again afterwards (XII. 7.) When God shall have accomplished to fcatter the power of the holy people, all these things fhall be finished. In confequence and conformity to this doctrin a tradition hath prevailed (6) among the Jews, that the destruction of Rome and the redemption of Ifrael fhall fall out about the fame time.

When these great events fhall come to pass, of which we collect from the prophecies this to be the proper order; the proteftant witnesses shall be greatly exalted, and the 1260 years of their prophefying in fackcloth and of the tyranny of the beast shall end together; the converfion and restoration of the Jews fucceed; then follows the ruin of the Othman empire, and then the total deftruction of Rome and of Antichrist. When these great events, I fay, shall come to país, then shall the kingdom of Christ commence, or the reign of the faints upon earth. So Daniel exprefly informs us, that the kingdom of Christ and the faints will be raised upon the ruins of the kingdom of Antichrift; (VII. 26, 27.) But the judgment fhall fit, and they fhall take away his dominion, to confume, and to defroy it unto the end: And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under

(6) See Placita Hebræorum Doctorum de Babylonis feu Roma

excidio

*་

upon

under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the faints of the High, whofe kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. So likewife St. John faith, that the final destruction of the beast and the false prophet, (Rev. XX.) Satan is bound for a thousand years; And I faw thrones, and they fat upon them, and judgment was given unto them : and I far the fouls of them that were beheaded for the witnefs of Jefus and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Chrift a thousand years: But the reft of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the firft refurrection. It is, I conceive, to these great events, the fall of Antichrift, the reestablishment of the Jews, and the beginning of the glorious millennium, that the three different dates in Daniel of 1260 years, 1290 years, and 1335 years are to be referred: and as Daniel faith, (XII. 12.) Blessed is be that waiteth and cometh to the 1335 years; fo St. John faith, (XX. 6.) Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first refurrection. Bleffed and happy indeed will be this period; and it is

excidio in Mede's works. B. 5. Cap. 8, p. 9c2.

2

very

(7) See

very obfervable, that the martyrs and confeffors of Jefus, in popifh as well as in pagan times, will be raised to partake of this felicity. Then fhall all thofe gracious promifes in the old Teftament be fulfilled of the amplitude and extent, of the peace and profperity, of the glory and happiness of the church in the latter days. Then in the full fenfe of the words (Rev. XI. 15.) fhall the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. According to (7) tradition these thoufand years of the reign of Chrift and the faints will be the seventh millennary of the world for as God created the world in fix days, and rested on the seventh, fo the world, it is argued, will continue fix thousand years, and the seventh thousand will be the great fabbatifm or holy reft to the people of God; one day (2 Pet. III. 8. being with the Lord as thousand years, and' a thousand years as one day. According to (8) tradition too these thousand years of the reign of Christ and the faints are the great day of judgment; in the morning or beginning whereof fhall be the coming of Chrift in flaming fire, and the particular judgment of Antichrift, and the first resurrection; and in the evening or

a

(7) See Burnet's Theory. B. 3. Ch. 5. B. 4. Ch. 6.

con

;

(8) See

conclufion whereof shall be the general refurrection of the dead, fmall and great, and they fhall be judged every man according to their works.

Prudence as well as modefty requires, that we should forbear all curious inquiries into the nature and condition of this future kingdom; as how Satan fhould be bound for a thousand years, and afterwards loofed again; how the raised faints fhall cohabit with the living, and judge and govern the world; how Chrift fhall manifeft himself to them, and reign among them; how the new Jerufalem, the city and church of the living God, fhall descend from heaven to earth; how Satan shall at last deceive the nations, and what nations they fhall be. These are points which the holy Spirit hath not thought fit to explain; and folly may eafily afk more questions about them, than wisdom çan answer. Wisdom, in the mysterious things of God, and especially in the mysterious things of futurity, will fill adhere to the words of fcripture; and having feen the completion of fo many particulars, will reft contented with believing that these alfo fhall be, without knowing how they fhall be. It is of the nature of moft prophecies not to be fully understood, till they

(8) See Placita Hebræorum Doctorum de Magno die Judici in Mede. p. 535. B. 5. Ch. 3. p. 892.

they are fully accomplished, and especially prophecies relating to a state so different from the prefent as the millennium. Perfectly to comprehend thefe and all other prophecies may confitute a part of the happiness of that period, for then they will all be fulfilled, and the mystery of God fhall be finished. This however is very evident, that wickedness would foon overrun the world, if not reftrained by an overruling providence; for no fooner is Satan loofed again, than the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth come up against the holy city, the number of whom is as the fand of the fea: And therefore at the time appointed, after the general judgment, this world shall be destroyed, (2 Pet. III. 10.) the heavens fhall pass away with a great noife, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth alfo, and the works that are therein fhall be burnt up. Thus (Rev. XXI. 1.) the first heaven and the firft earth fhall pass away, and a new heaven and a new earth fhall fucceed, (2 Pet. III. 13.) wherein dwelleth righteousness; (Rev. XXI. 3, 4.) God himself fhall be with men, and be their God; and there shall be no more death, neither forrow nor pain, for the former things are paffedaway. (1 Cor. XV. 24, &c.) Then cometh the end, when Chrift fhall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put

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