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The Resurrection Revealed · Nathanael Homes

The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 51

SECT. LI.

§. 1 FRom Zechary we come to Malachi, where we will conſider but one place, viz. Chapter 4. but that throughout, verſe 1. For behold the day cometh that ſhall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, ſhall be ſtubble; and the day that cometh, ſhall burn them up, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, that it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch. Verſ. 2. But unto you that fear my name, ſhall the Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſe, with healing in his wings; and ye ſhall go forth, and grow up as calves of the ſtall. Verſ. 3. And ye ſhall tread down the wicked; for they ſhall be aſhes under the ſoles of your feet, in the day I ſhall do this, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Verſ. 4. Remember the Law of Moſes my ſervant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb, for all Iſrael, with the ſtatutes and judgements. Verſ. 5. Behold, I will ſend you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, Verſ. 6. And be ſhall turn the heart of the Fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, leaſt I come and ſmite the Earth with a curſe.

§. 2 There are ſo many famous Authors, both Ancient and Modern, that underſtand this Chapter of the ſecond coming of Chriſt, (as you may ſee in the Margent*Paties Graeci & Latini. Cyril. Theodor. Remig. Haymo. Albert. Hugo. Lyra. Chryſoſtom. Euthym. Beda. Anſelm. Hippol. lib. de Conſum, ſ… culi. Cypr… tract. de Sina. & Sion. Ephrem. tract. de Antich. Proſper in dimidio temp. c. 13. Tertul. lib. de anima. c. 35. Juſtin Mart. Dialog. contr. Tryph. Nyſſen. lib. Teſtim. contr. Judaeos. Auguſtinus, 20. Civit. Dei. Greg. 11. Moral. Andreas, Ambroſ. Rupert & Arethas in Apocalyp. c. 11. Scholaſtici. Thomas in Matth. 17. A Lapid. in hoc cap. Malach. &c. Tranſlatores. Septuag. in An…iq. exempl. Arab. quorum utrique vertunt Elijam Thesbiten. Neoterici. Oecolamp. M. Mede. D. Mayer— Sibyllae— Tum quoque caeleſti curru devectus inibit— Terras de caelo Thesbites, ſignaque trina— Oſtendettoti mundo vitae pereuntis— Omnes Judaei communi eorum ſententia.) to the number (if we ſhould name all) as amounts (as Calvin confeſſeth) to the major part, that we ſhall go free from wonder, novelty, or ſingularity in holding the ſame. Eſpecially, if the Reader will take notice, that thoſe that incline to the other interpretation of Chriſts firſt coming, as Calvin, our New Annotations, &c. do ingenuouſly confeſs, that the things of this Chapter ſhall not be compleatly fulfilled till the ſecond coming of Chriſt. Jerom (our great adverſary) though on this Chapter he inveighs againſt the Jews and Judaizers, for their expecting Elijah to come in perſon; yet (as A Lapide alſo hath noted) upon Matthew, chap. 11. verſ. 14. & chap. 17. ver. 11. he clearly teacheth, that Elijah muſt come in perſon; which A Lapide endeavors to reconcile thus; Becauſe the Jews do yet expect the firſt coming of the Meſsiah, and that Elijah in perſon ſhall be the fore-runner of that his firſt coming. Therefore Jerom on this Text reproves them; but Jerom yeelds that Elijah in perſon ſhall be the fore-runner of the Meſsiahs ſecond coming**Sunt qui propterea Johannem Heliam votari, quod quodam modo IN SECUNDO SALVATORIS ADVENIU, JUXTA MALACHIAM PRAECESSURUS EST HELIAS, & venturum Judicem nunciaturus: Sic Iohannes in primo adventu fecerit. ET UTERQUE FIT NUNCIUS, VEL PRIMI ADVENTUS DOMINI VEL SECUNDI. Ierom in Matth. 11.14. — Ecce apparuit illis Moyſes & Elias, cum co loquentes] Scribis & Phariſaeis tentantibus ſe, & de caelo ſigna poſcentibus, dare noluit, ſed pravam poſtulationem con…utavit reſponſione pindenti. Hic vero ut Apoſtolorum AUGEAT FIDEM, DAT SIGNUM DE CAELO, Elia inde DESCENDENTE quo conſcenderat, & Moyſe ab inferis reſurgente. …erom on Matth. 17.11.. Thus Jerom. For my part, I ſhall endeavor rather to demonſtrate, then (as the manner of moſt is) to dictate, what I aſſert in the matters of this propheſie.

That this Chapter is of a ſtate of the Church under the New Teſtament, I need not labor much to prove; Malachy being the laſt Prophet of the Old Teſtament: And that V. 2. of this Chapter of the riſing of the Sun, &c. is applyed to Chriſt. John 1.9. Calling him the true light that lightneth every one, &c. As that V. 5. of this Chapter touching Elijah, is applied by Chriſt, Matth. 17.13. in part to ſignifie John Baptiſt, his harbenger.

§. 3 But the great queſtion is, How far into the times of the New Teſtament this propheſie doth run? To anſwer which, lay this for a ground work, That the time to which this propheſie doth reach, is called the GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD. And it is as adequatly and anſwerably to that name deſcribed, in the firſt verſe, to be a day that ſhall BURN AS AN OVEN, which ſhall burn up the proud and wicked as ſtubble, leaving them neither root nor branch. Now obſerve.

¶ 1. This cannot be extended to the ultimate day of judgment, at the univerſal reſurrection of all the wicked, then caſt into the lake of fire, Revel. 20.12, &c. to the end of the Chapter; for theſe Reaſons. Firſt, Becauſe at this day, if not according to the order of the propheſie, after this dreadful and burning day, in this firſt verſe of the fourth of Malachi, Chriſt the Sun of Righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe with healing in his wings, to them that fear his name; and they ſhall GO FORTH, and ſhall GROW UP AS CALVES OF THE STALL, Ver. 2. Now this cannot be at that univerſal reſurrection, and ultimate judgement; at which time Chriſt hath done healing, hath finiſhed his mediatorſhip, and reſigned up all his power to God the Father, 1 Cor. 15.24, 25, 26, 27, 28. and the elect have done growing. Secondly, Becauſe ver. 5. an Elijah muſt be ſent BEFORE THE COMING of the GREAT and DREADFUL day of the Lord; who ſhall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. Which is not a work to be done at, or near-upon that ultimate judgement; but then he that is unjuſt, let him be unjuſt ſtill, and he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill; then is a time of deſtruction, not of converſion. Thirdly, Becauſe it is added in the laſt verſe of Malachi, That Elijah muſt come, and ſhall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, LEAST the Lord come, and SMITE THE EARTH WITH A CURSE. Now at the ultimate judgement, there is no other ſmiting and curſing of the Earth, but with that judgement it ſelf, it ſwallowing up all other evils. And whether all parents or children be converted, or not converted, that ultimate judgement will be …ure to come for the elects ſake. As concerning who this Elijahs is, we ſhall diſpute it particularly by and by.

¶. 2. On the other ſide, this propheſie cannot be cut ſo ſhort as to terminate in Chriſts firſt coming. For then was no dreadful day of the Lord ſo burning as a fiery oven, to burn up the proud and wicked doers, root and branch. Chriſts coming is ſet forth in Matth. 21.5. according to Iſa. 62.11. Zech. 9.9. compared with Matth. 11.29. Phil. 2.7, &c. in all meekneſs, meanneſs, lowlineſs, and lowneſs. And although there were wonderful days at his incarnation or birth, (Luke 2. Matth. 2.) at his paſsion. (Matth. 27.) his reſurrection, (Matth. 28.1, 2, 3, 4.) at his aſcenſion, (Acts 1.) and at his miſsion of the Spirit, Acts 2. Yet theſe were not THE great and dreadful day in the ſingular number, they being many: Or if we call them DREADFUL, eſpecially that of the reſurrection and paſsion; yet theſe days deſtroyed none: For it is obſervable, what Chriſt ſaith, He came to heal or help, not to deſtroy. And therefore though he curſed the fig-tree to warn men, yet with all his power and miracles, he never killed or crippled any man; being infinitely injured, he revenged not; but rather healed Malchus, and his enemies wounds and maladies. Yet ſee by this time, how ſtreightly and ſtrongly we are butted and bounded with theſe two Paragraphs, that we cannot fall ſo ſhort as Chriſts firſt coming; nor launch forth ſo far as to the univerſal reſurrection of all the wicked at the ultimate judgement.

§. 5 Now therefore to anſwer the queſtion diſtinctly, when this time is; We aſſert, That no time can ſhape and correſpond to the circumſtances and characters of this propheſie, but the time abutting upon the beginning, entrance, or prelude of the whole day of judgement, containing a thouſand years (as Peter ſpeaks, 2 Pet. 3.) and bounded out exactly (Revel. 20.) with two phyſical or corporal reſurrections, as we have before amply opened*Book 1. Cap. 2. Sect. 1, 2, 3, 4. This we ſhall endeavor to demonſtrate by theſe Arguments.

¶ 1. That burning of all the proud, and of all evil doers as ſtubble, leaving them neither root nor branch, Ver. 1. And that trampling them under the feet of the Saints as aſhes, Ver. 3. muſt rather be referred to ſuch a time ſet down in the Scriptures, as moſt aptly anſwer to thoſe particulars; then left at random to the imaginary times in mens brains, of which we never read nor heard to agree to their character. But theſe things do moſt harmoniouſly concord with the times of the laſt ruining of the Antichriſtian enemies of the Church, before the raiſing of it to her great reſtauration, and reſtitution of all things, Rev. 18. wholly, and Rev. 19.11. to the end of the chapter, compared with Rev. 20.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Therefore thither are theſe things to be referred. I hope the very ſetting down of the words will convince the ingenuous Reader; where after a large and particular deſcription with all manner of corporal circumſtances of the BURNING of Babylon, Rev. 18. There follows alike iconiſm, or corporal characteriſm of the ruine of the reſt of the Churches enemies by fire and ſword, Chap. 19. I ſaw Heaven opened, and behold a white horſe, and he that ſate upon him was called Faithful and True, in righteouſneſs he doth judge and MAKE WAR. His eyes were as a FLAME OF FIRE, &c. and he was clothed with a veſture DIPT IN BLOOD, &c. And the ARMIES which were in Heaven followed him upon white horſes, &c. And out of his mouth goeth a ſharp ſword; that with it he ſhould ſmite the Nations. And he ſhall RULE them with a ROD OF IRON; and he treadeth the wine preſs of the fierceneſs of the WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD, and he hath on his veſture, and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I ſaw another Angel ſtanding in the Sun, and he cryed with a loud voyce, ſaying to all the FOWLS that flie in the midſt of Heaven, Come and gather your ſelves together unto the SUPPER of the Great God, that ye may eat the FLESH of KINGS and the FLESH of CAPTAINS, and the FLESH of MIGHTY MEN, and the FLESH of HORSES, and of them that ſit on them; and the FLESH of ALL MEN, both free and bond, both ſmall and great. And I ſaw the BEAST and the KINGS of the Earth, and their ARMIES gathered together to make WAR againſt him that ſate on the horſe, and againſt his ARMY. And the BEAST was taken, and with him the falſe Prophet, &c. theſe both were caſt alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimſtone. And the REMNANT were SLAIN; and all the fouls were filled with their fleſh. And I ſaw an Angell come down from Heaven, having the keyes of the bottomleſſe pit, and a great chain in his hand; and he laid hold on the Dragon, &c. which is the Devil, and bound him a THOUSAND YEARS. And caſt him into the bottomleſſe pit, that he ſhould not deceive the Nations no more, till the THOUSAND YEARS SHOULD BE FULFILLED; and after that he muſt be looſed a little ſeaſon. And I ſaw Thrones, and they ſat on them, and judgement was given unto them; and I ſaw the ſoules of them that were beheaded for the witneſſe of Jeſus; and for the word of God, and which had not worſhipped the Beaſt, neither his image, neither had received his marke upon their foreheads, or in heir hands, and they LIVED AND REIGNED WITH CHRIST A THOUSAND YEARS. But the reſt of the dead LIVED NOT AGAINE, untill the THOUSAND YEARES WERE FINISHED. In which words (opened laboriouſly afore, in Book 1. Chap. 2. Sect. 1, 2, 3. and ſeverall times elſe where) we have a burning and trampling, as in war, both to purpoſe; deſtroying bond and free, great and ſmall (anſwerable to root and branch) ſet on foot by the metaphoricall ſword of Chriſts mouth, his word, propheſying and commanding the deſtruction of the Antichriſtian enemy; out executed materially, with phyſical fire and ſword, if ſo many material expreſſions, and corporal circumſtances can ſet it forth; ending in eternal: and all this before the raiſing and reigning of the Saints at the beginning of the Thouſand years, and a full thouſand years afore the generall execution of all the wicked, body and ſoule in hell fire. For moſt emphatically it is ſaid in ver. 7, &c. to the end of the twentieth Chapter of the Revelation, that after the THOUSAND YEARES WERE EXPIRED, that Satan were looſed, and had deceived the Nations, that then hee was caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone, WHERE THE BEAST and FALSE PROPHET ARE, or WERE, viz. afore; in chap. 19. ver. 20. And with the Devil, the dead wicked, raiſed, and judged according to the books there opened, are caſt alſo into the lake of fire. Whether this corporal deſtruction, as to means, be ordinary or miracu…ary, it alters not the caſe. But to dream of a ſpirituall deſtruction by the Word, and to be ſet forth by fire and war; and in a continued ſpeech that ſounds of nothing but oppoſition againſt Chriſt to the very death, cannot appear to my beſt reaſon, any better then a meer chimaera and imaginary fiction. And the rather, becauſe ſlaying of men, to the giving of their fleſh to the fowles of the aire, is emphatically diſtinguiſhed from caſting the other ALIVE into the lake of fire; as this caſting of thoſe alive into the lake of fire, is diſtinguiſhed from the general damnation in hell fire, in the laſt verſe of the twentieth chapter.

¶. 2. That in the ſecond verſe of this fourth of Malachie [unto you that fear his name, ſhall the ſonne of righteouſneſſe ariſe with healing in his wings] cannot be more fitly applyed then to that 2 Pet. 1.19. The whole context runs thus, Ver. 16. We have not followed cunningly deviſed tables when we made known unto you the power and COMING of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, but were eye witneſſes of HIS Majeſty. Ver. 17. For HE received from God the Father, honour and glory, when there came ſuch a voyce to him from the excellent glory. THIS …S MY BELOVED SON in whom I am well pleaſed. Ver. 18. And this voyce which came from heaven we heard, when we were with HIM in the holy Mount. Ver. 19. We have alſo a more ſure word of PROPHESIE, whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed, a… unto …gh that ſhineth in a darke place, untill the day dawn, and the DAY-STAR ariſe in your hearts. Peter in his firſt Epiſtle chap. 1. v. 1. writing to the Jewes (being their Apoſtle Gal. 2.7. as Paul was of the Gentiles, Rom. 11.13.) holds forth to theſe Jewes in the words afore quoted three things. 1. That all along there he ſpeaks of Chriſt. 2. That there is a twofold coming of Chriſt, the one paſt when he wrote this ſecond Epiſtle, viz. when he came at firſt in the fleſh, receiving that teſtimony by voyce from heaven, Matth. 17.5. afore mentioned in ver. 17. of this 2 Pet. 2. The other to come, held forth in a word of Propheſie in this v. 19. which when it is fulfilled the day (foreign) ſhall dawne, and the Day-ſtar (foreign) ſhall ariſe, &c. 3. That this Day-ſtar is Chriſt, both by the contexture of Peters ſpeech afore, being all of Chriſt, and by the ſence of the Day-ſtar, which is the Sun; as the Moon, &c. is the night-ſtar, Pſal. 136.8 9. So that M… lachies Sun of Righteouſneſſe, ariſing with healing in his wings (that is, in his beames) and Peters Day-ſtar ſhining into the hearts of men, is all one. And laſtly, by the Antitheſis put between the word of propheſie, named onelyonly a light ſhining in a dark place, as a candle, or ſmall ſtar in the night, and the day-ſtar making full day; no perſon being to be exalted above the word of the prophets but Chriſt, which Sun or Day-ſtar, when he ſhines with a full body upon the whole periphere or compaſſe of the Moon, his Church, he makes her full of light, that before had much darkneſſe mixt with her light. 3. The Apoſtle Peter holds forth to the Jewes in the continuation of his ſpeech to them, When this Day-ſtar ſhall ariſe in their hearts, viz. when it ſhall ſhine in the generality of them; that is, that Chriſt ſhall be effectually made known to the lump of the Jewes (as Paul Rom. 11. cals the Nation or body of them yet unconverted but in after time to be converted;) ſo that the ALL OF ISRAEL (as is Pauls phraſe there) SHALL BE SAVED. And further that he ſhall with a dawning of the day, remove the long night of their afflictions. For as for a ſpirituall ſhining by ſome grace in the hearts of a few Jewes, the Apoſtle acknowledgeth that to be now done already, ver. 1. But this was but by or through a light ſhining in a dark place. But hereafter when the day dawns, the Sun the Day-star ſhall ariſe in their hearts: And this by the proceſſe of his ſpeech ſhall be at the great deſtruction of the enemies, and the reſtauration of the Church Chap. 3. For marke the proceed of the Apoſtles diſcourſe cloſely woven together; The Apoſtle having mentioned an adherence to the word of Propheſie UNTILL the day dawn, and the Day-ſtar ariſe, &c. (which words plainly point at a time to come for the fulfilling of it) he buſies himſelfe in nothing but in advancing the true divine propheſies, dictated to holy men of God by his Spirit, and the interpretation thereof according to the publicke tenor of the Prophets and Apoſtles, ver. 20, 21. and declaiming againſt falſe Prophets, and falſe Teachers, damnably teaching, and ſeducing the people chap. 2 throughout; I ſay, he buſies himſelfe in nothing but in theſe two, till he return in the third chapter to exhort the Jewes afreſh to be mindful of the words of the Prophets, and conſonantly of the words of Chriſt and his Apoſtles according to thoſe propheſies ver. 1, 2. To what end? Why now (as he declares himſelfe particularly) to obſerve the time when this propheſie ſhall have an end, that the day may dawn, and the Day-ſtar ariſe. Which (ſaith he, ver. 3, 4, 5.6, 7.) though ſome through wilfull ignorance ſooffe at the promiſe of CHRISTS COMING, yet be it a thouſand years off, and more, all this to God is but as one day: And when that time is come, that day ſhall be a thouſand years. So that though it ſeem long to men, yea, ſo long to impenitent men, as if he would never come, yet he will be ſure to come, and that ſuddenly, as a theife in the night, and formidably to the wicked, as in form of a day of Doom, the Heavens paſsing away, and the Elements melting and the works of the EARTH diſſolving. But not ſo to the Church, not ſo is the ſtate of the Church, expreſſed with a keen antitheſis, NEVERTHELESSE (q. d. notwithſtanding thoſe high words, and huge deeds. WE (beleevers) according to his PROMISE (that divine ancient promiſe ſo particularly expreſſed Iſa. 65.17, 18, 19, 20, &c.) look for new Heavens, and a NEW EARTH, wherein dwels righteouſneſſe. Which cannot be the deſcription of a ſtate in the higheſt Heavens, which were never worne old, nor made of earth, nor without the inhabitation of righteouſneſſe. So that the reſult of Peters diſcourſe is, that that Sun of righteouſneſs, or Day-ſtar ſhall riſe and radiate at the time of the diſſolution of the power of the wicked, and the reſtitution of all things for the glory of the Church on earth. Our oft touching upon this 2 Pet. 3. afore, makes us ſpeak ſo ſparingly of it now.

¶. 3. That coming of Elijah (in the fift verſe) before this great day, muſt ſignifie an Elijah yet to come, either perſonally, or perſonatedly. For though Elijah is ſaid to come in part, perſonatedly in John Baptiſt, repreſenting him, by the ſimilitude of his zeale in doctrine, and auſterity of life, Matth. 17.12. yet Elijahs coming is not totally, nor mainly fulfilled to this day. He muſt yet come again either (as we ſaid) perſonally, that is, he himſelfe individually in his owne perſon; or elſe perſonatedly, that is, (if I may ſo ſpeake) ſpecifically, repreſented by one of the like kind and degree of parts exactly like unto him; viz. mighty in ſpirit and action, to doe as aforeſaid in this context, to convert the heart of the Fathers to the children, before that great day afore mentioned yet to come, where he ſhall (Matth. 17.11.) RESTORE ALL THINGS. That this truth may find the better entertainment in mens apprehenſions, I will for the moſt wave my obſcure ſelfe, and ſentence herein, and preſent it in the words of divers learned men wherein they urge their owne reaſons for it.

¶. 4. The Scribes of and among the Jewes (the clerick Claſſis of them, very learned men in their generations, by office Expounders of the Law, Ezra. 7.6, 9. Luk. 5.17. and 7.30.) aſſerted after John Baptists death, from this very Text of Malachie, that Elijah was to come, Mat. 17.10. From them grounding on that Text ſome of the twelve Diſciples (after Chriſt had choſen them, and indowed them with wonderfull gifts, Matth. 10.1, 2. &c. and had ſhewed them his transfiguration on the mount Mat. 17.1, 2, &c. to 9.) take up the ſame Tenet, as worthy of conſideration touching the coming of Elijah, and preſſeth it upon our Saviour, in the ſame Mat. 17.10. the Lord Chriſt in anſwer to them firſt doth clearly acknowledge at that time, a good while after John Baptiſts death *For John Baptiſt was beheaded An. 32. after Chriſts birth, and Chriſts tranſfiguration was An. 33. Buchol. Ad An. 32 33., That Elijah SHAL COME, and aſſerts it with a TRULY, as our Tranſlators render it, as indeed in ſence ſo it is. And then Chriſt addes that when hee comes, he SHAL (foreign) reſtore all things. Which makes one maine objection, that John Baptiſts time on earth, was not the ALL of Elijahs coming. Beſides Chriſt ſpeaks of Elijahs coming ſo long after John Baptiſts death, in the preſent tence (foreign) commeth, as intimating that he is ſtill coming, or yet to come. So that as Chriſt comes twice, once paſt, another to come; ſo with a proportionable decorum, his Harbenger comes twice, both times to uſher in his Maſter. The one is paſt in John Baptiſt, the other is to come, in him that is ſtill called and expected by the name of Elijah, as we ſhall ſee more by and by.

¶. 5. Of the Chriſtians likewiſe long ſince Chriſts aſcenſion there are many men of fame for piety and learning, both ancient and modern, that doe not only aſſert, but argue, expreſſely or couchedly, for the coming of Elijah, yet to be fulfilled.

1. Tertullian (who flouriſhed about the year one hundred and eighty after Chriſt) in his Book concerning the Reſurrection aſſerts,†Quis inimicos Chriſti jam ſubjecit pedibus ejus ſecundum David Pſal. 110? Quis coelo deſcendentem Ieſum talem conſpexit, qualem aſcendentem Apoſtoli viderant? Nulla ad hodiernum tri bus ad tribum pectora cae…iderun…, …g…oſcentes q…e… pu…ugerunt N…mo adhuc EXCEPIT HELIAM. Nemo a…huc fugit Antichriſtum. Nem adhuc Babylon …xitu… flevit Tertu…. lib Ve Reſur…ect. ….22. Et …cce mutam …obis Heliom THESBITEN Sed …nim Metempſychoſis illorum eſt revocatio animae jampridem morte functae & in aliud corpus iteratae, HELIAS aut…m non ex deceſſione, ſed ex tranſlatione venturus eſt; nec corpori reſtituendus, de quo non eſt exemptus, ſed mundo reddendus, de quo eſt tranſlatius, non ex poſt liminio vitae, ſed exſupplemente prophetiae, idem & ipſe & ſui nominis, & ſui bominis. Tertul. lib. de Anima Cap. 35. that Elijah after his time was to come, by the ſame reaſon that his coming is a poſitively ſet down in Scripture to be a ſigne of Chriſts ſecond coming, as any other ſignes. Some of his words are theſe, who hath ſubjected Chriſts enemies under his feet, according to David (Pſa. 8. Pſa. 110.)? who hath ſeen Jeſus ſo, or ſuch a one, deſcending, as the Apoſtles ſaw him aſcending (Act. I. II.) There is no Tribe, with Tribe to this day ſmiting their breaſts, acknowledging him whom they have pierced, Zech. 12.10, &c. Matth. 24.30. Rev. 1.7.) No man hath yet RECEIVED ELIJAH (Mal. 4.5. Mat. 17.11.) No man yet hath fled from Antichriſt, Rev. 12.6. &c. he means from the perſecutions of Antichriſt; for he was not in his time riſen to that power as to perſecute, nor till long after. And (ſaith Tertullian) no man hath wept over the ruine of Babylon, Rev. 18.9. &c. He goes on in another place thus, And behold I will ſend you Helias the THESBITE. But indeed their Metempſychoſis, or tranſmeation of ſoules, is the revocation of a ſoule that having long ſince finiſhed the death (of that body to which it was united) is re-inſta…ed in another body. But Helias is to come, not from a departing out of this life (by death) but from his Tranſlation; neither is he to be reſtored to the body from which he was never exempted, but to the world from whence he was tranſlated, not by a returning from death to life, but by ſupplement of the propheſie; the very ſame man, and he himſelfe, of his owne name and humane nature. When Tertullian ſaith, THEIR Metempſychoſis, he means the Philoſophers, to whom he wrote that booke, and in particular the Pythagorean Philoſophers, whom in the context of the fore-cited place hee mentions.

*Quod dixit Dominus Heli as quidem venturus eſt, & re ſtituit omnia, id eſt eos, quos perſecutio Antichriſti contur baverit Auguſt. Queſt. Evang. c.21. Tom. 4. operum.2. Auguſtin (who was Presbyter of the Church of Hippo about 391. after Chriſt) affirmed the coming of Helias upon the words of Chriſt, Matth. 17.11. becauſe he was to reſtore the ruines which the perſecution of Antichriſt ſhould make upon the Church. Some of his words are theſe; That our Lord hath ſaid, HELIAS SHAL COME AND SHALL RESTORE ALL THINGS, that is, thoſe whom the perſecution of Antichriſt ſhall make deſolate. Now Antichriſt was not riſen in John Baptiſts time, and therefore John Baptiſt could not be that Elijah. And in Auſtins time Antichriſt had not done waſting; yea, the papal Antichriſt had not at this time of Auſtin, begun (hardly) to waſte the Chriſtian Church. And therefore he ſo argued for Elijah yet to come.

†foreign Theodoret in Malach. 4. v. 5. — v. 6.3. Theodoret likewiſe (who flouriſhed about four hundred years after Chriſt) argues for the future coming of Elijah (calling him Elijah the Great) from our Text in Malachi the fourth, upon theſe grounds; That he muſt teach the Jewes Chriſts coming, and perſwade them to be integrated into one Church with beleeving Gentiles. Which we ſee not yet done to this day.

Mr Mede on Mar. 1.14, 15. Diatr. par. 4. p. 1. &c.4. Mr. Mede likewiſe is of the ſame judgement, and upon very good reaſon; with the argument whereof he excellently cloſeth this point thus; thoſe words Mark. 1.14, 15. [Now after that John was put in priſon, Jeſus came into Galilee preaching the Goſpell of the Kingdome of God, and ſaying, the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdome of God is at hand, repent yee, and beleeve the Goſpell.] I ſay theſe words are a narration of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt his firſt beginning to preach, which they deſcribe firſt by the time when; Secondly, By the place where; Thirdly, By the ſum of what he preached.

The time when, After that John was put into priſon. The place where, Galilee; Jeſus came into Galilee. Laſtly, The ſum of what he preached, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdome of God is at hand, repent yee, and beleeve the Goſpell. In which Sermon there are alſo ſome parts to be conſidered, which we ſhall more conveniently diſtinguiſh when we come to handle it. Mean while let us begin with the three parts or circumſtances already named, in order. And firſt, of the firſt, The time when, After that John was caſt into priſon] Our Saviour began not his ſolemn preaching till his Meſſenger John the Baptiſt, who was ſent to prepare his way, was caſt into priſon. This circumſtance is elſe-where preciſely noted in the Scripture ſo that we cannot doubt but there is ſome matter of moment therein. For St. Matthew tels us, as St. Marke doth, Now when Jeſus had heard, ſaith he, that John was caſt into priſon, he departed into Galilee; and then it followes, from that time Jeſus began to Preach, and to ſay, Repent, for the Kingdome of God is at hand. So St. Peter, Act. 10. when he came to preach the Goſpel of Chriſt to Cornelius, was carefull to mention this circumſtance of time, as well as the other of place. The word, ſaith he, which God ſent unto the children of Iſrael preaching peace by Jeſus Chriſt (he is Lord of all) That word (I ſay) you know which was publiſhed throughout all Judea, began from Galilee after the baptiſme which John preached. Loe here the place, where? Galilee, and the time, after that John had done, as in my Text. All which argues this circumſtance of time to be one of the marks of the true Meſſiah; as namely, that this Jeſus was the Lord whom they looked for, who was to ſend a meſſenger before him, the voyce of a cryer in the wilderneſſe, to uſher his preaching and prepare the way of his Goſpell, as was propheſied in Eſay and Malachi, and the Jewes at that time expected. Which was the reaſon of that ſcruple of the Diſciples in the Goſpel when they ſaw our Saviour and Elias, whom they ſuppoſed ſhould be his fore-runner, appeare in glory, both together in his transfiguration Why then, ſay they, doe the Scribes ſay, that Elias muſt firſt come? Our Saviour tels them, that John the Baptiſt was that Elias the fore-runner of the Meſſiah, according to thoſe words of his father Zechary; And thou child ſhalt be called the Prophet of the higheſt; for thou ſhalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his way. Namely, (as the Angell told him) in the power and ſpirit of Elias, Luke 1. For this reaſon, as our Saviour was not conceived, nor born, till ſix months after John, ſo he began not his propheſie till John had done, that ſo the Scripture might be fulfilled, and John be his fore-runner and the meſſenger both in one and the other: Johns beginning to baptize, and his caſting into priſon, was between Chriſts propheſie and his. And laſtly, to conclude the illuſtration of this circumſtance, John was not onelyonly a fore-runner of our Saviour in his nativity, and propheſie, but alſo in his paſſion and ſuffering: For ſo our Saviour himſelfe expreſly ſaith Mat. 17.12. Elias is come, and they knew him not, but have done unto him what ever they liſted; even ſo alſo ſhal the Son of man ſuffer of them. Now the obſervation, or if you will the conſideration, I will make upon this circumſtance ſhall be this, If that Meſsiah according to prophecy were to have a Harbinger to prepare the way for his coming, and the holy Ghoſt in the new Teſtament thought this circumſtance ſo needful to prove the verity thereof, as ſo curiouſly to note it in the Hiſtory of his Nativity, Preaching, and Suffering; It would be conſidered (ſeeing the coming of Chriſt is two fold, the firſt and ſecond) whether the ſame prophecy imply not that there ſhould be an Harbinger as well of his ſecond coming as of his firſt; as well an Elias to prepare the way for his coming in glory to judge the world, as there was at his firſt coming in humility to preach the Goſpel, and ſuffer for the world. And Elias I mean, to be the Harbinger of Chriſt to the Nation of the Jewes, before his ſecond coming, as John Baptiſt was at his firſt. For to the Jews alone is this Elias promiſed, and not to the Gentiles, and John Baptiſt wee know (the Elias of his firſt coming) preached to them alone. It is well known that all the Fathers (unleſſe S. Hierome ſomewhat ſtaggered) were of this opinion: and why we ſhould ſo wholly reject it as we are wont to do, I can ſee no ſufficient reaſon. For if the Fathers erred concerning the perſon and other circumſtances of this Elias, yet it follows not but the ſubſtance of their opinion might bee true. As we know alſo they erred concerning the perſon, quality, and reign of Antichriſt, and yet for the ſubſtance the thing was true. Our Saviour rejected not the tradition of the Scribes concerning the coming of this Elias, when the Apoſtles objected it, though it were mingled with ſome falſhood, but corrected it onelyonly; for they looked for Elias the Thisbite; but our Saviour admits it only of Elias in Spirit, not of Elias in perſon; ſo yeelding it true for the ſubſtance, though erring in circumſtance; ſo ſhould we doe in the like caſe: For hee that throwes away what he findes, becauſe tis foule and dirty, may perchance ſometimes caſt away a Jewell, or a peece of gold, or ſilver: ſo hee that wholly rejects an ancient Tenet becauſe it hath ſome errour annexed to it, may unawares caſt away a Truth; as this ſeemes to be of an Elias to be the Harbinger of Chriſts ſecond comming: And that for theſe reaſons. Firſt, Though the prophecy of Eſaias, The voice of one crying in the wilderneſſe, prepare yee the way of the Lord, make his paths ſtraight, alledged by all the four Evangeliſts, and by John himſelfe, ſeems appliable onelyonly to the firſt coming of Chriſt; yet the other out of Malachi (expreſly quoted by St. Marke, and by our Saviour Mat. 11, though elſewhere alluded unto) ſeemes by Malachi himſelf to be applyed not onelyonly to the firſt coming of Chriſt, but alſo to his ſecond coming to judgement. For in his laſt chapter ſpeaking of the coming of that day which ſhall burne like an oven, wherein all the pround, yea, and all that doe wickedly, ſhall be as ſtubble, and it ſhall burne them up, leaving neither root nor branch, &c. he addeth, Behold (ſaith the Lord) I will ſend you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of that great and terrible day of the Lord, and he ſhall turn [or reſtore] the heart of the fathers to their children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, leſt I come, and ſmite the earth with a curſe. If you wil not admit the day here deſcribed to be the day of judgement, I know ſcarce any deſcription of that day in the old Teſtament, but we may elude. For the phraſe of turning, (or as I had rather tranſlate it, reſtoring, as the LXX. foreign) the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, the meaning is, that this Elias ſhould bring the refractary and unbeleeving poſterity of the Jewiſh nation to have the ſame heart and mind their holy Fathers and Progenitors had, who feared God, and beleeved his promiſes; that ſo their Fathers might as it were rejoyce in them, and own them for their children; that is, he ſhould convert them to the faith of that Chriſt whom their Fathers hoped in, and looked for, leſt continuing obſtinate in their unbeliefe till the great day of Chriſts ſecond coming, they might periſh among the reſt of the enemies of his kingdome. Therefore the Son of Syrach in his praiſe of Elias the This bite paraphraſeth this place after this manner: who waſt ordained (ſaith he) an foreign or type (for ſo it may bee turned) for the times to come, to pacifie the wrath of the Lords judgement before it breake forth into fury, and to turne the heart of the Father unto the Son, and to reſtore the tribes of Iſrael, Eccleſ. 48.10. which explication alſo the Angel warranteth, Luke 1.17. in his meſſage to Zachary concerning his ſonne, He ſhall goe, ſaith he, before the Lord in the ſpirit and power of Elias, to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children, and the diſobedient to the wiſdome of the juſt (this is inſtead of reducing the hearts of the children to the Fathers) to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

For the better underſtanding of this firſt reaſon we muſt know, that the old Prophets for the moſt part ſpake of the coming of Chriſt indefinitely and in generall, without that diſtinction of firſt and ſecond coming, which we have more clearly learned in the Goſpel. For this reaſon thoſe Prophets (except Daniel, who diſtinguiſheth thoſe comings, and the Goſpel out of him) that ſpeake of the things which ſhould be at the coming of Chriſt indefinitely and all together: we who are now more fully informed by the revelation of his Goſpel of this diſtinction of a two-fold coming, muſt apply each of them to its proper time: Thoſe things which befit the ſtate of his firſt coming unto it, and ſuch things as befit the ſtate of his ſecond coming unto his ſecond: And that which befits both alike (as this of an Harbinger or Meſſenger) may be applyed to both. My ſecond reaſon for the proofe hereof is from our Saviours own words in the Goſpel, Mat. 17.10, 11. where his Diſciples immediatly upon his transfiguration asking him, ſaying, Why then ſay the Scribes that Elias muſt firſt come? Our Saviour anſwers, Elias truly ſhall firſt come foreign and ſhall reſtore all things: Theſe words our Saviour ſpake when John Baptiſt was now beheaded, and yet ſpeakes as of a thing future, foreign, Elias ſhall come and ſhall reſtore all things. How can this be ſpoken of John Baptiſt, unleſſe he be to come again? Beſides, I cannot ſee how this reſtoring of all things can be verified of the miniſtery of John Baptiſt at the firſt coming of Chriſt, which continued but a very ſhort time, and did no ſuch thing as theſe words ſeeme to imply; for the reſtoring of all things belongs not to the firſt, but to the ſecond coming of Chriſt, if we will beleeve St. Peter in his firſt Sermon in the Temple after Chriſts aſcenſion, Acts 3.19. where he thus ſpeakes unto the Jewes, Repent (ſaith he) and bee converted for the blotting out of your ſins, that the times of refreſhing may come from the preſence of the Lord, and that he may ſend Jeſus Chriſt which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens muſt receive untill the times of the reſtitution of all things, which God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets ſince the world began. The word is the ſame foreign. If the time of reſtoring all things be not til the ſecond coming of Chriſt, how could John Baptiſt reſtore all things as his firſt? If the Maſter come not to reſtore all things at his firſt? ſurely his harbinger, who is to prepare his way for reſtoring all things, is not to be lookt for till then. Theſe are the reaſons which have induced me to thinke that the opinion which the Church hath had, as farre as I know from her infancy, of an Elias which ſhould be the Harbinger of Chriſts ſecond coming, hath ſome matter of truth in it. But that this Elias ſhould be Elias the Thisbite who was taken up unto heaven, I confeſſe I beleeve not any more, then that he ſhould be ſlaine by Antichriſt, as ſome fable. For that which the Prophet ſaith, Behold, I will ſend you Elijah the Prophet, proves no more that it ſhould …e Elijah in perſon, then that which is ſaid of Meſsiah (And David my ſervant ſhall rule over them) proves Chriſt ſhould be David in perſon. It is much more like, if it be one that comes againe, it ſhould be John Baptiſt himſelfe, who was the Harbinger of the firſt coming: That as Chriſt himſelfe the Maſter had two commings, ſo ſhould his Harbinger have; and as it ſhall be the ſame Chriſt which comes the ſecond time that came the firſt, ſo ſhould his Harbinger be the ſame. And to this both the words of the Angel to Zachary the father of the Baptiſt, and the words of our Saviour in the place before quoted, would not bee unappliable. The ſecond coming of Chriſt is the time of the reſurrection, and in that reſpect it would not be unſuitable for the Harbinger thereof to be one riſen from the dead. But as for Elias the Thisbites coming I finde no ground at all, but the contrary. Howſoever though I compare probabilities, I will not determine any thing, leſt ſome perhaps ſhould ſay, that while I reject old fables, I coyne new ones: I rather conclude, Cum Elias venerit, ſolvet nodos; when that Elias comes, he ſhall diſſolve hard queſtions. Thus farre Mr. Mede.

¶ 6. Thus we ſee according to the judgement and reaſon of learned pious men, Elijah muſt come, a little before the ſecond or next coming of Chriſt, when ſhall begin the great reſtitution of all things. But we never heard of any Elijah, or of any great Prophet of the Jewes converting, or endeavouring the converſion of the Jewes to the true Meſsiah, ſince the deceaſing of the Apoſtles. But they continue ſtill blinded, according to Rom. 11.25. and therefore this Elijah is yet to come, and conſequently, this Propheſie of Malachie is yet unfulfilled. Thus much of proofes out of the Old Teſtament.