Christs Peaceful Kingdom on Earth to Come, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of the Method and Order in handling the ſubject; Which holds out a twofold conſideration of Chriſts Kingdom on Earth; Firſt, of the foreign; That it is; Secondly, foreign, the things that belong to it. Concerning the firſt, ſeven things to be done.
I Confeſs, by reaſon of the ſtream of Interpreters running contrary, and the ſeeming diſagreement with ſome articles of Chriſtian faith, I have been apt to decline any opinion of Chriſts raigning with his Saints the thouſand years to come: But ſince Gods divine providence by his word and ſpirit, hath guided me into a more intenſe and ſerious conſideration of the great emergencies thereof towards his Church in theſe latter times; by whoſe eſpecial grace, upon ſearch into thoſe myſtical Propheſies of Daniel, the Revelation, with other ſacred Scriptures, which doubtleſs hold out many things in reference thereunto; I have found much ſatisfaction in ſuch of Gods proceedings, and by the ſeries of times decyphered in the Revelation, I ſee there is a neceſſity of finding ſome way of reconciling or removing ſuch appearing difficulties or differences amongſt good men: For though ſome by interpreting the day of the Lord to be taken for the whole time of Chriſts raign upon earth; from his firſt appearing to the end, complexively, in the ſence St. Peter ſeems to ſpeak of, One day with the Lord is as a thouſand years, and a thouſand years as one day, all which time they perſonally conceive him to be with his Church upon earth, in his humane nature; againſt which I ſhall (by Gods aſſiſtance) offer ſome reaſons to be weighed in due place. This then ſeemed to me, to be a likely way to ſalve the difficulty; I then upprehended, &c.For I conceive Chriſts raign theſe thouſand years to be underſtood myſtically, for ſome wonderful manifeſtation of his Kingly power and dominion in his Church, by the operation of his ſpirit, although he remain in his humane nature at the right hand of God, to make interceſſion for his people till the end of the world, which may in regard of his infinite power and glory, be manifeſt any other way he ſhall be pleaſed to magnifie himſelf gloriouſly in the world, as before, and ſince his incarnation ſome time he hath done; But that he will in thoſe times to come manifeſt himſelf in his Kingly glory and Majeſty, the Scriptures are ſo evident, as it ſeems not to be queſtioned; I ſhall therefore by his aſſiſting grace, and by the evidence and direction of his holy Spirit and truth endeavour to manifeſt the ſame to be hereafter in the thouſand years of the flouriſhing ſtate of his Church, when Satan ſhall be bound under or about the ſeventh Trumpet; in the conſidering of which, we ſhall proceed in the order following, by theſe enſuing ſteps.
Firſt, to conſider the foreign, that ſuch a reign and Kingdom ſhall be.
Secondly, foreign, what belong, to the ſaid Kingdom; and that, firſt, Spiritually; ſecondly, Temporally.
Concerning the firſt, ſeven things are to be done.
1. I ſhall lay down ſuch Theſes or Poſitions agreeing to holy Scripture, and the Analogy of Faith, as may much make way for Doctrines of this nature.
2. I ſhall offer ſome reaſons againſt the underſtanding of a perſonal reign of Chriſt, in a bodily preſence with his Saints on Earth.
3. To endeavour to open the ſence of the myſtical and glorious reign of Chriſt, which we underſtand according to Scripture ſenſe, and give ſome illuſtrations of it.
4. To Parallel ſome myſteries in Daniel and Ezekiel, with ſuch things as are ſet forth in the book of the Revelation of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt the King of Saints.
5. To point out how earneſtly the Holy Ghoſt doth enforce the beleiving of what is ſet down in the laſt part of the Revelation, ſtrongly and frequently aſſerting the things in and about thoſe times, to be accompliſhed with calling in the Prophets Teſtimony.
6. Since the Teſtimony of the Prophets is ſo earneſtly called in for evidence of what is deſcribed to be to come in the thouſand years, in the three laſt Chapters of that book, we ſhall endeavour to add ſome Propheſies ſuitable threunto, and tender ſundry Texts of the New Teſtament, ſpeaking to the like purpoſe.
7. To make ſome profitable improvement of this Doctrine for all ſorts of perſons.