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The Resurrection Revealed · Nathanael Homes

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

SECT. III.

The uſefulneſſe of the Old Teſtament to the point in hand, touching the glorious ſtate of the Church yet to come.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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