be as plainely made to Abraham Isaack and Iacobâ— their owne persons as it is unto their seed and to all the seed as well as to a part or any one of them and that they of the many nations the faithfull Gentâ—les are of the same seed as well as the faithfull Iewes and heires of the promise together with them according as all the forementioned Scriptures do plainely declare so plainâ—ly as I suppose no man will denie Then I aske whâ—refore or for what cause they should not all receive the same and not any one or part be excluded seeing God is faithfull that promiseth God did covenant also with Abraham to be his God and the God of his seed and this hee established in no plaineâ— or suâ—er manâ—er then he did to give them the land for an everlasting possession as in the same place Gen. 17.7 8. appeareth but if God should faile either Abraham oâ— any of his seed in this respect how did he then keepe his covenant even so of the other Therefore as God will not faile either Abraham or any of his seed to be their God neither will he faile to give them the land of Canaan and all the world besides for an everlasting possession The fourth question Fourthly I aske if the true intent of the promise in the forementioned places be not of an eternall estate in the world to come after the resurrection of the body and end of this world That Abraham Isaak and Iacob and all their seed shall then inherit I say not the land of Canaan only although principally as the Throne and City of the great King but all the earth even to the utmost ends and bounds thereof according to Psal. 37. and Mat. 5. Where it is promised that the meeke shall inherit the earth And as the twenty foure Elders sing in their new song unto the Lamb Christ Iesus saying Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the Seales thereof for thou wast slaine hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred tongue people nation hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Revel. 3.10.11 And who may these redeemed ones out of every kindred tongue people nation that shall raigne on the eaâ—th be but those of the many nations the faithfull Iewes and the faithfull Gentiles which God made Abraham a Father of and Saint Paul saith are heires with Abraham of the world And the promise that the meeke shall inherit the earth doth belong to every meek man as well as to any one of them and so to be fulfilled but it was never so yet in this world Abraham Isaack and Iacob the Fathers of those meeke unto whom the Land of Canaan was promised for an inheritance dyed and inherited not a foote Therefore that God may be found â—â—ue of his word they must all of them inherit it in the the resurrection because here it is otherwise neither is it said they doe inherit or raigne but they shall neither when God promised the land of Canaan unto Abraham and to his seed the earth the world to inherit as in the forementioned places did he meane this present as it is now polluted neither were they so to looke for it as the Prophet Micha saith to them of his time Arise yee and depart â—or this is not your rest because it is polluted It shall destroy you even with a sore destruction Mich. 2.10 But God spake and intended it of the world to come when all things should be new holy and heavenly and so did the Fathers understand and expect it And this doth the Apostle Paul proove from their owne words when they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth saying And they that say such things declare plainely that they seeke a Countrey And truely saith he if they had beene mindfull of the Countrie from whence they came out they might have had oppertunitie to have returned but now they desire a better Country that is an heavenly Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Heb. 1â— 13.14.15.16 In which words the Apostle doubtlesse hath respeâ—t to the promise in Gen. 17.7.8 Where God did establish his covenant with Abrahâ—m to be his God and the God of his seed and to give them the land and so understood both to be of like certainty and continuance and such as are heavenly and eternall And that there was also a Citie having foundations whose builder and maker is God which they looked for upon the promise and that therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God For Abraham well understood it was not for a corruptable countrey or a mooveable Citie in a transitory world as now this is that God called him out of the land of Vr to give him and his seed to inherit but for an uncorruptable unmooveable eternall in a better world and so much doe the very words of the promise expresse in that it saith for an everlasting covenant for an everlasting possession for no corruptable things are everlasting neither are these promises such as shall either vanish or faile And upon the ground of this covenant did Christ himselfe proove the resurrection from the dead against the Saduces knowing it to be most sufficient for the purpose saying Now that the dead are raised even Moyses sheweth at the Bush where he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaack and the God of Iacob they being now dead when Moyses thus spake which the Sadduces knew and therefore Christ saith unto them God is not the God of the dead but of the living Luk. 20.37.38 Prooving hereby that Abraham Isaak and Iacob must rise againe from the dead and live to inherit the countrey and Citie promised that God may be found true of his word and declare himselfe to be their God for everlasting according to his covenant Gen. 17. Ezod. 3.6 And that it shall be a heavenly eternall estate in the world to come the Lord also manifesteth in his answeâ—e to the Carnall objection of those Saduces a litle before where he saith The children of this world marry are given in marriâ—ge but they that shall be counted worthy of that world and the resurrection from the dead neithâ—r marry nor are given in marriage neither can they dye any more for they are equall unto the Angels and are the children of God being the Children of the resurrection Luk 20.35.36 Where the Lord sheweth plainly that the world to come which the holy Fathers and their seed shall inherit at the resurrection will be such a world as none of the ungodly shall be counted worthy to inherit any part thereof as they doe most parts of this world And to this covenant also had David respect in his Psal where he exhorteth the people of Israell saying Seeke the Lord and his strength seeke his
To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I overcame and am set with my father in his Throne Revel. 3.21 In this Throne Christ is to reigne under God the Father as his King according as hee said to David I will settle him in my house and in my Kingdome for ever c. 1 Chro. 17. It is Gods Kingdome then And the Lord God calleth this Sonne of David his annoynted one his Sonne his King and the hill whereon he shall sit to reigne his hill as in Psal. 2. where he saith not withstanding all those heathen and people Kings and Rulers that tooke couâ—sell against him and against his Anoynted that said Let us breake their hands asunder and cast their cords from us yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion And the King shall receive of God the Father that which he bid â—im aske saying aske of mee and I will give â—hee the heâ—thâ—n for thine inheritance and the uttermost ends of the earth for thy possession thou shalt breake them with a rod of yron and dash them in peeces like a potters vessell verse 8.9 Which power also the King will give to the Children of Sion as he promised saying And hee that overcommeth and keepeth my words uâ—to the end to him will I give power over the Nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of yron and as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers even as I have received of my father Revel. 2.16.17 And it shall be fulfilled which David his father foretold of him saying He shall iudge the poore of the people hee shall save the children of the needyâ— and shall breake in peeces the oppressor they shall feare thee as long as the Sun and Moone endureth throughout all generations hee shall come downe like raine upon the mowen grasse like showeâ—s that water the earth In his dayes shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the moone endureth he shall have dominion also from Sea to Sea and from the river to the ends of tâ—e earth thâ—y that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him and the enemie shall licke the dust The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kinsts of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all Kings shall fall downe before him all nations shall serve him Psal. 72. And the children of Sion shall be joyfull in their King and the Lord wil take pleasure in his people will bewtifie the meeke with salvation as he also said The high praises of God shall â—ee in their mouthes and a two edged sword in their hands to exâ—cute vengance upon the heathen and punishment upon the people to binde their Kings in chaines and their Nobles with fetâ—ers of yron to execute upon them the iudgement written this honour have all the Saints Psal. 149. And it shall now be fulfilled alâ—o which is written O clap your hands O yee people shout unto God with the voyce of triumph for the Lord most high is terrible he is a great King over al the earth he hath subdued the people under us the Nations under our feet hee shall chuse our inheritance for us the excellencie of Iacob whom hee lovâ—d God 〈◊〉 gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trump sing prayses unto our God sing praises sing prayses unto our King sing praises for God is the King over all the earth sing ye praises with understanding God reigneth over the heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his holinesse the Princes of the people are gathered even the people of the God of Abraham for the shields of the earth belong unto God he is greatly exalted Psal. 47. And great shall the Lord bee in this day and greatly shall hee bee praysed in the citie of our God in the mountaine of his holinesse Bewtifull for situation the ioy of the whole earth is mount Sion in the sides of the North the Citie of the great King God is knâ—wne in her pallaces for a refuge for lâ—â— the Kings were assembled they passed by together they saâ— it and so they marviled they were troubled and they hasted away feare tooke hold upon them there and paines as of a woman in travill So terrible to the wicked of this world shall mount Sion be in the day of her glory and so great an astonishment to all those that formerly oppressed her who although they shall not enter in through the gates of the Citie to see or understand of her felicity joyes within or anyway partake of her pleasures yet they shall understand of her power and see with feare and greife her brightnesse and glory without It is for the Princes of the people of the God of Abraham to enter in through the gates into the Citie and for their Kings to come and bring theiâ— glory and riches into it as it is written Esay 60 11. Revel. 21.24 And they shall say As we have heard so have wee seeâ—e in the citie of the Lord of hosts in the Citie of our God God will establish it for ever Selah Psal. 48.8 The holy Citie the new Hierusalem which had beene so long withdrawne from the earth because it was not by reason of the wickednesse and pollutions thereof meete to receive hir being Gods eternall Tabernacle when Christ her Lord and King shall have purged the earth and heavens of all their pollutions and vaine corrupt workers of men that are therein as he will doe in the great day of his comming according as his Apostle Peter witnesseth saying But the the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the elements shall melt with fervent heate and the earth also and the workes thâ—t are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 And as the Apostle Iohn also saith And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate thereon from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Revel. 20.11 These things being done and that there shall bee new heavens and a new earth as the Lord also promised Esay 65.17 according to 2 Pet. 3.13 and as it was foreshewed unto the beloved Disciple who saith And I saw a new heaven and a new earth c. Revel. 21.1 Then shall that holy City come down from heaven as he saith And I saw the holy City the new Hierusalem comming downe from God out of heaven perpared as a Bride adorned for her husband ver. 2. For pollutions and curses may not abide where the Throne of God and of the Lambe is nor where this holy citie shall stand as it is said And there shall bee no more Curse but the Throne of God and of the Lambe shall be in it and his servants shall serve him Revel. 22.3 Neither is this world being
polluted and so possessed with wickednesse as now it is capeable of so excellent and glorious a creature as shee is and shall be seene to bee in this day of her appearing in glory being now made ready perfectly adorned with all her ornaments as the Bride for the marriage of the Lambe that bought her her Lord and King Christ Iesus And blessed are they that are called unto the marriage supper of the Lambe Now shall this holy citie Hierusalem bâ—ing forth and receive all her children at once even in one day without any more travill or paines as it is written Before she traviled she brought forth before her paine came sâ—ee was delivered of a man child Who hath heard such a thing who hath seene such things shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day shall a Nation bee borne at once for as soone as Sion travilled she brought forth her Children Esay â—6 7.8 So that now when the Lord shall apeare to their joy that were hated and cast out for his names sake And to render recompence to his enemies as in the 5 and 6. verses he said then shall the earth in whose bowels the bodyes of the Saints had slept and whom she had bread and brought up and Sion also their spirituall Mother bring â—orth and receive all their children at once even in one day and she shall remember no more her sorrow for joy that her man-child is borne for so by that name it pleaseth the Lord to tytle her children as also in Revel. 12.5 She shall now bee adorned with them all according as her Lord foreshewed her in the time of her captivity when she complained saying The Lord hath forgotten me my Lord hath forsaken me and hee told her nay he had graven her upon the palmes of his hands and comforting her told her also that hiâ— children should make hast and biddeth her lift up her eyes round about behold shewing her as it were in a vision all her children which she longed for hasting unto her and said All these gather themselves together and comâ— to thee As I live saith the Lord thou shalt furâ—â—â—r loâ—th thee with them all as with an ornament and binde â—hem on â—hee as a Bride doth for thy wast and thy desolate places and the land of thy destruction shall even now be to morrow by reason of the inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall farre awayâ— the children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other shall say againe in thine eares the place is to straight for â—eâ— give place to mee that I may dwell then shalt thou say in thine heart who hath begotten me these seeing I have lost my children and am dessolate a captive and removing too and fro and who hath brought vp these Behold I was left alone These where had they beene c. Esay 4â— Here the Lord comforteth Sion with her children of the Gentiles that were to bee brought in unto her by the Gospel of Iesus Christ which was to bâ—e preached amongst them by his Apostles and Servants as in the 22 verse appeareth who were to supply the losse of all her other lost children of the naturall house of Israel Therfore now these being all accomplished unto her reioyce ye with Ierusalâ—m be glad with her all ye that love her reioyce with ioy with her all ye that mourne for her that ye may suâ—k and bee satisfied with the brests of her consolation that ye may milke out and bee delighted with the aboundance of her glory for thus saith the Lord Behold I will extend peace to her like a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame then shall yee sucke ye shall be borne upon her sides and be dandled upon her knees as one whom his mother comforteth So will I comfort you and ye shall bee comforted in Ierusalem And when ye see this your heart shall reioyce and your bones shall flourish like an hear be and the hand of the Lord shall bee knowne towards his servants and his indignation tâ—wards his enemies Esay 66.10 11 12 13 14. c. The children of Ierusalem are now to sucke and bee satisfied to milke out and bee delighted with the abundance of her consolation and the abundance of her glory c. it is not said with the milke of the principles or doctrine of Christ or forme of goverment and discipline of the Gospel as some would have it or at least expound it and to concerne cheefely their thousand yeares Church of the Iewes Nay the children of Ierusalem being now all accomplished unto her by the word of Christ they shall have no neede of Doctrine or discipline or governours or teachers of that kind or manner any more But the governement of this new Ierusalem shal be peace it selfe her exactors righteousnes it selfe The Lord her righteousnesse and the righteousnesse of all her children he being now personally in the middest of her And salvation being her walls and her Towers the glory of God her gates his praise as it is written of her God himselfe also dwelling with her and with all her Children as in his owne Tabernacle As Saint Iohn heard it proclaimed from heaven as he saith and I heard a great voyce from heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neyther shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away And he that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new c. Revel. 21. This Ierusalem is that same which God spake of beâ—ore to the Prophet Esay chap. 65. having foreshewed him this great redemption and salvation of Israel and how all their former troubles should be forgotten and hidden from his eyes and that hee would create new heavens and a new earth c. then saith Bee ye glad and reioyce for ever in the things that I create for behold I create Hierusalem a reioycing and her people a ioy and I will reioyce in Hierusalem and ioy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying c. verse 17 18 19. And this is the same Tabernacle whereof God spake to the Prophet Ezekiell he having foreshewed him also this great redemption of the whole house of Israel from all their captivities Graves c. to their owne land and saying And they shall dwell in the land which I have given unto Iacob my servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein they aâ—d their children and childrens children for ever hereby the way we are to understand by They and their children c. Abraham Isaack and Iacob and all their seede or children of the promise