King in this glorious Kingdom And lastly what are the subjects and inheritors thereof Hym. The names that the Scriptures give unto the eternall estate are very many and excellent and your method very good therefore I pray proceed Silv. The time of the Churches deliverance to the estate of perfection is at the end of this world when he that ascended shall descend as saith the Scripture whom the heavens must conteine and receive untill the restitution of all things forespoken by all the holy Prophets hath been since the world began which things therefore the world might not be ignorant of which are testified by so many witnesses for so saith the spirit every one that have spoke have spoke of these things but the cause of mens ignorance in this as in many other truths of God is in regard people do not labour with God to understand and know the Scriptures for although every one for the most part hath a Bible yet generally they are as ignorant of the intent and meaning of the Scriptures as he that never saw the written word of God at all but no more by way of digression And that the time of the Lords glorious Kingdom and the Churches deliverance shall be at the end of this world is clear by our Saviours own words in parable The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are the Angels As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire so shall it be in the end of this world the sonne of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that do offend and them which do iâ—iquity as also in that Scripture where the question is made by the servants to the house-holder whether the tares the envious man sowed amongst the good seed should be pluckt up the Master answers nay let them both grow together untill harvest and sheweth what shall be done then both with the wheate and with the tares saying at his glorious comming shall be gathered before him all nations and he shall sever the Sheep from the Goates c. Then the King shall say to them on his right hand comeye â—lessed inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the woâ—ld and to this agreeth the Angels words to Daniel Go thou thy ways Daniel at the end of the days shall the end be and thou shall stand up in tâ—y lot meaning thou shalt then be raised to shine as the brightnesse of the Fiâ—mament amongst them that have turned many to God even to shine as the Stars for ever and ever There is none in all the world but the Child of God the heires of salvation have the benefit of the Prophet Ieremies exhortation in these words Ier. 31. Refraine thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from teares for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come againe from the Land of the Enemy there is the returne from captivity of the naturall Israel and there is hope in thy end saith the Lord that thy Children shall come againe to their own border there is the deliverance of the sâ—irituall Isâ—ael at their Resurrection as the Patriarks have exprest their hope as is more clearly proved in the next particular the place where the bride shall for ever enjoy her bridegroome the King of glory his gloriouâ— Kingdom which the holy Ghost calleth the earth in these worâ—s Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth And so saith our Lord Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Their inheritance is their recompence then and not before shall the earth be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the Seas which must needs be understood of the new earth promised and to come such an earth as the Lord shall make when he will make all things new for the contrary is most true now here in this old cursed earth that ignorance fills this earth as the waters cover the Seas Hym. This is not understood in these days for I never heard these Scriptures so applied before Silv. To make it more plaine we will first cite the Testimonyes of the Prophets our Lords and his Apostles and then I will shew you how plainly and clearly the heires of the promise have particularly declared her hope and confidence in it Job had the true knowledge and comfort of it which ravisht him and made him thus to cry out as if he were out of himself Oh that my words were now written Oh that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an Iron Pen in a Rock for ever for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another In which he clearly expresses that the place of his blessednesse after the resurrection shall be in the earth where his Saviour shall stand that is shall rule and raigne for ever David a man after Gods own heart excells in this Faith and hope what man is he that feareth the Lord saith he him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose his soule shall lodge in goodnesse and his seed shall inherit the earth And againe Let all the earth feare the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in aw of him for evill doers shall be cut off but those that waite upon the Lord they shall inherit the earth and though it be but a little while and the wicked shall not be saith he and his place shall not be found yet the meek shall inherit the earth and delight themselves in the aboundance of peace for such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off And so he singeth Psa. 48. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God in the mountaine of his holinesse beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion And also in another place The Heaven even the Heavens are the Lords but the earth hath he given to the Children of men So testifieth the Prophet Esay saying Thus saith the Lord that created the Heavens God himself that formed the earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vaine he formed it to be inhabited I said not saith the Lord to the seed of Iacob seek you me in vaine I the Lord speak righteousnesse I declare things that are right And the same Prophet makes proclamation Behold saith he I create new Heavens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind and as the new Heavens and new earth which I shall make shall remaine before me saith the Lord so shall your seed and your name remaine Which clearly shews the intent of the promise to the Patriarks and so accordingly they understood it as shall be proved hereafter The Apostles Peter and John both testifie to this truth without question as before I have briefly shewed and that it may be out of question here what Saint Iohn saith of the Testimony of the foure and twenty Elders praising and lauding the lamb their Lord and they sang a new song saying
now proceed to the third particular the King of this new and heavenly world Silv. The King of Sion is her Saviour and the Scriptures call him the King of Glory and that title that was written on his Crosse in his humiliation in Latin Greek and Hebrew that is the title of his Crown and Dignity in his Exaltation This is the King of the Iews And as himself saith for this end was I born and for this end came I into the world and so testifies the Angell unto the Virgin Mary and tells her that her Sonne Iesus should be great and called of all the Sonne of the Highest and the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Israel for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Thus that great favourer and much beloved of God the Prophet Daniel speaking by the holy Ghost of Iesus the Lord he calleth him the Sonne of God and in the spirit of prophesy saith that there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should feare him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed The same Prophet in another place saith In the days of these Kings meaning the great oppressors of the earth from the beginning of the world to the end In their days as before I told you of the Kings of the East and the whole world For although there be many differing powers as of gold and silver c. yet they all make but one enemy one adversary as it is said of Rome in her shall be found the bloud of all the Saints and Prophets and of all that were slaine upon the earth It is so said because all persecutors make but one generation and it follows and in the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever For David saith though the heathen rage and the wicked people imagine vaine things yet saith the Lord I have set my King upon my holy hill of Sion who shall speak to them in his wrath and vex them in his sore dispâ—easure his Dominions is from Sea to Sea from the River to the ends of the earth they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him saith the Prophet and his enemies shall lick the dust How full doth Almighty God prove this himself it s more clear than the Sun in its full light In these words thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thy inheritance the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of Iron and break them to pieces like a potters vessell Thus reasoneth the Apostle for unto the Angels he hath not put into subjection the world to come whereof we speak but unto the Sonne he saith Thy Throne oh God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepteâ— of thy Kingdom thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and of that subjection more hereafter And thus speaketh another of the Prophets the Lord is King for ever and ever and againe the Lord sitteth King for ever for the Lord most high is terrible and he is a great King over all the earth And againe sing praises with understanding for God is the King of all the earth fâ—r all Kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him so long as the Sun and Moone endureth Oh worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse feare before him all the earth say amongst the heathen that the Lord raigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall judge the people righteously and governe the nations on the earth These Scriptures are so plaine they need no exposition therefore let the Heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad â—et the sea roare and the fulnesse thereof let the field be joyfull and all that therein is then shall the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord and the reason the holy Ghost giveth in these words following for he cometh for he cometh that is the Lord cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with his truth Oh sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marveilous things his right hand and his holy arme hath gotten him the victory for its the Lord that sitteth upon the throne of his holinesse it is the Lord that reigneth over the heathen And another saith the Lord shall be King over all the earth and in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one And the Apostle calls him the everlasting King Iesus who is the faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth who alone is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings thus one all the messengers of salvation say unto Sion thy God raigneth and the same language the Lord himself speaketh Thus saith the King of Iaâ—ob the Lord the King of Israel who is thy redeemer even the Lord of hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God and aâ— another time he saith all power is given unto me of my Father both in Heaven and earth great and speciall things do the Scriptures declare of this Kingdom of its power and glory of which our Saviour acquainted his servants Within these fourty days speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God which made them so desirous of the injoyment and possession of it that before his descending from them their generall request was unto him in these words wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel just like the Mother of the two Sonnes of Zebedee in the behalf of her Children Lord saith she out of a true affection of that perfection she desired that her two Sonnes might sit the one at his right hand the other at his left in his Kingdom and truly now may we say for thine is the Kingdom power and glory for now we see it is the Lords only and if all what hath been said will not satisfie we have Gods own oath for it saying by the mouth of the Prophet I have sworn by my self and the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne that unto me every knee shall bow every tongue shall sweare and the Apostle affirmes it from the Prophet that at the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth and that every tongue shall confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father I will adde
one place more which proves all that hath been said of the time the place and the King and that is shewed in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel when it shall begin to sound there shall be time no more the mystery of God shall be finished there 's the end of the world the time and the voice he sounded saith the Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall raigne for ever and ever there 's the place and the King both as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets Hym. To me the consent and harmony of the Scriptures thus applied give great satisfaction and is very comfortable I pray Friend make good your promise in the other particulars Silv. The next thing I promised was to consider what the Scriptures declare concerning the Subjects of this glorious King and Kingdom for the Prophet saith the Lord shall build up Sion when he shall appear in his glory by Sion we are to understand Gods faithfull people and by building them up a restoring of them to an estate of perfection according to his promise Now because the Subjects of the world to come in a generall respect is the whole creation for so intimateth the Apostle not only we saith he but every creature also waiteth for the glorious Liberty of the Sonnes of God therefore we will consider them in their order and first for the Angels to prove they shall be subject it is written and let all the Angels of God worship him Angels saith the Apostle they are ministring spirits sent forth c. that is Subjects or Servants and the reprobate Angels they are included in the generall dimensions of the Prophets and Apostles before mentioned Now in the next order of creatures we will consider man-kind first the Saints then the wicked And that the Saints shall feare and serve their Lord the King is clear by that Oath which he swore unto our Father Abraham witnessed by Zacharias the Priest that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the days of our lives and these of all other the Prophet David calls the most free faithfull and loyalst Subjects in these and other words O come let us worship and bow down let us kneele before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and againe Praise ye the Lord sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the Congregation of Saints let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the Children of Sion be jâ—yfull in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation let the Saints be joyfull in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds And Saint John hee joynes in the Angels with all the Saints saying And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the holy Beasts and Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice Worthy is the lambe that is slaine to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and the foure Beasts said Amen and the foure and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever so David calls upon the house of Israel the house of Aaron and the house of Levy Yee that feare the Lord blesse the Lord blessed be the Lord out of Sion which dwelleth at Jerusalem praise ye the Lord I find foure things in Scripture that doe set forth and declare the excellency of the glorious estate of the Saints in light first by a chast spouse for purity and beauty Secondly to a goodly City for glory and safety Thirdly to a high Court of commission for authority wisdom and Iudgment and fourthly to a curious planted garden for pleasure and delight and all these are subject and subordinate to their King and that the Saints in their glorified estate are set forth by a bride or chast Virgin is plain ful and admirably described in Scripture the Prophet Esay is very elegant in this speaking of the Churches glorification saith thou shalt also be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy Land be any more termed desolate but thou shalt be câ—llâ—d my delight is in her and thy Land married for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be married for as a yong man marrieth a Virgin so shall thy Sonnes marry thee and as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Isa. 62. So the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians that his ministery his labour and Godly jealousy over them was to present them a chast Virgin unto Christ and they that sung before the throne as it were a new song which no man could learn but the hundred fourty and foure thousand which were redeemed from the Earth these are they which were not defiled with women faith the holy Ghost for they are Virgins and so also this holy Apostle saith And I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming downe from God out of heaven prepared as â— Bride adorneá for her husband So also she is called the Lambs wife and againe Let us rejoyce and be glad and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her selfe ready And to her was granted that she should bee arrayed in fine Linnen cleane and white for the fine Linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints in the time of her temptation and sufferings shee was the Kings daughter and all glorious within but now in her exaltation and nuptialls she is also all glorious without excelling in ornament and perfection and in that shee is the Lambs wife she hath right interest in all his glory that is honourable above all Lords and Kings being their Lord and King for shee is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And as her chastity and purity excells so doth her beauty so that the Lord her Bridegroom calls her the the fairest among women glorious as the morning faire as the Moone cleare as the Suâ—ne My beloved saith the Church spake and sayd unto me Rise up my Love and faire one and come away for loe the winter is past the raine is over and gone the flowres appeare in the earth the time of the singing of Birds is come the Figge tree putteth forth her green figs and the Vines with the tender Grapes give a good smell Arise my love my faire one and come away which place shewes plainly these speeches of love and beauty are spoken to and of the Church in her perfection and restauration and what speeches can exceed for love and beauty these expressions Secondly
word as they infer from the text but what say you to the words of the Prophet Ezechiel 34. 14. And I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the Countrys and will bring them to their own Land and feed them upon the mountaines of Israel by the Rivers and in all the inhabited places of the Countrey As also the Prophet Ieremy 33 and 26. For I will cause their captivity to returne and have mercy on them Silv. It greives me to see the Ignorance and yet boldnesse of many Ministers amongst us who erre for want of reading the Scriptures for the very literall expression might teach them better then to tell us that from these two testimonies is declared the calling of the Iews from their dispersed and scattered estate to the belief of the Gospell in this last age of the world For both these Prophets writ within few years one of another Ieremy a little before Ezechiel and both of the Babylonish Captivity and of their returne againe into their own Land which according to the word of the Lord was performed above two thousand yeares ago for their returne was in the days of Ezra the Scribe some years after the Prophet Daniels death And if you read the second chapter you cited with a searching affection you shall find the Prophets both of them speaks of also the deliverance of Sion the whole house of Israel from all their Captivities Therefore will I save my flock they shall be no more a prey I will judge between cattel and Cattel and I will set up one shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard and I will be their God and my servant David a Prince amongst them In those days Iudah shall be saved and Ierusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse But this deliverance we will more largely open hereafter Hym. Master Cotton in new England doth much preach of these things of the calling of the Iews and of the flourishing estate of the Church of the Gentils and sence I came to London I heard a preacher say if the two last Chapters of Esay were not to be understood of the glorious estate of the Church before the comming of the Lord to Judgement I do not know saith he what is meant by chose Scriptures Silv. By what he saith I believe he doth not understand what is meant by those Script for the Proph. words are these Behold I create new Heavens a new Earth the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind but be thou glad rejoyce for ever in that which I creat for behold I creat Ierusalem a rejoyceing and her people a joy And I will rejoyce in Ierusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying and there shall be no more thence an infant of days c. In which the Prophet speaks as clearly to my understanding as words can expresse it of the world to come after the Resurrection the salvation that brings Gods chosen people Jerusalem from above into the same perfection againe which by sin we lost and fell from in the day of our transgression and this agrees with Saint Peters and Saint Johns exposition the two most excellent and beloved Disciples and Apostles Saint Peter speaks directly of the end of this world the dissolution of this present Heaven and Earth in these words But the Heavens and the Earth which are now that is now present by the same word are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of Iudgement and perdition of ungodly men And so proceeds to other arguments and proves that the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up and the Heavens and the Elements shall be dissolved concludes with notwithstanding or neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth in which dwelleth righteousnesse First the time when these things shall be fulfilled is twice spoken to be in the day of the Lord which throughout the Scriptures notes unto us the day of Iudgement as the time of his second comming Secondly the manner how it shall be when righteousnesse shall dwell in the Earth which must needs be understood of the world to come for in this world righteousnesse is a Pilgrim a stranger and a sojourner and Saint Iohn transcends in his expressions of it after the generall Iudgement in order after the Resurrection of just and unjust saying And I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth were passed away and there was no more sea and I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming down from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a great voyce out of Heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself 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 nor sorrow nor crying nor shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away The former things are the corruptible things and the things that shall take place are the new created things of God which are all good for nothing can proceed from him but what is very good the words are so plaine that they need no exposition The other proof they do bring to prove their mistaken opinion are these words As one whom his Mother comforteth so will I comfort you and you shall be comforted in Ierusalem and when you see this your hearts shall rejoyce and your bones shall flourish like an herb and the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants and his indignation towards his enemies for by fire and by sword will the Lord plead with all flesh And the slaine of the Lord shal be many for any man to think that the Prophet in these words speaks of any time of the Churchs sufferings in this life doth as much as if he should tell me it was his own foolish conceit and that he did not at all search the Scriptures noâ— labour in the word and doctrine for Saint Paul to the Thessalonians to me doth directly comment upon this place of the Prophet saying it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and
that art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us unto God by thy bloud out of every kâ—ndred and tongue and people and â—atiâ—n and hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne on the earth Which Scripture without explanation is a full answer unto all such thoughts that concerne this inheriting the earth may be in â—his life in a Mystery all which agrees with â—ur Lords words to the Apostles at his parting from them let not your hearts be troubled c. In my Fathâ—rs house are many mansions and I go to prepare a place for you and if I go an prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my self that wheâ—e I am there you may be also Now our Lord is gone into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father where he is preparing the blessed and glorious estate for us as the Apostle Peter saith Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undâ—filed and that fadeth not away reserved in the heaven for us who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time of which last time and revelation of the glory S. Iohn speaks where â—e saith and I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea In that he saw no more sea he declareth that the great oppressors of Gods Church consisting of heathen as open enemys or Christians as secret and cunning enemys shall all cease there shall be none to hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord And S. John goes on and declares the place where the Lord shall be with his at his returne and I Iohn saw the holy City new Ierusalem comming down from God out of heaven prepaâ—ed as a bride adorned for her husbanâ— And I heard a great voice â—ur of heaven saying the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and thâ—y shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and so goes on in describing the perfection of that condition thaâ— there shall be no more death sorrow crying and paine and as it follows after no more curse This is the glorious condition of Christ comming againe to his own people according to his promise and that he will abide with them forever in the new things which he shall create that it may appear unquestionable that the Saints shall inherit the earth after the Resurrection heare Gods promises to the Patriarks and their understanding of and hoâ—â— and expectation in them and first we will begin with Abraham where it is said and the Lord appeared unto Abraham and said unto thy seed will â— give this Land and againe I will give unto thee thy seed after thee the Land wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God Noâ—e here that the Lord promiseth the possession of the Land to Abraham himselfe to his owne person as well as to all and every one of his spirituall seed and so witnesseth the Author to the Hebrews saying That Abraham was called to go into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance Marke it is said he that is himself not others for him as some unwarily have affirmed in these last times and 〈◊〉 this sence â—nly Saint Paul calls Abraham the heire of the wâ—rld by promise and grace included in Gods promise above and I will give unto thee c. So the the Lord Almighty engages himself to Isaack that he would performe the oath that he sware unto his Father Abraham saying unto thee and thy seed will I give all these Countries and God appeared to Iacob his chosen at Lusse in the Land of Canaan saith to him the Land whereon thou lyest to thee will I givâ— it and to thy seed and their seed shall be as the dust of the earth and thou shalt spread abroad to the West and to the East and to the North and to the South and in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be â—…essed Hym. Most Christians understand that â—hâ—se promises were fulfilled by Ioshua when he divided the Land of Cannan by lot â—or a possession to the Tribe of Israel Silv. But had our Ministers and Christians read and laboured to understand the Scriptures they would have been of the Apostles mind who affirmes and clearly sheweth that Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the faithfull and holy servants of God ever understood thereby the everlasting inheritance and possession to them and their seed for ever when they in their own persons that never enjoyed it yet shall inherit it for the holy Ghost saith by the testimony of faithfull Stephen the Martyr That Abraham had no inheritance in Canaan no not so much as to set his foot on yet he that is God promised that he would give it him for a possession and to all his spirituall seed which the aforesaid Apostle to the Hebrews in the eleventh Chapter proves beyond all exception to be the heavenly Countrey and the temporall Canaan no other or further neither in promise nor possession of the following seeds nor otherwise I say then that it was a speciall representation a tipe figure and shaddow preaching and teaching unto them the spirituall heavenly holy new and everlasting Land wherefore thus saith the Apostle These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them a far of and were peâ—swaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and Pilgrims on the earth for they which say such things declare plaiâ—ly that they seek a Countrey and truly had they been mindfull of that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunitie to have returned but now they desire a better Countrey that is a heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City which City new Ierusalem is that before spoken of even that new and heavenly City that comes with our Lord at his descension to the earth where and in which he will dwell for ever Hym. I did not think the Scriptures had been so plain for this matter as now I see them I pray