The Two Personal Comings of Christ, Text

The Two Personal Comings of Christ · Text

p. 1A plain and evident Diſcovery of the two Perſonal Comings of CHRIST, one at the beginning of his Thouſand years Reign, Rev. 20.4. with his holy and bleſſed raiſed Saints in the Now Jeruſalem, come down from God out of Heaven, Rev. 21. the other after the little ſpace when the Thouſand years are ended, &c. Whereunto are added, many profitable Applications of the ſame Doctrine for all ſorts of perſons.

Rev. 22.20.

Surely I come quickly: Amen. Even ſo, come Lord Jeſus.

THeſe words contain Chriſt's moſt certain Aſſeveration of his ſecond Perſonal Coming, whereunto is annexed the Spirits and Brides aſſent & conſent thereunto, and their aſſured expectation thereof in its time and due order: They are the laſt words of holy Scripture (ſaving a uſual Salutation) and therefore like to be words of great conſequence, and that if we conſider how and by whom ſpoken, and how and by whom entertained and improved, as in the latter part; but we ſhall not here inſiſt on them, as to handle them as a Text, ſave only as they hold out to us the great Perſonal Appearance of the Coming of Chriſt, 1 Theſſ. 2.8.1 Thess 2:8now ſhortly approaching, which the world in great part (as it is likely) will not believe, till they in great part feel the terror of it: when at the ſaid Appearance and his Kingdom he will begin to judge both quick and dead, 1 Tim. 4.1. as in the ſequel we doubt not will, by the aſſiſtance and guidance of God's Spirit and Truth, be made to right enquirers evidently to appear.

In chap. 1.7. it was proclaimed with an Ecce, a note of obſervation (Behold) aforehand for the Churches great conſolation before her troubles began, that even then her Deliverer had begun his journey (as it were) for her help and deliverance: Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo that pierced him: but alſo for the wo and miſery of the wicked world likewiſe, for all Nations ſhall wail becauſe of him; and both theſe aſcertained, with Even ſo, Amen: to ſhew that his coming in the clouds of Heaven, in ſuch a glorious manner p. 2as the holy Scriptures abundantly ſhew, or with clouds, (as here) ſhall be moſt certain and infallible, and of great concernment for his faithful People to obſerve all along, to remember, conſider, and improve through all the orders of times in this moſt ſacred Prophetical Book: But now at the latter end when he comes to ſet home this leſſon in its due order of accompliſhment, as foreſeeing what hindrances in that reſpect his People would find in the latter dayes, he then ſtriketh hard and often upon this ſtring, to rouſe them, and awaken that Faith that then would be hard to be found: Luke 18.8. ſaith he in his own perſon three times in this 22th chapter: firſt, v. 7. Behold, I come quickly: again, v. 12. And behold, I come quickly: and laſtly in this 20th verſ. Surely I come quickly: ſtill in each verſe encouraging his People to wait for his coming that would make amends for all, and that in the worſt times before his coming, which would then ſhortly be, when the laſt head of the Roman Monſter was to fall in its order into utter perdition in the Armageddon battel, Rev. 16.14, 16, 17. and fully executed, chap. 19.11, &c. and that he ſhould moſt certainly then ſo come to ſet up his glorious Kingdom on Earth, and then to have his reward with him for all ſorts, v. 12. Rev. 11.18. that ſo, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, all that ſuffer with him in his Kingdom of Patience, may reign with him in his Kingdom of Power, as their Meſſiah and Deliverer on Earth, 2 Tim. 2.12. That they may ſerve him without fear (there) in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the dayes of their lives, Luke 1.74. So by theſe and the like means the Bride, the Lamb's Wife, the Myſtical Body of Chriſt, then ſhortly to be made perfect in one, (as, John 17. our Saviour prayed on Earth at his firſt-coming, for his Saints happineſs on Earth at his ſecond coming) ſhould, according to the due order of things ſet down in this moſt divine Book, expect it in the end of the Roman Kingdom, and when his own glorious Kingdom, as Mediator, ſhould ſucceed on Earth, and become that Mountain filling the whole Earth, Dan. 2.35. of which he ſets down in the four laſt chapters: Firſt, the removal of the hinderers, the Pope and his adherents, chap. 19. and then of the Devil and his angels, chap. 20.1, 2, 3. Secondly, the erecting of his excellent Dominion; firſt, by the Brides making ready, when ſhe ſhould ſo ſing her Alleluja's upon her Enemies ruine, in the old mother-tongue, &c. Rev. 19.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and alſo the Saints be raiſed in order; firſt, ſuch as were beheaded, and then, &c. chap. 20.4. and more fully, chap. 11.18. who muſt then have Judgment given to them, that is, power of judging on Thrones, ver. 4. & Dan. 7. and this for a thouſand years; and having ſhewed what Satan with the laſt Gog and Magog, chap. 20.7, p. 38, 9, 10. ſhould attempt for a little ſpace, till both be ſent to Hell; and in what way and manner he will thereupon begin the laſt Seſſion of Judgment, from ver. 10. to the end: he then in the two laſt chapters decyphers the excellent bleſſed and holy ſtate of his own and his Saints Kingdom upon Earth, with their priviledges and advantages therein, as may abundantly appear from chap. 21 & 22: wherein from the conſideration of this his own next Perſonal Coming he ſtirs up all his People to come to him, to be fit to welcome his Coming, v. 17. The Spirit and the Bride ſay, Come: and let him that heareth (ſpiritually) come; and let him that is athirſt, come, &c. that when they hear him ſay, ver. 20. Surely I come quickly, they may by faith, and with fervent deſires (as his Bride) ſay, Amen. Even ſo, come Lord Jeſus.

And all theſe warnings, with frequent aſſertings of theſe things, which he ſets down in theſe four laſt chapters of this Book: as chap. 19.7, 8. Theſe are the true ſayings of God. & ch. 21.5. Theſe words are true and faithful: chap. 22.6. Theſe ſayings are faithful and true; and v. 10. forbids this Book to be ſealed, becauſe the time is at hand, viz. in the order of the accompliſhment of all contained in this Book: and in this 20^th verſ. concludes with his own moſt ſure teſtimony: He which teſtifieth theſe things, ſaith, Surely I come quickly, &c. All which he ſeems to do as knowing how the faith of theſe things would be reſiſted in the world about the time he ſhould ſo come in the clouds, or with clouds, as chap. 1.7. even this coming of which he ſaith, Surely I come quickly. And as we now find by experience at this very time, as reſpecting his ſpecial ſpiritual powerful coming, ſo much ſlighted and oppoſed by moſt of men; and his next perſonal coming is not like to be leſs ſlighted and mocked at, 1 Pet. 3.3. but by the Scoffers of thoſe times very poſſible much more.

Now whereas beſides Chriſt's coming in humility to take our nature, and to ſuffer for his Church, there remains according to holy Scripture (as we hope (by the Grace of God) to make manifeſt to all impartial ſearchers into theſe Myſteries) there ſtill remains a twofold perſonal coming of Chriſt: One when God will ſubdue and deſtroy the great Enemies of Chriſt and his People, both Jewes and Gentiles, namely the Turk and Pope, ſet forth by Ezekiel under the titles of Gog and Magog, chap. 38 & 39. before he ſet up his New Jeruſalem, chap. 40 to the end of the Book, Whoſe name ſhall be JEHOVAH SHAMMA, the Lord is there: juſt as the Beaſt and his Armies ſhall be deſtroyed, Rev. 19.11, &c. before the Jeruſalem, Rev. 19, & 20, & 21. called the Holy, Beloved, the great and holy Jeruſalem, which is alſo there the Bride, the Lambs Wife, be built by God's own hand; as Heb. p. 411. which will be accompliſhed at the ſounding of the ſeventh Angel, Rev. 11.16. upon which comes in the thouſand years when Chriſt will take to himſelf his great Power, and reign, as chap. 19. v. 1 to v. 10. And afterwards when our bleſſed Saviour had given a clear and perfect computation of all ſucceeding times to the end of the world, with all the ſuiting circumſtances before, in, at the end, and after his ſaid thouſand years Reign on Earth: in that laſt Table of the laſt and beſt times in the new World in chap. 20. (as he gave a Table of all the laſt and worſt times, chap. 11. to ver. 16. in the old bad World) he ſhews manifeſtly from the compleating of that Judgment upon thoſe great Enemies from his ſecond Perſonal Apearance or Coming at that time, when the Judgment was ſet to deſtroy the Beaſt, Dan. 7.9, 10. there are to paſs above a thouſand years before the third, when is to be the laſt Seſſion of the day of Judgment at the general Reſurrection of all that lived not again before, both good and bad, as our Saviour diſtinctly teacheth, chap. 20. called there the reſt of the dead that lived not again before, ver. 5. ſetting forth to the end, the manner of God's carryingon many wonderful works from thence unto the end. And then Chriſt further proceeds in the two laſt chapters, to ſet forth in a very divine and wonderful manner the ſucceeding glorious eſtate of his Church upon Earth, with her excellent prerogatives and priviledges all that time of his thouſand years Reign, from his ſecond coming to his third, ſaving the little ſpace Satan is after looſed and ſeduceth the laſt Gog and Magog, chap. 20.7, 8, 9, 10. to their deſtruction; to which enſueth the laſt Judgment, ver. 11. to the end: when he will again deſcend from Heaven, not with clouds, as at his ſecond coming, but with a ſhout and the voice of an Arch-Angel, and the Trump of God, as the Apoſtle ſheweth, 2 Theſſ. 4.16, &c. and as here, chap. 20.11. ſitting upon a great white Throne, before whoſe face Heaven and Earth fled away.

Now to that end we may the better and more clearly carry on this great work to ſatisfaction of ſome, hitherto unreſolved conſciencious Chriſtians, we ſhall endeavour to this purpoſe to ſet down many evident Texts of holy Scriptures, upon the advantage of what hath been already ſaid, which may appear manifeſtly to relate to thoſe two Perſonal Comings: and then come more fully to conſider them from the order of their diſtinct times wherein they are to be, both from Daniels Viſions and the Book of Revelations, in both which we have the ſeries and order of the accompliſhment of the Generalities of the greateſt marters, wherein God's glory and the Churches concernment ſhould lie, from the beginning of Daniels Viſions for the ſpace of above three p. 5thouſand three hundred years. 2dly, To obſerve, for Chriſtians information, the different names and titles ſometimes given to them, and anſwerably thereunto their natures as ſuitable to thoſe names. 3dly, The different things to be done by Chriſt at both thoſe ſaid Comings, with many diſtinct particularities under both thoſe heads, beſides what is orderly to be accompliſhed both according to Daniel and the Book of the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, the faithful and true Witneſs, from his ſecond to his third perſonal coming at the laſt reſurrection of good and bad, which our Saviour after his aſcenſion into Heaven hath at laſt declared and opened, and left unſealed (as was noted) for his Churches inſtruction and comfort, as by ſpecial order is manifeſt, Rev. 22.10. by which means his People are inabled rightly to underſtand many otherwiſe dark paſſages of Old and New Teſtament, and beſides hath given great incouragement of bleſſing to the faithfull and diligent ſearching into them, to the ſpiritual hearing or believing of them, and to the keeping of the ſayings of that Book, chap. 1.3.

Now therefore in reference to the firſt part of our buſineſs let it be obſerved, That many judicious men, well vers'd in the myſteries reſpecting the latter times, unanimouſly agree that Chriſt will remain, from his appearance or coming at the deſtruction of Aptichriſt, thenceforward all the thouſand years of his reigning with his raiſed Saints in the …orld, Rev. 20.4. and will (as Mr. Mede conceives probably) through that time be raiſing up all the dead bodies of all the formerly deceaſed Saints, to the end of that thouſand years, in their own order, having departed out of this life during the Kingdom of the Stone, or the Kingdom of Patience, for almoſt ſeventeen hundred years, having believed through their word (as is ſaid John 17.) namely by the Apoſtles Doctrine, with all the Faithful under the Old Teſtament, even till that time when they ſhall all be made perfect in one with Chriſt their viſible Head, then in that his glorious Kingdom on Earth for the ſaid thouſand years ſpace, unto which that Scripture muſt neceſſarily be referred, Joh. 17. from ver. 19 to 25. But it ſeems from the time that Satan, at the end of the thouſand years, ſhall be looſed for a little ſeaſon, that Chriſt will withdraw from the world for that little ſeaſon, to give (as it were) opportunity to the Devil to play his laſt moſt abominable wicked prank in the world with his ſeduced Hypocrites, the laſt Gog and Magog, as followeth, Rev. 20.7, 8, 9. to bring on that laſt deſtruction of all them, and the whole World, v. 10. which thereupon will ſuddenly be diſſolved, as follows, ver. 11 to the end; when the Apoſtle Paul plainly ſaith, 1 Theſſ. 4.16. Chriſt will again deſcend from Heaven with a ſhout, with the voice of the Arch-Angel, p. 6and with the Trump of God; and ſhews that immediately the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt, (namely ſuch as had died in the thouſand years ſince his ſecond coming) that they with ſuch as are alive and remain all the time ſince they were raiſed to live again upon Earth, (which he ſpeaks of twice, v. 15, 17.) as being in a very different condition from thoſe that are dead then, and in the thouſand years, and to be firſt raiſed when all wicked men are to be raiſed. Where note, he ſaith not, We ſhall riſe firſt then, as he did of the other ſtate, we that are alive and remain; but, the dead in Chriſt; and that they, with all ſuch as were in the natural life on Earth, who ſhould have a momentany change then inſtead of a death; and alſo that all thoſe that were before raiſed in the thouſand years, ſhould all at once be rapt up to meet Chriſt in the air, and altogether be thenceforth ever with the Lord; who had for a little time before abſented himſelf from them. And that the Apoſtle in this Epiſtle ſpeaks both of his ſecond and third coming, may thus further be made to appear, chap. 3.13. he ſpeaks of the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt with All his Saints; and again, chap. 4.14. he ſaith alſo, them alſo that ſleep in Jeſus ſhall God bring with him: he brings them with him at his next appearance to take their bodies in the firſt Reſurrection, Rev. 20.6. but at his third coming they are not ſaid to be brought with him, but rapt up to meet him in the air, when he is deſcended from Heaven: Before he had left them a little ſeaſon, but afterwards they ſhall be ever with the Lord. To which purpoſe Enoch propheſied of old of his firſt coming, Jude 14.8. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his Saints: that is, when the New Jeruſalem which is above, and called by the Apoſtle, The Mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. ſhall come down from God out of Heaven at his ſecond coming at the time of the reſtitution of all things, Acts 3.20, 21. & Rev. 21. being prepared as a Bride adorned for her Huſband: when he will make all things new, and the Tabernacle of God ſhall be with men, v. 2, 3, 5. when the ſouls beheaded for the teſtimony of Jeſus ſhall live and reign with Chriſt the thouſand years, Rev. 20.4. and when he will begin that judgment, Rev. 11.18. to reward his ſervants the Prophets, and his Saints, and all that fear his Name both ſmall and great: and when the four Beaſts (or rather living wights) and the twenty four Elders, Rev. 5.10. ſhall actually enjoy that which they foreſaw in Viſion above one thouſand five hundred years before that they ſhould reign upon earth; for he is not ſaid to bring them with him at his third coming, but to take them up to him to meet him in the air, by a ſudden reſurrection, and momentany change and rapture, who before in great part lived again, and remained p. 7upon Earth, or in the World, until that time; and yet he ſaith that they ſhould not prevent thoſe that were then aſleep: and alſo ſhews, that though Chriſt had left them for a ſeaſon before, yet from thence-forward they ſhould all ever be with the Lord. And for his ſecond coming the Scripture is very full and clear, at the deſtruction of Antichriſt, from Dan. 7.14. when he ſhall come in the cl… of Heaven; and Rev. 1.7. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him: and 2 Theſſ. 2.8. he will then deſtroy the Man of Sin with the appearance of his Coming, when he ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on thoſe wicked men who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his Power; and then alſo be glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that believe, 2 Theſſ. 1.8, 9, 10. And this is his appearance at his Kingdom, when he will judge both quick & dead, as 1 Tim. 4.1. by deſtroying wicked men, and rewarding the Righteous, as Rev. 11.18. & 20.4. for then God begins to make his foes his footſtool, when having taken to himſelf his great Power, he deſtroyes them that deſtroyed the Earth, as follows in Rev. 11.18. and all this will be at or about the ſame time, when Michael the great Prince (that is, the Meſſiah) ſhall ſtand up to deliver his People, Dan. 12.1. when ſuch a time of trouble will be as never was ſince there was a Nation: and ſuch a great Earthquake alſo will be then at the pouring-out of the laſt Viol to finiſh the deſtruction of the Beaſt, as never was ſince men were upon the Earth even till that time, ſo mighty an Earthquake and ſo great, Rev. 16. latter end, and likewiſe Dan. 7.9, 10, 11. & ver. 26. for the Judgment is ſet to that end, and the Books then opened, as in ver. 10. See many Texts that ſpeak of this his ſecond coming in the Irenicon, pag. 42, 43, 44. and for his perſonal appearance, which is the ſame ſecond coming in the Forerunner, p. 47, 48. And for his third deſcending with a ſhout from heaven, and the voyce of the Archangel, and the Trump of God, when the reſt of the Saints that dyed in the thouſand years ſhall be again raiſed, as the other were in the thouſand years that had reigned with Chriſt before upon earth, before Satan ſeduced the laſt Gog and Magog, See the Abridgm… on Daniels Viſions.there is above a thouſand years ſpace (as was ſaid) from his ſecond coming to that third, when (namely at his third coming) he will ſit upon that great white throne, as Judg, from whoſe face the Earth and Heavens will then ſlee away, Rev. 20. after the laſt Gog and Magog ſhall be deſtroyed. ver. 11, 12 to the end: Alſo concerning this third coming ſeems St. Peter alſo to ſpeak, 2 Pet. 3.10. which words are ſpoken to the terrour of ungodly men, termed there, Scoffers p. 8at the promiſe of his coming, whom that laſt coming doth ſpecially concern, and yet with the exceptive particle, Nevertheleſs, brings in the conſolation for the Godly from the promiſe of the new Heavens and the new Earth, which before in the thouſand years they ſhould enjoy with him, v. …. Mr. Archer obſerves, firſt his ſecond coming, from Mat. 25.30. … his third from ver. 31. ſutable to what St. Paul expreſſeth 1 Cor. 15. where he ſpeaks of his firſt coming, v. 23. ſaying, Chriſt the firſt fruits, afterwards [foreign] they that are Chriſt's at his coming. Then (foreign) ſaith he, cometh the end: where the words foreign and foreign are uſed at a great diſtance; for Chriſt, the firſt fruits, aroſe before the Saints at his next coming, above 1600 years; and then (foreign) afterwards the end cometh, above a thouſand years after his ſaid ſecond coming; and at his third, when the laſt Seſſion of the day of Judgment will be held and finiſhed. Where he further alſo (v. 24.) ſets down what muſt be done at that third coming, with what was done before that, all along the thouſand years from the ſecond, while he is putting down all Rule and Authority and Power (viz. that oppoſed his own, and ſtood in his way to rule, &c.) that is, when the Devil ſhall be bound, Rev. 20.1, 2. wicked men deſtroyed, or made ſlaves, and ſo made his foot-ſtool, at the end of his ſitting at the right-hand of his Father, Pſal. 110. when Antichriſt is deſtroyed (as before) Dan. 7. Rev. 11. & 19. before his third coming, as might be cleared from many other Texts likewiſe; and alſo the Turk come to his end when none ſhall help him, Dan. 11. ver. ult. & Dan. 12.1. and thereupon aſſerts Chriſt's Reign neceſſarily, v. 25. for (ſaith he) Chriſt muſt reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet: and he names the laſt enemy to be deſtroyed by him, namely, Death, v. 26. which will be done at his third coming, Rev. 20. latter end, when Death and Hell ſhall be caſt into the lake of fire, &c. ſhews alſo (ver. 24.) when the end ſhall come, and not before, namely, when he ſhall deliver up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, which he received of him, Dan. 7.14. which he told his Diſciples, he gave to them as his Father had given to him, Luke 22.29, 30. & 1.33. and the glory in that Kingdom which his Father had given to him, he gave to them, John 17.22. Alſo of his laſt, or third coming, St. Paul ſpeaks again evidently, ver. 52. of that 1 Cor. 15. when alſo the laſt Trump ſhall ſound (ſaith he) and the dead ſhall be raiſed incorruptible, and we ſhall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye; (and he repeats it again, that it might be obſerved well) for (ſaith he again) the Trumpet ſhall ſound, and the Dead ſhall be raiſed incorruptible, and we ſhall be changed. Likewiſe in Mat. 24.3. the Diſciples propound three Queſtions to our Saviour, firſt, of the p. 9deſtruction of Jeruſalem, the ſecond of his coming, namely, his nex… coming, and the third, of the end of the World, which will be at his third (as was ſhewed) he anſwers to them all (though there ſeems to be ſome intermixing) but of his ſecond he ſpeaks ver. 30. when all the Tribes of the Earth ſhall mourn, when they ſee him, the Son of man, coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great Glory, as Dan. 7.13. But of his third he ſpeaks, v. 21. when he ſhall ſend his Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet, and they ſhall gather the Elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other, as 1 Theſſ. 4.16. So that if we duly weigh and conſider theſe many Texts of holy Scripture, and of others like them, we need not ſo much ſtartle at the mention of Chriſt's third coming, as many upon miſtake, or prejudice and un-grounded conceits, are often apt to do. And as for that Text of Acts 3. at the reſtitution of all things, God will ſend Jeſus, whom the Heavens muſt contain till then, v. 20, 21. it is clearly meant of his ſecond coming, with Dan. 7.13. when he will come in the Clouds of Heaven; of which three of the Evangeliſts ſpeak in ſeveral places, Mat. 24.30. & 26.44. Mark 13.26. & 14.62. Luke 21.27. and in Luke 21. and Matth. 24. our Saviour ſets forth divers ſigns of that his ſecond coming, and limits thoſe ſigns to the times of the Jews diſperſion; ſaying, This Generation ſhall not paſs away till all theſe things be fulfilled; which is to be underſtood of that Nation kept diſtinct from all others till his coming again: Where note, (that his ſecond coming is never called his laſt coming, as many conceit it to be;) which the hand of God's providence, reſpecting the Jews, hath ordered accordingly ever ſince the Jews rejection, though they have been ſcattered through the World. And agreeable to this the word (foreign) generation, ſignifying a race, ſtock, or off-ſpring of any ſort of men; not an age or preſent time (as ſome unwarrantably would underſtand it) is to be interpreted: and almoſt to this day (accordingly) where the Jews have come, they have been for the moſt part known to be Jews diſtinct from all other people, and like to be ſo till Chriſt's perſonal appearance to convert them, and deliver them ſuddenly both temporally and ſpiritually, as Iſa. 66.8. Zech. 3.9. & 12.10. Rev. 1.7.Dan. 12.1.Dan 12:1

But becauſe the clearing up the diſtinction of the ſecond and third coming of Chriſt, both of which will be perſonal, are of great concernment in matters reſpecting the laſt times, and by the over-ruling hand of God, Satan and the Antichriſtian faction have all along prevailed to cloud this ſtrongly aſſerted Truth in holy Scriptures, and prejudices hitherto amongſt men have much prevailed againſt it, by the confuſed notion of the general day of Judgment, taken up only upon truſt: we ſhall proceed to conſider the other particular heads following concerning p. 10this great ſubject in order, upon which many other myſteries of theſe latter times much depend, according to the warrant we find in ſacred writ, and as the Spirit of God ſhall therein afford aſſiſtance; Namely, in conſidering, firſt, the diſtinct times and orders of Chriſt's ſaid ſecond and third perſonal comings, according to the ſeries of Daniels Viſions and the Book of Revelation. Secondly, of the different titles and names of them according to their natures, implying the reaſons of ſuch titles or names. Thirdly, Of the different things or matters to be done, at both thoſe perſonal comings, in many particulars conſiderable.

Firſt, Then we may take notice of the diſtinct times of the two Seſſions of the great day of Judgment, when he is ſaid to come at both, according to the ſeries or order both of Daniel and the Revelation; wherein we have ſummarily ſet down the general heads of Prophecy in their order, as the Spirit of God hath been pleaſed to record them, for the benefit of his Church, for See Parallel on Chriſt's Monarchy.for ††From the beginning of Daniel's Viſions at Nebuchadnezzar the head of Gold, Dan. 2. to Chriſt's third coming are contained above 3300 years, as follow; firſt, The time of the Babylonian Captivity, ſeventy years. 2dly, From Cyrus, in whom the Perſian Monarchy began, to the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, eighty years. 3dly, Daniel's ſeventy weeks, or four hundred ninety years, to the end of the half week after Chriſts death; whoſe death was about 1666 years more before Chriſts ſecond perſonal coming (according to all the four computations of Scripture, obſerved) to end about the ſeventeen hundredth year of our Lord [ſo that accordingly from his Aſcenſion to his deſcending again, is ſo reckoned 1666 years] when the Beaſt will wholly be deſtroyed, (which is to be obſerved.) From thence are to be reckoned Chriſts reign with his bleſſed and holy raiſed Saints on Earth a thouſand years: whereunto will ſucceed the little ſeaſon, wherein Satan will be again looſed, to the deſtruction of the laſt Gog & Magog by fire from heaven, which ſince Chriſt ſaith it will be but a little ſeaſon, we have reaſon to believe it will be ſo: whereunto will enſue the laſt Reſurrection and general Judgment: this laſt ſtate of things our Saviour hath clearly & diſtinctly opened, Rev. 20. which Daniel had but darkly ſet down in ſuch manner as God's Spirit then taught and guided him, for ſuch time as God was pleaſed to have many things which he delivered then to be ſhut up til the time of the end, when Chriſt ſhould unſeal and open them, as both Daniel and the Revelation, do witneſs.Dan 2Rev 20the ſpace (as was ſaid) of above 3300 years of Daniel's Prophecies, beginning with the Captivity of Babylon, who (darkly) hold out the generals of things to be fulfilled in their order to the end of the World, ſaving we finde nothing there of the little ſpace after Chriſts Reign the thouſand years is ended: which both for the continuance of it for a thouſand years, and what was to be done in the little ſpace after, our Savior, the great Prophet and faithfull Witneſs, hath made known to his Church, Rev. 20. and which could not by any wiſdom of creatures otherwiſe be found out; and the Book of Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt explains ſo much of Daniel's Prophecy, p. 11(though myſtically) as was to be fulfilled to the end, from the time of the opening of the firſt Seal under the Roman Empire, when our Saviour at his Reſurrection, having received all Power in Heaven and Earth, gave Commiſſion for the preaching of the Goſpel, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. Now for the time of Chriſt's ſecond coming, both Dan. 7. & Rev. 19. joyntly agree, (as all ſerious men acquainted with the order of myſtical Prophecies univerſally agree) and is evidently diſcernable to any unprejudiced ſearchers into them. St. Paul gives this Epitome of that Coming to deſtroy Antichriſt, which both Daniel and Chriſt are large in, ſaying, Chriſt will deſtroy him with the appearance of his Coming: and ſo in other Scriptures before: Daniel hath much in generals that ſhall be in the world at the ſecond perſonal coming of Chriſt, but the third I find not that he hath any touch of, whence the Jews did ſo much expect and ſpeak of ſuch a coming, as his ſecond will be, to reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael, &c. which, ſaith Mr. Mede, the Jewiſh Doctors call the day of the great Judgement, foreign dies judicii, & foreign magnus dies judicii, in the 4th Letter to Mr. Hain: from Dan. 7.10.22.26. But our Saviour moſt clearly, and St. Paul (and Peter likewiſe ſeems) but eſpecially Chriſt in the Book of Revelation, chap. 20. hath ſet forth his third coming, as a point of Doctrine moſt needful to be known and conſidered in the laſt times when his ſecond coming approacheth near unto us: As the order of Daniel's Prophecy in our Abridgment, and the order of the Revelation in the Letter of May 20. in the Fore-runner, pag. 22. and the ſum of the Revelation in the Irenicon, p. 26, 27, &c. will evidently make to appear; ſo that both Daniel and the Revelation do orderly hold out his ſecond perſonal coming, with other Scriptures: And the Revelation of Jeſus Chriſt moſt clearly decyphers the third, ſhewing what ſhall be done at the begining of, and all along the thouſand years, and what at the end of them, and how the day of the laſt general Judgment will be brought on and executed to the end of that 20^th chapter, with the ſtate of things in the interim in the two laſt chapters, & Rev. 11.15. to the end: which reſpects the ſame time, or at leaſt the entrance upon that period.

And ſecondly, As theſe two perſonall comings are diſtinguiſhed by Chriſt the great Interpreter of both theſe Prophetical Books, ſo their names and decypherings in Scripture are much diſtinguiſhed ſuitable to the nature of both the ſaid comings: The firſt is called, the appearance of Chriſt, or the appearance of his Coming, the other his deſcending from Heaven with a ſhout, &c. The firſt is his coming with clouds, &c. at the other no mention of clouds, but contrarily Heaven and Earth will then flee away before him: the former ſtiled the Revelation of Chriſt when the myſtery of Godlineſs is finiſhed, 1 Tim. 3.16. but the laſt will be p. 12after a long manifeſtation of his Glory all the thouſand years in the world, with other names more fully to be ſeen in the foreign, pag. 43.44, 45. and the reaſon the former is ſo often called his appearance, ſeemes to be, becauſe Chriſt at his coming in the clouds of Heaven, then will only appear in clouds to the world (no mortal eye being able to behold his Glory in the brightneſs of it) and (probably) becauſe this appearance will be in the clouds but a ſhort time, cheifly to be ſo manifeſt unto the Jewes, to take off the hard vail of unbelief from their hearts; and (as Mr. Mede probably conceives) he will ſpeak to the Jewes (then) at their converſion, as he did to St. Paul for a pattern thereof. And after that done, I find not that he wil any more be ſeen of mortal men (at leaſt not ordinarily) in the world; though his Glory will ſhine fully, and inlighten the raiſed Saints in the New Jeruſalem, as in many texts we have ſhewed, as Iſa. 66.1. Rev. 21. Joh. 17.24, &c. But his third coming is ſtiled, his deſcending from Heaven with the voice of an Archangel, and with the Trump of God, but not ſo at the former, 1 Theſ. 4.16. Mat. 24.31. his coming in his Glory with all his holy Angels, and ſitting upon his Throne, where all ſhall be gathered before him, Mat. 25.31. and the like in ſeveral texts fore-cited.

Thirdly, As they differ in a long diſtance of time, and the titles given to each according to their natures, ſo they differ in the things that will be done at both thoſe perſonal comings. At the firſt God begineth to make Chriſt's foes his foot-ſtool, both by binding of Satan, Rev. 20. and by deſtroying many wicked men from off the earth that would not have him rule over them, & miraculouſly calling the Nation of the Jews, and delivering that Nation fully from their temporal, and greatly (at leaſt) from their ſpiritual bondage, Dan. 12.1, 3, &c. and making the wicked to be ſlaves, and likewiſe then brings ſuch as ſleep in Jeſus with him, and all his Saints with him, when the New Jeruſalem comes down from God out of Heaven, which is that Jeruſalem whoſe maker and builder God is ſaid to be, Heb. 11. and that City prepared for the fore-fathers, who without us that believe, will not be made perfect &c. where the bleſſed and holy raiſed Saints ſhal behold Chriſts glory, which he hath given them their part in, John 17.22, 24. and ſhall raign with him there the thouſand years.

But the third coming of Chriſt, will be his deſcending from Heaven with a ſhout and the voyce of the Arch-Angel, as was ſaid, and with the Trump of God, above 1000 years after the former, to raiſe firſt thoſe dead in Chriſt, that had died from the time of his appearance at the begining of his thouſand years raign, till his laſt coming; and to change ſuch as were in the natural life, in a moment, inſtead of a death, p. 13who alltogether, with ſuch as were made alive, and to remain by a powerful reſurrection in the thouſand years, ſhould then alſo be altogather rapt up into the aire to meet Chriſt; and thenceforth ever to be with the Lord; which the Saints raiſed before were not, in the little ſpace when Satan was looſed after the end of the thouſand years; and then ſuddenly (after ſuch a rapture of all the Saints to meet Chriſt in the air) all the wicked will be raiſed to the laſt Judgment, Rev. 20.11, &c. 1 Theſ. 4. at Chriſt ſecond coming he brought all the deceaſed Saints with him; but at his third, all the other, after deceaſed and liveing on Earth, ſhall be raiſed and changed, and with all the former be kapt up altogether to meet him in the air (for none muſt in that (as the Appoſtle ſaith) prevent the other) before only the Juſt that had died, were raiſed up in their order, in the thouſand years, to have their time and meaſure of glory then with Chriſt in the New Jeruſalem, that came down from God, (for every faithful ſufferer for Chriſt in the Kingdom of patience ſhall then reigne with Chriſt in the Kingdom of power on Earth:) but all the other, both good and bad, that lived not again (as they are decyphered) Rev. 20.5. till the thouſand years were ended, ſhal then be raiſed or changed, as was ſaid at Chriſts laſt coming, 1 Cor. 15.25. Rev. 20.11, &c.

Before Chriſt came with clouds, to vail his wonderful Glory, that he might be ſeen by mortal eyes, and eſpecially of the Jews, to convert them (therfore called his appearance, as we noted) that that Nation might be born in a day, as the Scriptures declare, Iſa. 66.8. and the iniquity of that Land might be taken away in one day, as is ſaid, Zac. 3.9. But at his laſt coming he will ſhine out in the fulneſs of his glory, and his Saints ſhall be like him (then) in their degree: at his former coming will be but a partial deſtruction upon the wicked world, compared to Sodom and Gomorrha, &c. Luk. 17. upon the Armies of Gog and Magog, and ſuch as he ſends not his Angels, then to ſave them, as he did Lot and his Family, the Lord being merciful unto them: when two will be in one bed, two in the field, two women in the Mill, the one taken, the other left: But at his laſt coming Heaven and Earth will both at once flee away before his face, Rev. 20.11. &c. and no place be found for them: the Sun Moon and Stars all (then) loſing their light and motions, when nothing but the light of the glory of Lord, and of his glorious Angels and Saints will ſhine out (then) in the world, to the wonderful rejoycing of the bleſſed, and the terrour and amazement of wicked men and Devils.

Many ſuch like different conſiderations, I dout not, but God will ſhew to humble and faithful ſearchers into theſe great things of the laſt times, which the Scripture gives Teſtimony unto, which the hazard and p. 14charge of printing, with other reaſons, barre me at preſent to inlarge upon, or ſo by application to improve them, as otherwiſe was meet, and as the matter requires. Yet I hope by what hath been already laid down, a plain way may be laid open for others, whom God may guide into the like paths, to proceed profitably therein, to ſome greater meaſure of diſcoverry, and (happily) upon more outwardly helpful advantages then (peradventure) I have found from men; Yet nevertheleſs that a ſpecial divine aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit hath been with me graciouſly herein, I muſt ever thankfully acknowledge to the praiſe of the riches of his grace towards ſuch a poor, weak, and unworthy inſtrument: who am therefore ſo much the more obliged to render all the glory thereof, unto his Divine Majeſtie. Amen, Amen.

Yet notwithſtanding I ſhall a little endeavour, according to what I find ſacred Scriptures point out to me, on this or the like account, by way of improvement of this great and weighty ſubject, to give ſome brief hints, at leaſt, to thoſe purpoſes, and leave the inlargement thereof to all truly Chriſtian Spirits for their own uſe and others, only thereunto adjoyning my earneſt and hearty prayers for a bleſſing upon all ſorts in the right uſe thereof.

Vſe 1 Firſt then, let all faithful Miniſters and Superiors conſider, for their own benefit, this terrour of the Lord, that thereby they may be the more effectually moved, to perſwade men, 2 Cor. 5.11. and cheifly ſuch as are under their charge, and all within their reach, upon all advantages which God puts into their hands &c.

2Secondly, Let all ſuch arm themſelves with the whole armor of God, Eph. 6.11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. and help to arme others againſt any of Satans moſt violent aſſaults, which God puts into their hand; for Satan, knowing his time is ſhort, hath the more rage againſt all the faithful, Rev. 12.12.

3Thirdly, Let all hence learn to exerciſe this three-fold watch, upon this account, Mat. 24.41. Mar. 13.33, 34, 35, 36, 37. 1ſt. Watch and be ſober; in affections of temporal things, in paſſions, in opinion, in practices, avoiding whatever Gods word condemns, as drunkenneſs, or is contrary to true Chriſtian moderation, Phil. 4.5. Luke 21.34. 1 Theſ. 5.6. 1 Pet. 4.7. 2ly. Watch and pray (as our Saviour frequently chargeth upon this account) Luk. 21.36. Math. 24.42. Mar. 14.38. & 13.33. 1 Pet. 4.7. 3ly. Watch and keep their garments, Rev. 16.15. of Juſtification, Sanctification, and an holy Converſation, &c.

4Fourthly, Let all that ſeek their own or others chief and true good, take more care and pains by reaſon of ſuch diſovery of Chriſt's coming approaching, to preſerve and ſecure the ſafety of their own and others ſouls, upon that account; and leſs care then ever for the procuring or ſecuring of temporal things to themſelves, or others: this being Gods undertaking to caſt in unto the other, Matth. 6.33. though now the contrary is ſadly obſervable, in this decrepit age of the world, which is now about to leave men, and yet men purſue and cling to it more then ever in former ages, when they were more like to be taken out of it, then that (as now) the world was about to leave them; God in our due uſe of means hath undertaken for our temporals, but it was ever without limitation our duty to take care for Spirituals; which in the due uſe of all God's means, and in God's way, we can never be too careful for in reſpect of our own or others ſouls.

5Fiftly, Let us approve our ſelves wiſe Virgins, Mat. 25. by getting Oyl into our Lamps, and to have our Lights burning; that true Grace in our hearts may ſhine forth in our lives; the beſt adornings for the coming of our Lord; that ſo we may be counted worthy to eſcape all thoſe things, and be able to ſtand before him, the Son of man, Luke 21.36. being ſo adorned to meet our ſpiritual Bridegroom, Mat. 25.13. ſo waiting for and expecting the Adoption, even the redemption of our bodies, Rom. 8.23. in that day of Redemption when he cometh, as Luk. 21.28. Mat. 24.33. being then counted worthy of that world, even the world to come, Heb. 2.5. and of the reſurrection of the dead, being the children of the reſurrection, Luk. 20.35. Yea, let us (as the Apoſtle exhorteth) haſten unto the coming of the Lord, 2 Pet. 3.12. caſting off every weight that preſſeth down, Heb. 12.1. and ſo all ſuch as are riſen with Chriſt from the dead, though they ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with him, 1 Theſſ. 3.13. & 4.14.

6Sixtly, Let the due conſideration of this ſecond coming of Chriſt make us long for it, and love it, which will be an Argument of our bleſſedneſs by it, 2 Tim. 4.8. for there is laid up a Crown of Righteouſneſs for all ſuch as love his appearing; It is the time of the redemption of all God's Iſrael from their Enemies, and from the hands of all that hate them, that they may ſerve him without fear, in righteouſneſs and holineſs all the dayes of their lives, Luk. 1.74. Rev. 22.3Rev 22:3It is the end and attainment of the faith and prayers of God's People, according to the mercy promiſed frequently to the forefathers, and recorded in the Word, that as our Saviour taught us to pray that Gods Name ſhould be hallowed, his Kingdom come, his Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven: ſo it will from his ſaid appearance be accordingly fulfilled, by Angels and Men on Earth (then) as before in Heaven; ſo it will be ſuch a ſtate as will be much admired, and ſo to be longed after & loved: where, above all, his Servants ſhall behold Chriſts glory which his Father hath given him on Earth, Iohn 17.24.

7Seventhly, Let all faithful Chriſtians hence be chearful and free-hearted in giving to Chriſt's Diſciples, ſo making them friends of the Mammon of iniquity, that they may receive them into everlaſting habitations, Luke 16.9. that which is ſo diſpoſed of, is laid up in the beſt and ſafeſt treaſury in the whole world: yea more, it is put into the beſt hand, and for the beſt improvement that it is poſſible to make of earthly treaſure; Chriſt takes it as done to himſelf, and undertakes the repayment both more incomparably, than worldly treaſure is worth, and for unſpeakably longer continuance than any worldly treaſure could be kept. 2dly. Be ſitted for acts of ſelf-denial when Chriſt calls to it, for he will be above all our intereſts or relations (as there is the greateſt reaſon, Mat. 10.37.) it is the condition of Chriſt's Diſciples, Mat. 16.24. Luke 9.23. Mar. 8.34. and ſuch as in ſo doing forſake any thing, make Chriſt their debtor who is their beſt paymaſter, and in the beſt ſeaſon: probably in his Kingdom in this time (foreign, as the word may ſeem to note) an hundred fold in both theſe Texts, Mark 10.30. & Luke 18.30. though otherwiſe, many times in this life, likewiſe: but it is moſt ſure, if they ſuffer with him in his Kingdom of Patience on Earth, they man reign with him in his glorious Kingdom of Power on Earth in the New Jeruſalem [Jehovah Shamma] the Lord is there, Ezek. 40. ult. and when the Tabernacle of God is with men, Rev. 21.3. and he will dwell with them, and wipe away all tears from their eyes. And 3dly. to be couragious and reſolute in ſuffering for him when called to this: And what are any or all the ſufferings of men, to the ſufferings of God becoming man? that he might ſuffer to ſatisfie Divine Juſtice, to procure infinite Mercy for ſuch as ſhould otherwiſe have endured infinite and eternal Miſery: this our Saviour requires in the forenamed places, Mat. 16.24. Luke 9.23. Mark 8.34.

8Eightly, Let the terrible things of both thoſe comings engage Godly men to labour to be counted worthy to eſcape ſuch things, and to be able to ſtand before the Son of man; by improving all ſuch Chriſts and his Spirits counſels, Luke 21.36. as ye have heard in ſundry particulars. And let the conſideration of them fray wicked men from their ſins, even the greateſt as well as the meaneſt: and to learn to kiſs the Son, Pſa. 2 ult. leſt he be angry, and they periſh in the way: And if they will not believe theſe things, let them hence know aſſuredly they will feel the miſery of them, as the Jews of old did after Chriſt's firſt coming, upon their neglecting or deſpiſing his warnings.

9Again. As for ungo…ly men of any of the former ſorts, that refuſe to make any ſuch good uſe of theſe terrors of the Lord, let them hence alſo take notice and know, that when they ſhall think themſelves moſt ſecure in their ſins, a ſudden deſtruction will then come upon them, as pains on a woman in travel, and they ſhall not eſcape. It is true (I know) and I find by daily experience, that theſe terrors of the Lord, and Doctrines of mortification are unpleaſing and unacceptable to moſt ſorts of men, but they muſt …e preſſed upon them; as wholſom and neceſſary Phyſick is by parents upon their children to ſave their lives, ſo on theſe to ſave ſuch mens ſouls (if God may give them repentance:) but if not, they will be the more inexcuſable, in that they have not periſhed without warning, and ſuch ſeaſonable warnings may help to free Gods Miniſters from the heavy guilt of the blood of ſouls. Now therefore let all carnal, worldly, ignorant, prophane, wicked, and u… believing perſons: And all ſinfully engaged enemies to the Truth, Cauſe, Glory, Worſhip and Servants of God, or againſt any or all ſorts of perſons engaged to ſtand up for Gods and Chriſts ſake, that ſo they might promote irreligion and falſe religion with prophaneneſs; or to endeavour to ſuppreſs true Religion and the power of Religion by oppoſition and hatred of true Piety and Holineſs: Oh, let ſuch ſeriouſly and throughly conſider, in the moſt retired cloſets of heir hearts and conſciences, what a dreadful appearance (without repentance and reformation) will the coming of the Lord be unto all ſuch! O let them conſider what fools they will then be (with millions of witneſſes) that for trifles, ſading Vanities, for nothing, for worſe than nothing, for the matter and cauſe of horrour and anguiſh, with everlaſting wo and miſery, in that they have deſpiſed & rejected their own mercy, that happineſs that Chriſt hath purchaſed, by an infinite price, and was provided for his ſervants, by the moſt wife, holy, glorious, and infinitely gracious God, for all truly penitent and believing ſouls, and tendered and beſtowed on them by the ſanctifying Spirit of Wiſdom, Grace and Truth; but ſuch in the mean time while it is offered will have none of it, but utterly reject it, and all God's and Chriſt's terms whereupon it is offered to them: How then can they think to ſtand, when Gods wrath and fury ſhall break out againſt them, and they be irrecoverably carried away with the ſtreams of his eternal indignation: Let this (I ſay) be duly conſidered by all ſorts of ſuch perſons while time and opportunity laſteth; and who knows how ſuddenly any mans opportunity may be loſt irrecoverably? &c.

FINIS.