THE LAND OF PROMISE, AND The Covenant thereof: Explained by certain questions and propositions propounded, To those that teach a deliverance of the Jews out of all Countries to the Land of Canaan; and from their long continued blindness to the faith of Christ; and a glorious estate in the land, for a thousand yereas.  
And also, to those that teach a personal coming of Christ, and a resurrection of the just, to live and reign with Christ a thousand years before the resurrection of the unjust and end of the world. Of which there be several sorts, who are commonly called Millennaries.  
By which doctrine of each of these, the true intent of sundry places of Scripture of great importance to the Church and people of Godm is such obscured, which being rightly understood and taught, according to their true and plain meaning, would be greatly to the edification and comfort of God's chosen, especially, now in these last days, wherein the accomplishment of all things, which God hath spoken, draweth so nigh.  
And to the end it may be so, I thought good to publish that, which hereafter followeth.  
LONDON Printed by F. L. For I. W. the younger and are to be sold at his shop at the upper end of the old bailiff 1641.   

The Promise of the land of Canaan, To the holy Fathers and their seed.  

First to Abram, Gen. 13.14.15.  
And the Lord said unto Abram, lift up thine eyes and look from the place where thou art; Northward and Southward, and Eastward, and Westward, for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.   

Again to Abram Gen. 13.17.  
Arise, walk through the l●nd in the length of it, ●nd in the breadth of it, for I will give it unto thee.   

Again to Abram. Gen. 15.7.8.  
And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of the land of Vr of the Caldees to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, take me an heifer of three years old &c.   

To Abraham Gen. 17.7.8.  
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.   

To Isaak Gen. 26.1.2.3.  
And the Lord appeared unto him, and said go not down into Egypt, dwell in the land that I will tell thee of: so journey in this land, and I will be with thee for unto thee: and unto thy seed, will I give all these Countries.   

To Jacob. Gen. 28.10.11.12.13.  
And Jacob went out fro●Beersheba and went t●ward Haron, and he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the ●●nne was set, and he took off the stones of that place, and put them for his pillow, and lay down in that place to sleep, and he dreamed. And behold a ladder set ●pon the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; And behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaak, the land whereon thou liest, To thee will I give it, and to thy seed.    

The Land of Promise, AND The Covenant thereof. Explained by certain questions and propositions propounded. To those that teach a restoring of the Jews, to the Land of Canaan and faith of Christ, for a thousand years yet to come.  
And also to the several sorts of Millennaries, that are in these times, who teach a pers●nall coming of Christ, and resurrection of the just to live and raig●e with him a thousand years before the resurrection of the unjust, and the end of the World.  

The first Question or Proposition.  
FIrst I ask●, if the Promise of the land of Canaan to be given for an inheritance, as in the places of Genesis before mentio●ed, be not as plainly made unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their own persons, as it is unto their seed.   

The second Question.  
Secondly I ask, if the promise be not to all the Seed, as well as to a part or any one of them.   

The third question.  
Thirdly, I ask, if the Gentiles which have the faith of Abram, be not of the same seed, and included also in the promise as well as the Jews having the same fait●, concerning what God said to Abram, when he was making this covenant with him. Gen. 17. Saying. As for me, behold my Covenant wit● thee; And ●hou shalt be a Father of many Nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham, for a Father of many Nations have I made thee. verse 5.6.  
And considering also what Saint Paul saith Rom. 4. Speaking of Abraham, and of this same covenant that God made with him, at the same time, when he also appointed him circumcision for a token thereof, as in Gen. 17.  
The words of Saint Paul are these: And he received the sign of Circumcision, a scale of the righteousness of the faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised: that he might be the father of them that believe; though they be not circumcised, that righteousness 〈◊〉 be impu●ed ●●to them also. And the father of circumcision to them; who are not of the circumcision only, but also walk i●●●e steps of the faith of our Father Abraham●●h●ch ●●e had; being yet ●ncircumcised. For the pro●ise that 〈◊〉 sho●ld ●●e the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or ●o 〈…〉 through the Law, but through the righteousness of Faith; for if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made ●f none effect; because the law worketh wrath. ●●r where n● law i●, there is no tra●sgression. Therefor● it is ●f f●ith, that it might be by grace to the end; the promise might be sure to all the seed●, not ●o that only which is of the ●aw, 〈◊〉 to that also, ●hich ●●●f the faith of Ab●aham, wh● is t●● 〈…〉 of ●s 〈…〉 written● I have made thee a Father of many Nations. Before him, who● be believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things, w●ich be not, a● though they were, who against hope, believ●d in hope; that h● might become the Father of many Nations, accord●ng to that, which was sp●ken: So shall thy se●de be. Rom. 4.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.  
And as he testif●eth again saying, there is neither I●w, nor Gr●●k●; there is neither b●nd n●r free, ●here is n●ith●r male 〈◊〉 female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus: And if ye be Christ●s, then are ye Abraham's s●ede and heirs, according to the promise, Gal. 3.28.  
Now if these things be so, that the promise of the land of Canaan, which Saint Paul expresseth by the name of the world, be as plainly made to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob● their own persons, as it is unto their seed, and to all the seed, as well as to a part, or any one of them, and that they of the many nations, the faithful Gent●les are of the same seed, as well as the faithful Jews, and heirs of the promise together with them, according as all the forementioned Scriptures do plainly declare, so plain●ly as I suppose no man will deny: Then I ask, wh●refore or for what cause they should not all receive the same, and not any one or part be excluded, seeing God is faithful that promiseth.  
God did covenant also with Abraham to be his God, and the God of his seed; and this he established in no plaine● or su●er man●er, then he did, to give them the land for an everlasting possession, as in the same place. Gen. 17.7, 8. appeareth: but if God should fail either Abraham, o● any of his seed in this respect, how did he then keep his covenant even so of the other. Therefore as God will not fail either Abraham or any of his seed to be their God; neither will he fail to give them the land of Canaan, and all the world besides, for an everlasting possession.   

The fourth question.  
Fourthly I ask, if the true intent of the promise in the forementioned places, be not of an eternal estate in the world to come after the resurrection of the body, and end of this world. That Abraham, Isaak, and Jacob, and all their seed, shall then inherit, (I say) not the land of Canaan only, although principally as the Throne and City of the great King, but all the earth even to the utmost ends and bounds thereof: according to Psal. 37. and Mat. 5. Where it is promised that the meek shall inherit the earth: And as the twenty four Elders, sing in their new song unto the Lamb Christ Jesus saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain & hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, & tongue, & people, & nation, & hast made us unto our God, Kings and Priests, and we shall reign on the earth, Revel. 3.10.11.  
And who may these redeemed ones out of every kindred, tongue, people, & nation, (that shall reign on the ea●th) be, but those of the many nations: the faithful Jews, and the faithful Gentiles, which God made Abraham a Father of; and Saint Paul saith, are heirs with Abraham of the world? And the promise that the meek shall inherit the earth doth belong to every meek man, as well as to any one of them, and so to be fulfilled, but it was never so yet in this world. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Fathers of those meek, unto whom the Land of Canaan, was promised for an inheritance; died and inherited not a foot. Therefore, that God may be found ●●ue of his word, they must all of them inherit it in the the resurrection, because here it is otherwise: neither is it said they do inherit, or reign, but they shall; neither when God promised the land of Canaan unto Abraham, and to his seed, the earth, the world to inherit, (as in the forementioned places) did he mean this present; as it is now polluted: neither were they so to look for it, as the Prophet Micha saith to them of his time. Arise ye and depart, ●or this is not your rest, because it is polluted. It shall destroy you even with a sore destruction Mich. 2.10. But God spoke, and intended it of the world to come, when all things should be new, holy, and heavenly, and so did the Fathers understand and expect it.  
And this doth the Apostle Paul prove from their own words, when they confessed that they were strangers, and pilgrims on earth; saying, And they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly (saith he) if they had been mindful of the country, from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned, but now they desire a better Country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 1●. 13.14.15.16.  
In which words, the Apostle (Doubtless) hath respe●t to the promise in Gen. 17.7.8. Where God did establish his covenant with Abrah●m, to be his God, and the God of his seed; and to give them the land, and so understood both to be of like certainty, and continuance, and such as are heavenly, and eternal, And that there was also a city having foundations, whose builder and maker is God: which they looked for upon the promise, and that therefore, God was not ashamed to be called their God.  
For Abraham well understood, it was not for a corruptible country, or a mooveable city in a transitory world, as now this is, that God called him out of the land of Vr, to give him and his seed to inherit, but for an uncorruptable, unmooveable, eternal, in a better world, and so much do the very words of the promise express in that, it saith, for an everlasting covenant, for an everlasting possession, for no corruptible things are everlasting, neither are these promises such, as shall either vanish or fail.  
And upon the ground of this covenant did Christ himself prove the resurrection from the dead, against the Saduces, knowing it to be most sufficient for the purpose, saying, Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showeth at the Bush, where he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, (they being now dead, when Moses thus spoke which the Sadduces knew) and therefore Christ saith unto them, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Luk. 20.37.38. Proving hereby that Abraham, Isaak and Jacob, must rise again from the dead and live to inherit the country and city promised, that God may be found true of his word, and declare himself to be their God for everlasting, according to his covenant Gen. 17. Ezod. 3.6.  
And that it shall be a heavenly & eternal estate in the world to come, the Lord also manifesteth in his answe●e to the carnal objection of those Saduces a little before, where he saith (The children of this world marry, & are given in marri●ge but they, that shall be counted worthy of that world and the resurrection from the dead, neith●r marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the Angels and are the children of God being the Children of the resurrection. Luk, 20.35.36.  
Where the Lord showeth plainly, that the world to come; which the holy Fathers and their seed shall inherit at the resurrection, will be such a world, as none of the ungodly shall be counted worthy to inherit any part thereof, as they do most parts of this world.  
And to this covenant also had David respect in his Psal where he exhorteth the people of Israel saying, seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually, rem●mber his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders and the judgements of his mouth, ye seed of Israel his servant, ye Children of Jacob his chosen ones, he is the Lord our God, his judg●ments are in all the Earth, Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations: Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac, and hath confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel, for an ●verlasting covenant, saying unto thee will I give the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance, when ye were but few, even a few and strangers in it &c. 1 Chro. 16.  
But small reason had David, and as little reason had they, either the Fathers or the children, to be always mindful of this covenant, if God had not confirmed it sure unto them all, even to the thousand generations, for an everlasting Covenant ever to endure; and that it had not been heavenly without corruption.  
The covenant was made, when they were strangers on earth, but when they shall inherit the same, they shall be no more strangers but true owners.  
Then shall they worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, and fear before him all the earth, the world also shall be stabl●● that it be not moved, Then shall the heavens b● glad and the earth shall rejoice, and men shall say among the Nations: The Lord reigneth. According as David declareth in the same psalm.  
And that David did well understand this covenant, of the inheritance of the land of Canaan, to be an eternal inheritance in the world to come, he declareth himself further unto the People in another psalm, where he exhorteth them also, saying, O come let us worship & bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is the Lord our God & we are the people of his pasture & the sheep of his hands. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works, forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, it is a people that do err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways, unto whom I swore in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. Psal. 95.  
Where the King and Prophet David doth plainly show, that when God did swear in his wrath, they of Israel, that sinned in the wilderness, erring in their hearts, should not enter into that good Land, which God swore he would give to their Fathers, (as it is in Deut. 1.34.35.  
God meant most especially, and chiefly, the heavenly estate of inheritance in the world to come, wherein holiness and righteousness, rest, and peace should habit and abide, and God himself would dwell with all the holy Fathers and their Seed, as in his Tabernacle for evermore, for which cause he calleth it his rest, and showeth that they, that will enter into it, must unharden their hearts, and hear his voice, that is to say, repent and believe the promise, otherwise, there is no entering into it.  
And this doth the Apostle plainly prove mentioning this very same thing to the Hebrews saying, And to whom swore he, that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that b●leived not, So we see (saith he) that they could not enter in, because of unbelief: let us fear therefore, lest a promise being left of entering into his Rest, any of you should seem to come short of it, for unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them &c. Heb. ●. 7.8.9.10.4.1.2.3. &c.  
Where he also declareth that every one that hath the faith of Abraham, that so beleiveth as He did, not only hath an entrance here, in the Spirit, Spiritually● (as he saith, we which have believed do● enter) and as all the holy Fathers had, but also, shall hereafter, their own persons, soul, and body, inherit the same really and truly, with all the holy Fathers, and showeth that the same rest and entrance into it, is preached unto us by the gospel, as it was also unto them by the promise, it containing the sum of the gospel. And that it remaineth yet, to be expected of all the people of God, who are here so entered by faith. Their calling, and election being made sure, as the Apostle Peter saith, For so an entrance is abundantly ministered unto us, 
2 Tim. 4.1.  into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 1.10.11.  
For God's rest eternal, is Christ's everlasting kingdom, which is to be manifested at his appearing, when he shall also judge the quick and the dead, as Saint Paul saith to Timothy. For Iosh●a did not give the people of Israel that rest, but Jesus Christ is to do it, in whom they believed.  
And of this salvation of Israel, inheritance of the Earth, and stability of the world, doth the Prophet Esay also speak, where (he having forshewed the shame and confusion of the ungodly, and idolators of the world, which is to come upon them) saith. But Israel shall be saved in the Lord, with an everlasting salvation, ye shall no● be ashamed, nor confounded world without end, for thus faith the Lord, that created the heavens, God himself that formed the Earth, and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited, I am the Lord and there is none else: I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the Earth; I said not unto the seed of Jacob; seek ye me● in vain, I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right, Esay. 45.14.15.16.  
So that if Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed should not live and inherit the earth, If God that made it had not established it so, as they should inhabit the same, and well therein for ever, according to his word; Then had he created it in vain, then had he said unto the seed of Jacob, (all this while) seek ye me in vain. But the Lord speaketh righteousness, he declareth things that are right, and such as shall surely come to pass in their due time, and season.  
Neither hath he spoken in obscurity, in dark places, or corners of the Earth, as if he would not have his mind known; nay, he speaketh plainly, and openly, to the ears of the people: and inhabitants of the world. So as the simplest soul; through his grace may understand his meaning.  
And for further confirmation, that God did not create this excellent work, and fabric of the world, to destroy it, but that he hath established the same, and will, that it be not mov●d. Consider these scriptures. 1 Chro. 16.30. ●sal. 78.69. Psal. 93.1. Psal. 96.10. Psal. 14.5.   

The fift Question or Proposition.  
Fiftly, I ask, i● the deliverance by Moses, and the possession and estate, Joshua gave the natural Israelites, in the land of Cana●n, which God foreshowed unto Abraham in Gen. 15.16.18. Were not a typical signe● or token of that to come before spoken of; by which Abraham, as well as his seed after him, was given to know of a certain, that he himself should inherit it; in the perfection● according to his motion and request, that he m●de unto God, immedi●tely upon the promise, that God made unto him of the land, in G●n. 15.7. sa●ing, (●ord God whereby shall I know th●t I shall inhe●i● i●. ver. 8. And the Lord said unto him, take me an Heifer of three years old &c.)  
Although it were then 400. years to come before his natural Children (who were to go into a strange country and be afflicted there) should be brought to the land to possess it, so Typically, and that he must die before that day, as the Lord had showed him.  
For Abraham now ●nderstood, that God had so appointed, that neither he, nor any of the patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, or Saints whatsoever, should be made perfect in the promises, before, or without other, nor till all the seed were accomplished, and brought in according as the Apostle declared in Rom. 4. Before mentioned, and as he testifieth again in Heb. 11. Where he saith, of the Fathers then past, These all died in faith, not having received the promises. 
Heb. 11.13  But having seen them a far off, and were persuaded of them, and confessed, that they were Strangers and pilgrims on Earth. ver. 13.  
And also he having mentioned the rest of the Holy Fathers, and Prophets, and other of the faithful, their faith also, their distresses, and sufferings, faith (These all having obtained a good report, through faith, received not the Promises, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us, sh●●ld not be made perfect, Ver. 39.40.  
They might not be made perfect, without the children, which is far better for us, then if they had, neither may the C●ildren without them, which is no harm to us, but a better thing for them also, then if we should. God's dealing and ordering all things is right and just, without all exception. They are all of them to receive the perfection of the promises together.  
And unto this do the words of Christ agree, where he saith, Many shall come from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South● and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaack●and Jacob, and all the Prophets, in the kingdom of God, and the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into utter darkness, there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth. Mat. 8.11.12. Luk. 13.28.29.  
And again, and other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Ioh. 10.  
In which places, Christ plainly showeth, that all the elect gentiles, (whom Christ calleth other sheep that he had, (besides them of the Jews fold) These he must bring (they having heard his voice from all the four quarters of the Earth, and sit down together with all the holy Fathers, and Prophets, and all the rest of the elect Jews, in the kingdom of God. Where there shall be one fold, and one shepherd, one King, and one people: and the Children of the kingdom; all those unbeleiving Jews, which have still erred in their hearts, shall be cast out &c.  
So then, If all these things be so; how are we to understand the Prophets, that have foretold of a deliverance of the children, and seed of Israel, from all countries wheresoever they are scattered, to their own land, the land which God gave to their Fathers, wherein their Fathers had dwelled &c. as in Ier. 16.14.15. Ier. 23.8. Ezek. 37.11.12.13.14. Ezek. 39.26.27.28. And other places.  
What deliverance and possession of the Land of promise, may this be, but the same that was promised the Fathers, and they looked for, agreeing with all the promises, and Scriptures before mentioned, and must needs be the substance, and perfection of that, which was performed by Moses, and Joshuah; being the type of this, which is to be performed, be Jesus Christ, the true deliverer, and the Children, and seed of Israel; there spoken of, are all Gods elect, both of Jews, and gentiles, as the Prophet Ezekial doth plainly declare, they with all the holy Fathers, Ezek. 37.24.25.26. &c.  
And this doth Zacharias the father of John the Baptist, declare in his prophetical song, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited, and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his Servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us, to perform the mercy promised our Fathers, to remember his holy Covenant. The oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness, and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. &c. Luk. 1.68.69.  
Where this holy Servant of God, showeth plainly that all whatsoever the Holy Fathers looked for, which God swore he would grant and give unto them, and their seed; to save and deliver them from their enemies, and from the hand of all that hated them, to serve him without fear in holiness &c. Was to be brought to pass by Christ (whom he knew) was now soon after the birth of John to be borne according to all that the Prophets had spoken since the world began, which great deliverance from their enemies and from all the haters of them, is not yet fulfilled, as they have all hitherto known, and do yet know still by experience; But that it shall be, they duly expect, according to all that the Prophets have spoken.  
And according to that of Zecharias and all the rest before, doth the Apostle Peter give testimony, speaking to the Jews of Christ also the true deliverer: whom they had crucified, and was now ascended into Heaven, saying unto them, Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord: And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was Preached unto you, whom the Heavens must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began. Acts 3.20, 21.  
So that this great redemption and restitution of all things, whereof all the holy Prophets have spoken as with one mouth, agreeing with the Fathers, and all the rest of the holy Servants of God, is not to be, till Christ shall come in his glory. Which Christ himself doth most fully confirm, where he having foreshowed the signs of his coming and end of the world, saith: And they shall see the son of man come in the clouds of Heaven● with power and great glory, and he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather his Elect together from the four Windes● &c. and then saith to his faithful ones, When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redem●tion draweth nigh: Then know that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, Mat. 24. Luke 21.30.31.  
This is the redemption, which all the faithful looked for, even that deliverance of the whole house and seed of Israel, out of all Countries, whereof the Prohets had spoken. And here we see by what means the Lord will gather them and bring them together in that day, even by his holy Angels, whom he will send forth with a great sound of a Trumpet● 
Ezek. 37 12, 13.  They shall gather his elect together from the four Winds, 
Ezek. 39.28.  as well they of the ten Tribes of Israel, and of the Gentiles also, as them of Judah and Beniamine, he will leave none of them any more there, 
Ezek 37.14.  he will open their graves, and bring them up out of their graves, and place them in their own land, where their fathers had dwelled, and they shall know that the Lord had not only spoken it, but that he hath now performed it, according as Ezekiel prophesied, Ezek. ●7 They being now delivered from the hands of their enemies shall serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of their life, according to the prophecy of Zacherias, Luke 1. And as David in his psalm of the Covenant saith unto the people of Israel, 
1 Chron. 16.29, 30, 31, 32, 33.  O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever, and say, ye save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise, 1 Chro. 16.34.35.  
And now upon this great redemption, shall the kingdom be restrored to Israel, which the Apostles so desired to know the time of that which Christ commended to his little flock, 
Act. 1.6.  to comfort them in the time of their affliction saying, fear not little flock for it is you fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom, Luke 12.32.  
And of which he saith again, And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as the father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on Throne judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, Luke 22.29, 30. meaning the ungodly of all the Tribes. And whereof he spoke also, unto the unbelieving Jews, and all other Hippocrite and workers of iniquity to their shame in their condemnation saying: When ye shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdom of God and yourselves cast out: Luke 13.27. where is to be noted, that the ungodly shall see the righteous in the kingdom of God, when themselves are cast out.  
This is the kingdom, which God had prepared for his chosen from the foundation of the world, to be inherited now at this time, when Christ shall come in his glory to judge the quick and the dead, as himself also further declareth saying. And when the son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him, then shall he sit in the Throne of his glory, and before him shall be ga●hered all Nations, and he shall separate them as a shepherd doth his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats at the left, then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, For I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat, I was athirst, and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye t●oke me in, naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye came unto me, I was in prison and ye visited me, &c. And unto them on his left hand, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, &c.  
In which happy sentence to them that shall stand on Christ's right hand at this day of judgement, Christ in foretelling us of it, doth give us to understand, as a fair fore-admonition to us all, what manner of persons they are, and must be found to be, in respect of works, that shall inherit this kingdom. And hereby also, we may perceive, what it is to make us friends with the goods of this world, called the Mammon of unrighteousn●sse, because men love them so much, setting their hearts upon them, and by many unrighteously gotten: And who the friends are, that can, & will receive us into everlasting habitation, even Christ himself, and God his father also. So that whosoever shall receive one of those little ones that believeth in Christ, in Christ's name, receiveth Christ, & he that receiveth Christ, receveth God the Father that sent him, (for so he hath said;) & he that shall give a cup of cold water to one of the least of Christ's brethren, because he belongeth to Christ, he shall not lose his reward, because Christ counteth it as done to himself, & he will stand his friend, when the great day & time of n●ede shall come, and all frien●s else will fail him.  
These be the works of Abraham which do show the faith of Abraham, and of Abraham's children that shall inherit the kingdom.  
And when Christ shall so come in his glory, and shall sit in the Throne of his glory, and be possessed of his kingdom, which God the father had appointed unto him as he said Luk. 22.20. (for the possession of his kingdom, 
Luk. 22.20.  and his appearing in glory to judge the quick and the dead, or both together, as Saint Paul saith 2 Tim. 4.1. and the Saints poss●ssing the kingdom also dependeth upon his, and beginneth as from his and by him is continued.) This Throne and kingdom of Christ I say is not to cease or be taken from him, nor he from it; God will settle him therein, according as he said, and swore to his father David, long beforre, saying; But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever, and his throne shall be established for evermore. 1 Chro. 17.14.  
And again, My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David, his seed shall endure for ever, and his Throne as the sun before me, it shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven, Psal. 89.34, 36.  
Christ is not to come to sit and pass sentence of judgement only, and so to depart away as some think, but he is to continue, to reign upon his throw, in this kingdom for ever● according also, as in another Psal. it saith; Thy Throe O God is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Psal. 45.6. as also Heb. 1.8.  
And of this throne and kingdom of Christ, and the endlesnes thereof, spoke the Angel Gabriel unto the blessed Virgin Mary, when he was sent unto her, saying; F●are not Mary, for thou hast found favour with God, and behold 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. Luk. 1.30.31, 32, 33.  
Which kingdom of Christ, was also foreshowed unto the Prophet Daniel in a vision, as he saith; And I saw in the night vision, and behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him before him, and there was given unto him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom that, which shall not be destroyed. Dan. 7.13.14.  
And where he saith again (Foreshowing also, that the Saints shall possess the kingdom with Christ, and reign with him, when those great monarchs and usurpers of it, are removed, Dan. 7.16.17.) But The Saints of the most high, shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, verse 18. as also in verse 27. And the kingdom, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all powers shall serve and obey him. According to that which the Prophet Micha testifieth f●om the Lord saying; And I will make her that halteth, a remnant, and her that was cast far off, a great Nation; and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from hence forth, even for ever. Mich. 4.7.  
Much more might be mentioned from the Prophets and Scriptures to this purpose, for which of the Prophets have not prophesied thereof; and what words can there be spoken more fully, and clearly, to show the perpetuity of this kingdom of Christ, and of his Saints, on the earth, under the whole heaven, than these that hath been spoken in these several places of the scriptures, before mentioned, for ever, even for ever, for ever & ever, for evermore, for ever, even for ever and ever, for an everlasting possession, an everlasting kingdom, that which shall not be destroyed, there shall be no end, as the Sunn●, and as the moon, &c.  
And how can it be thought that all these things, and words should be spoken in such a manner, and but a thousand years meant, and to be here in this polluted world fulfilled on a latter off●sping of Jews remaining● or as the Millennaries would have it of a coming of Christ, and resurrection of the beheaded Saints, or of all the Saints since the beginning of the World to that time, and then at the end of those years, to cease, or to be delivered up, as they imagine and teach. I say except men were besotted with wilfulness, and blindness, that having once conceived an opinion, and taken it up, will wrest all Scriptures even from their plain intention, to make them serve for their purposes, rather than let their opinion fall, or hearken to any thing that may be said against it. It is true, the Throne and kingdom, wherein Christ is now at this present, unto which after his sufferings, God the Father exalted him at his right hand in the heavens, to sit & reign with him there, till he had put all his enemies under his feet, the last enemy being death. This he is to resign, and deliver up to God the Father, at the end of the world, when God shall have put all enemies under his feet, as Saint Paul saith, Then cometh the end; when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the father; when he shall put down all ru●e, all authority and 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 put all things under him, but when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted that did put all things under him, and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the son also himself be s●biect unto him that did put all things under him, that God may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.  
Where the Apostle showeth plainly, that in some consideration Jesus Christ the son of man, the Son of David, is not subject unto God the father now, being at his right hand reigning with him in the heavens, as he shall be then, at the end of the world, when God shall have put all things under him, himself only excepted, Nor God all in all, now, as he shall be then, because, now, Christ (in his human person) sitteth in his Throne with him, God having once settled him in the Throne of his Father David, according to his oath which he swore unto David, he is to leave the other to him that gave him this, and to be suiect unto him, and to honour him as his head, even as his Spouse the Church, is to be subject unto him, and to honour him as her head.  
And herein shall the son lose no honour, for as he is God he is the same for ever: Nay, rather he shall receive much more glory and honour; for although the glory and honour whereto he is now exalted at the right hand of God, in the heavens, be g●eat (in respect of his human nature) far above all that ever any man else was exalted unto, or ever shall; yet it is seen of no man, and believed but of a few: neither are all his enemies now subdued. But when all enemies, all authority, and rul● of monarchs and powers of this world of wickedness shall be subdued and death the last enemy, and he himself sitting in the Throne of his glory, with all his redeemed, openly, in the sight of all his, and their enemies, ruling them with a rod of iron, as in the world to come it shall be, Heb. 2.5, 6, 7, 8. This his glory will be greater.  
And these words of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet, (alluding in way of proof unto the words of David, psalm 110.1.) do show plainly that it is the Kingdom wherein he reigneth now at the right hand of God, in the heavens, that he is to deliver up and resign unto God his Father at his coming. But this Throne & kingdom, which God will now settle him in after all enemies are subdued, he is never to resign, or deliver up, neither shall it b●e taken from him, nor he from it, nor be destroyed, or have an end, as hath been declared.  
In this Throne he may admit his brethren that followed him in the regeneration that overcome, to sit with him, and will as he hath promised saying; To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my Throne, even as I overcame, and am set with my father in his Throne, Revel. 3.21.  
In this Throne Christ is to reign under God the Father, as his King, according as he said to David, I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever, &c. 1 Chro. 17. It is God's kingdom then.  
And the Lord God calleth this son of David, his anointed one, his son, his King, and the hill whereon he shall sit to reign, his hill; as in Psal. 2. where he saith, not withstanding all those heathen, and people, Kings and Rulers, that took cou●sell against him, and against his anointed, that said, Let us break their hands asunder, and cast their cords from us, yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.  
And the King shall receive of God the Father that which he bid ●im ask, saying; ask of me and I will give ●hee the he●th●n for thine inheritance, and the uttermost ends of the earth for thy possession, thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel, verse 8.9.  
Which power also the King will give to the Children of Zion, as he promised saying; And he that overcometh and keepeth my words u●to the end, to him will I give power over the Nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I have received of my father, Revel. 2.16.17.  
And it shall be fulfilled which David his father foretold of him saying, He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy● and shall break in pieces the oppressor, they shall fear thee as long as the Sun and moon endureth throughout all generations, he shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showe●s that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth, he shall have dominion also from Sea to Sea, and from the river to the ends of t●e earth, th●y that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and the enemy shall lick the dust: The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents, the Kinsts of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts, yea all Kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him. Psal. 72.  
And the children of Zion shall be joyful in their King, and the Lord will take pleasure in his people, & will beautify the meek with salvation, as he also said.  
The high praises of God shall ●ee in their mouths and a two edged sword in their hands to ex●cute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishment upon the people, to bind their Kings in chains, and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute upon them the judgement written; this honour have all the Saints, Psal. 149.  
And it shall now be fulfilled al●o which is written, O clap your hands, O ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph, for the Lord most high is terrible, he is a great King over all the earth he hath subdued the people under us, 
Psal. 47.  & the Nations under our feet, he shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he lov●d; God 〈◊〉 gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a Trump, sing praises unto our God sing praises, sing praises unto our King sing praises, for God is the King over all the earth, sing ye praises with understanding, God reigneth over the heathen, God sitteth upon the Throne of his holiness, the Princes of the people are gathered, even the people of the God of Abraham, for the shields of the earth belong unto God, he is greatly exalted, Psal. 47.  
And great shall the Lord be in this day, 
Psal. ●●  and greatly shall he be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness: beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, in the sides of the North, the city of the great King, God is kn●wne in her palaces for a refuge; for l●● the Kings were assembled, they passed by together, they sa● it, and so they marviled; they were troubled, and they hasted away, fear took hold upon them, there, and pains as of a woman in travel.  
So terrible to the wicked of this world, shall mount Zion be, in the day of her glory, and so great an astonishment to all those that formerly oppressed her, who although they shall not enter in, through the gates of the city, to see or understand of her felicity, & joys within, or anyway partake of her pleasures, yet they shall understand of her power, and see with fear, and grief, her brightness, and glory without: It is for the Princes of the people of the God of Abraham to enter in through the gates into the city, and for their Kings to come, and bring thei● glory and riches into it, as it is written, Esay 60 11. Revel. 21.24.  
And they shall say, As we have heard, so have we see●e, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God; God will establish it for ever, Selah. Psal. 48.8.  
The holy city the new Jerusalem, which had been so long withdrawn from the earth; because it was not (by reason of the wickedness and pollutions thereof) meet to receive her, being God's eternal Tabernacle: when Christ her Lord and King shall have purged the earth and heavens of all their pollutions, and vain corrupt workers of men that are therein, as he will do in the great day of his coming, according as his Apostle Peter witnesseth saying, But the the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth also, and the works th●t are therein shall be burnt up. 2 Pet. 3.10.  
And as the Apostle John also saith, And I saw a great white Throne, and him that sat thereon, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. Revel. 20.11.  
These things being done, and that there shall be new heavens and a new earth, as the Lord also promised Esay 65.17. according to 2 Pet. 3.13. and as it was foreshowed unto the beloved Disciple, who saith; And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, &c. Revel. 21.1. Then shall that holy City come down from heaven, as he saith, And I saw the holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, perpared as a Bride adorned for her husband, ver. 2.  
For pollutions and curses may not abide where the Throne of God and of the lamb is, nor where this holy city shall stand, as it is said; And there shall be no more Curse, but the Throne of God and of the lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him. Revel. 22.3.  
Neither is this world, being polluted, and so possessed with wickedness as now it is, capable of so excellent, and glorious a creature as she is, and shall be seen to be, in this day of her appearing in glory, being now made ready, perfectly adorned with all her ornaments, as the Bride for the marriage of the lamb that bought her, her Lord and King Christ Jesus. And blessed are they that are called unto the marriage supper of the lamb.  
Now shall this holy city Jerusalem, b●ing forth, and receive all her children at once, even in one day without any more travel or pains, as it is written; Before she traviled she brought forth, before her pain came s●ee was delivered of a man child: Who hath heard such a thing, who hath seen such things? shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day; shall a Nation be borne at once, for as soon as Zion travilled she brought forth her Children. Esay ●6. 7.8.  
So that now, when the Lord shall appear to their joy that were hated, and cast out for his name's sake; And to render recompense to his enemies, as in the 5 and 6. verses he said, then shall the earth in whose bowels the bodies of the Saints had slept, and whom she had bread and brought up, and Zion also their spiritual Mother, bring ●orth and receive all their children at once, even in one day; and she shall remember no more her sorrow, for joy that her manchild is borne; for so, by that name it pleaseth the Lord to title her children, as also in Revel. 12.5. She shall now be adorned with them all, according as her Lord foreshowed her in the time of her captivity, when she complained saying, The Lord hath forgotten me, my Lord hath forsaken me, and he told her nay, he had graven her upon the palms of his hands, and comforting her, told her also that hi● children should make haste, and biddeth her lift up her eyes round about & behold, showing her (as it were in a vision) all her children (which she longed for) hasting unto her, and said; All these gather themselves together and com● to thee. As I live saith the Lord, thou shalt fur●●●r lo●th thee with them all as with an ornament, and bind ●hem on ●hee as a Bride doth, for thy wast and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction shall even now be to morrow, by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall far away● the children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, the place is to straight for ●e● give place to me that I may dwell: then shalt thou say in thine heart who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing too and fro, and who hath brought up these. Behold, I was left alone, These where had they been, &c. Esay 4●. Here the Lord comforteth Zion with her children of the Gentiles, that were to be brought in unto her by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which was to b●e preached amongst them by his Apostles and Servants as in the 22 verse appeareth, who were to supply the loss of all her other lost children of the natural house of Israel.  
Therefore now, these being all accomplished unto her rejoice ye with Ierusal●m & be glad with her; all ye that love her rejoice with joy with her all ye that mourn for her, that ye may su●k and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation, that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory; for thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream; then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees, as one whom his mother comforteth, So will I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.  
And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an hear be, and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants, and his indignation t●wards his enemies, Esay 66.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. &c.  
The children of Jerusalem are now to suck and be satisfied, to milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her consolation, and the abundance of her glory, &c. it is not said with the milk of the principles or doctrine of Christ, or form of government and discipline of the Gospel as some would have it, or at least expound it and to concern chiefly, their thousand years' Church of the Jews. Nay, the children of Jerusalem being now all accomplished unto her by the word of Christ, they shall have no need of Doctrine or discipline, or governors, or teachers of that kind or manner any more. But the government of this new Jerusalem shall be peace itself, & her exactors righteousness itself. The Lord her righteousness, and the righteousness of all her children, he being now personally in the midst of her, And salvation being her walls, and her Towers the glory of God, her gates, his praise, as it is written of her; God himself also dwelling with her, and with all her Children, as in his own Tabernacle; As Saint John heard it proclaimed from heaven as he saith, and I heard a great voice from heaven saying; Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the Throne said, Behold, I make all things new, &c. Revel. 21.  
This Jerusalem is that same which God spoke of be●ore, to the Prophet Esay chap. 65. having foreshowed him this great redemption and salvation of Israel, and how all their former troubles should be forgotten and hidden from his eyes, and that he would create new heavens and a new earth, &c. then saith, be ye glad and rejoice for ever in the things that I create: for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy, and I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying, &c. verse. 17, 18, 19  
And this is the same Tabernacle whereof God spoke to the Prophet Ezekiell, he having foreshowed him also this great redemption of the whole house of Israel from all their captivities. Graves, &c. to their own land, and saying, And they shall dwell in the land which I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelled, and they shall dwell therein; they, a●d their children, and children's children for ever: (hereby the way we are to understand by They, and their children, &c. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all their seed or children of the promise to whom it belonged) and my servant David shall be their King for ever. Moreover (saith the Lord) I will make a Covenant of peace with them, it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will place them and multiply them, and I will set my Sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore; my Tabernacle also shall be with them, yea I will be their God, and they shall be my people: And the h●a●hen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore, Ezek. 37.  
This is that Country and city which the holy Fathers sought, mentioned in Heb. 11.  
This is the place whereof God spoke to David, where he said: Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more neither shall the children of wickedness wast them any more as at the beginning, &c. 1 Chron. 17.9.  
This is that purchased possession, until the redemption whereof, the faithful are Sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, the earnest of that their inheritance, spoken of by Saint Paul, Ephe. 1.13, 14.  
This is that eternal Tabernacle which God is the builder of, and not man spoken of in Heb. 8.2. and 9.11. which Christ hath purchased with his own blood for our eternal inheritance, as in verse 12.  
This is the place, which Christ spoke of to his Disciples when he said, I go to prepare a place for you, John 14.  
And this is that Building of God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, spoken of 2 Cor. 5.1.  
This is that inheritance incorruptible & undefiled & that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us (who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation) ready to be revealed in the last time, spoken of in 1 Pet. 3, 4, 5, 6. the times of restitution of all things, whereof he spoke in Acts 3. for than it is to be revealed from heaven, as John foresaw, Revel. 21. when all things shall be new.  
This is the kingdom, which cannot be shaken, spoken of in Heb. 12.27, 28.  
This is that city of which he saith, for here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come, Heb. 13.14.  
And this is the glory which Saint Paul saith, the children and heirs of God, that suffer with Christ, shall receive as joint heirs together with him, for the manifestation whereof, the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth, and until which the whole creation traveleth together in pain, as in Rom. 8.17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.  
And this is the rest, which is said to remain unto the people of God, spoken of in Heb● 4. where he exhorteth saying, Let us therefore labour to enter into that rest, le●t, &c. verse 9.10.11.  
Now all these promises and testimonies being of one and the same eternal inheritance, as doth plainly appear, and that it belongeth to all the faithful, as is also manifest, and being so accomplished, as before is declared.  
Then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the holy Fathers before them, and their children, and their children's children after them, to the thousand generations, even all their seed to this world's end, (for there shall be no increasing of children any way, afterwards) shall inherit according to the promise the Land of Canaan, which God gave unto the Fathers, that good Land which he espied for them, the glory of all lands, as the Scriptures title it; And not that Land only, but every habitable part of the world besides, yet that land principally, as the glory of all the rest: There the Fathers sojourned in expectation thereof, upon the promise, There by faith they took order, and gave charge to have their bones laid, expecting their resurrection to that end. Thither their children were brought from their servitude in Egypt to possess it typically: There God revealed his counsels and testimonies by his servants the Prophets: There was the temporal typical Jerusalem, There was David● Throne, There was Jesus Christ the true king, and heir of all things borne, There he suffered and underwent the shame, from thence he ascended into Heaven, and to the same place he shall come again as it is written. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Hierusalem &c. Zech. 14.4. And there shall his Throne be, upon the holy hill of Zion according to Psal. 2.  
For although his kingdom, and dominion, shall reach throughout all the World, from Sea, to Sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, as it is said, where also his Saints shall inherit and reign, yet there shall be his Throne, and his glory most eminent, even there where he suffered the reproach, and that shall all his enemies, in that day, see and know; For God will get his servants praise, and fame, in every land where they had been put to shame, according as he said, Zeph. 3.19.  
And all the Seed, and children of the promise since the beginning of the world, the true Israel of God, shall now be a nation before the Lord for ever, and be Kings, and priests unto God, and shall reign on the Earth, as the twenty four Elders declared; and (being all of them, the Children of God, and of the new Jerusalem, redeemed by the blood of the lamb) The lamb will now (among all the rest of his promises, and gifts) perform this also, in Rev. 3. Where he saith, Him that overcome●h will I make a pillar in the house of my God, and he shall go no more out, & I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, The new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and my new name, ver. 12. Where we see also as in Rev. 21. that it is to come down out of Heaven.  
I ask now, If these things be so as hath been declared, or no, if they be truly so, than I ask where ye will have ground for your doctrine of a thousand years glorious Church of the Jews, in the Land of Canaan, or of any other, that ye will have rise from the dead before the end of this world; or what have ye to object against that which hath been● said.  
If ye object and say, here is not in all this, a word spoken of heaven, that the Saints after the resurrection of the body, and end of this world, shall ascend with Christ, and Christ with them, to live and reign there, in the presence of God, and with all his holy Angels for ever. I confess, I have not spoken a word to that purpose, and the reason is, because I find not a word in all the holy Scriptures that saith it, and what they speak not, I am not bound, in this case, to believe, though I deny them not heaven, God may take up of them into heaven, as he did Paul, if he so please, though he hath not said it, That the Saints shall inherit the earth, and dwell therein for ever, there are a h●ndred words in the Scriptures of God, to prove, as ye may see, by that whic● is written. And when Christ cometh in his glory, his holy Angels shall come with him, and God himself will dwell with his people, and they shall be his Tabernacle; as hath been declared.  
And this I say yet further, that if you can break God's covenant with the day, and his covenant with the night, and that there should not be day and night in their seasons. If ye can remove the sun, the moon, and the stars out of their places, and from their order, and put an end to the days of Heaven: 
Ier. 31.35.36.37.  then ye may break, and put an end to the things before declared, otherwise they shall stand, and not fail for ever, as the Lord hath said, Ier. 31.35.36.37. Ier. 33.20.21. Neither shall these ordinances, 
Ier. 33.20.21.  ever depart from before the face of the Lord.  
What were it, that all these excellent promises and sayings, in Scripture should only intend a thousand or two thousand years glorious Church of the Jews, or of any other, to be in the time of this world, and then to cease, and how many absurdites would follow, too many to relate. The Jews had almost two thousand years' time in their troublesome Typical estate, and there hath been near one thousand six hundred years since, wherein all that glory hath been trodden down, and the people dispersed, as well the Saints that were then in the land, as the other, one whom the wrath of God, (which was written) is ceased upon. 
Deut. 28.  And will ye have this glorious estate, that hath been so many thousand years spoken of, and looked for, of all the faithful upon God's promises, since the beginning, to last but for a thousand years, or two, as some would have it, and to concern only, and belong to, a remnant of Jews remaining, descended of the most viperous generation of them, that ever were, as Christ himself chargeth them; such as were to fill up the measure of their father's wickedness, and that these should be all of them generally called and saved, this is beyond all sound aprehention, and besides all Scriptures of truth; such a calling, and such a saving, was never known to be of the best dissent natural, that ever was, nor was ever known to be the manner of God's dealing, and proc●eding in any age, with any people whatsoever. But to choose out, from among them, and their Children, here one, and there one, as Abel; leaving Cain, Isaac leaving Ishmael, Jacob leaving Esaw, and so in all times, both with Jews, and Gentiles, seldom many of one man's Children; and less times all like (as is hoped) was, with Jacobs' sons, but as it is written. Though the Children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea, 
Esay 10.22 23.  a remnant shall be saved, for God will finish the work (as Saint Paul saith) and cut it short in righteousness, because, 
Rom. 9. 27● 28.29.  a short work will the Lord make upon the earth, and as he saith again from Esay, Exc●pt the Lord ●f Sabbath had lef● us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrah Rom. 9  
And as Christ himself saith (for showing how it would be to the world's end. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way, 
Esay. 1.9.  which leadeth ●nto life, and few there be that find it. Mat. 7.14.  
If ye say the Scriptures speak much of the Jews calling, and especially Saint Paul in Rom. 11. My answer is; it seemeth to do so, but there is a great mistaking of the Apostles words, and meaning by many, for he speaketh only of a remnant of elect Jews, and chiefly of those in his own time, which the Christian Romans had their eye upon marveling that so few (of so great and religious a nation did believe the gospel of Christ) and confessed him, which was the occasion of the Apostles writing unto them in this manner, to inform them as concerning the reason thereof; and proveth unto them by former experience, and testimonies of the Prophets, that they were always but few (in comparison of the great number of obstinate ones) that did believe in their ●earts to salvation, as in Chap. 9 from the testimony of Esaiah, and in this Chap. by that, in the time of Eliah's. And so, all his arguments are to prove, that God did never cast away his elect people of Israel, Nor would, but that they should all come in, according as many of them did, especially in those days, for than they had the most excellent means, that ever they had, or shall have while the world stands; which (because the Rulers, and greatest number of them did so wilfully reject, filling up the measure of their father's sins, who persecuted, and kille● the Prophets, and they now, Christ himself) was therefore, to be taken from them, and the wrath of God to cease upon them to the uttermost, according as Moses had foretold long be●ore Deut, 28. from the 15. verse to the end of the Chap. And as Christ himself pronounceth saying●For these be the days of vengeance that all things that are written might be fulfilled, But woe be to them, that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days, for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all Nation●, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentil●s, till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, Luk. 21.22.23.24. As also Saint Paul testifieth Thesalo.  
And the time being now come that the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, that God's elect among them; which (by God's appointment) were now in these latter days (to be many in number) might be brought in●. So long, as until the times of the course of the Gospel among the Gentiles, for the bringing in of all God's Elect of them, be accomplished: Jerusalem is to be trodden down of the wicked unbelieving Gentiles. And so long also shall blindness continue upon the generation of those vipers that Christ spoke to, that they may fill up their measure, as they did the measure of their fathers, according as they said, his blood be upon us and upon our children. These are that part of Israel of whom Saint Paul saith, blindness in part, is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in; the fullness of God's Elect Gentiles, for so he meaneth, & so the words themselves do express: And these are those other sheep of whom Christ spoke in John 10. which being brought in, there shall be one fouled and one shepherd, one Nation, and one King for ever,  
And all the blinded Jews and Gentiles also that have rejected the grace of God in Christ, shall see these sheep of the Gentiles, that come from the East and the West and North and South, sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets, in the kingdom of God, and themselves cast out as Christ hath spoken.  
So their blindness shall last no longer, they shall now see what they rejected, and what is come of it, according also as Christ said to their fathers: for I say unto you ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Mat. 23.39. for every eye shall see him, and all tongues shall confess at this day, that Jesus is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father, as it is written.  
And as touching that living and reigning with Christ for a thousand years spoken of in Revel. 20. of the souls of them that were to be beheaded, because they would not worship the Beast nor his Image, nor would receive his mark, &c. which is there said to be the first resurrection. This being the only Scripture they make use of, to prove a thousand years glorious estate of a Church of the Jews as some would have it; or as others of the faith full disceased, whom they will have to rise from the dead a thousand years before the end of the World, and resurrection of the ungodly &c.  
Therefore to remove these, opinions and stop all objections against the clear truth (if possible it may be) My ●nswer is, in brief this; First, they are utterly mistaken in the word souls, because they will have it to intend bodies, as well as souls; for although sometimes in Scripture souls only are named, when both bodies and souls are meant, as in Gen 46.15. and so the 27. verse, where it is said, All the souls of the House of Jacob which came into Egypt, were three score and ten; yet I say it cannot be so meant here: my reasons are, first, These souls which Saint John saith, he saw, are the souls of men be headed, and not of living men; but if ye say John foresaw them risen, and so names the soul for both, my answer is, This cannot be, the soul may not be named for the body, nor with the body in this case, as to mean both; because the soul of a regenerate man being now alive by faith, cannot be said either to die with the body, or to rise with the body, neither is there any resurrection of the soul after the death of the body, & therefore may not be named for the death of the body, nor for the resurrection of the body, neither is there such an instance in all the Scriptures, as to say when a righteous man's body dieth or is dead, there is a soul dead, although it may be so said of an ungodly man● because his soul is always dead spiritually. And to say of a regenerate man, that when his body riseth from the dead, his soul riseth with it, is to say a manifest untruth. When those Saints rose from the dead, at the time of Christ's suffering, it is not said their soul's rose, but th●●● bodies only, as in Mat. 27.52.  
When John saw, under the Altar the souls of them that were slain, for the word of God. Revel. 6.9. He apprehended their bodies to b● dead, as the text showeth plainly, in that the souls cried How long Lord, holy and tru●, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them, that dwell on the earth, (th●y being in heaven) and it was said unto them, that they should r●st, a little season until their fellow servant●, and their brethr●n, that must be killed as they were, should ●e fulfilled, vers. 10, 11. neither were the bodies of the first to rise before the last were slain as the words declare.  
Therefore my conclusion is, that the living & reigning with Christ, and the first resurrection● in this place spoken of is of, the soul only, and no● of the body, and that it beginneth here while the soul and body are together● as Christ himself declareth saying, Verily, verily I say unto you, The ●ower is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God, and they that hear it shall live. John 5●25. And then afterward speaketh unto the Jews saying, marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good●●●to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the ●●surrection of condemnation. vers. 28.29. Here we see the resurrection of the bodies of good and band out of the graves, are both together in one hour, and that the resurrection of the souls of the faithful is daily all the time before, as he saith, the hour is coming and now is; And as touching this first resurrection of the soul, Saint Paul saith, Ye are buried with Christ in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him, &c. Col. 2. And aagaine, If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Colos● 3● 1.2.3.  
And the soul being once risen with Christ, liveth always now, though his body die or be beheaded, and it may truly be said of him to his great comfort, even while he is in the body; Blessed and holy is he, that hath part in the first resurrection, for on such, the second death hath no power. But they shall be Priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him. I will not say now, a 1000 years, in that manner with out the body, because those years are almost expired; So long a time being past since the first sufferings of Saints for those causes, of not worshipping the Beast, &c. began, who had the full time of the thousand years before them to come: (as they, whose souls John saw under the Altar, that cried How long Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge ●ur blood on them that dwell upon the earth; it is not every soul a thousand years, but a thousand for all. But this I say unto, and of every such soul, that he shall live, and reign with Christ, until his commi●g in glory. And then he shall live and reign with him, soul and body for evermore world without end. And this I say further, That whosoever hath not part, here, in the first resurrection, let him be sure whosoever, he be, the second death will cease upon him, body and soul for ever, he shall have no other first resurrection, after the death of his body to help him, or make him blessed and holy.  
As concerning the other things of this twenty chapter, and also of the 11. to the Romans before spoken of. If the Reader please to inquire for a book entitled The deliverance of the whole house of Israel from all their captivities; he may see in the same, the particular matters o● both, in a more full manner declared, which I hope through the grace of God with his diligent observation, shall clear the truth of all these things, plainly unto him.  
And now let me a little advise the Reader (whosoever he be) first that he would take heed, he have not the word of God, and Gospel of Jesus Christ (whereby his soul and body should live e●ernally) in respect of persons, I mean, so as to esteem, or disesteem, that which he shall hear spoken or see written, according as the speaker or writer is in place, or name of account in the world. But that he would with all carefulness and diligence of mind, search and inquire into every thing, that he heareth or readeth, and as he shall find things clear to his understanding, confirmed to his soul and conscie●ce by the word & spirit of God, to be of God, & hi● truth: So to embrace, and keep them without asking after, or saying in his mind, or harkening to any that shall say unto him; I, But who, or what is the author, as if the knowledge of the person, place, and repute of the author would make the matter much better, or worse, whereas the words & matters of a speaker or writer, in divine thing● especially, do best discover unto the Children of wi●edome, what the author is. And Christ showeth plainly, that the fruit whereby his faithful shall know the true Prophets and the false, is their words, which proceed from the good, or from the evil treasure of the heart, and ●aith, that men by their words shall be justified, and by their words shall be condemned, Mat. 12.33, 34, 35, 36, 37. Luke 6.45.  
And what doth now so prove unto the faithful, the goodness of the Prophets and Apostles as their words?  
And secondly, my advice unto the Reade is, that he would himself betake him to the diligent search and study of the Scriptures, with earnest desire, and humble request unto God in his heart, to guide and instruct him by his holy Spirit unto the understanding of the same. For without all doubt, the holy Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles are the most sure, and clearest Preachers of the truth and ways of eternal life, that are to be found in the world, and such as we may be sure off, will not deceive us: And let the Reader take heed that his trust or dependence be not on any man whatsoever, though he be never so high in esteem, or take never so much upon him.  
And this I say further unto him for his comfort and encouragement whatsoever he be, if he can prefer wisdom and understanding in his heart, before all things in the world, I mean the true wisdom which is from above, and shall with his whole soul desire and seek it at the hands of God, he shall assuredly attain unto it, let him not doubt, for so sure as the Lord God which promiseth, will not fail of his word, if he can, and shall so prefer it. So seek it, he shall have it.  
Let him not hearken or give heed unto any, that shall say, it is not for you to search the Scriptures, and study them so, you are unlearned & cannot understand them, you have not the tongues, wherein they were written, &c. As if God had promised and tied the understanding of his word and Gospel of Salvation to those and such like common gifts, which men may abound with and perish. Nay, take heed of these, for they speak not the words of wisdom unto you, but of falsehood and deceit. If they did understand in their heart what true wisdom is, and from whence it cometh, they would not so speak, but would know that God is the instructor, and free giver of this wisdom: to the learned, and the unlearned without respect of persons. And that he hath often times confounded the wisdom of the wise and mighty of the world by weak and despised things, as Saint Paul declareth, proving it from the Prophet Esay, saying, For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nought the undeestanding of the prudent: Where is the wise, where is the Scribe● where is the disputer of the world, hath not God made the wisdom of this world foolishness, &c.  
And againe●Ye see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, &c. But God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confo●nd the mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are de●pised hath God chosen, and things which are not to bring to nought, things that are, that no flesh might glory in his sight, 1 Cor. 2.19, 20, 26, 27.  
Saint Paul was learned, yet these are his sayings: Although peradventure some dare be so bold as to say, they are now out of daet, because they would have it so to be conceived of the people, to the end they should not seek understanding from the Scriptures, but depend upon them for instruction, and have them in admiration, as hath been the policy and practise a long time, of them of the Church of Rome, to keep the people from the Scriptures, that they might remain in ignorance, and exalt them in their minds, and honour them as God's Prophets, and their words of error and deceit, as God's oracles. Take heed of such I say, for although they do not like to have any to be Lords over them in such respects, yet they, by this, show plainly, that they would be Lords over you.  
But howsoever, the Lord saith to the humble in heart, that he will teach them his ways, & that his secrets are with them that fear him, and that he will dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite heart. And Christ saith, ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you: Nay more, Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man open the door I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3.20. Here is no excepting of persons, though never so poor or despised, never so low of place or calling in the world, shepherd, clown or other, if he can so seek the Lord and his wisdom and ways, if he can so open, he will come in to him, he will comfort him and teach him, for th●● is nothing under the Su●ne, wherein the Lord doth tak● the like pleasure, as to be conversant with, men to acquaint them with his ways and truth, that they should admire his goodness and set forth the same to his praise, & what honour, what preferment, what treasure, what dignity unto man in this world, is like it. To be so in account with God, that made heaven and earth, and beloved of him, and to know it to be so, as all the holy Fathers, Prophets and Saints have done, there is no comparison.  
And all this out of doubt, is to be attained, God is still the same, he can make known his love and his ways now, as well as heretofore: and the time is now come into the world, and incoming, wherein he will do it more abunda●tly, then hath been for many years since the Apostles times, because he will now gather in his last fruits, he will have his truth known, and his word truly understood of his people, for to that end it is written, that they may walk in the light thereof to their comfort and salvation, and the praise of his Name.  
Therefore my advice is, neglect not so great a treasu●e.  
And so I commend him unto the Lord, and to the word of his grace (for his guidance, and protection) unto whom be all honour and praise both now and for ever, Amen.  
And so I rest his friend in Chris●● I. E.   
FINIS.   

Errata.  
PAge 6. l. 4. for co●cerning 1. considering. & p. 8. l. 19 r. Psal. 5.9 10. p. 14. l. 20. 1. Psal. 114.5. p. 26. l. 3. for words r. work●s. and l. 6. r. Revel. 2.26.27. p. 28. l. 5. for workers r. works. p. 28. l. 24. for curses r. the ●urse. p. 30. l. 1. r. shall be fare away.