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the night visions; and behold one like the Sonne of man came with
the clouds of heaven; and came to the antient of dayes; and they
brought him near before him; and there was given him Dominion;
and Glory; and a Kingdome; that all People; Nations; and
Languages should serve him; his Dominion is an everlasting
Dominion; &c。 Dan。 7。 vers。 13; 14。 Hagga; Yet once it is a
little while; and I will shake the Heaven; and the Earth; and the
Sea; and the drye Land; and I will shake all Nations; and the
desire of all Nations shall come; Hagga 2。 v。 8。 Zachariah; Under
the type of Joshuah the High Priest: I will bring forth my
servant the Branch; &c。 Zach。 3。 v。 8。 And again; Behold the man
whose name is the Branch; Zach。 6。 v。 12。 And again; Rejoyce
greatly O Daughter of Sion; Shout O Daughter of Jerusalem; behold
thy King cometh to thee; he is just; having salvation; Zach。 9。
v。 9。 The Jewes moved by these; and other Prophesies; expected
Christ their King to be sent from God; who should redeem them;
and furthermore bear rule over all Nations。 Yea this Prophesie
had spread over the whole Roman Empire (which Vespasian too;
though falsly; interpreted in favour of his own enterprises) That
out of Judea should come he that should have dominion。
II。 Now the Prophesies of Christs Humility and Passion;
amongst others are these。 Isa 53。 v。 4 He hath born our griefes;
and carried our sorrowes; yet we did esteem him stricken; smitten
of God; & afflicted; and by and by; He was oPpressed; he was
afflicted; yet he opened not his mouth; He is brought as a Lamb
to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her Shearer is dumb; so
opened he not his mouth; &c。 vers。 7。 And again; He was cut out
of the Land of the living;for the transgression of my People was
he stricken; &c。 vers。 8。 Therefore will I divide him a portion
with the great; and he shall divide the spoyle with the strong;
because he hath poured out his soule unto death; and he was
numbred with the transgressours; and he bare the sinne of many;
and made intercession for the transgressours; vers。 12。 And that
of Zachary; He is lowly; riding upon an Asse; and upon a Colt the
foale of an Asse。 Zach。 9。 vers。 9。
III。 In the reign of Tiberius Cesar; JESUS our Saviour a
Galilaean began to preach; the sonne (as was supposed) of Joseph;
declaring to the people of the Jewes; that the Kingdome of God
expected by them; was now come; and that himselfe was a King;
that is to say; THE CHRIST: Explaining the Law; choosing twelve
Apostles; and seventy Disciples; after the number of the Princes
of the Tribes; and seventy Elders (according to the pattern of
Moyses) to the Ministry; teaching the way of salvation by
himselfe and them; purging the Temple; doing great signes; and
fulfilling all those things which the Prophets had foretold of
Christ to come。 That this man; hated of the Pharisees; (whose
false doctrine and hypocriticall sanctity he had reproved) and by
their means; of the People accused of unlawfull seeking for the
Kingdome; and crucified; was the true CHRIST; and King promised
by God; and sent from his father to renew the new Covenant
between them and God; both the Evangelists doe shew (describing
his Genealogie; nativity; life; doctrine; death; and
resurrection) and by comparing the things which he did; with
those which were foretold of him; all Christians doe consent to。
IV。 Now from this; That CHRIST was sent from God his Father
to make a Covenant between him and the people; it is manifest;
that though Christ were equall to his Father according to his
nature; yet was he inferior according to the Right of the
Kingdom; for this office to speak properly; was not that of a
King; but of a Vice…roy; such as Moyses his Government was。 For
the Kingdom was not his; but his Fathers; which CHRIST himselfe
signified when he was baptized as a subject; and openly profest;
when he taught his Disciples to pray; Our Father; Thy Kingdome
come; &c。 And when he said; I will not drink of the blood of the
grape; untill that day when I shall drink it new with you in the
Kingdome of my Father; Mat。 26。 vers。 29。 And Saint Paul。 As in
Adam all die; so in Christ shall all be made alive; but every man
in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterward they that
are Christs; who beleeved in his coming; Then cometh the end when
he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God even his Father;
&c。 1。 Cor。 15。 vers。 22; 23; 24。 The same notwithstanding is
also called the Kingdome of Christ: for both the Mother of the
sonnes of Zebedie petitioned Christ; saying; Grant that these my
two sonnes may sit; the one on thy right hand; the other on thy
left; in thy Kingdome; Mat。 20。 vers。 21。 And the Theef on the
Cross; Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom; Luke
23。 vers。 42。 And Saint Paul; For this know yee; that no
whormonger; &c。 shall enter into the Kingdome of God; and of
Christ; Ephes。 5。 ver。 5。 And elsewhere; I charge thee before
God; and the Lord Iesus Christ; who shall judge the quick and
dead at his appearing; and his Kingdome; & c。 2 Tim。 4。 ver。 1。
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evill worke; and will
Preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdome; ver。 18。 Nor is it to be
marvelled at; that the same Kingdome is attributed to them both;
since both the Father; and the Son; are the same God; and the new
Covenant concerning Gods Kingdome; is not propounded in the Name
of the FATHER; but in the name of the FATHER; of the SON; and of
the HOLY…GHOST; as of one God。
V。 But the Kingdome of God; for restitution whereof CHRIST
was sent from God his Father; takes not its beginning before his
second comming; to wit; from the day of Judgement; when he shall
come in Majesty accompanied with his Angels: For it is promis'd
the Apostles; that in the Kingdome of God; they shall judge the
twelve tribes of Israel。 Ye which have followed me in the
regeneration; when the Sonne of man shall sit in the Throne of
his glory; ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel; Mat。 19。 ver。 28。 which is not to be
done till the day of judgement; CHRIST therefore is not yet in
the throne of his Majesty; nor is that time when CHRIST was
conversant here in the world call'd a Kingdome; but a
regeneration; that is to say a renovation; or restitution of the
Kingdome of God; and a calling of them who were hereafter to be
receiv'd into his Kingdome; And where it is said; When the Son of
man shall come in his glory; and all the holy Angels with him;
then shall he sit uPon the throne of his glory; and before him
shall be gathered all Nations; and he shall seParate them one
from another; as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goates;
Mat。 25。 ver。 31。 we may manifestly gather; that there will be no
Locall separation of Gods Subjects from his Enemies; but that
they shall live mixt together untill CHRISTS second comming。
Which is also confirm'd by the comparison of the Kingdome of
heaven; with wheat mingled with Darnell; and with a net
containing all sorts of fish。 But a multitude of men; Enemies and
Subjects; living promiscuously together; cannot properly be
term'd a Kingdome。 Besides; the Apostles; wh