Annotation, It is of great moment, for the understanding of this Chapter, and much of Christs Gospel, to know the true meaning of Christs Kingdom, and his Coming. Tho oft he spake directly of his last coming to Judgment; yet ordinarily this seemeth his meaning. His Kingdom is that Reign in Heaven on Earth at once which he was to exercise as the Messiah, or God Incarnate, having Redeemed lost Man. The little poor Nation of Israelites were his peculiar People before: Upon his Ascension, the Gentile World was to be Called, and a Catholic Church gathered over the Earth, in a more excellent covenant of peculiarity; and this Catholic Church, is the Kingdom of the Messiah: His coming, is not his sending his Enemies to destroy Jerusalem; nor yet his Visible Appearance in Person, (till Judgment,) but his setting up this his Kingdom: his coming to Reign, that is, to Erect this Catholic Church: This is plainly expounded, in Luke 17.20, 21, 23. The Pharisees demanded, when the Kingdom of God should come? He told them, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, or outward show, (by personal visible Appearance of the King, in Pomp and Splendour with a Court, as Monarchs rule) nor shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there; (No Head, King, or Court shall be Visible:) for behold, the Kingdom of God is in you, (or among you:) It is a Spiritual Reign in Souls, and in the Church; of which you have already some beginnings. 24. For as the Lightning that Lighteneth out of one part under the Heaven, shineth to the other part under Heaven; So shall also the Son of man be in his Day: but first he must suffer and be rejected of this Generation, &c. that is, when he hath Suffered, and been Rejected, he will Rise, Ascend, and from Heaven send his Spirit and Word to enlighten the World from East to West, and call a Catholic Church amongst the Gentiles, and this is his Kingdom and Reign; And this Generation shall not pass, till this Catholic Church be thus gathered, though not perfected: What else can be meant by Christs many Parables, that the Kingdom of God, is like a grain of Mustard Seed. A little Leaven hid in Meal. A Field sown, that after had Tares. A Net cast into the Sea, &c. When the Catholic Church was made, Christs Kingdom came, and when his Kingdom came, he came as King to Govern it, by his Spirit, Word, and Ministers, Matth, 21.43.
Annotation, It is of great moment, for the understanding of this Chapter, and much of Christs Gospel, to know the true meaning of Christs Kingdom, and his Coming. Tho oft he spake directly of his last coming to Judgment; yet ordinarily this seemeth his meaning. His Kingdom is that Reign in Heaven on Earth at once which he was to exercise as the Messiah, or God Incarnate, having Redeemed lost Man. The little poor Nation of Israelites were his peculiar People before: Upon his Ascension, the Gentile World was to be Called, and a Catholick Church gathered over the Earth, in a more excellent covenant of peculiarity; and this Catholick Church, is the Kingdom of the Messiah: His coming, is not his sending his Enemies to destroy Jerusalem; nor yet his Visible Appearance in Person, (till Judgment,) but his setting up this his Kingdom: his coming to Reign, that is, to Erect this Catholick Church: This is plainly expounded, in Luke 17.20, 21, 23. The Pharisees demanded, when the Kingdom of God should come? He told them, The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation, or outward shew, (by personal visible Appearance of the King, in Pomp and Splendor with a Court, as Monarchs rule) nor shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there; (No Head, King, or Court shall be Visible:) for behold, the Kingdom of God is in you, (or among you:) It is a Spiritual Reign in Souls, and in the Church; of which you have already some beginnings. 24. For as the Lightning that Lightneth out of one part under the Heaven, shineth to the other part under Heaven; So shall also the Son of man be in his Day: but first he must suffer and be rejected of this Generation, &c. that is, when he hath Suffered, and been Rejected, he will Rise, Ascend, and from Heaven send his Spirit and Word to enlighten the World from East to West, and call a Catholick Church amongst the Gentiles, and this is his Kingdom and Reign; And this Generation shall not pass, till this Catholick Church be thus gathered, though not perfected: What else can be meant by Christs many Parables, that the Kingdom of God, is like a grain of Mustard Seed. A little Leaven hid in Meal. A Field sown, that after had Tares. A Net cast inro the Sea, &c. When the Catholick Church was made, Christs Kingdom came, and when his Kingdom came, he came as King to Govern it, by his Spirit, Word, and Ministers, Matth, 21.43.
