The Little Horns Downfall, Treatise 2 · Discourse · Part 3 · Description 4 · Part 1
ANd in the firſt place I ſhall ſpeak of the perſonal appearance of Jeſus Chriſt and the Reſurrection of his Saints to raign on earth with him. That Chriſt ſhall perſonally appear, is a point that is I know much controverted, and is very much doubted by many Saints, who are eminently godly, and whom I do very much honour and reverence: who yet are confident that he will very gloriouſly appear in the treading down his enemies, in the ruining of the Beaſt, and the ſetling of his people in peace, and filling of them with his Spirit; but they queſtion whether our Lord Jeſus ſhall any otherwiſe appear, then to be their ſpiritual eyes, and then as now: for now they ſpiritually diſcern him in his preſent footſteps in the world.
And it being thus dubious to many, I was inclining to be ſilent in it, but that the light ſhining ſo clearly to me, in the following Scriptures which I ſhall mention, hath ſuch power and force with me▪ as I cannot but hold it forth, leaving it to the more ſerious conſideration of intelligent Chriſtians.
And the Poſition that I ſhall lay down, is this:
That our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, having ſubdued his enemies, ſhall perſonally appear on earth, and ſhall raiſe up the Saints before departed out of this world, to come and reign with him on earth.
To prove this, we have ſeveral Scriptures; and I ſhall begin firſt with that known clear place, Revel. 20. The deſcription of the total overthrow of the Beaſt, and all the Armies that were gathered together with him, to make war againſt Jeſus Chriſt and his Saints, being laid down in the preceding Chapter; in this Chapter follows a declaration of what things will ſucceed it: and that which is to this purpoſe, is in the 4, 5, & 6 verſes. And I ſaw thrones, and they ſate upon them, and judgement was given unto them. And I ſaw the ſouls of them that were beheaded for the witneſs of Jeſus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worſhipped the beaſt, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands: and they lived and reigned with Chriſt a thouſand yeers. But the reſt of the dead lived not again until the thouſand yeers were finiſhed. This is the firſt reſurrection. Bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt reſurrection, … ſuch the ſecond death hath no power; but they ſhall be prieſts of God and of Chriſt, and ſhall reign with him a thouſand yeers.
In theſe verſes, this is laid down, That the Saints of God which had been Martyrs, and ſufferers under the Beaſt, ſhould be raiſed from the dead, and be advanced to ſit upon thrones; and judgement ſhould be given unto them: and they ſhould live and reign with Chriſt a thouſand yeers. But though the Saints ſhould be thus raiſed, that yet this is not the General Reſurrection, wherein all the juſt and unjuſt ſhall be raiſed: no; for the text expreſly ſays, that the reſt of the dead were not raiſed, until this thouſand yeers were finiſhed; and therefore this reſurrection which ſhall be when Chriſt and his Saints muſt reign on earth, is called The firſt reſurrection: and it's ſaid, that no wicked one ſhall have part herein; but onelyonly they that are holy and bleſſed, and who ſhall never die the ſecond death, but ſhall be prieſts of God and of Chriſt, and ſhall reign with him a thouſand yeers; and others are not to be raiſed till the end of the thouſand yeers.
What can be more clearly aſſerted? or what is more clearly aſſerted in Scripture, then this truth is in theſe three verſes? It is ſo clear, as I muſt profeſs, that, for my part, had I no other Scripture to back it, yet having no Scripture contradicting, I am perſwaded that I ſhould not dare to deny it. But we have, beſides this, ſeveral other Scriptures to this ſame purpoſe.
The next I ſhall mention ſhall be that, Rev. 5. 9, 10. where we finde that the four Beaſts, and the Elders, which were the repreſentatives of the Churches of the Saints, and which were redeemed unto God by the blood of the Lamb, out of every kindred, and tongue, and nation, and people; that they ſinging to the Lamb, praiſe him, ſaying, For thou haſt made us unto our God kings and prieſts, and we ſhall reign on the earth. This is ſpoken in the future tenſe, as being to come; We ſhall reign on the earth: which that they may do, they muſt be raiſed from the dead, as it is clearly ſaid in the fore-mentioned place they ſhall.
And it is likewiſe as clear, Dan. 12. 2. where it is ſaid, that when Jeſus Chriſt ſhall ſtand up to ſave his people, and to perplex and deſtroy his enemies; it is ſaid, that at that time, many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake. Obſerve; this is a time when many of them ſhall be raiſed, but not all. But whereas it follows, that ſome of them ſhall be raiſed to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame, and everlaſting contempt; whereas there is no ſuch thing mentioned, Rev. 20. that any ſhall be raiſed to ſhame and contempt; but it's ſaid, Bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt reſurrection, for on ſuch the ſecond death hath no power: the truth in both theſe Scriptures may very well conſiſt together. For though John there mention onelyonly the reſurrection of Saints, yet doth he not ſay that others are not raiſed to ſhame, to be ſent into ſhame and confuſion preſently, as doubtleſs they ſhall: For ſome particular perſons may be raiſed to be judged and condemned, for their wickedneſſes, and cruelties, and outrages againſt Saints, and ſent preſently into the place of torment, as the Beaſt and the Falſe Prophet are ſaid to be, though there be no mention of it, Rev. 20. but the Saints onelyonly are ſaid to live; They lived and reigned with Chriſt, &c. And whereas it is ſaid, that bleſſed and holy is he that hath part in the firſt reſurrection; that croſſes not this in Daniel: for if ſome of the wicked be then raiſed to be judged, yet have they no part in the firſt reſurrection; for, the dead in Chriſt ſhall be raiſed firſt; and it's they onelyonly, being bleſſed and holy, that ſhall then live and reign with Chriſt: but none others ſhall, and ſo have not others any part in this reſurrection.
And another clear place, that ſpeaks both of the perſonal appearing of Chriſt to reign on earth, and to judge thoſe that ſhall then be raiſed, is that in 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing, and his kingdom. Here the Apoſtle ſpeaks expreſly of a time coming, wherein Jeſus Chriſt muſt appear, and take his kingdom. Now he always hath his kingdom in the hearts of his people, and appears to them always in the Spirit: but this is another manner of appear and another manner of taking his kingdom, which Paul here ſpeaks of: for at this appearing, and at this kingdom, he muſt judge the quick and the dead. Thoſe his enemies that are then alive, he will judge; and ſome of thoſe that were then dead, he ſhall judge, (but the reſt ſhall not live again, until the thouſand yeers are finiſhed;) and his Saints that were dead, he ſhall raiſe, and give them everlaſting life, and grant them to reign with him a thouſand yeers.
Again, Zech. 14. 5. The Prophet in that Chapter ſpeaking of that time when the Lord ſhall be King over all the earth, and there ſhall be one Lord, and his Name one; ſays he there, And the Lord my God ſhall come, and all the ſaints with thee. This is to be at that time, when all the Nations muſt yeeld obedience to Chriſt; and whoſoever of all Nations refuſes to worſhip him, ſhall be plagued with a fearful plague, as appears in that Chapter.
Thus is the Poſition that I have laid down, in theſe Scriptures clear, That Jeſus Chriſt ſhall come with his Saints to reign on earth.
But again, we have Paul ſpeaking of it, 1 Theſſ. 3. 13. where he prays that the Theſſalonians may be eſtabliſhed in holineſs before God even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt with all his Saints. Here the Apoſtle expreſly ſpeaks of the coming of our Lord Jeſus with all his Sains: which confirms what is ſaid, That there is a time to come (for it is not yet come) wherein Jeſus Chriſt will come on earth, and bring his Saints with him.
And this is that which is alſo hinted at, Iſa. 26. 19. Thy dead men ſhall live, together with my dead body ſhall they ariſe. Awake and ſing, ye that dwell in the duſt: for thy dew is the dew of herbs, and the earth ſhall caſt out the dead. This is brought in as a comfortable promiſe to the Saints, who are complaining in the former part of the Chapter, that though they have laboured, yet have they not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen: which ſeems to look like the times that were before the yeer 1645, when Jeſus Chriſt began to ſet his people at liberty from their enemies: then they laboured, but all in vain, to free themſelves from being under the power of the Beaſt: they laboured, but they had not wrought any deliverance in the earth, neither were the inhabitants of the world fallen; but now this is brought in as a comfortable promiſe to the Church, who are complaining of theſe things; Thy dead men ſhall live, together with my dead body ſhall they ariſe. Awake, and ſing, ye that dwell in the duſt, &c. implying that though theſe were their complaints for a time, that yet it ſhould not be ſo always; there ſhould a time come, when their dead men ſhould live, and, together with the body of Chriſt, ſhould be raiſed, (he being the firſtfruits of the reſurrection from the dead:) and they that ſlept in the duſt ſhould awake and ſing, and the earth ſhould caſt out the dead: and this ſhould be a joyful and comfortable time, which ſhould make amends for all their ſufferings. And about this time, he ſpeaks of the Lords coming out of his place, to puniſh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and for all the blood of his Saints which they have ſpilt; as appears, verſ. 21. And it's certain that the raiſing of the Saints to live and reign with Chriſt, will ſoon follow upon this.
Again, of this appearing of Chriſt it is that the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſai. 33. 17, 18. when he ſpeaks of him that is fire-proof, that ſhall dwell with devouring fire, and everlaſting burnings; and ſays he to ſuch a one, Thine eye ſhall ſee the King in his beauty. This is the time when he ſhall appear in his glory and beauty indeed; and his Saints ſhall viſibly ſee him; and then their eyes ſhall ſee Jeruſalem a quiet habitation, &c. as it follows in that Chapter.
And further, of this viſible and corporeal coming of our Lord Jeſus, doth the Angels ſpeak, Acts 1. 10, 11. when that our Lord being with his diſciples upon the mount called Olivet; while they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their ſight: and, ſaith the text, While the diſciples looked ſtedfaſtly toward heaven, as Jeſus went up, behold, two men ſtood by them in white apparel, and ſaid unto them, Why ſtand ye looking up into heaven? this ſame Jeſus which is taken from you into heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner as you have ſeen him go into heaven. Now they viſibly and corporeally ſaw him go into heaven; and in the ſame manner did they (and we are to) expect that he ſhall come again. And what but this doth our Saviour himſelf mean, when he ſays to Philip, (who wondered that he ſhould know him when under the fig-tree) Thou ſhalt ſee greater things then theſe: for I ſay unto you, Hereafter you ſhall ſee heaven open, and the angels of God aſcending and deſcending upon the Son of man. Certainly there is a truth in all theſe things, and we ſhall ſee greater, and more glorious and admirable things then yet we have ſeen. And though the time be not yet come, yet certainly it will come.
Again, in Act. 3. 19 20. 21. Peter tells us, that when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord (which time Saints have long waited for) that he ſhall ſend Jeſus Chriſt: whom the heavens muſt receive, until the time of the reſtitution of all things. That is, until he make new Heavens, and new Earth, reſtore all things. The Heavens, ſays he, muſt retain him until theſe times, which were ſpoken of by all the holy Prophets which have been ſince the world began. But then Jeſus Chriſt ſhall appear in that preſence which the heavens now do retain; which is his corporal preſence, (for it cannot be ſaid of his ſpiritual preſence, which is alway with us) for which appearing his Saints wait.
And thus have I laid down the ſeveral Scriptures which do cleer this truth, wherein it is abundantly proved, by ſeveral teſtimonies; whereas two or three Scriptures might have been authority ſufficient to prevail. But the Scripture is full in ſpeaking of it: and indeed, it was much in the hearts of the Saints in the primitive times, as appears by their frequent expreſſions of it, upon all occaſions; even of this coming of Chriſt. As 1 Theſ. 5. 23. And the very God of peace ſanctifie you wholly, and I pray God your whole ſpirit, and ſoul, and body, may be preſerved blameleſs, unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And 1 Tim. 6. 14. I charge thee, to keep this commandment without ſpot, unto the appearing of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; which in his time will appear, who is the onelyonly Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, &c. And 2 Cor. 1. 14. Ye alſo are our rejoycing, in the day of the Lord Jeſus. And 1 Theſ. 1. 9, 10. And how ye turned to God from Idols, to ſerve the living and true God, and to wait for his ſon from heaven; whom he raiſed from the dead, even Jeſus which delivered us from the wrath to come. And 1 Theſ. 2. 19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rijoycing? Are not even ye in the preſence of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, at his coming? And 2 Theſ. 2. 1, 2. We beſeech you by the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not ſoon ſhaken in minde, &c. And 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteouſneſs, which the Lord, the righteous judge, ſhall give me at that day; and not to me onelyonly, but to them alſo that love his appearing. Thus theſe Saints had much in their eye the day of Chriſt, the coming of Chriſt, the appearing of Chriſt. And the Apoſtle makes it a principal piece of Religion: For ſpeaking of the Theſſalonians, when they were converted, he ſays, They turned from Idols; what to do? To ſerve the living and true God; and what? To wait for his Son from heaven. Though that day was far off, as the Apoſtle himſelf elſewhere informs them; yet they did ſo firmly believe this his coming from Heaven, and their being gathered unto him, as they might truly be ſaid to be waiters for it.