Art thou a Ruler in Israel and knowest not these things? viz. The great error in that which is called the Apostles CREED. And the real truth of JESUS CHRIST his glorious conquering personal reign on Earth, over the devil, Sin and Death for one thousand years. WITH man's salvation by the free grace and favour of God and Jesus Christ. Laid open by him who heartily desires the manifestation of all the truths of God, and of Jesus Christ. And the utter extirpation of all the errors of MEN. WILLIAM FARMER Gent. That Christ betwixt his burial and his resurrection did not descend into Hell, nor then preach to the damned spirits in PRISON. THE Church of England doth allow of, and acknowledge 3. Creeds: And the now Assembly of Divines Their book 19 articles o● the Church. have adheringly ratified, confirmed, and manifested them all; that is, the Nycen Creed, the Apostles Creed, and the Athynasian Creed. Nothing ought to be counted apostolical, that is not grounded upon, and answerable unto the Apostles Doctrine. Our Apostles Creed is, That Christ was Crucified, dead and buried, he descended into Hell: the third day he rose again from the dead. There is no Doctrine of the Apostles, that Christ betwixt his burial and his Resurrection descended into Hell: therefore it is no apostolical Doctrine. Whatsoever is not Apostolical, ought not to be made Catholical. The Nycen Creed which is counted Catholical, says, that Christ suffered for our salvation: descended into Hell; rose again the third day from the dead. That Christ suffered for our salvation, or rather that Christ suffered for our sins: was finished when he had received the vinegar, and said it is finished: Father into thy hands I commend my Joh. 19 30. Lu. 23. 46. Spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the Ghost; or his divine Spirit or godhead departed out of his human body: and then was his full sufferings finished, as Christ himself saith. Jesus knowing Joh. 19 28 that all things were now accomplished that the Scripture might be fulfilled: as this Nycen Creed saith well: Although he be God and man, he is not two Christ's, but one Christ: so when his godhead was departed from his manhood, than he had finished or fulfilled all Scripture as a sufferer: because he was a perfect Christ no longer than he was God and man, no more than a man that is a dead man, is a perfect man; for the dead body cannot suffer because it hath no sense: so that it was only the human body of Christ laid in the grave that was in Hell: because the grave is the dead body's Hell: and the grave is called hell in divers Scriptures, and so is this Nycen Creed to be understood. The Athanasian Creed saith, That Christ suffered, and was buried, and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures, and therefore a truth; for what the Spirit of God hath revealed, that only is truth: but the Spirit hath in no Scripture revealed that Christ betwixt his burial and his resurrection descended into hell: as that which is called the Apostles Creed doth affirm; therefore it is none of the Apostles Doctrine. This Doctrine, that Christ betwixt his burial and his resurrection descended into hell, is a hellish, Antichristian, Romish doctrine, derived from their diabolical error, upon that their misinterpretation of the Spirit of God, from those words of the Apostle Peter, where he saith, That Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in 1 Pet. 3. 18, 19, 20. the flesh, but quickened by the spirit (the holy Ghost) by which (Spirit) also he went and preached to the spirits in prison, which sometime were disobedient (to God) when once (or at that time that) that the long-suffering (or forbearance) of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing. From which Text do the erroneous Antichristian Doctors of Rome gather and conclude, that Christ betwixt his death and Resurrection divinely in his godhead, went amongst, and preached unto the infernal damned spirits: and to this purpose have inserted those their own diabolical words and Doctrine amongst the Apostles doctrine, and made the same Catholical as part of a Church-article, to believe the same as faith unto salvation. This doctrine & interpretation is antichristian, because it doth contradict the Doctrine and words of Jesus Christ himself, who said to the penitent thief upon the cross, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. To be in Paradise, is to be in a place of pleasure: Lu. 23. 43. this Paradise was God's kingdom of glory, which is Christ's kingdom, as the Spirit revealed the same to that thief, who said, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. The human Lu. 23. 42. body of Jesus that same day after he was dead, was laid safe in Joseph's Tomb or grave which is called hell, where there is no pleasure, neither can a dead body take any pleasure; therefore the human dead body could not that day be in Paradise: and for Christ's Divine Spirit or godhead at all to be, or that day to be amongst the damned spirits, could not then that day be in Paradise, because the damned spirits are not in pleasure, but excluded from pleasure, and reserved in chains of darkness unto the great and terrible day of the Lord where no pleasure is. Therefore it is an infallible truth, that when Jesus Christ said to the thief, to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise; he spoke of his own divine Spirit or godhead, and of the thiefe's invisible, internal, immortal, eternal spirit or soul, which came from God, and not of their mortal bodies which came from the earth, and lay in the earth. And when he spoke of Paradise, he did not speak of that earthly Paradise in Eden, into which the man was put after his creation: but of that heavenly Paradise into which man should be fetched after his redemption by a resurrection; in which Paradise as Jesus Christ affirmeth, is pleasure for evermore: and so are the Romish Doctors and their antichristian diabolical doctrine, with their false interpretation, confuted. The true meaning of the holy Ghost in Peter, by those words of Peter, are thus to be interpreted and understood; that Peter and all others by God appointed for that purpose, into whom the holy Ghost was sent, and spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance: did not speak, preach, or reveal the will or mind of God to the mortal bodies of men, because the mortal bodies of men are to perish, and so cannot for ever retain the word of God which is to endure for ever, as Jesus Christ saith. Heaven and Earth (that is the whole mortality) shall pass away: but not one jot or tittle of my word shall pass away. But the Spirit of God doth direct the word of God to the immortal, eternal souls or spirits of men; because the souls or spirits of men, and the word of God are to endure for ever: and so the souls are able to retain the word for ever. And every soul of man is an immortal, eternal living spirit from God, whose kingdom, habitation and dwelling from whence the soul came is Gen. 2. boundless, endless, and limitless: and therefore a place of liberty, because it is without any restraint: and every soul while it is in the mortal body of clay is confined and bounded with its mortal wall of earth the body, and chained in by the natural corruptions of the sinful flesh. And so every soul while it is in the body, is in prison, because it is by the body restrained from its former liberty it had in heaven from whence it came into the mortal body, which former liberty was boundless and limitless. Therefore it was those souls that were in the mortal bodies of those wicked men of the old world, that lived in the days of Noah, before the flood that Peter speaks of: that were the spirits in prison preached unto by that quickening spirit or lively spirit of God the holy Ghost, by which the dead body or flesh of Jesus Christ, was quickened or raised the 3d day again to life from the dead. It was that same Spirit or holy Ghost sent by Jesus Christ into Noah, that did preach in Noah to the spirits or souls of those wicked men that lived in the days of Noah, before the flood, which were in prison, then imprisoned in their mortal bodies, by their sinful flesh: whose sins were so provoking of the Almighty, that the Lord said, It repented him that he had made man on the Earth, and it grieved him at the heart. These men's souls or spirits were so imprisoned in 〈◊〉. 6. 6. their bodies, and so chained in by their corruptions of the flesh, that they could not hear the Spirit of God preaching unto them in Noah for repentance & amendment of life: but were like the deaf Adder that stoppeth his ear against the Charmer, charm he never so well, Peter saith, that God did suffer their disobedience long: and with patience Pet. 3. 20. waited for the repentance & amendment of life all that while & time. Noah was preparing of the ark. And thus is this Text to be interpreted and understood to the glory of God, because it sets forth his truth: and therefore that clause in the Apostles Creed ought to be razed and for ever put out, and no longer suffered for Catholical, as from an apostolical Author, being it was from a papistical, Antichristian, diabolical, Jesuitical Author, the Devils chief erroneous instruments on earth. That Jesus Christ shall reign one thousand years on Earth. SAith the Apostle Peter, No prophecy of the Scripture is any private interpretation; neither came it by the will of man: but holy ●et. 1. 22. men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost. The Scripture is not the word of men, but it is the word of God. And saith the Text, the prophecy of John is, The revelation of Jesus Christ to show ●… 1. 1, 2. unto his servants things that must shortly come to pass. Therefore Christ sent and signified the same by his Angel to his servant John. One and the same holy Ghost delivered the whole word of God, though by divers Instruments, amongst whom John was one, and the last, who saith, I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of Rev. 20. 1, 2, 3. the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years: and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, That he should deceive the Nations no more until the thousand years should be fulfilled. John doth not prophesy of any thing to come, but what was answerable & agreeable to former prophecies, and promises. Therefore let men in these days try the prophecies of John with other Scriptures, as the noble Bereans in the Apostles days, tried the Apostles doctrine, and then the very truth of God will appear, according to the promise of Jesus Christ, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it unto you. Therefore ask and you shall receive. ask by prayer for heavenly wisdom in faith, and you shall receive a good understanding. seek and you shall find. seek by searching of the Scriptures for the truth, and you shall find eternal life. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. knock at heaven gates by a fervency in heart for the spirit of God, and the gates of heaven shall be opened, & the holy Ghost shall come in unto you: and he shall reveal all things unto you that be written, whether past, present, or to come. God in the beginning created the whole works and creatures that be mortal within the first fix evenings and mornings: And lo all things were very Gen. 1. good. But when that old Serpent, the devil and Satan, that enemy of man by his subtlety, had beguiled Eve, and by her Adam, and so in them all mankind, by sowing tares of disobedience in the whole mortality of God. The Lord said, the whole earth and creatures were so corrupted through the deceit of the devil, that it repented Gen. 6. 6. God that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at the heart. And still even so long as the Devil shall have power over the whole mortality of God, he will deceive the Nations: but Jesus Christ by his servant John hath promised: the whole mortality, a whole deliverance from the power of the Devil for a thousand years, by sending an Angel with power from heaven down into this world, to lay hold on, and arrest the devil at the suit of Jesus Christ, with an action from God Almighty out of the Court of God's glorious justice without bail or main prize to cast him into the bottomless pit, and to shut him up, and to set a seal upon him, because he by his instruments shut up the body of Jesus Christ in the grave with a great stone, and sealed him up with the signet of the Scribes & Pharisees: Mat. 27. 66. that he should not rise again according to the Scriptures, for the redemption of his redeemed ones. And for the Devils deceiving of the Nations from the creation unto that time, shall he be kept in, & shut up for one complete 1000 years; during which thousand years, all the mortal creatures on the earth at that time shall be so freed from the Devils evil power, according to former prophecy, and the promises of God by the Prophet Isaiah. That the devouring lion Isa. 11 7, 8, 9 Isa. 65. 25. shall eat grass as an ox, and all creatures shall be atpeace; even at the same peace they had in the day of the creation before man sinned: by reason whereof the Devil had a power to work in all creatures the evil of malice and death: & this 1000 years of the Devils confined and restrained power from his working and acting of evil in any wise, either by tempting to evil, or dying for evil, or by evil. There shall be no death, neither shall there be any children gotten or borne; for getting of children is an act of sin, because it is acted by lust, and lust is an act of sin; for although Adam and Eve were matrimonially lawful man and wife before they sinned; yet did they not get Cain the seed of the Serpent, before they had sinned; for if they had, he could not have been wicked; for the Text saith, all mn were conceived in sin. And this Text may very well be granted, because Cain the first man that was conceived, was a bloody murdering sinner; for if Cain had been righteous, then might some have disputed whether Cain had not been conceived before Adam and Eve had sinned, as well as they to be married before they had sinned; therefore and thereby is Jesus Christ only and alone known to be the Son of God, because he was not conceived by the sinful and lustful seed of sinful man: but as the text saith, he was, and none but he was conceived by the holy Ghost, and horn of the Virgin Mary. A virgin, because with Child, & her womb not defiled with sinful seed of lust. The devil is said to be the God of this world, because of his princely power overall the mortal works, & creatures of God in this world through man's sin; gained by the devil's subtle temptation: therefore Jesus Christ, though the son of God, by the love of God to the world, must take upon him sinful flesh, that thereby he might redeem sinful man from the sins of the flesh; under which work of Redemption, Jesus Christ, though perfect God, as well as perfect man, during the time of his mortal flesh which he did receive from the Virgin, must be, and was subject to the Principalities and powers of this world, even to the devil himself, and his wicked instrumental members, saying, Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's; for my kingdom is not of this world, during the principality of the devil; for God and Belial cannot dwell both together, that is, God and the devil, cannot be both Kings in one kingdom at one time, because God is light, and the devil is darkness, as the Text saith, light and darkness cannot abide together; for either light comprehendeth the darkness, or else the darkness comprehendeth the light, as every night and day maketh it appear unto us: But Pilate the governor said unto Jesus Christ, are thou the King of the Jews: he denied not, saying, thou hast said it: as if Christ should have said, Pilate. Wise Solomon says, there is a time for all things under heaven: although a son in his nonage or infancy, by reason he is under subjection, differs not from a servant; yet the time will come Rev. 19 16. when it will appear he is Lord of all things. So Pilate, though I now by reason of my sufferings at the present, in the time of my mortal flesh, nonage, and infancy, of my not being risen from the dead: and again, being not yet glorified of my Father in heaven, but am here counted as a servant. The time will come when it will Rev. 21. 1, 2, 3. Isa. 65. 17, 18, 19 Isa. 66. 22. appear that I am he that shall be the King of the Jews, and King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; as my Father hath said, sit thou at my right hand, until I have made thine enemies thy foot-stool, even when all power shall be given me of my Father, both in heaven and in earth, than Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be right-glad, because of the new heavens and the new earth, and the holy city new Jerusalem which John saw, and Isaiah prophesied of, coming down from 1 Kings 8. 27. 1 Tim. 6. 15, 16. 1 John 4. 12. God out of heaven: And because Christ, God's Tabernacle, shall be with men, and dwell with them on earth, and they shall be his people: And God himself shall be with them, and be their God, as the Text by the Spirit in Solomon saith, from God as a promise to the children of God. It is true indeed, that God will dwell on the earth, as Paul saith of Christ at the present, saying, who only, (and none but he) hath immortality, and dwelleth in that light that none can attain unto (which is in the glorious presence of God Almighty) whom never man saw, neither can see; as the Text saith, No man hath seen God at any time, neirher can see him, while he is clothed with sinful flesh: but when the sinfulness of the flesh shall be done away, than men shall see God, and Jesus Christ on earth in such a glory, as mortal sinful flesh cannot behold for the exceeding brightness thereof, as God himself saith, No man can see my face and live; that is, no man who is corrupted by transgression or sin, can behold the righteous face of God, because that transgression is darkness from the Devil the Prince of darkness, whose darkness cannot stand before the righteous glory of God Almighty. For as the presence of the sun's glory doth do away the darkness of this world; so the presence of God's glory doth do away all the spiritual darkness of the devil and sin; therefore saith John, that an Angel from heaven must first by his power shut and chain up the devil, and then behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell Isa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9 with men, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. That is, God shall wholly be their God, because the devil shall wholly with all his power be taken away, and confined as close prisoner for a thousand years: during which thousand years all the mortal creatures shall be at peace as the Prophet Isa. saith, The lion shall eat grass like an ox, and leave devouring: because the devil, by whose power in all the mortal creatures (all the mortal creatures were set at an evil odds) shall be totally done away for that thousand years; that he should deceive the Nations no more until the thousand years should be fulfilled. 2 Pet. 3, 4. Qu. What reason is there grounded upon Scripture that Christ shall come and dwell on earth, and reign King of Kings and Lord of Lords a thousand years. Answ. First, for his promise-sake, who hath promised the same in divers Scriptures, as Peter saith. That in the latter days there shall be scoffers, that shall say, where is the promise of his coming. (We do not believe it) for all things continue as they were from the beginning. These scoffers do not regard what Solomon saith, That there is a time 2 Pet. 3. 8. for all things under heaven. But because such scoffers will not stay God's time, but expect that time sooner than God hath appointed the same: and for that they want patience to wait upon God, will fall into unbelief, and say, where is the promise of his coming, as though he would never come: but unto such saith the same Apostle. Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. As if Peter should say, scoffers, if through impatience you will not believe the promises of God for Christ his coming, who is faithful in all his promises, and who is in all his promises yea and amen. I will confirm the promises of God by the works of God thus. God within the first six Evenings and Mornings in the beginning made and created the whole mortality: even all the works and creatures, and when he had done, he looked on the whole, and behold all was very good. And therefore God adds to his six days of labour, one day, or a sanctified holy day of rest from all labour: but when man (by the temptation of that old Serpent the devil and Satan) had disobeyed the commandment of God. Then God cursed the whole mortal works and creatures for man's transgression, with giving the devil power over them all. And so thereby became the whole mortal works and creatures corrupted, and that made God say, That it repented him that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at the heart. Because that man by sin had corrupted, Gen. 6. 6▪ and made all that evil (in one or two hours) by expostulating with, and yielding to the devil. That God himself was six days making very good: and because the devil had power given him over the whole mortal works and creatures, as a just judgement for mortal man's sin: therefore during that time of the devil's power, the devil is called the God, (or chief prince) of this world; the Prince of darkness, and the Prince that ruleth in the air. The devil is not for ever to reign as God of this world, Prince of the air, and Prince of the darkness of this world: but shall be curbed at a time by God appointed: as the devil himself confesseth, saying to Jesus Christ: Art thou come to torment us before the time? As if the devil should have said, Jesus Christ, why dost thou command our power out of mortal man, knowing that the time of our power over mortality is not yet to be taken away: therefore if thou wilt not suffer us to be in man, give us leave to go into yonder heard of swine. And because the devil is not always to have power over mortality: but by the power of Christ is to have his power taken off of mortality by Jesus Christ his coming down from heaven, and to dwell with men on earth for a thousand years to deliver the whole mortal works and creatures of God on earth under heaven from the whole Principalities and powers of the devil, for, and during that thousand years, according to promise, doth Peter say to these unbelieving scoffers: but Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years. therefore as the Lord was 6 days making the whole mortality very good: and man by his fin did provoke God to curse the same, with giving the Devil power over the whole. Man must also labour under the power of the Devil with the whole mortality for 6000. years. Therefore doth Peter say, that in the latter days, or towards the end of the 6000. years. Near to that coming of Christ there shall be impatient unbelieving scoffers, that shall say, where is the promise, or the fulfilling of the promise of his coming; unto whom Peter saith, Be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years with man, or man cannot accomplish that under six thousand years, that God did in six days, ev●n his working will. And as God did add a seventh day of holy rest unto his six days of labour: so man was from the beginning to celebrate every seventh day a holy day of rest from labour, in remembrance of the sure promise of Christ his coming to deliver man and the whole mortality, as Paul saith, the creature shall be delivered from the tyrannical power of the devil for a thousand years, into the glorious liberty of the sons of Rom. 8. 21, 12, 23. Rev. 21. 1, 23. God, even for that thousand years in which John saw a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven, with a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people (because the devil in, or during that time, 2. shall have nothing to do with them) and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Therefore faith John, Blessed and holy is he ●ev. 20. 6. that hath part in the first resurrection: because on such the second death hath no power: but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years; according to the promise of God to Jesus Christ: Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Even the Devil and all his power and wicked instruments, who are the enemies of Jesus Christ and his members, and 2 Pe●… so taking the six days of God's account, in which he made the whole mortality: and according to Peter's account, six thousand years of man's misery under the power of the devil, by reason of sin: and taking the seventh day of God's account, in which he, with all the works of his hands, rested and kept a holy day unto himself, and account a thousand years' deliverance from the power of the devil, sin, and death, in which God again will with man keep on earth a holy Sabbath or rest, then and thereby are the promises of Christ his coming by Peter, confirmed by the works of God, under God's account, of seven days in the beginning: but Peter for more certainty of this truth, notwithstanding those impatient unbelieving scoffers, questioning the same in the behalf of 2 Pet. 3. 13. himself, and all the believing members of Jesus Christ of the promises of God in Christ, saith, nevertheless we according to his (that 2 Pet. 3. 14. is God's) promise, look for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Unto such saith Peter, Beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found in peace, without spot, & blameless; because they that shall enjoy such things saith Peter, Are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar 1 Pet. 2. 9 people. Being made so by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Secondly, the coming of Christ is manifested by the glory of God as the Text saith. If Christ had not risen from the dead, than had Christ died in vain. So likewise may it be said, if Christ be perfect God, as well as perfect man, (who for man took upon him the nature of man: by which on earth he was by his perfect obedience to redeem man from that power of the devil, which the devil gained over man by man's disobedience) it stands with the glory of God, for Christ, God on earth, to triumph over the devil and all his power on earth, as well as to suffer under the devil and all his power on earth. Jesus Christ as he was a mortal man, it was a glory to him to suffer for sinners, who himself sinned not, as the Text saith, The just suffered for the unjust. But if Jesus Christ as he is God should not triumph over his enemies as a conqueror, his sufferings would be counted in vain on earth: therefore Jesus Christ as he is God, for the glory of his godhead, by his servant John revealeth to His, who shall partake of that glory that shall be on earth, when the power of the devil shall be done away. And when new heavens and a new earth, and the holy City new Jerusalem from heaven shall appear, then shall Jesus Christ glorify himself as God, over the devil and all his works and powers, as that God by whom all things were created both in heaven and earth, equal with the Father as a son and heir of all things, and second person in the Colos. Trinity: in that Trinity which is so un●ted in the godhead, that cannot be d●vided in the persons: as the Nyc●n Creed very w●l● sets see N●… Creed. forth. And thus is Christ's coming to reign on the earth proved by the promises of God, the works of God, and the glory of God. Quest. What manner of glory will that be that Christ will have on earth amongst his Saints, and what habitation will he reside in. Answ. It will be a heavenly glory, according to that which Christ desired as a son from God, as a Father, saying, Father glorify thy son with that glory, which he had with thee: Jesus Christ amongst men on earth prayed to be glorified amongst men on earth, with a heavenly glory, that men on earth might see him a glorified God, and a conqueror of his enemies, as well as they did see him a despised and a suffering man under his enemies: therefore and according to this do●h John after the prophesy of isaiah say, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, and the holy City new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, with a loud voice, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. This glory for the fullness of it is not revealed, nor shall it be manifested unto men, until men's corruptions shall be done away: and that shall not be until the power of the devil by the power of Christ shall be taken off of mortality, according to that of John; I saw on angel come down from heaven, and he laid hold on the Devil, & bound him a thousand years, that he should deceive the Nations, or corrupt mortality no more, until those thousand years should be fulfilled, or accomplished. This heavenly glory is within the apprehension of no corrupted flesh, further than the things of the flesh doth behold: & the brightest glory of mortality is the Sun: and John saith that that glory shall pass the glory of the sun; insomuch that that holy City new Jerusalem, shall not need the light of the sun, neither shall there be any night in it. But as in the Land of Egypt there was an exceeding darkness at noonday: but in the Land of Goshen there was no darkness: so likewise during those thousand years in all the world there shall be night as well as day: but in the new and heavenly Jerusalem there shall be no night at all. And this is all that God hath revealed concerning the fullness of that heavenly glory, because corrupted mortality can apprehend no more: as Paul saith, If our hope were only in this mortal life, than we were of all men most miserable to suffer affliction for hope of a better life: if we should miss of it: but saith he, Yet it doth not, or here it doth not appear what we shall be: but when mortality shall put on immortality, and corruption shall be changed into incorruption, than it will appear; for here we know but in part: but then shall we know as we are known. That is, we who know Jesus Christ as a sufferer, and rest upon the promises of God by faith in Jesus Christ for a rewarder: though now we here with Christ suffer for the same, shall then know God and Jesus Christ in a heavenly glory, conqueringly, as they knew us here sufferingly. Secondly, besides this heavenly glory which will in brightness pass the glory of the sun. Christ will be glorified by new created heavens and earth, as Peter saith; That is, by restoring of the firmamental heavens, whereof now the devil is Prince, into that same condition they were by God created in, when God saw them to be very good, before man had sinned: and they therefore corrupted by those evil Inhabitants, the devil and his Angels. And by restoring of the earth with all the creatures created of it by God in the beginning within the fix first days: and that God when he had looked: saw them to be very good, to that same condition they were by God ceated in, before man had sinned: and they therefore and thereby were by the power of the devil corrupted. This restoration after so long a continuance as almost six thousand years, shall by men be such a strange alteration, as though it were rather a creation than an alteration: and they who never did see no other but the corrupted heavens, and earth, to see an uncorrupted heaven and earth, will be to them as a new created heaven and earth. And none, male nor female, from Adam and Eve, ever saw any but a corrupted heaven and earth: because the heavens and the earth were corrupted before they had any issue: therefore doth the Text say, that God will create new heavens and earth, because the sons of Adam never saw that very good condition the heavens and the earth were at the first created in, and into which they shall be again restored. Thirdly; God, Christ on earth, will be glorified by a a holy City, a new Jerusalem from God out of heaven; which shall in largeness so far pass that old Jerusalem builded by the Jews, though it was in Solomon's time, the greatest City in the whole world, as a city of twelve thousand furlongs square; which is by eight furlongs to a mile, fifteen hundred miles square, can pass the largeness of that old Jerusalem: and this City shall so far pass the old Jerusalem in glory, as precious stones can surpass in glory ordinary stones, wood, brick, mortar, iron, steel, and brass, in the foundations, walls and gates thereof: and the pavements of this City shall so far surpass in glory the pavements of the old Jerusalem, as polished gold like transparent glass doth surpass pebble stones: as John at large expresseth the same. And the Temple in this City shall so Rev. 21. & 22. far surpass in glory Solomon's Temple, that was the glory of the old Jerusalem, as the glory of God and Jesus Christ doth surpass the glory of fine gold, which was the glory of that Temple, as the Text saith, The gold beautified the Temple. And this holy and great City shall be the refiding place of GOD and Jesus Christ on earth with all the faithful members of Jesus Christ from Abel to that day. Object. This relation of John is to signify and figure out God's glorious kingdom to eternity: and not that there shall ever be here on earth any such glorious place or being. Answ. That which is impossible with man, is possible with God, who is able to do all things. And hath any man found God a liar at any time; who is faithful in all his promises, and just in all his ways. But Peter saith, That in the latter days there shall be seoffers, who shall say, 2 Pet. 3. 4. where is the promise of his coming; for all things continue as they were from the beginning; and so deny the word of truth. But saith Peter, We who are written in the book of life. Nevertheless we according 2 Pet. 3. 13 to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, as John saith, I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, Rev. 21. 3. and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people: and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: as Solomon saith, It is true indeed, that God will dwell on the earth. And for a sure evidence of the same ● King's 8. ●7. Rev. 22. 16. saith the Text, I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches: which things Peter questioned not, but to his Church said. Beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent 2 Pet. 3. 14. that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless. And to any Church that shall question these things, saith John. These sayings are faithful and true: for I John saw and heard these things: and I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this 2 Rev. 22. 6. ●6. 18. book, (wheresoever it is published) that if any man shall add too, or take away from the words of the prophecy of this book: God shall take away his part out of the book of life: and also take away his part out of the holy City; which City saith the T●x, lieth foursquare, the length is as the breadth, twelve thousand furlongs; the squares lie East, West, ●●v. 21. 16. North, and South. The East and West are derived from the antipodes of the rising and setting of the sun in the firmament all heavens: created on the fourth day. The North and the South are derived from the antipodes of the two ends of the world's Axletree, called the North and South pole, or the two frozen zones of the earth by reason of the sun's obscurity and distance. This City is to be on earth, because it lieth foursquare, East, West, North and South; It is walled about, and so bounded: the length is as the breadth, twelve thousand furlongs, which is fifteen hundred miles. The text saith, in it there shall be no need of the Sun. But the Text doth not say that it is not within the compass of the sun therefore on earth; For in heaven God's glorious kingdom, habitation and dwelling place is no Sun: and where there is no sun, there can be no East, West, North nor South; therefore this City cannot be meant nor understood to be heaven: but is meant and to be understood that such a City shall be on earth. Now the reason why these things of the devil's confinement or imprisonment for a thousand years; and the glorious new Jerusalem with all its glorious accommodations promised, are not believed by us Gentiles, is this; As the devil by his power in mortality deceived the Jews of the suffering coming of Jesus Christ for man's redemption, though promised and prophesied of by the only looking for Jesus Christ a conqueror, and King of Kings, according to the promises of a conquering Saviour by the devil's deceit, esteeesteeming his suffering redeemer's condition to be too mean a condition for the son of God: and so therefore did not believe him to be the Son of God: but upon the cross said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross, and then we will believe thee. And so the devil deceived the Jews, from their benefit of Jesus Christ, his redeeming condition. And so also the devil by his power in mortality goes about to deceive us Gentiles of Jesus Christ his glorious, conquering, Princely condition, by putting on this mask of infidelity upon us Gantiles, notwithstanding all the sure promises of God, that for Christ to come down out of heaven, and on earth to dwell in a walled city that is bounded, is too glorious a condition for man to behold, and for the earth to bear; and therefore through unbelief and the devil's deceit do scoffingly say, where is the promise of his coming. Expecting no other coming, but his coming to judgement: and so doth the devil go about to deceive us Gentiles of our benefit of Christ his glorious conquering reign and condition here on earth in that great and holy City new Jerusalem. Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet. Noah was drunk, Ham jeers at his father's nakedness, and threfore is cursed and deprived of all the precious promises made to Noah and his seed. Shem and Japhet were sorry and ashamed to see their father's nakedness: and therefore going backward, covered their father's nakedness, upon whom the promises of God to Noah were confirmed; notwithstanding the said confirmation of promises: inasmuch as the Devils original power in, and over mortality by Adam is not taken away, his deceit ceaseth not; for as he did deceive the Jews of Christ's suffering coming, so he laboureth to deceive us Gentiles of Christ his conquering coming, as he doth deceive the Heathen of both, who neither have had in the one, nor shall have in the other any more benefit than the bruit beasts; therefore saith John, without this City shall be dogs, murderers, whoremongers, adulterers & liars, into whom the Devil when he shall be let loose for a little season, shall again enter into under the name of Gog and Magog, to make them more wicked than ever they were before, according to that Text: Out of whom the devil is cast, and returns again: he carrieth with him seven worse spirits than the former, and so the latter end of that man is worse than the beginning: because they have no share or part in the book of life, nor in this holy City. Quest. When will the time of the coming of Christ be to reign on earth for 1000 years. Ans. That man that will declare more than God hath revealed, must be wiser than God made him; for saith the Text, If an angel from heaven teach any other doctrine then what is delivered, believe him not: and as is also said, If they will not believe the Law and the Prophets, neither will they believe if one should rise from the dead. The precise time God hath concealed, therefore no man can declare it. But so far as God hath revealed, and precedents of Scripture do make out, so far may a man suppose thus. Man was tempted by the devil to disobey God, whose disobedience God suffered from the ●en. 3. creation of Adam to Noah's flood, which was 1656. years. ●en. 5. 3. And as God waited with patience on Satan's deceived ones, 1656. years. In relation by comparison to that may be supposed 〈◊〉. 7. 6. that John doth declare the time of Christ his patience, and waiting on Satan the deceiver; for as God in vengeance did not destroy the old world, until he with patience had suffered their evil manners 1656. years. So may it be supposed that Christ will not destroy the power of Satan the deceiver, until with patience he hath waited, and borne and suffered in himself and members, Satan's evils, 1666. years from his own birth; for John saith, Here is wisdom; let him that hath understanding count the number of the Rev. 13. 18. beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. David in his days did number the days of a man to be 70. years, and John here to 66. years, because of the decay of nature; for it cannot be thought that man's life toward the end of the world, of which John treats, should be 666. but 66. may be, and also is commonly seen: by which supposition it may be gathered, that Christ with patience will wait and forbear Satan's evils ten years longer than God did bear with the old world. The one was 1656. years; and the other will be 1666. years, according to this collection. Christ will bear and suffer the evils of Satan, before he take vengeance on the devil, to destroy or confine his power for a thousand years until 1666. years from the birth of Jesus Christ, to deliver the whole mortality from the power of the devil, as Paul saith, The fervent desire of the creature waiteth when the Sons of God shall be revealed; Rom. 8. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. for the creatures earnestly desire the revelation of the time that the Sons of God shall be delivered, because the creature is subject to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him which hath subdved it under hope. The creature did not offend, it was the man, male and female, Adam that did offend: but the creature because it was created for man, must abide the curse with man; therefore the creatures also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; for we know that every creature groaneth with us also, and traveleth in pain together unto this present: and not only the creature, but we also which are the first fruits of the Spirit, even we do sigh in ourselves, and wait for the adoption, even for the redemption of our bodies, or an assurance of our parts in the blessed first resurrection, which shall bring us the redemption of our bodies, who are the adopted Sons of God in Jesus Christ; by which blessed first resurrection shall our bodies be delivered out of the devil's prison, the grave, and the body's hell, to God's Saints: against whom the devil had no further power, but to kill our bodies, and to imprison them in the mortal hell, the grave of earth, from whence our bodies came, and unto which we did expect they should return again for a time: and as the corn there lies in the earth, waiting with the husbandman; for the first fruits of the spirit, which is that blessed first resurrection of all that are dead in Christ, from Abel the first that died, and all others dead before, and the living then in the year of Christ, from the birth of Christ, 1666. shall be partakers of Jesus Christ his glorious reign for that 1000 years of the devil's confinement or imprisonment. That man is only and alone saved by the free favour or grace of God and Jesus Christ, and not at all by man, nor of any thing that man can do. THe grace of God is the favour of God: and the free grace of God is God's free favour. And that which is free, is complete and absolute of itself, and hath no partner nor partaker, neither is under any control: And so it was the free favour or grace of God which did arise or spring from the love of God in Jesus Christ, to choose some in the second Adam Jesus Christ, out of the Rom. 8. 29. Eph. 1. 4, 5. 11. All that was lost in the first Adam. For God who hath an all-seeing eye, did see, or foresee all men lost in the first Adam, before the world was, and that was before man was a living creature, and man was a living creature before he was a lost creature, and therefore God did before the world was, through his love in Jesus Christ and mere mercy towards poor lost man, predestinate by his power, elect or choose through his love, such as should be saved. God did predestinate by his power such as should be saved, by pulling of Predestination. poor lost man out of the snares and thraldom of Satan: by the perfect obedience and satisfactory sufferings of Jesus Christ for man's sins, who himself sinned not. And this was a free favour or grace of God to man, to give Christ his Son unto the death, to ransom sinful man from sin: because man in himself had nothing worthy to move God thereto: and therefore was it the free grace or favour Rom. 8. 32. of God. And as Paul saith, That God did give up Jesus Christ for us all to the death. Saith Christ, Father if it be possible, let this cup (of thy fury, wrath or indignation) pass from me: nevertheless not my, but thy will be done. And as Jesus Christ the son and second person in the Trinity is God, as well as God the Father and first person in the Trinity. So Jesus Christ as he was God, did give up himself to the death for sinners, because in them there was nothing worthy that could, or did move him thereunto: and therefore was it the free favour or grace of Jesus Christ to die for man's redemption: And that Christ did freely lay down his life a ransom for sinners; saith Christ (know this) that if I did not lay down my life freely, all the Devils in hell, and all the men on earth could not take it away from me.) For if I should pray unto my Father (for a rescue, because I am unjustly condemned) he would give or send me more than twelve legions of Angels. And so are all such as shall be saved by the free favour or grace of God, and of Jesus Christ, through the power of God in Jesus Christ predestinated unto salvation by the free grace and favour of God, and of Jesus Christ, and not by any thing at all in man; for if there could be any thing in man towards his own salvation. Then were not the salvation of man from the free grace and favour of God and Jesus Christ, if man had any share or part in his own salvation: but that the salvation of man is wholly and alone from the free grace and favour of God, and of Jesus Christ, is thus proved. God did predestinate, elect and choose man unto salvation before he was created; therefore man could have no share or part in his own salvation. God did elect and choose through his love in Jesus Christ before the world was, such as should be saved; as the Text saith, God so loved Election. Joh. 3. 16. the world, that he gave his only begotten son. God did not so love the world for any thing in the world that could, or did move God so to love the world: but as the Text saith, This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. So that God is well pleased with his elected chosen ones in Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ hath trod the winepress alone, by a sufficient suffering of the wrath of God, unto God's full satisfaction, and hath wrought out the perfect work of righteousness by his perfect obedience to all the commandments of God, and so is God through his love in Jesus Christ well pleased with his elected ones, who receive their salvation according to election from the free grace of God's love in Jesus Christ. Quest. If salvation be by the free grace of God, and nothing of man: Then wherefore doth God command duties, and promise rewards. Answ. God doth not command duties from man, because God doth need any thing that man can do; neither can man do any duty, until, or except first God work in man both the will and the deed to enable him thereby to do the duty which God commandeth: neither doth God promise a reward, because man doth deserve the reward for doing of the duty; for when man hath done all that he can, he is but an unprofitable servant, by which Text God is a Master, & may command what he please: and man is but a servant, and so doth but his duty in doing what God hath commanded; therefore man cannot deserve or merit the promised reward. For he that breaketh but one commandment, although he could keep or perform all that is commanded in all the rest but one, he is guilty of all: And so no man as he is of the seed of Adam, according to the lust of the flesh can possibly keep or perform all the commandments of God; therefore none of the seed of Adam, according to the lust of the flesh, can deserve or merit for doing of a duty, that reward which is promised for the duty. But inasmuch as God hath promised a reward for doing of a duty, the reward is a due reward to him that can do all the duties that God hath commanded, and to none else. And so no man but Jesus Christ only, and alone, ever did, or could keep & perform all the commandments of God; therefore none but only Jesus Christ could deserve or merit the reward promised for doing the duty commanded. And no man was, but Jesus Christ alone of the seed of Adam, and not according to the lust of the flesh. Therefore in the first place, that man in whom God doth work both the will and the deed, to enable him to will, and also to do a duty. And in the second place, that man whose duty is accepted of God in Jesus Christ In the third place, that man may by and for the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ, expect the promised reward, as Paul saith, have respect to the recompense of reward, because he looketh not for the promised reward in, and for his own, but in and for the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. As for example, Jesus Christ hath promised a Disciples reward to him that shall give a cup of cold water to a Mat. 10. 42. Disciple in the name of a Disciple. The duty commanded, is but a cup of cold water to be given. The party to whom the water is to be given, must be a Disciple, or child of God, that wanteth the same. Now he that will, or shall expect to receive the reward, must not think to receive it for the richness of the gift, neither because he hath done the duty; For neither of these, nor both these are of a valuable consideration, to deserve such a reward, because a Disciples reward is eternal life, as the Text saith, Master we have left all and followed thee, and what shall we have. Saith Jesus Christ, not only you, Mat. 19 27. 29. but also whosoever shall leave father, mother, wife, children, house or lands for my sake, shall receive in this world an hundred fold, and in the world to come life everlasting But he that for such a small duty as the giving of a cup of water, and for so small a value as a cup of water is of, must find out a more valuable consideration why he should receive such a great reward as Everlasting life, before he do receive the same: And that must be, if it be aright, thus, Jesus Christ is God, unto whom all power was given both in heaven and in earth. And thereby was Christ made able to perform whatsoever he should promise, both in this world, or the world to come. And Christ is God, in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen, as the Text saith, who hath found God a liar at any time? Now that man that will or shall expect such a great reward for so small a duty, and of so small a value, must do this; He must know that God hath wrought that will or good affection in him towards the poor members or little ones of Jesus Christ for to help them in their need. And he must likewise know, that although a cup of water be but of a small value or esteem, where there is enough; yet it is the gift of God to him, and that he himself doth receive the water from God, before he can give the water to another: and that he doth give the water to a child of God: because he esteems him to be a child of God, and that the love of Jesus Christ constraineth him to love the members of Jesus Christ. And when it is so given, then may a man expect that God will accept of the duty in and through Jesus Christ, and for his perfect obedience sake: who hath merited from God ability from God to perform whatsoever he hath promised. And so will make good all his promises, If the duty be done in Christ, and for Christ his sake, and the promised reward expected; not because the duty is done, nor for the things sake: but because Christ, who is an able and a faithful God, hath promised the same. Therefore man ought to yield obedience, and to do the duty commanded, and to expect the reward promised for these reasons. First, because God hath commanded the duty as a Master, man ought to yield obedience because he is a servant. Secondly, because God, (and not man himself) worketh both the will and the deed in man, to enable man to do the duty commanded. Thirdly, because God who maketh the promise, is able and faithful, and will keep Covenant. And fourthly, Because God in a God of Justice: and as the Text saith, will come in flaming fire, rendering vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our 2 Thes. 1. 8. Lord Jesus Christ: who requireth nothing of man towards his own salvation: but my son give me thy heart; or believe that thy salvation is by the free grace of God, and of Jesus Christ, as Jesus Christ said to the Jews; O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings, and ye would not. That is, how often would I have taken you into my protection out of the snares of the world, the devil and the flesh by my Gospel, to take you off of the rudiments of the ceremonial law, and have saved you by my precious blood and perfect obedience: and ye would not. Therefore thy destruction is of thyself O Israel, because I offered myself unto thee, and thou wouldst not receive me as the Text saith, He came unto his own, and his own received him not. FINIS.