The Resurrection Revealed

SECT. VI.

[§. 1] IT will be a fair Preface to what we are to infer from these words to our purpose, if in the first place we give you the exposition of the Verses above quoted in the words of the Hebrews, Targum, Talmud, and Rabbins, and of the Greek Septuagint. The man that spake this was Balaam, but set down by Moses as a most sure Prophesy, and therefore shows us what a full manifestation he had from God of this Prophesy, verse 16. It is not unusual with God sometimes for extraordinary ends to reveal some particular Prophesies to some men at some certain juncture of time for a present occasion whiles such men are unregenerate. So to Caiaphas, Joh. 11.49, 50, 51. So to the Sibyls (of whom afore in the first Book, in the large quotations of Lactantius. ) I say not, that God gives them the spirit of Prophesy, but that God dictated to them some particular Prophesies; as of this Balaam, it is said the Lord met him, and gave him a charge what he should say; and so he was enforced by the power of divine providence to bless instead of cursing. And of this Prophesy we have some touches and phrases repeated in the New Testament, 2 Pet. 1.19. Until the day-star arise, Rev. 22.16. I Jesus, &c. am the root of David, &c. and the bright and morning star; yea, and some of this Prophesy is punctually fulfilled in the Old Testament so long since as David's time, as we shall see after.

[§. 2] The matter of the Prophesy is very considerable to our business, if we understand it aright, wherein the Hebrews admirably assist (for of them there cannot be an apter Proverb, Ubi been nemo meliùs. ) Let us touch with their pen, a little on every clause; I shall see him ] or see it, that is the person and thing he prophesies of following, which Sol. Jarchi expoundeth, I see the praise of Jacob, and their greatness, but it is not now, but after a time. Chaskuni addeth He prophesieth of David, that is of him in his ultimate generation, Christ, as you shall see the Rabbins by and by, in their Targum, Talmud, and Treatises harmoniously consent. But not nigh ] that is as Jarchi said afore, It is not now, but after a time. And as the Targum or Chaldee Paraphrase expounds it, It is not near, when a King shall arise out of the house of Jacob, and CHRIST shall be anointed of the house of Israel, and shall RULE OVER ALL THE SONNES OF MEN: Mark that expression. It follows, There shall come a star out of Jacob. ] The Greek translate, shall arise, or shine forth, which is applied to Christ by Peter in the said 2 Pet. 1.19. afore-quoted, and by Christ himself to himself in the above cited Rev. 22.16. Both places being penned since Christ's ascension, and therefore can import no less then that it is yet to be fulfilled, and that before the ultimate day of judgment, at which time it is too late, for Christ to shine as a day star to the Jews, if he shine not to them afore; or for the consideration of Christ's relation to David, when he lays down all relations. But of these things by and by, in the inferences from the said place of Numbers. Of which it follows; And a Scepter shall rise out of Israel ] that is (saith the Chaldee Paraphrase) A King shall arise, the Messiah or Christ shall be anointed, that shall RULE ALL THE SONS OF MEN. So that Christ must have his Scepter as well as David, and other Kings. And as his gracious Scepter of righteousness over his people, Psal. 45.7. Heb. 1.8. So his powerful constraining destroying Rod, or Scepter of Iron over his enemies, Psal. 2.9. Rev. 12.5. which two last mentioned places are prophetical of future times, not fulfilled (should seem) in the time of Johns penning the Revelation, though that was long after Christ's ascension. And he shall smite the corners of Moab, or through the corners of Moab. ] The Greek is, He shall break to pieces the Dukes of Moab ; The Chaldee is, He shall kill the Princes of Moab †, and shall unwal the children of Seth ] which the Chaldee excellently expounds, That Christ shall have dominion over all the children of men. For Seth being the son of Adam, given to him in the room of Abel, slain; and Kaines posterity being drowned in the flood, only Seth’s posterity remaining in Noah, all the world since that may be truly said to be the children of Seth, as of a secondary Adam, which dominion of Christ over all Kings and Nations is prophesied in Psal. 72.11. All Kings shall fall down before him, and all Nation shall serve him. And in Phil. 2.10. 'tis spoken in the future tense (after Christ's ascension) and of all persons and things, not only of heavenly or spiritual, but of earthly, &c. To this exposition Sol. Rashi subscribes. All the sons of Seth, that is (saith he) ALL PEOPLES, which do ALL come of SETH the son of ADAM THE FIRST. We have one Rabbin behind, viz. Maimonides, who in their Talmud notably explains the whole Prophesy of Balaam briefly thus:

Hobad. v. 21. Thus Maimonides, who hath spoken so fully, that I need not but give a light touch on the rest. Verse 18. EDOM shall be a possession. These Edomites (the posterity of Esau ) became a possession to David, 1 Chron. 18.13. After that they are to be a possession to Christ, Isa. 63.1. Who is this that cometh up from Edom, with died garments from Bozrah? Red with blood sprinkled on his garments, intimating a corporal destruction of the Edomites by Christ. SEIR also shall be a possession. Seir, that is Esau, for there Esau dwelt, Gen. 36. Therefore the Greek render Seir by Esau. So that this clause is all one with the former. Against whom and the rest of the enemies of the Church, the Israelites (as it follows) shall do valiantness (as it is in the Hebrew) that is valiant acts valiantly, which in effect sometimes signifies victories in War (1 Sam. 14.48. sometimes getting wealth and riches (Ezek. 28.4.) Both here meant, as both go together, in the case of victory in War (though the Chaldee expresseth rather the later) which double sense well answers to the name Israel that signifies a prevailing as a Prince with God and men (Gen. 32.28.) And to Psal. 60.14. Through God we shall do valiantness, and he will tread down our enemies. And Heb. 2.8. God will put all things in subjection under Christ's feet, who was the son of David, of the seed of Israel. And he shall have dominion] that is, one of the house of Jacob, as the Chaldee expresseth it. So Targum Jonathan saith, And a Ruler shall rise up out of the house of Jacob, which Sol. Jarchi openeth thus: And yet there shall be another Ruler out of Jacob, and he shall destroy him that remaineth out of the City. Of the KING CHRIST he speaketh thus, of whom it is said (Psal. 72.) HE SHALL HAVE DOMINION FROM SEA TO SEA: And shall destroy him that remaineth out of the City; that is of all Cities, as the Chaldee expoundeth it, viz. The City of the people's. Verse 20, 21, 22. are plain of themselves. verse 23, Alas, who shall live when God doth this? The Chaldee explaineth it, Woe to the sinners that shall live when God doth this. Targum Jonathan explains it thus; when the word of the Lord shall be revealed to give a good reward unto the just, and take vengeance on the wicked. verse 24, And Ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Ashur, and shall afflict Eber, and he shall also perish forever. The Chaldee expoundeth Chittim to signify the Romans. The old Latin explains it by Italy (which is all one in effect, only the Roman Monarchy was larger then the Imperial Seat of it in the Kingdom of Italy. ) Chittim, or Kitim was one of the sons of Javan, the son of Japheth, the son of Noah, Gen. 10.4. His posterity inhabited partly Greece (viz. Macedonia ) partly (as Josephus affirms) Italy among the Romans, as also Cyprus, and Silicia. All which places also by turns were sometime of the Greek Empire, sometime of the Roman Empire. By which reasons Chittim, alias Kitim is sometime taken for the Greeks, sometimes for the Romans, both which took their turns to afflict the Assyrians, and Eber, that is the Hebrews, or people of Israel. But the Catastrophe and fatal period is, that Chittim shall perish forever.

[§. 3] Now these promises in their full latitude and extent were never yet fulfilled upon the earth (as they all import a fulfilling there ) as it easily appears to a quick eye reviewing the Premises. This same Star CHRIST hath not yet shined upon the hearts of the generality of the sons of Jacob, as it is expounded, 2 Pet. 1.19. He hath not yet as CHRIST, ruled as a King over ALL THE SONNES OF MEN, as the Chaldee before expounds the Scepter out of Israel, as the Scriptures Psal. 2.9. back it. CHRIST hath not yet unwalled ALL THE CHILDREN OF SETH, that is all the children of Adam (as before made plain.) He hath not, that is, brought them off their own confidences to submit to him, or he hath not had (as the Chaldee expounds before) dominion over all the children of men; according as Psal. 72. verse 11. and Phil. 2.10. confirm it, viz. That all Kings shall fall before Christ, and all Nations serve him, and every knee how and crouch to him. We see to this day for the general, rather the contrary. CHRIST as KING hath not yet (as Maimonides excellently out of Psal. 72.8.) had dominion from sea to sea, no, nor so much as delivered Israel and Judah to this day, from their dispersion and captivity under Turk, Pope, Indians, &c. Exempt from the account but six or seven Nations (and those petty ones) of one fourth part of the world, Europe; with a spot or two of late Plantations in America; and the whole world of men are not yet so much as Professors of Christ. Nor hath Christ taken vengeance on them to this day. Kitim, alias Chittim, i. e. the Roman Empire, is not yet perished forever, but to this day partly under the Turk, and partly under the Pope doth mischievously, and mightily oppose Christ.

[§. 4] Nor can a wise man dream that these things shall be fulfilled at, or after the ultimate day of judgment; for then is a late time for Christ to have dominion over all the sons of men. Then Christ's Dominion doth utterly cease. And this Text saith, that when God doth this, who shall live? plainly signifying, that when Christ doth thus as King, and Ruler over all the sons of men, advancing his Church, and among them as his great design, his Israel, there shall be a great corporal destruction of the obstinate enemies of him and them. But the ultimate day of judgment is not the killing, but the making alive corporally all the wicked that ever were since the Creation.

SECT. VII.

[§. 1] THese words may seem to some of a cursory eye, to say little to our purpose; but being weighed, they are very ponderous, and will soon turn the scales. The sum of obeying God's voice, and keeping his Commandments, so often here inculcated, is their keeping the Covenant they made with God, chap. 29. viz. As God to be their God, so they to be his people, and (as it is expressed) after the tenor of the covenant God made with their Father Abraham, &c. (Gen 17.) which was the Covenant of grace, as the Apostle expounds Rom. 4. even as here is mention of God's bringing them out of Egypt, as a pledge on his part, and an engagement on their part, relating to their redemption by Christ, Hos. 11.1. Matth. 2.15. And here amplified by loving the Lord their God with all their hearts, so that it is upon Gospel terms the Lord treats with them; even as Moses application of them to the Israelites, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. That the commandment that was given them was not hid from them, nor far off, neither in the Heavens, to say, who shall go up, to take it for them, nor beyond the sea, to say, who shall go over, &c. to take it for them, but it is night • even in their mouth, and in their heart; I say, Moses application in those very terms is by the Apostle, Rom. 10.8. called the word of faith.

[§. 2] Now when thus the Jews shall obey God's voice, and do his Commandments, viz. believe the Gospel, being brought unto repentance, (hinted in the words call to mind, and returning, so expounded, 1 King. 8.46, 47. Isa. 46.8. Lam. 3.21. Luke 15.17) partly by afflictions, partly by prosperity called blessings, and curses, then the Lord shall deliver them from all their captivities, when and wheresoever they be.

[§. 3] For Moses aims not at this or that particular captivity, among Philistines, Egyptians, Babylonians, or, &c. that had been to little advantage, to deliver them from one captivity, to let them fall into another; and there to stick forever. The words of the Promise are of a very comprehensive latitude, viz. if they be driven among all the Nations, ver. 1. or any of them be driven out to the utmost parts of Heaven, ver. 4. The Lord will gather them from all Nations, ver. 3. and will fetch them from the utmost parts of Heaven, ver. 4.

[§. 4] And as the Promise is of a great latitude, so of a great length; for this gathering of them is promised after the Babylonian captivity, Ier. 29.1. Jer. 31.10. and after Christ was come in the flesh, it is delivered as a Prophesy by Saint Johns Exposition, Job. 11.51, 52. That Christ should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad; Of a thing to be done in after times, in the fullness thereof, compare Rom. 11.

[§. 5] Add to all the fullness of the Promise; they should be so delivered from all captivities, that all the curses should be on their enemies, and all blessings temporal and spiritual should be on them; for so it follows, that upon their deliverance out of captivity, If any of them be driven out (ver. 4.) unto the utmost part of Heaven, from THENCE will the Lord thy God gather thee, and from THENCE will he take thee. And (ver. 5.) the Lord thy God will bring thee into the Lana WHICH THY FATHERS POSSESSED, and he will DOE THEE GOOD, and MVLTIPLY thee above thy fathers; and (ver. 6.) The Lord thy God will CIRCVMCISE THINE heart, and the HEART OF THY SEED, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, &c. And (ver. 7.) The Lord thy God will put all these CVRSES ON THINE ENEMIES. And (ver. 8.) thou SHALT RETVRN and HEARKEN TO THE VOYCE OF THE LORD, AND DOE ALL HIS COMMANDEMENTS. And (ver. 9.) The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous, or fruitful IN ALL THE WORKES OF THY HANDS, IN THE FRVIT OF THY BODY, in the fruit of thy CATTELL, in the fruit of thy LAND: (and mark) FOR THY GOOD. And the Lord will REJOYCE over thee for good.

[§. 6] Now let the ingenuous Reader confess, whether ever these promises were thus fulfilled! For we know not either by Scripture, or History, that ever the Ten Tribes returned from their captivity. And we do know by the Scriptures, that many of the two Triles returned not with the rest, 1 Chron. 4.21, 22, 23. (read the place exactly) And we are sure by experience to this day, that thousands of them are in Captivity (as we may say) under the Turkish and Roman Empire, and ten thousands of them dispersed among the Indians, and Protestant Christians in Poland, Holland, &c. as Rab. Ben Israel hath given us an account in his Book Spes Israelis, so that the Jews themselves, not only the unconverted, but some that are converted to Christianity, confess these things never yet to have been fulfilled, as I myself have been an ear witness from M. Melos, a Jew of Portugal, converted to the faith.

[§. 7] Much less are the Jews so delivered, as to have their hearts circumcised, to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and to obey his voice in the Gospel, as the Apostle before expounded; or to be blessed with all temporal blessings, or to have all the curses put upon their enemies.

[§. 8] Therefore these things are yet to be fulfilled; for God must be true, (as the Apostle saith) though all men (that deny it) be liars. The Jews must be called, and the fulnesses of them, and the Gentiles must be brought in ( Rom. 11.26.) by a deliverer that comes out of Zion, turning away ungodliness from Jacob, to the performance of God's Covenant with them, which the Targum (called Jonathan's ) saith, must be performed by the hand of ELIAS, and by the hand of KING CHRIST; And indeed a few were converted by John the Baptist, and Christ, but the generality of the Jews were in blindness after that, in Paul's time, Rom. 21. Besides, what was the conversion of a few, to the fulfilling of the all of these promises in their several particulars to the all of the Jews? As it is said afore, If ANY of thine be driven out unto the utmost part of the heavens, from thence will the Lord thy God gather thee; and the Lord will make thee fruitful in ALL THINGS, and for thy good.

[§. 9] And these things must be fulfilled before the ultimate general Judgment, or else there will be nor time nor place for these things, as to circumcise hearts, to keep Commandments, to inherit Canaan, to be blessed with outward blessings, &c. as is before expressed.

SECT. VIII.

[§. 1] THese Sins of the Jews we have known, and those Judgments of God, viz. their power to be gone, and them to see scattered into corners, we see to this day; but we never saw or heard these Promises fulfilled, according to their Tenor here mentioned.

[§. 2] First, we never knew by Scripture, History, or Experience, that the Nations of the GENTILES rejoiced with the Jews, as sharers in the same general salvation, spiritual and temporal, as this Text imports, according to the letter here, and the spiritual extent in Rom. 15.10. For in Christ, or the Apostles time (the likeliest time) this was not effected. A few particular Jews and Proselyte Gentiles (in the Acts ) are as nothing, to make up Nations of Gentiles, or the generality of the Jews, to which comprehensivenesse this Text amounts. The two great streams ran cross in this manner: Whiles Christ was on earth, nor he, or his Disciples preached in the way of the Gentiles, but kept close the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Matth. 10.5. And when the Gentiles received the Gospel, the Jews had refused it, Act. 13.45, 46. The Jews generally decried their Christ with Crucify him, Crucify him. And of the Gentiles no Nation became Christian, till after Constantine the Great his time, which was above three hundred years after Christ's incarnation, and above two hundred years after the death of the last of the Apostles. Indeed St. Paul doth in express quotation of the 43. verse. of this 32. of Deut. in his Ep. to Rom. Chap. 15. v. 10. assert, this must be fulfilled, that Jews and Gentiles must rejoice in the common Gospel-salvation. But withal he had told you before, Chap. 11. that at that present the generality of the Jews were under spiritual blindness, and were so to be, till the fullness of the Gentiles were come in, and so they continue blind to this very day. So that instead of a reciprocal rejoicing in one another's spiritual salvation, they conceive with great indignation us to be in an error, and we with equal sorrow, conceive them to be in an error. And for temporal salvation, both Jews and Gentiles were as equally interested in the sorrowful defect thereof, in, and after the Apostles time, both being then under the Heathen Roman slavery, and from thence forward were the Gentile Christians bloodily persecuted for three hundred years in the ten persecutions, and after under the Pope, as all the Jews to this day are either dispersed as a despised people, by and among all Nations, or under the Turkish slavery, the more is the grief of every good Christian.

These premised (being so apparent) the next promise not yet to have been performed, viz. of God's taking a general bloody vengeance on all the enemies of the Jews (according to the many, and amplified high expressions in this 32. of Deut. to that sense) is of it self most manifest. For neither the Romans, nor the Turks (both the grand oppressors of the Jews, for above this sixteen hundred years between them) are with any signal sign, or considerable mark, destroyed with a corporal destruction. As for the destruct on the enemies of the Jews in the Macchabean wars, it doth not in any proportion amount to the elevation and latitude of these Deuteronomian promises. We know all those Heroic attempts of the Jews were soon squatted flat, under after-slavery. The Apostle mentions their sore sufferings in those times, Heb. 11. latter end. Of those wars we may say as in Dan. 11.32. to 36. The people that knew their God did exploits, they instructed many (in War, as well as in Religion yet they fall by the sword. And though they are holpen with a little help (little in time, as well as in strength ) yet they fall. And for other victories, wherein the Romans having captivated Jerusalem, according to Dan. 11.36. the King of the North and South ( Dan. 11.40.) that is the Saracens and Turks come and lead that Captivity captive; the Jews all this while do but shift and change their oppressors, but their oppression is not taken away. At the same rate we may value the Holy war, as they call it, managed by Kings called Christians, maintained by a stock gathered first by the order of Templars, next of St. John of Jerusalem, thirdly, of Knights of Malta, to beat the Turk, and to regain the holy land; for the Turk keeps his footing to this day, with enlargements. Christian Kings have been so busy in bangling with them of their own Religion, that whiles they divide, that grand Blasphemer most insolently reigns as the greatest Monarch now on earth.

[§. 4] Therefore we conclude that this place of Deuteronomy is not fulfilled till that come to pass, in Rev. 19.20, 21. That when the Beast and the Kings of the earth, and their Armies made war against Christ: the Beast was taken, and with him the false Prophet, and cast alive into the lake, &c. And the remnant were slain with the sword, and the fowls are filled with their flesh; So that according to the intent and terms of this Text of Deut. 32. there is an avenging of all the servants of God, viz. of Jews and Gentiles, and a total corporal ruin of all their enemies yet to be performed. Of which sort of destruction there is none such at the ultimate judgment. As it can be of no use to the fullness of Jews and Gentiles, if it come not afore; therefore they must have it afore, that they may, as is said afore, jointly rejoice together in each other.

SECT. IX.

[§. 1] THese words, we see, are spoken by Nehemiah to God in prayer. He plants the footing thereof upon God's promise, quoted out of Deut. 30. v. 1. to 10. (discussed but now Sect. 7.) viz. That though God should for their sin scatter the whole Nation of the Jews, consisting entirely of twelve Tribes (for in that mighty body they were, when Moses wrote that of Deuteronomy ) and disperse them among all • the Nations, and cast them out unto the utmost part of Heaven, yet that God had promised he would gather them from thence, and would bring them into the place that he had chosen to place his name there.

[§. 2] So that this great Saint Nehemiah, lays the great foundation of his faith in prayer for the restoring of the Jews upon that promise of God, delivered by Moses; wherein his supplication is an exact directory-application, how we should understand that place of Moses, as a thing not fulfilled to this day.

[§. 3] Nehemiah looks beyond the deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity set on foot by Cyrus, and beyond the return of the Two Tribes. As whiles he was in the Babylonish Captivity for so many years, his soul lived by faith on this promise, that he and the rest of his brethren of the two Tribes should be delivered; so now that the Two Tribes are returned, he still urgeth that promise to perfect the whole work, in what of the latitude and extent thereof, it was yet unfulfilled. Nehemiah, should seem, was clear in that sense of perfecting the return of the whole twelve Tribes, and to have a better settlement in their own land, then this Embryon of imperfection in the present state of Two Tribes returned did represent; and according to that sense his faith is strong, and his prayer fervent.

[§. 4] In all which Nehemiah was very right, we ourselves being judges. For as the threat was of the twelve Tribes in one entire body, Deut. 28. and pressed Chap. 29. So the promise Chap. 30. is to them all, and touching all Captivities, as it is clearly held forth in several expressions, both in Deut. 30, and in this first of Nehemiah, of scattering them among the Gentiles, or among all the Nations, or of casting them out to the utmost part or end of Heaven, and of gathering them thence, and fetching them thence. For if the Jews in any of the Captivities that were to follow Moses his words, either Philistian, Syrian, Egyptian, or Babylonian, should stick fast, and never be delivered, Moses his promise, and Nehemiah's faith and prayer should come all to nothing. And if God deliver some of them from all these Captivities, and not all of them from all, and from any other that should follow after, or continue beyond the fore-named Captivities, Nehemiah's faith, hope, and prayer should not be answered, nor his desires satisfied, though wrought in him by the extraordinary working of the Spirit of God.

[§. 5] But Nehemiah is confident upon this promise, that his faith, hope, and desires in this prayer shall be fulfilled, and therefore is he so fervent in urging the said promise now after the two Tribes had been returned out of Babylon at least these twelve years (for their return was about the 3514 year from the Creation. And Nehemiah's journey to Jerusalem which he began with his prayer, was not till Anno mundi 3527.) The good man had in his eye, not only the building of the walls of Jerusalem (which was but a small matter in comparison) but the return of the Ten Tribes also, which had been carried away afore into Captivity into Assyria, and still continued, when Nehemiah prayed, in that Captivity in Halah and Habor, by the River Gozan, Cities of the MEDES, 2 Kings 18.9. &c. For there still they are in Nehemiah's time, as appears by the Genealogies of them of the Two Tribes that returned, Ezra. 2. Nehem. 8. Among whom the Pedigree of the Ten Tribes is not found.

[§. 6] Indeed the Two Tribes in the greatest part were returned, as an earnest, or first fruits of the return of the rest, and for assurance of Christ's coming of Judah (where God continued them till that was done, Christ was born, for time and place, &c. according to the Prophets.) But this is short of gathering the twelve Tribes from among all Nations, and from the utmost end of Heaven. The Two Tribes were brought from Babylon to Jerusalem, which, they say, are distant the one from the other about six hundred miles. But what is this in comparison of Media, and Persia towards the North and North-East of the world, the length or ends of Heaven being counted from the North pole to the South? or what is this to the gathering of them, and since of the Two Tribes also, in the greatest part scattered among all Nations (as Rab. Ben. Israel, and our experience do show) to fetch them from thence?

[§. 7] Therefore we conclude, as Nehemiah prayed, believed, and hoped, so we to this day see, that Moses his promise (urged by Nehemiah ) is not the one half fulfilled. But it shall. The Saints prayers and hopes are not lost, though sometimes long sown, ere they come up. The Apostles prayer for the conversion of the Gentile Kings and Nations, Act. 4. was answered in Constantine the Great his time, though three hundred years after. And the prayers of the Saints under the Altar, Rev. 6. shall be answered, though now since above one thousand and five hundred years they are not fulfilled.

SECT. X.

There are three main Heads of our Position, most pathetically and emphatically prophesied, and promised in the Psalms.

• 1 The UNIVERSAL power of Christ, both conversive, and coercive over the whole WORLD, and correlatively, the UNIVERSAL subjection of all the WORLD to Christ, either by consent, or constraint.
• 2 The JUST TIME of fulfilling this.
• 3 That when this is done, the Saints are to INJOY a Sabbatism on earth.

[§. 1] TOuching the first, we have many passages of several Psalms, which, partly in their own nature, and partly by the Apostles quotations, explications, and applications, are so curiously wreathed together, that in that posture we shall consider them.

1 The second Psalm, with a touch of the eighth is the leader; which because it is so familiar to most Readers, I shall not need to write it out, but only quote it according as occasion requires. It is all along in matter and style notably accommodated to our work in hand. It is spoken to Jews and Gentiles, v. 1, 2. and v. 8. and in those lines it is carried by the Apostles, through their times, to those in after-Generations, Act. 4.24. The occasion whereof was, that the Jewish Commonwealth and Government then being mixed with the Roman power, so that both of them jointly concurring, did put to death Christ, and persecute the Apostles, the Apostles thereupon convert the second Psalm, with a part of the eighth Psalm (for I suppose there is recorded but the sum) into a prayer, and do turn the bent of that their prayer both upon Jews and Gentiles. They lift up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and all that in them is &c. (as it is Ps. 8.) who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said (Psal. 2. v. 1. &c.) why did the HEATHEN rage, and the PEOPLE imagine vain things? The Kings of the earth stood up, and the Rulers were gathered together, against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, both HEROD and PONTIUS PILATE, with the GENTILES, and people of ISRAEL were gathered together, for to do, &c. And now Lord behold their threatenings, &c. Both which Psalms are prophetical of our point. The eighth Psalm we opened afore, and now we shall the second, out of both which Psalms (though Luke records the story but briefly, only giving a touch upon the beginning of both) the Apostles, no doubt, urged in their prayer, whatsoever was in them pertinent to their desire of the advancing Christ, there being far apter pertinences to that in the sequel of those Psalms, then in the beginnings. The sum of their desire is, that God according to his promise in Psal. 2. Psal. 8. would set up the power and glory of Christ unto a predominancy over Jews and Gentiles, notwithstanding all their fierce opposition at present. And for a testimony that God did allow their application of those Psalms as right, and did accept of their prayer grounded thereon, he fills them with the Spirit, and shakes the place where they prayed.

Now this second Psalm is not yet fulfilled, not the Apostles prayer upon it fully answered. It is true, that about forty years after Christ's death, came to pass that great destruction upon the Jews, their Temple, City, and Country too, prophesied by Christ, Matth. 24.1. &c. And within fewer years, Herod came to a miserable untimely end, Act. 12. as also did Pilate, and after him successively two and thirty Roman Emperors, as the Ecclesiastical story shows us And about three hundred years after the incarnation of Christ, Constantine the Great, and many of his soldiers being converted unto Christianism, overthrew in battle his Antichristian Colleagues, and their Armies that opposed it. But Prophesies and Prayers, as streams, run on in a current, still growing greater and greater in accomplishment, till they rest in the main Ocean, the fulfilling of the full design of God, according to the entire Plat-form God drew forth in the express terms of his Promises. This Psalm therefore according to that rule was not fully accomplished, when the Apostles turned it into a Prayer, notwithstanding all the great things that Christ and his Apostles did, towards the convincing of Jews and Romans, and converting many. For what needed the Apostles to pray for a further fulfilling of that second Psalm, if then it had been fulfilled? No, nor is that Psalm in any full measure fulfilled to this day, the Heathen unregenerate Gentiles, and the obstinate Jewish people are of the same temper still, and tamper the same oppositions against Christ. And God hath not hitherto so spoken to them in his wrath, and vext them in his sore displeasure, as to make them know that he hath set HIS KING upon his holy hill of Zion; nor hath he given unto Christ the HEATHEN for his inheritance, and the UTMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH for his possession, to break them that are incorrigible with a rod of Iron, and to dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel, to the making of the Kings and Judges of the earth wise, to serve the Lord in fear, &c.

Most Kingdoms are yet mere Heathens, and the most of Kingdoms named Christians are Heretical, or disobedient unto Christ: and Zion it self, where Christ will mainly manifest his Kinglinesse, is under the Turkish Mahometan Blasphemers, as it was under the bloody Heathen Romans, all the time of Christ and his Apostles; and the Jews, that are a main part of his Kingdom, are to this day unconverted.

There must yet come a time, when Christ's anger must be but kindled, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but as a little, and yet then must ALL they be happy that trust in Christ. Mark accurately; There must be a time when Christ's anger must be but kindled, in comparison of the last Judgment, and but as a little time , in respect of the speedy event of making All them that trust in Christ to be happy. Now if you apply this to the time past, since the Apostles made their prayer upon this Psalm, it is near one thousand six hundred and twenty years, which you cannot call a little time, much less can you call it a little time from David's penning of it to this time. And if you look forward to the ultimate Judgment, then Christ's anger is not only kindled, but it is totally on a flame, and forever; the fire never goes out. So that the fulfilling of this Psalm, must be in a time between our present Age and the last Judgment. It must be at a time when Christ's anger hath but a little time to be kindled, and anon the Trusters in Christ to be blessed, which must be when the generation, or succession of the wicked opposers of Christ are perished, who perishing are not said to be at their journeys end, at the ultimate end of the world; but in the way, in some notable way, or race they ran (in their Generation) in opposing Christ, as Revel. 19. the three last verses. These wicked ones must perish, and the trusters in Christ be blessed, at some notable time of eminent manifestation of Christ, as he is Christ, and King of Zion (which must be before his laying down of his Mediatorship, and power at the end of all) I say, at some notable time of eminent manifestation of Christ. For this phrase in this Psalm, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE, is always applied to such eminent manifestations of Christ, the latter still being greater then the former. As first in this second Psalm, at the declaring the decree, and proclaiming Christ to be King, conversively of his Church, and coercively over all the world of enemies; Secondly, at Christ's resurrection, Acts 13.23. and 33. Thirdly, in relation to Christ's appearance ere long, to all the world, to set up his visible Kingdom on earth (of which we speak.)

2 . For (saith the Apostle, Hebr. 1.5, 6.) unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my SONNE, THIS DAY HAVE I BEGOTTEN THEE? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a SONNE? But when AGAINE (to give it you as afore, in terms and order of words, close to the Original ) He SHALL bring his first begotten Son into the INHABITED world, he saith, let all the Angels worship him. The sense is obvious, That God never owned any one of the Angels to be his only first begotten Son, but when again he shall bring his first begotten Son into the world, he hath given command that all the Angels shall worship him, as his only begotten Son. That this text speaks of God's bringing his first begotten Son again into the inhabited world, now after Christ's ascension (when the Apostles wrote that) we have afore largely discussed, Book 3. chap. 2. Sect. 4. & §. (id est, sectiuncula ) 4. I only add, be heedfully mindful of the Apostles expression in the future, now after Christ's coming in the flesh; and that after the general Judgment Christ, as Christ, shall lay down all his dominion over Angels and men, and therefore it must be of some middle time between our present generation that these 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rendered here Angels, must give Christ, whiles he is Mediator, a more ample and apparent homage then ever they have done, according to the glorious state of Christ, and of things at that time on earth.

3 . For, this place of the Hebrews, Let all the Angels of God worship him, is quoted by the Apostle out of Psal. 97.7. which (word for word according to the Hebrew ) is, Bow down to him all ye God's, which (as we said afore) comprehends as all Angels, so all Kings, Potentates, and Magistrates, called by God himself, God's, Psal. 82. ver. 1. ver. 6. and so applied by Christ, Joh. 10.34. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your Law, I said YEE ARE GOD'S ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) if he called them gods to whom the Word of God came, &c. And indeed they can properly bow, or crouch down (as the Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (and the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 precisely signify) as the Angels can do it only virtually. And on the other side, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Angel is oft used in Scripture, to signify eminent men in Office, Mal. 4.1. Rev. chap. 2.1. chap. 2. chap. 3. But granting, that the Apostles design being to prove Christ to be above Angels, doth render the Hebrew Text according to the Septuagint Greek (then a common Translation in frequent use throughout the world, since the late Greek Monarchy over all) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 worship him all ye his Angels: yet this is as true, that as the Apostle closeth that his discourse in that first of Hebrews with a touch of Christ's future dominion over all Angels, and men on earth, saying, To which of the Angels said he at any time (quoted out of Psal. 110.) sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool; so that 97. Psalm doth really include and intend our position in hand, viz. Christ's visible glorious Kingdom over all the world yet to come. For in the first verse of that 97. Psalm it is said, The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof. Or, the Lord reigning, the earth SHALL rejoice, and the many Islands SHALL be glad . This LORD is Christ, as the Apostle applies it, Heb. 1.8, 9. Now Christ had reigned in his ordinary providence and power from the creation to the Psalmists time, &c. as appeared in overthrowing his, and his people's enemies, and preserving his people, in the flood, in the fire on Sodom, in his miracles in Egypt, Wilderness, and the Redsea, in his victories over the several Nations in Canaan &c. And after the last judgment it is improper to say Christ reigns in glory, 1 Cor. 15.28. And Christ never yet so reigned as is described in this first verse of this 97 Psalm, That ALL the EARTH (without limitation) shall rejoice at that his reigning, and the multitude of Isles shall be glad. By Isles, according to an ancient usual Hebraism and Jewish phrase is meant all the Nations of the GENTILES, Isa. 41. v. 1. Keep silence before me, O ISLANDS, and let the PEOPLES or NATIONS renew their strength . And v. 5. The Isles saw it, and feared, and the ENDS OF THE EARTH were afraid, Chap. 42. v. 4. The ISLES shall wait for his Law, and so nine times in this Prophet, three times in Jer. 9. times in Ezek. in Zeph. once, viz. Chap. 2. v. 11. The Isles of the Heathen, or Gentiles . In Gen. once, Gen. 10.5. The Isles of the Gentiles. The reason of the phrase is, because the Jews dwelling in the continent of Asia, they counted all the world Islanders, that were divided from them by the Mediterranean Sea. Whence is that phrase of Isles of the Sea, Ester 10.1. Ahasuerus laid a tax or tribute upon the land, and upon the ISLES OF THE SEA. And Isa. 24.15. Glorify the name of the Lord God of Israel in the ISLES OF THE SEA. And Ezek. 26.18. Now shall the Isles tremble in the day of thy fall, yea the ISLES THAT ARE IN THE SEA shall be troubled: yea to make all yet plainer, it is twice said (viz. Jer. 2.10. Ezek. 27.6.) The Isles of Chittim. By which Chittim is oft understood the Roman Monarchy, as Dan. 11.30. for one instance. So that according to this sense of this 97 Psame, verse. 1, All the world of Jews and Gentiles must be glad and rejoice at the reigning of Christ; as it follows in the sixth verse, The Heavens declare his righteousness, and ALL the people see his glory; ALL, without exception, which two clauses cannot be aptlier applied and expounded then by that Rev. 1.7. Rev. 20.1. Rev. 21.1. Christ comes in the clouds, and every eye shall see him, Christ as the great Angel descending from heaven, binding Satan, and causing his Saints to reign on earth; New Jerusalem, a New Heaven, and a New Earth being brought down from Heaven, wherein (as Pet. 2 Ep. 3. chap. enlargeth) dwelleth righteousness. But ALL PEOPLE yet never saw that his righteousness and glory. ALL the gods (as in v. 7.) all Kings and Princes, Potentates, Magistrates, and Powers never yet worshipped him as Christ, but generally in all ages from the Creation to this day have opposed him as such, both of Jews and Gentiles.

4 But all must ere the last judgment, either sincerely, or seemingly worship him, Psal. 22.27, 28, 29. which Psalm is concerning the whole of Christ's passion, as it is plain, First, by the Title (which is of the Canonical Hebrew Text.) A Psalm concerning A jieleth Shahar, that is, the hind of the morning, Christ being shut in the grave, escaped away in the morning, rising from death. Secondly, by the application of several passages to Christ's passion, by the Evangelist Matth. 27. As that of the DESERTION, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me, v. 1. That of DERISION'; He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, v. 8. That of PIERCING; They pierced my hands and my feet, v. 16. That of division of his garments, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture cast lots, v. 18. Now this Psalm touching Christ, though in the first Scene sets forth Christ's humiliation, yet in the second holds forth his exaltation, verse. 22. I will declare thy name unto my brethren, (which the Apostle applies, Heb. 2.9, 10, 11, 12.) to Christ's manifestation of his sameness of nature with the sons of men, even as in that nature he tasted death for every man, and at last would declare that salvation to all the world (which clearly tends to our point.) And v. 27, 28, 29. we have the effect of his declaring God's name to the world, viz. ALL THE ENDS OF THE WORLD shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and ALL THE KINDREDS OF THE Nations, or GENTILES shall worship before him: For the Kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the Governor among the Nations, or GENTILES. All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship. In all which we see the effect, effectual conversion. The Generality and Universality, in many ALLS. The time in general; viz. It is to be after Christ's suffering upon the cross: The characters, eat, and worship, which cannot be understood of the highest heavens. And it hath not been fulfilled on earth according to that effect, universality, and character, from Christ's passion to this day. Therefore it is yet to be fulfilled on earth.

5 According to Psalm 86.9. ALL NATIONS whom thou hast made, shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name. A place mightily considerable. So that so great a promise and prophesy as this, by so great a Prophet as this, with such a shrill emphasis in the ALL, and in the Act, worship, and in the degree of the effect, to glorify his name, must not be ended with flams of human glosses, but must be really, and truly, and fully accomplished, though as yet it was never completely fulfilled, as it will be too late to think of those things at the ultimate judgment, when Christ comes not for conversion, but destruction. Therefore yet before that final Day of Doome, this ALL must be brought to ALL THAT of Worshipping, and Glorifying God's Name.

6 Just as we have it in that little Psalm the 117. but greatly Prophetical. Praise ye the Lord ALL NATIONS, praise him ALL YEE PEOPLES How shall all these do this, unless Christ convert all them, but those refractory ones whom he confounds? Surely therefore this is a Prophesy that God will in time before the ultimate day of judgment convert generally all Nations, as Paul extends it, Rom. 11.10, 11, &c. to the coming in of the fullness of Jews and Gentiles, rejoicing together as one Church. Therefore according to Paul, David had a most comprehensive, and extensive sense when he spake these things; and therefore shall be fulfilled according to its true latitude and elevation, without the mincing distinctions of men's brain. For a seal of assurance whereof the close of the Psalm hath three weighty clauses. First, That the MERCIFULL KINDNESSE of Jehovah to the sons of men is great. Secondly, The TRUTH of the same Jehovah is forever. 3 That by faith and hope in that mercy and truth to see these things fulfilled, we should PRAISE that JEHOVAH with Hallelujah: which is the word of praise all along the Revelation.

[§. 2] Having done with the first head contained in the Psalms, touching the universal power Christ shall have over the whole world, afore the last judgment, though most yet rebel against him: Next we come to the second head, viz. The just time when Christ shall attain this.

1 That place Psal. 97.7. Worship him all ye gods, the Apostle tells us, Heb. 1.6. shall be fulfilled, When God shall bring again his Son Christ into the world, which place, though our Translators render it [ And again when he bringeth &c.] as if it were merely a new proof of Christ's superiority above Angels, is most truly rendered according to our reading, afore set down again and again with reasons to justify it: so that in words and sense it is an Antithesis, and Auxesis to the fifth verse thus, He saith not to any Angel, thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee, but instead thereof, he speaks a thing that doth much lessen the dignity of Angels, and more dignify Christ above them, Let all the Angels of God worship him; so that the first And must be turned into But (proper to the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as there placed) and that same Again is not to signify another proof of Christ's superiority above Angels, but to signify the time when that [of ALL the Elohim, Angels and Potentates whether of the Spirits in Heaven, or men on earth (both Angels and Elohim signifying both) worshipping of Christ ] shall be fulfilled. For this hath not yet been fulfilled as to the ALL of the Magnificents, and Great-ones of the earth, who contrariwise for the general have despised, if not opposed Christ, even as it will be too late and an unseasonable time for them to do it at the ultimate judgment, when no adoration, or worship is then received from Christ's enemies, but sentence is given by him upon, and against them. The time therefore when this shall be fulfilled is, saith the Apostle in this first to Heb. (penned after Christ's ascension) When God shall bring his first-begotten Son AGAINE into the INHABITED WORLD. When he brought him into the world the first time by incarnation, ALL the Potentates, and Angels of men, The Scribes and Pharisees, Herod, and Pontius Pilate, the Roman Emperors, and Senate of Rome did not worship him, but refused him, and persecuted him, and his members, most bloodily, for near three hundred years, after whom the Arians, and next to them the Papacy, took their turns to maintain that stream of blood running down to our times. But when he shall bring his first-begotten Son again into the world in his visible royal exaltation, then they all shall worship him; I say as the Text says, ALL but they that are ruined for their refractorinesse. The phrase, When he bringeth again (if the Greek word were not of a future sense) imports a future thing; as the Hebrew imperative ( Psal. 97.7.) Worship ye him all ye gods, and the Greek imperative ( Heb. 1.6.) Let all the Angels of God worship him, in sense is future, that is, They all shall worship him, as the Epistle to the Hebrews, in the Hebrew copy expressly renders it in the future they shall adore, or worship him. As the Angels of heaven do, and ever have done, and shall more eminently, when they shall be more apparently his Ministers and servants to dispense his mercy and justice in that sudden great work (sudden in regard of the greatness) of setting up New Jerusalem, the great restitution of all things; so the Kings, Princes, Emperors, Potentates, Powers, and Angels of Churches SHALL WORSHIP HIM. They shall, they must do it afore Christ lays down his power at the ultimate day of judgment 1 Cor. 15.28.) and afore they be condemned men (when nothing will be accepted from them.) They must do it, as a sign, they are brought into Christ, as the intent of this Epistle is to win the Jews to him.

2. . To this of the time of Christ's universal visible power over the whole world, the one hundred and tenth Psalm sings excellent harmony, a Psalm so eminent, that it is quoted no less then seven times in the New Testament, and so apt for our purpose, that as the two and twentieth Psalm is of the Passion of Christ (so expounded, Mat. 27.) The sixteenth Psalm of Christ's Resurrection (so expounded, Act. 2.) the sixty eighth Psalm of Christ's Ascension, (so expounded, Eph. 4.) So this 110 Psalm is of Christ's Assession or sitting at the right hand of God till all the world be made subject to him. Every verse of it almost hath something in it of this, as the Chaldee, Syriac, Arab. & Rabb. well expound. ver. 1. The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou at my hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool, &c. By the LORD is meant JEHOVAH, as it is express in the Hebrew. By my Lord ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) is meant Christ, who according to his humanity is David's Son, but according to Deity is David's Lord, as Christ himself expounds it, Matth. 22.44. Mar. 12.36. Luke 20.41. Accordingly the Chaldee calls. Christ by the same title, John doth, Chap. 1. v. 1. In the beginning, saith John, was the WORD: And saith the Chaldee on this Psalm, The Lord said to his WORD. And because Christ is David's Lord, therefore though Psalmist ( David himself) infers, that he must rule over David's poesterity, though now for present, with many others, they be enemies. Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. Which phrase cannot with any congruity be merely spiritually understood: For how can we say Converts are enemies? or if by conversion his friends, how can it be said they are his footstool? Christ is upon other terms with men, when once made believers, as that they are one with him, John. 15. John. 17. Therefore the plain meaning is, that Christ must so rule over all, that his very enemies must corporally and visibly be subject unto his power. And this is prophesied and promised for future after his ascension, and after his first sitting at the right hand of God. But to this day, now after 1600 years since that time, Christ hath not ruled over the generality of the Jews, either the ten Tribes, or two Tribes either corporally or spiritually, besides Indians, Turks, &c. so as to bring them into any outward acknowledgement of him. And therefore as yet All his enemies are not made his footstool, but it remains to be done before the full and final destruction at the ultimate day of judgment.

3 Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool, is like that Act. 3.21. whom the Heavens must receive until the times of the RESTITUTION (he saith not DESTITUTION) of all things. And that Rev. 19. last, Rev. 20.1. He shall slay his incurable Antichristian enemies, and shall descend from Heaven.

4 The Apostle doth yet much more give us light in this thing, Heb. 2.8, 9. In putting all things in subjection under him, ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) he left nothing that is not put under him. Now (saith the Apostle) We see not yet all things put under him; though the Apostle there confesseth that Christ was already ascended. So that Christ must sit in Heaven, till his enemies be put in subjection under him, which cannot be at the ultimate general judgment. For before that Christ at his next coming must receive a Kingdom, Luke 19.11. &c. (which hath been largely cleared afore, 2 Book, Sect. 10.) he must (in order of nature) at his next appearance first have a Kingdom, and then judge, 2 Tim. 4.1. (which also hath been abundantly opened afore, 2 Book Sect. 6.) For upon the ultimate day of judgment he lays down all his authority, 1, Cor. 15.28.

5 The Apostle adds further light to this in his quotation of this of the 110. Psal. in Act. 2.32, 33, 34, 35, 36. This Jesus hath God (saith the Apostle Peter ) raised up, &c therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this as you see and hear. For David is not ascenascended into the heavens; but he saith himself, THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT THOU ON MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES THY FOOTSTOOL: therefore let the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both LORD, and THE CHRIST; ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) For from hence we may boldly conclude the sense of the Apostle, that by Christ's ascension not only was the Spirit to be poured out (as Ephes. 4. Joh. 7.39.) but the house of Israel must know assuredly that he was there initiated, enstalled, and entitled to be LORD, and THE CHRIST, That (as before we opened it, out of Luke 19.11.) Christ went away to heaven, to return and receive a Kingdom. So that Christ must have, besides his anointing with his Spiritual power, another Lordship to subdue all his enemies to be his footstool; and this the house of Israel must know assuredly now after Christ's ascension, as after his ascension the Apostle there made that application of the one hundred and tenth Psalm.

But sure enough to this day neither doth the house of Israel know this assuredly, nor are his enemies his footstool; but contrariwise Christ in his repute, and in his Members, and his Gospel is their footstool.

6 The Apostle carries on this yet further, in 1 Cor. 15. ver. 24 to ver. 29. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father, when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and all power; For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death; For he HATH (mark, here he useth the past time) put all things under his feet; but when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifested, that he is excepted which did put all things under him. And WHEN all things SHALL BE SVBDVED UNTO HIM (observe now the Apostle speaks in the future time) then also shall the Son himself be subject unto him that put all things under him. You see evidently, that in the five and twentieth verse are quoted the words of the one hundred and tenth Psalm, and in the twenty seventh verse is quoted part of the eighth Psalm, which is the reason why the Apostle speaks there in the past time. Not that the things were then fulfilled when the Apostle pend that, 1 Cor. 15. for presently in the twenty eighth verse he speaks them in the future; but because it is in the Hebrew, in Psal. 8. in the past time, alluding to the type of it in Adam, Gen. 1.26, &c. Howbeit the sense is a Prophesy of things to come, that they shall be all subject to Christ, as they were to Adam, as this our Apostle applies it, Heb. 2. (of which afore.) These things being premised, let us now see what the Apostle doth comment (in this 1 Cor. 15.) upon that one hundred and tenth Psalm.

• First, the Apostle lays it down for a sure Position, in the twenty fourth verse, that the END OF ALL is not, till Christ hath delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father.
• 2. He gives us a sign in the same verse, when he will so give up the Kingdom, viz. When he hath put down all authority, rule, and power.
• 3. The Apostle proves this out of this one hundred and tenth Psalm, ver. 1.

FOR (saith the Apostle, ver. 25.) he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet; which is all one with making his enemies his footstool; and plainly holds forth to us (by this connection) that, part of Christ's putting down all authority and power, is to put all his enemies under his feet; which (saith the Apostle) must be so universal, that all enemies (to Christ or his Members) as well things, as persons, must be comprehended, even Death it self, as the last of all the rest. 4. That all things were not subdued unto Christ when the Apostle wrote that, 1 Cor. 15. for in the twenty eighth verse he speaketh of them as of things to come, viz. when all things SHALL BE SVBDVED VNTO HIM. Christ had before that about eighteen years bypast risen and ascended, yet notwithstanding the Apostle speaks of putting all his enemies under Christ's feet, as of a thing yet to come; which doth excellently confirm that sense we give of the Apostles words, Heb. 2. viz. that Paul, and those of his time did not see all things put under Christ, or subject to him, though they saw him ascend, and to be ascended.

Nor do we, or have we, now about one thousand six hundred years since that, seen all things subject to Christ, whereof the Apostle gives us six signs of assurance; for, saith the Apostle,

• 1 If all things were subject to Christ, then the END cometh, ver. 24.
• 2. The full end is not till Christ resign up all, viz. the Kingdom, and Dominion, &c. to God, ver. 24.
• 3. That before that be done, Death must be destroyed, as one of the enemies to be put under Christ's feet, ver. 26. By the destroying of death is not only meant a Moral, or Spiritual destruction of it, that it shall not prejudice our Salvation, for so it hath been destroyed to all Believers from the beginning of the Promise of Christ, revealed to Eve; but Physically, that there shall be no more death to the godly, Revel. 21.4.
• 4. That Death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed, ver. 26. which is fulfilled to the godly at the beginning of the thousand years (of which we speak) when all the Elect deceased, shall rise from the dead, the wicked deceased not rising till the end of the said thousand years, as before we have touched, and shall be after demonstrated, at which time Death shall be removed from those wicked, to the end that they with their companions, that a little afore made head against Christ in his Saints, may receive their final Judgment. But because the Apostle here mentions Death as an enemy to Christ's Kingdom (for the death temporal, or eternal of the wicked is a friend to Christ's Kingdom) he must of necessity mean the abolishing of corporal death from the Saints, which is performed at the beginning of the thousand years, which placing of Death in the order and relation of the last of the enemies of Christ, and his Church, do clearly intimate, that many enemies of Christ and his Saints must be destroyed afore that, which stood in opposition to this All-glorious, and All-peaceable visible Kingdom of Christ on earth. And as death is destroyed Physically (as we have shown) so all that submit not to Christ are destroyed Physically; that is, they cease to be on earth.
• 5. That Death is not destroyed till the last Trumpet, ver. 51. & 52. in that, 1 Cor. 15.

Behold I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the lad Trumpet (for it shall sound) both the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed Saint John in the Revelation tells us, that the last Trumpet is the seventh Trumpet (according to the many instances wherein God delights in the number of seven ) so that six (as it is expressed in the Revelation ) sounded afore this, and saith, That the last end of all is not till the last Trumpet. But there is a great interval and space within the time of the last Trumpet, many things being to be done within that compass; so that at the first beginning of the last Trumpet the enemy so falls, that the Kingdoms of THIS world become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ, that is ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) of the Lord his Christ, in spite of all enemies and their anger, the dead Saints are raised, and a reward given to them, Revel. chap. 11. ver. 15, 16, 17, 18. (which is a summary preface, or a prefaciatory sum, to the Catastrophe, or upshot of the Revelation, to follow unto the end, as touching the Saints) And in Revel. 20. & first seven verses is expressed, how long this visible Kingdom of Christ on earth shall be, and consequently so long is the space of the last Trumpet, viz. a thousand years. But the last end of all, the ultimate period shall not be till the last end of the last Trumpet, Revel. 20. verse. 12, &c. Now let the Reader compare and consider all that Paul hath spoken in this quotation, of, and upon the one hundred and tenth Psalm, touching the subduing of all things to Christ, and the five notes of the time when it must be; together with Johns explication, and confirmation of Paul's last Trumpet, and then let him tell me:

• 1 Whether these things must not of necessity be fulfilled upon the earth?
• 2 Whether these things are not yet to come, yet to be fulfilled?
• 3 Whether they must not be fulfilled afore the ultimate end of all, when Christ resigns up his Kingdom to the Father?

7 But there is yet one quotation more of this hundred and tenth Psalm, insisted upon by the Apostle, which gives us further light, in Heb. 10. ver. 11, 12, 13. Every Priest (saith he) standeth daily in ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifice, which can never take away sin; but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, SATE DOWNE ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, FROM HENCE-FORTH EXPECTING TILL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE HIS FOOT-STOOL, &c.

Two things are here at first sight evident before our eyes, viz.

• 1. That the Apostle quotes the words of the one hundred and tenth Psalm:
• And 2. That the Apostle applies them to explain the eminency of Christ's Priesthood above the Levitical, in that the Levitical Priests offered daily, Christ but once; they oftentimes the same Sacrifice, he only once; they took not away sins, he did; they stood as Servants, he sat down as Lord, according to Psal. 110. ver. 1.

Now observe how this suits to our purpose: For it is express here that Christ did effectually attain to reign spiritually, in overcoming Sin, and Satan, witnessed, in making perfect atonement for the sins of all that are sanctified, and his overcoming death (the wages of sin) And the Devil the Gaoler of death by his Resurrection, Ascension, and Assession at the right hand of God; whereby in regard of the place, he got above all his enemies: And yet for all this, to that very hour that the Apostle wrote this, Christ's enemies were not made his footstool. But, saith he, still there he sits from THENCEFORTH EXPECTING TIL his enemies be made his footstool (as he doth to this day.) Plainly signifying that Christ must have anothergates Regiment, and Government, another manner or degree of subduing his enemies then that. Which can be no other, then a sensible visible subduing of them. Which as we on earth expect, so he in heaven (saith the Apostle) sits continually expecting the same. For his enemies on earth continuing his enemies (under that notion so to be subdued) are never subject to him spiritually. And further (as the Apostle minds us) Christ expects that further subduing of his enemies, upon his Fathers promise made to him, Psa. 110. Now at the ultimate day of judgment there is no more subduing of anything to Christ, seeing then Christ lays down all, and he the same, himself is subject 1 Cor. 15. Therefore this being yet unfulfilled, must be performed afore that day, and according to the sense of the 110 Psalm, of which all this while we have spoken but upon the first verse. There are divers other passages more in this Psalm, that much concur to, and explain our point.

8 Verse 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy STRENGTH out of Zion: Rule thou in the MIDST OF THINE ENEMIES. Mr. Ainsworth, and our New Annotationists parallel this with Psal. 2. And withal assert that the Jewish Expositors generally, do acknowledge the second Psalm to be concerning the Messias, and infer, if that, then there is as much reason for this. Now as in Psal. 2. it is said, Christ shall rule his enemies with a ROD OF IRON, and break them (incorrigible) as a Potters vessel, even so in this Psalm it is said the Rod of Christ's STRENGTH not of authority or power, which I should wonder if any dare to restrain to mere spiritual efficacy, especially if we heedfully observe that which follows, Rule thou (as with that Rod ) in the midst of thine enemies. Now tell me, how doth Christ rule spiritually in the midst of his enemies? And if you grant with us, that a sensible corporal rule must be here admitted, then cast about, and consider, that Christ hath no rule at the ultimate day of judgment (1. Cor. 15.) And before that to this day, Christ hath not so ruled amidst his enemies in most Nations. Therefore it is yet to come, afore the ultimate day of judgment.

Verse 3. Thy people shall be willing (or Voluntaries) in the day of thy power (or Army, as Ainsworth asserts) Now Peter assures us that the great day of Christ is a thousand years (2 Pet. 3.) And we must of necessity yield that this day of power, must signify a distinct determinated time, and then to be measured out, when Christ's power shall most eminently appear above any former appearance. Now whether we take this in a spiritual sense of acting grace after conversion, or in an Ecclesiastical (as our Annotationists ) that Christ's people shall be assembled unto his Church, whose increase shall be (as it follows) so abundant and wonderful as the drops of the dew, falling from the womb of the morning; or in a corporal sense, that men shall be willing to pull down Christ's Antichristian enemies in the day of his Army, raised up to that end; and whether we understand it specially of the Jews, by special emphasis his people, first chosen to be a Church, and after of his blood & kindred, or generally of all sorts of Nations; when saw we, or our forefathers, since the Incarnation, that day of power wherein the generality of either sort, in either of the said senses, were a willing people? But on the contrary, in all ages, ten for one, are obstinate against Christ, and more especially the Jews. And therefore that God may be true, this must be fulfilled before that ultimate day of judgment, which doth not mend, but end the incurable enemies of Christ.

Verse 4. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Apostle hence infers (Heb. 7.) the exceeding eminency of Christ's Priesthood above that of Aaron. First, In that Christ was made so by an oath (not so the order of Aaron ) which obligation by the oath of God the Apostle (Heb. 6.) urgeth upon the Jews, as a great ground of faith, and that they should not doubt, as he will not repent. Secondly, In that as Melchizedek, so Christ must be (above the order of Aaron ) a Kingly Priest, a most righteous and peace-bringing King, and that at Salem. Now seeing Christ, by the oath of God, was made King of Salem (the contract of Jerusalem ) we must expect that infallibly to be fulfilled, according to Psal. 2. and v. 2. of this 110 Psal. He hath indeed been at Salem (alias Jerusalem ) and there acted, in his offering up himself visibly, as well as spiritually, the Priest-hood. But he hath not since the Apostles writing of that Epistle, acted any visibility of his Royalty, or Kingly-hood there, which is clear by that in

Verse 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath. So that when this Psalm is fulfilled, to exalt Christ according to the tenor thereof, then the Kings of the earth, that submit not to Christ, must be stricken through by the wrath of God. But since Christ's Incarnation, generally, all the Kings of the earth, of all men, have been least subdued to Christ (their Nobles siding with them) and have acted most opposition against him, drawing all their people's into confederacy with them. But saith this Psalm, there must be a day of God's wrath, wherein he will strike through Kings that stand out against his Son. And this stroke must be a corporal stroke, as it follows.

Verse 6. He shall judge among the Heathen, and fill the places with dead bodies. He shall wound the HEAD (for it is in the Heb. in the singular number, and therefore ill rendered in our English Bibles plurally Heads) over many Countries. The words are plain for a bringing in of Jews and Gentiles into a submission unto Christ, or they must be slain on heaps. Now hitherto the generality of Jews and Gentiles, both Kings and people's, do not yet submit to Christ; nor are they stricken through, or slain in heaps. And at the ultimate day of doom the judgment is by fire, not by sword, and unto eternal death, not temporal: And therefore this yet to come before that day. In fulfilling whereof, the Lord shall wound that same HEAD over many Countries, that is (as Dr. Alsteds, and Mr. Ainsworth's opinion pleaseth me well) he shall wound the head of Antichrist, that pretends to be Head over many Countries (or if we say the wicked Rulers of the world, who unite under an Antichristian head, it comes to one effect) This head the Lord must wound, or (to render it nearer the Hebrew ) pierce through. So that the Lord will not only wound a part of the Head-ship, as if it should be healed again (as Rev. 13.) But he will utterly destroy (as Jael did Sisera, when she pierced his head through, Judge. 4.) the last and greatest headship of that head, as in Rev. 19. three last verses. And then,

Verse 7. Christ shall lift up his head: That is, his power shall be visibly exalted above his Capital enemy, as visibly as his enemies were exalted against him.

Thus of two of the Heads touching Christ's Kingdom yet to come, deduced out of the Psalms; Viz.

• 1 The Universality of Christ's power.
• 2 The time when to be fulfilled.
• 3 Now follows, viz. The Sabbatism the Saints shall then enjoy.

[§. 3] For this third Head out of the Psalms, viz. the Sabbatism which the Saints shall enjoy in the time of Christ's future visible Kingdom on earth, we have in the 95. Psal. from verse. the seventh to the end. (v. 7.) To day if ye will hear his voice, (v. 8.) Harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness. (v. 9.) When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works. (10.) Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, it is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my wales. (11.) Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest.

1 This Psalm was penned more immediately for the Jews as it was penned by the Psalmist a Jew: and is first urged upon them by Paul a Jew, Heb. 3.7. &c. to the end of the Chapter, by way of exhortation to hear Christ's voice, whereby they may not miscarry as their forefathers did in the wilderness, and so miss of entering into God's rest. Secondly, propounded by the same Jewish Apostle, to the said Jews now scattered ( Heb. 4. v. 1. &c. to v. 12.) by way of consolation, that in these words is a clear intimation, and concession that some of the Jews (though they in the wilderness did not) shall enter into Christ's rest; which the Apostle collects by a strong consequence thus: The several premises of the argument from that 95 Psalm he lays down in the 5, 6, 7, and 8 verses, viz. 1. For God saith, IF THEY shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that SOME must enter therein, and THEY to whom it was first preached, entered not in because of unbelief. He limiteth a CERTAINE day, saying, so LONG A TIME, as it is said, today if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts; that is, long after the Israelites were entered into Canaan under the conduct of Joshua, the Psalmist in his time saith, today if ye will hear his voice, &c. For if Jesus, (that is Joshua, being so written in Greek viz. Jesus; and Jesus and Joshua are of the same signification) had given them rest, he would not afterward have spoken of another day. These two premises being laid down, the Apostle infers a general conclusion serving to both, v. 9. viz. There remaineth therefore (even to the Apostles time, and by equal reason down to this time) a rest to the people of God. Observe the Apostle declines the word Jews, or Israelites, and useth a more general word, including Jews and Gentiles that shall believe, calling them the people of God. Observe further, that the Apostle expresseth the REST that he asserts yet to remain by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Sabbatism, as we may say a Sabbathisme, that is a rest answering to the Sabbath that God appointed to man in the state of innocence. For by the Apostles argument, God so ordered it from the beginning, that one REST should aptly typify another.

2 These things being premised, the main question hence is, what REST is here meant? we grant that subordinata non sunt contraria, things subordinate will well enough submit unto an agreement, in their descending line of order. And so no doubt but that the Apostle includes herein as the internal spiritual rest of grace; so also the eternal rest in ultimate glory. ALL the rests mentioned in Scripture, harmoniously typifying one another. The rest of the Sabbath should seem by the Apostles method typified the rest in Canaan, and that in Canaan another rest yet to come, &c. But the precise question is, what REST most distinctly, and more immediately the Apostle here drives at, and argues for.

First, For the rest on the Sabbath, the Jews had both past and present; therefore that cannot be the mind of the Apostle.

Secondly, For the rest in Canaan, that their forefathers had long since, and in the Apostles time, some remnant of Jews was there, as appears by the History of the Acts, Chap. 2. Chap. 15. &c.

Thirdly, For the spiritual rest by grace in the state of regeneration, and actings of faith, hope, joy, &c. the Jews, to whom Paul writes, knew so well, that the Apostle needed not to use so many arguments to prove it unto them: For they knew it, partly by the book of the Old Testament, partly by their sacrifices of Propitiation and Peace, partly by the examples of many Saints, mentioned with fame in their Bible, partly by experience in many of them I mean, they being converts, they felt what was the inward spiritual rest, peace, and comfort by grace, Heb. 6.9. BELOVED we are persuaded better things of you, and such as ACCOMPANY SALVATION.

3 Fourthly, therefore at first sight one would be apt to think that the Apostle in this Chapter, must mainly mind the eternal rest in ultimate supernal glory. But pardon me, that I cannot bring my spirit to believe that to be the Apostles main and immediate meaning, for these reasons.

First, the Apostle needed not so much to labor (as in this Text he doth by several arguments) to prove to the Jews, THAT there is a state of ultimate glory, and an eternal rest therein, being a thing in the quod sit, viz. that there is such a thing, in a good measure known to the heathen in their doctrine of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (mentioned so much by Homer, to signify an happy, and eternal rest) and of the Elysian fields, so oft repeated by their Poets, whom they called their Prophets, and their Philosophers Treatises of the Immortality of the Soul.

Secondly, none dares say, that all the souls of all them whose bodies fell in the wilderness (of which the Apostle speaks) went to the Hell of the damned, and that none of them went to the eternal rest in Heaven; but ought rather to think, that at least many of them entered into that eternal rest: because the Apostle saith precisely (Heb. 3.17.) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 their carcases (he saith not their souls) fell in the wilderness, as the Scripture notes it as a mark of God's favor, that though Nadab and Abihu were punished with death by fire, yet nor their bodies, nor clothes were consumed, Levite. 10.5. And though the good old Prophet were slain by the Lion for his sin, yet he was not devoured or torn by the Lion, 1 King. 13.18.

Thirdly, the great want the Jews were in, at present, when Paul wrote to them was, that they, the twelve Tribes, for the most were scattered (as Peter expressly shows 2 Pet. 1.1. and James, chap. 1. v. 1. more fully) into many Countries. And hereby they were perplexed from the quiet enjoyment in their spirits, either spe or re, of any sort of rest. For an outward rest is the fair opportunity both in hope, and hold, to enjoy all sorts of rests. And therefore the Apostle striveth so much, with so many arguments, to prove to the Jews, that now after their dispersion so many hundred years, ten Tribes continuedly for the space of three Monarchies, and the fourth begun; and two Tribes, by turns as long, there yet remained to them, according to all the Prophesies of the Prophets, an external rest yet to come. And therefore as most parallel, and pat to that, he takes up the comparation, collation, and parity of the Rest of God after the Creation, and their rest on the Sabbath, and the rest that many of their progenitors, had in Canaan, as most apt arguments to hold forth to them, being Jews, an external rest which yet did remain for them according to the said Prophets, as a thing yet not fulfilled: But when it shall be fulfilled, then in it they shall have a fuller enjoyment of their spiritual and ecclesiastical, or Church-peace. Just as Peter spake to them ( scattered as aforesaid) not only touching their spiritual rest, and state of grace, which he allows them then to have in actual possession, when he wrote to them, by acknowledging their precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1; but also of the external rest they should have for a thousand years, in a new earth, 2 Pet. 3. and bids them stick to the Prophets, till Christ the Day-star should arise upon them, being now ascended. Even so Paul likewise in this fourth to the Hebrews doth mainly speak to their outward condition, in which their Spiritual was involved. And this is more fairly probable, because the Disciples themselves having seen Christ's Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection, with all his singular Doctrines, and transcending Miracles, did yet notwithstanding inquire, and look for a visible state of rest, Acts 1.6.

4 . Upon these considerations there is a strong impression on my spirit, that though a relative intimation of internal and eternal rest needs not to be excluded, yet the Apostles main design is, precisely to hold forth the eminent external rest that the Jews shall yet enjoy on earth, being gathered into one Church with the Gentiles, enjoying thereby spiritual peace, so as becomes an exact preface to ultimate glory; and for that end the Apostle calls it, (as we said afore) not glory, not a state in the highest heavens, but a Sabbatism, and ( Heb. 2.) in the inhabitable world; and this he saith in this fourth Chapter doth yet remain, and to the people of God. A Sabbatism signifies a rest upon a seventh, most likely (as Jude also hints, ver. 14.) in the seventh and last Age of the world, and its remaining signifieth, it is yet to be fulfilled, and to all the people of God; that is, both Jews and Gentiles. And further to explain this Sabbatism, the Apostle minds them that they had enjoyed a Sabbatism every seventh day, which was a rest principally upon account of immediatnesse, to their bodies, though with it a spiritual rest (out of which weekly seventh was formed their Pette-Jubile, of the seventh years rest, and their Great Jubile of the seven times seven years, viz. beginning at the end of the forty ninth year) and their yet longer rest in Canaan, which also was a kind of Sabbatism, for they divided the Land of Canaan in the fiftieth Jubile from the Creation ( Anno mundi, 2500.) which was a Jubile of Jubiles; and when they returned out of Babylon, where they had been seventy years, it was about the seventieth Jubile from the Creation.

Now saith the Apostle to the Hebrews in effect thus;

Now what Sabbatism, Septenary, or seventh of rest can we find out, beside those aforesaid, but the seventh thousand of years that is the last thousand years of the world, before the ultimate general Judgment? This the Rabbins ( R. Ketina, R. David Kimchi, R. Schelomo, &c.) assert with one consent, grounding themselves upon the Scriptures; their words in sum are these: And indeed since their desolation, destroying their Temple, then the City, and at last making their daily Sacrifice to cease, unto the time of Rabbi David Kimchi, Rabbi Mosche Kimchi, Rabbi Schimschon, Rabbenu Mosche, Rabbi Mosche Ben-Tafon, R. Meir, R. Menahem, R. Shem-Toff, R. Izhac. R. Mordechai, Rabbenu Ascher (that wrote upon the Talmud) Rabbi Aaron, Rabbenu Jaaiof, and several others) is about a thousand years. What these Rabbies say of this Sabbatism see after upon Isa. 2. And to settle the Jews more fully in their expectation of this Sabbatism, the Apostle calls them off from their former Sabbatismes, both the lesser of weeks, and of the greater in Canaan, according to the Prophet Micah, chap. 2. ver. 10. (which was in Hezekiah's time, being a time of great prosperity in Canaan, Micah 1.1.) Arise ye, and depart, for this is not your rest, because (mark the reason) it is polluted, &c. which intimates, that Micah as well as Paul in their Prophesies looked at the rest that shall be unpolluted, as it is said, Revel. 21. in the new earth shall be no unclean thing. For suitable to the Prophet Micah, our Apostle in this fourth to the Hebrews, ver. 10. saith, That in the great Sabbatism on earth, we shall cease from our work, as God did from his. In words it is in the past time, but in the intent and meaning it is in future; as if he should say, When any man hath entered into his rest, or shall have entered into his rest, Pareus saith, the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is in the Aorist, put for (at least) the present; but the connection of the context both before & behind is clearly for the future. For in ver. 9. it is, there remaineth yet a rest, and in the eleventh verse, Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest; 1. Lest any man fail of it. Now for our own works, sins are most properly our own works, because, saith Pareus, which the Prophet well confirms, Isa. 58.13. and chap. 65.2. where he calls sins and sinning, a doing, or finding our OWNE pleasure, a doing our OWNE ways, a speaking our OWNE words, a watching after our OWNE thoughts. For sins are not (as bodily labors, or afflictions) either commanded of God, or commended of God, or intended for the service and glory of God. Now when we shall enter into the rest (we speak of) in the new earth, we cease from these our own works of sinning, for into that state no unclean thing shall enter, Revel. 21. therefore we (though Believers) are not yet entered into Paul's Sabbatism, because we do not yet totally cease from those our works.

5 . [Object.] But it seems by the third verse of this fourth Chapter to the Hebrews, that a Spiritual rest is understood in this Chapter, and such as into which every Believer at his first believing doth presently enter; for saith the Apostle there, We which have believed, do enter into his rest.

To this Pareus saith well, [Answ.] Nondum ingressi sumus, sed ingredimur, ut suit versu tertio. (Par. in 4. ad Heb. ver. 10.) we have not yet entered into his rest, but we do, as ver. 3. meaning the future, we shall; for so immediately follows the proof of a rest yet remaining, into which all Believers shall enter, and therefore Theophylact renders it in the future; so also the old Latin (from whence Learned men conceive that so it was in the ancient Greek Copy, according to which that Latin Translation was made, and the Arabian Translation is in the future, and so is Hutters Hebrew Translation.

It is true, that by faith we presently enter into the rest of Justification of our persons ( Rom. 5.1.) and into the rest of expectation, or hope of possession of glory ( Rom. 5. ver. 2.) But all this will not serve to take in all the sense of the Apostle in this of Heb. 4.3. because immediately in that very third verse the Apostle falls upon a proof of a rest (touching which the Hebrews were not yet satified, and settled in their minds, though of ultimate glory they doubted not) I say, of a rest yet remaining, and to them that do believe.

Nor can this be meant of ultimate glory for this reason, because we cannot be said there in any tolerable sense to enjoy a Sabbatism, that is (as the Apostles proof clearly drives at) a rest upon, or in a Seventh, viz. in the seventh Trumpet, in the seventh Viol, in the seventh thousand years of the world; for if this Sabbatism, or Seventh, be eternity, then it is there swallowed up in an infinite, that cannot be numbered. But if this Sabbatism be a distinct determinate time, bounded with two Resurrections, the one at the beginning, the other at the end, then it will clearly stand numerable for a seventh, but not otherwise. We usually number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. over things of some semblance in quantity, and quality, to make a Septenarie. If a stream flows into six Rivers, and then falls into the mainest Ocean, it is not proper to say, the Ocean is the seventh River, but the continent, or conteiner swallowing up all. We must have seven Ages complete and ended, as we say in Leases of Lands, made according to Law; or else we cannot number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Free-hold, or Fee-simple hath no number, and therefore as the former great Ages of the world were distinct on earth by some eminent notes, as they shall easily find that consult Chronologers; so shall this be as distinct likewise. The rest of the Sabbath began with God's rest after the finishing of his works; the rest in Canaan began with the conduct and Wonders done under Joshua, &c. so this Sabbatism of the last thousand years is begun, and bounded with notable Land-marks; it begins with the binding of Satan, the fall of the Beast, and with the first Resurrection; and terminated with the loosing of Satan, the rising of Gog and Magog in arms, and the second Resurrection, so that great things are acted between the end of the Sabbatism, and the beginning of ultimate glory. All this is plain in Rev. 20. to them that will read and understand.

Yea further; unless this be understood of a pure rest on earth, how shall we be said to Sabbatise, as is intimated in a Sabbatism? It is true, in a Sabbath is signified, and enjoyed a rest: But so we may rest on another day. And every day a believer hath several rests. But we must have according to the Apostle a Sabbatismaticall rest (a rare word is used by the Apostle, to signify a rare rest) we must Sabbatise, that is, imitate, or in some proportion answer to other typical Sabbaths. Imitation and correspondency, relate to known things foregone, not to after-things never seen. And we rest voluntarily as in the day of Christ's power, whiles he is in power, from our own works, as God did from his, not necessitatedly when all other occasions are removed, and an immutable eternity stamped upon our condition, swallowing up all, and transforming it into ultimate glory. We must sabbatise our restfull enjoyment in time and place according to former Sabbatical Rests. Therefore it must be on earth, and a timing, not an eternizing. And thus for the Book of Psalms, with parallels out of the New Testament.

SECT. XI.

[§. 1] THe first place is in Chapter 2. Verse 1. The word, &c. concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Vers. 2. It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, &. and ALL Nations shall FLOW unto it. Verse 3. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. Verse 4. And he shall judge among the Nations, and shall rebuke many people, and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up a sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Verse II. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day (all which Verse is repeated again, Verse 17.) Then it follows Verse 18. And the Idols he shall utterly abolish. Verse 19. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. (This whole Verse is again repeated, Verse 21.)

[§. 2] The first verse plainly shows, what ever the Analytical conceits of men may assert, that this Prophesy is ultimately and plainly concerning, yea for, or in the behalf, or favor of Judah, and Jerusalem, as the Hebrew bears, and Greeks and Latins affirm. Though by and by, Verse 6. the Jews are shown the reason why they should go into afflictions afore they have the deliverance mentioned in this Chapter; Yet when it is said (verse 2 and 3) It shall come to pass in the last days, that many people's shall say, come, let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, &c. for out of Zion shall go forth the Law, &. there can be no less intended, then that this Prophesy doth ultimately concern the Jews welfare, when they, and the Gentiles converted, shall make one glorious Christian Church on earth. To this our late Annotationists on the Bible do well consent, and in some terms fairly hint part of our Thesis.

[§. 3] The Learned grant that those promises in the words aforequoted out of this Chapter do relate to the time of Christ's coming, and do confess the general, that the Jews in a sublimer sense do understand them of the times of the Messiah. And one of them steps a little higher, and bids us for that to compare, Dan. 2.35. where all the four Mettals are utterly broken to pieces, and the little stone cut out of the mountain became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. But I shall, God assisting, give you a more particular account, viz. that both Jews and Christians do understand the promises in this Chapter of a visible glorious estate of the Church yet to be on the face of the earth, before the ultimate end of the world. Of the latter sort we will name only the famous Piscator, Alsted and Heurnius. Of the former in brief thus: Their Talmud, Gemara Sanhedrim pereck. R. Ketina, &c.

(It is usual with the learned Jews to call this glorious time of Christ's visible Kingdom on earth a day of judgment; not dissentaneous to the wont of Scripture to compellate and compare any great time of Reformation as a day of judgment, Psal. 50.1. &c. 1 Pet. 4.17.) And indeed (as John shows us Rev. 11.) in the beginning of this most glorious visible Kingdom, there is a beginning of the day of judgment, in that the wicked alive, that submit not to Christ, are destroyed, and the living Saints have a reward given them, together with the resurrection of the deceased Saints, which St. John calls the first Resurrection. R.D. Kimchi saith, We might quote more, but for hast and brevity.

[§. 4] And this must be IN THE LAST DAYES (saith the second of Isa. ) or nearer the Hebrew, IN THE LAST OF DAYES, or, UTMOST END OF DAYES. Therefore if the Prophet had looked at no further time then that of Christ's first coming in the flesh, he would not have called that, the last of days, since which have passed above one thousand six hundred and fifty years. The last of days properly signifies those, after which Aeternity next and immediately follows; As it doth after the completing of the thousand years of this visible Kingdom.

[§. 5] These things being premised, let us view whether the promises afore-quoted, out of the second of Isaiah, have been fulfilled to this day.

1 Surely that in the second verse, and part of the third, That the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the HEAD of the mountains &c. and people's shall come and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, &c. hath not been hitherto fulfilled and completed. For as yet, neither the visible power and glory of Christ, nor of his Church (so as for Gentiles to say, Come, let us go up, &c. ) hath been established over the HEAD, the Pope of the seven Hills of Rome, or over the Turk, the HEAD of the four Hills of Jerusalem or over the height of power and glory of the Hills of the generality of the PEOPLES, Gentiles, or Nations of the world. The Church at Jerusalem, such as it was, in Christ's time was in Captivity under the Heathen Roman Empire, and so continued till the rise of the Roman Bishops, and immediately after that thralldom, were subdued to the Turks, who keeps them in that thralldom to this day. The Heathen Romans refused at the first, the Lord Christ by vote of the Senate, and after persecuted his Church for many years. And the Turks blaspheme Christ in their Alcoran, and hath warred against his Church from age to age since their rise. And the rest of the world for the generality, are Indians, Barbarians, and Semi-beasts, that know neither God, nor themselves, nor what Christ is, nor what a Christian is.

2 Nor was the house of the Lord established in the top of the mountains, that is upon Zion (the highest of the four Hills of Jerusalem; ) For presently after Christ's death, persecution scattered Christians from Jerusalem, Act. 8. And within forty years (or thereabout) after Christ's ascension the Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed, and after a while the City, and for about three hundred years onward, the Church of Christ was extremely persecuted, by the Heathen Romans, and anon after ( Constantine's time only excepted, or little more) they were sorely persecuted by the Arian Heretics. So that instead of all Nations going up to the house of the Lord on the top of the Mountains for divine worship, Christian Jews and Gentiles were scattered among all Nations. And though Act. 2. there were a handful of several Nations at Jerusalem, if they were Gentiles, and not rather Jews, yet this was far from ALL NATIONS FLOWING to it, saying, Come, let us go up to the house of the Lord, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For the generality of those very men ( Act. 2.) mocked the Apostles, whiles they taught them the ways of the Lord. And as at Jerusalem, so in the Countries round about, the Christians were everywhere persecuted, as the history of the Acts doth all along give us a particular account.

3 Nor is that fulfilled to this day which is prophesied in the fourth verse; Christ hath not hitherto so judged among the Nations, and rebuked many people, that they have beaten their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, so that Nation hath not lifted up sword against Nation, neither learned war anymore.

4 Nor hath that been yet fulfilled which is in verse 10, 11, 12, &c. to v. 17. That men have so dreaded the Majesty of the Lord that they have hid themselves; That the lofty looks of men have been humbled, and their haughtiness bowed down; That THE LORD ALONE HATH BEEN EXALTED. That the day of the Lord of hosts hath been upon EVERY ONE that is proud and lofty, upon all the Cedars of Lebanon, and Okes of Bashan that are lifted up, upon ALL the high mountains and hills that are lifted up, upon EVERY high tower, upon every fenced wall, upon ALL the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the pleasant pictures, to bow down, and bring down low all these, so that the Lord alone may be exalted in THAT DAY. Alas, ever since Christ's coming in the flesh, the whole world generally hath been very high, proud against the Lord Christ; Antichrist hath been much exalted, and the Lord hath been least exalted, his Honor, his Cause, his People have been trampled on. In the time of Constantine the Great, some little was done in the Roman Empire for a little time, for the Church of Christ; but anon Arianism arose, then Papism mounted up, then the Beast did arise. The Church is put into a Wilderness -condition, the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth one thousand two hundred and sixty years, which are not yet expired, for they have not yet lain dead in the Grave three days and an half.

5 . Nor is that in the 18, 19, & 20. verses yet fulfilled, That all Idols are abolished, that God hath so shaken the earth, that he hath made the inhabitants thereof to cast away all their Idols, and to hide themselves for fear. The Territories of the Papacie extending over France, Spain, Italy, part of the Low Countries, part of upper Germany, part of Polonia, part of the Indies, &c. are full of Idols, and do openly worship them (as they say) in the sight of the Sun. The great shake of these is not till the Witnesses have lain dead in the Grave three days and an half ( Revel. 11.) and then is the great fall (ibid. ver. 11.) and when those things are shaken down, then the things that cannot be shaken, viz. pure worship, purely Spiritual, and pure Saints shall remain unmoved, Heb. 12.27.

[§. 6] Nor can it be rationally imagined that these things shall not be done till the ultimate day of the general Judgment, for then there is no time of establishing of the mountain of the Lord's house upon the top of the mountain, no proceeding of the word out of Zion, no running and hiding from the presence of the Lord, for the Sea and Grave, &c. shall give up their dead. And all good shall be turned into an eternity of absolute glory. Therefore the time of fulfilling of the Prophesies, and Promises of this second of Isaiah is yet to come, afore the ultimate day of the last general Judgment.

SECT. XII.

[§. 1] THe second place in Isaiah for our Thesis, is chap. 9. ver. 6. For unto us a child is borne, unto us a Son is given, and the GOVERNMENT shall be on his shoulders, and his name shall be called WONDERFULL, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. Ver. 7. Of the INCREASE of his GOVERNMENT, and peace, there shall be NO END, upon the THRONE of DAVID, and upon HIS KINGDOME to ORDER IT, and to ESTABLISH IT with judgment, and with justice from hence-forth and forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. Of this place we shall speak more briefly.

[§. 2] This text is very comprehensive, apparently griping within its arms a large tract of Time from Christ's Incarnation, throughout all the process of his Government, until the end of the ultimate Judgment, as the words from hence-forth and forever do express; therefore the Reader must not hang down his head, poring only upon the Birth of Christ, as it is said in the beginning of this text, To us a child is borne; but must lift up his eyes to the utmost of this glorious prospect here presented in the close, upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom (he shall sit) to order it, and to establish it, &c. from henceforth and forever.

[§. 3] It is not worth while for us to content with the late Jewish Rabbins, that say, this text is meant of Hezekiah; we heard but now that the ancienter Rabbins, and Talmud, and their Targum, or Chaldee Paraphrase following them, are contrary to that, interpreting this text of the Messiah; as they had an invincible reason so to do, in that the style given to him here meant, is incompatible, and inconsistent with any but with God incarnate, that is, Christ Jesus, the true Messiah. And as little reason had those later Rabbins to interpret this Text of Hezekiah, who was borne a good space of time before the date of this Prophesy, yea and divers years before his Father Ahaz sat upon the Throne. For Hezekiah was five and twenty years old at his fathers death, whereas Ahaz his father had reigned in all but sixteen years, 2 Kings 16.2. and chap. 18. v. 2.

[§. 4] Leaving therefore all improbable and impertinent conceits of men, let us come to the business, to find out the excellent state that shall be set up under the government of the Messiah before the ultimate judgment. Our late Annotationists make for me a fair preface, meetly conducing to the true sense of the words, which we intend:

so they. But we have a more sure word to confirm this interpretation, Luke 1.31, 32, 33. And the Angel said unto Mary, &c. Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his FATHER DAVID, and he shall reign over the house of JACOB for EVER, and of his Kingdom there shall be NO END.

[§. 5] Now lay this of Isaiah and Luke together, and then read, what they spell unto us. Namely, first, That the meaning of this Text is not of spirituals only, but also of temporals. The FOR in the beginning premised by Isaiah as a meet inference, plainly sounds of a proof in this Text, to demonstrate an assurance of the deliverance of Israel, as is set forth in the fourth and fifth verses (viz. Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, and the rod of his OPPRESSOUR, as in the day of MIDIAN &c. and it shall be, as with battle and blood, so with burning and fuel of fire. ) But these words (if weighed ) cannot, without violence, be wrested to signify only spiritual deliverances, as our Annotationists also affirm with us, whose words upon the fourth verse are these,

Therefore this Text is God's giving security to his people, of deliverance of them, from temporal, as well as spiritual oppressions, troubles, &c. by Jesus Christ, after that he hath finished the works of his incarnation, by passion, resurrection, ascension, and assession at God's right hand, according to Psal. 110. of which we have spoken plentifully afore. Secondly, That Christ was invested with these Attributes and Omnipotentiall Properties ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. as it is the Hebrew) of purpose to multiply his Princedom, and for peace without end. The Jews observe, that the close-shut 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mem in the middle of a word, as here in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly is a final letter) signifies the stability of the thing spoken of, as open 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the end of a word, as in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nehem. 2.13. (which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly is a middle letter) signifies the brokenness of the walls there spoken of: which observation I mention not as a foundation strong enough for me to build upon, but as a sufficient Narrative, to declare the opinion of the Ancient Jewish Rabbins concerning the stability of the Messiahs Kingdom. Thirdly, That the words Princedom, Government, and for peace, and spoken in a way of Prophesy of what should be added to the Church above that they enjoyed already, cannot but signify more then Spirituals. Fourthly, That this is yet more apparent by that which follows both here, and Luke 1.32. of the Messiahs sitting upon the Throne of DAVID, and upon his Kingdom, and to establish it with Justice and Judgment (speaking in the phrase of an excellent politick Government.) It needs not that Christ should sit on David's Throne, and Kingdom, to Spiritually govern, and keep in peace his universal Church. Nor needed there a Promise that Christ's Spiritual Kingdom shall be established with Justice and Judgment, which are low things to faith, hope, love, joy in the Holy Ghost, and the rest of the Graces of the holy Spirit. Nor was there need to assert the perpetuity of Christ's Spiritual Kingdom, that it should be