The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Conteining ſeveral Arguments to prove the QUOD SIT, That there is ſuch a glorious time (aforeſaid) yet to come, before the ultimate judgement.
SECT. I.
§. 1 IF God hath been wont, generally, in all ages to puniſh on earth, and there to deſtroy all long, fierce Tyrants, and Perſecutors of his Church, then ſtill hee will ſo puniſh them: But Antichriſt (conſiſting of Pope and Turke and their adherents, as afore-demonſtrated) have been long time, and ſtill are fierce tyrants and perſecutors of the Church. Therefore that Antichriſt will God yet puniſh and deſtroy upon earth.
§. 2 For proofe of the antecedent of the firſt propoſition (or major, as we call it) viz. that God hath been wont &c. note briefly. 1. The Scripture ſets forth the deſtruction of the Egyptians on earth by ten plagues, and their drowning in the red-ſea, for their long and fierce tyranny over the poor Iſraelites for about 300 years, Exod. the firſt fifteen chapters. 2. The Scripture notes the ruin on earth that is brought upon the firſt (that is the Aſſyrio-Chaldean) Monarchie for that Nebuchadnezzar (who is the head of the monſtrous perſecuting image Dan. 2.) having ſlaine the Nobles, hee carryed, away captive to Babylon the whole land of Judah, in all the conſiderable things, and perſons thereof, 2 King. 25.2 Chron. 36. And having them there, commanded them to worſhip his Idoll golden Image, upon paine of being put into a fiery oven, which he executed on Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, Dan. 3. For in the reign of Nebuchadnezzars Grand-child, viz. Belſhazzar (ſon of Evil-Merodach, the ſon of Nebuchadnezzar) the Aſſyrio-Chaldean Monarchy is ſwallowed up of the Medo-Perſian Monarchy, Dan. 5.28, 29, 30, 31. Thirdly, The Medio-Perſian Monarchy, treading in the ſame ſteps of cruelty to the Church, or worſe, as the ſixth chapter of Daniel, and the whole books of Eſter and Nehemiah give us a full account, is ſwallowed up of the Grecian-Monarchy, according to Daniels viſion, cha. 7. of the fulfilling whereof we have a large account in the Books of Maccabees, Quintus Curtius, Joſephus, &c. The Grecian Monarchy, following the ſame rode, invading Judea, and at length moſt miſerably corrupting, and depopulating the parts and places of their worſhip, and cruelly, putting to death thouſands and ten thouſands of the Jews (as Heb. chap. 11. and the books of Maccabees relate at large) it is at laſt ſwallowed up of the fourth and laſt, that is, the Roman Monarchy, according to Daniels Viſions, and Propheſies, Dan. 7. Dan. 8. and Dan. 11. This fourth Monarchy of the Romans not differing from the former in cruelty (unleſſe in exceeding them) concurring in putting to death Chriſt, and his Apoſtles (as the New Teſtamament gives us hints) and lengthning, and increaſing their cruelty for three hundred yeers with variety of horrid torments executed on the Chriſtians over the world, reaching even to our England; the Lords divine juſtice ever ſince that hath been pouring out a Vial of wrath upon it, though it is not yet totally conſumed. Pilate, and two and thirty Emperours next ſucceeding came to untimely ends (as Mr. Fox in his Book of Martyrs, gives an excellent account.) About the year three hundred and twelve, Conſtantine the Great, riſing up in behalfe of the Chriſtians, ſlew his Colleagues, and their Armies that had ſo perſecuted. About the yeer One thouſand after Chriſt the Saracens tear from the Romans part of their Empire, in particular, Judea. (Drechſ. Cedr. page 582. Bucholc. Ind. Chron. ad annum one thouſand and nine.) About three hundred years after, viz. Anno one thouſand three hundred the Turks by their addition to the Saracens making a mighty Empire, rend three Horns of the ten on the head of the Roman Beaſt from him, that is, ſo many great parts of his Empire (afore largely explained, leaving him but ſeven (Bucholc. Jud. Chron. ad annum one thouſand three hundred. Huet on Dan. &c.) I may not here be ſo tedious as to deſcend to, and dilate on all particulars, how God hath puniſhed the German perſecutors with above twenty years wars by the noble King of Sweden; The Spaniſh Inquiſition-cruelty, with the wars of the Netherlands, the revolt of Portugal, and the French wars in Catalonia. The French maſſacres, with annual bloody Inſurrections among themſelves. The Engliſh perſecutions, and Marian Bonefires, and High-commiſsion cruelties, with ſeveral Invaſions, the Barons-wars, the Tway-King-conflicts, and the late vials of blood. Thus of the Antecedent of the major Propoſition. For the Conſequent and ſequell of it, it is founded upon the unchangeableneſſe of God, being immutable in his Counſel, immutable in his purpoſe, immutable in his controverſie againſt, and his juſtice upon the ſame wayes of ſinne; immutable in his power, and immutable in his goodneſſe to his Church to quit it from the hands of the wicked. And upon the warrant we have from the word of God, ſo to infer from Gods unchangeableneſſe, that becauſe God hath delivered his Church and people, and that by deſtroying the wicked enemies thereof, therefore wee may expect hee will ſo doe for future. So the Apoſtle Paul is confident, 2 Cor. 1.10. So the Apoſtle Peter infers, and that from ſeverall examples, 2 Pet. ſecond Chapter, firſt nine verſes, and many other places might be alleadged, but for brevity.
§. 3 For the ſecond, or minor Propoſition: 1 That the Turk and Pope have been long time, and ſtill are fierce perſecutors of the Church of God; we need not inſiſt upon the proof thereof, having ſo often afore repeated their hiſtory and Chronologie; and the eyes and ears of the preſent generation are witneſſes, ſo that both of them are healing and growing up againe to their Zenith, Apoge, or Achme, I mean very high, notwithſtanding the many cuts and wounds (aforeſaid) given them by divine vengeance. So that the Turk hath ſlain as many Chriſtians in one battel, as the tips of their right ears being cut off, have filled nine ſacks, as Mr. Fox gives us the ſtory in his Martyrologie. And daily he mightily enlargeth his Empire whiles the Chriſtian Kings, and Emperours, and Nations, Popiſh, and Proteſtant, are bangling one with the other. And for the Pope, his eldeſt ſonne the houſe of Auſtria, and his Catholick Kingly Sonne of Spaine is now higher and more Monarchicall then he hath been theſe many yeers; ſo that his unholy Holineſſe the Pope, and his Crew in their late Jubilee at Rome, ſang their Magnificat, and Te Deum, that All Chriſtendome was theirs, excepting a few minute ſpots, and obſcure corners of a few peeviſh Proteſtants. Now the Cataſtrophe of theſe muſt be, according to the full Tenor of the Argument, the ſtream of all Propheſies, and the examples of the three former Monarchies, a total ruine of them.
SECT. II.
§. 1 AFter long and many tedious troubles and afflictions and perſecutions, the Lord hath in all ages given the Church a generall reſt upon earth. But the Church hath been long under affliction and troubles and perſecutions in all Countries where it hath reſided, even ſince about forty yeers after Conſtantine the Great his Reigne. Therefore God will yet again give the Church a general reſt upon earth.
§. 2 The minor, or ſecond Propoſition is plaine by Hiſtory, Experience, and that which hath been ſaid in the former Argument, and therefore there is no need of ſpeaking more to that.
§. 3 Of the major Propoſition, the Lord from the beginning hath given his Church ſeverall typical firſt-fruits, laying the foundation of all upon his own example, in reſting from the Creation the ſeventh day, and thereupon gave them a ſeventh day every week, the ſeventh year of every ſeven yeers; and the Jubile being the laſt year of ſeven ſeven yeers, wherein to reſt from labours, morgages and ſervitude, as a type and taſte of the reſts he would give his Church from other troubles and afflictions upon earth; notably argued by the Apoſtle upon thoſe grounds, Heb. 4. throughout that Chapter, largely opened afore. And according to theſe types, ſo hath the Lord practiſed towards his Church from the beginning. 1 After about One thouſand ſix hundred and fifty years of afflictions upon the Church from the Creation, by the murther of Abel (Gen. 4.) by the ungodlineſſe of men, and their hard ſpeeches againſt God in the time of Enoch (Jude v. 15.) and the ungodlineſſe of the world in the time of Noah before the Deluge (2 Pet. 2.5.) God gave a reſt to the Church in the Arke of Noah, the name of that good man typifying, and ordered by providence unto that end, to ſignifie reſt, of viz. from toyl (Gen. 2.29.) 2 After the flood new troubles to the Church began to ſpring up. Nimrod aſſumed to himſelfe to be a Monarchical Tyrant over men, called therefore a Mighty Hunter, that is (as the Learned expound) a Man-hunter. The beginning of his Monarchy was Babel, Gen. 10. 8, 9, 10. After this, the building of the Tower to prevent Gods future judgements (Gen. 11.) brought confuſion of Languages, which proved a great affliction. After that there was great trouble by the Wars taking Lot priſoner, &c. Gen. 14. and by the firing of Sodome, Gen. 19. But at laſt God ſent Iſaack (ſignifying Laughter, and a type of Chriſt) all the time of whole life there was a time of great Tranquillity. This peace perioding, many troubles aroſe in Jacobs time, by Eſau, Laban, Simeon, and Levi, and the ſelling of Joſeph: But Joſeph being advanced in Aegypt, the Country of Goſhen, there was provided as a Land of reſt for the Church for many years, Gen. 28. &c. to the end of that Book. Joſeph being dead, and forgotten of the Kings of Aegypt, great afflictions are heaped upon the Church in hard labour with much rigor, perſecutingly putting to death their male Infants, cauſing them to groan and cry to God in much anxiety of Spirit, Exod. the three firſt Chapters. But at length God brought them out from that place, and perſecution, and gave them freedome forty yeers in the wilderneſs. After this, they had ſore Wars with the Canaanites, but at laſt reſt in Canaan. I ſhould be too tedious to dilate upon their reſt in returning to Judea, after ſeventy years Captivity: Upon the ſpirituall refreſhing the Saints had for a time, after the Maccabean, and other troubles, which wars and troubles laſted about foure hundred years, from Malachi to the beginning of the New Teſtament. Upon the reſt the Church had after thoſe perſecutions Act. 8.1. which reſt is emphatically mentioned, Act. 9.31. And upon the reſt they had afore the life time of Conſtantine, after three hundred years in the ten Perſecutions, which diſtinction of ten, was by pointing and diſtinguiſhing them by ſome lucida intervalla, ſome reſts, and reſpites, between each of them, till Conſtantine gave them a greater reſt, laſting for about forty yeers.
§. 4 Therefore we have reaſon, yea divine reaſon to expect a great and notable reſt for the Church after ſo long time of troubles (for the general) upon all the Church more or leſſe ſince that time, which is now above a thouſand and three hundred years; ſo the Apoſtle in part argues (as we ſaid) Heb. 4. that God having given ſeverall reſts on earth to the Church, after which, ever and anon by turns freſh trouble ſprang up, therefore yet there remaineth another notable reſt on earth to the people of God; which reſt mentioned in that of Heb. 4. is not meerly ſpirituall, or totally ſupernall glory, as we have laboriouſly argued afore upon that Chapter. And there is alſo a Propheſie inferred upon their ſtate in the Wilderneſſe, touching the Churches reſt upon earth, Rev. 12.
SECT. III.
§. 1 THe Churches extremity is Gods opportunity, as Philo Judaein in his Book foreign, and experience witneſſe. But the Church conſidered in generall, in all countries, hath been for many years paſt even till now under great extremities; Therefore God will take an opportunity to deliver it. The full confirmation of both premiſes, may be ſufficiently picked out of the two former arguments. The concluſion follows of it ſelfe.
SECT. IV.
§. 1 IOynt prayers never miſcarry, but ever receive gracious returns. See the generall Experiment, 2 Chron. 15.4. particulars, ſee in the joynt prayers of the Church in Egypt, Exod. 2.23, 24. under the Judges (Judg. 6.6, 7. Judg. 10.10. to the end of the chapter) under the pious Kings, Aſa (2 Chron, 15.18. to the end) Jehoſhaephat, (2 Chron. 20.12. to 31.) Hezekiah (2 King. 19.1. &c.) Joſiah (2 King. 22.19.)
§. 2 But in many ages, even ever ſince the Apoſtles prayer, Act. 4.24. The Saints and Churches in their convenings have prayed for the fall of Antichriſt, and all oppoſers of the Church, for the converſion of the Jews, and the reſtauration of the Church to her glory on earth, witneſſe the ſeverall prayers in the Scriptures, and experiences of the prayers of Gods people in all their convenings, as the antienteſt Saints alive have been eare witneſſes.
§. 3 Therefore there muſt be a returne of theſe prayers, according as beſide the former precedents, God hath made ſeverall promiſes, and engagements (as Pſa. 50.15. Mat. 7.7. Ioh. 14.13, 14. Luk. 18.1. &c.) of hearing his peoples prayers. For though God defer long (as it is in that parable, or compariſon, Luke 18.1. &c.) yet he will be ſure to anſwer, as he did that prayer, Act. 4.24. though it were near three hundred years afore he eminently performed it, to wit, in the converſion of Conſtantine the Great, and of his followers.
SECT. V.
§. 1 THat wil ſurely come to paſs, which God pre-impreſſeth on mens ſpirits (according to his word) preſignifies in the wonders of nature, and prepares for, and makes way by the tranſactions of men; …ut ſo hath God from time to time done, eſpecially of later times towards the fall of Antichriſt, and all the inteſtine enemies of the Church, and conſequently towards the reſtauration of the Church: Therefore theſe things will ſurely come to paſſe.
I might enlarge much upon the proofe of the premiſes of this Syllogiſme, but for brevity; it being high time to ſhut up this third Book. When the Lord intended Iſrael ſhould conquer Canaan, he put a valour into their heart, and ſent before among their enemies the Hornet of fear, and the Moth of decay and weakneſs, Ex. 23.27, 28. Deut. 20.21. Joſh. 24.12. Iſa. 50.9. Iſa. 51.8. when the two witneſſes are about to ſtand upon their feet to the terror of all their enemies, there ſhall a breath of life, of reſolution, and boldneſſe for that end, enter into them, Rev. 11.11. Before the thirty yeares of the late German wars againſt that tract of Antichriſt, and the Churches enemies, the Lord ſent eminent ſignes appearing many daies over the Country, as Chriſt propheſied there ſhould be ſuch prodigies and prognoſtick ſigns over Jeruſalem (which had been an arch-enemy to Chriſt) before the deſtruction thereof, Mat. 24. which accordingly came to paſſe, as Joſephus largely relates. There is mention alſo in that 24. of Mat. of Earthquakes before the deſtruction of that Jewiſh Antichriſtian Jeruſalem. As before, when the Prophet Amos propheſied the deſtruction of the enemies of the Church, viz. of the Syrians, Philiſtims, Tyrians, Edomites, and Ammonites, he emphatically ſets down, that that propheſie was committed to him two years before the Earthquake, as if that Earthquake were a kind of ſeal to his propheſie that it ſhould come to paſſe, Amos 1.1. &c. And it is propheſied that before the fal of the Antichriſtian enemies, and of their neſt, the great City, an Earthquake ſhould precede, Rev. 11.13. And we are aſſured by good information that of late yeares there have been divers terrible Earthquakes in the Popiſh Dominions. How the Hornet and Moth have been among the enemies of Chriſt, terrifying and weakening them, both abroad, and at home, I leave the wiſe Reader to make up of his own obſervation. As alſo what a ſpirit of reſolution and action there is in all wiſe good men, againſt real Antichriſt and Antichriſtianiſme. I ſay real, for I utterly diſavow thoſe whimſies of Phantaſticks, that call every thing Antichriſtian that ſoders not to their dreamed opinions, nor centers with their intereſt.
Finis Libri tertii.