Christs Peaceful Kingdom on Earth to Come, Preface – Errata
The PREFACE; Containing many inſtances, whereby it hath appeared how backward many, if not the moſt of Gods people have been to beleive the accompliſhment of the great things that have been promiſed by God, and for long time beleived and expected by his people, till near the time of their accompliſhment; all which, notwithſtand God hath fulfilled both in the Old and New Teſtament; as is ſtill likely ſo to be in the great things remaining, hereafter to done for the true inviſible Church, till the myſtery of God ſhall be finiſhed. With an intimation how wily and watchful Satan hath been, is, and it may be expected in theſe things remaining, he will ſtill be more ſo, in oppoſing and perverting the Doctrine of Chriſts Reign approaching, as knowing that thereby his own Dominion will be utterly caſt down.
THE PREFACE.
To my late well known, and well approved Friends and Brethren, B. D. F. K. N. S. T. A. P. I. O. C. increaſe of faith, truth, and conſolation, from him that ſits upon the throne, from the Lamb that was ſlain, and from the ſeven ſpirits before the throne, Amen.
My well beloved Brethren in the Lord,
IT hath all along ſeemed remarkable, that in the great Revolutions of Divine Providence, when great things have been drawing on to be acted for the good of Gods Church; though they have been foretold and promiſed, yet at the time of their accompliſhment, they have been uſually by many of God people little expected, if not gainſay'd, and oppoſed by moſt: When the 430. years preceding Iſraels return out of Egypt, which God had foreſhewed to Abraham, were towards their expiration, the Iſraelites would not take notice that God would by the hand of Moſes deliver them; and even when the time was almoſt fully come, that God ſhould deliver them out of that Egyptian bondage, ſo long as Pharaoh was able to reſiſt, they were frequently out of heart, and complained againſt Moſes and Aaron; and yet upon the ſelf ſame day, from the promiſe to Abraham, wherein the ſaid 430. years were expired, the Children of Iſrael were actually delivered, Exod. 12.41. And after that, all the while they were in the Wilderneſs, how often, upon how many occaſions did the moſt of them turn back in their hearts (as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh) into Egypt? and by their renewed rebellion ſo provoked God, that he ſware in his wrath againſt that generation, that they ſhould not enter into that reſt. Yea, Moſes himſelf was ſo provoked by them, that he ſpake unadviſedly with his lips; and they ſo tempted Aaron the Saint of Lord, as Pſal. 106.16. that neither of them came into the land of Canaan, nor any other of the people, ſave Joſua and Caleb of all that generation above the age of 20. years, that had been delivered out of the hands of Pharaoh; yet in Gods own time he accompliſhed his promiſe in giving that people poſſeſſion of that land, Joſh. 23.14. When faithful and holy David was anointed to be the Captain of Gods people, even he in fighting the Lords battels found the ſheild of his faith ſo ſhattered, that deſpondently once he ſaid, I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul; and thereupon ran himſelf upon dangerous rocks of temptation amongſt Gods enemies, from which notwithſtanding God graciouſly delivered him, and at laſt brought him into full poſſeſſion of the Kingdom over all the tribes of Iſrael and Judah. When Judahs 70. years Captivity in Babylon was almoſt expired, they deſpiſe the day of ſmall things, and ſay the time is not yet come to build the houſe of the Lord, Haggai 2.2. by whom God yet foreſhewed, that the great Mountain of ſtrong oppoſition, that ſtood before Zerobabel, ſhould become a plain, and ſo it came to paſs. Yea, when Chriſt himſelf, the long expected Meſſiah, came at the time, in the place, manner, condition, and in every reſpect, as had been foretold he ſhould come in the fleſh; how few, even in Jeruſalem or in Judaea, acknowledged or regarded his wonderful birth, his holy and wiſe demeavour, and heavenly manner of life; after all thoſe divine witneſſes of Simeon, Zachary, Anna, Elizabeth, &c. or the very Angels before and at his birth, or any thing afterward that ſet him forth to be wonderful before the time came wherein he openly manifeſted himſelf in the world; and after that how was his perſon deſpiſed, his doctrine and miracles (though ſuch as never man taught or wrought in the world before) not only not regarded, but even blaſphemed by the great ones of thoſe times? and by their means likewiſe, not owned by inferiours, leſt they ſhould be caſt out of the Synagogue: and though ſome of the Preiſts believed in him, they durſt not confeſs him. If Nicodemus, a Mr. in Iſrael, acknowledge and own him, it muſt be in the night, when he may not be ſeen; and all the ſtrange wonders before and at his death and reſurrection, and afterwards for the moſt part neglected and buried in ſilence: So ſtrangely in the worlds view, and even in good mens too many times, Gods greateſt predictions and promiſes uſe to take place. And have not ſince Chriſt, the ſix firſt Seals of the Primitive times (when Michael and the Dragon fought hand to hand, as 'twere, whoſe worſhip ſhould be ſet up) and ſome of the Trumpets after wards been myſtically ſulfilled and paſſed, according to the ſeries of their ſeveral times? which Mr. Mede on the Revelations very appoſitly applies. How have thoſe many Synchroniſms of Antichriſts tyranny 42. months, with the two witneſſes propheſie in ſackcloth 1260. days of years, Rev. 11. The Beaſt out of the Sea, having ſeven heads and ten horns, according to his Politick capacity, the other out of the Earth, with two horns like a Lamb, according to the Eccleſiaſtical capacity, Rev. 13. lyen hidden from moſt mens eyes? And hath not the woman the true Church (though gloriouſly at firſt adorned Rev. 12.) yet ſince as long been forced into the wilderneſs, Rev. 14. where her place was prepared; and all that while the Scarlet Whore, the Antichriſtian or falſe Church, ſits as a Queen, and not only bewitcheth the Chriſtian World with her Sorceries, but alſo with the Cup of her Spiritual Fornications, makes drunk the Kings of the Earth, till the will of God ſhall be fulfilled, when they ſhall hate her, and make her deſolate, and naked, and eat her fieſh, and burn her with fire, Rev. 17.16, 17. And how few take notice that the time of her recompence is near? Rev. 18.6, 7. How many of Gods Vials are already poured out upon her? How far ſhe hath done her utmoſt in killing Chriſts witneſſes, even few do ſeriouſly ponder. And when the ſecond Woe is paſt, how ſoon may ſound the Trumpet of the ſeventh Angel, ſuch who can delare? And thence forth many other excellent contemporaries are reveaſed from Jeſus Chriſt the faithful and true witneſs, and ſet before us under and after the ſaid Trumpet, who as he is about wonderfully to glorifie himſelf in taking his Kingly power, Rev. 19. When the Kingdomes of the world ſhall become the Kingdomes of our God, and of his Chriſt, Rev. 11.15. in a far different manner then they have been formerly: So likewiſe, how long the earth ſhall be bleſſed with that happy Dominion, he as clearly ſets before his people, Rev. 20.4. namely, for the ſpace of a thouſand years, even near or until the laſt judgement, Verſ. 7, 11, 12. &c. And after the Chronology of the time, and after the time of the ſaid ſeventh Trumpet in the 20. Chap. verſ. 7. where firſt having ſet down Verſ. 1, 2. the contemporary binding of Satan, and caſting him into the bottomleſs pit, and ſealing him up there, during that time (having alſo ſubdued before the powers of the wicked world) while he himſelf with his Saints, verſ. 4.6. will wonderfully, gloriouſly, and graciouſly, more then before, manifeſt his Kingly power in the world, the ſaid thouſand years, wherein in the ſaid following Chapters, he evidently and ſtrongly informes his people in the ſubſtance of many other contemporaries; As firſt, of the new Heavens and the new Earth, for the thouſand years, chap. 21.1. and the New Jeruſalem deſcending down from Heaven, verſ. 10. and the Tabernacle of God being with men for the ſame time, verſ. 3. again, chap. 22. there is ſet forth the pure river of water of life, proceeding out of the Throne of God, and of the Lamb, verſ. 1. and the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, the leaves whereof are for the healing of the Nations, through the ſame period, Verſ. 2. for in all the Book of Revelations, where things are not ſaid to ſucceed one another, as the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials, but one Table of Chronoligie is aſſigned to them all, ſuch diſtinct viſions are contemporaries, as all that concerned the true and falſe Church in Antichriſts time, have the ſame meaſure, though diverſlly computed, by Moneths, Days, and a times time, and an half; So all theſe Viſions, under and after the ſeventh Trumpet, have one Chronological Table to compute their time, viz. a thouſand years, all which particulars, being by Chriſts ſpecial order ſo ſtrongly aſſerted by the Angel, and the antient and latter Prophets as earneſtly called in for evidence hereunto, as we ſhall endeavour (by Gods aſſiſtance to point out afterward,) yet, ſo Providence hath over-ruled and ordered, that though the ſubſtance of all theſe things were antiently and all along promiſed to the Jews and Iſraelites, and foretold by the holy Prophets ſucceſſively in all ages, and much by the Jews in our Saviours own time (though both unſeaſonably and unſuitably) expected; and as Mr. Mede and others, from Juſtine Martyr, and other Ancients Teſtifie, how the things in the ſaid thouſand years were uſually by Chriſtians beleived in the times next after Chriſt; yet what by the ſubtilty of Satan teaching the Jews and others to affix ſuch vain fables, and ſenſual delights (ſomewhat like to a Mahumetan Paradiſe) to that time of Chriſts glorious Dominion in the world, that occaſioned many ancient and modern worthies, (as may happily more hereafter appear) too much to have declined from truth to avoid ſuch affixed errors; And ſince by mens apprehenſions of inconſiſtency of thoſe things, with ſome Articles of Chriſtian faith, ſome have thereupon endeavoured (as may appear) to thruſt this thouſand years of Chriſts raign into ſuch troubleſome corners of times moving Tabernacle, where it never could long find that reſt and peace wherewith it muſt notwithſtanding in due time be bleſſed; And to give ſuch harſh and forced interpretations of many Propheſies, both in Old and New Teſtament, concerning that happy time to come, as are unſuitable to the purport of them. And an other ſtratagem of late times Satan hath uſed upon the breaking forth of ſome beams of light, again appearing, concerning that ſaid happy period to come, to ſtir up the owners of ſuch Doctrine to turn Libertines, Spoken according to the then preſent apprehenſion I had tillfurther light (through grace) as after may appear upon ſerious view in the ſequelfrom the bonds of moral obedience due unto Magiſtrates, as Chriſts deputies; yea, to attempt even to take away Magiſtracy it ſelf, and Miniſtry too; whereas Chriſts Saints muſt not take the Kingdom to themſelves, till he, the great King of Kings, give it to them in his own time, not in theirs (or elſe ſo perſonally to underſtand his raign in his humane nature upon earth, in a bodily preſence, that it may ſeem inconſiſtent with ſome Articles of Chriſtian Religion, when ſacred truth allows not ſo to determine) or as others, by putting unwarrantable ſenſes upon the Divine Myſteries, not accommodated to the ſcope of the Spirit of God therein obſervable; which Doctrine, when the Spirit of truth ſhall defecate and cleanſe from all old dreggs and ſcum of former and late errors, miſapplications and miſtakes, I confidently believe for the ſubſtance, it will be owned as a precious truth among the beloved people of God (though we may not put weight upon the gronndleſs conceits or fancies of men) and the ſacredwritings both of Old and New Teſtament, may throughly evince it, but eſpecially this Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt will neceſſarily enforce it, if rightly and orderly conſidered, eſpecially compared with Daniel, Ezekiel, and other Prophets; My endeavour therefore ſhall be by the aſſiſtance of the Spirit of grace and truth, who will lead his ſervants in due time, into all profitable and comfortable truth, to point out ſuch things tending hereunto (which my own infirmity may otherwiſe prejudice) unto others, which notwithſtanding, as I ſhall endeavour, I humbly requeſt may be done with prayers and faithful endeavours, by others better fitted for ſuch a work, all prejudices to the contrary being wholly laid aſide in conſidering the laſt Will and Teſtament of Jeſus Chriſt in the laſt branch of it, now upon proving; and therefore at ſuch a time men had need be wary they do not go about even then to diſallow and diſprove of it, when it is neer to be put in execution; eſpecially, ſince he upon earth gave this intimation to the world, to beware of infidelity upon this occaſion, Luk. 18.8. as may appear from the former Chapter; When (ſaith he) the Son of man ſhall come, ſhall he find faith upon earth? He knew well what wiles Satan would uſe to darken the knowledge of that time (which he the Archmurtherer of mankind, beleiving trembles at; as is conceived, was the mark ſet upon Cain, his firſt-born, murtherer of his Brother Abel) when he himſelf muſt be ſhut up in his dungeon of darkneſs, from ſeducing men, which will be his ſore torment, all that time, and the fore-runner of his ſpeedily enſuing perpetual unexpreſſible miſery, and that upon his impriſonment the long promiſed and hoped for happy light and glory of Gods Church ſhall ariſe and ſhine forth, Iſa. 60.1. which will adde to his anguiſh; And as Cain built Cities for his curſed poſterity, thereby to abate the ſence of his trembling; but the univerſal deluge both deſtroyed them and their habitations; ſo ever ſince mans fall, the Devil to abate the ſence of his own horrour, hath been building many Caſtles in the Aair, of wicked deſignes and ſeducements, but knows when Chriſts raign ſhall take place, they muſt all periſh with their Author; And therefore no wonder that Satan ſhould ſeek to conceal and hide that period from men, raging the more, becauſe he knows his time is ſo ſhort; Let us therefore the rather, by faithful prayers, and diligent ſearch of holy Scriptures, commend our ſelves to the guidance of Gods holy Spirit, to be led into all truth, and particularly in what concern Chriſts Kingly rule on earth, not with reſpect unto what owning it hath by men, but as witneſſed unto by the Word of God, which is the ſaid holy Spirits evidence, which if he once appear to ſet his Seal unto, none ſhall make it void, but it ſhall powerfully overcome, and be victorious in the end, as all other witneſſings of Chriſt Jeſus have and do, and ſhall overcome the oppoſers of them, though never ſo great, many or eminent in the world.
April 24. 1664. MƲNƲS.
AN Advertiſement.
Chriſtian Brethren,
YOu may be pleaſed to take notice, that after the evidences in the letter of Novemb. 1663. in the Fore-runner, and my ſerious weighing of many other Scriptures, eſpecially in the Revelations, compared with Daniel, I was abundantly ſatisfied, that ſuch an happy ſtate of the Church was to come on earth; but yet it ſeeming difficult to me for a time, to reconcile a perſonal preſence with Chriſts interceſſion at the right hand of God; and taking it for a truth, that the coming of Chriſt was not to be expected till the laſt reſurrection: And not having ſo fully diſcerned (then) the clearneſs of a perſonal appearance above 1000. years before (as ſince I beleive to be evident) as by the laſt Paper of the foreign may appear) I thought I had fairly-ſalved the matter; and that my reaſons againſt the perſonal, and only for a myſtical appearance (then) had been good and ſufficient with the illuſtrations thereof, added (as you may obſerve) pag. 35, 36, 37. &c. But beſides a remarkable gracious hand of God upon me (as you may there likewiſy diſcern) both to diſcover ſuch remarkable paſſages in Scripture that ſeem more ſtrongly to hold out a perſonal appearance (then) and to ſhew me ſuch a way to reſolve thoſe difficulties, both by the ſeveral ſences of Chriſts coming in the New Teſtament, and to open to me a way of interpreting of what texts ſeemed contrary; ſo as I had no preſident (that I know of) and yet ſo evident, as (I conceive) cannot with good reaſon be denied; and as for what is ſaid of his interceſſion, if Chriſt will perform that work (thence forward by a preſential interceſſion, as formerly he did by a ſupernatural in his moſteminent improvement of his Preiſtly Office in heaven: ſo may be his and the Fathers good pleaſure; and that is all that can be ſaid, ſince no Scripture gainſays it.) Or how the remaining part of his Preiſtly Office ſhall thenceforth be performed is known to himſelf (as of the Prophetical, till that Preiſtly begun ſo eminently to be manifeſt) but divers texts (as was ſaid) ſeem to limit his ſitting at God the Fathers right hand in heaven, to his next appearance or beginning of his coming to judgement: However, any that are not ſatisfied [De modo] may ſafely (in the interim) reſolve of this, that ſuch a glorious Kingdom of Chriſt upon earth ſhall be; and for that the Seripture is both clear & plentiful, and a truth with much joy and thank fulneſs to be embraced; though ſome cannot (happily) ſo fully be reſolved in what manner Chriſt will appear to ſet it up, though to me the Scriptures ſpoken of in the and of the Fore-runner makes it evident that it will be perſonal, andwithal ſeriouſly (without prejudice) conſider alſo what is ſaid of Mat. 28. and Mat. 13. concerning the ſence of the end of the world, with divers other things of weight to ſuch purpoſes as you may find Chap. 4. pag. 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46. &c. and ſo I conclude with my prayer for the guidance of Gods holy Spirit, for all ſuch as humbly and faithfully ſeek according to the rule of his ſacred Word to be rightly informed in this particular: To whom I, as to that in ſpecial, commend all ſuch, who is the ſole-worker of faith, in every branch of it, for which his Word hath laid any foundation to be received in the ſeaſon of it, as it was even with the very Apoſtles themſelves, concerning the receiving of the Gentiles to grace; firſt, by miracles, afterwards by the Word and all other means uſually.
ERRATA.
PAge 3. line 1. r. after likewiſe; p. 5. l. 2. r. Chap. 20. p. 8. l. 1. r. is the, p. 15. l. 22. r. Pſal. 145. p. 24. l. ult. r. is ſet forts, p. 27. l. 2. r. of the roul, p. 35. l. 3. r. perſonal, p. 42. l. 18. r. foreign of the Lord foreign, p. 47. l. 13. r. after end, p. 48. l. 33. r. Saviours, p. 49. l. 1. adde and them that were with him, and Ibid. l. 19. r. Cenſers, Ibid. l. 24. r. and an eye, p. 51. l. 3. adde of thoſe three and of one, p. 65. l. 25. r. to Saint Johns. p. 73, 74, 75. falſly numbred at top, p. 74. l. 27. r. their, p. 75. l. 19. adde will, p. 77. l. 1. r. for the ſpirit, Ibid. l. 18. r. Teſtimonies, Ibid. i. 24. r. others, p. 81, ſpokan, for ſpoken, p. 94, l. 7. r. of truth.