The Key of the Revelation, Part 2 · Section 11

The Key of the Revelation · Part 2 · Section 11

p. 121Concerning the thouſand yeeres of the ſeventh Trumpet and other propheſies, of wonderfull things contemporiſing therewith.

HEre Reader, I will briefly deliver what I thinke, nor in a matter incredible in reſpect of inveterate prejudice, and the At Chap. 20. &c.moſt abſtruſe of all the propheticall Scripture, and moſt to be admired, will I make any overlong diſcourſe. In ſo great a myſtery, it will be ſufficient to underſtand the matter in generall, and not curiouſly to ſearch into the reaſons of ſeverall circumſtances: leaſt happily enlarging more freely then is requiſite, that of Solomon be laid to my charge. In the multitude of words there wanteth Prov. 10. 19.Prov 10:19not ſinne.

But concerning the matter it ſelfe, it is grounded upon the undeceivable ſequel of the Apocaliptique order, which before I have demonſtrated; and the conſent of other Scripture eſpecially Propheticall, doth wonderfully confirme the ſame. This was ſo plainly perceived by the Chriſtians of the next Age after the Apoſtles p. 122that Iuſtine Martyr witneſſeth, that not onelyonly himſelfe, but if Chap. 20.there were, at that time, any entirely Orthodoxe Chriſtians, they Dial …um Trypho…c.did with full conſent beleeve it.

Which opinion of the firſt Chriſtians, their ſucceſſours after an Age or two rejected, either becauſe it was corrupted by ſome additions, or (as indeed I ſuppoſe) not rightly underſtood; notwithſtanding the heat of contention being proceeded in ſo farre, before the matter could be brought to an end (which thou mayeſt juſtly admire and grieve at) that who ſo could not otherwiſe quit themſelves from the force of the contrary opinion borne up by the foundation of the Revelation; would rather call into queſtion the moſt Divine Propheſie, witneſſed and ſealed both by all the Diſciples of the Apoſtles, and their next ſucceſſours; yea and by preſumptions fained for that purpoſe openly and boldly extenuate the authoritie thereof, rather then yeeld and ſubmit: till at length having gotten a fit interpretation (as they themſelves then ſuppoſed) of **Iſtius Mil. lennii.this thouſand yeers, yeelding the Revelation to be Canonicall, they deſiſted from their impious and fearefull enterpriſe.

But truly, Reader (that I may ſtay thee no longer in the preface) I will ſo deliver the whole matter, that as little as may be, I may ſeeme to have departed from the received opinion, concerning the day of the coming of Chriſt, immediately following the ruine of Antichriſt. Doe thou weigh the matter in the fear… of God, ſetting apart all prejudice, and out of the judgement of charitie pardon me, if any where I ſhall erre. So therefore take it.

That the ſeventh Trumpet, with the whole **foreign.ſpace of the thouſand yeeres, and other propheſies thereto appertaining doe ſignifie that great Day of Iudgement, foreign much ſpoken of by the ancient Church of the …ewes, and by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, not ſome ſhort ſpace of houres (as it is commonly beleeved) but (after the manner of the Hebrewes taking a day for time) a continued ſpace for many yeeres, and circumſcribed within two reſurrections, as it were the bounds: **With the Prophe…s every where (as when they ſay …n that day) and otherwhere in the Old Teſtament▪ And in the New, Mat. 6. 11. with Luke 11.13. Ioh 16.26. 2 Cor. …. …. Heb. 3. 8, 9. 13. &c. likewiſe Chap 4 to conclude, 2 Pet. 1. laſt. verſ. where foreign for ever.Matt 6:11Luke 11:13John 16:26Heb 3:8Heb 3:9Heb 3:132 Pet 1a Day, I ſay, firſt, to beginne at the particular, and as it were morning Iudgement of Antichriſt, and the reſt of the living enemies of the Church, by the glorious foreign appearing of our Lord in flaming fire: and then at length to determine (after the p. 123reigne of the thouſand yeeres granted to new Ieruſalem his moſt Chap. 20.holy Spouſe upon this earth: and after the utter deſtruction of new enemies yet to ariſe, the great Day waxing toward evening and Satan being againe looſed) at the univerſall reſurrection, and judgement of all the dead. Which things being finiſhed the wicked ſhall be caſt into Hell to be tormented for ever; but the Saints ſhall he tranſlated into Heaven to live with Chriſt for ever.

This indeed is that time of the wrath of God upon the Gentiles, and of judging the cauſe of them that died for Chriſt, for which the triumphing Eld…rs give thankes at the ſound of the ſeventh Trumpet, Chap. 11. 18. For that then God would give reward to his ſervants the Prophets and Saints, and them that feare his name, ſmall and great, and would deſtroy them which deſtroy the earth.

This is that Day of Iudgement and perdition of wicked ones, of which Peter 2 Epiſt. Chap. 3. verſ. …. ſpeaking, preſently addeth: but be not ignorant of this one thing, beloved (to wit, the day which I even now ſpake of) that one day is with the Lord as a thouſand yeeres, and a thouſand yeers as one day. In which ſame day indeed, the Apoſtle with his brethren of the ſame kindred the Iewes (to whom he writeth) expecteth that new forme of things to come, of which by and by he ſaith, verſ. 13. But we looke for new heavens and a new earth, according to his promiſe, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſſe. Obſerve, according to his promiſe. But where was this promiſe of new heavens and a new earth extant (when Iohn had not yet ſeene the Revelation) except that of Eſay, Chap. 65. 17. and 66. 22. which promiſe ſurely whoſoever ſhall read, I ſhould marvell, if he ſhould judge that it ſhall be fulfilled elſewhere, then on earth.

This alſo is that Kingdome joyned with the appearance of foreign.Chriſt ready to judge the world; of which Paul to Timothy, 2 Epiſt. Chap. 4. verſ. 1. I charge thee before our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing, and his Kingdome. For after the laſt and univerſall reſurrection, according to the ſame Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15. verſ. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. Chriſt (the laſt enemy being deſtroyed, that is, death) ſhall deliver up the Kingdome to his Father, that he may be ſubiect to him, who ſubdued all things to himſelfe; ſo farre is he from being ſaid then to enter upon any new Kingdome. That Kingdome therefore which neither p. 124ſhall be before the **foreign.appearance of our Lord, nor after the laſt reſurrection, Chap. 20.is neceſſarily to be concluded between them.

This is that Kingdome of the Sonne of man which Daniel ſaw, who when the times of the horne of Antichriſt were fulfilled, or the times of the Gentiles come to end (Luk. 21. 24.) ſhall appeare in the clouds of Heaven, when there ſhall be given him power, glory, and a Kingdome; that all People, Nations, and Languages ſhould ſerve him: or when (as the Angel by and by expoundeth it) a Kingdome, power, and greatneſſe of Kingdomes under the whole Heaven (marke it well) ſhall be given to the people of the Saints of the moſt High, Dan. 7. 13. 14. Alſo the 18.22. …6. 27. Neither yet (as I ſaid even now) ſhall this Kingdome be after the laſt reſurrection: ſince the Sonne of man is not to enter upon a Kingdome then; but, as Paul witneſſeth, to lay it downe and deliver it to his Father. Now that the ſame Kingdome is handled in both places, as well by Iohn as Daniel, may be proved by theſe two Arguments. Firſt, that both begin at the ſame terme, to wit, the overthrow of the fourth or Romane Beaſt: that of Daniel when the Beaſt governing under that laſt regiment of the horne with eyes, was ſlaine; and his body given unto the burning flame, Dan. 7. 11. 2…. 27. That of the Revelation, when the Beaſt and falſe Prophet (that wicked Verſ. 10.horne in Daniel having mouth and eyes as a head) are taken, and both caſt alive into a lake of fire burning with brimſtone. Secondly, from the ſame ſeſſion of Iudgement premiſed to both. For it will appeare that the one is borrowed from the other, and altogether tend to the ſame purpoſe, by comparing the words of the deſcription of both.

Furthermore I would have the Reader underſtand this. Whatſoever almoſt is found from the Iews, whatſoever is delivered by the Lord in his Goſpel, or any where in the new Teſtament by the Apoſtles concerning the day of the great judgement; that is taken out of this viſion of Daniel; to wit, that judgement to be accompliſhed by fire, Chriſt to come in the clouds of heaven, to come in the glory of his Father with multitude of Angels, the Saints with him to judge the earth, Antichriſt to be aboliſhed foreign with the brightneſſe of his coming, &c. So that they goe about wholly to undermine the pillar of the Evangelicall faith concerning the glorious coming of Chriſt, who, neglecting the ancient tradition of the Church, endeavour to turn this propheſie to another end.

Laſtly, that I may conclude; this is that moſt ample kingdom, which by Daniels interpretation, was foreſhewed to Nebuchadnezzar in that Propheticall Statue of the foure kingdoms: not that of a Stone cut out of a Hill whiles yet the Series of Monarchies remained (for this is the preſent ſtate of the kingdome of Chriſt) but of the Stone when they were utterly broken and defaced, to become a Mountaine and to fill the whole world.

Theſe things Reader I have thus diſcuſſed, not raſhly affirmed. I leave the whole matter to the Church to be determined by the word of God: to the iudgement whereof, as it is meete, I do… willingly ſubmit mine opinion concerning this myſterie.