The marrow of Christianity

Objections answered concerning the personal reign of Christ.

Obj. 1. That Christ was promised to the Jewes to come as a King, and they to this day expect him to come a King, to deliver them from their captivity;

Ans. 1. It is true, hee was promised to come as a King, Isa 9.7. and so he came a King, although not in outward appearance, Matth. 2.2. Where is he that is born King of the Jewes? we have seen his Star in the East, and are come to worship him. He was the King of the Jewes, when He was born, he was a Child, and yet a King. 2 He is King of all spiritual Jewes, for he is not a Jew, that is one outwardly, but he is a Jew, that is one inwardly: and Christ reignes spiritually in

all his people, the Kingdome of Heaven is within you. 3 Christ will appear a spiritual glorious King to the Jewes, the naturall seed of Abraham, in the latter dayes, gathe∣ring them from among the Heathen to him∣self in the spirit, & so will raign in & over them in the spirit gloriously, Ezek. 37. throughout. See vers. 24, 25. That they shall be gathered in with all the beloved of God, by the spiritual working of Christ, and not by his personal appearing; is cleere from this ground: They shal be gathered unto Christ, from the beholding of Christ cruci∣fied, and not from the beholding of his glo∣rious personal appearing: Therfore, Christ shal come a King, in the spirit, to his peo∣ple, and not in the flesh: see Zach. 12.10: They shall looke upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him, &c. The eying of a pierced Christ, shal bee the way of bringing in Jew, as wel as Gentile.

Obj. 2. Christ suffered reproach & shame in the flesh from his enemies: therefore, it is likely he shall be glorified in the flesh be∣fore his adversaries.

Answ. Christ shal without question bee glorified in the presence of his adversaries, and all Nations shal be gathered together

before him, when he shal appear from hea∣ven in flaming fire, to render vengeance to them that know not God, and obey not his Gospel; but, whether Christ shal appeare personally, or in any personal forme, wil bee a great question: but with much spiritual power manifesting himself to the salvation of his people, and to the confusiō of al his, and his Churches enemies, Matth. 5.25.

Obj. 3. It is said Rev. 20.4. That those that had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God, that had not worshipped the Beast, nor his Image, nor received his marke in their fore-heads, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand yeares, and the rest of the dead lived not again.

Answ. For clearing the mystery of this Scripture, it wil bee requisite, first to set down the things asserted frō hence. 2ly To unfold the mystery intended, which will answer the things asserted: the things as∣serted hence are these: 1 That Christ shal raign a thousand yeares personally. 2 That all the Saints departed from the beginning of the world, shal be raised, and come and reign with him. 3 That the wicked shal not be raised till after the thousand yeares bee finished,

For answer unto, and clearing of the truth.

1 I conceive it to be a glorious truth, that Christ shal come & reign a thousand years, along time, spiritually in his people; but not personally amongst his people: that Christ shal reign thus gloriously, see not only this Scripture, but Rev. 11.15. And the seventh Angel sounded, and there were great voyces in Heaven, saying, the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever. Thus, you see, Christ shal have a Kingdom, and for the time of it, it is said Revel. 20. to be 1000. yeares, and in Isa 60, to be many Generations, I will make thee an eternal ex∣cellencie, a joy of many Generations.

Obj. But its said, Rev. 11.15. That the Nations and Kingdomes of the world, are be∣come the Nations of Christ, and he shall reign for ever: therefore, it seemes that his king∣dome shal be personal.

Answ. The Nations and Kingdomes of the world may be said to be the Nations & Kingdomes of Christ, in a twofold respect, and yet Christ not reign personally; & this the Scripture clearly holds forth.

1 In respect of the abundance shall bee

converted unto Christ in all nations, that in comparison of what hath been formerly: the Nations and Kingdoms shal become the Kingdoms of Christ, Esa. 66.19.20.60. Chap. from 5. to 12. verse. 2. Christ may be said to be the King of Nations, in respect of the ruling of his Saints over their enemies; for in this Kingdome of Christ shall the enemies of Christ be subjected and shall serve the Saints, the Nations that wil not serve thee shall perish, and Christ reigning in his Saints over them, may be said truly to reigne over them, Psal. 149.7.8.9. Rev. 2.26.27. Rev. 5.10. Thus the first assertion in part is truth, Christ shal reign 1000. yeares, that is many Generations; but it wil be spiritual, and not personal.

2. Assertion from thence is, that all the Saints from the begining of the world shal be raised and come, and reign with Christ.

Answ. For the clearing of the truth in this Scripture, which wil answer this assertion, consider, 1. what is meant by the beheading for the witnesse of Jesus, 2. What is meant by not receiving the marke of the beast. 3. What is meant by

being raised, living and raigning with Christ. 4. What is meant by the not liv∣ing of the rest of the dead until the 1000. yeares were finished. 1. What is meant by being beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus: It is a spiritual beheading; such a beheading are all the Saints who shake off Antichrists badge and yoake like to meete withal. Christ is said to be the head of the Church, and the head of every man, that is, of every Saint, is Christ now, when the Lord discovers the evil of Antichri∣stian wayes to his people, and they for∣sake it, they durst not receive either the Image, name, or marke of the beast, they shal•• presently be beheaded by the beast, that is, they wil condemn them as those that forsake Christ, and cry out on them, that they are revolted, that they are Sectaries, Hypocrites, Hereticks, &c.

And thus they behead the Saints spiri∣tually, and that for the testimony of Je∣sus, because they cannot but declare the things that they have seene, and heard from him, which wil overthrow and ru∣ine all things contrary to himselfe in the end. 2. What is meant by a receiving of the Image or marke of the beast?

Answ. By the Image of the beast is meant that likenesse that it hath unto the first beast, who seemes to receive a deadly wound being compared with Chap. 13.11. to 16. that is, this beast seems to make a change, he speaks great words, his looke is more stout than his fellows; he thinks to change times and Lawes, yet when all is done, it is but the Image of the first beast, the exercise of the same power, the same wisdome in the things of God, the same worship for substance, it is all the same in substance, and it is but the number of a man all of the flesh, it is from below, yet such must the worth and the excellency of it be for a time that whosoever wil not receive the Image of the first beast, and account it somthing too, is likewise to be beheaded, and not to be suffered either to buy or sel amongst them, and many a Saint is like to be giv∣en into his hand, and he shal prevaile o∣ver them, but it shal be but for a time, times, and the dividing of a time, and then the Kingdome shal become the Saints. Dan. 7. 2ly. The Image is that in∣ternal spiritual principle from which the beast acts, for none can truly follow the

beast, but those who have received this Image, that is who act from the same prin∣ciple, those are acted, who act for and from the man of sin, and it is called an I∣mage, because it resembles Christ both in the internal as wel as the ex••ernal part; yet acts from his own wisdome by its own power, according to its own mind, to its own end, and this in all resembles Christ.

Now these who refuse this Image in the spirit, and cannot be contented with a wisdome like Christ, a selfe acting in the roome of Christ, a rule short of Christ; an end besides Christ: from hence casting off this Image, is carried on in another track then before: they come to be be∣headed for Christ, because they cannot receive the Image, who is the Antichrist in the Spirit and not Christ, so that here is not onely the Image of the first beast, with relation to patern and power, but likewise in relation to holinesse, the first wil be for Christ, and so the second, yet are both but Antichrist, 2. What is meant by the marke of the beast in the forehead, and in the right hand; by the marke in the forehead, is meant the visible pro∣fession of Antichrist in the external part those that would not visibly professe the

wayes of Antichrist: or in the right hand; that is, to act for him, these were denyed to buy or sel, Chap. 13.17. to sel, that is to preach the Gospel; for Antichrist un∣der the notion of preaching the Gospel, sels his wares, but a time is coming that none wil buy their wares anymore, so they deny any who own not the Image name, or marke, to sell; hence they may examine those who preach upon such and such in∣tergatories, and if it appear that they de∣ny the Image, name, or marke; they may not sel, that is, give forth freely what God communicates unto them, when others sell or buy, that is, partake of any spiritual good amongst them if they could prevent it, & those were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus, but they were at last raised, and lived with Christ 1000. yeers, that is raised up from their low condition, taken up into heaven in the sight of their adversaries, and lived with Christ in the Spirit, reigning trium∣phantly over all spiritual enemies, selfe, sathan, world, and those Merchants that sel all (yea the soules of men too) shal be weeping, and crying alas, alas, Rev. 18. when the Lord shal make good that word of truth, Es••. 66.5. heare the word of the

Lord ye that tremble at his word, your brethren that hated you, that beheaded you, that cast you out for my name sake, said, let the Lord be glorified, that is, (it tends to the Honor of God to behead and to cast out these men) but he shal ap∣peare to your joy, you shal be raised up with Christ, and I wil give you a new name, but they shal be ashamed.

Obj. John saith, the Saints that had not worshipped the Beast (he speakes in the Preterpluperfectence therefore it seemes not to be the Saints raised who at pre∣sent were beheaded in the mystical sence, but the Saints that had been beheaded in the litteral sense.)

Answ. First it is the use of the Spirit, or the spirits Language, to deliver it selfe in darke and mystical termes, so the A∣postle saith in another case, 1 Thes. 4.5. that we which are alive and remaine til the coming of the Lord, &c. the Apostle speakes of, we, as if he had intended the Thessalonians and himself, which was least intended; but the Saints, who being all one in the spirit, and but one mysticall bo∣dy in Christ, while there are any Saints in the world, the Apostle makes it to bee all

one, as if Hee and the Thessalonians were them, & so delivers it in the present tense; when he might haue said rather, to speake after the manner of men, then they which shal be alive at his coming, &c. as in Revel. the word might have run thus; and so questionlesse, it is to be understood: then they that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus, were raised or lived, & reigned with Christ, as the sence of the former; then they that shall bee alive at the comming of the Lord, shal not prevent them which are a∣sleep: so that the spirit of God, might as wel deliver a truth, which is in the Present tense, in the Preterpluperfect tense; as, a truth in the Present tense, which was in the Future; and yet is, all to exercise the mind of him that readeth, and to let us know, there is mystery in the Gospel.

Secondly, very few Saints have been be∣headed in the litteral sence: those that have dyed for Christ, have dyed other deaths, & not beheaded; therefore, we cannot under∣stand it in the letter, but in the spirit.

The fourth particular propounded, was, what was meant, in that the rest of the dead were not raised, until the 1000. yeares were finished; that is, none that had beene

bodily dead, Saints, or wicked, good or bad, were raised, till after the 1000, years were finished, and then you shall see the resurre∣ction of all, which is called the second re∣surrection: The first, is called a resurre∣ction, and the first resurrection; because it shall be a resurrection from shame & dis∣grace in the world. And secondly, it shal be a glorious resurrection in the spirit: this first, all the Saints have in some measure been partakers of it. Thus it appeares, that Christ shall have a Kingdome, a glorious, a spiritual One.

Quest. But when shal this Kingdom be?

Answ. 1. It is already begun in the spirits of Saints; the Kingdome of Heaven is with∣in you. 2 I beleeve that the time of the 1000 years, which is a more glorious estate in the spirit is not yet begun: but the begin∣ning of that time shal be when the 7 seales are fully opened, and the 7 trumpets fully founded, and the 7 vials powred forth, they being but effects of each other; the opening of the seales, occasions the sound of the trumpets; the sound of the trumpets occa∣sion the vials, the opening of the seales, the unfolding of the mysteries of the Gospel, (which have been hid, Rev. 5.1, 2.) As light

breakes forth, the trumpets sound, the ser∣vants of Jesus preach forth the mystery of the Gospel: the preaching of the myste∣ries of the Gospel, in the power and puritie of it, occasions the vials of wrath to fal up∣on the Antichristian estate, both in the spirit, and in the letter; which work is now a doing. (Wait the Lords time, and it wil come on apace.) But first, we are yet like to be given into the hands of the little horn, who changes times & lawes; the two witnesses are yet like to be slain, & to sydead 3 dayes & a half; and the woman cloathed with the Sun, to be driven into the wilder∣nesse for a little space, a time, times, & halfe a time; the Beast with two hornes like a Lambe, hath yet a little time to make use of his power; perswading them that dwel in the Earth, to make an Image to the first Beast; and that none but those who own it, shal buy or sel with them: the Saints be∣headed under the Altar to wait a little time, before they be raised up to live with Christ 1000. years: but it is not long, the vision is for an appointed time: in the end, it wil speak, and not ly; it wil come, and not tar∣ry: The first 1000. is almost past the se∣cond and third, are coming on apace; & all

the Nations and Kingdomes in the world wil come apace to be the Kingdoms of the Lord, & of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever; their lives shal be prolonged for a sea∣son, & a time; and other Scriptures are al∣ledged for the personal reign of Christ; as the stone cut out of the Mountain, without hands, Dan. 2. that is, the glorious power of Christ, by weak meanes, subduing all Anti∣christian enemies, without his Saints, & all Antichristian things, by his spirit, within them: So that in Dan. 7.10. the glorious company of Saints attending on Christ in the spirit, which shal be fulfilled at the rai∣sing of the two witnesses up into heaven, in the sight of their enemies, Rev. 5.10, 11. This is the first glorious work of the Lord Jesus, in, and amongst the Saints: the Lord reigneth, let the Saints rejoyce: the Lord reigneth, let the world tremble. See Zach. 14.5. The Lord our God wil come, and all the Saints with him; that is, Christ will come in the spirit, and all the Saints shall appear gloriously in him.

A word of Application: First, if this bee truth, that the Kingdome of Christ is a spi∣ritual kingdome, & not of this world; this may inform us how far, besides the Gospel

in the spirit and truth of it; those men are, who make the Kingdome of Christ to bee meerly political and a state Kingdom, who turne the world by a humane power into the Church and Kingdome of Christ (as they say) & Christ must have a worldly carnal Kingdome, no better than the Kings of the earth enjoy; or else he shal have none at all: it savors exceedingly of the earth, & ere long, thither it must return.

Secondly, this should incourage the Saints to presse forward after the knowledge of God in the spirit; that as the kingdome of Christ is spiritual, and not of this world; so may the Saints Kingdom likewise be in the spirit, and so all their enjoyments may be spiritual enjoyments: this is that will make the soule fat, and wel-liking in the Lord, fill the soule with joy & peace, which the world is not acquainted with; their eyes never saw it, nor their hearts concei∣ved it; neither are they like to see it, un∣lesse the Lord make them spiritual.