Supplement to Christs Peaceful Kingdom on Earth to Come, Explanations

Supplement to Christs Peaceful Kingdom on Earth to Come · Explanations

Now having ſet down thoſe previous Obſervations in general; and 2dly, thoſe Several Conſiderable Particularities contained in Daniel, and all expounded in the Book of Revelations, reſpecting Chriſts Kingdom on Earth, we ſhall further by Gods aſſiſtance endeavour to proceed, and to explain and illuſtrate the moſt material things that we have but hitherto briefly touched upon.

VVHerein we may (firſt) obſerve how Daniel deſcribes the firſt State or Kingdom of the Stone, which is the Kingdom of Patience, wherein the Saints by Faith and Patience overcome and inherit the Promiſes, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, and ſhall inherit all things, as our Saviour further promiſeth; and here we ſhall endeavour to ſhew how this Kingdom of the Stone hath in, and from the time of Chriſts life and death been carried on accordingly both before the Beaſts time under the perſecuting Heatheniſh Dragon, and ſince the Beaſts forty two Months began; and to ſhew how the Saints have ſpiritually and powerfully prevailed for above 1600 years paſt, by the word of Chriſts Teſtimony, which in ſeveral reſpects, in ſeveral times, they have been enabled by his Spirit to give witneſs and teſtimony unto; and to this purpoſe Daniel ſhews, chap. 2. when he had ſet a ſummary of Nebuchadnezzars dream before him, in v. 33. he proceeds to the Fourth Metal, figuring the Fourth or Roman Monarchy, wherein were the legs of Iron, and feet and toes part of Iron, and part of Clay; and in the two next ver. he minds him of the confuſion of all thoſe Kingdoms ſet forth by the four ſeveral Metals (though it was a long time to come) and therefore he tells him, Thou ſaweſt (until) the Stone was cut out of the Mountain without hands, which time (until) he more particularly explains, v. 44. ſaying, In the dayes of thoſe Kings ſhall the God of Heaven ſet up a Kingdom which ſhall never be deſtroyed; that is, ſaith Mr. Mede, In the dayes of one of thoſe Kings, and while the broken parts of the other Kingdoms remained; ſo that they had ſome life left to them, though their Dominion was taken from them, as it hath been ſince the time of the Roman Kingdom, which hath had great Conteſts by the broken parts of ſome of the former, as Perſians, Armenians, Grecians, as Stories witneſs of their wars, and even ſometimes been foiled by them too, &c. (as might be ſhewed;) but the former Text reſpecting the time of the beginning of this Kingdom, which the God of Heaven would ſet up, is more fully explained in v. 12. and chap. 7. which hath reference to that laſt Text named, and other places of Dan. 2. where he ſhews, That the Stone ſhould at laſt, after it had long before ſmitten the feet and toes of Iron and Clay in the Image, that were the loweſt and laſt parts of it, it ſhould (I ſay) make thoſe (together with the Silver, and the Gold, and the Braſs, and the Iron) at once become as the chaff of the Summer Threſhing-floor: namely, in regard of what was ſaid in chap. 7.12. to wit, though the Dominions of all the former Kingdoms were taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a time and ſeaſon, till the laſt great and utter deſtruction of the Fourth Beaſt ſhould be accompliſhed, when the firſt Great Judgment was ſet, and the Books opened, Dan. 7.9, 10, 11. and when Chriſt came with Clouds to receive the Kingdom which his Father, the Ancient of Dayes, gave him over all the world, ver. 13, 14. which ſhould never paſs away nor be deſtroyed, as he there fully ſhews.

Now how this Firſt State of the Kingdom of the Stone began to be ſet up, as it is ſtiled ver. 23. (until the Kingdom of the Mountain took place, as verſe the 34.) by the God of Heaven, and hath all along been upheld powerfully and graciouſly by him, (as Daniel foreſhe…ed) is to be obſerved from the Hiſtory of the … all along the times of the Roman Empire being Contemporaries with it, Vide Irenicon, on Rev. 5.27 28.Rev 5:27in reſpect both of the affairs of the State under both Seals and Trumpets, now near to the end of the ſixth Trumpet, or ſecond Wo, when the Turk muſt be deſtroyed, Dan. 11. ult. & 12.1. And alſo in reſpect of the affairs of the Church, both true and falſe, till Antichriſt, the Pope (with the former half of him, the Turk) be likewiſe deſtroyed (as is probable) at the ſame time, or near together. To which purpoſe obſerve how this ſpiritual Kingdom of the Stone was ſet up in that manner as Chriſt-ſhewed to Zachary in a Viſion, Chap. 4. how the Oyl was ſupplied to the Candleſtick and its ſeven Lamps, and ſeven Pipes thereof, from the two Olive-Trees ſtanding by it; the uſe whereof he explains verſ. 6. Not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; which is applied to the two Witneſſes, Rev. 11. and in this manner the Spirit of the Lord was (originally as in the Fountain) upon Chriſt himſelf, being anointed above his fellows to preach the Goſpel, as Iſa. 61.1. This anointing was derived from him unto, and fell upon the Apoſtles in an abundant meaſure, and likewiſe in their meaſure upon all ſucceeding Meſſengers of Chriſt in the primitive Times, and ſo forward in the times ſucceeding till this day; and alſo on all faithful Chriſtians in their degree all along unto the Antichriſtian Apoſtacy, and from thence during the Popes forty two months, wherein thoſe anointed Ones, or as the original word ſignifies, thoſe Sons of Oyl, foreignthe two Witneſſes propheſying in Sackcloth 1260 days of years, Rev. 11. have fed the Woman, the true Church, in her wilderneſs condition, her time, times and half a time, now probably almoſt expired: all which time this Oyl hath been divinely conveyed and ſupplied to preſerve that light of Divine Truth and Grace by their Miniſtry in the Candleſtick, the true Church. And as it appears this Kingdom of the Stone was at firſt ſet up ſo divinely by the God of Heaven, and ſo ſpiritually and powerfully upheld by him, that no wicked oppoſition could either deſtroy it, or hinder it, but even his ſpiritual Power and Grace made the oppoſition of men and Devils to promote it in the faithful Chriſtians inward man: So it may further appear to be his work both to ſet it up and preſerve it by the unlikelineſs of the means whereby he hath and ſtill doth the ſame; not (as was ſaid) by power and might of the World, for that not onelyonly hath uſually been deficient to help in that work, but hath (with Satans help) made ſtrong and violent oppoſition againſt it, both in the Dragons heatheniſh and Antichriſts apoſtatizing times; which hath abundantly been evident both in the time of Chriſts own Miniſtry, and in the Miniſtry of the Apoſtles, p. 54who were his (Legati a latere, or) Ambaſſadors immediately ſent from him on the Meſſage of the Goſpel, with all other mediate Meſſengers and Miniſters ſent by him from their times, and alſo in all real and true ſubjects of the Kingdom of the Stone, ever ſince to this very day.

To inſtance a little in each reſpect: 1. Of their own outward meanneſs: 2. Of the Worlds fayling to help them: and 3. Of both the Devils and the wicked Worlds both malicious and violent oppoſition for the moſt part made againſt them.

Firſt, As Chriſt himſelf at his coming in our fleſh was that foundation-Stone elect and precious, which God ſets ſuch an [Ecce] Behold unto it, that his People ſhould take notice thereof, when he ſhould lay it in Sion, Iſa. 28.16. and witneſſed unto it by other Prophets long before his coming; yet when he came into the World every way wonderful, in Conception, Birth, Life, Doctrine, Miracles; yea, before, in, and after his death; yet was he not by the Great Ones, or the moſt, or wiſeſt, or learnedeſt of men either owned or received: But even then, though he was very divinely and ſpiritually wonderful; yet in regard his outward aſpect and garb appeared to the Worlds Eye mean and contemptible, the very Builders themſelves rejected that elect and precious corner-Stone, though to faithful mens eyes and Angels diſcovery, very conſpicuous and glorious: So that our Saviour toward his Death applies the Prophecie of David, Pſal. 118.22. unto the then Rulers, which reſpected both him and them, Matth. 21.42. ſaying, The Stone which the Builders rejected, is become the Head of the Corner, which was the Lords own doing, and was marvellous in the Eyes of men. And ſo it hath been with the Kingdom of the Stone all along that Kingdom of Patience, as we may, by Gods aſſiſtance, ſet down afterwards.

Now how this Stone it ſelf, in reſpect of his humane Nature, may be obſerved eminently to be cut out of the Mountain by the God of Heaven, without hands, was declared alſo as a wonder before he came, by the Evangelical Prophet Iſaiah; Behold (ſaith he) a Virgin ſhall conceive, and bear a Son, and his Name ſhall be Immanuel, God with us, Iſa. 7.14. So he was conceived by the holy Ghoſt, and born of his Mother a Virgin, without any real natural Father of his Fleſh, (though he had a reputed one) appointed by God himſelf to be a very uſeful help to the Virgin Mother of the Son of God; yet how mean and low were (then) their outward conditions? what attempts were made to deſtroy that ſpiritual King, as ſoon as he came into the World? How was he driven about, to endanger him in his tender infant age, ſoon after he came p. 55into the World? How was he expoſed and driven about whilſt a child? neglected and deſpiſed by the moſt of men; and that amongſt his own People and Kindred, in the time of his private life; where it was ſo much the more hard to do good among them, by how much men uſually diſregard a Prophet in his own Countrey: as he ſhewed that Proverb to be fulfilled by them in regard of himſelf; with many other conſiderations to this purpoſe, manifeſted in the Goſpel. But after he ſhewed himſelf in publick, in preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdom, declaring how that Kingdom of God was come unto them, namely, the Kingdom of the Stone, is eaſily there obſervable.

Queſt. But why, may ſome ſay, was the ſpiritual Kingdom of Grace called the Kingdom of the Stone?

Anſw. Firſt, becauſe Chriſt had been promiſed and propheſied of long before, under the Name, (as was in part ſhewed before, and might by many places of Scripture be made further evident.) Secondly, Some Stones, as the Adamant, are harder then the four Metals, to be bruiſed by it: hence our Saviour ſaith of himſelf, Mat. 21.44. Whoſoever ſhould fall on that Stone, ſhould be broken; but on whomſoever it ſhould fall, it would grind him to powder. And though the Doctrine of the ſaid Kingdom was ſo powerfully preached by him (as was acknowledged by the very Auditors themſelves to be with authority, and not as the Scribes; although he did ſuch and ſo many Miracles as never man did; and though his life was ſo perfectly exemplary, who did all things well, (as was alſo acknowledged of him) and no evil nor guile was found in his mouth, as Gods Spirit witneſſed of him; and that he went about doing good, though ſuffering evil for it: yet it was his meat and drink ſo to do his heavenly Fathers will, and to finiſh his work: and even to ſuffer ſo as no man ever did, nor all men ever could to that end; yea, how was he ſtraightened until he had fulfilled it? and all that was but to lay that Foundation of that Kingdom of the Stone, which began to appear when he was declared by his Reſurrection from the dead, to be the Son of God, with power, Rom. 1.14. whereupon he was ſo owned of his Father, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Pſal. 2.7. applied Act. 13.33. & Heb. 1.5. and thereupon all power being given to him (as he declared ſoon after to his Diſciples) when he gave them Commiſſion to preach the Goſpel, and wherein his Divine Power ſhould chiefly be manifeſted in the World, Matth. 28. viz. in preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdom, ſaying, (upon that account of his Divine Power, verſ. 18, 19, 20.) Go preach the Goſpel to all Nations, &c. which Commiſſion in ſucceeding Miniſters was to reach to the end of the World, that was to be accompliſhed at his coming again: p. 56When God ſhall bring his Son (again) into the World, Heb. 1.6. foreign, (as the Original ſhews) when all the Angels of God ſhall worſhip him, and every knee bow to him, Phil. 2. and the fame World is called foreign, Heb. 2.5. the World to come; and by our Saviour, that World at the Reſurrection, Luk. 21.35. in which interim it was to be preached to all that ſhould believe through their word, for which our Saviour prayed before his death, John 17. until that great period was come, when all the World ſhould both believe and know that God the Father had ſent him (as he there ſpeaketh) yet after all the Divine Glory ſhewed in Chriſts Birth, Doctrine, Miracles, Life, Death and Reſurrection, ſo neglected, oppoſed, gain-ſaid, perſecuted, in all Chriſt was, did, and ſuffered, ſo accompliſhed and publiſhed in the World, the Rulers believed not on him, but hindred others that would: and though many Prophecies had been fulfilled all that time in and by Chriſt, and he had foretold many others to be fulfilled by the Worlds wicked actings and proceedings againſt him, and to be fulfilled upon them for their ſo doing, in the ruine of that People, their City and Nation; yet by their infidelity and wickedneſs, they brought on the accompliſhment thereof upon themſelves: and though his Doctrine was acknowledged to be ſuch as never was taught, and his Miracles ſuch as never were wrought by any other, and nothing was found in his Life or Death that juſtly could be proved againſt him; yet all was diſregarded and rejected by the moſt of men living in his time. If it was acknowledged at one time, he did all things well; another time he was judged a drunken and a gluttonous man, a friend of Publicans and Sinners: if one time his Doctrine ſeemed Divine and Powerful, another time he was eſteemed as one that deceived the People: if at one time he be acknowledged to have done many wonderful and powerful Miracles, he is again traduced that he caſt out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils: if by ſome he be ſtiled the Son of David, he is by others called the Carpenters Son, the Son of Joſeph and Mary, whoſe Brethren were with them: if at one time he is thought to be a great Prophet, or the Meſſiah, he is again another time called Jeſus of Galilee: if the People one while (by an over-ruling hand of God) entitle him King of the Jews that was to come to the Daughter of Sion, and ſing Hallelujahs to him in the higheſt, and Hoſanna's to the Son of David; yet not long after they cried, Crucifie him, crucifie him; and fulfilled thoſe horrid evils that brought their Judgements (declared by him before) upon them, in the moſt dreadful ruine of that People, with their City and Countrey unto this very day, and which muſt continue whilſt the time of the Gentiles (as our Saviour witneſſed) be fulfilled, Luk. 21.23.

And after the foundation of the Kingdom of the Stone was …o ſaid by the God of Heaven, and after his Reſurrection all Power was given to him in Heaven and Earth, and he had given Commiſſion to his Apoſtles to preach the Doctrine of the Kingdom, and to others ſucceeding under the firſt Seal, Rev. 6. Firſt, the Apoſtles went out without any worldly power; and though they were indued with Power …om on high, when the holy Ghoſt ſate on them, Act. 2. like cloven tongues of fire on each of them; whereupon they were enabled to ſpeak with ſtrange languages, who not long before were poor ignorant unlearned Fiſhermen of low condition, yet were then ſuddenly enabled both to ſpeak miracles and work miracles; and Divine Power was manifeſt to go along with their Preaching of the Goſpel, to the converſion of many thouſands at one Sermon; yet the powers of the world even then ſtood up againſt them, whilſt they that were unlearned before ſpake miracles of ſtrange languages; and which was more miraculous, they heard them when there was ſo many (as the Text witneſſeth) of ſtrange Nations which heard them, every one ſpeak in their own language the wonderful works of God, yet even then they ſay blaſphemouſly of this wonderful work of God, [Theſe men are full of new Wine:] They hear of their miracles, but they ſeek to ſuppreſs them; for we (ſay the Rulers) prevail nothing, theſe men do many miracles: And they not only do not own their Doctrine, and not help to promote it, but lay hold upon them and impriſon them for preaching of it: and this did not only befal them amongſt the Jews at Jeruſalem, but in all places were they were ſent, as the Story of the Acts of the Apoſtles, and other Writers of the Primitive times manifeſt.

Again; The ſucceeding Primitive Chriſtians, both Teachers and Profeſſors of the Goſpel of Chriſt, were not only not owned and encouraged by the Potentates and great men of the world: But the great Red Dragon had gotten ſuch ſtrong poſſeſſion of the higheſt ſeat of worldly Authority in the Roman Empire at the height of it, having ſo mightily engaged them for all ſorts of Heatheniſh Idolatry, and to decline their imbracing of Chriſtianity after ſuch abundant conviction of the Divine Excellency of Chriſt Jeſus the Son of God, that in moſt places under that (then moſt ſoveraign earthly Authority) the Officers and Magiſtrates were engaged or encouraged to root out Chriſtianity (if it might be) out of the world; and how for the moſt part they acted to that purpoſe, was ſo evident, that (as an Ancient records) it was then obſerved that there was no day in the year whereupon five thouſand Martyrs had not ſuffered, ſave one in the Calends of February: and what large Volumns have been written of the cruel and mercileſs deaths and martyrdoms of thoſe primitive Chriſtians, wherein they were forced to undergo thoſe ſtrange deviſed tortures and torments (beſides all leſſer ſufferings) may abundantly appear to thoſe that are obſervantly converſant in them; and even then, by a Divine Power going along with this perſecuted Goſpel in the Preachers and Profeſſors thereof, as with the Iſraelites under Pharoah's Taskmaſters, the more they oppreſſed them the more they multiplied; ſo thoſe ſhowe… of blood of the Saints made the Goſpel to grow more fertily: and as was obſerved by the Ancients, [Sanguis Martyrum, Semen Eccleſiae] the Blood of the Martyrs was the Seed of the Church. And this continued all along the Primitive times, in the ten much noted Perſecutions, beſides leſs noted ones (which were like not to be a few) wherein, as by ſo many grievous and ſore pangs and throws of the Woman (the Church) then with child (through mercy) by the faith and prayers of God's People, till ſhe brought forth that Man-child, Conſtantine the Great, under the fixth Seal, Rev. 6. who threw down the Dragon (with his heatheniſh Idolatry) from the Throne, with his Sun, Moon and Stars about him, of his worldly powers, that had ſo long perſecuted the Saints in their ſucceſſions before: And this was done by the Divine Power of God's Spirit, converting that famous Emperour, encouraging him againſt the Heatheniſh Oppoſers, and proſpering his proceedings to a wonderful ſubverſion of thoſe powers of darkneſs, which, for the terribleneſs of their downfal, the Spirit of God decyphers much like a day of Judgment, in regard of the execution thereof, Rev. 6. latter end: which though it was ſaid to be from the Wrath of the Lamb, yet there is no ſitting of Judgment, nor opening of Books, which will be at Antichriſt's ruine, when the day of Judgment will begin; and as will be at the laſt ruine of Gog and Magog, Rev. 20. when the laſt accompliſhment of the Judgment follows upon it at the end of the world.

Yet this ſeems to be the great undertaking of Chriſt to conquer his Enemies in the firſt Seal: whoſe right hand ſhould (then) teuch him terrible things, Pſal. 45.4, 5. whilſt (as is there expreſſed) he rides on in his Majeſty prosperouſly, becauſe of the Word of Truth, Meekneſs and Righteouſneſs, for the firſt three hundred years, till Conſtantines Reign, by whom the Empire of Heatheniſh became Chriſtian, having caſt off the Dragons Worſhip and Religion, and owned and received Chriſt's Religion.

And this appears to be one eminent purpoſe of God the Father's giving of the Book to the Lamb, (that as it had been ſlain, Rev. 5.6. but was alive again) to open the Seals thereof; and under the ſixth Seal was … Comm…on contained, to execute this terrible Wrath upon thoſe Paganiſh Powers, which was the Stones eminent ſmiting of the feet and toes of the Imrge at that time, as Dan. 2.34. and elſewhere to like purpoſe, as was ſhewed. And from thenceforward Chriſt the ſaid Lamb, as it had been ſlain, had further in Commiſſion, both by reaſon of the wicked Apoſtacy of Church and State in ſuc…eding times, and to revenge the cruel bloodſhed and perſecutions of the Saints, with blaſphemies and other wickedneſſe of that Roman Empire before when Paganiſh, and after likewiſe when it would be poyſoned with Hereſie, and again apoſtatized by Popery; ſo that ſuitably thereunto he ſhould bring down again the power of Satan and wicked men in their ſeveral orders and places, as appears by the 7th Seal, opened by him Rev. 8. wherein he was accordingly to reveal and execute God's further Wrath, by his ſeven Angels with their ſeven Trumpets; in the four firſt of them blowing out chiefly that Wrath and Judgment upon the Weſtern Empire for the moſt part, to take away him that letted there the revealing of the Man of Sin in the Weſtern Empire, as 2 Theſſ. 2.7. (that Antichriſt might appear) And the two following Wo-Trumpets to reveal and execute like Judgements upon the Eaſtern Empire, Rev. 9. which ſince hath almoſt been fulfilled upon it by the Sarazens and Turks to this very day: And afterwards by the ſounding of the ſeventh Trumpet, to deſtroy on the ſudden all the wicked powers of Men and Devils from off the face of the Earth, at the Son of Man's coming in the clouds, and receiving his viſible Kingdom on Earth from his Father, over all Nations, People and Languages, Dan. 7.14. And the Kingdom, and the Dominion and greatneſs of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens, v. 27. And then at once breaking in pieces the Iron and the Clay, and therewith the Silver and the Gold, and Braſs, and making the whole Image of the four Monarchies, that is, the broken parts of the three former, with all that remained of the laſt Roman Monarchy, viz. the laſt and loweſt parts thereof, the feet and toes, partly of Iron and partly of Clay, to become as the chaff of the Summer-threſhing-floor, Dan. 2.35. when the wind of that laſt wrath from that third Wo-Trumpet of the 7th Ange will carry them all away, as was ſhewed before from Dan. 2. Dan. 7. Dan. 12. and as may be obſerved from thoſe parallel places, Rev. 16. toward the end; Rev. 19.11. to the end; Rev. 11.18. which agree with the Son of man's coming in the clouds, and when Michael ſhall ſtand up for Daniels People, and when Antichriſt ſhall have finiſhed his time times and a half, to ſcatter the power of the holy People, then all theſe things ſhall be finiſhed, Dan. 12.7. though it is made evident to Daniel that his People ſhould have … troubles before all would be finiſhed, at the laſt ſaid ſudden and terrible ruine of the Roman Monarchy by the deſtruction of Antichriſt.

And here again, obſerve how God all along the Beaſts forty two months, gave his Spiritual Power unto his two Witneſſes propheſying in ſackcloth, thoſe Sons of Oyl, (as they are called, Zech. 4.) to propheſy againſt Antichriſt, to conſume him with the Spirit of Chriſt's mouth, … bring on the ſaid Deſtruction gradually, accompliſhed by the ſeve… Angels with their ſeven laſt Plagues poured out upon him, Rev. 15 & 16 chapters, till that Deſtruction be accompliſh'd at the ſeventh Trumpet and laſt Vial of the ſeventh Angel, poured-out upon him about the ſaid time fore-ſpoken of when Chriſt comes in the clouds of Heaven, Dan. 7.13, 14. to receive his Monarchy upon Earth, ſpoken of likewiſe Rev. 1.7. when the Jews ſhall generally be brought home unto him, as Iſa. 66.8. and when the iniquity of that Land ſhall be removed in one day, Zech. 3.9. And then will the four living Wights, with the twenty four Elders, have that honour given to them, which they were aſſured of to their ſo great exultation aforehand, See Iren. pag. 32.Rev. 5.10. and whereupon all Angels and all Creatures render to Chriſt the glory due to him, which they acknowledge there to be his deſervedly, ſaying, Thou art worthy to receive Riches, and Power, and Wiſdom, and Strength, and Glory, and Bleſſing, &c. And then the Kingdom of the Stone will become a Mountain filling the whole Earth; when there will be given to him, the Son of man, by his Father the Ancient of dayes, Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom, that all People and Nations and Languages ſhall ſerve him, and that for ever; whoſe Dominion is an everlaſting Dominion, that ſhall not paſs away (as the four former Kingdoms did) and his Kingdom ſuch as ſhall not be deſtroyed (as the four former were, Dan. 7.14.) with many other Texts in Daniels Viſions (as we ſhewed;) which manifeſt it evidently to be to the utmoſt extent of Dominion, both of place Over the whole Earth, and under the whole Heaven, as was ſaid chap. 7.15, 27. and of continuance and duration for ever while the World remained, and for ever and ever to eternity, v. 18. when that Kingdom of the Mountain ſhall be perfected in the Kingdom of Glory in the higheſt Heavens.

In that viſible Kingdom of Power, Chriſt having received that Kingdom of his Father, he will then give it to his Saints, who ſhall then take it, as Dan. 7.18. and manage it for him, as ver. 27. having the Judgment (that is, the authority of judging) then given to them, to reign with Chriſt a thouſand years, Rev. 20.4. And that it is the ſame Kingdom, given at the ſame time, as the ſeries and order of the Prophecy of Daniel and of the Revelation both manifeſt, and the ſame Authority of Judging in the like expreſſions of Ruling and Governing, is in both places aſſigned to the Saints, as followeth: For firſt,Judicandi poteſtas illis facta.

Rev. 20.4. It is ſaid, I ſaw Thrones, and they ſat upon them.

Dan. 7.9. So I beheld till the Thrones were pitched down, and the Judgement, that is, the Judges, were ſet.

Rev. 20. And Judgement was given to them.

Dan. 7.22. And Judgement was given to the Saints of the moſt High.

Rev. 20. And the Saints lived and reigned with Chriſt a thouſand years.

Dan. 7. And the Saints poſſeſſed the Kingdom, with Chriſt the Son of Man, that came in the Clouds of Heaven.

But after the finiſhing of the ſaid thouſand years Reign of Chriſt with his Saints on Earth, we are to obſerve what Chriſt in Rev. 20.7, 8, 9, 10. further explains ſhall be fulfilled concerning the laſt wicked attempt of Satan after he ſhall be looſed for a little ſeaſon, verſ. 3. from his thouſand years impriſonment in the bottomleſs pit; all which time he was bound, that he could not ſeduce the Nations until the ſaid thouſand years were ended; namely, that after that time was finiſhed, that he ſhall then ſeduce the laſt Gog and Magog, the wicked Hypocrites then in the World, who ſhall then become very numerous in the four quarters of the Earth, from whence he ſhall tempt them to come with a joynt conſent; who being a wicked generation that had been forced in the thouſand years, unwillingly yet-outwardly did conform to the holy and good Government of the Saints ſucceſſively, unto whom before time they were neceſſitated to be ſubject for the ſaid thouſand years ſpace, though againſt their own heart, yet ſhall think then upon Satans ſeducement and conduct, to free themſelves from their yoke by attempting to compaſs with their multitudes the Camp of the Saints, and even attempt to beſiege the beloved City too, the New Jeruſalem that came down from God out of Heaven, even Heaven it ſelf upon Earth; where the bleſſed and holy raiſed Saints had all the thouſand years before happily beheld Chriſts glorious Preſence, ſhining bright with light and comfort upon them, the Lamb being in each reſpect the light of that City, Rev. 21.23. Iſa. 60.1. expecting by ſuch means to free themſelves from that (by them ſuppoſed) heavy yoke of the Saints good Government, that ſo the Kingdoms of the World might again become the Kingdoms of Satan, and of themſelves his Vaſſals: Upon p. 62which abominable attempt of Satan, and thoſe by him ſeduced hypocrites, the Vengeance of God by fire (as formerly upon the Beaſt and falſe Prophet) ſhall again fall from God out of Heaven upon them and devour them, and thereupon the Devil that deceived them be caſt into the lake of Fire and Brimſtone, where the ſaid Beaſt and falſe Prophet were caſt above a thouſand years before, to be perpetually there tormented with them: unto which will ſucceed the end of the World, and the general judgement, when again the Judge will ſit, and the Books will be opened, and another Book will be opened, which is the Book of Life; and the Dead ſhall be judged out of thoſe things that ſhall be written in the Books, according to their Works: as follows, Rev. 20.11, 12, &c. whereunto ſucceds Eternity of Bleſſedneſs or Miſery to every Man and Woman, accordingly as they ſtand or fall in that general Judgment.

And thus briefly of the main things of Chriſts Kingdom in its ſeveral ſtates, of the Stone, and of the Mountain filling the whole earth, with what reſpects the beginning and ending of the latter ſtate of the Mountain, namely, that it begins upon the deſtruction of the firſt Gog and Magog, to wit, of the Turk and Pope, Ezek. 38. & 39. before the New Jeruſalem, Ezek. 40. to the end of the Book, which ſhall be called Jehova Shamma, the Lord is there: and at the end of the 1000 years reign of Chriſt and his Saints, will ſucceed the attempt and defeat and ruine of the laſt Gog and Magog, of wicked hypocrites againſt the Camp of the Saints, and the beloved City, as was ſhewed; upon which will enſue the end of the World, and the general Judgement. Now in the ſecond ſtate of it, we have conſidered the Founder of this Kingdom of the Mountain, the God of Heaven; and the Donor of it, the Ancient of Days; the Receiver and Owner of it, (Luk. 19.12.) the Son of Man, Dan. 7.15. alſo the time of the ſetting up the firſt ſtate of it, viz. the Kingdom of the Stone, namely, In the days of one of thoſe Kings, in the height of the Roman Monarchy, in Auguſtus and Tiberius days: the manner how it was ſet up in the firſt ſtate, Not by power, nor by might, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hoſts, Zech. 4.6. Alſo the ſpiritual force and prevalency of it, to beat down, and break in pieces, and ſmite the Image in the Feet and Toes of it, &c. likewiſe of the largeneſs of the tender of the Grace of the firſt ſtate, to every Creature capable, to all ſorts of People ſucceſſively, till at the time of the end it ſhall be perfected in the Kingdom of the Mountain, filling the whole Earth; which outwardly, viſibly and gloriouſly, as well as inwardly and ſpiritually, God, the Ancient of days, will give to his Son, the Son of Man, upon the deſtruction of the Beaſt and falſe Prophet; when Chriſt, the ſaid Son of Man, ſhall come in the Clouds of Heaven p. 63to receive it, who ſhall retain it to the end, deputing its Rule and Judgement to his eminent raiſed Saints and Martyrs, who ſhall execute the ſame for him, over all People, Nations and Languages under the whole Heaven, for the thouſand years, which afterward Chriſt will deliver to God the Father, 1 Cor. 15.24. for ever after the Worlds end. In which Kingdom the Body of the Jewiſh converted Nation, with faithful Iſraelites, Ezek. 37. and the abundance of the Gentiles coming in at their riſing, Iſa. 60.3, 4, &c. ſhall continue conjoyned in their ſucceſſions in one throughout the ſaid Period, to the end of the World.

Now the moſt evident Fore-runners of this Kingdom of the Mountain, are theſe:

Firſt, The awakening (Dan. 12.2.) of the Iſraelites and Jews from their bondage and diſperſion, to ſeek for their promiſed Land by ſuch an Elias as God will ſend to them before the great and terrible day of the Lord come, as Malachy ſpeaks, Chap. 4, 5.

Secondly, The eminent fall of Antichriſt, the Pope, at the riſing and aſcending of the Witneſſes, Rev. 11.

The firſt is founded upon two Scriptural Computations: 1. Of the 1290 days of years, Dan. 12.11. from the moſt probable Epocha of Julians time, about 366. or as learned Ʋſher, 363. ending about 1656. or ſooner, which is computed, verſ. 12.45 years before the ſtanding up of Michael the Prince of Daniel's People, Dan. 12.1, 12. about the year 1700. 2. Of the Turks date to ſlay the third part of men, being the ſixth Trumpet, Rev. 9. for doing of which his time is ſet down by an hour, a day, a month, and a year; which date of his Mr. Mede reckons to be 396 years, which began not long after 1300. as Chronologers compute them, and to end about the ſame time: both which together may ſerve as a Key to open the myſtery of that largeſt number of 2300 years, Dan. 8. fore-ſpoken of in the fifth head of the Roman Monarchy.Pag. 34

Again, 2dly. That Antichriſts eminent fall is near in the tenth part of the City, Rev. 11. ſeems probable, 1. From the beginning of his riſe at one hour with the ten Kings, or his crowned Horns, that ſhould give their power to the Beaſt, Rev. 17. which ſeems to be manifeſt about 406. by the Author of [Excidium Antichriſti] lately publiſhed, and ſo his date reacheth to about 1666.

Secondly, By the pouring out of the Vials, 1. Upon the Popes Earth, in diſcovering him to be Antichriſt. 2. Upon his Seas, when many Nations, Tongues, and People fell off from him. 3. Upon his Rivers and Fountains, which Mr. Mede ſeems firly to apply to the Popes Emiſſaries, Prieſts, Jeſuites, and other ſeducers, who were reſirained by a Law made by Q. Eliz. whereby they had blood to drink, &c. Rev. 16.6. with like things then done elſewhere, &c. ſince which time in about 100 years that third Vial & two others are conceived to have paſſed, and now the ſixth to be begun; ſo that (probably) about the like proportion the ſeventh Vial may be poured out to the Popes utter ruine, when the ſeventh Trumpet begins to ſound; (probably) about the foreſaid period.