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'bath, the Seventh Day sanctified, and restoring ' to Abraham the Promise of his Inheritance. Thus

Ireneus.

What wonderful Things hath Tertullian exprefsed concerning this blessed Kingdom? who flourished about the Year 181. Take his own Words.

For, we alfo confefs, that a Kingdom again is ' promifed us on Earth, but before that in Heaven, ' and in another State; to wit, after the Refur'rection, for a thousand Years, in the City of Di• vine Workmanship; Ferufalem brought down from 'Heaven: Which the Apostle also Points out to be

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our Mother above. And pronouncing our foliteuma, that is our Traffick to be in Heaven, ' doth indeed assign the fame to fome heavenly City; and this Ezekiel knew, and the Apoftle John faw. This we say was provided of God, 'for the receiving of the Saints at the Refurrection, and the refreshing of them, with all spiritual good Things, in Recompence of those Things ' which in the World we either despised, or loft; ' for it is both just and well beseeming the Lord, ' that there also his Servants should triumph, ' where they have been afflicted for his Name. This is the Manner of the Heavenly Kingdom 'After the thousand Years, whereof withi ' is included the Refurrection of

'fing fooner or later, acc ' then also the Destructio

'Burning of the Day

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we being in a Mor

• Substance (to wit

ing upon) shal

Kingdom. T

To mention but one more; it is worth our Confideration, in obferving what is expreffed in that general Catechism made by the great Martyr Reformers, in King Edward VI. time, to be ufed throughout the Nation, at leaft by all the Latin Scholars, and should now be fo decried by this prefent Generation, who so much efteemed that Time of Reformation, is a Thing to be wonder'd a犹 But to give a few Hints.

Queft. How is God's Name fanctified? Avv. ' I will tell thee. Then is this done, when omiting all those who borrow the Name of God, whe ther in Heaven, or in Earth, and we pray to the true God, and his Son Jefus Chrift, &c. Thou 'haft well faid: Go on I pray thee. In the fe'cond Place, we pray thy Kingdom come. For as

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yet we fee not all Things subject to Chrift. We 'see not yet how the Stone is cut out of the Moun'tain without human Help, which breaks small, and reduceth to nothing that Image, defcribed by Daniel. How the Rock only, which is Chrif possess and obtain the Empire of the who given him by his Father. Anti whence it comes to pats,

ch

yet

tion, Mutability, and Sin, to which this World “is fubject, should at last cease. Therefore I de' fire to hear of thee, which Way, and by what • Manner of Circumftances, those Things may te * done? I will tell thee as I am able, from the • Witness of the fame Apoftle; the Heavens shall • pass away like a Tempest, &c. as if he should • say, the World (as we fee in refining of Gold) • shall be wholly purged with Fire, and brought to * its ultimate Perfection; which greater World ' the little World Man imitating, shall be deliver'd * from Corruption and Mutation.

'For Man's fake therefore, for whose Cause * this greater World was first created, being at ' length made new, shall put a far more pleafant < and fair Face and Countenance.' Thus the Catechism which directly speaks the true Millenary Opinion in the Ears of all that understand the Language of that Tenet.

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Well then, having such a Cloud of Teftimonies both from the Word of God, and the Opinions of learned and good Men, from the Time of the Apostles unto this very Day, (tho' I have mentioned here but a few) who have bore. Witness to this Doctrine of the Kingdom: What reasonable Objection doth their remain, againft such a glorious State and Time to be in this World? Surely there doth none appear, that hath any Weight in them.

The most common Objection which I hear of is this; What do you think (Say some) that Chrift will come down from Heaven, and leave that Glory which he is now in the Poffeffion of, to live again upon this Earth? Surely this will be below the State of his Exaltation, or a Derogation, and an Eclipfing of his Glory. Will it not be much ore for the Enhansing of the Glory of Chrift, and

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the Saints too, for to reign with Chrift in Heaven, tlan to come down from thence to reign with him of the Earth? I know that this seems to have a great found in the Ears of many.

But what is there of Weight in all this? If it be the Will of Jehovah that so it shall be; (as it hath been proved, in the following Discourse from many Texts of Scriptures;) then this with all the Objections, that by Men, can be made against it, will flee away as the Chaff of the Summer threshing Floor before the Wind. Besides, what Weakness is it. to say, or think, that Chrift's Coming from Heaven to reign upon Earth, will be a Leffening of his Glory? I would fain know of such, what is it that makes any Place to be Heaven? Sure this can be no other than the Display, Manifestation, or the Eradiation of the Eternal Deity, or God going forth and manifefting of himself in a Way of Mercy, Love, and Favour? It is nothing less than the Fruition and Enjoyment of the Divine Prefence, that can make Heaven. Was God to go forth in a Way of Mercy, and display his glorious Grace, in the Manifeftation of his divine Prefence, unto the damned; fure it would make that Place which we call Hell, to be no less than Heaven? Well then feeing it is the glorious Presence of God in his love, shining through the Mediator, that makes Heaven; wherein then can the Lord Jesus Chrift's Coming from Heaven, to reign upon the Earth, be a Lessening of his, or the Saints Glory? It is a common Expression among us, That where the King is there is the Court; fure I am, that where Chrift is (in his Personal Glory) there is Heaven. Heaven is in him, he is a Heaven of Eternal Glory to himself, his Presence makes Heaven; the Lord Fe

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