Oukoumenåe melloåosa, the world to come, Heb. 2, 5, or, The doctrine of the Kingdom of God and his Christ to come on earth ... tendred in the mean-time out of faith in his own soul and love towards all men ... / by W.S. ...

Here Reader observe as to the first Part of the general Title-page, — That according to the reference before,

FIrst the said Doctrine is proved—In the Principles or Foun∣dations of it, contained in the foresaid four parts, which are these following:

First, The Prodromos or Fore-runner, consisting of seventeen Thesis of D vinity, leading in the said Doctrine, pag. 9, 10, 11, 12. and of some useful occasional Letters and Papers there set down, whereunto reference is afterwards often fitly made in the ensuing parts.

The second is the Irenicon, or the peaceable consideration of Christs peaceful Kingdom on Earth to come, chiefly proving from Scripture, and many sorts of Arguments, that such a Kingdom and state of things shall be in the world, upon a seven-fold foundation, set down in the beginning thereof. Whereunto is added an Appen∣dix of the first blessed Resurrection of the Just, Rev. 20.6, to be in the time of Christs said Reign with his Saints on Earth.

The third is intituled, The Parallel of the Prophetical Visions of Da∣niel, for after-times, and of the Revelation of Jesus Christ; respecting and unfolding the matters of the same times, very briefly and divinely couched before in Daniel's said Visions, to be shut up and sealed unto the time of the end, i. e. until Christ came, who afterwards by his so wonderful giv ng the Book of Revelation to the Evangelist St. John, opened and unsealed them, and gave them a special command not to seal them any longer, Rev. 22.10. Which said Parallel was the fourth thing propounded to be considered in this subject, in the second page of the Irenicon, and afterwards, as an Additional thereof, was anne∣xed to it, to make up that part of the said Irenicon, as containing the main ground thereof, both from that greatly beloved Prophet Daniel in the Old Testament, and the beloved Disciple John in the New: To prepare for which Parallel (being of so very great concernment in the said Doctrine) first there is set down an abridgement of the chief Prophetical Visions of Daniel, wherein are comprised the times, fates, and successions of the four Mettle. Kindgoms or Monarchies, Dan 2. and of the four Beasts, Dan. 7. in substance the same; yet each being not only a strong confirmation, but also an inlargement, and in some things an explication of the other, as in both the summa∣ry of Daniel, and in the Parallel is to be observed. Also a like A∣bridgment of the Revelation, was to such purpose before set down,

Chap. 5. pag. 26, 27, 28. of the Irenicen, to be compared with the Let∣ter to Mr. Cal. May 20. 1664 pag. 22, 23, &c. of the Prodromos: and last of all, to such parpose thereto is prefixed the Scheme of the whole Book of the Revelation, and a summary of Daniel's Visions, further to make the way more plain to so useful a part as the Parallel may prove to such as with these or the like helps may further and more fully (by Gods goodness) improve it hereafter, as there is great rea∣son and divine engagement for Christians so to do, Rev 1.3. & 22.10.

Fourthly, The last part consisting chiefly of 3•• useful Observati∣ons to understand mystical Prophesies, with answers to sundry Obje∣ctions made by some persons against these Doctrines, which being of ••••••••ddle nature, subservient to both the said Principles and Pract cals, they are now conjoyned with the latter: And unto the said Princi∣ples is presixed in the stead thereof, The Word written, or eight con∣vineing Arguments for these Truths, set in the first place, before the Prodromos or Forerunner, as containing a short Abridgment of much Divine Truth of this nature, &c.

And Secondly, The said Doctrine is improved to many good purposes in the Practicals.

The first whereof is the Treatise upon Gen. 3.15. The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head. The Abridgment of which, as the first part of the Everlasting Gospel, with the Treatise also, are presixed before the rest.

The second part of which everlasting Gospel being the second Pra∣ctical piece, given by God the Son and the Holy Ghost, is contained in a Tract upon Rev. 22.20. Behold I come quickly: Amen: Even so come, Lord Jesus. Setting forth the different names, times, natures and purposes of Christs second coming at the beginning of the thou∣sand years, Rev. 19.11. And of his descending from Heaven at the sounding of the last Trump, at the general Rapture and Change of all the Saints, when the little space of Satans losing is ended, and the last Gog and Magog destroyed by fire from God out of Heaven, after the thousand years, when he shall come to sit on the great white Throne, and Heaven and Earth shall flee away before his face, and no place be found for them, Rev. 20.11. And all wicked men shall be rai∣sed to be judged, and the irrevocable Sentence in Gods order shall be passed upon Good and Bad to all Eternity. Unto which are adjoyned nine Uses of the same Doctrine.

The third practical piece is on Jer. 3.17. At that time Jerusalem shall be called the Throne of the Lord, and all Nations shall come to the Name of the Lord at Jerusalem: Which is now placed after the afore∣said

Observations and Answers to Objections, as being the Topstone of this Doctrinal Edifice, and which will reach at length to the high∣est Heavens.

And now, Prudent Christian Reader, I hope thou wilt indulge me in some matters thy just excuse; for though some are clear and evi∣dent from sundry Texts of holy Scripture, yet others are only proba∣ble, and some but meerly conjectural (as was fore-advertised, Prodrom. pag 44.) and consequently the grounds thereof are suitably either evi∣dent, probable, or conjectural only: Whence it will be imprudence and unequal judging, to reject many evident truths of this nature, be∣cause of some other mistaken conjectures: But having long since set to sail in such a vast and rough sloating Ocean, wherein it was to be expected (notwithstanding any hoped advantage) I was like to be much tossed with various winds and tempests, before I could look to atrive at the Cape of good Hope: and being also to travel far in a much untraced Wilderness, or which was worse, to fall into such Ma∣zes and Meanders wherein many have lost themselves; yet since that such a Wilderness was my way to come to the promised Land; though the Cloud by day, and the Pillar of Fire by night, did not always ap∣pear to go before me; yet I may not say but that I have in a gracious manner many times found their guidance: But yet have met with ma∣ny Amalakites, Moabites, and Ammonites, to hinder my passage thi∣ther; besides the Sons of Anak, and also the stinging siery Serpents, which caused me often to look up to the true Brazen Serpent, for my needful cure: VVhereupon I have by comfortable experience found, That Creature Obstructions have sometimes proved to me Gods In∣structions; and some mens hindrances have often (to them unwitting∣ly) produced Gods help for me, who by remarkable Providences hath many times turned great seeming difficulties to real useful advantages: Otherwise I could not have hoped so far by faith to have seen the New Jerusalem's Beauty and Blessedness on Earth, (as they Heb. 11. and as now through the mercy and goodness of my God, is here offered to thy view: [To which haply much may be added, if God give oppor∣tunity, by Explications or Discourses] VVherein I hope I my self, with the many ten thousands and ten times ten thousands of saithful Christians shall attain a long lasting habitation as appointed of God, In that time The Tabernacle of God shall be with men upon Earth Rev. 21. &c. where we shall all behold Christs glory, which the Father hath given him, and he to them, by his last VVill and Testament, John 17.24. when the said Lamb shall be the Light of that City. To

which I groundedly by faith say, Amen. For confirmation where∣of, for others benefit, I desire still to be by all good means subser∣vient,

Septemb. 11. 1671.

W. S.

Of the XII fore-named Foundations of the said Doctrine, in the second part of the general Title-page believed: — As being,

I. FIrst promised by God the Father, Gen. 3.15. as the most emi∣nent breaking of the Serpents [Satans] Head, both natural, (as I may say) and politick, of his Craft and Dominion, when all his former Babylonish Designs shall be defeated and utterly destroyed; which was, saith the Apostle John, 1 Epist. 3.8. one end of Christs coming into the world, to destroy the works of the Devil; which in an especial manner will most evidently and powerfully be done, when Christ comes from the right hand of the Father, whither (as that No∣bleman in the Gospel, Luke 19.) he went at his ascention into Heaven, te receive his Kingdom, and to return, as he himself speaketh; to wit, when he will so come, and in such wonderful manner make his foes his footstool; until which said time he will continue there, ac∣cording to that Divine Oracle so frequently mentioned and improved in the New Testament, Psal. 110.1, &c. Sit thou on my right hand un∣til I make thy soes thy sootstool: VVhere, as the Apostle saith, he sits still, expecting till his foes are made his footstool, Heb. 10.13. which at Christs said coming in the Clouds will most certainly and powerful∣ly be accomplished above 1000 years before the last Resurrection and General Judgment, as is most orderly set down in that divine and glo∣rious Revelation to St. John, Chap. 19 11. & Chap. 20. to v. 11. when he will cause his most proud and mighty foes to hide themselves again in the holes of the Rocks, as in some measure in Constantines ruining of the Paganish Powers, Rev. 6.15.16, 17, was terribly fulfilled: but at the last ruine of the most abominably tyrannous Kingdom of the Beast and false Prophet, at the appearance of Christs said Coming and Kingdom will much more terribly by himself be accomplished, 1 Thes. 2.8. 2 Tim 4.1. As then the Prophet Isaiah twice of those times confirms the terrour of it, Chap 2. verse 19, 21. That the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of man shall be made low,

and the Lord alone be exalted in that day, when he wid utterly abolish Idols, that they may go into the holes of the Rocks, and into the caves of the Earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the Earth: And the forcible efficacy of this his Prophecy he again further illustrates and confirms verse 20, 21. Yet observe though he saith there, He will shake terribly the Earth, twice; yet he saith not that then he will utterly destroy the world, which nei∣ther will be till the said 1000 years, and little space of Satans loosing, be afterwards fulfilled, as Rev. 20.8, 9, 10, &c. But then the Lord, as the Psalmist speaks, will send the Rod of his strength out of Sion, and he shall then rule in the midst of his Enemies, Psal. 110.6, &c. and smite 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Head, not Heads (as translated) of divers Countreys, viz. the Pope or Turk, (or both, as making in several respects the whole Antichrist of the latter times) but much more upon the said Text Gen. 3.15. may be observed to the same pourpose in the Treatise thereupon.

II. Secondly, Prophesied of by Enoch in the Old VVorld, Jude 14, 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungedly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their un∣godly speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. VVhere observe how general he declares this Judgment shall be in the issue of it; and then how throughly he will discover ungodly men, though now they hide themselves in the Crowd, and for a time towards godly men shift off and excuse and hide their ungodliness, yet then Christ will convince themselves which were the concealers and hiders; and not some few only, or many, but all of them; and not of few, or only some sorts or numbers of their deeds, but of all their ungodly deeds; nor only of the substance of them, but of all the circumstan∣ces and aggravations of them, as ungodlily committed by them; and not onely of their deeds, but of their words also, yea of their most secret thoughts subservient to both; for they shall be convinced of them, which conviction will reach the most secret workings of their spirits; and both and all in the most large extent, whatever hath been done or spoken against him, that is Christ, whereby mens sins are most hainously aggravated many ways, though they little at present consi∣der it; but in Christs execution of Judgment upon all in his own or∣der, manner and time, they must know all these.

This excellent Prophecy seems to have been handed in a wonderful way of gracious divine Providence from Enoch to the Apostle Jude, by whose hand Christs spirit hath made it to become holy Scripture. And

it is no marvel that God should so preserve that Prophecy of the last times and things, since he would, for the warning of all, have all his Prophets witness thereto, as his Spirit in the Apostle Peter manifest∣ed Acts 3.20, 21. As (saith he) he spake by the mouth of all his holy Pro∣phets since the world began; He would not have even the old wicked world without such an eminent warning: nor such as godly Enoch then to be without the comfort of that Deliverer of his people then to come, to recompence their sufferings for him with a suitable happiness with him afterwards, as the Apostle Paul declareth, 2 Tim. 2.12. for his said coming then is to both those purposes, wherein the same Spi∣rit could enlighten such as Enoch then, as he did Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah, afterwards, who by their faith saw those Promises afar off, while they lived on earth, which they believed to see accomplished in their due time, Heb. 11.13. viz. which will be at the said coming of the Lord with ten thousand of his Saints, and at the Resurrection of the Just (as Isa. 26.14, 19) which as it will be the year of the Lords re∣compence to take vengeance on the wicked (quick) by a sudden de∣struction to send them to hell; so also of recompence to the godly, to whom they will be times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and of the restitution of all things, for their real good and comfort in all that God hath before promised or revealed to such purpose, Act. 3.19, 20, 21. though particular Saints have not or may not in many things attain to the knowledge of them, nor (haply) any one shall in many things more till the fruition of them: Even as the most knowing be∣fore Christs coming, knew not of many things done at that his com∣ing, as of the Star, the Shepherds, of Herod's trouble at his birth, nor the earthquake, darkness, the cleaving of the Vail of the Temple, or dead Saints rising at his death, &c. (besides the many things which happened in his life) although much more of these last times since our Saviour ascended (as he said a little before it, Acts 1.8 ••is now reveal∣ed of his second coming, as also was before in the Old Testament con∣cerning the same, than at any time was of his first, as is easily to be observed, &c.

III. Thirdly, Foretold by Jacob in the New World, Gen. 49. who verse 1. speaketh of things to be in the latter or postremity of days; which is especially applicable to what he ••aith afterwards, vers 10, 11, 12. in his Prophecy of Judah, to which Tribe is therein ascribed the preheminence with plenty and peace (as is therein manifest) chiefly to be enjoyed after Shilo's coming, to whom the gathering of the peo∣ple should be, but most especially in their greatest gatherings, when Jews and Gentiles shall rejoyce together (most eminently) as Deut.

32.43. is by Moses also foretold to be in the latter or postremity of days; of which times also our Saviour saith, There shall be one sheep∣fold under himself that one Shepherd of them both, John 10.16.

IV. Fourthly, Wonderfully and graciously manifested by Balaam's Parable, not being an holy Prophet, as others Acts 3.21. but a Sorce∣rer, hired by Balaak King of Moah to curse Gods People, who turn∣ed his attempting of the worst of Cursings into the choicest of Bles∣sings to them; giving him thereby to know, That there was no en∣chantment against Jacob, neither any divination against Israel: for Satan cannot hurt those whom God undertakes to preserve, as Numb. 23.20, 22. But when he had further tried his Enchantments, Chap. 24, he is further in special forced to pronounce greater blessings for them. vers. 6, 7, 8, 9. saying, How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob, and thy Taber∣nacles, O Israel! But being further urged by Balaak, he shews what that People should do against his People in the latter days; and then vers. 17. falls upon the coming of the Messiah far off, saying, I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite all the Corners of Moab, and destroy all the Children of Sheth, and Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his Enemies, and Is∣rael also shall do valiently: And verse 19. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have Dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth in the City, &c. But after all, he comes to the last terrible times, verse 23, 24. saying, Alas who shall live when God doth this! And vers. 24. he fore-tells ships shall come from the coasts of Chittim; which Mr. Mede evidently shews to be meant of the Roman Navy coming from Italy, and are so appli∣ed in the order of accomdlishment by Daniel, Chap. 11.30. and then declares what the Romans shall do, viz. They shall afflict Ashur, and shall afflict Eber, which they have long done; but since they were to be the last Oppressor of the Jews, he further adds, And he also shall perish for ever, or shall go into perdition, as is otherwise expressed by the holy Ghost, Rev. 17 8. that is, the Roman Monarchies being the last, shall utterly be ruined when Christ shall destroy the man of sin, when all wicked and tyrannous Dominion shall utterly cease, and the Kingdom of the Stone shall becom a great Mountain filling the whole Earth; when that Star, and that Scepter, and that Dominion he spake of be∣fore, verse 17, 19. which are often in Scripture afterwards spoken of, shall continue for ever, viz. to the end of the world. These things are obvious, I shall not therefore here insist further on them.

V. Fifthly, Typified first by one pair of partial Types in the Old World, secondly by three partial pairs in the New.

First the said pair of partial Types in the Old World, are

• Enoch's ascending, shewing the bginning of the Kingd••m of the Stone, at Christs ascention into Heaven, Dan. 2 34. And
• Noah's saving his by the Ark, shews how Christ at the general Rap∣ture of all Saints, as the true Ark will save them, when all wicked men shall perish at the finishing of the Kingdom of the Mountain, Dan. 2 33.

First, Enoch was a Type of Christ in his walking with God, who (as the Apostle saith, Heb. 11.5.) before his Translation had this Testi∣mony, That he pleased God, and therefore was translated that he should not see death, in a wonderful manner, Body and Soul, in a way un∣known to man, into an ever-blessed and happy condition: Even as Christ having fulfilled the work God gave him to do on earth, and fulfilled all the wills of his heavenly Father, in the Body which he gave to him, Heb. 10.5, 7, 8, 9. who therefore had this Testimony from the Father, That he was his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased, Matth. 3.17. and after all things were done in order by him, to the last finishing of the work of Redemption, and the witnessing of his Re∣surrection from the dead to his Apostles, and other faithful Witnes∣ses thereof, he then ascended visibly into Heaven, in the sight of his Disciples, Acts 19. Luke 24.51. which was his eminent beginning of the Kingdom of the Stone, which is the first state thereof; when he so triumphed gloriously over all the spiritual Powers of Darkness, as the Apostle teacheth, Col. 2.15 so leading Captivity captive, to give his Kingly Divine Gists unto men.

Secondly, Noah also, that Preacher of Righteousness, as he is sti∣led Heb. 11. may be added unto Enoch, being another partial Type of Christ; Kingdom in the second state of it, or the Kingdom of the Mountain; who by faith (saith the Apostle Heb 11.) performed that Princely or Kingly service, to make the Ark in the sight of that wick∣ed Generation in the Old World, that after perished by the Flood, thereby to save himself and all his Relations that entred with him into it: So Christ, who shall be called (saith the Prophet Jeremiah, Chap. 23) by his Church, The Lord our Righteousness, and hath long sent

abroad the Preachers of his Righteousness into the wicked World, who regardeth it not: when the time of their perishing at last shall in∣evitably come upon them by a deluge of fire, as it did on the old world by water: He will himself become at that time the true Ark prepared for all his true Members united spiritually unto him, at the general Rapture or Change of all the Saints, when the wicked remaining on Earth shall all perish at the worlds lost destruction by fire, where all the other shall abide with Christ, in the greatest safety and security, above all worldly dangers sufferings, or changes, even when the Hea∣vens and Earth shall be dissolved for ever.

VI. Sixthly, Again also typi∣fied by three pairs of partial Types in the New world.

• First of the Kingdom of the Stone,
  • First, In Abraham, towards the first times of the new world.
  • Secondly, In Moses his Conduct from Egypt, and in the Wilder∣ness afterwards.
  • Thirdly, In David's Conquest and Kingdom which God set up and gave him.
• Secondly of the Kingdom of the Moun∣tain,
  • First, In Melthisedeck King of Sa∣lem, that is, King of Peace.
  • Secondly, In Joshua's Conduct of Gods People into the promised Land.
  • Thirdly, In Solomon's peaceful Kingdom, the immediate Seed of David's Loyns.

First, In the New world God said a new foundation with Abraham of Christs Kingdom, in his free Covenant with him, to be his God, and the God of his Seed, which the Apostle saith was one, namely Christ, Gal. 3.16. and by no other way was Abraham capable of that mercy, that God should become his God: Indeed God both promised and bestowed many Benefits and Priviledges upon Abraham's, Isaac's, and Jacob's natural Seed, upon the renewing or repeating of the sub∣stance of that Covenant; but all upon that Foundation-Truth where∣in their Souls were divinely illuminated, that the Son of God should become the Son of Abraham in a wonderful divine manner, and so by him in a spiritual way of grace, such his Children by faith should be∣come the Sons of God; and both he and they by such a way of faith

and grace, should inherit all the promises, as the Spirit of God revea∣led and parposed so to fulfil them: And therefore the Apostle Heb. 11. doth remarkably shew how Abraham, Isaa••, Jacob, and Sarah, by such illuminat on of their Souls, saw afar off by faith the promises to be fulfilled in Christs Kingdom, and at the Resurrection of the Just: when Abraham shall be heir of the world actuaily, which he was but onely by faith whilst he lived in the world, as he also teacheth, Rem. 4.13. and ••nely from that ground all Gods Servants are interessed in any ••••mpora. Promises or Blessings. And in such time of his living but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Abraham was a great conquerour of his Enemies, when he d••••vered his Brother Lot and his house, and those with him, from there Kings that carried them Captives. So Christ whilst he is fulfil∣ling the Covenant m••de with the Faithful, he is a great Conquerour, and delivereth all his Prethren, whose flesh he took, from their nature, and gives them his Spirit from his own Divine Nature, which mak••s them ne••••ly related to him, and dearly beloved of him, and in whose behalf and for whose deliverance he did not onely venture himself, as Abraham did for Lot and his, but actually suffered death, to deliver them from their spiritual bondage and erernal misery.

The other of this first pair of partial Types in the first times of the New World, is Melchisedeck, who is not improbably conceived to be Shem the eldest Son of Noah, who both of them lived in both the Old and the New Worlds; by both holding out unto us the Eternity of God the Father and the Son, from whom the Worlds deliverance was fully in time to be accomplished. But Melchisedeck, as also Abraham, was both a Priest and King; even as Abraham, who seemed not onely to be a King by his said Conquest, but a Priest••n offering his Son Isa∣ac, whom (saith the Apostle) he received again from death in a figure, and was then appointed really to offer the Ram in the Bush in his stead; and was also said in some sence to be a Prophet, to pray for Abimelech, Gen 20.7. Also Melchisedeck was Priest of the most high God, without Father and without Mother (then known in Abraham's days) typifying the eternal Priesthood of Christ after his order, Heb. 7. and also King of Salem, that is, King of Peace; typifying also there∣by Christ the great King of the New Jerusalem, to come from God out of Heaven, (as he stile, himself, Matth. 5.) which as the Son and Heir of Abraham, doth also according to Gods Covenant belong un∣to him; and sion it, it is very observable, that Christs Office and Ti∣tle to his Kingdom is cont••aally confirmed and renewed in all the re∣newed Promises and Types made by God to and by the faithful fore∣Fathers successively; as also Melchisedeck is here expresly said to be

King of Salem, an evident Type of Christ the great King of Jerusa∣lem, (as was said) who doth and will bless his People with all desira∣ble peace, as Melchisedeck blessed Abraham returning with the spoi••s from the slaughter of the said Kings; as Christ will also more fully confirm to them, when all his and their Foes are made his foot∣stool.

Secondly, Christs Kingdom in the said two-sold state of it, was evidently deciphered in Moses his Conduct of Israel out of Egypt, and in the Wilderness; and then by Joshua's Conduct into Canaan: But Christ, to answer both, doth not onely spiritually, by his Death, Re∣surrection and Ascertion, deliver his Israel, and leave them then in their Wilderness condition; but as the true Joshua also, or JESƲS, will save them from all evil, and from all their enemies, Luc. 1. and bring them into possession of the heavenly Canaan, as it is stiled Heb. 3. being the City whose Builder and Maker is God, prepared for the faithful fore-fathers Heb. 11.

And first for Moses, who was then stiled King in Jesurun, as to Christs Ch rches first sta••e, during the Kingdom of the Stone, set up by his first coming, Dan. 2.34. In respect of which, though Moses, as the Apostle Paul speaketh, was faithful in all Gods House, Heb. 3.2. yet but as a Servant and M••nister of the Lord, the Antitype; for he made or gave no Laws (then) of his own to Gods people, but what he received from God for them; nor executed Judgment in extraordina∣ry cases, but by Gods direction as in the gathering sticks on the Sab∣bath day. But Christ was as a Son (when he came) in his own House, Heb. 5.6. whose House his People are: What Gospel Moses taught Israel, or set before them (then) was but in the ••ype, till the t••me of Reformation, Heb 9.10. till Christ put an end to a••l typical worship: Bu•• Moses could not bring them to the promised Rest, that he left for Jos••ua to perform: So all the life and substance of all Moses ••ypes and Ceremon••s was onely to be sound in Christ; He the true and onely Son of God, carr••ed ••ll those things to their full and perfect end, who will be the true peace and rest of his People in the Land of the Li∣ving (as that World to come, Heb. 2 5. is most properly so stiled) where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must then live again, with all the Faithful in their order and time.

But that latter stare of Christs said Mediators Kingdom on Earth, as we noted, was further typified in part by Joshua, though in the better part, under whose Cond••ct Israel obtained their promised Inheri∣tance of Canaan, wherein Moses carre sh••rt; but be brought them in∣••o the possession of it: Which Rest was after po••••u••ed by them, as

saith the Prophet, Mich. 2.10. which caused by degrees the utter ex∣pulsion of that People from it: Yet as the Apostle proveth Heb 49. There remai••s still a (Sabbatism, or) Rest for the People of God, with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a theusand years as one day (as the Apostle Peter informs us, 2 Pet. 3.9) and through the said true Jeshu•• or JESƲS, this Rest remairs to the People of God; upon w c••, ••s on all former Sabbaths, the Word and Works of God usu∣ally were appointed to be considered in them (as he was always p••eased in ••he six ••oregoing Millenniums to give occasion and command) so t••at long conti••ned Sabbatism or holy Rest of his people from sin and sorrow, will be a time to contemplate on the Word and Works of God, when their great hinderers, viz. evil men and Devils, will be re∣moved ou•• of their way, and all requisite helps from God, Men, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, will be afforded them, for that long continued Sabbatism of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thousand years; whence Men and Angels too will be more fitted for perpetual Hallelujahs in Heaven afterwards, by so much more than they could have been from all that was possible to be learned by them to such purpose by all they had seen, or known or heard before; (as I don't not but might largely be made manifest through all the six thou (and years of the worlds being before:) Which Sabbatism may be thereupon sitly stiled Gods highest School to train up his Children of the highest form for their best employment of their most eminent and inlarged praising of God through their most happy Eternity thence to ensue.

In which Rest or Sabbatism Christ will infeoff his People, and give them possession thereof with himself; even as the Father hath appoin∣ted such a Kingdom unto him, so he will appoint it unto them, as Luc. 22.29. not as a Substitute onely, or Type, like Jeshua, to give them their Lots therein; but as Lord of the Inheritance, and by his own Gift; and not as to such as may cast away, or spoil, or lose their said Inheritance; but as to such as shall there find a sure Rest and Dwel∣ling Place, from which neither inward nor outward, spiritual or tem∣poral Adversaries shall expel them: so certainly blessed shall they be then that partake of that first blessed Resurrection, Rev. 20.6. when they shall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, like Angels of God in Heaven, as our Savi∣our speaks of those Children of the Resurrection, Matth. 22.30. in that and many other respects; and such of the Saints as live in the animal Life then under the Protection of Christ the great King, will be as safe as his Disciples were, of whom he said, Of those which thou gavest me, have I lost none, John 17. Yea more, his Word seems in ma∣ny places to hold out that the Seed of the Righteous shall then literally

and lineally be blessed; yea blessedness shall then (it seems) be intailed upon them succeshvely, to them, their Seed, and Seeds Seed for ever, as is very remarkably let down at the great Restauration of Israel in Ezek. 37. when Christ, there called by David's name, as his Type and Progenitor, who by a lineal de••cen•• from him shall then obtain the long-before-promised Right of David's Kingdom, and sit upon the Throne of David his Father, as the Angel told the blessed Virgin, Luc. 1.32. both Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, being for ever then to be again united into one under him, that then the very Land given un∣to Jacob his Servant, out of whose Loyns immediately the Heads of all the Twelve ••ribes of Israel were derived; and therefore it is further added, that Land where their Fathers dwelt, that they also shall dwell therein; and then add a perpetuity of successive inheritance, which onely he who is the absolute Proprietor, and every way able to make it good, and to make nullities of mens perpetuities as oft as he pleaseth, He (I say) then tells them fully at this period, when David's Kingdom shall then be so fully restored to Christ upon the old everlasting Co∣venant made to their fore-fathers, (which carries all promised mercies with it) that they, their Children, and their Childrens Children shall dwell in the said promised Land for ever, ver. 25, &c. And this may further appear by the improvement of Gods promise by Abraham's saith Heb. 11. who (though he over-look'd no dram of promised mer∣cy to any of his Seed, even in temporal respects) yet his faith, as the Apostle teaches, wrought upon the main, that one promised Seed [Christ] as he is called Gal. 3.16. in whom particularly all Nations of the Earth should be blessed, which at the said time will be most fully and really accomplished, in whom he foresaw (with the others there named) the fulfilling of those promises was (then) afar off; and that by vertue of such divine and spiritual grace, all temporal good must be advanced and enjoyed: Yet his faith fixed so upon that sure Foun∣dation of all blessings really good, which will be so derived to, and preserved for all such his said bless••d Seed then, that there will be a wonderful uninterrupted blessedness at that time continued to them. In seeing the accomplishment whereof, a great measure of Abraham's happiness through Christ will (then) actually consist, when he shall eminently be Heir of the World actually, by a blessed fruition thereof for a long season above 1000 years, who as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 4.13. was in his life time but Heir thereof by faith onely; which yet he was then sure should not be frustrated. Much inlargement might be added to this effect if it were requisite, and many Divine Rea••ons given from the Covenant to Abraham, and Promises repeated to his

Seed as spiritually so invested with all the temporal blessings of the Mediat••••rs Kingdom, when God and Christ are so often said to dwell with them, and to set his Tabernacle among them, which will carry along with it both the remov••l of evils, & conferring all suitable good for that state. We shall onely name a few more Promises belonging to the same state; as Isa. 61. which whole Chapter is a lon•• and large prediction and prom••e made to that then-blessed Race, for their Fa∣thers sa••es, (as ••s noted by the Apostle Rom. 11.) yea there also by way of distinction from the Gentiles, he saith vers. 9. to make it more evident of what generation of men he spake, Their Seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their Off-spring among the People; but for what shall they be so known? It follows, All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed: The old intail∣ed Covenant from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will then be found of force, and Gods truth and faithfulness then acknowledg••d; where∣fore the Apostle there relates that promise, Isa. 59.20. When the De∣liverer shall come out of Sion, and shall turn away unged••iness from Jacob, Rom. 11.26. So that all Israel then (saith he) shall be saved: and v.27. he adds the reason thereof; For this (saith he) is my Covenant with them, when I shall take away their sins: So it is the covenanted Mercy of God to that people, which is of so large extent, that when as a Founda∣tion-mercy therein, he shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob, and so take away their sins (for onely Godl••ness hath the promise of this life, and also of the world to come) in that he is such a De••iverer that he will first work such spiritual deliverance in them; the other also upon that his said coming, will follow unto the utmost extent also; for all promised temporal mercies in the same Covenant contained, even as a shadow will follow the substance of the spiritual. And a like Promise of the same state of Gods Israel, is given Isa. 66.22. speaking of the New Heavens and the New Earth which shall then be and ••e••••ain be∣fore him, (which he spake also of creating, Chap. 65.17. even for that said blessed condition) so of their posterities perpetuity in th••t happy estate, while that world continues: So saith he shall your Seed and your Name remaine, when wicked men shall be destroyed aforehand, and their careales shall then most prob••bly at the Arm••ggedon Battel, a•• by the Context appears) be an abhorring to all flesh, vers. uit.

So th••t by what hath been said, it may appear, That though the Rest which Joshu•• brought Israel into, was by them polluted, as was said Mu•• yet he was a I 〈…〉〈…〉 them of their great Messiah, when he shall come to them the second time without sin unto salvation, Heb. 9 ••••t turning away ungodliness from Jacoh, (as was said) so beginning

his Kingdom of the Mountain, Dan. 2.35. and the New Jerusalem state, Rev. 21. which is that other Rest which David spake of, menti∣oned Heb 4.7, 8. which is that Sabbatism or Rest remaining for the peo∣ple of God, vers 9. called by the Apostle Paul, Rest with us, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed, 2 Thess 1.7. and all this again at his appearance and his Kingdom, 2 Tim. 4.1. wherein the fulness and great evidence of holy Scripture appears to these purposes, and that upon most sure soundations, if duly considered. See Sir Rich. Finch his book, setting forth very largely those Promises belonging to that an∣cient People of God.

There are many other things observable in the Parallel of Moses with Christ, and some others in Joshua's, which I shall here also set down as follows.

First Moses was ordained of God to be a Deliverer of his People; So was Christ the great Redeemer of all Gods Chosen, &c.

Secondly, When Moses was new born, he was in danger of his life by the Edict of Pharach King of Egypt: So Christ when new born, was in danger of his life by the Command of Herod a strange King, and forced to flee into Egypt.

Thirdly, As Moses was wonderfully preserved, and so by a graci∣ous Providence nobly trained up to be fitted for his Office; so was Christ divinely preserved from his danger, and fitted for his increasing in wisdom and stature, saith the Evangelist, and favour with God and man, Luc 2.52.

Fourthly, When Moses was grown up, and his Brethren were in great bondage, he sought to deliver them; but they rejected and be∣trayed him, but owned him not for their Deliverer: So Christ coming in the fulness of time, was not received by his own people, John 1. but they took counsel against him, to reject and betray him; and actu∣ally killed the Lord of Life, who came to deliver them from Death.

Fifthly, When Moses was thereupon removed into a far Countrey, there he had Jethro, Prince or Priest of On, a loving and wise Fa∣ther, having taken his Daughter a stranger to Wi•••••• So Christ after the Jews rejection and betraying of him, went in•••• a far Co••••••••ey, as he speaketh. Luc. 19. to sit at the Right Hand of his leavenly Father; and upon his own peoples rejecting of him as their God or Red••emet, Acts 13. he esp••useth to himself the strangers of the Gentiles to be his Church or Spouse, during his former peoples ••strangement from him.

Sixthly, But when the fulness of time was come, that God would m••ke Moses his Peoples Deliverer, he divinely, gr••••••••sly and wonder∣fully

reveals himself to him, sends him on that his Errand, furnisheth him with divine power, conrage, gifts, assistance, and above all guides him by his own counsel in the management of all, how and what course he should stear, or means he should use, what particular miracles he should work from time to time, and shews him what success or want of success he should have; and so Moses did all by Gods appointment in that whole work of bringing his People the Children of Israel out of Egypt; in which work afterwards in the Wilderness he was Gods faithful servant in all his House, Heb. 2. in all the time he led them in the Wilderness: So when the time was come that the Father by his Spirit had declared in his Prophets that his Son should be the Delive∣ter of his People, and as he h••d likewise typifi••d and many ways ma∣n••fested to them, he accordingly undertook that work, with that ful∣ness of wisdom, grace, and of his Spirit and power, from the Father, and had the falness of his love so always coutinued unto him, that he de••ied him nothing he asked, yea he had ever fully manifested his whole pleasure to him; and in him and by him all things were accor∣dingly fulfilled to deliver his People from their sins being the bondage of their spiritual Pharaoh and w••rse than Egyptian bondage; and w••ll come as the great Messiah of his ancient People in special, and wonderfully save those that are beloyed for their Fathers sake, with a greater deliverance from the Land of the North, than the former from Egypt was, Jer. 23.7, 8. spiritually, temporally, eternally, &c. So Jer. 3 14 18 also Isa 53.10. & 66 14, 15. Ezek. 37. the weole chap∣ter, &c. which deliverance now hasteneth, &c.

Seventhly, What under Moses ministration Israel came short of obtaining, under Joshua's Conduct, the other Type of Christ, they soon after enjoyed; but yet only as the Lieutenant (as I may say) of that Grand Captain of the Lords Host, that appeared to him, Josh 5.13, 14, 15. from whom then he received his particular order for the be∣sieging of Jericho, with incouragement therein, &c. And who by Gods divine ordering of his Lots, afterwards assigned to every Tribe their portion, called in Scripture, The Lot of their Inheritance: So it is from Christ the grand Captain of his Peoples salvation, not from any strength, works, or worth of their own in any respect, that they ob∣tain any mercy or favour from God: But through the grace, power, and merit of their true Joshua or JESUS, always both able and wil∣ling, and ever remains present in readiness to conduct them through their Wilderness condition in this World, even when they are at the greatest stand, and who can in the most unlikely manner, and by the most contemptible means (as by Rams-Horn Trumpets he destroyed

high-walled Jericho) confound or destroy the greatest Enem••es of his People, (as he is now consuming the great Beast and false Prophet by the prophesying of his despised fackcloth-Witnesses, Rev. 11.1•• hes. 28) and will in his appointed time bring his Pilgrims into possession of their happy promised Rest that remains to them and all the faithful fore-fathers into the City prepared for them, with other Saints, of which God is the Maker and Builder himself, Heb. 11.10 as in mani∣fold promises he hath through many Ages in his word declared; when likewise will begin his Kingdom of the Mountain, which shall fill the whole Earth, when all Nations shall serve and obey him, Dan. 7.27, &c. with many other holy Scripture-Testimonies, which might here be added if it were needful.

Proceed we then to the third pair of partial Types in the N••w World, viz. Of David's Kingdom raised by God from a low beginning, to become great, like the great men of the Earth, as God speaketh of it, 2 Sam 7. though as a man that shed much blood, in a warring con∣dition, till God gave him peace in the end, &c. And of Solomon's Kingdom, that peaceful Prince, when his Subjects were said to sit un∣der their own Vines, and under their own Fig. Trees; though by the cloudy darkness of both their falls, they were manifest to be onely Types of their most perfect Antitype.

And first of the first of them, namely of David's Kingdom set up by God; wherein Christ was typified in these respects:

1. As David was low and mean at first; I took thee (saith God to him) from the Sheepsold 2 Sam. 7 8. So Christ at his first appearing in the worlds view, taking our nature, was little regarded of them, cal∣led commonly, The Son of Joseph and Mary, and afterwards disgrace∣fully. The Galilean, from which Countrey they expected no good to come, and another while reputed him the Carpenters Son; and even his own Kindred believed not on him; though especially amongst them, both before his birth, at his birth, and afterwards, glorious and radiant Beams of Divine Majesly wonderfully shone out in him, where∣by God evidently manifested, and wrote as it were with a sun beam of Light as was also plainly told) That that Child before promised and prophesied so often to come, was his own and onely Son.

2. After David's Kingdom began, there was at first no outward probability appearing to stand against King Saul; saving that Saul was rejected, and David was by Gods appointment anointed by Sa∣muel for the Kingdom: But otherwise, in outward respects, Saul was in possession, had the present command of all his Subjects, and of all

they had in the world outwardly; but David forced to flee for his life, manless, monyless, helpless in a manner, saving onely not faithless nor hopeless; but for outward appearance of means very poor and mean. He after had men, but such as could in appearance yield him little com∣fort, afford him little relief; we hear not of their Money nor Arms; yea, it appears they were men in debt, and in decayed conditions, how should they live? They fled to him in a Wilderness, where should they have Arms? And had they had them, what skill were they like to have to use them? Wha interest could such have in men that were consi∣derable, saving su•••• as might cause them to pursue them for their debts or for leaving their Masters service (as Saul affirmed) which must make Dav d's first estate appear to be the be ••nning of a very pi∣tiful Principality. So when the usurping god of this present world, and that most tyrannous Prince of the power of the Air, was by Christ to be thrown down from his Regency, after his so long and mani••old rebellion against his Creator; and Gods anointed King which he had decreed (mangre all the vain opposition of Mon and De∣vils) should sit upon h s holy Hill of Sion Psal. 2. vet he comes into the world in the form of a Servant, was born of a Mother a Virgin, but in a present mean condition, though inwardly glorious in holiness and grace, though lineally descended from the Loyns of King David, yet that was a thing little then observed or regarded by most at that time; a Carpenter being her Husband, and the reputed Father of Christ our Saviour, as little acknowledged, 'tis probable, to be the Son of God: Therefore Christ being in our weak nature, in such a low condition, the world was uncapable of discerning or conceiving how he should be able to overcome that old Beelzebub, the Prince of the Devils, with all his Principalities, and powers of spiritual wicked∣nesses in high places.

3. When the envy and malice of Saul was grown so great against David, that by force or fraud, by policy or treachery, or by any means possible to rid David out of his way, by his Daughter, by his Servants, by the Philistines, his Javelins, his Son Jonathan; or by Doeg, and other bad Instruments of Saul's Court; or whoever was David's Enemy, was thereupon to be owned as Saul's Friend: Yet God ever preserved David from all his attempts, by strange and unlikely ways and means, as the sacred Story therein declares. So as soon as Christ ap∣pears in the World, Satan from a Divine Oracle of Christs birth at Bethlehem the City of David, tempts Herod upon that ac••ount to seek to take away his life then, as was noted, stirs up many slightings of his Person, Parentage, Kindred and Countrey; then when he appea∣red

more publick, sets upon him in hunger to tempt God; from am∣bition of a world, to worship the Devil, &c. But still Christ over∣came that strong man armed, being stronger than he, when he appear∣ed the weakest.

4. As David by such weak and unlikely instruments overcame or frustrated Saul, assaults: So Christ by poor Fishermen subdued the World to the obedience of the Gospel, thereby making them Fishers of men, and himself to be owned as the Saviour of mankind, by those they were sent unto, conquering and to conquer in the first Seal, Rev. 6. and so through the following Seals till Constantines coming, about anno 320 all that time where n Michael sought with his Angels against the Dragon and his Angels, who prevailed not, Rev. 12 7 8. when those poor persecuted Christians then converted to the fa••th•••• Christ (••hat are stor••ed to be strongly then encouraged by the Doctrine of reigning with Christ the thousand years) suffered with such unshaken saith and constant patience, and gloriously overcame that most devillish cruel∣ty and tyranny of their bloody Persecutors in the Ten first Paganish Persecutions, till the Dragon was cast out of his Heaven to the Earth: Since which time he could not by such persecuting turn Christians into Pagans, he hath attempted by iving his Seat, Power, and Authority to the Beast, to Paganize Christianity it self, and under many devised pretexts of Piety and Devotion by means of his said Substitute in his seat and authority, to act in detestable hypocr sie, in such horrid wick∣ednesses against God and man, that cannot appear in their true colours without some Vail of Hypocrisie cast over them Whence it was an∣ciently observed since that time, Sub nomine Christi militant contra Christum; and after, when in a more intense degree tha was apparent, complaint thereof was made, not without just cause, In nomine Domi∣ni incipit omne malum: which how manifold it is, and by what cun∣ning Contrivance, with paganish Cruelty carried on, would require a large volumn but even fitly to set down in what large volum••s it is al∣ready done. And yet Christ by his poor Saints sufferings, and his de∣spised Sackcloth-Witnesses prophesying hath and doth, and will over∣come more and more both Dragon, and B••••st, and false ••rophet also, by whom the other was revived after his former deadly wound, unto their last destruction come, and both are sent unto their own p••a••••, when Christ will most eminently make his Foes his Footstool, and the Kingom of the Stone be changed into the Kingdom of the Moun∣tain, in the next partial Type, with this of David, to be now consi∣dered.

And that is in Solomon, David's natural Seed, derived immediately

from his Loyns, as promised to David, named by God, owned by him in a gracious manner, appearing to him twice, making him large of∣fers, giving him unparallel'd Gifts of Wisdom and Knowledge, emi∣nent Grace, transcendent worldly Glory, Dignity, Riches and Reve∣nues, on the face of the earth; admired far and near, most famous for building the most glorious Temple or House of God, and other Hou∣ses, and in writing excellent Books of holy Scripture, and many other Books: But that he was but a Type of David's blessed Seed to come in the Kingdom of the Mountain, may appear by his so sad declining for a time towards his elder years; yet a••ter, through grace, returned. But that he was his Type, his Name denotes, his Office, his Works, his Wisdom, his Peace, his Glory, Wealth, and Dignity, his Religion, his executing of Judgment, his Peoples Peace, Plenty, Security, under him, &c. whilst he walke•• wisely, and stood upright, do abundantly declare. And in regard we are to consider the great Char••er of Da∣vid and Solomon's Kingdom, in the next place, we shall here adde no more, but come to our next foundation.

VII. Seventhly, Which is the seventh, as being confirmed both to David and Solomon by a Divine Charter, very eminently illustrated 2 Sam. 7.8. to the end, in that most gracious Message that God sent by Nathan, upon occasion of David's secret intent and purpose to build God an House, for which he made great provision; which though it was not in particular accepted, for some reasons afterwards specif••••d in the sequel, yet God so approved of his pious affections of love ••o his Divine Majesty, and Zeal for his Glory and Worship, that there∣upon he made to David the most blessed return of Love, and Riches of Goodness to him and his House, with the longest Entail w••th it, and surest security of it, that ever was made to any meer mortal man: We may here observe, first the said Message of God, from vers. 8. to 17. concerning Gods sure mercies to David, in respect of his King∣dom, People, and House: Secondly. We may note David's improve∣ment of each part of the Divine Message by Faith, Prayer, and thank∣ful Acknowledgment, from vers. 17. to the end.

First, In Gods Message, vers. 8. He directs the Prophet Nathan to make to David a rehearsal of mercies past; namely, How he exalted him from a low estate, even from the Sheep-coat, from following the Sheep, to an excellent Dignity; not onely to be a Ruler in ordinary way, but that which added much to his exaltation and honour, was, he let him over his own People, even over Israel, chosen out of the whole World for his own Inheritance: This special trust God com∣mitted

to David, to whom great Priviledges did belong, and for whom great things formerly had been done by God, upon whom his Name was called.

Secondly, Vers. 9. He minds him how he had been with him in a special manner in a way of grace, to wit, to be for him, and against his Enemies; and so effectually as to cut them all off in his own sight, and that thereupon he had made him a great Name, as the great Men that are upon the Earth.

Thirdly, Vers. 10. He sets down (as in a Parenthesis) a most won∣derful mercy promised to his said People, long after to take place, and to be in fulfi••ling to the end of the world: saying, I will appoint a place (not what he had done before, or unto that time (as afterwards is explained) for my people Israel, and I will plant them; but how? First that they may dwell in a place of their own, (for formerly they drove out others, though but as Gods Instruments, yet with many failings, and then by their sins they forfeited their own interest therein:) Se∣condly, He declares they should move no more; which settlement then must needs be yet to come, the same with Ezek. 37. and many other pro∣mises: Thirdly, The Children of wickedness should not, in that Land which he promiseth, afflict them any more, (which hath not hitherto been fulfilled) formerly such Children of wickedness, which in their d••sobedience to God they spared, were in judgment made Thorns in their Sides, and pricks in their Eyes, to chastise them; and other sone of wickedness, by reason of their many provocations, greatly from time to time, before and till David's time, afflicted them, as before time in Egypt, and in the Wilderness, as the end of vers. 10. seems to in∣tend, — as before time.

And vers. 11. in the beginning of it, he adds another distinct time of the prevailing of such Sons of Wickedness over them: And (saith he) as since the time that I commanded Judges to be over my people: And that he might the better take notice of his own so good different state at present, and from whence it came, he shews to him again that he himself had caused him to rest from all his Enemies.

And in the end of vers. 11. he appoints Nathan to deliver a further Message of wonderful grace concerning David's own House; saying, Also the Lord tells thee [there was his insallible security] that he will make thee a sure House; which must needs be a sure House, when God both tells him so, and tells him he will make it so: Greater certainty could not be; Therefore rightly is this stiled, The sure Mercies of David.

Vers. 12. concerns Gods promise to be fulfilled after David's death,

concerning his Son Solomon, as is applied by Solomon himself, 1 Kings 2.24. The Lord (saith he) hath made me an House, as he promised; which promise follows in this 12th verse, I will set up thy Seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy own bowels; and I will establish his Kingdom: which must be his immediate Seed. Besides, he was designed by God to build that House for Go•• is Name which David purposed, till God now declared his pleasure therein to him, to the contrary, which was accordingly executed, as Solomon acknowledged, as was noted be∣fore.

And vers. 13. latter part, God addes a wonderful mercy, That So∣lomon the Type of Christ, whose Kingdom in his days should be a Type of Christs Kingdom, should build that House that should prefigure the Body of Christ; till he came in the flesh and fulfilled all that was sig∣nified in and by that House and Priesthood exercise•• therein, whereby it seems to be signified, That that House which he built, and the Ser∣vices to be upheld in it, should typifie to his People his glorious Per∣son and work of Redemption to be wrought by him for them, where the Ark of Gods gracious Presence with his People was at that time preserved: Which Temple, though afterwards it should be destroyed for their great sins and provocations, and the Ark of Gods gracious presence be taken away from among them; yet the Temple should afterward by the wonderful power and grace of God be again re-built, as Isaiah fore-told, and was (as we rea•• in Ezra and Nehemiah) accor∣dingly fulfilled: by the former denoting the death of Christ bodily, which he suffered for his Peoples sins; and by the latter, that divinely powerful and glorious Resurrection of Christ from that death of the Body. Which said second Temple, by the divine work of God upon the spirit of Cyrus, being so rebuilt, should so continue (onely after repaired and adorned by Herod) thenceforward many hundred years, until all things were sully accomplished by him who was before so long time, and many ways before-typ••fied by it; at the death of whose b••dy, the Vail of that Temple actually was rent from top to bottom, where∣with Moses vailed Gospel of Ceremonial Worship ceased, and upon whose Resurrection and A••cention the Gospel of the Son of Mans King∣dom was speedily, and powerfully, and evidently preached by the com∣missionated Embassadors of Christ through the whole world; when also the Kingdom of the Stone fore-told in Daniel d••d begin, o•• the spiritual Throne and Kingdom of Christ was se•• up, and hath, and is, and will be powerfully upheld, while Christ in the Gospel rideth o'n conquering and to conquer, as he began under the ••••st Seal, till he eminently, when he ceaseth to sit at his Fathers Right hand in Hea∣ven,

Psal. 110.1. shall make his foes his footstool; and thenceforward gloriously and powerfully on David's and Solomon's Throne (as here promised) in the Kingdom of the Mountain, to the worlds end and la Judgment, Dan. 2 35. And so the great King of the New Jerusa∣lem, will undoubtedly succeed lineally from them both, in whom the House and Throne of the Kingdoms of both shall be established for ever, as in Psal 45. is largely illustrated with many excellencies belonging to the g••orious state of the Messiah's Kingdom with his Saints, his Spouse stiled the Kings Daughter, and gloriously there described and enfe••ffed with her Dowry, very divinely in a great part of that Psalm.

But vers. 14, 15. In regard God fore-knew Solomon would greatly fall by his own hainous sins, which would deserve great Judgments; even as the great Messiah was first to suffer and satisfie for Solomon, before the visible glory of his Kingdom should shine forth, and for all penitent and truly believing persons; and that therefore God fore-shews how he would fatherly chastise Solomon, but not take his mercie from him, as he took it from Saul, (which is a very evident proof that Solomon was saved) and secondly typifying therein that Christ should be saved in his suffering for mans sin, and overcome death by dying, in regard that Christ should personally come in the flesh to that end, which was signified by that House which was to re∣main then in its use; and that till then, those services to be performed in that house did de note that work of Redemption of his people which he was to accomplish at that his coming, whereby full Reconciliation should be made with God for them, and then that said House, and the services therein performed, were thereupon to cease: Therefore in vers. 16. the last of Gods said Message to David by Nathan, he twice confirms the perpetuity of the said Mercy, not onely to ratifie the sureness thereof, as is usual in holy Scripture, as in the four Mettle-Kingdoms, Dan 2. and 7. and the four Beasts, but it seems in vers. 16. he first through the said Reconciliation made when he put an end to the services of the said House, whereby the influence of all promised mercies to the Saints reached in all Ages to them, sets down there over and over for David's comfort, this that concerned Christs Davi∣dical Kingdom of the thousand years Reign with the Saints, that it should be BEFORE DAVID; that is, at the blessed and holy Resur∣rection of the Just, Rev. 20.6. when David and Daniel shall stand up in their Lots,; though there was a Resemblance of it, as some ob∣serve, in that Solomon was in the Throne before David died: Yet this promise is of transcendent excellency above that matter; neither did

that state last for ever, i. e. to the worlds end, which is so many times insisted upon, both from Gods Riches of Mercy towards David, and David's une pressible gratitude (as he said vers. 20) due unto God: Wherefore he speaks in such a full comprehensive manner, vers. 16. Thy House and thy Kingdom shall be established for ever BEFORE THEE: and again. Thy Throne shall be established for ever; which is onely possible in Christ, and in him is necessary, according to that prophecy Isa. 9.7. That of the increase of his Government there should be no end, upon the Throne of David, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever: And the reason hereof is very re∣markable: The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this; his Truth, his Faithfulness will n••t lie unto David, for whom he hath this sure mercy to perform, to raise up his Tabernacle which was fallen, as Acts 1.5. is explained: and as the Angel told the blessed Virg••n. Luc. 1.23, 3.3. The Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David: The Scripture is so full in this point, that if mens eyes be not sh••t, it is obvious to be seen. And thus much of Gods message by Nathan.

Now from vers. 17. to the end of the Chapter, we have David's most grateful acceptance of the said Message, and very pious improve∣ment of it by ••aith, prayer, acknowledgment and thankfulness, and well might he do so, seeing he so well understood, and so fully believed every branch by the tea••hing of Gods Spirit, and every particular therein contained, viz. That he should have a Kingdom, and such a Kingdom confirmed to him, and not to him alone, but to him and his People of Israel, and for them with his Seed; and not to his notural Seed onely, ••s such, coming out of his own Bowels, but as typical of a Seed and Kingdom divine and be••venly, to be given in a wonderful manner, and as he saith vers. 19. for a long time to come, and upon such security from God himself, who undertook to do it himself, with the greatest assurance imaginable, yea above all imagination or capacity of ••eatures, in such a way, under such Types, in such order, time and manifold miraculousness, that i•• all men and all Creatures should joyn all their Skill and Power, Wealth. Strength, and Interests, to confer a Kingdom upon a Person, by right of Covenants, Purchass, Ch••rter, Prowess, Pol••cy, Prudence, Conquest, Merit, or whatever they could contrive or procure to such intent, it would be but nullity instead of security, compared with this, and not worthy even to be named in the same day with it: Yea mens Kingdoms on the contrary, the greater they are, are therefore many times the more uncertain and tottering. Whereas this, in the greatest extent, should be the most stable, be∣ing

founded in Righteousness, which is the habitation or stability of Christs Throne, Psal. 97.2. whilst the greatest combination of men and creatures to uphold by any means Kingdoms and States in unrigh∣teousness against God and his People, do thereby the sooner bring them to their periods, and by such means oft-times more certain ruine befalls them, as in Nebuchadnezzars great Monarchy, whether we look upon him personally, as that great Tree then flourishing, Dan 4. but suddenly cut down, under whose Branches all Creatures (then) shel∣tred themselves; or lineally, which ended in his Granchild Belshazzar, Dan. 5. as that Kingdom was then the Head of Gold, in respect of the other Mettle-Kingdoms succeeding it, even so it was but of short continuance for that reason, Dan. 5.20, 21, 22, 23. for some of the said short continuance: But such a title, and of so long continuance, yea such a secure perpetaity God passeth over by his Divine Charter to David his Seed and People here, of that his most excellent Kingdom in the world (that though in some sence it should be interrupted for a time) yet should certainly stand good in due time to th••m, when all meerly worldly Monarchies shall be worn out, yet that should remain for ever, as often was repeated, even to the worlds end; the like as∣surance was never made before David's time, never since, of any King∣dom in the world, nor ever will be, when that universal visible Domi∣nion shall hereafter begin to take place in the world, (as it was said of it, Dan. 2.28) it never shall be destroyed in the world, but be transla∣ted into, or perfected in celestial Glory: And therefore it is no mar∣v••il that holy David from such Divine Illumination, and from such suitable strength of faith, doth answerably (as we hinted) receive with humble acceptation and inlarged thanksulness and acknowledgment, that blessed news thereof from God, and accordingly improve it as follows.

1. For vers. 18. In the first place David retires himself into the a∣lone presence of his most gracious God, and in a most humble manaer acknowledgeth before him his wonderful mercy and goodness to him∣self and his House, both past and present: Who am I (saith he) O Lord God! And what is my House, that thou hast brought me hitherto!

2. In vers. 19. He sets it forth for the time to come, further obser∣ving and explaining the long continuance thereof, not to himself alone, but to his House, upon a most true and certain perpetuity, upon the best security, in an unparalled manner; (for his words are weighty) saying, And yet this was a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God, but thou hast spoken also of thy Servants House for a great while to come, viz. whise time shall continue, which he revolves again with a holy admira∣tion,

— And is this the manner of Man, OLORD GOD!

3. In vers. 20. he declares that he was at a loss for verbal expressi∣ons of due thankfulness for his mercies, but tenders his inlarged heart to Gods view, saying, And what can David say more unto thee? For thou, Lord God, knowest thy Servant.

4. In vers. 21. he illustrates, in his wayof gratitude, the truth of Gods promise, the reeness of his mercy to him, with the greatness thereof in all respects, in all those great things which were still illustra∣ted by their present manifestation of them unto him: — To make (saith he) thy Servant to know them.

5. In vers. 22, 23, 24. he farther illustrates with his own, Gods won∣derful glorious and rich mercy to his people of Israel; first for time past, magnifying the greatness of the unparallelled mercy of God to them, extolling him above all gods, and as the onely true God, and that he had proved himself so by his works, recorded in his word, or related by his people, vers. 22. Wherefore thou art great, O Lord, and there is none like thee, &c.

And vers. 23. He sets forth the great honour he had procured to his people of Israel, by signs and wonders for them, &c. whom he re∣deemed out of Egypt, that in them he might be glorified above the heathen gods, &c.

And in vers. 24. He gratefully rehearseth his now-confirmed mercy to his people of Israel for perpetuity, and his Covenant renewed with them to be their God; as with Abraham. Gen. 17.7, 8. so now to them by the Messiah the Son of David, much after the ame tenure of words; even as this Message is much the same with that recorded in 1 Chron. 17 7, 8, 9, &c.

6. Now as to vers. 25. David had made his graceful acknowledge∣ment of so transcendent a mercy to Himself, his People, and House; so now he proceeds further to improve it by frith and prayer, vers. 25, 26. And first joyntly for Himself and his House, vers. 25. Now O Lord, establish thy word for ever concerning thy Servant, and concerning his House, and do as thou hast said.

And then vers. 26. He adjoyns Gods Covenant with his people of Israel, to be their God for ever, with his continued prayer for his House, as before 〈…〉〈…〉 ••omited so in Gods presence implo∣red by prayer upon that ground, for believing the Promise, he pour∣eth out his Prayer.

7. In vers. 27. He sets down the particular reason of this present exercise of his faith and prayer, namely, Gods present so grations Re∣velation of his said wonderful mercy to him: For (saith he) thou, O

Lord God, hast revealed to thy Servant, saying, I will build thee an House; therefore hath thy Servant ••ound in his heart to pray this Prayer unto thee.

In vers. 28 he ruminates upon the former grounds of his faith, viz. First that this Promise was from that God that was the great and most glorious God of Israel; and secondly from the truth of all his words, found experimentally to be true; and at present applies both to his part••cular promise then made to himself: Thou (saith he) art that God, and thy words be true.

9. In the last verse he improveth his special saith in reference to the said s••ecial promise to Him••el•• and his House, by a twofold Amen, or so be it, (as I may term them) twice running again over the same: the one seeming to refer (as before) to Christs said Davidical Kingdom of the thousand years, That God would bless his Servants House, that it may continue for ever before God: and the other to eternity, That it might be blessed with his blessing for ever: Or else for further inlargement of his prayer, That it might not onely continue before him, but be blessed also with his Blessing for ever.

And thus by so grateful acknowledgement manifested by special faith and fervent prayer, this humble, holy, kingly Prophet improved Gods so great and marvellous mercy, by the Prophet Nathan revealed to himself, for his House and People of Israel for ever. Amen.

VIII. Ei••hthly, Christian Readers, If you shall reckon with me the eight said Ty••es in the Old and New World, as the Fifth Founda∣tion o•• Faith, and this from Ezekiel to be the Eighth, the number will be ••••e same, an•• the strength much greater: For as the other two greater Prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah foretold Israel's and Judah's Captivi••y, as also d••d some of the smaller; and by the same Prophets did God also, for the ••om••••rt of the faithful Jews, foretel their great Rest••uration: for Is••••ah is large concerning the New Jerusalem, chap. 60. applised by the holy Ghost to the New Jerusalem, Rev. 21. And as Jeremiah hath many threatnings of Judgment and Captivity, so he hath many Promises of wonderful mercies, not onely concerning their Reduction from Bab••l••n, but of many more ••ar excelling them, parti∣cularly, That Jerusal••m shall be the Throne of the Lord Chap. 3.17. [See our Tract on that Text &c] So al••o Ezekiel that was set as a sign in in his Person had many signs in his Ministry appointed by God on spe∣cial occasions; yea very much of his Prophecy was symbolical, fraught with Divine Hieroglyphicks, with sacred Figures and Types, not one∣ly as to Judah and Jerusalem's sad Calamities, then further and further prevailing, &c. but more especially Ezekiel, from Chap 36, 1, 2, 3, &c.

to the end of that Book, is in many Prophecies, Visions, Explications, large decipherings, so full concerning Israel's and Judah's mercies at their last great Restauration, that both Daniel and Christ in his Reve∣lation apply, improve, and explain many things in Ezekiel very remark∣ably; so extraordinary glorious were many of Ezektel's Revelations, as in Chap. 1. & 10, much to be parallelled with Rev. 4 setting forth a like glorious and gracious manifestation of God unto his Church through Jesus Christ, and by h••s holy Spirit, set forth by Resemblan∣ces of such Appearances, like Fire, Precious Stones, Rain-Bow, Wheels, Cherubims, Living W••ghts, and the like; and the New Jerusalem in the nine last Chapters of Ezekiel, which Learned Men have stiled for∣merly the Revelation of the O••d Testament: and indeed it appears to be a Revelation of the Promises of former Prophets, and of some of his own Predictions concerning the happy estate of Israel and Ju∣dah to come, when the Tabernacle of God will be with men, Rev. 21. and the City which he had described shall really be Jehavah Shamma, because the Lord our Saviour will be personally there: And as many differences are observable in that foretold by Ezekiel for the comfort of the Jews, and that by the Apostle John respecting especially the Gentiles that were beheaded for the Name of Jesus, and resisted Anti∣christ, &c. And hence Ezekiel speaks as to a people in that state, un∣der such dispensations as the Jews were used to; but the other is emi∣nently more gloriously described I conceive for some Reasons, as in re∣gard that part of Christs Subjects and Servants that eminently th••n will serve him, as Rev. 22.3, being int he natural life, first Jews, then G••n••••les converted (being the Nations of those that are saved) will wa•• in the light of the other Jerusalem, Rev. 21. that came from God out of Heaven, by a Metouymie of the subject being the Spirits of just men made perfect which Christ r••ngs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him at his second com∣ing, and upon the taking their Bodies, they become Inhab tants of the Jerusalem whose Maker and Builder is God, Heb 11.10. prepared for the fore-fathers, and all that without us shall not be ma••e perfect•••• 40. or perfect in one, as our Saviour prayed, John 17.23. when they shall b••hol•• Christs glory, v. 24 See ••ract on Jer. 3.17. & other parcels, &c. And Daniel declares in a set order of Prophecy, first more generally, in Chap. 2. and Chap. 7. and after more particularly in Chap. 8. v. 13. to 20. with v. 26. and chap. 10. as in Rev. 1. Christs resemblance, and chap. 11. much of the Roman Kingdom, from v. 36, as Mr. Med accurately and evidently explains: and chap. 12 v. 5 6, 7. the same in substance with Rev. 10. and Daniel's Lot notes the first Resurrection, Rev. 20.6. and to the same purpose Ezektel (chap. 36.) foretels largely the happy

estate of the Jews then, to whom the Gentiles will flow in, being both in the natural life, and shews the sure foundation of that mercy, vers. 25, 26, 27. viz. Gods sprinkling clean water upon them, and giving them a new heart, and putting his Spirit into them: in the next Vision, chap. 37 the said Promises are confirmed by two visions and explica∣tions plainly and distinctly set down by God himself, as in our Word written, pag. 10.11. In the next Vision he shews how Gog their great Oppressor shall be destroyed, who is aptly there described to the life, and said to come in the latter days twice, Ezek. 38.8, 16. & chap. 39. and from theace to the end of that Book deciphers in reference to the Jews their happy estate in the Davidical Kingdom of Christ, who be∣ing that Jehovah, will personally be there, as we shewed before upon many considerations, &c. So that Ezekiel's evidence being rightly un∣derstood, as in many of those may appear, compared with like porti∣ons of Scripture, his Testimony may well be applied as a very strong Foundation of Faith, bearing its weight with all the rest.

IX. Ninthly, Twice strongly ratified to Daniel two ways:

• First, By Viou onely, Dan. 2. upon Gods revealing to him the Exposition of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, viz. That after the four Mettle Kingdoms were past, there should succeed the two-fold state of Christ the Sonof mans Kingdom; namely,
  • 1. The Kingdom of the Stone, vers. 4.
  • 2. The Kingdom of the Mouat••in, vers. 35.
• Secondly, Both by Vision and Revelation, Chap. 7.
  • 1. By Vision of four Beasts, or four Kings, as v. 17. ruining each other, before the Kingdom of the Son of man should take place, at his coming in the Clouds of Heaven, when Dominion over all Nations shall be given to him, to the worlds end, vers 13, 14.
  • 2. By Revelation, from vers. 16, to the end of the Chap∣ter, especially vers. 17. the four Beasts are said to be four Kings, and vers. 27. and as Luc. 22.29. they shall be made his Delegates, yet so as all shall obey him.

Both Daniel's said Revelations and the several Visions either seen or recorded by him concerning Christs Davidical Kingdom, are not onely

consonant to former Prophecies and Types thereof; and especially with Gods gracious Message by Nathan, lately insisted upon from 2 Sam. 7. but also with all the particular Branches following to be considered in their order and nature, which manifest more and more this said so divine and glorious Scripture-Truth respecting the said Kingdom, which is the main subject of our third part, viz. the Parallel with its appendants, as thereby may be seen and considered, being of very great use rightly to understand much of holy Scripture &c. There∣fore we shall here say no more thereof, but refer the Reader thereunto; onely admonishing him against two learned Errours, [for learned mens authority hath been much pleaded for them, and hath long upheld them] First of such as will have the Book of Revelation to begin where Daniel ends, as if both those Books were a continuation of the same History, &c. Secondly, Of such as make the Selucidae and Lagidae, which were but the broken parts of the Greek-Kingdom, to be the fourth Monarchy in Daniel; which the Spirit of God recko ••eth no further than Antiochus Epiphanes, who was repulsed by the Roman Na∣vies appearance before Alexandria, which Mr. Mede manlfests to be those Ships of Chittim, fore-told by Balaam, Numb. 24.24. and fulfilled then, as Dan. 11.30. Unto which two, a third late mistake may be added, of them that would make the Book of Revelations to be an Hi∣story of things much past when given, and not a Prophecy of things to come to the end of the world: Whereas contrary to all three, the Book of Revelation is meerly a divine mystical Comment or Exposition of that hidden part of Daniel, then shut up and ••ealed up t••ll the time of the end, as we shewed in our preface to the Parallel, and elsewhere. So that the right understanding of Revelation-Prophecy must necessa∣rily be shut out thereby to all such as retain any of tho••e mi••s-opinions. See for this also the contrary Judgment and Reasons of many learned men in our fifth convincing Argument in the Word Written.

X. Tenthly, Applied often by our Saviour in the Gospel, to the Kingdom of the Son of man, Matth. 13 41. and the Son of mans coming in his Kingdom, Matth. 16.28. And, It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom, Luc. 12.32. Again, Now is my Kingdom not from hence, John 18.37. And, I have appointed unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; which is the same which Daniel in visi∣on saw him coming to receive, Dan 7.13, 14. and was promi••ed before to him, as the Son of David, 2 Sam. 7. which was also stiled by Christ, The Kingdom of God, that was foretold by him should draw near at hand when Israel's great Redemption (so often spoken of in the Prophets)

shall be accomplished, and upon the beholding the signs thereof, he bids the Jews lift up their heads, because their Redemption then draws near, (as is very evident from Luc. 21.31.) of which our Saviour spake in a Parable, Luc. 21.11, 12 24 27. the time whereof is explained in the order of accomplishment, Rev. 11.15. as is easily discernable to such as are acquainted with the Series of that Book; which said Da∣vidical Kingdom of the Son of man shall begin in the world, as Da∣niel declares, Chap. 7.13, 14. at his coming in the Clouds of Heaven, which Christ himself also further illustrates, shewing it shall be with his own Glory, and of the Fathers, and of his holy Angels, Luc. 9 2••. when ten thousand times ten thousand shall minister to him, and stand before him, Dan. 7.10. when the Judgment is set to destroy the ••••ast, and give his Body to the burning ••l••me, vers. 11. All which Tex••s 〈◊〉〈◊〉 holy Scripture will be fulfilled above a thousand years before the Re∣surrection of wicked men to the general Judgment, as is most evident from the series and order of things set down ••oth by Daniel, and more fully explained in the Book of Revelation especially in the twentieth Chapter the most clear Table of these last times and order of things to be done in them, for which purpose also consider the foresaid Parallel.

XI. Eleventhly, Being also so Expounded by the Apostle Paul, and others of the Apostles; concerning which Doctrine, fi••st the Apostle Paul delivereth many things by way of explication thereof, we shall touch upon some of them briefly.

First, When he comforts the troubled Saints, that they shall have Rest with him and other Apostles and Sairts, whilst Christ will ••e••der tribulation to such as troubled them, ••e s••••s down that time to be when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed with his mighty Angels, in ••laming 〈…〉〈…〉 ta∣king vengeance on them that know not God, and they not the Gosp•••• of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. 2 Thes. 1.7, 8 9. and in Chap 2.8. 〈…〉〈…〉 further from Dan. 7. that Mother-Text, (as M••. Mede 〈…〉〈…〉) of all such Scriptures in the New Testament, That Christ will parti∣cularly destroy that man of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the same appearance of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 coming or presence, when the body of the s ame Beast, a•• w••s sai•• shall be ••••∣ven to the burning ••l••me, as Dan. 7.11. which ••e al••o ••art••••r d••c••••••••r∣eth by his Appearance and Kingdom, 2 Tim 4.1. as also was by Da∣niel seen in vision, &c.

Again, He further informs us strongly, That Christ must reig•• till he hath put all his Enemies under his ••eet, 1 Cor. 15.25. Now when he most eminently begins to do this, ••is said Reign begins, for ti••l ••h••n he sits at the Fathers right hand, yea and sits there exp••cting til•• th••••

time come, (as the same Apostle manifestly declares, Heb 10.12, 13.) and at that time the Beast is expresly said to be cast into the lake of fire burning with brimston, after the language of that most acred Pro∣phecy. And to make his Exposition yet more clear and forcible, he further teacheth, That the last Enemy that shall be destroyed in the said Reign of Christ, shall be Death; viz. Bodily Death, that sepa∣rates Soul and Body; not the death of Soul and Body, for that there∣upon will begin most to reign, and to reign over the Damned eternal∣ly: but the other, namely the death of the Body, shall be destroyed and cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone, that is, in its capacity, and after the language of Cods Spirit in that Book, the very being of it, as the general Destroyer of humane Nature in this life, will be taken away, when no such matter will remain for it to work upon; when all Saints are rapt up to meet Christ in the air in a mo∣ment, and wicked men stand in their state to be judged, the present being of Humane Nature, separable of Soul and Body, will be utterly abolished: Now this said destruction of bodily Death, that last Ene∣my, will not be effected till above a thousand years after the coming of the Son of man in the Clouds of Heaven, as was said, and after the said casting of the Beast and false Prophet into the said lake burning with brimstone, as is very evident from Rev. 19.20. compared with the order of the said Table of the Times, in Chap. 20. to vers. 14. where Death and Hell are also said to be cast into the lake of fire, that is, Death and the Grave in the said sence, have no more use, or matter to work upon, and by consequence no more being in the world. And whoso faithfully and seriously endeavours rightly to weigh and consi∣der these things without partiallity or prepossession (which at first may seem an hard thing for some sorts of men to perform) yet upon such endeavour, with humble seeking unto God for direction in these truths, and faithful and patient waiting upon him in the use of pertinent means, I doubt not but in Gods good time they may be well satisfied from h••s Word and good Spirit of Grace in the reallity and truth of the su••∣stance of them: for which purpose I conceive it not needful here to say more for information or conviction (which is mainly my business) and for particul••r application hereof, it will be obvious to all know∣ing and pious Christ••ans, which I am forced to leave to themselves at present, for brevity-sake, (publishing by Press having long been to me a difficult task) and when a Doctrinal Foundation in this case is once surely laid, application of these, with some points of such nature, will in some respect, be made à fortiori, as from an additional consideration, but yet a very weighty and moving consideration (i•• particularities

therein to be considered in their several kinds and natures, be duly im∣proved by Scripture-guidance) and the holy Spirit of Gods gracious assistance, the infallible means of being rightly guided into all needful profitable Divine Truth, as all holy Scripture-Truths are, and these in particular (though too much over-look'd and sl••ghted by some) though the great things of God, and an excellent and glorious part of the Go∣spel of Christ, a rich and long inheritance of the Saints, yea (as we no∣ted) the highest form of God-glorifying Creatures (then) viz. Saints and Angels, to fit them wonderfully above all other means in the pre∣ceding six thousand years, to glorifie him more excellently for ever and ever. We shall but even mention some like evidences from the other Apostles, Peter, James and John, the Witnesses at Christs Transfigura∣tion, who then joyntly saw that representation of Christs glory at his coming in his Kingdom, (for he calls that his coming in that sence, Matth. 16.28. Mark 9.1.) when those eminent glorified Saints and Prophets, Moses and Elias, appeared talking with him: First, Peter sets forth the beginning of that state by the Restitution of all things, and the times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord, Acts 3.19 20, 21. and as witnessed by all the holy Prophets of God since the World be∣gan. And the Apostle James stiles it from the Prophet Amos 9.11. The raising of the Tabernacle of David that was fallen down, with some explication of the said Prophecy, Acts 15.16, 17. Also the Evangelist John makes a telation of Christs Kingdom n••t being of this world, pro∣ving it not so to be, in regard his Servants did not fight that he should not then be delivered to the Jews; Now therefore (saith he) my Kingdom is not from hence, John 8.36, 37. I might adde Jude's old Tradition, turned by him into sacred Scripture, v. 13, 14. but that was spoken of before particularly.

XII. Twelfthly, Come we now to the twelfth and last Foundation of our Faith, named in our general Title-page, and that is from the most full and strongly evidenced Revelation, in that many ways most excellent part of the h••ly Scripture given by Christ to his beloved Dis∣ciple John, concerning the ending of the fourth Monarchy, at the Beasts destruction, Chap 18.11. to the end, and the beginning and continuance of Christs Kingdom or Reign with his Saints succeeding it, Chap. 20.4. thereby very evidently explaining by his best authority what Daniel saw and said more darkly and briefly before, both of them being Gods beloved Witnesses of the same Divine Truth; but Christs by his beloved Disciple John, is the true and infallible Comment of the other: Which said last Visions, Chap. 19.11. and Chap. 20, 21, 22, now

are hastening in order of accomplishment (as we said) to take place, (as upon many considerations may appear probable) when that hea∣venly General of all Gods Hosts (whose Name is, THE WORD OF GOD, (as he is there stiled) JESUS CHRIST the Great Mes∣siah and Deliverer of his People, THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, vers. 16. will then come the second time with∣ou•• sin unto salvation, Heb. 9 ult. for them: not onely as in the King∣dom of the Stone, spiritually and divinely to save their Souls from the hands of their spiritual Enemies, which he fulfilled at his first coming, and hath improved and carried on ever since, in their suffer∣ing ••••ndition, and will do whilst that Kingdom of Patience shall en∣••ure; but when he will work an outwrad visible temporal salvation, with the spirit al, for all his people, from all their Enemies, to serve him without fear of them, in righteousness and holiness before him, all the days of their lives, Luc. 1.75. (which with the context hath been but in a small measure yet fulfilled, in the aptest sence, in comparison of what it will in several respects then be) for then will be the great Vintage or He••vest of Believers, which is to come in unto Christ in the said thousand years reign, when Isa 53. chiefly shall (it seems) take place, that he shall see his seed and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, in the prolonging of his days, even in all that time, as also he speaks Chap. 9.10. wherein he shall sit upon the Throne of David, and up∣his Kingdom (mark that expression) to order it; that is, David's King∣dom: for what end? namely, in such a way as to establish it, namely, by Justice and Judgment: and the Psalmist excellently speaketh there∣of particularly, Justice and Judgment shall be the habitation (or establish∣ment, or stability) of thy Throne, Psal. 89.14. and especially Psal 97.2. which particularly sets down the beginning of Christs Kingdom, so explained Heb. 1.8. for Kingdoms are so to be established, (saith the wi••••st Solemon, Prov. 16.12. The Throne is established by Righteousness, & 25 5.) the contrary whereunto being acted by the ten Kings that give their power to the Beast, with others at the last, will bring de∣struction both upon him and them together, Rev. 19.18, 19, 20. like as some of them before that time had bewailed the burning of the Whore of Babylon with their Alas, alas, Chap. 18.9 10 But Christ being that Great King that [with an ••••••e] is foretold shall eminently rule in Righteou••ness, Jer. 23.5, 6. Therefore he will so establish his Davidical Throne (as was said) in Righteousness and Judgment, the sure esta∣blishment thereof: For all their great temporal Promises then (as we shewed before) shall appear to be founded upon their spiritual endow∣ments of Grace, when God will circumcise their hearts, and the hearts

of their Seed, Deut. 30. v. 1. to 11. because Israel then shall be a most holy people, therefore they shall be a most happy People; their Do∣minion then will be founded in grace; and thereby preserved also for ever, as God promised in that eminent Text 2 Sam. 7. and all their out∣ward mercies will appear then to be derived to, and preserved for them and their Seed, from that spiritual Covenant with Abraham, and tho∣row that one Seed Christ, and from their interest therein, from whence the temporal will flow in unto them, according to their large measure of grace and sanctification. But at the fulfilling of that said Vision, Rev. 19.11. when that Great General with his holy and celestial Army shall overcome and utterly destroy the Beast and false Prophet, there∣upon will ensue Satans binding, and that securely, for 1000 years, that he may not deceive the Nations any more, till the said thousand years be fulfilled, &c. Chap. 20. which also will be contemporaneous with Christs Reign with his Saints on earth, the same thousand years, which is Christs Davidical Kingdom, of which God gave such assurance to David that it should continue for ever, to the end of the world in the said 2 Sam. 7. From which ground, with others all such as have but a small measure of David's faith thereof, may by the due reading, im∣proving, and the right and serious considering of his security therein, (through Gods mercy) be sufficiently satisfied in it. And in very deed, so much hath by many learned persons been written to this purpose, and preached upon this Text, Rev. 20.4, 5, &c. that I judge it needless to adde any more here upon that account: Onely observe how Daniel and the Revelation agree in our Parallel of the Ruine of the Roman Empire, (which is now hastening under the last head thereof) when Christs said Reign will begin: Whose abominable wickedness, vailed under such hypocritical pretences of piety and charity, varnished over with a seeming colourable antiquity, propt up by the Popes so long fal∣sified infallibility, under which and other false Vizards, whilst the said Pope with his Complices pretend most zeal for Christs Religion and Souls Salvation, even then they really sight most against the one, and really seek to ••est••oy the other, (as woful experience ••th long mani∣fested) one the one part undermining the Truth, making void the Or∣dinances and Institutions of Christ, by adding to then, or taking from them, pollute his Worship, dishonour his Gospe••, and cause his Reli∣gion to be reproached, and his Name blasphe••ed, amongst 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Paganish and Barbarous Nations, that know him not: And on the other part, by their many Cra••ts and Cruel•• to 〈…〉〈…〉 and persecute poor ignoran: Souls, or others tha•• fall into their Nets, or by their tyrannous Practices, (the mysterious in quity whereof will be

revealed when their Inquisitors shall come to be anatomized) whereby they have earnestly laboured to force them to yield to their evil designs; Yea how have they violently for many hundreds of years past killed the Saints? How many most barbarous massacres and bloody persecu∣tions have they acted in against those meek Lambs of that (now alive, yet once was) slain Lamb of God Christ Jesus, who shortly to their terror shall appear to be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Rev. 5.5. when they have filled up their measure, which they have ever been do∣ing from the time the great red Dragon gave unto that multi-form'd Beast his Seat, with great power and authority to act therein for his forty two months, Rev. 13.1, 6 7. which he hath accordingly improved, as both History and Experience hath abundantly (though sadly) dis∣covered; and will do so more and more to his power, (which is the heavy spiritual Judgment of that man of Sin, and therefore more hea∣vy, because so senceless of it) even until his time shall be no longer, Rev. 10.6 7. as the Angel (probably Christ) forewarns that strange Creature, and when it will be: And doth not the height of those pro∣digious impieties and prevailing abominations too too conspicuous in that whole Antichristian Body, and every Limb thereof, in the sight of all observant persons and people appear evidently to hasten the destruction thereof, together with that said Beast, who as Daniel also foresaw should be then slain, and his body given to the burning flame, chap 7, 11. Of which Prophesie and Vision this glorious appear∣ance made by Christ of his next coming, chap. 19 11. is a clear com∣ment and decyphered completion shortly to take place (as we have reason to expect and also to be fully accomplished accordingly.

And then likewise together with Babilons ruine will happily hasten the raising up of Sion. And upon Antichrists destruction will cer∣tainly succeed Christs said so wonderful exaltation in in the world, in that his Divine and Kingly visible Glory and Majesty then to be ma∣nifest, namely to be the Prince of the Kings of the earth (as Rev. 1.5. though formerly rejected by such many times) and that in the sight of men, angels, and all creatures, Rev. 5.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. who shall then bow the knee and acknowledge him to be the Lord, Phil. 2.9. for which at present the whole creation most he••vily groaneth, Rom. 8.22, 23. When that bless••d new Jerusalem state shall appear, which then will be replenished with its holy and happy new raised Inhabitants, with all that blessed communion of doubly saved Saints and holy Angels in such great and innumerable multi∣tudes, which said Angels as in heaven before they were wont to re∣joyce in sinners conversion, and even to be serviceable therein, so

will they then much more rejoyce in such happy communion of such multitudes of saved Saints, Jews and Gentiles then to come in, and of the perfectly holy communion of the before deceased Saints, but then invested (happily) with their new raised bodies by the same power of Christ, whereby then he will perfectly subdue all things (in their due order) unto himself (as the Apostle Paul instructs us, Phil. 3. ult.) Then shall they be Isangeloi, as our Saviour speaks, like to the An∣gels of God (before) in heaven, when the said Hiero-metropolis, or holy mother City, as the Prophet Esay foretold, will arise and shine because her light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon her, ch. 60. ver. 1. as in those large and various descriptons of the manifold excellency of that City, both in former and following chapters are set down, as also in many other portions of holy Scripture may be observed: Some of which are applied, Rev. 21. to that City particularly (as we noted) whereby the Spirit God teacheth us evidently their proper meaning and literal sence, riz. respecting the happy estate of that great and holy New Jerusalem, whose beauty and glory; and blessedness on earth would require a large volumn aptly to display, in what from Scripture grounds might to that purpose be evidenced, respecting the same, and yet many things more than what now we can attain to, may be ground∣edly expected. For that time when the Temple of God shall be opened in heaven, and men shall see in his Temple the Ark of his Testament, Rev. 11.19, and the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of one day shall be sevenfold as the light of seven daies, as is foretold thereof, Es. 30.26. many mysteries of Christ and his Religion, of his works of Creation, Redemption and Providence, and many mysteries now in the varieties of the creatures (many wayes till then little understood as is probable) when the Lord shall be unto that City her everlasting light, and her God her glory, Isa. 60.19. And the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea. Hab. 2 14. It will then be a filling of the Earth with knowledge, and that of the glory of the Lord, and in such measure as shall be to the uttermost capacity of it, as the Sea, ready to overflow where it hath any passage, and would co∣ver every place with its waters; so in that time there will be a know∣ledge of all then knowable, as we may say. Besides those Excellencies set down to be before, in, and after the thousand years of Christs said Reign (as in our first convincing Argument in the Word Written are to be seen) concerning which a Body of Divinity respecting that world might usefully be written from Scripture warrant, from all which as from an excellent School reserved for the highest form of

those than so excellent God glorifying Creatures, raised Saints and Angels, with others, when all things by Christ shall then be made new, as Rev. 21 5. I doubt not but abundant matter of everlasting pra••se will strong y for that state enforce the same, yet with the great∣est will••ngness and complacency, upon all such or the like advantager. Whereupon these afterwards everlasting Hallelujahs will most amply and perpetually be sung to the Trin-Une Deity of Father, Son, and holy Ghost, eternally most blessed holy and glorious, by men and An∣gels (as was said) for ever and ever. Amen.

To Glory's God all Glory's due for aye: To him alone this Due let all such pay.

AMEN.

FINIS.