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fo as every Sinner is to be filenced in his Reafonings, or convinced, which muft require much

time.

Secondly, this is the time in which Jesus Christ is to Triumph and Lord it over all reasonable Creatures, to be worshipped and acknowledged by every one in Heaven, Earth, and under the Earth.

Thirdly, the Solemnity of it were to little Purpose if it were not to laft long; as we deride great Preparations and Pomp for a fhort Show.

Laftly, every Act of reafonable Creatures being immortal, fhall not only abide for ever in Heaven or Hell, but be revived and brought forth in that Day before all the World; and all these Acts from Adam to the laft of Mankind, fhall be orderly and clearly proceeded in by Books as in a Court of Juftice.

When all this is done, and the final Sentence pronounced upon all Creatures, both bleffed and curfed, then will Chrift refign his Kingdom to the Father, and this World together with his Kingdom fhall end.

For the Beginning of this Monarchy of Chrift; it must be fet up (faith he) the laft in the World, after the other Four are paffed, whereof the Roman is the laft; that being divided into the Eastern and Weftern Monarchy; and out of the Western ten Horns, or Kingdoms arifing, and among them another little Horn moft Blafphemous, which is the Papacy; when thefe ten Kingdoms, and the Papacy fhall be put to an end, then is the Beginning of his Kingdom of Chrift, which (faith he, by comparing of Daniel with the Revelation) fhall be Anno 1666, the Number of the Beast (only the thousand (because it comes feldom) left out.)

Three Years and an half before this 1666, the Papal-Power fhall have Support in Europe; all the

ten

Ten Kingdoms apoftatizing to Popery, and yet One of them fhall return to the Truth.

In the Years of Chrift 1650, or 1656, the Ifraelites are to be delivered by being called to Chrif tianity, both Jews which were two Tribes, and the ten Tribes of Ifrael; both which fhall, after their Conversion for forty five Years after, fuffer great Trouble from Mahometans, Heathens, Papifts. Upon all which Computations it is likely (faith he) that Chrift's coming from Heaven, and the raifing the Dead, and beginning his Kingdom, and the thousand Years will be about the Year of our Lord 1700; for it is to be about forty five. Years after 1650, or 1656.

Now it being found out when Chrift's Kingdom, or the thoufand Years fhall begin, it is eafy (he faith) to guefs when the time of the last general Judgment, and the World's end fhall be; which neither Angels nor Chrift himfelf as Man, did in thofe Days, when the Difciples asked the Question, know, for it was locked up in the Father's Secrets. But after Chrift's Sufferings, and Afcenfion, all the Father's Secrets were revealed to him, for he was worthy, and he reveals them to the Churches by John; opening the meaning of Daniel's time, times, and half a time, (which no Creature could expound) to be 42 Months, or 1260 Days. He tells us exprefly that his Kingdom fhould laft after it was fully fettled a thoufand Years, and then should be a little Disturbance; fo as we have fome Comfort that there is Hope the Troubles of us GentileChriftians fhall ceafe about 666; but till thofe Days we are like to fee fad times, for it is to be feared that Popery fhall again over-run Europe, and bring back under Papal Power every King in Europe, and fupprefs all their Oppofers in every Kingdom; by this Revolting of the Kingdoms to Popery, it

comes

comes that the Witneffes are flain, and lie dead in the Streets; but before Antichrift can have time to triumph four Years, the Witneffes fhall be raised up, and one of the ten Kingdoms fall off from him and ruin the City of Rome. But yet the Papacy fhall breathe and by degrees get head and join with Turk, Tartar, and the Chriftians in Europe; but from this Danger will Chrift fave all Chriftians by his coming, and fetting up of his Kingdom.

Thus I have faithfully related the Opinion, and fummarily contracted Mr. Archer's whole Difcourfe.

I shall firft obferve; That which is the general Fault, not only of this Author, but of all others that look towards the Millenary-Way, and which is indeed the main Ground of all their Heterodoxy in this Point, that they put a merely-literal Conftruction upon the Prophecies and Promises of Scripture, which the Holy Ghoft intended only to be fpiritually understood; hence it is, that those frequent Predictions, which we meet in every Page of the Prophets, concerning the Kingdom of Chrift, the re-edifying of the Jewish Cities, the Pomp and Magnificence of restored Ifrael, their large Privileges and marvelous Atchievements, are altogether drawn to a grofs, corporal, and fyllabical Senfe ; which the Judgment of the whole Chriftian Church, feconded by the Event, hath upon good Grounds ever conftructed not of the Letter, but the Spirit. I remember fome thirty Years, or more, ago, a learned Gentleman, an eminent Serjeant at Law, a Man very skilful in the holy Tongue, and that profeffed no lefs Acquaintance with the Laws of God, than of Man, published a large Volume concerning, not the imminent Conversion only, but allo the Royal State of the Jews, their abfolute, and univerfal Monarchy, their awful Sovereignty

over

over all the Kings of the Earth, the Glory of their Empire, the Splendor of their Court and Cities, gathering up to this Purpose, all the glorious Promifes, which occur every where in the Prophets; at the Sight whereof that deeply-judicious King James, of precious Memory, was highly offended, and after the perufal of fome offenfive Paffages, commanded me, then attending him, to carry the Book to the Synod at Wefiminfter then Sitting, for their Cenfure; who upon a ferious Examination, with much Zeal unanimously fentenced it to a speedy Suppreffion, as that which did hærere in cortice, and favoured too ftrong of the Flesh; as being too fervilely addicted to the Letter. And now, thofe very Texts, whofe mifunderstanding hath hitherto led the Jews into a Fool's Paradife by expecting an earthly Glory, are no lefs confidently taken up by the Favourers of this Opinion, as the main Ground of their Defence; for Inftance, the Lord by his Prophet Zachariah hath faid; The Lord fhall inherit Judah his Portion in the holy Land: and shall choose Ferufalem again, fing and rejoice, O Daughter of Sion, for lo I come, and will dwell in the midst of thee, faith the Lord. This is by the Author of Sion's Joy applied to that repaired and happy Eftate of the City of Jerufalem at this fecond coming of Chrift in Glory; whereas the Prophet only foretels the Reftauration of that City and Country after their then prefent Captivity, and under that Figure defcribes the comfortable Condition of the Evangeli. cal Church: So again by the Prophet Ifaiah, God faith; I will bring forth a Seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an Inheritance of my Mountain, and mine Elect fball inherit it; and my Servants fall dwell there. This the fame Author cites in a literal way to make good the Re-fettlement of the Jews in that ancient City of their Inheritance; why doth he

not

not as well add that which followeth; And Sharon Shall be a Field of Flocks, and the Valley of Achor a Place for the Herds to lie down in; but ye are they that forfake the Lord, that forget my holy Mountain: Surely if one of them be applicable to the new Jerufalem, the other must be so alfo: The Truth is, thefe Prophecies have their Reference either to God's merciful Dealing with Jerufalem upon their Return from their Babylonifh Captivity; or by an unusual Allegory, exprefs his gracious Purpose to the Church under the Gospel, without any respect at all to an earthly Re-establishment of the Jewish Nation in their long-fince forgotten Poffeffions: It were as eafy as tedious to pass thro' all thofe Scriptures which are wont to be alledged in this Cafe; whereof I dare fay there is scarce any one, whofe either Words or Conrext do not evidently bewray their mis-application; or, if that did not, yet the Event would; for as much as the time is now at hand, wherein these Promises of the general Call, and outward Magnificence of thefe ancient People of God, should according to the Conftruction of our new Chiliafts be either well forward or accomplished (as we shall fee in the Sequel) whereas there is not yet the leaft Motion towards it in all the World.

Befides fome of their mif-conftrued Texts will neceffarily cross the way of us, upon occafion of the feveral Paffages which we are about to exa

mine. "

Of Paradoxes let it be the first but not the least, that Chrift the Son of God now glorified fhall come and perfonally fet up, and adminifter a Monarchical State of a Kingdom here upon Earth in a visible and worldly Manner, for Splendor, Riches, Peace, &c.

I thought we had heard him fay, My Kingdom is not of this World; now, to what World do Riches

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