end also comes down from heaven, Chapter 21.1. and so long to reigne, as till Satan bee let loose againe to seduce the Nations, that the ultimate judgement begins, verse 7. to the end of the Chapter. So that what domi­nion the King of the bottomlesse pit had Rev. 9.1. &c. to hurt for five months; and what dominion the Beast had for two and forty months Rev. 13. and both under Satan, while he was loose, that very same in pure substance, though not in the evill quality, the Saints must have under Christ. So that where the Saints were hurt, beheaded and perse­cuted, even there they must rise, and reigne under Christ a thousand yeers, v. 4. of this 20. of Rev.

§. 6 Thus you see there is great reason why we should looke into the Old Testament, as well as into the New, for this glorious estate of the Church yet to be on earth. Where note for conclusion of this third Section, That as God gave the Church in the Old Testament a glori­ous temporal estate on earth, as well as a spirituall, viz. That in Pa­radise [Page 131]on earth, so by the like reason he will give both to the Church of the New Testament on earth, described in Revel. 21, &c. as a second Paradise on earth. For the New Testament must not be inferi­our, but rather better then the Old, only with this difference, The Old Testament-Church (being then but in its infancie, had the tem­porall first, as a type of the Spirituall. The New Testament Church must have the Spirituall first, and the Temporall last, being then made compleatly up, and unto a perfect man according to the stature of Christ, Ephes. 4.

SECT. IV.

§. 1 AS Saint Iohn fetcheth in the Notions of the terrestriall Para­dise to describe New Hierusalem, (of which Revel. 21.) or (which is all one) the glorious state of the Church that it shal have on earth before the last Judgement, Revel. 22. or else we shall make John to speake impertinently, for in supreame glory is no need of a river of water, or of streets, or of a tree of Life, or of twelve sorts of fruit, one for each month, or of leaves to heale the Nations, or to make him speake untruly, if any would turne it to an Allegory, of a fountaine of Do­ctrine, or of more and fresh effusions of the Spirit, or of Christ, to beare any further fruit, he there laying downe all, 1 Cor. 15.28.) even so the Prophet David falls upon a divine meditation of the estate of Adam in innocency, to compose a Propheticall Psalme of praise, for what God would doe for his people on earth before the ulti­mate end of the world, as the Apostle Paul expounds him in the place aforesaid.

§. 2 Should seem, that though some things by Adams fall were irre­coverably lost, in specie, in their proper kind (though not vertually and equivalently) as mans freedome from corporall death, yet other things, as this dominion of man over all things was not so forfeited, but that in Christ first or last it is recovered. And therefore though David knew full well Adams fall, as appeares by Psal. 51.5. yet looking upon the SONNE OF MAN Christ in this Psalme, he holds up his head and heart, and sings out shrilly this praise, in this Psalme of hope, that this dominion shall be made good to man on earth to the utmost.

§. 3 For surely there is no imagining of this state to be of Saints in the highest Heavens, that there they should have dominion over the Beasts, Fishes, and Fowls, or over wicked men properly that are then in the infernal Lake, wholly under the sole power of the Prince of Darknesse; and this was not performed on earth unto Davids time, who from his youth, to his end, was ever and anon in danger of Beasts, or beastiall men, of the Lion, and the Beare, of Goliah, of Saul, of Absolom, of forreigne enemies, &c. Nor was it ever since fulfilled, but that the Saints (the Members of the SONNE OF MAN) have been at the same passe, for the generall, with David, or worse, as we have, and shall heare abundantly.

§. 4 Yet this must be fulfilled visibly on earth, as saith the Psalmist in this eighth Psalme, so as the enemy and avenger among men must bee stilled, ver. 2. And all the Creatures subdued, as it is in the rest of the Psalme, and both so as that the Saints mouthes may be full of praise, according to the forme of this Psalme, and this must be fulfilled too, visibly on earth, saith the Apostle in the said second of Hebrewes, Un­to the Angels saith he, ver. 5. God hath not subjected THE WORLD TO COME, of which WE SPEAKE. No, for they are charged to be in subjection to Christ, chap. 1. ver. 6. Nor hath God said to any of [Page 133]the Angels, sit thou at my right hand, Mat. 24.14 Luke 2.1 Luke 4.5 Luk. 21.26 Acts 11.28 Act. 17.6 Act. 17.31 Act. 19.27 Act. 24.5 Rom. 10.18 Hebr. 1.6 Heb. 2.5 Rev. 3.10 Rev. 12.9 Rev. 16.14 untill I make thine enemies thy foot­stool, ver. 13. but this must be fulfilled on earth, to men in Christ through him. For the Apostles first phrase in that fifth verse of the second Chapter, [...], is spoken with great em­phasis, with a double emphaticall Article, sounding as we speake in English, THAT SAME world, even THAT that is TO COME, and yet still meaning a state on earth: for the word [...] (rendered world) in propriety of signification, signifies the inhabited world, as men inhabite their dwelling houses ( [...] an house being of the Kindred of the world) and in common use, it is put to signifie the world on earth; yea so used by the Holy Ghost in the New Testament at least fifteen times,The Greek is, [...] &c. The word [...] being the first Aor. of subj. mood, (as I conceive) hath the signi­fication of a suture. Of this place of Scrip­ture see more in this third Book, chap. 2. Sect. 10. and sometimes in those places earth is adjoy­ned, for plainer expression, yea used so to signifie the world on earth in most of the said places, as thereby to meane the Roman Monarchy; the Romans then ruling the whole earth, when the Apostles wrote, as in two of those places (viz. Luke 2.1. Act. 11.28.) the Roman Emperour is expressed by name. Yea lastly, so constantly used in the New Testament by the Apostles, so to signifie as hath been said, that it is never used to signifie the supreamest Heaven, even as it would have been most unapt for such a signification. So that put all the A­postles first phrase in Heb. 2.5. together, and the inhabited world to come can signifie no other, but that the Monarchy on earth in the A­postles time under the Romans should be hereafter, before the last Judgement, the Monarchy of Christ, or of the Saints under him. Which the second phrase of our Apostle, viz. of WHICH WEE SPEAKE, doth more explaine and demonstrate. For where did the Apostle speake afore of that world to come, as he intimates in this relative speech, but in Heb. 1. ver. 6. which being read ingenuously, and with an honest plainnesse of interpretation, according to the GreekOur Transla­tors in putting AND after the word saith, doe goe against common sense, against the propriety of our English, against the contexture of the Greek, and against the He­brew text, whence it is quoted. Is it not against common sense, and the idiom of our English to speake thus in a recitall of anothers words, He saith, or he said AND so and so? What more ri­diculous then for us, about to tell the words of another man then to make And the first word of the recitall. In a History of the Old or New Testament, it is a common thing to bring in a party with And he said, but in a quotation it is not tol­lerable. And tis against the contexture of the Greek, wch plainly runs thus; [...], which as rendred afore, runs smoothly; but as our Translatours render, and place the order of words of the whole verse, they do with a vaine tautalogie, as it were joyne to saith two ENDS, for it runs thus, AND againe he saith, AND; Lastly, our Translatours intimate, as if the latter AND were in the Hebrew, whereas there is no such thing. For the whole place in Psal. 97.7, is to to a word thus: Confounded he all they that serve graven Images, that boast them­selves of Idols, WORSHIP HIM ALL YEE GODS. runs thus; But when AGAINE he bringeth in, or shall bring in the first begotten sonne into the WORLD, he saith; Whence they that will grant us least, will yeeld thus much, that would in Heb. 2.5. must signifie the world on earth, or else they utterly overthrow the Apostles reference there, The world to come OF WHICH WE SPEAKE. But we must by their favour inferre more, viz. that in this, Heb. 1.6. is mention of the same world to come on earth, else how doth the Apostle, chap. 2.5. speake all that [For unto the An­gels hath he not put in subjection the world to come] in forme of a repeti­tion of what he had said afore of the selfe-same matter, which hee no where afore mentions, unlesse in chap. 1. ver. 6. viz. BUT when AGAINE he bringeth in the first begotten into the WORLD, he saith ALSO, or in LIKE MANNER, or LIKEWISE, Let all the An­gels of God worship him; For our Translators have very untowardly, and incongruously put and placed, AND, between saith, and let; † as [Page 134]they have needlesly, if not prejudiciously to the genuine sence of the verse, put And at the beginning, and altered the order of words of the Greek, which if kept, as we have followed it in our translating, runs exceeding smoothly. Some dictate to us, that A­gaine must be referred to saith, not to bringing in; I would, if pos­sible, they had also demonstrated it, to have saved our labour of de­monstrating the contrary. The first AND (seeing they translate it And) would serve one would thinke to signifie againe he saith. For more surety they have put two Ands, but it is safest for us to keep close to the Originall (having chap. 2. ver. 5. with many other texts to hold analogie) which fluently runs (as we said) But when againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith likewise, Let all the Angels of God worship him; As to signifie Christs coming a­gaine into the world to come on earth, after the ruine of Antichrist, and all his adherents, as we say, the Old and New world, which was di­stinguished by the Floud ruining the ungodly, whiles the race of vi­sible Saints still lived. And if all that I have spoken in the Text and Margine doe sufficiently evince, with ponderating unprejudica­ted men, that so (as aforesaid) the Text is rightlier read; then the Quere will be, when did God ever to this day bring his first begot­ten Sonne into the world Againe? when the ninety seventh Psalm was pend, Christ had not been brought in at all in the flesh into the world (even as [...] signifies, as led by the hand.) And when the Epistle to the Hebrewes was pend, Christ had been brought into the world but once, never since, againe. And for the heavenly Angels of God, they did worship him at his first coming, attending, serving, and admiring his Incarnation (Luke 2.) Temptation (Mark 1.13.) Resurrection (Mat. 28.) Dispensation of the Gospel (1 Pet. 1.12,) and Ascention (Acts 1.) Christ said, he could have twelve Legions of An­gels at his command; but [...] Angel in the Revelation signifies also Men-Angles, that is, Magistrates (as well as Ministers) so viz. the Angelicall Potentates, Kings, Emperours, Judges, and Powers over men, as the word [...] Elohim (Psal. 97.7. quoted by the Apo­stleSee more, Sect. 10. §. 2.) signifies the same (Psal. 82.1.) so that according to the lati­tude of the words, and the designe of God, all human Principalities, Powers, and Dominions, must submit to Christ, and his Saints under his conduct, command, or government, as well as the Angels then shall give him a more visible and fuller honour; the Saints being made [...] are made able to see it.