Truth it self Therefore beware of them Secondly This Doctrine should humble all such as are enemies to Christs spiritual personal Kingdom in this world and will not submit unto it nor suffer him to reign over them by his Word and Spirit Surely such persons without repentance and without a pardon shall suffer for it when Christ shall come into his personal humane Kingdom And so much we may gather from the Prophets commination in Psal 2. For there he tells us of some that did rage and imagine a vain thing and band themselves together not onely against the Lord and against his Christ but also against the Laws of his spiritual Kingdom saying Let us break their bands in sunder and cast away their cords from us Vers 1 2 3. And shews withall how Christ shall deal with such unless they repent in his personal humane Kingdom viz. how he shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Vers 9. Yea our Saviour himself sheweth us how he will punish men in his personal humane Kingdom if they will not submit unto him in his personal spiritual Kingdom when he saith But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Luk. 19. 27. Be humbled therefore for this offence which is a great offence Thirdly This Doctrine should exhort and perswade all that are called Christians unto sundry duties As 1. To talk and confer much about this Kingdom of Christ that so they may rightly understand the doctrine nature and state hereof for it is said of Gods Saints That they shall speak of the glory of his Kingdom and talk of his power to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his Kingdom Psal 145. 11 12. And we should be like unto such in doing the like 2. To honor Christ as our everlasting King For God would have all men to honour the Son as they honor the Father And seeing he is and shall be our King for ever we can do no less then honor him and we should honor him so as 1. To harken to the Doctrine of his Kingdom Harken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear Psal 45. 10. 2. To prefer him in our esteem before all the sons of men as the Prophet saith to the Church in reference to this Kingdom of his Forget also thine own people and thy fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty Psal 45. 10 11. 3. To repent of our sins and offences For the Prophet having spoken of his Kingdom doth thereupon exhort to repentance saying Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Judges of the Earth Psal 2. 10. As if he had said Be wise to eschew evil and be learned to do good In which two things consisteth the practice of true repentance 4. To worship him with Fear As it is said in relation to Christ He is thy Lord God worship thou him Psal 45. 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal 2. 11. Who shall not fear thee O Lord Rev. 15. 4. 5. To submit to his Government in this life And this is in the Prophets phrase To kiss the Son lest he be angry and we perish Psal 2. 12. 6. To beleeve and trust in him for all good things promised And upon this occasion the Prophet saith Blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2. 12. 7. To be diligent in our general and particular Callings that we may become profitable servants in them For when Christ shall come into this Kingdom of his he shall plentifully reward his diligent and profitable servants and shall say unto one Be thou Ruler over ten Cities and to another Be thou Ruler over five Cities Luk. 19. 17 19. 8. To be patient in our Tribulations especially in such as we shall suffer for Christs sake For if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 2. 12. 9. To make our Calling and Election sure unto our selves For so an enterance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Cheist 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Lastly All good Christians should rejoyce and be glad when they hear and read of this Kingdom of Christ Yea we should never think that we have well meditated and throughly considered of this subject until the meditation thereof shall rejoyce our spirirs And for this end and purpose we shall finde in many places of Scripture where this Kingdom is spoken of that we are called upon to rejoyce As Rejoyce with trembling Psal 2. 11. Let the Heavens rejoyce and let the Earth be glad Let the field be joyful before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judg the world in righteousness Psal 96. 11 12 13. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King let them praise his name in the dance let them sing praises unto him with the Timbrel and Harp Psa 149. 2 3. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth let us rejoyce and be glad and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready Rev. 19. 6 7. SECT IX Touching the different condition of good and evil Angels in the World to come HAving spoken of the Kingdom of Christ in the World to come I shall here in the next place say somewhat of the different condition of good and evil Angels in the World to come Yet I desire not to say much of this subject I had rather leave it to others who have better learn'd the art of amplification And some can better lay a foundation then build thereupon as others can better build then lay the foundation Onely I shall express briâ—fly what I have warrant from the Word of God to beleeve concerning the condition of both sorts of Angels As Concerning good Angels I beleeve 1. That they shall all attend upon Christ at his Coming from Heaven into the World to come For it is aid plainly The Son of man shall come in his glory and aâ—â— the holy Angels with him Matt. 25. 30. And again The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 2 Thess 1. vers 7. 2. That they shall be serviceable to Christ about the last Judgment For it is said That he shall send his Angels that is his good Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other Matt. 24. 31. And that his Angels viz. his good Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into a furnace of fire c. Matth. 13. 49 50. 3. That they shall have a constant intercourse or passage between the third Heaven and the World to come as royal Messengers or Embassadors
Vers 6. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of tby hands Psal 19. 1. The Firmament sheweth his handy work Psal 102. 25. Of old hast thou laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands Isai 48. 13. My hand hath laid the Foundation of the Earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens Thus all created Substances were made with hands and consequently that which was not made with hands was uncreated Now we read of the third Heaven that it was not made with hands Heb. 9. 11. and that when Christ entered into it he entered into the holy Places not made with hands Heb. 9. 24. Where the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly distinguisheth the third Heaven not only from the Tabernacle in Moses time which was made with mens hands but also from the whole created world which was made with Gods hands not denying the whole Creation to be the work of his hands but saith of the third Heaven That it was not made with hands and if it were not made with hands then surely it was uncreated Agreeable hereunto is that other place 2 Cor. 5. 1. If our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Where the Apostle shews that the Souls of the faithful after their separation from the body shall have an house not made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with hands plainly distinguishing the Souls heavenly house from its bodily or earthly house And as he denies not its bodily house to be made with hands nor could have denyed it because God made it of the dust of the ground Gen. 2. So he affirms that its heavenly house was not made with hands and if it were not made with hands then it was uncreated and if it were uncreated then it must needs follow that the third Heaven also was uncreated Secondly I take this for a ground That which 2 Argument was from everlasting and without beginning was never created which Proposition as I suppose will not be denyed because it is acknowledged on all sides That whatsoever had a beginning and was not from everlasting was created Gen. 1. 1. and whatsoever had not a beginning but was from everlasting was not created Now I assume That the highest Heaven commonly called the third Heaven was from everlasting and without beginning and I am moved to think so for these Reasons 1. God himself was from everlasting and without beginning as it is written Psal 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God And we read in Scripture of Gods Glory before the world was Joh. 17. 5. Of his Ordination before the world was 1 Cor. 2. 7. Of his chusing of men before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. 4. And of his purpose before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. From which places I infer That God himself was from everlasting and without beginning and if he were from everlasting then he was somewhere from everlasting I dare not say he was no where from everlasting neither dare I say he was everywhere from everlasting but he was somewhere from everlasting and where was that but in the highest Heaven and if he were in the highest Heaven from everlasting then this Heaven was also from everlasting with God and so without beginning 2. This third Heaven is called Gods Place Isai 26. 21. The Lord cometh out of his Place to punish the inhabitants of the Earth and Mica 1. 3. Yea it is called his high and holy place Isai 57. 15. and his dwelling place 1 King 8. 30. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place Now I demand whether it was not Gods dwelling place before the Creation as it hath been since Yes doubtless it hath been his dwelling place ever since the Creation and shall be so for ever and was so from everlasting for which cause he is said to inhabite eternity Isai 57. 15. and to inhabite eternity is to inhabite an eternal place for in the same Text his dwelling in an eternal place is distinguished from his dwelling in the hearts of humble and contrite ones And if the third Heaven was Gods eternal place then surely it was from everlasting with him and so without beginning Yea if we acknowledg God to be an everlasting Being I see no reason why we should deny him an everlasting place suitable to his Being 3. This Heaven of which I speak is called Gods Throne Isai 66. 1. Heaven is my Throne and Mat. 5. 34. Mat. 23. 22. Acts 7. 49. And was it not his Throne from everlasting Doubtless it was and so much I gather from that of the Prophet Psa 93. 2. where he saith thus to God Thy Throne is established of old thou art from everlasting which sounds in my ears as if he had said As God was from everlasting so was his heavenly Throne and if it were from everlasting then it was without beginning and if we acknowledg him to be an everlasting King and to have a Kingdom from everlasting as the Scripture witnesseth in many places why should we not also acknowledg this his heavenly Throne to be from everlasting and so to be without beginning 4. Yea this Heaven of which I speak is that which is predicable and may be predicated of the Essence of God and we may say without a trope or figure this Heaven is God and God is this Heaven for which cause I conceive it is that this Heaven is often put for God himself in the written Word as Dan. 4. 26. where it was said to Nebuchadnezzar Thy Kingdom shall be sure unto thee after thou shalt have known that the Heavens do rule which is all one as if it had been said After thou shalt have known that the most high God shall raign in the Kingdoms of men as it is interpreted for us Dan. 5. 21. So also it is said unto the chief Priests and Elders Mat. 21. 25. The Baptism of John whence was it from Heaven or of men as if it had been said Was it from God or from men only So again Luk. 15. 21. the Prodigal said unto his father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee which is all one as if he had said I have sinned against God and against thee And so lastly John said Joh. 3. 27. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven that is except it be given him from God from whom every good and perfect gift doth come In all which and other such like places God is described by the name of Heaven and called Heaven and why so For to teach us as I conceive that this Heaven is something appertaining to the Essence of God and doth not essentially differ from God himself but as he is a spiritual Being an independent Being so he is
the nature of it and judg rightly thereof these ensuing Grounds should be weighed First I affirm That the World to come is taken 1 Ground both strictly and largely in the Word of God It is strictly taken wheresoever the World to come is distinguished from the matters and things that shall be contained in it as Mat. 12. 32. Luk. 18. 30. and 20. 34 35. Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 6. 5. in all which places it is mentioned by way of distinction It is largely taken wheresoever the World to come is named and not distinguished from the matters and things that shall be contained in it as Rom. 4. 13. Heb. 2. 5. where it is mentioned without a distinction Wherefore such might here be blamed as have spoken more or less of the World to come in a confused way neither distinguishing thereof nor shewing what they mean thereby seeing it is a received Maxime That ambiguous and doubtful terms should first be distinguished and afterwards Ambigua priua distinguenda defined or described But the very name of the World to come is ambiguous yet they have not distinguished it unto this day Secondly I affirm That in regard of the former 2 Ground distinction the World to come is to be considered two manner of ways of such as would describe it in a methodical way viz. extensively and intenâ—ively 1. It is to be considered extensively as we apprehend it for to be a Country a Continent or a place of â—arge extent and capacity Heb. 11. 14 16. in which sence I have spoken of it more especially in my former Sections and am now to speak more of it in this 2. It is to be considered in reference to the powers matters and things which shall be contained in â—t Heb. 6. 5. in which sence I am to speak of it more fully in my following Sections Wherefore I may be bold to say of such Writers â—s have spoken much of some things which shall be in the World to come but have said nothing of it as it shall be a Country or Continent That they have not methodically proceeded as concerning this Subject For if a man should write a large history concerning this present world and therein should say nothing of it as it is a Continent might we not well say Surely such a man was never throughly advised as touching the business he took in hand Yes And so may we think of such as have written nothing of the World to come as it shall be a Country or Continent whatsoever they have spoken of it in reference to the things which shall be contained in it Thirdly I affirm That the World to come considered 3 Ground as a Continent shall consist of new Heavens and a new Earth that is to say of new created Heavens and a new created Earth And so much I learn from that promise of the Lord Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind Isai 65. 17. where it is to me apparent that the Lord describes the World to come in opposition to this present world considering each of them as a Continent and shews that as this present world as a Continent doth consist of those visible Heavens and Earth which now are and shall be no more remembered nor come into mind after their dissolution as touching their pristine condition So the World to come considered as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a new created Earth and I am the more confirmed in this interpretation because in the 4 verses next before and in the 8 verses next after this promise the Lord speaks of divers things that shall be found in the World to come but all those things there mentioned shall be be found in the new Heavens and new Earth menâ—â—oned in this promise therefore it is plain from â—â—nce That the World to come considered as a Conâ—â—nent shall consist of new created Heavens and a â—â—w created Earth So much also I learn from that other promise of â—â—e Lord For as the new Heavens and the new â—arth which I will make shall remain before me â— shall your seed and your name remain Isai 66. 22. â—here the Lord describes the World to come both â— a Continent and also in reference to some things â—â—at shall be contained in it as a Continent he calls â— by the name of new Heavens and a new Earth â—â—d in reference to some things that shall be conâ—â—ined in it he saith That the Elect seed and their â—â—me shall remain before him viz. for ever Now â—e may not think that the Elect seed and their name â—hall remain for ever in this world but it is certain â—hat they shall remain for ever in the new Heavens â—nd new Earth here mentioned and so it is plain â—â—om hence too That the world to come considered â—s a Continent shall consist of new Heavens and a â—ew Earth So much again I learn from those words of Saint Peter Nevertheless we according to his promise â—ook for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein â—welleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. where he deâ—cribes the world to come both as a Continent and â—lso in reference to something that shall be containâ—d in it as a Continent he calls it new Heavens and a new Earth and in reference to something that shall be in it he saith wherein dwelleth Righteousness In which latter clause the present tense â—s put for the future dwelleth for shall dwell and Righteousness is put for perfect Righteousness frâ—â— from all unrighteousness and sin Now we knoâ— that perfect Righteousness free from all unrightâ—ousness and sin shall never dwell in this preseâ—â— world but this perfect Righteousness shall dweâ—â— in the new Heavens and new Earth here mentioneâ— Wherefore by new Heavens and a new Earth Sainâ— Peter means nothing else but the World to come considered as a Continent and we may perceive iâ— too by his method in this Chapter for having spoken before of the dissolution of this present world and shewed what use we are to make of that point in vers 7 8 9 10 11 12. he descends in the 13 verse to speak of the World to come and shews what use we are to make of this point also vers 14. unto the end of this Chapter and he joyns these two Theams together by this connective particle Nevertheless which imports as if he had said Though it be so that this present world shall one day be dissolved and these visible Heavens and Earth which now are shall be burnt up and brought to dust yet we who are Believers according to the promise under the Old Testament do look for a new world instead of this that is for new created Heavens and a new created Earth instead of these and so it is clear also from Saint Peters doctrine That the World to come considered as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a
know that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of God at the day of Judgment whether he be bond or free Ephes 6. 8. More particularly it should exhort us 1. To beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually so as to rely upon him for Pardon Peace Sanctification and Salvation and not to content our selves as many do with a bare profession of faith or with an historical faith or with a temporary faith or with a false faith saying they beleeve that all shall be saved c. seeing we know that a dead faith cannot save any but it shall be well for such Beleevers as have a lively faith at the day of Judgment as it is written He that beleeveth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Christ shall come to be admired of those that beleeve 2 Thes 1. 10. And whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. Joh. 11. 2. To repent of our sins dayly by way of confession contrition and prayer seeing we know it shall go well with such penitent sinners at the day of Judgment when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of God Acts 3. 19. 3. To be doers of Gods Word and not hearers only deceiving our own Souls seeing we know it shall be well with the doers of Gods Word at the day of Judgment as it is written Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of God which is in Heaven Mat. 7. And it shall be then said unto every doer of Gods Will Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in little I will make thee Ruler over much enter into thy Masters Joy 4. To be merciful unto such as are in misery seeing we know that Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment yea against the last Judgment Jam. 2. 13. 5. To be circumspect in our ways according to that of Saint Iames So speak and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty Jam. 2. 12. 6. To fear the last Judgment not with a distrustful fear but with an awful and reverential fear so as to be admonished thereby to eschew the evil forbidden and to do the good required as David feared the temporal Judgments of God Psalm 119. 120. 7. To make our Calling and Election sure seeing we know that it shall be well with Gods Chosen at the day of Judgment Rom. 8. 33. SECT VIII Touching the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ in the World to come THough the Kingdom of Christ be Monarchical and so but one Kingdom in a large sence there being no other Christ superior or equal to him in it yet there be different estates of his Kingdom and every estate of it is called a Kingdom in Scripture and so we have warrant from the Word of God to distinguish of the Kingdom of Christ and to say there is a three-fold Kingdom of his viz. 1. His Essential Kingdom 2. His Personal-Divine Kingdom 3. His Personal-Humane Kingdom 1. The Essential Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs to him as he is God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost for whatsoever is common to the three persons in the Trinity is essential to each of them as the Godhead is common to all and essential to each of them Omnisciency is common to all and essential to each of them Omnipotency is common to all and essential to each of them So there is a Kingdom common to all of them which therefore may be called the essential Kingdom of Christ as he is God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost which Kingdom of his is called by some His Natural Kingdom by others His Native or Providential Kingdom by me His Essential Kingdom And this Kingdom of his hath for its Object both this world and the World to come It is every where in Heaven in Earth and under the â—â—â—th it extends to all creatures together with their actions and all accidents incidental unto them as it is said God hath established his Throne in Heaven and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 103. 19. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth Psal 8. 1. God ruleth in the kingdoms of men Dan. 4. 17 25. And the Wisdom of God saith By me Kings raign and Princes decree Iustice By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the Earth Prov. 8. 15 16. 2. The Personal-Divine Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is God and man in one Person and wherein he now raigns in his Divine Nature For it is commonly acknowledged by Divines That Christ now raigneth over his Militant Church in his Divine Nature and hath so raigned from the beginning hitherto and shall so raign unto the end of the world in a spiritual way and that both inwardly by his Word and Spirit and outwardly by the Discipline and Government which he hath appointed in his Church And they say The Person which thus raigns is God and man yet the Nature wherein he raigns is not the Humane but the Divine Nature and therefore I call it his Personal-Divine Kingdom Of this Kingdom of his it is said The Kingdom of God is at hand Mar. 1. 15. The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation The Kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17. 20 21. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And I acknowledg that this Kingdom of his may fitly be called his Spiritual Kingdom because his Government in it is altogether Spiritual It may fitly be called his Donative Kingdom because he received it by donation and gift from his Father Joh. 17. 2. It may fitly be called his Mediatory Kingdom because it belongs unto him as he is a Mediator between God and man And it may fitly be called his Oeconomical Kingdom because it extends properly to his Family the visible Church Neither do I think that think this Personal Kingdom of Christ considered as meerly Divine shall extend to the Church Triumphant 3. The Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is the Son of man and the Son of David and wherein he shall raign in his Humane Nature bodily and visibly And though I grant That this Kingdom of his shall be a second estate of his Personal Donative Mediatory Occonomical Kingdom yet for distinction sake I call it his Personal-Humane Kingdom because only in this estate of his Kingdom shall he raign after a bodily and humane manner Now this is the Kingdom of which I am here to speak and I shall speak of it partly by way of Doctrine and partly by way of Use and Application By way of Doctrine I shall lay down several principles or grounds needful to be known concerning this Kingdom of Christ As First I affirm That Christ shall one day have
what they now have Esa 65. 15. a name better then of sons and daughters an everlasting name Esa 56. 5. 2. They shall be highly esteemed of in the world to come on Christs part for he shall still esteem them as his brethren he was not ashamed Heb. 2. 11. to call them his brethren in this world neither shall he be ashamed to call them such in the world to come he shall still esteem of them as of the children of God according to that compellation of his Come ye blessed children of my Father Mat. 25. 34. He shall still esteem of them as of his familiar friends as may appear by this because it is said that they shall eat and drink with him at his table in his Kingdome Luk. 22. 30. and shall sit some of them at his right hand and some at his left in his Kingdome Mat. 20. 23. Yea he shall so highly esteem of them that he shall still own them for Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1. 6. 3. They shall be higâ—â—y esteemed of in the world to come amongst the Angells good and evill for the good Angells shall so highly esteem of them that they shall own them for their superiours in some respect seeing Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and the evill Angells shall so highly esteem of them that they shall owne them for their Judges and shall not dare to think dishonourably of them 1 Cor. 6. 3. 4. They shall be highly esteemed of amongst themselves for we know that Gods Elect after they are effectually called do honour one another with an high esteem here in this world Psal 15. 4. much more shall they honour one another with an high esteem in the world to come 5. They shall be highly esteemed of in the world to come amongst the reprobate sort of mankind for these also shall have an high and honourable esteem of Gods Elect in the world to come for this cause it is said that the Gentiles shall see their righteousnesse and all Kings their glory Isai 62. 2. God shall establish Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isai 62. 7. which I understand to be spoken chiefly of the new earth or world to come yea saith the Lord they shall be a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth Jer. 33. 9. I will get them praise and fâ—me in doing laud where they have been put to shame Zeph. 3. 19. Secondly touching the certainty of it I say that Gods Elect shall most certainly be honoured in the world to come as may appear by these arguments 1. They that are vessells of honour shall be honoured in the world to come but Gods Elect are vessells of honour for which cause they are compared to such vessells of a potter as are made for honour Rom. 9. 21. and to such vessells in a great house as serve for honourable uses 2 Tim. 2. 20. Ergo. 2. They that do or shall know God effectually in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that promise I will set him on high because he hath known my Name Psal 91. 14. which is as if the Lord had said I will honour him both in this world if I shall see it expedient and much more in the world to come but Gods Elect do or shall all know God effectually in this world Ergo. 3. They that shall call upon God in sincerity here in this world shal be honoured in the world to come according to that promise He shall call upon me and I wil answer and honour him Psal 91. 15. But Gods Elect do or shall call upon him in sincerity in this world Ergo. 4. They that do or shall go fear the Lord with a godly fear here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come as we may gather from that of Solomon by the fear of the Lord are riches and honour Pro. 22. 4. but Gods Elect do or shall fear him with a godly fear here in this world Ergo. 5. They that do or shall humble themselves for their sins after an holy manner here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that of Solomon before honour is humility Pro. 15. 33. and honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Pro. 29. 23. but Gods Elect do or shall all humble themselves for their sins after an holy manner here in this world Ergo. 6. They that are or shall be mercifull towards others and follow after mercy here in this world in obedience to God shall be honoured in the world to come according to that promise He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousnesse remaineth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honour Psal 112. 9. and Solomon saith he that followeth after mercy findeth honour Pro. 21. 21. but Gods Elect are or shall be mercifull in this senie here in this world Ergo. 7. They that do or shall regard wholesome reproof shall be honoured in the world to come as Solomon saith He that regardeth reproof shall be honoured Pro. 13. 18. but Gods Elect do or shall regard wholesome reproof in this world Ergo. 8. They that do or shall do good in obedience to Gods will here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that of the Apostle Honour to every one that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Greek Rom. 2. 10. but Gods Elect do or shall do good in obedience to Gods will here in this world Ergo. 9. They that are or shall be the faithfull servants of Christ here in this world shall be honouin the world to come according to that of our Saviour If any man serve me him wil my Father honor Joh. 12. 26. but Gods Elect are or shall be faithfull servants of Christ here in this world Ergo. 10. They that shall conscionably purge themselves from the errors of these times shall be honored in the world to come according to that of the Apostle If any man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. but Gods Elect are such as do or shall purge themselves from the known errors of their times Ergo. 11. They that do or shall honour God sincerely here in this world shall be honoured of him in the world to come as the Lord saith Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. but Gods Elect do or shall sincerely endeavour to honour him here in this world Ergo. This Proposition should comfort all Gods Elect Vse that are now effectually called against the reproach and contempt of this wicked world for such of all others are most obnoxious to be contemned of the wicked if for no other cause yet for their graces and vertues as our Saviour himself though full of grace and vertue was despised and contemned of many in this life and the Apostles themselves notwithstanding their gracious
conversation were made the off-scouring of all things yea the godly complained of old Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud Psal 103. 4. and David said remove from me reproach and contempt Psal 119. 22. Now when this comes to be our case as it is the case of many good Christians who are of Gods Elect we should consider how our condition shall be altered in the world to come where we shall be so far advanced above the contempt of this world that we shall be honoured on Gods part on Christs part amongst the Angells amongst the Saints and amongst the wicked themselves and shall we not take comfort in this Again this should exhort all of us that may be of Gods Elect for ought we know to the contrary to honour God to the most of our ability here in this world Forasmuch as 1. We are commanded to honour him and to sing forth the honour of his Name Psal 66. 2. 2. We are taught by many examples so to do for our Saviour was carefull on this earth to honour him as he said to the Jews I honour my Father and ye dishonour me Joh. 8. 49. and the faithfull of former times were carefull to honour him as we may well think 1. Because they honoured Christ and had an high esteem of him for they esteemed him to be fairer then the children of men Psal 45. 2. to be the chiefest of ten thousand Cant. 5. 10. to be the wonderfull Counsellor the Almighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isay 9. 6. to be the chief Shepheard and Bishop of their souls 1 Pet. 2. 25. 2. Because they honoured the word of God and had an high esteem of it for they esteemed it above riches Psal 119 19. better then gold and silver Psalm 119. 72. more then their ordinary food Job 23. 12. 3. Because they honoured the place of his publike worship and would say with the Prophet O how amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickednesse Psal 84. 1. 10. 4. Because they honoured those that feared the Lord with a godly fear Psa 15. 4. it was much to be commended in Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon that after the Almighty had afflicted him sore he resolved to honour him that liveth for ever to honor the King of heaven Dan. 4. 34 37. Having then such examples before us we should be moved to make them our paterns 3. We know that honour must be given to whom honour is due and honour is due to God as he is our Creatour as he is a Father Mal. 1. 6. as he is a King and in these respects we should give honour unto him 4. He is worthy to receive all possible honour from us as the twenty four Elders confessed Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy wills sake they are and have been created Revel 4. 11. 5. Unlesse we honour him in this world we have no reason to expect honor from him in that world which is to come 6. But if we honour him in this we shall be sure to be honoured of him in that world according to his promise Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. How must we honour him in this world 1. We must honour him in our hearts by having an high esteem of him as Moses had when he said Lord who is like unto thee among the Gods glorious in golinesse fearful in praises doing wonders Exod. 15. 11. as Hannah had when she said there is none holy as the Lord neither is there any rock like our God 1 Sam. 2. 2. as David had when he said Who is a God save our Lord who is a rock save our God Psal 18. 31. as Asaph had when he said Lord whom have I in heaven but thee who is there on earth that I desire in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. as Paul had when he said O the depth of the wisdome and the knowledge of God c. Rom. 11. 33. without which honour none can be accepted Isai 29. 13. 2. We must honour him in our bodies by yeelding bodily submission and reverence unto him upon all occasions and by keeping our bodies pure and chast 1 Thes 4. 4. 3. We must honour him in our thoughts words and actions as at other times so chiefly upon the Sabbath or Lords day according to that charge of the Prophet Thou shalt honour him not doing thine own waies nor finding thine own pleasures nor speaking thine own words Isai 58. 13. 4. VVe must honour him with our earthly substance when we have occasion and opportunity so to do according to that of Solomon Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine Prov. 3. 9. 10. Now I conceive that in these times men do give the Lord the first fruits of all their increase when they do duly and conscionably part with the tythes or tenths of all their increase and if so then we may safely infer from hence that they which duly and conscionably part with their tythes do honour the Lord with their substance and may well hereupon expect a blessing from him because of this promise 5. VVe must honour him in this world above all others above our selves as our Saviour honoured him above himself Joh. 8. 54. above our earthly Kings Parents Children c. for we know this was imputed as a sin to Eli the Priest that he honoured his sons above God 1 Sam. 2. 29. the chiefest good must have the chiefest honour and we acknowledge him to be our chiefest good therefore we must honour him above others The latter Proposition is That reprobates shall 1 Proposition be contemned in the world to come touching which contempt of theirs we are to consider The nature of it The certainty of it First touching the nature of it I conceive that to be contemned is all one as to be lightly or lowly esteemed of and so the word is interpreted in Scripture as whereas Iesurun contemned God it is said that he lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation Deut. 32. 15. and whereas the wicked shall be contemned if they repent not it is said they shall be lightly esteemed 1. Sam. 2. 30. So then when I say that Reprobates shall be contemned in the world to come I understand that they shall be lightly esteemed of in the world to come on Gods part and Christs part amongst the Angells amongst the Saints and amongst themselves They shall be lightly esteemed of on Gods part in the world to come for he shall esteeme them for no other then reprobates
and the cursed Condition of Reprobates in the World to come more generally considered Sect. XI Touching the Salvation of Gods Elect and the Destruction of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XII Touching the Life of Gods Elect and the Death of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XIII Touching the Glory of Gods Elect and the Shame of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XIV Touching the Honor of Gods Elect and the Contempt of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XV. Touching the Liberty of Gods Elect and the Bondage of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XVI Touching the Dominion of Gods Elect and the Slavery of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XVII Touching the Riches of Gods Elect and the Poverty of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XVIII Touching the Peace of Gods Elect and the Tribulation of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XIX Touching the Light of Gods Elect and the Darkness of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XX. Touching the Joy of Gods Elect and the Sorrow of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XXI Touching the Security of Gods Elect and the Fear of Reprobates in the World to come A DISCOVERY OF THE World to Come An Introduction IT is well known of some That many learned men have written many learned Tractates concerning this corrupt World wherein we live In which they have discovered not only the whole Continent thereof which they call the Globe of Heaven and Earth but also severall Parts Countries and Occurrences belonging to the same who by this industry of theirs have deserved well of all Students and lovers of learning Wherefore it should not be thought presumption for me being a Minister of the Gospel though the least of many to discover in this Tractate such as it is my thoughts concerning the World to Come In as much as the world to come is a subject of transcent worth and excellencie far surpassing al that can be thought or spoken concerning this polluted world And it was wont to be thought as a vertue in any to have their minds much taken up about this Subject which being esteemed as a vertue in others should not be imputed as a vice unto me Now in this Treatise I intend to take the Sacred Scripture for my guide and to say no more herein then I shall conceive to be warranted thereby And seeing I have not as yet so much as heard or read of any writer that hath professedly made a Discovery of the World to come though many have written of the Heaven that now is it may not be expected that I should observe so exact a Method in this discourse as doubtless some after Writers may yet I intend to lay down my Meditations touching this subject in the same Order in which they have been represented to me and conceived by me SECTION I. Shewing That none should be grosty ignorant of the World to come as touching the nature of it THere be some things which a Christian may safely be ignorant of without any prejudice to his soul as on my part it is freely confessed That I know not God perfectly 1 Cor. 13. 9. I know not the minde of the Lord perfectly Rom. 11. 34. I know not the times and seasons which the father hath put in his own power Act. 1. 7. I know not the numericall day and hour of Christs second comming Mat. 25. 13. I know not the certain definite number of my particular sins Psal 19. 12. I know not the full power of Gods anger Psal 90. 11 Which ignorance being inavoydable on my part anâ— so no sin in me cannot be any way prejudiciall to my soul yet I do not think it safe for any to be grosly or perversly ignorant of the World to come as touching the nature of it Howbeit I conceive this ignorance to be too common amongst many Christian professors in these our days for do but ask many of them what the Scripture means by the World to come and either they will say We cannot tell or else they will say It means nothing else thereby but the third heaven or the highest heaven which now is and so they conceive no difference betwixt the world to come and the highest heaven And do but observe the discourses of many both in publike and in private when they speak of the World to come and you shall finde that they will never expresse distinctly what they mean by this subject from which answers and practises of theirs I thus infer within my self Surely these people have had some good thoughts in their minds concerning the World to come and they can speak much of divers things and occurrences which shall be in it but are still ignorant thereof as touching the nature of it And doubtlesse this ignorance hath been occasioâ—ed and is still continued and fomented by a misâ—â—ision or mis-understanding of divers such Scripture â—assages as do plainly describe unto us the nature of â—â—e World to come and as long as such passages are â—is-understood how can it be but that people â—â—ould be grosly ignorant of this subject Whereâ—ore I shal endeavour in the following Sections to gâ—ve a true interpretation of those forenamed scripâ—ure-passages as occasion shall be offered that so all â—ay be rightly informed touching the nature of this â—â—bject Mean while I affirm That none should be grossely A Position ignorant of the world to come as touching the nature of it but all should understand in some competent measure what the Scripture means by this subject and that for these Reasons First It cannot be denyed that the world to comâ— Reasons is often mentioned in the New Testament as in thesâ— passages Mat. 12. 32. Whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neitheâ— in this world neither in the world to come Mark 10. 30. He shall receive an hundred folâ— now in this time and in the world to comâ— eternall life Luk. 20. 34 35. The children of this world maâ—ry and are given in marriage but thâ— which shal be accounted worthy to obtain thâ— world and the resurrection from the deaâ—â— neither marry nor are given in marrage Eph. 1. 1. 21. Christ is far above every naâ—â— that is named not only in this world but aâ—â— in that which is to come Heb. 2. 5. Vnto the Angels hath he not put â— subjection the world to come Heb. 6. 5. They have tasted the good Word God and the powers of the world to come In all which places the world to come is not oâ— mentioned but also plainly asserted yea distinguiâ—â—ed from this polluted world And wherefore shoâ— it be so often mentioned in the New Testameâ—â— but for this end that all should rightly understâ—â—â— the nature of it Whatsoever things are thus wrâ—â—ten are written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. â— if so then none should be grosly or perversly ignorâ—â—â— of the nature of it Secondly Things revealed belong to
also an heavenly Being And as we may safely say That he is a merciful God the God of Mercy and Mercy it self so it is not improper to say He is a heavenly God the God of Heaven and Heaven it self Now we know that all things belonging to the Essence of God were from everlasting with him but this Heaven of which I speak is something belonging or appertaining to his Essence as I have shewed and consequently it was without beginning These are four Reasons which hath induced me to think that the third Heaven was from everlasting and without beginning and if so then it will from hence necessarily follow that it was never created Thirdly I take this for a ground That which is essentially Argu ∣ ment 3 holy undefiled was never created which Proposition may wel be granted because it is certain that there is no essential holiness to be found in any created Substance or Being for if there were any holines in Adam before his fall it was not essential to him but it was the gift of God so that holiness which was and is in the humane nature of Christ is not essential to his Humanity but is the gift of God and that holiness which is in the Regenerate is not essential to them but is the gift of God that holiness which belongs to the seventh day is not essential to it but accidental by reason of Gods Institution that Ceremonial holiness which was in Temples and Altars was not essential but accidental by reason of Gods Ordinanation and the created Heavens are so far from being essentially holy that they have been and are polluted and defiled with the sin of Angels and men as it is said Job 15. 15. The Heavens are not clean in his sight Yea the whole Creation is so far from being essentially holy that it groans to be delivered from that bondage of corruption which the sin of men and devils hath brought upon it Rom. 8. 21. 22. And if there be no essential holiness to be found in any created Being then it must be granted That whatsoever is essentially holy and undefiled was never created Now I affirm That the third Heaven is essentially holy and undefiled as we may conceive for these Reasons 1. This Heaven was from everlasting with God as hath been before shewed and whatsoever was from everlasting was essentially holy and undefiled 2. This Heaven is somewhat appertaining to the Essence of God as hath been before shewed and whatsoever appertains to the Essence of God is essentially holy and undefiled 3. The Scripture speaks much of the holiness of this third Heaven saying He will hear him from his holy Heaven Psal 20. 6. Who shall dwell in thy holy Hill Psal 15. 1. Who shall stand in his holy Place Psal 24. 3. God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holiness Psal 47. 8. which holiness of the third Heaven must be either essential or accidental and accidental it cannot be because in those and such like places the third Heaven is thereby distinguished from all places and persons that are accidentally holy as the distinction is plainly expressed in those words I dwell in the high and holy Place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit Isa 57. 15. 4. Neither can it be proved that this Heaven of which I speak ever was or ever shall be defiled with any sin as the created Heavens were and are defiled For which Causes I conceive the third Heaven to be essentially holy and undefiled and if so then from hence it will necessarily follow That it was never created Fourthly I take this for another ground That 4 Argument which is by nature immutable and unchangeable was never created and this Proposition also may wel be yeelded because we have known the mutability of all created things As we have seen the mutability of the Angels in that some of them kept not their first estate but left their own habitation Jude 6. and in that others of them are now confirmed in their original purity So we have seen the mutability of Adam in his first Fall and of his Posterity since his Fall and we read of the mutability of that Heaven and Earth which God created in the beginning Psal 102. 26. They shall perish yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed And seeing we cannot be ignorant of the mutability of all created things we may well grant That whatsoever is by nature immutable and unchangeable was never created But I add hereunto That the third Heaven is by nature immutable as we may well conceive First Because God himself is by nature immutable according as it is written Psal 102. 27. But thou art the same Job 23. 13. But he is still of one mind and who can turn him Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not Jam. 1. 17. With him is no variableness nor shadow of turning And if God himself be by nature unchangeable then all things belonging to his Essence must needs be so too but the third Heaven is something belonging to his Essence as hath been shewed therefore it must needs be by nature unchangeable Secondly That which ever was is and shall be Gods dwelling place and Gods Throne must needs be by nature immutable but the third Heaven ever was is and shall be his dwelling place and his Throne as was before in part intimated therefore it must needs be by nature immutable and if so it will necessarily follow That it was never created Fifthly I take this for another ground That which 5 Argument both is and ever hath been above the created Heavens was never created as we may well think because we cannot name any created Substance that both is and ever was above the created Heavens Indeed I grant That the humane nature of Christ and the Souls of the faithful since their separation are now as created Beings above the created Heavens yet we cannot say they have ever been so because there was a time when they were beneath the created Heavens neither can it be said of any created Substance That it both is and ever hath been above the created Heavens wherefore we may well assent to this Proposition That whatsoever both is and ever hath been above the created Heavens was never created But I add That the third Heaven both is and ever hath been above the created Heavens And so much I gather from such passages in the Word of God as speak of a place above the created Heavens as Thou hast set thy Glory above the Heavens Psal 8. 1. Be thou exalted O God above the Heavens Psal 57. 5. Thy Mercy is great above the Heavens Psal 108. 4. Christ ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Ephes 4. 10. that is above all created Heavens c. And if there be a place above the created Heavens what should that place be
a good hope to do it as he sheweth vers 14 15 23 24 28 29 30 31 32. Yet in all this Chapter he speaks not a word of a National Conversion of the Jews of latter times and when he saith Aâ—l Israel shall be saved vers 26. he is so far from speaking of the temporal Conversion of any â—hat he speaks of the final full and everlasting Salvaâ—ion of all the Elect Israel of God as hath been acknowledged by many learned Expositors Wherefore Calvin Gerard Wollebius when you shall awake out of this sleep I hope â—ou will say with me that ye have been in a dream â—hitherto and that this present world is evil and is â—ikely to be yet worse both in respect of sin and punishment But if some shall here object and say We must Object distinguish the morning and the evening of the latter times and must know that though the morning of the latter times doth yet continue perillous yet the evening shall not be so but shall be auspicious and glorious To this I answer It will be hard if not impossible Sol. for any to prove either that these perillous days of ours do belong unto the morning of the latter times or that the evening shall be less perillous then the morning hath been Rather I think it may be proved That the morning of the latter times was less perillous both in respect of sin and punishment and more eximious for holiness and happiness then the evening shall be Wherefore as I conceive this distinction thus applied will not help at a dead lift though it may be very useful as it may be applied some other way And though it be true that all such unconverted Jews as belong to Gods Election shall in time be converted yet it will be a sweating task for any to prove from the 11 Chapter to the Romans or from any other place or places of Scripture That there shall be an Universal or a National Conversion either of the present oâ— of a latter off-spring of Jews or that there shall be so great or so numerous a Conversion of Jews hereafter in any time to come as there was in the days of Christ and of his Apostles And if the Conversion of the Gentiles shall continue in a constant course and succession till the second Coming of Christ from the heavenly Sion Rom. 11. 25 26. what time will there remain for a National Conversion of a latter off-spring of Jews But more will be said of this in the following pages Again If this present world be evil in both the former respects then the sons of men should not love it in those respects nor set their hearts upon it Indeed we have no reason to hate this world as it is Gods workmanship nor as it is the place for Repentance and true Conversion nor as it is the place wherein much good may be received and done and wherein we are to seek the Kingdom of God and his Mat. 6. Righteousness to run the race of Christianity and to make our Calling and Election sure So neither have we any reason to love it for any vanity sin corruption or misery that is to be found in it according to that of Saint John Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 Joh. 2. 15. where the world is taken either figuratively for thâ— wicked of the world or else properly for the placâ— of earthly corruption and by the things that arâ— in the world he understands the sinful lusts hereof and shews that this world is not to be loved in these respects because if any man love the world in such respects the love of the father is not in him and all that is in the world saith he the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world Vers 16. And Sainâ— James tells us That the friendship of this world is enmity with God Jam. 4. 4. Nay we should be so far from loving it in those respects that 1. We should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. 2. We should use it rather for necessity then for delight and this is to use this world as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7. 31. 3. We should strive by faith to overcome and subdue in our selves the love of earthly vanities For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 1 Joh. 5. 4. 4. We should take heed lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day of the Lord come upon us unawares Luk. 21. 34. 5. We should be heavenly minded and affected according to the Apostles advice If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth Col. 3. 1 2. And according to our Saviours advice Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where theeves break through and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves do not break through and steal For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Mat. 6. 19 20 21. 6. We should be much conversant in our thoughts and speeches about heavenly matters and affairs and this is to have our Conversation in Heaven from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 20. 7. We should be constantly willing to leave this world and to be wholy divorced from it in the former respects as Elijah was when he said It is enough Lord take away my life for I am no better then my father as old Simeon was when he said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace and Saint Paul was when he said I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And then may a man truly say with the Apostle I am crucified unto the world and the world to me Gal. 6. 14. when he is as willing to part with the world as the world is to part with him The next Position to be proved is That this present world shall one day be dissolved 2 Posit And here by this present world I understand the visible Heavens and Earth that now are together with the creatures and works which are in them or shall be found in them at the latter day For though the visible Heavens and Earth which now are may be called this present world considered as a Continent and the creatures and works in them may be called the things of the world yet all these together do but make up this whole visible world as appears 2 Pet. 3. 10. And to be dissolved is all
one as to be brought to dust as when a mans body shall be dissolved it shall be brought to dust according to that Gen. 3. 19. Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return So when this world shall be dissolved it shall be brought to dust because it is the nature of fire when it burns up any substance to bring it to dust and ashes and this present world shall be burnt up as I am to shew by and by therefore it shall be brought to dust And that I be not misapprehended of any in this point these three Cautions are to be considered before I come to prove my Position 1. I do not say That this present world shall be annihilated or brought to nothing as some have thought because the dust hereof shall remain after its dissolution as the dust of mans body shall remain somewhile after its dissolution 2. I grant That some of Gods Elect shall be found alive in their bodies at the latter day and that their bodies shall not be dissolved but shall be preserved from the dissolution that shall then come upon this world as it is written Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the ayr and so shall we ever be with the Lord 1 Thes 4 17. but these only excepted this whole visible world shall be dissolved 3. Neither do I say That this present world shall be dissolved altogether in respect of its Essence and Being because it shall have a Being viz. a new form and manner of Being after its dissolution as when a man dyes his body is dissolved not altogether in respect of its Essence and Being because mans body shall have a new form and manner of Being after its dissolution Job 14. 14. but when a man dyes his body is dissolved only in respect of its present or pristine condition and shall be no more such a body as it was either for substance or corrupt qualities because the substance thereof shall be turned to dust and the present or pristine corrupt qualities thereof shal cease So when this present world shall be dissolved it shall not cease to be altogether because it shall be again under a new form and condition and that for ever 2 Pet. 3. 13. Isai 66. 22. for which cause it is said That the Earth abideth for ever Eccles 1. 4. and it cannot abide for ever under its present form and condition but doubtless it shall abide for ever under a new form after its new Creation and it is said that God hath established the world never to be moved 1 Chron. 16. 30. Psal 93. 1. Psal 96. 10. Jer. 10. 12. Ier. 51. 15. Isai 45. 18. Yet we know that this world shall be moved at its dissolution Heb. 12. 26. But the meaning of these places places is that after its new Creation it shall never be moved So then this present world shall be dissolved only in respect of its present or pristine condition that is it shall be no more such a world as now it is either for substance or corrupt qualities because the present substance of it shall be turned to dust and the present corrupt qualities and accounts of it shall be no more Now that this present world shall one day be dissolved in the former sence is fully acknowledged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Saint Peter who saith All these things shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3. 11. meaning by all these things the visible Heavens and Earth which now are with all the creatures and works in them which altogether make up this present world and he saith further vers 12. That these things being on fire shall be dissolved and so he plainly avereth that this present woâ—ld shall one day be dissolved and brought to dust And for further proof hereof these ensuing particulars should be considered 1. That this present world shall one day have an end put unto it as the Scripture witnesseth as often as it speaks of the end of this world as Mat. 24. 3. Mat. 28. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 11. 15. 24. 1 Pet. 4. 7. From whence I may thus reason That which shall have an end put unto it shall be so far dissolved but this present world shall have an end put unto it in respect of its present condition therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 2. That this present world considered as before shall one day perish according to that They shall perish but thou shalt endure Psal 102. vers 26. Now that which shall perish shall so far be dissolved but this present world shall perish in respect of its present and pristine condition therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 3. That this present world is mutable and shall be changed according to that As a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Psal 102. 26. As mans body shall be changed Job 14. 14. Now that which shall be changed shall be so far dissolved as it shall be changed but this present world shall one day be changed as touching its present and pristine condition form and manner of Being therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 4. That this world is corruptible and under the bondage of corruption as may appear Rom. 8. 21. and that which is corruptible shall one day be dissolved so far as it is corruptible but this present world is corruptible inrespect of its present and pristine condition therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 5. That this present world is moveable and shall one day be shaken in peeces as it is said Once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven Heb. 12. 26. and that which may be shaken shall be dissolved so far as it may be shaken but this present world shall be shaken in respect of its present condition form and manner of Being therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 6. That this present world is subject to vanity Rom. 8. 20. and is of a vanishing nature For the Heavens shall vanish away like smoak Isa 51. 6. Heaven and Earth shall pass away Mat. 5. 18. The fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. The world passeth away and the lusts thereof 1 Joh. 2. 17. Now that which shall vanish away shall be dissolved so far as it shall vanish away but this present world shall vanish away in respect of its present condition form and manner of Being therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 7. That this present world waxeth old like a garment Psal 102. 26. Isai 51. 6. and hath been in its latter age for one thousand six hundred years 1 Cor. 10. 11. 1 Joh. 2. 18. Now that which waxeth old like a gaâ—ment shall one day be dissolved in that respect but this present world waxeth old in respect of its present condition therefore in this respect it shall be dissolved 8. That this present world shall one day be
no more remembred nor come into mind in respect of its present and pristine condition form and manner of Being Isai 65. 17. Rev. 21. 1. and consequently in this respect it shall one day be dissolved and brought to dust And for further satisfaction in this point I shall â—nswer these three Queries By whom this present world shall be dissolved Quer. 1 Answ It shall be dissolved by him that made it It Ejusdem enim est mundum creare eundem destruere was only God himself that created it in the beginâ—ing Gen. 1. 1. and God himself shall dissolve it Psal 102. 26. Heb. 12. 26. by his mighty power By what means it shall be dissolved Answ It â—hall be dissolved by means of fire of which fire Quer. 2 we read thus A fire shall devour before him and â—t shall be very tempestuous round about him Psal â—0 3. The day cometh that shall burn like an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall he stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch Mal. 4. 1. The Heavens and the Earth which now are are reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly men In which day the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3. 7 12. And though I cannot perfectly shew what Qualis autem futurus sit hic ignis Deus novit qui est ignis consumens Wolleb kind of fire this shall be because only God himself who is a consuming fire perfectly knows what kind of fire it shall be yet I dare affirm that it shall be such a Judgment of fire as never was hath been or shall be before it 2 Pet. 3 7. And that this fire shall be extraordinary 1. For its noise because it is said That the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise 2 Pet. 3. 10. that is with such a noise as shall be heard all the earth over while the fire shall be yet in the Heavens 2. For its brightness or shining because it shall be seen all the earth over whiles it shall be yet in the Heavens as the lightening shineth from the one end of Heaven to the other Mat. 24. 27. 3. For itâ— melting and burning vertue because it shall melt and burn up such things as were never melted burnt and consumed since the world began When it shall be dissolved Answ Touching thâ— time of the worlds dissolution the Scripture teachetâ— Quer. 3 us three things viz. 1. That it shall be dissolved in Gods appointed time because he doth all his works in his appointed time and as he hath appointed a day wherein hâ— will judg the world in righteousness so he hath appointed a day wherein he will dissolve this presenâ— world Acts 17. 31. 2. That the time of Christs second coming shaâ— be the time of the worlds dissolution as may appeaâ— plainly Mat. 24. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 24. 2 Pet. 3. 7 10 12 where we find that in the very day of Christs second Coming the Heavens being on fire shall bâ— dissolved the Elements shall melt the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Howbeit as we know not in what day or hour oâ— the year and of the age of the world the Son of maâ— shall come so we know not in what day or houâ— of the year and of the age of the world this presenâ— world shall be dissolved 3. That the time of this worlds dissolution draweth nigh 1 Cor. 10. 11. Jam. 5. 8. 1 Pet. 4. 7. And wâ— have no reason to think it to be far off because manâ— Symptomes of the worlds dissolution mentioned iâ— holy Writ have been observed in our times as wâ— have heard of the plentiful preaching of the Gospel and of great Persecutions thereupon we have heard of Wars and Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places we have heard of many false Teachers and false Christs of many Seducers â—â—d seduced persons amongst us we have seen how â—iquity hath abounded and love hath waxed cold â—mongst us And seeing these Symptomes of this â—orlds dissolution have been amongst us we have â—o reason to think its dissolution to be far off Inâ—eed there are some Symptomes of this worlds dissoâ—ution which are not as yet made visible unto us as â—he final Ruine of the Roman Antichrist the battel of Gog and Magog and that alteration which shall â—e in the Sun Moon and Stars Mat. 24. but for ought I know these three may speedily come and soon follow one another And I have read a Judicious Divine * Mr J. Z. in his printed Book on Rev. 20. who thinks that the Ruine of the Roman Antichrist will be made visible about the year 666. that the battel of Gog and Magog will follow shortly thereupon and that the alteration forementioned in the Sun Moon and Stars will immediately succeed This Position thus cleared makes for the refutation of Vse of four erroneous opinions The first opinion is of such as think that this present world is eternal in respect of its present form and condition and so shall never be dissolved which was the opinion of Aristotle the Philosopher who was the more to be pitied because he knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God as therein revealed but we Christians have known the Scriptures and have read often in them of the end of the world and therefore have no reason to hearken to Aristotle in this Assertion of his The second opinion is of those who think that this present world shall cease to be altogether after its dissolution wherein they are much mistaken For though it shall cease to be in some respect aftâ—â— its dissolution viz. in respect of its former and prâ—stine condition yet it shall not cease to be altogâ—ther because it shall have an everlasting Being undeâ— a new form and condition as hath been beforâ— proved and as mans body after its dissolution shaâ— have an everlasting Being under a new form anâ— condition neither do I think it worth my labouâ— to spend more words in confutation of this opinion The third opinion is of those who think that this present world shall only be purged by fire at the latter day from its evil qualities and not dissolved As the old world in Noahs time was drowned in respect of its superficies and in respect of some creatures in it yet the substance of it remained firm So say they This present world shall be purged by fire from its corruptions and evil qualities but the substance of Heaven and Earth shall remain as an everlasting Monument of Gods Wisdom and Power Goodness and Mercy But these are mistaken also For though I grant That fire hath a purging and refining vertue and that if the Lord should restrain the fire of the great Day before mentioned as a Goldsmith restraineth the fire when the
gold is in it it should only then purge and refine the world and the substance thereof should remain yet the Scripture sheweth plainly That by the fire of that great Day the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein whether works of the first Creation or works of nature or works of mans art and industry shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. Now when any substance is consumed and burnt up it is more then purged â—â—om its corruption but this present world shall â—e one day consumed and burnt up in respect of its â—â—esent substance and so it shall be more then purged â—â—d refined by fire Much more I might say against this opinion if 〈◊〉 had the Books of such as have asserted it â—ut I have them not yea I am a plundered man one â—â—at hath but few Books left therefore I will say â—o more now touching this opinion The fourth opinion is of those who think that the â—â—me of this worlds dissolution is yet one thousand â—ears off at least as some of the Millenaries of these â—imes think in favor of which opinion they bring â—hat of Saint Peter A thousand years with the Lord â—s as one day and one day as a thousand years â— Pet. 3. 8. And that of Saint John The Souls of â—hem which were beheaded for the witness of Jesus â—ived and raigned with him a thousand years Rev. â—0 4. From which places they infer That the time of this worlds dissolution must needs be yet one â—housand years off at least but these places rightly weighed will never prove their opinion For suppose that those passages as they lie have reference to the end of this world and suppose that those two Apostles Peter and John by vertue of those passages in their time thought the end of the world to be a thousand years off yet we should consider that a thousand years and more are by gone and past since those words were spoken by them and consequently though they in their times might conceive the end of the world to be then a thousand years off yet we in these times have no reason to think it so far off Nay I have shewed before That we have good reason to think that the time of this world dissolution is near at hand Again That which hath been said touching thâ— worlds dissolution should admonish us to moderatâ— our minds and affections in the use of all worldlâ— things though never so lawful in themselves according to that of Saint Paul The time is short It remaineth that both they that have wives be â—â— though they had none and they that weep as thougâ— they wept not and they that rejoyce as though theâ— rejoyced not and they that buy as though theâ— possessed not and they that use this world as not â— busing it For the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. Lastly It should exhort us to all holiness of liâ— and conversation according to that of Saint Peterâ— Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolveâ— what manner of persons ought ye to be in all hoâ—â— conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. where wâ— may not think that the Apostle teacheth us to distinguish between an holy conversation and godlinesâ— because these two agree in one an holy conversatioâ— is a godly conversation and a godly conversation as holy conversation But in that place he teachetâ— two things First That the certainty of this worlds dissolution should perswade us to be universal in our obedience that is in the practise of holy and godly duties which universal obedience is that which Goâ— commandeth at our hands Let not the Book of thâ— Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate thereiâ— day and night that thou mayst observe to do according to all that is written therein Josh 1. 8. It is thaâ— which God wisheth for on our behalf Oh thaâ— there were such an heart in them that they would â—ear me and keep all my Commandments always Deut. 5. 29. It is that which he hath promised to â—eward with many blessings Psal 19. 11. Josh 1. 8 c. It is that which is and will be dangerous for us â—o neglect For he that breaketh the least of Gods Commandments and teacheth men so without reâ—entance shall be the least in the Kingdom of God Mat. 5. 19. Yea it is that which all men will either wish for or rejoyce in at the time of the worlds â—issolution Therefore I say That the certainty of â—his worlds dissolution should perswade all men to be universal in their obedience in the practise of holy â—nd godly duties Let us not then my Brethren content our selves with the bare and naked professiâ—â—â—f godliness nor with some good words in prayer â—nd conference nor with the doing of many things commanded with Herod while we allow our selves in the omission and neglect of many other But let us strive to practise every known duty prescribed in Gods Word after the example of Zachariâ—as Elizabeth his wife who walked in all the Commandments of God blameless Luk. 1. 6. remembering what David saith Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psal 119. 6. Secondly In that next fore-quoted place of Saint Peter he teacheth That all Christians should be eximious and exemplary before others in their obedience and that in all holy conversation and godliness which exemplary obedience also is that which God commands at our hands thus Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works Mat. 5. 16. It is that which will cause the observers of it to glorifie God * Mat. 5. 16 It is that which is commended in the converted Corinthians for their zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9. 2. and in the converted Thessalonians for they were ensamples to all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia 1 Thes 1. 7. And it is that which shall not be forgotten another day for they that exceed others here in the practise of holiness and vertue shall exceed them also hereafter in glory 1 Cor. 15. Yea it is that which many wil wish for and many will rejoyce in at the time of this worlds dissolution Therefore the certainty and nearness of this worlds dissolution should perswade all Christians to be exemplary before their brethren in all holy conversation and godliness Let us not then be altogether careless of a good conversation with Gallio and many others neither let us be of a loose and dissolute conversation with the Gentiles Rom. 1. Neither let us be of a scandalous conversation with those Jews through whom the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2. Neither let us be exemplary for wickedness as Cain Balaam and Jeroboam were Neither let us be lukewarm in the practise of godliness as the Laodiceans were But let us strive to excel in vertue and to
be seen to begin or to be established in the earth And whereas they tell us of the Saints living and raigning with Christ a thousand years Rev. 20. 4. as if that place made much for them I would have them know that that place is not to be understood of Saints on earth as if they should live and raign with Christ in their bodies upon this corrupt earth a thousand years by vertue of a Reformation-change in this world but it is to be understood of Saints departed this life now in the third Heaven in respect of their Souls where they were to live and raign with Christ for a thousand years or more from the time when those words were spoken a certain time being there put for an uncertain even until his coming again from thence 3. It is an Error in these men to think that by the World to come the Scripture means a Reformation-change in this world seeing by the World to come we are to understand a new created world properly so called that shall consist of new Heavens and a new Earth properly so called and of new Creatures and occurrences in them as I hope to shew more fully in my next Section Yea the World to come shall be such a world wherein the righteous shall inherit everlasting life Luk. 18. 30. but supposing there should be such a Reformation-change in this world as they dream of yet we cannot therein inherit everlasting life therefore we may not understand by the World to come such a Reformation-change 4. It is an Error in these men to confound the World to come with this present world seeing the Scripture hath plainly distinguished them in many places Mat. 12. 32. Luk. 18. 30. Ephes 1. 21 c. And as the time to come cannot be all one with the time present nor the time present with the time to come so neither can the World to come be all one or at one time with this present world nor this present world all one or at one time with the World to come But leaving this phansie of theirs I proceed And I acknowledg in the fourth place That the 4 Posit World to come shall begin immediately or suddenly upon the dissolution of this present world that is to say as soon as this present world shall have an end the World to come shall begin as soon as these visible Heavens shall be dissolved there shall be other Heavens in their stead as soon as this visible Earth shall be dissolved there shall be another Earth instead thereof with other creatures in it and so the World to come shall begin immediately or suddenly upon the dissolution of this present world For confirmation whereof though I cannot produce any plain place of Scripture so clear as to convince all gain-sayers yet I can produce some probable grounds such as have satisfied my self as touching the truth of this Position As 1. The Scripture speaks not of any space of time much less of any considerable space of time that shall be betwixt the dissolution of this present world and the Creation of the World to come therefore it is probable that there shall be no considerable space of time betwixt them and consequently that the World to come shall begin immediately or suddenly upon the dissolution of this present world 2. The Scripture speaks of divers things that shall happen in and upon one and the same day viz. the great Day of the Lord. As 1. The dissolution of this present world 2. The Creation of the World to come 3. The subduing of all Christs Enemies 4. The Resignation of the Kingdom to God even the Father 5. The glorious Appearing of Christ 6. The Resurrection of the dead 7. The Sentence of the last Judgment And if all these things shall happen upon one and the same day viz. the great Day of the Lord then it is probable that there shall be no considerable space of time betwixt them and consequently that the World to come shall begin immediately or suddenly upon the dissolution of this present world 3. I have seriously thought upon that of the Apostle Paul Then shall we which live and remain be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the ayr 1 Thes 4. 17. where he intimates as I conceive That the World to come shall be created after the same order in which this present world shall be dissolved And as this present world shall be dissolved first in its upper part viz. the visible Heavens Clouds and Ayr which now are so the World to come shall be created first in its upper part viz. the new Heavens Clouds and Ayr c. and so the Saints which shall be found living upon this corrupt earth when the fire beginneth to seize upon it shall be caught up together with the Saints that shall come with Christ to meet him and them in the new Clouds and Ayr for I cannot imagine that either the Saints which shall come from Heaven or those that shall come from the Earth shall meet in these corrupt Clouds and Ayr which now are and so I may well gather from this place That the World to come shall begin immediately or suddenly upon the dissolution of this present world Which Position thus cleared crosseth a certain Vse opinion of Mr Mede * In his Book on the Revelation for though he grants That the World to come shall not begin before this present world shall be dissolved yet he thinks that the Day of Judgment shall continue for a thousand years and thereupon shall follow the World to come But I would fain know what he means by the Day of Judgment in that place whether the Day of Sentence or the Day of Execution If he mean the Day of Execution he might as well have said the Day of Judgment shall continue for ever for doubtless the Execution of the last Judgment shall continue for ever and ever But if he mean the Day of Sentence I wonder he should say the Day of Judgment shall continue a thousand years seeing no good reason can be given why the Lord should so long deliberate about the Sentence of Judgment Notwithstanding then this opinion of his I am still of the opinion That the World to come shall begin immediately or suddenly upon the dissolution of this present world And if so there is no reason why good Christians should mourn grieve or be discouraged to hear of the dissolution of this present world seeing the World to come shall begin immediately hereupon It is a comfort against the death of these corrupt bodies of ours to hear that we shall have other and better bodies after the death of these so it should be a comfort against the dissolution of this world to hear that there shall be another and a better world after the dissolution of this SECT IV. Shewing The nature of the World to come considered as a Continent ANd that we may rightly understand
new created Earth And lastly I learn so much from Saint Johns Vision thus expressed And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away Rev. â—1 1. which place doth well accord with the three former because herein the Apostle describes the World to come in â—osition to this present world and shews that â—s present world considered as a Continent conâ—eth of a present visible Heaven and Earth that is â—â— Starry Heaven and an Ayry Heaven compassing â—s Earth So the world to come considered as a â—â—ntinent shall consist of a new created Heaven â—â—d Earth that is of a new Starry Heaven and a â—â—w Ayry Heaven that shall compass the new â—â—rth And so we have now a four-fold testimony â—â—m the word of God for the proof of this third â—ound If any shall here object and say That I am alone Object this interpretation put upon the new Heavens â—â—d new Earth and do but deliver my own judgâ—â—nt and so may well be suspected My answer is If I were alone in this interpretaâ—â—â—n Answ I should not deserve any blame in this respect â—â—cause I have the proper occasion scope and conâ—â—â—t of the four places before quoted clearly on my â—e and when I find any interpretation warranted â—â— the proper occasion scope and context of the â—â—ce I shall judg it to be right and true though I â—â—ould meet with an hundred Expositors of a conâ—â—â—ry judgment yet I assure you that I am not â—ne in this interpretation of the new Heavens and â— new Earth but amongst my few Books I have â—t with four Expositors well reported of at this â—y in the Churches of God who are of the same â—â—dgment with my self concerning this matter â—â—mely Piscator a In his Commentaries on 2 Pet. 3. 13 Dr Dickson b In his Commentaries on 2 Pet. 3. 13 and on Heb. 12. Mr Ellis c In his Book entituled The Deliverance of the whole House of Israel and the â—e Annotations on the Bible d On 2 Pet. 3. 13. the latter of which â—â—â—imates or hints this reason why the world to â—â—me as a Continent shall consist of new Heavens and a new Earth viz. that it may be somewhat prâ—portionable to the Saints for to delight their eyâ—â— and minds Wherefore it is not from an affectaâ—â—on of singularity but out of love to the truth that have informed the Reader with this Ground Moreover before I leave this Ground I wouâ—â— have it known That there are many other passagâ— of Scripture besides those before quoted whicâ— if rightly understood will make much for tâ—â— confirmation of it Of which I shall instance some As 1. It is said The world shall be established thâ— it shall not be moved Psal 96. 10. And how shall â— understand this passage Shall not this preseâ—â— world be moved and shaken from its present stâ—â— and condition at the time of its dissolution Yâ—â— doubtless it shall But the meaning of it is Thâ— this world after its new Creation and after it shâ—â— consist of new Heavens and a new Earth shall neâ— be moved or shaken according to that of the Apâ—stle This word Yet once more signifieth the â— moving of those things that are shaken as of thinâ— that are made that those things which cannot â— shaken may remain Heb. 12. 27. So that from tâ—â— passage thus understood we may gather That tâ—â— World to come considered as a Continent shâ—â— consist of new created Heavens and a new creatâ— Earth 2. It is said in another place The Earth abide for ever Eccles 1. 4. How so Shall this corruâ—â— earth which now is abide for ever in its present aâ—â— pristine condition No it shall be burnt up 2 Pet 3. 10. But the meaning of this passage is That tâ—â— Earth after its new Creation shall abide for eveâ— and so we gather from hence That there shall be a new created Earth after this Earth shall be dissolved and we may not imagine That the new created Earth shall be without a new created Heaven consequently we may infer That the World to come considered as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a new created Earth 3. It is said elsewhere The meek shall inherit the Earth Mat. 5. 5. Yea The meek shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Psal 37. 11. which promises belong to all the godly meek in this world as well as to any but we find by experience that there are some godâ—y meek in this world who can hardly be said to have any inheritance in this corrupt Earth and if some of the meek do inherit it it is but a small part of it and that with much grief and vexation of spirit not with abundance of peace wherefore the meaning of these promises is That all the godly meek shall inherit the new created Earth and therein delight themselves in the abundance of peace and consesequently the World to come as a Continent shall consist of a new created Earth and if so then of new created Heavens too 4. It is said in the Psalm last quoted The righteous shall inherit the Land and dwell therein for ever Psal 37. 29. where the Land is all one with the Earth and this promise belongs to all that are truly righteous as well as to any but we know that all who are truly righteous in this world do not actually inherit this corrupt earth and they that do inherit some little portion thereof shall not dwell therein for ever therefore this promise must needs have reference to the new created Earth or Land which all that are truly righteous shall not only inherit but also shall dwell therein for ever and so the World to come as a Continent shall consist not only of new created Heavens but also of a new created Earth 5. It is said of Christ His dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Earth Psal 72. 8. which promise belonged to Solomon as a Type of Christ in a limited sence and by vertue of it he was to have dominion over divert Nations and Countries but this promise had reference to Christ in a larger sence and by vertue of it he is to have dominion over all people that ever were are or shall be as the Son of man which dominion is not to be expected in this corrupt world on this corrupt earth but it shall be made good unto him in and upon the new created Earth which new Earth shall not be without new Heavens and so we infer from hence That the world to come as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a new created Earth 6. It is said in the name of all the faithful Servants of God We shall raign on the Earth Rev. 5. 10. the meaning of which promise is That they shall raign over all their enemies ghostly and
bodily Now we see by dayly experience that it is not thus with them on this corrupt earth for here the faithful Servants of God have many Tyrants that sometime raign over them in a Tyrannical way as Sin the Flesh Satan and the world here the plowers plow upon their backs and make long furrows here men Psa 66. 12 ride over their heads here they meet with a Law in their members that leads them captive to the Law of sin But we are to understand that this Promise shall be made good unto them in the new created Earth wherein they shall under Christ raign over all their Enemies bodily and ghostly which new Earth cannot be without a new Heaven And so we gather from hence That the World to come as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a new created Earth 7. God said unto Abraham I will give unto â—hee and to thy seed after thee the Land wherein â—hou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for â—n everlasting possession Genes 17. 8. Which Promise is to be made good to Abraham in his own person and to all his Elect seed in their persons Now we know that Abraham in his own person â—id possess the Land of Canaan no otherwise then â—s a stranger and that his Elect seed have not all â—ossessed it in their persons according to this Proâ—ise much less have they had it for an everlasting possession Wherefore this Promise must needs have â—eference to the World to come and to a new creâ—ted Earth wherein shall be a new Land of Canaan which Abraham and his Elect seed shall all enjoy in â—heir own persons for an everlasting possession which â—ew Earth and new Canaan cannot be imagined to â—e without a new Heaven And so I infer from â—ence also That the World to come as a Contiâ—ent shall consist of new created Heavens and a â—ew created Earth 8. It is said in another place That he who blessâ—th himself in the Earth shall bless himself in the God of Truth and he that sweareth in the Earth â—hall swear by the God of Truth because the former troubles are forgotten and because they are hid from mine eyes Isai 65. 16. And here if we compare the matter promised with the matter of the next precedent Verse together with the Reasons annexed to it and also with the matter of the next subsequent Verse we may easily find that the earth in this place is put for the new created Earth which God hath promised Wherein who so blesseth himself shall bless himself in the God of Truth and who so sweareth shall swear by the God of Truth and wherein also former troubles shall be forgotten and hid from Gods eyes Which new Earth shall not be without new Heavens as in the next Verse appears Therefore from hence also I gather That the World to come as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a new createâ— Earth 9. Lastly We are taught to say to God in ouâ— prayers Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven In which Petition as I conceive this worâ— Earth includes not onely this corrupt Earth wherein we live but also that new Earth which shall bâ— created instead of this Because we are to desire That Gods Will so far as it shall be revealed to menâ— may be done in both as it is in Heaven that is tâ— say we are to desire that his Will may be done iâ— this corrupt Earth in some like manner as it is now done in Heaven viz. readily willingly chearfully constantly sincerely And we are to desire thaâ— his Will may be done in the new Earth in full likâ— maner as it is now done in the blessed Heaven viz perfectly without all sinful defects And doubtlesâ— Gods will shall be done in the new created Earth aâ— perfectly by all his Elect as it is now done by thâ— Saints in Heaven which are but some of them And seeing we cannot think upon such a new Eartâ— without a new Heaven I may safely conclude That the World to come considered as a Continent shall consist of new created Heavens and a new created Earth Other Scripture-passages might be produced for the ratification of this ground but I am loath to burthen the Reader with any more in this place Fourthly I affirm That the World to come considered 4 Ground as a Continent shall in some things correspond and accord with this present world As in these particulars 1. This present world considered as a Continent consisteth of visible Heavens and a visible Earth And here by visible Heavens we commonly understand both the Airy Heaven which is now next above us and the Starry Heaven which is now next above that And here also by a visible Earth we commonly understand both the dry Land and the Waters which now are Gen. 1. 9. So the World to come considered as a Continent shall consist of visible Heavens and a visible Earth as may appear by what hath been said upon the former ground 1 Thes 4 17 Dan. 12 3 And here again by visible Heavens I understand both that Airy Heaven and that Starry Heaven which shall be created upon the dissolution of these which now are And also by a visible Earth I understand both that dry Land and those Waters which shall be created upon the dissolution of these which now are 2. This present world considered as a Continent received its beginning by Creation and was created by God himself Gen. 1. 1. So the World to come considered as a Continent shall receive its beginning by Creation and shall be created by God himself Isai 65. 17. 66. 22. Yet I dare not say that it shall be created of nothing as this present world was Indeed it is possible enough with God to create it of nothing pre-existent Yet it seems more probable to me that it shall be created of the dust of this present world after it shall be burnt up and brought to dust As the bodies of men women and children in their Resurrection shall be formed or created of the dust of their old bodies But I will not contend for this as for a matter of Faith It 's enough for us to beleeve that the World to come shall be created by God himself either of nothing or of something and if of something then it 's probable that it may be created as well of the dust of this as of any other thing 3. This present world considered as a Continent doth contain in it variety of Creatures some rational some irrational So the World to come as a Continent shall contain in it variety of Creatures some rational some irrational as I intend to shew in the next part of this Treatise after I shall have spoken of the more principal matters of the World to come Fifthly I affirm That the World to come considened 5 Ground as a Continent shall differ from this present world both for
substance and qualities That it shall differ from this present world for qualities or as touching its qualities is acknowledged by many Writers 1. Because this present world waxeth old like a garment and is grown decrepit but that to come shall be new 2. Because this is corruptible but that shall be incorruptible 3. Because this is mutable and moveable but that shall be immutable and immoveable Isai 66. 22. Heb. 12. 4. Because this is polluted and defiled but that shall be undefiled 5. Because this shall have an end but that shall be everlasting without end For which causes the World to come must needs differ from this present world for qualities or in and touching its qualities And hereunto I add That it shall differ also from this present world for substance or as touching the substance of it 1. Because the World to come shall not be created before the substance of this world as a Continent shall be burnt up and brought to dust as hath been before shewed And if so then the World to come must needs be another from this for substance and so differ from this as touching the substance of it 2. Because the World to come shall not be created of the substance of this present world but either it shall be created of nothing or of something that shall not be the substance of this And suppose it shal be created of the dust of this yet it wil not hereupon follow that it shall be created of the substance of this For as the dust of a mans body after it is burnt to ashes cannot properly be called the substance of his body so neither can the dust of this present world after it shall be burnt to ashes be properly called the substance of this world And seeing the World to come shall not be created of the substance of this it will necessarily follow That it shall be another from this and shall differ from this as touching the substance of it 3. Unless the World to come shall differ from this in and for the substance of it I cannot see how it can differ from it in and for the qualities of it because where any natural substance remains the natural qualities of it are wont to remain too As when in Noahs time the world then was drowned with a flood the natural substance of it remained and the natural qualities too though the superficies of it was much altered for a while But it is granted by many as I said That the world to come shall differ from this for qualities Therefore I infer from the premisses That the World to come considered as a Continent shall differ from this present world and be another from it both for substance and qualities Sixthly I affirm That the World to come considered 6 Ground as a Continent shall be the same for essence and essential properties with this present world Thus our new bodies after the last Resurrection shall be the same for essence and essential properties with these bodies which now we have And as it is essential to these bodies which now we have to to consist of flesh and bones of eyes ears hands and feet c. So it shall be essential to our new bodies after the last Resurrection to consist of flesh and bones of eyes ears hands and feet c. For I my self shall behold him saith Job with these same eyes Job 19. 27. Yet our new bodies shall not be the same with these for substance for thou sowest not that body that shall be 1 Cor. 15. 37. Neither shal they be the same with these for qualities for that which is sown in corruption shall rise again in incorruption that which is sown in dishonor shall be raised in glory c. 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. So the World to come shall be the same for essence and essential properties with this present world And as it is essential to this world to be Gods Creation and Workmanship to consist of visible Heavens and a visible Earth to be a round world and of large extent So shall it be essential to the World to come to be Gods Creation and Workmanship to consist of visible Heavens and a visible Earth to be a round world and of large extent And so much I gather from this Scripture-Maxim God hath established the world never to be moved Psal 96. 10. whereas we know that this present world shall be moved at the time of its dissolution in respect of its present substance and qualities but the meaning is That it shall never be moved in respect of its essence because this shall continue not onely until but after its new Creation I infer then That the World to come shall be the same with this for essence and essential properties though it shall not be the same with it for substance and qualities These six Grounds thus cleared make for the discovery Vse of three Errors The first Error is of those who think That the World to come shall be nothing else but that blessed Heaven or third Heaven which now is Which Opinion as I take it hath been effectually confuted before in my second Section and so I need say no more of it in this place The second is the Error of those who think That the World to come shall be the same for substance with this present world Which Error as I conceive hath been substantially refuted in my two last Grounds upon this Section For though I grant in one of them That the World to come shall be the same for essence with this world yet I have shewed in the other That it shall not be the same for substance with it And therefore I will say no more at this time concerning this matter The third is the Error of those who think That the World to come as a Continent shall not consist of new Heavens and a new Earth because say they where ever the Scripture speaks of new Heavens and a new Earth it speaks of a new reformed Church in this life all the world over before the end of it and not of the World to come Which Opinion hath obtained many Patrons Advocates and Followers of late years and in these Times who have hereupon fancyed to themselves strange Forms of Religion and strange Forms of Government and Discipline as necessary to be established in the Church in these latter Times But all of them have justly deserved to be censured by the Church 1. Because they have put a false gloss or interpretation upon those places which speak of the new Heavens and a new Earth 2. Because they make use of a figurative or allegorical interpretation when the proper and litteral sence is onely right and orthodox 3. Because they wrest many other places of Scripture in favor of this interpretation 4. Because that conclusion which they intend to prove by their wrestings is grosly erroneous in it self viz. That there shall be such a Reformed Church all the world over
as they speak of before the end come as I have before shewed Wherefore though I have here fit occasion given for to examine their Books and to discover their several Mistakes and Errors yet I am not willing in this Tract either to trouble â—he Reader any further with their conceits or to hinâ—er him from the meditation of profitable matters Again These six Grounds discovering the nature of the World to come should move and excite all â—eleeving Christians to look and hope for such a world to come as is here described with Christian hope after the example of S. Peter and the faithâ—ul with him who looked for new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. So did the scattered Jews to whom he wrote his epistle they looked and hoped â—or the same Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for such things 2 Pet. 3. 14. And when Abraham looked for a City with foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. doubtless he hoped â—or the world to come wherein this City shall be found So when the beleeving Romans had in them the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. and Paul had in him the hope of the Resurrection Act. 23. 6. They had also in them a good hope of the world to come wherein such things are to be found If it be here asked why beleeving Christians should hope for the world to come I answer 1. The world to come is often promised in the Word of God and for this cause we should look and hope for it Nevertheless according to his promise we look for new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. 2. VVe are commanded to look and hope for the world to come Look up for your Redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21. 28. Looking for that blessed hope Tit. 2. 13. And for this cause we should hope for it 3. This hope of the world to come is called the hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 23. because the Gospeâ— teacheth and perswadeth it And for this cause we should hope for it 4. This hope of the world to come is called the hope of our calling Eph. 1. 18. because it should accompany the Christian Calling And for this cause it should not be wanting in us 5. Unless Beleevers hope in Christ for the world to come they are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And if it be asked after what manner beleeving Christians should hope for the world to come I answer thus 1. Our hope for the world to come should be a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. such as should make us active and lively in the performance of Christian duties 2. It should be constant and stedfast such as should continue with us in the worst times unto the end of our days according to that of the Apostle Gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope unto the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. Prov. 14. 32. 3. It should be a patient hope such as should make us to wait patiently for the world to come and the good things thereof with the faithful at Jerusalem Luk. 2. 38. and with Joseph the Counsellor Luk. 23. 51. 4. It should be chearful such as should make us comfortable under the Cross of Christ with the beleeving Romans who rejoyced in hope of the glory of God to be revealed hereafter Rom. 5. 2. 5. It should be diligent such as should stir us up to be diligent in the exercise of all saving graces acâ—â—rding to that of the Apostle Seeing ye look for â—â—ch things be diligent that ye may be found of â—â— in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3. â— where he intimates That they who are diliâ—â—nt in the exercise of saving grace while they live this world shall be found of God and of Christ the world to come and accepted of him as perâ—â—ctly reconciled and as perfectly holy and conseâ—â—ently they shall be found of him in peace withâ—â—t spot and blameless Let us not then cast off this â—â—pe at any time SECT V. Touching the Second Coming of Christ in the Flesh HAving hitherto spoken of the World to come considering it chiefly as a Country or Contiâ—ent Method requires that I should now in the next â—â—ace speak of it in reference to the things which shal â—e contained in it And though I cannot name all â—he particular matters things and occurrences which â—hall be in the World to come yet the Scripâ—ure mentions many of them and such as I find â—entioned in Scripture I shall endeavor to discover â—â— God shall permit And amongst others I here name five principal things that shall be visible to men in the World to come viz. 1. The Second Coming of Christ in the Flesh 2. The last Resurrection 3. The last Iudgment 4. The Kingdom of Christ 5. The blessed Condition of all that arâ— Christs with the cursed Condition of alâ— that are none of his But in this Section I shall speak only of the first oâ— these viz. Of the Second Coming of Christ in the Flesh And here we must know that the Word of God doth inform us of divers things touching this matter As First It informeth us That the Second Coming 1 Informat of Christ in the Flesh is to be distinguished from all other Comings of his for wheresoever this Second Coming of his is mentioned as Acts 1. 11. Heb. 9. 26. and in other places it is distinguished from all other Comings of his And more particularly it is distinguished 1. From his Coming in the Spirit for after his Ascention he came to his Apostles in the Spirit or in a spiritual way in the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his promise before his Ascention I will not leave you comfortless but will come unto you Joh. 14. 18. And this his Coming in the Spirit was not his second Coming in the Flesh 2. It is to be distinguished from his first Coming in the Flesh For though his first Coming in the Flesh was a Coming from Heaven as his second Coming shall be as it is written No man hath ascended into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Joh. 3. 13. yet his first Coming in the Flesh was partly a coming into this polluted world at the time of his Birth as he saith To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth Joh. 18. 37. And partly it was a coming from place to place in this polluted world as He came from Galilee to â—rdan to John to be baptized of him Mat. 3. 13. â—e came to his own and his own received him not â—â—h 1. 11. He left Judea and came to a City of â—â—maria which is called Sychar Joh. 4. 3 5. But â—s second Coming in the Flesh shall never be a comâ—â—g into this polluted world nor
â—â—e Judgments approaching For as in the days â—â—fore the Flood they were eating and drinking â—arrying and giving in marriage until the day â—at Noah entered into the Ark and knew not â—til the Flood came and took them all away So â—â—all also the Coming of the Son of man be Mat. 24. â—â— 39. Indeed this sign is visible in part at this preâ—â—nt and shall be conjunct and simultaneous with â—e second Coming of Christ in the Flesh yet it â—â—all be more visible then now it is immediately beâ—â—â—e this Coming of his to such as shall have eyes to â—â—scern it 4. A great paucity of true Beleevers is mentioned a sign presaging his second Coming in the Flesh â—â—r Christ himself saith When the Son of man comâ—â—h shall he find faith on the earth Luk. 18. 8. â—hich Interrogation of his sounds in mine years as â—he had said Though at my second Appearing there â—â—all be found much dead faith a great profession â—â— faith and many unprofitable kinds of faith yet â—â—at lively faith which justifies a sinner before God â—â—all be found but in a few And though it be true â—â—at this sign shall be also conjunct and simultaneous â—ith the second Coming of Christ yet doubtless â—â— shall be more apparent then now it is immediately â—efore his second Coming to such as shall have eyes â—â— discern it 5. A great alteration in the visible Heavens anâ— Earth which now are is mentioned as a sign prâ—saging his second Coming in the Flesh for it is saiâ— That there shall be signs in the Sun and in thâ— Moon and in the Stars and upon the Earth distresâ— of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the waveâ— roaring Luk. 21. 25. And before that great anâ— terrible Day of the Lord come the Sun shall â—â— darkened and the Moon shall not give her lighâ— and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the poers of Heaven shall be shaken Mat. 24. 29. Anâ— though some Writers do put an allegorical sence upon these passages yet the litteral sence must and wâ— stand good which is That all these creatures shâ—â— withhold their wonted operation and influence anâ— shall no more be able to give comfort unto men nâ— to shew forth their glory as before but shall ceaâ— from their service and lose their power as a learneâ— Divine writes And though this sign be not yâ—â— M. Dickson in his commentaries on Mat. 24. 29. apparent yet it shall be immediately before the appearing of Christ in the Clouds 6. After these things it is said Then shall appeâ—â— the sign of the Son of man in Heaven Mat. 24. 3â— And here by the sign of the Son of man I do noâ— understand with some Writers the sign of tâ—â— Cross nor with others the glorious Person of Châ—â—â—â— himself coming in the Clouds but by it I undeâ—stand the fire of the great day of the Lord whicâ— shall begin in these visible Heavens and shall shiâ—â— all the world over as the lightening shineth from onâ— end of Heaven unto the other This is the sign the Son of man and the last sign of his which shâ—â— be in Heaven before his personal approach in tâ—â— Clouds Thus the Word of God informeth us â—â— the signs presaging the second Coming of Christ in the Flesh Fourthly It informeth us touching the time of his second Coming in the Flesh and so teacheth 4 Informat us 1. That the very punctual time that is the day and hour of this Coming of his is known only to God himself not to men nor to Angels nor to Christ himself as he is the Son of man For of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heaven neither the Son but the Father Mark 13. 32. And in this sence our Saviour said unto his followers It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Acts 1. 7. 2. That we should not think the time of this his second Coming to be far off because the Scripture speaks of it as of that which is near at hand Luk. 21. 31. Rom. 13. 12. Phil. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 4. 7. Rev. 22. 10. Jam. 5. 8. wherefore if we will judg according to Scripture we should judg it to be near at hand And seeing the most part of those signs which presage this second Coming of his have been already observed in the world and the rest of them are dayly expected it seems unreasonable to me that any should think it to be far off or yet a thousand years off as some have thought 3. That the day of this his second Coming shall be a long day and longer then any that hath been or shall be before it for it shall be somewhat like that day in Joshua's time when the Sun and the Moon stood still in the midst of Heaven Josh 10. 12 13 14. and it shall be such a day as is described by the Prophet Zechariah in which it shall not be clear nor dark but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord not day nor night but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light Zech. 14. 6 7. Yea we may well conceive that it shall be a very long day because of the great transactions that shall be in it for on that day shall be 1. The dissolution of this present world 2. The Creation of the World to come 3. The subduing of all Christs Enemies unto him 4. The Resignation of the Kingdom of Heaven unto God the Father 5. The Appearing of the Son of man 6. The Resurrection of all the dead And 7. The Sentence of the last Judgment So it must needs be a long day that shall be famous for all these transactions And hereunto I add That though the punctual time of his second Coming in the Flesh be known only to God yet some Divines think that the yearly or annual time of the worlds end and his second Coming are not obscurely pointed at in Scripture by those numbers of 1260. Rev. 11. 3. of 1290. Dan. 12. 11. of 666. Rev. 13. 18. of 1335. Dan. 12. 12. For say they If these numbers were rightly Vide Mr J. E. in his Book entitled The deliverance of the whole House of Israel understood they would put us very near upon the worlds end the second Coming of Christ and from these places they infer That the whole raign of the Papal Antichrist from the first to the last shall be 1260 years and his fall or ruine shall be in the year of our Lord 666. and this second Coming of Christ shall be 45â— years after that But I deliver this only as the opinion of some and so leave it to the censure of the godly and to the experience of after times not doubting that some matter of moment will be found in it Fifthly It informeth us touching the place from 5 Informat whence
he shall come again in the Flesh the second â—â—me so assureth us that this Coming of his shal be fâ—om Heaven viz. that third Heaven or blessed Heaâ—en wherein he now is and raigneth with his Father iâ— his humane nature as God and man in one person â—nd for to assure us hereof it is said This same Jesus â—hich is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout 1 Thes 4. 16. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with â—is mighty Angels 2 Thes 2. 7. From Heaven we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 20. and hereunto accords that Vision of Saint John I saw the holy City New Jerusalem coming â—own from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride â—dorned for her husband Rev. 21. 2 10. Where by New Jerusalem I understand all the Saints which Christ shall bring with him at his second Coming to be espoused unto him after a more glorious manner then formerly they were and if this New Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven then Christ himself also shall come down from thence at his next return in the Flesh But it may be here demanded Whether Christ Quest shall come from the third Heaven at this next Return of his with a purpose to leave it To which demand I answer thus First The third Answ Heaven may be considered as the most high and holy place of the Godhead Father Son and Holy Ghost and so I say That Christ considered only as God shall never leave it because it is the essential place of the Godhead Secondly It may be considered as it is now the place of Christs humane Nature wherein he raigneth with the Father as God and man in onâ— person and so I beleeve That Christ at his seconâ— Coming from the third Heaven shall leave it altogether never to possess it again as formerly nor as the constant place of his habitation yet I deny not but conceive that after this descention of his he may be taken up again in his humane Nature at some times into the third Heaven for some ends known only to God as Saint Paul once was before hiâ— death but still I think that at his next Return from this Heaven in his humane Nature he shall leave iâ— altogether as the dwelling place of his humane Nature and that for these Reasons 1. The third Heaven was not promised to Christ for an everlasting habitation but only for a certain time as may be seen in these places Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. He must raign till he viz. the Father hath put all enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. And that which is here promised shall be made good unto him at his second Coming and not before And if the third Heaven be not promised unto him for an everlasting habitation but for such a time as is expressed in the promise then we may well think That at his second Coming from this Heaven he shall leave it altogether as it is the dwelling place of his humane Nature 2. It is said That this third Heaven shall receive or contain Christ but for a certain time viz. until the times of restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. that is until the World to come shall be created and all things therein shall be restored according to the Decrees and Promises of God And if so then doubtless Christ at his second Coming from this Heaven shall leave it altogether considered as the dwelling place of his humane Nature 3. It is written That Christ at his second Coming from this Heaven shall resign or deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. And what Kingdom is this that he shall then deliver up to his Father Ans 1. I do not say with some Writers That he shall then deliver up his Mediatory Kingdom to his Father because this Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is the Son of David shall have no end Luk. 1. 33. Neither 2. do I say with others That he shall then deliver up his Church-Kingdom unto his Fathers sole dispose and Government because the Government of the Church both Militant and Triumphant is laid upon Christs shoulders as a Mediator and shall never be taken off from him Isai 9. 6 7. Neither 3. do I say with others That he shall then deliver up his Representative Kingdom consisting of outward Ordinances and Administrations now in use to be abolished by his Father because these things shall cease and determine of their own accord and be abolished before his second Coming at least in order of nature But I say That he shall then resign and deliver up the Kingdom of Heaven properly so called as it is his Fathers personal Kingdom unto the sole dispose and Government of his Father that so his Father may be all in all in it as he was before Christs coming thither 1 Cor. 15. 28. And if he shall resign this Kingdom to God even the Father then we may well think That at his next Coming from this Heaven in his humane Nature he shall leave it altogether as it is the dwelling place of his humane Nature 4. It is said That Christ after his next Coming from Heaven in the Flesh shall be subject to him that put all things under him 1 Cor. 15. 28. that is as if the Apostle had said While Christ remains in the third Heaven in his humane Nature and as the person of a Mediator we are not to consider him as the Fathers Subject because he is there after a sort equal with his Father his Father having advanced him at his own right hand upon his own Throne and having given unto him all power in Heaven and in Earth but after his coming from thence he shall be subject to his Father as he was before his Ascention and if so then doubtless at his second Coming from this Heaven he shall leave it as the dwelling place of his humane Nature 5. Have we never read That Christ after his personal Coming from this third Heaven shall possess his own personal Kingdom and sit upon his own personal Throne according to his Fathers appointment Luk. 19 12. and 22. 29. Rev. 3. 21. And how can this be unless he shall then leave his Fathers personal Kingdom and personal Throne and unless he shall then leave this third Heaven altogether considering it as the dwelling place of his humane Nature Sixthly It informeth us touching the place whither 6 Informat he shall come when he shall come again in the Flesh And so I cannot think that he shall come again from Heaven into this polluted world because this will be no fit place for a glorified Person to be and reside in but doubtless he shall come again from Heaven into the World to
come which shall be created instead of this that is into the new Heavens and the new Earth And so first he shall come into the new Heavens there to be made visible to the Inhabitants of this Earth that some of them viz. his friends may be caught up together in the Clouds to meet him in the ayr of the new Heaven 1 Thes 4. 17. and that others viz. his enemies may be afflicted and astonished to behold him Rev. 1. 7. And from thence he shall descend unto the new Earth there to reside and dwell for ever and all his Saints with him as it is written We look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousness viz. the Lord our Righteousness with all his righteous Ones and nothing else but Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. And as it is written again Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them Rev. 21. 3. Yea this dwelling of Christ and his Saints upon the new Earth was lively represented unto us at the time of his Transfiguration upon the Mount for then and there Christ himself with Moses and Elias appeared Mat. 17. in a humane shape and Peter said Master it is good for us to be here that is to reside or dwell here let us build three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias By which Transfiguration we are plainly taught what shall be hereafter But here perhaps some will be ready to object and Object say It will be a dishonour to Christ and his Saints if they shall leave the third Heaven for to reside and dwell in the World to come or upon the new Earth This will be no dishonour at all unto them because Christ and his Saints shall be in some respects Answ more glorious in the World to come and upon the new Earth then now they are in the third Heaven as we may well conceive for these Reasons 1. Because the World to come will be more suitable and proportionable unto humane bodies and natures then the third Heaven now is 2. Because in the World to come Christ shall raign in his own personal Kingdom with all his Saints with him whereas now in the third Heaven he raigns as Mediator only in his Fathers personal Kingdom and with only some of his Saints with him 3. Because in the World to come all Christs Enemies shall be manifestly subdued unto him whereas now while he remains in the third Heaven we cannot see all things put under him Heb. 2 8. 4. Because in the World to come the Saints shall raign with Christ both in soul and body and that for ever whereas now in the third Heaven they raign with him onely in respect of Souls and that but for a time These things considered I am so far from thinking that it will be a dishonour to Christ and his Saints when they shall leave the third Heaven for to reside upon the new Earth that I rather think it will be an encrease or augmentation of honour and glory unto them Seventhly It informeth us touching the manner 7 Informat of his second Coming in the Flesh and sheweth that he shall come again in like manner as he went into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. that is to say 1. As he ascended in a visible manner in the sight of many so he shall come again in a visible manner for they shall see the Son of man come in the Clouds Mat. 24. 30. And every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him Revel 1. 7. 2. As he ascended in a bodily manner and in his humane nature so he shall come again in a bodily manner and in his humane nature Mat. 24. 30. 3. As he ascended in a triumphant manner triumphing over Death Hell and the Grave so he shall come again in a triumphant manner triumphing over all his Enemies 4. As he ascended gloriously so he shall come again in the glory of his Father with power and great glory 5. As he ascended in a kingly manner with some good Angels attending on him so he shall come again in like manner with all his holy and mighty Angels attending on him 2 Thes 1. 7. Mat. 25. 31. 6. As his Ascention gave his Enemies great cause to lament and bewail their condition so his Coming again shall give them great cause so to do for then the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn Mat. 24. 30. And all the kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1. 7. 7. As his Ascention into Heaven gave his friends great cause to rejoyce because he went thither to prepare a place for them so his Coming again from thence shall give them great cause to rejoyce too because unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. Eightly It informeth us touching the ends of 8 Informat his second Coming in the Flesh which ends may be thus expâ—essed 1. He shall come again from Heaven for to judg and raign in the World to come for it is said He shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. From whence I gather That Christ shall have a Kingdom in the World to come wherein he shall judg and raign So much also may be gathered from 1 Chron. 16. 31 33. And if so then he shall come again from Heaven for to judg and raign in the World to come Luk. 1. 33. Jude 15. 2 He shall come again from Heaven for to render unto every one according to his works as it is written Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. From whence I gather That as Christ in the World to come shall render unto the good according to the good works which shall be found upon them not remembering their evil works and unto the wicked according to the evil works which shall be found upon them not regarding their seeming good works So he shall come again from Heaven for this end 3. He shall come again in flaming fire for to take vengeance on them which know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 8. viz. in case they shall not repent of these sins before their death 4. He shall come again from Heaven for to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. 5. He shall come again from Heaven for to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that beleeve 2 Thes 1. 10. viz. in the World to come All these Informations put together and all that Vse hath been here said touching the
spoken to Martha concerning this subject he said unto her Beleevest thou this intimating that we should beleeve what the Scripture faith of the Resurrection And when Saint Paul had spoken of the same point he said to the Corinthians So we preach and so ye have beleeved 1. Cor. 15. 2. To hope for the last Resurrection as we are taught by the example of Saint Paul and others Act. 23. 6â— â—â— 1â— because it will be a joyful day for all Gods Elect. 3. To be patient in the mean time under all afflictions and perfecutions as the Martyrs in the primitive times were willing to suffer and refused to accept of deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection Hebr. 11. 35. 4. To do good in every kinde seeing we know that our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord but that we shall be recompenced for every good act at the Resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. Lastly This Doctrine touching the last Resurrection should comfort all good Christians greatly against all the evils of this life seeing we are charged to comfort one another with these words which concern the Resurrection 1 Thess 4. 18. More particularly it should comfort such against all their bodily infirmities and defects as blindness deafness lameness sickness c. knowing that in the Resurrection all these shall be done away and our bodies shall be restored unto us safe and sound in all parts and in all respectâ— And against the fear of a corporal death as Iob did comfort himself against it when he said If a man dye shall he live again Aâ— the days of mine appointed time will I wait till my change shall come Iob 14. 14. And as David also comforted himself in the like case when he said My flesh was glad and my glory rejoyced because thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell nor suffer thy holy One to see corruption Psal 16. SECT VII Touching the last Iudgment THree of the first things which shall be made visible in the World to come are the second Coming of Christ in the Flesh the last Resurrection and the last Iudgment And having spoken of two of these before I am now to speak of the third in this Section And here for the better information of our judgments I shall affirm divers things also touching the last Judgment As First I affirm That the last Iudgment it to be 1 Inform. distinguished from all other judgments whether of God or of men It is to be distinguished from all other Judgments of God 1. Because all other Judgments of God are but some National or some particular ones such as concern some whole Nations or such as concern some particular persons But the last Judgment shall be more then some National or particular one because it shall be universal such as shall concern all particulars of Mankinde of all Nations 2. Because all other Judgments of God are passed upon men at several times for some mens sins are open before-hand going before to judgment and some mens follow after 1 Tim. 5. 24. But the last Judgment shall be passed upon men all at once 3. Because all other Judgments of God are but partial and gradual not according the full measure of their works but the last Judgment shall be full and compleat 4. Because all other Judgments of God are but temporal whereas the last shall be eternal in respect of the execution thereof 5. Because all other Judgments of God have in them something that is secret and hid from men but the last Judgment with the cause of it shall be fully and clearly revealed to men It is also to be distinguished from all judgments of men that are given and passed by men in this life 1. Because such judgments of men are in some things commonly peccant and faulty like themselves but the last Judgment shall not be peccant or faulty in any thing 2. Because such Judgments of men may be appealed from unto the Judgment of God at least but the last Judgment will admit of no appeal and so the last Judgment is to be distinguished from all other Judgments whether of God or of men Secondly I affirm That the last Iudgment 2 Inform. shall certainly be and come to pass in due season And we should not doubt of it because God hath made the last Judgment sure unto us by three things As 1. By the Resurrection of Christ from the dead And one end for which God raised him from the dead was that thereby he might assure us of the last Judgment Act. 17. 31. 2. By his Decree and Appointment For it is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the Iudgment Hebr. 9. 27. And God hath appointed a day in which he will judg the world Act. 17. 31. Now matters decreed and appointed by God shall certainly be and come to pass in due season But the last Judgment is a matter decreed and appointed by God therefore it shall certainly be and come to pass in due season 3. By plain Testimonies of Scripture such as cannot be evaded For David speaketh plainly of the last Judgment when he saith The ungodly shall not stand in the Iudgment Psal 1. 5. God shall administer Iudgment unto the people in uprightness Psal 9. 8. He shall call to the Heavens from above and to the Earth that he may judg his people Psal 50. 4. So doth Solomon when he saith God shall judg the righteous and the wicked Eccles 3. 17. For all these things God shall bring thee to judgment Eccles 11. 9. And God shall bring every work to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil Eccles 12. 14. So doth our Saviour when he saith That he shall execute judgment as the Son of man Ioh. 5. 27. So doth Saint Paul when he saith We know the judgment of God shall be according to truth against them that do such things Rom. 2. 2. So doth Saint Iames when he saith There shall be judgment merciless unto them that shew no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment Iames 2. 13. And so doth Saint Peter when he speaketh of the Iudgment of the great day 2 Pet. 3. 7. Wherefore seeing the last Judgment is thus made sure unto us by these things we should not doubt thereof but should beleeve that it shall certainly be and come to pass in due season Thirdly I affirm That the last Iudgment shall 3 Informat be visibly administred onely by Christ as Mediator as God and Man in one person Indeed I grant that this Judgment shall be efficiently caused by the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost because it is said That God shall judg the world Psa 50. 6. 75. 7. Act. 17. 31. And the outward acts of the Godhead are common to all three persons in the Godhead I grant also that this Judgment shall be instrumentally caused by the holy Angels because they shall go forth and gather
also which shall be given and pronounced upon the Reprobates under the name and notion of unjust persons shall be to this effect Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And the reason of this Sentence also shall be added thus For I was hungry and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not Verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Matth. 25. 41 42 43 44 45. And will it not be just That after a Throne hath been prepared for Judgment and summons have been given and a personal appearance hath been made and a cause hath been produced and evidence hâ—th been brought in that this Sentence of Judgment should be given Yes doubtless Wherefore seeing all the proceedings of this Judgment shall be just I may well infer That the last Iudgment shall be just and righteous altogether Sixthly I affirm That the Word of God teacheth 6 Inform. â—â— something touching the time of the last Iudgment As 1. That this Judgment shall be upon one and the same day with the second Coming of Christ And for this cause the day of his second Coming is called the day of Iudgment Mat. 10. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 7. 1 Ioh. 4. 17. Iude 6. And here it should be remembred that the day of Judgment is taken and used in a double sence 1. For the day of Sentence As when it is said that every idle word that men speak they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment Mat. 12. 36. 2. For the day of Execution As when it is said The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust to the day of Judgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. Now when I say that the day of Judgment shall be the same with the day of Christs second Coming we must understand it of the day of Sentence not of the day of Execution because the day of Execution shall continue after the day of his second Coming 2. It teacheth us That the time of the last Judgment should not be thought to be far off because Saint Iames saith Behold the Iudg meaning Christ standeth before the door Iam. 5. 9. which expression is taken from an earthly Judg who when he standeth before the door should not be thought to be far of but neer at hand neither should his judgment be thought to be far of but neer at hand but Christ our Judg standeth before the door saith he therefore we should not think him to be far off but neer at hand neither should we think this Judgment of his to be far off but neer at hand Seventhly I affirm That the Word of God teacheth 7 Inform. us something touching the place of the last Judgment and shews where it shall be viz. in the World to come For it is said That Christ shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Whence I gather That Christ at his second appearing shall have a humane Kingdom such as now he hath not and that where this Kingdom shall be there shall the last Judgment be But this Kingdom of his shall be in the World to come as I shall have occasion to prove hereafter therefore this Judgment of his shall be in the World to come Yet I suppose that all Divines are not of my mind Object in this For perchance one may think That this Judgment shall be in the third Heaven which now is because it is said That God shall call to the Heavens above and to the Earth that he may judg his people Psal 50. 4. Whereunto I reply That this conceit is against Answ that Article of our Creed wherein we profess to beleeve that Christ shall come from the third Heaven for to judg the quick and the dead And what need he come from thence for to judg them if he shal judg them there or there pronounce Judgment upon them Besides this place quoted from the Psalmist relates not to the place of this last Judgment but to the persons that shall be judged And so the meaning of it is as if he had said God shall command the Heaven from above to let forth the Souls that are therein and the Earth from beneath to yeeld forth the bodies of men therein that so both in Soul and body they may be judged Wherefore I cannot imagine that this Judgment shall be given or pronounced in the third Heaven Another may think That this Judgment shall be Object in the Ayr that now is because it is said That such as shall live and remain at the second Coming of Christ shall be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the ayr 1 Thess 4. 17 Whereunto also I reply That the Apostle in the Answ place quoted speaks not of the clouds and ayr which now are but of those which shall be created instead of these as hath been before intimated That the glorified bodies of Christ and his Saints shall not come into this corrupt ayr And so from this place we may better prove that this last Judgment shall be in the World to come then that it shall be in the Ayr that now is And withall I add That those Divines which have taken much pains to describe Christs Throne in the Ayr that now is might well have saved that labor Another may think That this Judgment shall be Object upon the Earth that now is and particularly in the valley of Jehoshaphat which as some say is scituate beween Mount Sion and Mount Olivet because the Prophet Joel saith That God will gather all Nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat and will plead with them there Ioel 3. 2. But to this I answer That if we view the Context Answ well we shall finde that the Prophet Ioel there speaks of a temporal judgment that was to be brought upon the Enemies of Israel and Iudah in the valley of Iehoshaphat and not of this last Judgment How then can it be proved from hence That this last Judgment shall be upon the earth that now is and namely in the valley of Ichoshaphat But if any will say This Temporal judgment might be a type of the last Judgment I will not gainsay it Yet all that I can gather from this is That this last Judgment shall as certainly be in the World to come as that was in the valley of Ichoshaphat that now is And it may be that the Throne of the last Judgment shall be neer about the valley of Ichosaphat which shall be in the World to come Eighthly I affirm That the Word of God teacheth 8 Inform. us something also touching the Execution of the last Judgment As
1. That the Execution of it shall immediately follow the Sentence of it For no sooner shall that Sentence be given but forthwith the righteous shall go into life eternal and the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment Mat. 25. 46. 2. That the Execution of it shall be full and compleat in all things according to the Sentence For nothing shal be found in the Sentence which shall be found wanting in the Execution but in all things according to the Sentence shall the Execution be they that shall be blessed in the Sentence shall be blessed in the Execution and they that shall be cursed in the Sentence shall be cursed in the Execution and so Christ shall render unto every man according to his works Rev. 22. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality eternal life But unto them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and auguish Rom. 2. 7 8 9. 3. That the Execution of it shall continue for ever For it is granted that the felicity of the godly and the misery of the wicked shall have no end in the World to come And if so then it will follow that the Execution of this last Judgment shall have no end but shall continue for ever both in multiplying of joys upon the godly and in multiplying of sorrows upon the wicked And what else can befall them both after the Sentence of this Iudgment but the Execution thereof Wherefore if we take the day of Iudgment for the day of Sentence we cannot say with Mr Mede and say truly That it On the Apotalyps shall continue a thousand years But if we take the day of Iudgment for the day of Execution we may say and say truly That it shall continue for ever Now as the Scripture doth thus inform our judgments concerning the last Iudgment so doth it also Vse apply â—â—e same Doctrine for the reformation of our lives Partly by way of Dehortation And so this Doctrine of the last Iudgment should dehort us in general from the practise of all sin because every sin unrepented of and unpardoned shall be brought to judgment and receive a just recompence of reward Eccles 12. 14. And in particular it should dehort us 1. From Atheism in all degrees because they that shall be found in the guilt of this sin without a pardon for it at the day of Iudgment shall suffer for it according to the full desert of their sin And God shall then say unto such an Atheist Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set those things in order before thine eyes Psal 50. 21. 2. From sinful ignorance in all kindes because they that shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at the day of Iudgment shall suffer for it as it is written He that knoweth not his Masters will shall be beaten with stripes Luk. 12. 48. And Christ at his second Coming shall take vengeance on such as know not God 2 Thess 1. 8. 3. From sinful unbelief in all kindes because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at the day of Iudgment shall be condemned for it and shall suffer according to their demerit as it is written He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. And the unbeleevers shall have their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8. 4. From sinful impenitency in every kinde because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall perish for it everlastingly according to that of our Saviour Excepe ye repent ye shall all perish Luke 13. 1 2. 5. From sinful disobedience in every kinde because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God and the glory of his power 2 Thess 1. 9. 6. From sinful envy and grudging at the good of others because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be severely judged and condemned for it according to that of Saint James Grudg not one against another brethren lest ye be condemned behold the Judg standeth before the door Jam. 5. 9. 7. From rash and peremptory judging one of another because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be condemned for it according to that of Saint James My brethren be not many Masters knowing that ye shall receive the greater condemnation Jam. 3. 1. 8. From sinful swearing in every kind because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be condemned for it according to that of S. James But above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven nor by the Earth nor by any other Oath but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay lest ye fall into condemnation Iam. 5. 12. 9. From sinful security because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be greatly terrified in their consciences in so much that they shall hide themselves in the Dens and Rocks of the Mountains and shall say unto the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great Day of his Wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6. 16 17. 10. From unmercifulness because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be severely punished for it according as it is written There shall be Judgment merciless to them that shew no mercy Iam. 2. 13. 11. From Adultery and Whoredom because such as shall be found in the guilt of this evil without a pardon for it at that day shall be judged for it as it is said But Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg Heb. 13. 3. 12. From all Errors in opinion especially such as relate to this Subject As 1. That this Iudgment is yet far off 2. That the day of Sentence shall continue a thousand years 3. That the place of this Iudgment shall be in this present world Now such and all other Errors should be abandoned because such as shall be found guilty of them without a pardon at this great Day shall be condemned for them as S. Peter saith of erroneous persons Their Judgment lingereth not their Damnation slumbereth not 2 Pet. 2. 3. Partly also this Doctrine of the last Judgment is applyed in Scripture by way of Exhortation And so it should exhort us in general to the practise of all known duties seeing we
be pronounced blessed at the general Judgment shall be blessed in the World to come But this shall be true of all Gods Elect therefore they shall all be blessed in the World to come 4. Because Gods Elect are all under that Covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed and have an inward right unto it which was a Covenant of blessing them and is extant in this form In blossing I will bless thee In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Genes 12. 2 3. 18. 18. that is the Elect of all Nations Now they that have an inward right to this Covenant shall be blessed in the world to come But Gods Elect have all an inward right unto it therefore they shall all be blessed in the World to come 5. Because Gods Elect shall enjoy all that Christ hath merited for them But Christ hath merited for them a blessed condition in the world to come for which cause it is said That God sent his Son to bless us Act. 3. 26. And he sent his Son to bless his Elect in that he sent him to merit for them the blessings both of this world and the world to come Doubtless then they shall all be blessed in the World to come 6. Because Christ hath promised That none of Gods Elect shall be lost Joh. 6. 37. And if none of them shall be lost then they shall all be blessed in the world to come 7. Because God doth continually bless his Elect in this world with spiritual blessings Eph. 1. 3. and with corporal and external blessings Prov. 10. 6. Wherefore doubtless they shall all be much more abundantly blessed in the world to come Now touching this blessedness of theirs there are four Queries here to be resolved As Of whom they shall be blessed in the World to Quere 1 come Ans They shall be blessed of the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost For the God that made Heaven and Earth shall bless them Psal 134. 3. And the God that made Heaven and Earth is Father Son and Holy Ghost The God Almighty shall bless them Gen. 28. 3. And God almighty is Father Son and Holy Ghost The Father is almighty the Son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty Neither may we think that the act of blessing is to be appropriated onely unto any one person in the Godhead because it is common to all For what causes they shall be blessed in the World Quere 2 to come Ans Primarily and chiefly they shall be blessed for Gods sake for his will and pleasure sake as the original cause and for the glory of his grace as the final cause And as God doth all things chiefly for his own sake Rom. 11. 36. so he shall bless his Elect in the world to come chiefly for his own sake Secondarily they shall be blessed in the world to come for Christs sake as the meritorious cause For as in Isaac typically so in Christ really shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Rom. 4. that is the Elect of all Nations Thirdly they shall be blessed in the world to come for the same graces and virtues for which they are blessed in this world As God doth bless them in this Partly for their effectual knowledg of him and of his Will as it is said Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound Psal 89. 15. And for this he shall bless them in the World to come Partly for their faith and confidence in Christ Blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2. 12. And for this he shall bless them in the world to come Partly for their humility godly sorrow hungering and thirsting after righteousness for meekness mercifulness Blessed are the poor in spirit blessed are they that mourn blessed are they that hunger Matth 5 3 4 5 6 and thirst after righteousness blessed are the meek blessed are the merciful c. And for these causes they shall be blessed in the world to come And partly for their godly fear Psal 112. 1. for their upright walking Psal 119. 1. for their godly conversation Psal 1. 1. for their patience in suffering for truth and righteousness sake Mat. 5. And doubtless for these causes shall they be blessed in the world to come In what manner shall they be blessed in the World to come Quere 3 Ans First They shall be fully and perfectly blessed For though there be no perfect bliss to be expected in this world neither is there perfect bliss enjoyed now in Heaven by the faithful Souls departed yet there shall be perfect bliss for Gods Elect in the world to come as we may gather from those words of the Apostle These all having obtained a good report through faith received not the Promises God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Hebr. 11. 39 40. where he shews that the faithful mentioned before in this Chapter were not perfectly blessed in this life because they received not all the Promises and that their Souls now being in Heaven are not perfectly blessed there because they cannot be made perfect without us that do or shall beleeve in after-times But withall he intimates That both the faithful of former times and those of latter times shall be made perfect all of them together in the world to come And though these vessels of mercy may not be all of one size in the world to come but some of them may hold and contain more of Gods benediction then others yet all of them shall be filled up to the brim therewith and so shall be perfectly blessed Secondly They shall be everlastingly blessed For Gods mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him Psal 103. 17. And as their inchoate blessedness in this world shall end in that which is to come so that which is to come shall have no end Thirdly They shall be exceedingly blessed above all that we can now think or speak or conceive of their blessed condition according to that of the Apostle Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. where indeed the main scope of Saint Paul is to shew that the natural man is no competent judg of heavenly things as the spiritual man is Howbeit though the spiritual man can better judg of such things then the natural man can yet we must understand that the spiritual man cannot perfectly judg them while he is in this world neither can he fully comprehend the blessed condition of the Saints in the world to come Wherewith they shall be blessed in the World to Quere 4 come Ans They shall be blessed in the world to come 1. With everlasting Salvation Rom. 11. 2. With everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. 3. With everlasting Glory 4. With everlasting Honor Rom. 2. 5. With everlasting Liberty Rom. 8. 6. With everlasting
glory but also rejoyce in hope thereof Rom. 5. 2. And this hope is that which will support the Soul in the hour of temptation and distress whereas without it the Soul is in danger of sinking into the gulf of despair Wherefore let Israel still hope in the Lord and that for this glory which is to be revealed in the world to come 4. To glorifie God in this world and to give as much glory to him as we can How else can we expect to be glorified of him in the world to come And we should here consider First That we are often commanded to glorifie God Glorifie him ye sons of Jacob Psal 22. 23. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie him both in your Souls and bodies which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. Secondly That glory doth most rightly belong unto God because his glory is above Heaven and Earth Psal 148. 13. Thirdly That Gods glory is most dear unto him because he will not give his glory to another Isai 42. 8. Fourthly That God doth seek his own glory in all his actions for to teach us to do the like Fifthly That Herod was punished with sudden death because he gave not glory to God but to himself Acts 12. 23. Wherefore we should be careful to give all possible glory to God in this life How may we glorifie him in this life Quest. We may do it divers ways As Answ 1. By beleeving Gods statutes and promises effectually As Abraham being strong in the faith gave glory to God Rom. 4. 20. so may we if we be strong in the faith Yea hereby we shall give him the glory of his truth and faithfulness For as he that beleeveth not hath made him a lyar so he that beleeveth hath put to his seal That God is true 2. By being thankful unto God for favors and benefits received for he that offereth praise glorifieth him Psal 50. 23. 3. By being fruitful in grace For herein is my Father glorified saith Christ if ye bring forth much fruit Joh. 15. 8. 4. By being exemplary to others in a good way for hereby we shall not onely glorifie our selves but shall occasion others to do the like according to that of our Saviour Let your light so shine before men that they may see you good works and may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. 5. By being patient under the reproaches that are or shall be put upon us for Christs sake according to that of the Apostle If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4. 14. 6. By intending Gods glory in all our lawful actions according to the Apostles rule Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. The next Proposition is That Reprobates shall 2. Proposit be rewarded with Shame in the WORLD to come Touching which Shame of theirs we are to consider The Nature of it The Certainty of it The Degrees of it The Causes of it The Continuance of it First Touching the nature of it I conceive That their shame in the World to come shall be a total privation of glory because they shall have nothing to glory of in the World to come no Innocency no Righteousness no Holiness no Faith no Repentance no Love no Obedience c. but they shall have much to be ashamed of 1. Because their sins in this world shall all be remembred and set before them as the Lord saith by the Prophet Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psal 50. 21. and they that shall have all their sins remembred and set before them in the World to come shall have much to be ashamed of in that world 2. Because they shall have their consciences awakened to accuse and condemne them in the World to come Rom. 2. 15. and if so then they shall have much to be ashamed of in that world 3. Because they shall bear the guilt and punishment of all their sins in the VVorld to come as it is written God shall bring upon them their own iniquity Psal 94. 23. they shall bear their iniquity Ezek. 44. 12. and every man without a pardon shall bear his own burthen Gal 6. 5. and they that shall bear the guilt and punishment of all their sins in the World to come shall have much to be ashamed of in that world and so I understand the nature of their shame Secondly touching the certainty of it I say that reprobates shall most certainly be rewarded with shame in the World to come as may be good by these Arguments 1. They that will still be wicked in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to the Prayer of David Let not me be ashamed but let the wicked be ashamed Psal 31. 17. but reprobates will still be wicked in this world Ergo. 2. They that will still forsake God in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of the Prophet O Lord all that forsake thee shall be ashamed Jer. 17. 13. but reprobates will still forsake God and go on whoring from him in this world Ergo. 3. They that will finally be ashamed of Christ and his Gospell in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of our Saviour Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angells But reprobates will finally be ashamed of Christ and his Gospell in this world Ergo. 4. They that will still hate the righteous in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come as it was said to Job They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame Job 8. 22. but Reprobates will still hate the righteous in this world Ergo. 5. They that will still be the servants of sin and Satan in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according as God saith by the Prophet My servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Esa 65. 13. but reprobates will still be the servants of sin and Satan in this world Ergo. 6. They that will still be foolish in this world in a spirituall sense shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of Solomon Shame shall be the promotion of fools Prov. 3. 35. but reprobates will still be foolish in a spirituall sense Ergo. 7. They that will still be proud in this world and live under the dominion of this sin shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to the Prayer of David Let the proud be ashamed Psal 119. 78. And as Solomon intimates
which may be thus expressed in two Propositions Gods Elect shall be at liberty in the world to come Reprobates shall be in bondage in the world to come The former Proposition is That Gods Elect 1 Proposition shall be at liberty in the world to come that is to say they shall be at liberty from the wrath of God and from all the effects and fruits thereof in that world and so much may be made good by sundry Arguments As 1. S. Pauls Prophecie or propheticall promise is pregnant for it where he saith The creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8. 21. Where by the children of God I understand his elect children as Joh. 11. 52. who for the present are not all his adopted children but shall be in due time and by the liberty of these I understand a liberty from the wrath of God and from all the effects and fruits of it because it is such a liberty as the creature it selfe shall partake of and I know no liberty but this that the creature here mentioned shall partake of and it is called glorious liberty for to distinguish it from the liberty which the children of God injoy in this world which is not glorious liberty as that in the world to come shall be yea it may be called glorious liberty because it shall be perfect and compleat and perfect things shall be glorious as perfect peace shall be glorious peace perfect holinesse glorious holinesse so perfect liberty shall be glorious liberty And whereas it 's said that the creature it self shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into this liberty I understand by the creature it selfe this present fabrick of heaven and earth this present body or globe of heaven and earth which is a creature and may be distinguished from all mankind as here it is because it is a creature void of reason and though it be now in bondage to corruption by reason of mans sin yet it shall one day be delivered from this bondage by means of its dissolution and thereupon shall be new created Esa 65. 17. and so set at liberty from the wrath of God and from all the fruits and effects thereof as well as the children of God In this Text then this liberty of Gods Elect in the world to come from the wrath of God is so plainly asserted that we need not doubt thereof 2. They that shall never be afflicted in the world to come in soul body name or estate shall be at liberty from the wrath of God in that world Now Gods Elect shall never be afflicted in that world any manner of way in soul body name or estate as I gather from that Promise which saith God shall wipe all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine Rev. 21. 4. Ergo. 3. They that shall never tast of Gods anger wrath or displeasure in the world to come shall be at liberty from his wrath in that world Now Gods Elect shall never taste of Gods anger and displeasure in the world to come as may appear by these promises I will not keep mine anger for ever Jer. 3. 12. I will not retain mine anger for ever Mic. 7. 18. He will not alwayes chide neither will he keep his anger for ever Psal 103. 9. which promises are to be understood only in reference to Gods Elect Ergo. 4. They that shall be perfectly justified in the world to come and declared so to be shall be at liberty from the wrath of God in that world Now Gods Elect shall be perfectly justified in the world to come from their sins as it is written Repent and be converted and your sins shall be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of God Acts 3. 19. Yea they shall be declared so to be Psal 37. 6. Mat. 13. 43. viz. to be just and righteous Ergo. 5. They that shall be perfectly sanctified in the world to come and shall be declared so to be shall be at liberty from the wrath of God in that world Now Gods Elect shall be perfectly sanctified in the world to come seeing the deliverer shall come out of Sion and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob Rom. 11. 26. and shall subdue their iniquities altogether Mic. 7. 19. yea they shall be declared so to be in that they shall be presented before God blamelesse and undefiled without spot or blemish Ephes 5. 27. Ergo. 6. They that shall be found to be the children of God and manifested so to be in the world to come shall be at liberty from the wrath of God and from all the fruits and effects thereof in that world Now Gods Elect shall be found to be the Children of God and shall be manifested so to be for Christ shall say unto them Come ye blessed children of my Father Mat. 25. 34. and there shal be a manifestation of the sons of God Rom. 8. 19. Ergo 7. They that shall perfectly please God in the world to come in all their thoughts words and actions shall be at liberty from his wrath and from the fruits and effects thereof in that world Now Gods Elect shall perfectly please God in the world to come in all their thoughts words and actions for which cause it is said that they shall walk in the light of his countenance Psal 89. 15. and shall walk in the name of the Lord for ever Mic. 4. 5. and God shall make them perfect that they may do what shall be pleasing in his sight Heb. 13. 21. Ergo. 8. They that are vessells of mercy and shall have mercy kept for them for ever shall be at liberty from Gods wrath and from the fruits and effects of it in the world to come Now Gods Elect are vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 23. and shall have mercy kept for them for ever Psal 89. 2. 28. Ergo. 9. They that are delivered from the wrath to come in a meritorious way shall be at liberty from the wrath to come and from the fruits and effects thereof but Gods Elect are delivered from the wrath to come in a meritorious way 1 Thes 1. 10. Joh. 8. 36. Ergo. 16. They that shall injoy the everlasting kindnesse of God in the world to come shall be at liberty from his wrath and from the fruits and effects of it in that world but Gods Elect shall injoy the everlasting kindnesse of God in the world to come according to his promise In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee Esa 54. 8. Ergo. Which Proposition thus confirmed may be usefull thus First it makes for the confutation of such as promise themselves and others a state of perfect liberty in this world as some seducers in their Pamphlets have lately done
go before others in all holy conversation and godliness remembering that whatsoever good any man doth that shall he receive of God whether he be bond or free Ephes 6. 8. The third Position here to be proved is That 3 Posit the World to come shall have no Being before this present World shall be dissolved And for proof hereof It should be considered first That the World to come is often mentioned in Scripture as a Consequent not only of this present world but also of the end of it as Mat. 12 32. Luk. 18. 30. Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Yea I dare say That wheresoever the World to come is mentioned in the Word of God either in so many words or by way of interpretation it is mentioned as a Consequent of the end of this world Now that which shall be a Consequent of the end of this world shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved and ended but the World to come shall be a Consequent of the end of this world therefore â—t shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved It should be considered again That all things properly belonging to the World to come shall folâ—ow the end of this present world as at the end of â—his world Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. At the end of this world the Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all â—hings that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire Mat. 13. 40 41 42. At the end of this world the Angels shall â—ome forth and sever the wicked from among the â—ust Mat. 13. 49 c. And if all things properly belonging to the World to come shall follow the â—nd of this world then the World to come it self shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved but the former is true therefore the latter And it should be considered thirdly That where there is an orderly succession of collective bodies there the Being of the latter doth pre-suppose the dissolution of the former as the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians had no Being before the Monarchy of the Babylonians was dissolved the Monarchy of the Greeks and Macedonians had no Being before the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians was dissolved the Monarchy of the Romanes had no Being before the Monarchy of the Greeks and Macedonians was dissolved And as the Kingdom of David had no Being before the Kingdom of Saul was dissolved the Kingdom of Solomon had no Being before the Kingdom of David was dissolved and the Kingdom of Rehoboam had no Being before the Kingdom of Solomon was dissolved So the World to come shall be a collective body in an orderly succession * Vid. learned Dickson in his Commentaries on Heb. 12. 26. therefore it shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved Which Position thus confirmed makes against those Vse who think that the World to come shall be one thousand years before the end of this present world which is the opinion of Millenaries of these times I do not say it is the opinion of all of them because Mr Mede being one and not the least of them thinks Mr Mede on Rev. 20. 4. that this present world shall be dissolved before the World to come shall have any Being but it is the opinion of many of them who have thus expressed themselves That by the World to come the Scripmeans nothing else but an Universal Reformation-change all this world over either in respect of Conversion as one saith or in respect of Discipline at least as another of them saith and that the said Reformation-change shall be one thousand years before the end of this world therefore the World to come shall be one thousand years before the end of this world But I will tell these men that this opinion of theirs hath four Errors involved or wrapped up in it As 1. It is an Error to think that there shall be an extraordinary or Universal Reformation-change either in respect of Conversion or in respect of Discipline before the end of this world because the constant current of the New Testament is against this conceit and shews clearly That the latter age of this world shall be a very deformed age both in respect of the evil of sin which shall abound therein and also in respect of the evil of pain and trouble that shall follow thereupon as hath been before hinted nay it shews That at the very time of Christs second appearing in the Clouds he shall find the world I mean the people of this world in a posture of security For as in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and knew not until the Flood came and took them all away so shall also the Coming of the Son of man be Mat. 24. 38 39. In a posture of unbelief For when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth Luk. 18. 8. He may find some faith on the earth but it is probable he shall then find but little faith as touching his coming and the World to come In a posture of Atheism scoffing and scorning at Religion especially at the promise of his coming and of the end of the world There shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3. 3. Yea he shall then find the people of the world in a posture of War beating their fellow Servants and preparing a great battel against the Church Rev. 20. 9. Wherefore I see no reason why we should look for such a Reformation-change as these men speak of yet I hope there shall be a Reformation-change in many particular persons before the end of this world and its possible there may be a Reformation-change in some particular Countries at least in respect of Discipline but that there shall be such an extraordinary or Universal Reformation before the end of this world far be it from me and from my friends so much as to dream thereof 2. It is an Error in these men to conceive that the end of this present world shall be a thousand years off after their supposed Reformation shall begin or from this time as some of them say it being now begun seeing the signs presaging the end of the world laid down in the New Testament should teach us to think otherwise And for what other use serves this conceit of theirs but to make men secure in their sins and to perswade them that the Lord delays his coming and to say in their hearts Where is the promise of his coming Yea for my part I think That the Son of man will be seen to come in the Clouds of Heaven before such a Reformation-change as they speak of will