all other Nations? There is then, in my opinion, Part 2. a Kingdom of God to be expected, and this Kingdom is that of the Meffiah, the Kingdom of the lews, The Reign of the Meffiah, which is not yet come; for to fpeak properly, we cannot fay that Chrift hath hitherto reigned upon Earth: His party as yet hath been in no place or part of the World the prevailing ruling Party; the wheat hath been always buried in the Tares; The Kingdom of the Jews, promised by the Prophets fo often, and in fo many different manners. And these two Kingdoms, that of the Meffiah, and that of the Jews, are to take place at the fame time. 'Tis true, we may compute the beginning of Chrift's Kingdom, from the fall of the Kingdom of Antichrift: and 'tis manifeft, that from that point God, will reckon the thousand years. Nevertheless the Kingdom of Chrift cannnot be well faid to be come, tilfall Na tions fhall be converted; now the Jews are not to be converted till the laft ofall People.

hath not

in a proper

Iofeph Mede hath a reflection thereupon, which J. Chrift I confefs I am pleased with. 'Tis but a Conjecture, yet reigned but I find it to be very well framed: 'Tis this, that upon earth the Converfion of St. Paul, a zealous and bigotted fenfe. Iew in the highest degree, is the Type of the future converfion of the whole Nation." i. He was a great zealot for the Law, and a furious Perfecu tor of Chriftianity. The Iews are also very zealous for Mofes, and irreconcileable enemies to Iefus Chrift. 2. Paul was converted, not as other men, The conby the bare preaching of the Gospel, and the fight of s. Pauls a Miracles, but by the glorious appearing of Christ type of that to him from Heaven. Tis likewife very proba-ish nation. ble, that the Converfion of the Iews will not be in an ordinary way, as by preaching; for the Hearts of that People are under an invincible obdu

racy,

verfion of,

of the Jew

Chap. 17. Part 2. racy. So that 'tis likely that Chrift will convert them by fome glorious and furprizing apparition, and will appear clothed with thofe Characters the Prophets have given him, that they may no longer be able to difown and refuse him. 3. Those who accompanied St. Paul faw indeed the Light, but Chrift did not appear to them: the Gentiles and Christians, who fhall then be, may have fome part in that glorious Apparition, but it may be fhall not fee it all. 4. Paul was inftructed by way of infpiration in all Mysteries, affoon as Iefus Chrift had appear'd to him. The Iews fhall have their minds inlightned, and the vail which is now on their hearts fhall be taken away; and on a fudden fhall fee clearly into the Oracles of their Law and Prophets. 5. St. Paul was the last of the Apostles who was converted: the Jews will be called the last of all People. 6. Paul after Converfion was the moft zealous of any: the lews when converted fhall be the most affectionate and zealous of all Chriftians. 7. St. Paul converted, becomes an Apostle, and the inftrument of the converfion of the Gentiles: the converted lews fhall compleat the converfion of the moft remote Pagan Nations; in the utmoft corners ofthe World.

This doubtlefs is that admirable return of the lews, and their advancement to the Soveraign dignity of the Church, which Ezekiel reprefents in the 37. Chapter of his Prophecies, under the Image of a Refurrection. This alfo is that which St. Paul calls Life from the Dead. Ezekiel faw a large Valley covered with dead Bones. Thefe dead Bones are the Houfe of Ifrael, faith the Holy Spirit. They came together, and finews and flefh Came upon them, and the Spirit of the Lord entred into them. The Prophet fpeaks farther, in

the

the following Chapters of the Victories this re- Part 2. newed Ifrael fhould obtain over Gog and Magog, the Enemies of the Church. After which in the nine laft Chapters, he makes a figurative defcripti on of this Kingdom of the Jews, and of the Meffiah, and of the Church perfected upon Earth, under the Emblem of a magnifick Temple, whereof he defcribes the Parts, the Apartments, and feveral Buildings, the Altar, Priefts, Victims, the Land of their poffeffion, and a new divifion of it. This in my opinion is the mystery of the nine laft Chapters of Ezekiel, which have appeared fo un- Chap. 45intelligible to moft Interpreters. I conclude this Chapter, by faying, that the Papifm makes it hereby plain, that it is the true Kingdom of Antichrift, by their cruel perfecution of the Iews.

That Mystery of iniquity comprehends nothing of the Mystery of Godliness, and fees not that God hath referved that Nation; to manifeft in them his greatesft wonders, and confequently that they ought not to be deftroyed by flames, as in Spain, and in thofe Countries where the inquifition is in force.

CHAP.

Part 2.

The most ancient Oracles are

not per

filled.

CHA P. XVIII.

1

The third Head of Arguments for the future
Kingdom of Chrift and the Church. So many
Prophecies which concern the compleat Victo-
ries of Jefus Chrift
Christ, the Holiness of the
Church, and its perfect profperity, which
have never yet been accomplisht.

Y third Head of Arguments,
Mwe
Arguments, to fhow, that
we are to expect a Kingdom of Christ upon
Earth, are the Prophecies not yet accomplisht,"
and which cannot be fulfilled, unless fucha King-
dom do cóme. This would be a large fubject, and
yield matter for several books, and those good
ones too, whereby the World might be informed
of several things they know not. But this Book is
larger already then I would have had it. I fhall
therefore content my felf briefly to fhow, and en-
deavour to perfwade, that there must be a Time
which we have not yet feen, for the fulfilling of
feveral Prophecies, which were delivered on pur-
pofe to defcribe the Kingdom of our Lord Iefus, and
give us the Characters of it.

The most ancient and most remarkable of all the facred Oracles is that, which God himself pronounc't to Adam, The feed of he Woman shall fectly tul- bruife the Serpents head, and the shall bruife his heel. "Tis agreed that the Head fignifies Empire and Power. So that Prophecy imports the victory of Chrift and his Children over the Kingdom of the Devil, and that they fhall destroy it. Now this is a promise not yet accomplisht in the Hiftory of

the

T

the Church; we have no age wherein it could be faid, Part 2 that the Kingdom of Chrift prevailed over that of Satan. It is an obfervation we cannot mind too much that we must carefully distinguish here between Life, and Kingdom or Reign. Life figniLes existence, but Reign imports actual Domination and Rule. Iefus Chrift, 'tis true, in every age hath had a party fubfifting in the World, and in that refpect hath been victorious over all the attempts of Satan, whofe end was to destroy him: and 'tis fome kind of victory over an Adverfary, to prevent him from attaining his end; but this can never be called a full and compleat Victory. It is neceffary to that, to be the predominant prevailing Party, whereas that of Iefus Chrift hath alway been oppreft, either by Paganism, or by Makometanifm, or by Antichriftianifm. Such a time therefore is to be expected, wherein the party true Christianity fhall prevail over and utterly. extinguish the Empire and Kingdom of the Devil.

of

the earth

fed in

The Second Prophecy is that which was given All the na to Abraham, In thy feed shall all the Nations of the tions of Earth be bleft: which fignifies, that the righteousness have not of Chrift, fhall fpread it felfover all Nations; to the been bleffame fenfe is that other Prophecy Shiloh fhall Chrift. come, and to him shall the gathering of the People 49 Gen. belong. 'Tis true, almost all Nations have been. invited to the knowledge of God: many have. been actually brought to it; but many have not, "yet been called, much lefs converted. And among thofe Nations which have been converted, the. Bad hath fo far exceeded the good, that it can not be truly faid, that the multitude of the People belong to Chrift. Nevertheless, I am confident that shall come to pafs, and that the number