world will not be the question at last in foro Conscientiae at least if thou hadst pausedly read with due attention or heard the sound of such Doctrine of Christ thou oughtest to search whether those things are so Men on both parts are to be heard more in regard of their Scripture evidence for what they affirm than in any other regard in the things of God and the salvation and happiness of souls But for this Doctrine it hath been and is abundantly proved if men would seriously seek information and so as never will be refelled and I doubt not but will more and more with many of Gods People be owned and improved but it will in this be found as in all other branches of Christian Faith it must be Gods Spirit must perswade men to believe it though they know it for none can believe what they know not therefore it will necessarily follow when they have the knowledge of it they must earnestly pray and meditate and consider and importune the Father of Mercies to know in this respect his will yea and though they be reckoned wise and prudent and learned too in such matters they must go to Christ as babes to be taught by his Spirit Parts Learning Authority of men may work conviction but cannot perswade men to own and apply unto themselves any divine and precious truths of God in Scripture for the benefit of his Church And therefore Christian if this Doctrine held out to thee be of God thou art bound carefully and diligently to enquire after it for if thou beest faithful it is part of thine inheritance and exceeding useful and needful for thee too in the last dayes that the evil consequences of rejecting of it may not inevitably fall upon thee On the other hand there are degrees of glory to be obtained of the Saints For one star differeth from another star in glory For any through the rejecting of such Doctrine of the Gospel but to lose the happiness in the more speedy resurrection of the Just some few hundreds of years may well be deemed a great loss And as the Ancients judged there will be mora a deferring of some probably upon such an account how should men therefore seek to be strengthened in all kind of Gospel-consolation c. Object But those Scriptures have been otherwise interpreted by many able and good men in an other sence only for spiritual consolation c. Answ That many able and good men have so understood them hath been because of the unjust scandals c. that a long time have been cast upon this Doctrine of Truth by the subtilty of Satan and vanity of men or at least for want of discovery but how weakly and insufficiently some who might of later times have had more light set before them have gone about to evade the Truth may to a discerning impartial eye easily appear that while they have gain-said the Truth have many times laid down evident proofs and confirmations thereof so that their own Writings might sufficiently manifest their mistakes besides God hath raised many able and judicious persons of later times that have both vindicated these Truths and sufficiently answered what by others though otherwise men of good account have unwarrantably been set down to the contrary as hath been shewed c. Object But some may happily say they are satisfied with the knowledge of what is and hath been accounted necessary to salvation and think it not needful to trouble themselves with things dark and mysterious though they be truths c. Answ As God hath works to fulfil in all Ages of his Church so hath he needful Truths to be owned and believed in several conditions and estates his People are to pass thorow in this world but these great Truths concerning the right understanding of what God doth and is about to accomplish in these last times are now more in their proper season as was said are his more distinct and clear explications of some Articles of Christian Faith and though the Scriptures however they have been plentiful yet have formerly of old been more dark in setting them down according to the divine wisdom and pleasure of the incomprehensible God and yet in much grace to his true Church in these last times hath made them very evident that we may by no means conceive those plentiful portions of sacred Scripture respecting these things are now in their season to be overlooked since God hath such excellent ends in revealing them to his People both for his our Saviours glory and his Peoples seasonable and needful consolation for there is no word of Grace written for believing souls but they know it in its due season and use to be more of worth than all the world and therefore this general charge Wisdom gives her Children Prov. 2.4 To seek her as silver and search for her as hid treasures vers 5. whereby they may understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God with many like encouragements And our Saviour the wisdom of the Father enjoyneth men for seasonable Truths in his Life-time to search the Scriptures then the same charge lies upon all his People now which whoso endeavours faithfully shall find his blessing accordingly in so doing and then mysteries before are no longer mysteries to them to whom God reveals them for the good of others Obj. But such as seek into such Mysteries do often mistake and differ one from the other c. Answ The great things of God are sometimes so high that he is pleased but to reveal them by degrees and in their proper seasons yet every degree of such he imployes to seek into them really promotes his end and when his time is come either by searching or revelation or both or as he pleaseth he makes them known and when they are so they are highly to be prized and duly to be improved and though in some things less essential some mistakes may be amongst some good men and differences of apprehensions yet still by such searching the Word will resolve them I must acknowledge to God's glory before men and Angels I have to my own great satisfaction found the experience thereof which I have therefore in order set down sincerely and faithfully with the sense of mine own weakness for other mens profit and advantage though the intent of that Treatise called The Irenicon was to prove such a Kingdom of Christ was to come yet as I found a remarkable hand of God upon me many wayes leading me to discern and acknowledge a personal appearance of Christ after I had laid down some reasons of my former apprehensions of a mystical which I likewise sufficiently answered so as may make much for the advantage of such as will duly weigh that work of God upon me by whom with my seeking with small help of men I desired to be guided so as ever to have an eye and an ear open to the directions of his Word and Spirit
since Christ saith it will be but a little season we have reason to believe it will be so whereunto will ensue the last Resurrection and general Judgment this last state of things our Saviour hath clearly distinctly opened Rev. 20. which Daniel had but darkly set down in such manner as God's Spirit then taught and guided him for such time as God was pleased to have many things which he delivered then to be shut up til the time of the end when Christ should unseal and open them as both Daniel and the Revelation do witness the space as was said of above 3300 years of Daniel's Prophecies beginning with the Captivity of Babylon who darkly hold out the generals of things to be fulfilled in their order to the end of the World saving we finde nothing there of the little space after Christs Reign the thousand years is ended which both for the continuance of it for a thousand years and what was to be done in the little space after our Savior the great Prophet and faithfull Witness hath made known to his Church Rev. 20. and which could not by any wisdom of creatures otherwise be found out and the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ explains so much of Daniel's Prophecy though mystically as was to be fulfilled to the end from the time of the opening of the first Seal under the Roman Empire when our Saviour at his Resurrection having received all Power in Heaven and Earth gave Commission for the preaching of the Gospel Mat. 28.18 19 20. Now for the time of Christ's second coming both Dan. 7. Rev. 19. joyntly agree as all serious men acquainted with the order of mystical Prophecies universally agree and is evidently discernable to any unprejudiced searchers into them St. Paul gives this Epitome of that Coming to destroy Antichrist which both Daniel and Christ are large in saying Christ will destroy him with the appearance of his Coming and so in other Scriptures before Daniel hath much in generals that shall be in the world at the second personal coming of Christ but the third I find not that he hath any touch of whence the Jews did so much expect and speak of such a coming as his second will be to restore the Kingdom to Israel c. which saith Mr. Mede the Jewish Doctors call the day of the great Judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies judicii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnus dies judicii in the 4th Letter to Mr. Hain from Dan. 7.10.22.26 But our Saviour most clearly and St. Paul and Peter likewise seems but especially Christ in the Book of Revelation chap. 20. hath set forth his third coming as a point of Doctrine most needful to be known and considered in the last times when his second coming approacheth near unto us As the order of Daniel's Prophecy in our Abridgment and the order of the Revelation in the Letter of May 20. in the Fore-runner pag. 22. and the sum of the Revelation in the Irenicon p. 26 27 c. will evidently make to appear so that both Daniel and the Revelation do orderly hold out his second personal coming with other Scriptures And the Revelation of Jesus Christ most clearly decyphers the third shewing what shall be done at the begining of and all along the thousand years and what at the end of them and how the day of the last general Judgment will be brought on and executed to the end of that 20th chapter with the state of things in the interim in the two last chapters Rev. 11.15 to the end which respects the same time or at least the entrance upon that period And secondly As these two personall comings are distinguished by Christ the great Interpreter of both these Prophetical Books so their names and decypherings in Scripture are much distinguished suitable to the nature of both the said comings The first is called the appearance of Christ or the appearance of his Coming the other his descending from Heaven with a shout c. The first is his coming with clouds c. at the other no mention of clouds but contrarily Heaven and Earth will then flee away before him the former stiled the Revelation of Christ when the mystery of Godliness is finished 1 Tim. 3.16 but the last will be after a long manifestation of his Glory all the thousand years in the world with other names more fully to be seen in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 43.44 45. and the reason the former is so often called his appearance seemes to be because Christ at his coming in the clouds of Heaven then will only appear in clouds to the world no mortal eye being able to behold his Glory in the brightness of it and probably because this appearance will be in the clouds but a short time cheifly to be so manifest unto the Jewes to take off the hard vail of unbelief from their hearts and as Mr. Mede probably conceives he will speak to the Jewes then at their conversion as he did to St. Paul for a pattern thereof And after that done I find not that he wil any more be seen of mortal men at least not ordinarily in the world though his Glory will shine fully and inlighten the raised Saints in the New Jerusalem as in many texts we have shewed as Isa 66.1 Rev. 21. Joh. 17.24 c. But his third coming is stiled his descending from Heaven with the voice of an Archangel and with the Trump of God but not so at the former 1 Thes 4.16 Mat. 24.31 his coming in his Glory with all his holy Angels and sitting upon his Throne where all shall be gathered before him Mat. 25.31 and the like in several texts fore-cited Thirdly As they differ in a long distance of time and the titles given to each according to their natures so they differ in the things that will be done at both those personal comings At the first God begineth to make Christ's foes his foot-stool both by binding of Satan Rev. 20. and by destroying many wicked men from off the earth that would not have him rule over them miraculously calling the Nation of the Jews and delivering that Nation fully from their temporal and greatly at least from their spiritual bondage Dan. 12.1 3 c. and making the wicked to be slaves and likewise then brings such as sleep in Jesus with him and all his Saints with him when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven which is that Jerusalem whose maker and builder God is said to be Heb. 11. and that City prepared for the fore-fathers who without us that believe will not be made perfect c. where the blessed and holy raised Saints shal behold Christs glory which he hath given them their part in John 17.22 24. and shall raign with him there the thousand years But the third coming of Christ will be his descending from Heaven with a shout and the voyce of the Arch-Angel as was
six copies distinguished by a comma to be understood in that sense of new creation of things not spiritual regeneration as men use to take it when all such faithful Spirits shall be counted as our Saviour speaks worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection of the Dead that which is called the World to come Heb. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's posterity shall enjoy that Land with them Deut. 30. to ver 11. Deut. 32.43 as Davids Kingdom shall then be stablished before himself for ever to the end 2 Sam. 7.16 And so likewise the Promise and Covenant made to David of the Kingdom for himself and his Seed for ever will then in Christ the Seed of David on Earth be fulfilled when also the first Adam's lost dominion as was fore-prophesied Psal 8. and explained and applyed by the Apostle Heb. 2. will be regained to the raised Saints from the dead at the first said Resurrection by Christ the second Adam Consider seriously these Scripture-evidences and the things held out by them 16ly Such Prophecies as speak of good things to come to Israel Ephraim or Joseph together with Judah joyned with them usually contain something belonging to the great Restauration at Christ's appearing and his Kingdom 1 Tim. 4.1 when he first begins to judge quick and dead at the first session of the day of Judgement when God's ancient People of Israel or Ephraim and Judah shall be joyned together into one stick under one King to them both for ever even Christ being his Promised Seed which will be accomplished in those last dayes as was said from Ezek. 37. 17ly When David by his prophetical Spirit foretelleth of things incompetible to his own Kingdom or to his natural seed such things must necessarily be referred to Christ's glorious Kingdom on Earth See Iren. p. 77 78 79 80. in the thousand years 18ly Again it is observable in Mystical Prophecies that the Spirit of God seems many times to lay down great things in generals and after by degrees to give expositions of them See Abridgm on Dan. as in Nebuchadnezzar's dream Dan. 2. and Daniels Visions of the same matters Dan. 7. both which are by Daniel and the Angel in the same chapters in some brief way first expounded and both again more particularly afterwards in the following Visions in their order chap. 8. and somewhat in chap. 9. but afterwards more fully in many things in their order in his last large Vision chap. 10 11 12. and so in the Revelation in chap. 4 5 7. some general heads are touched at which are more particularly explained in a great part of the Book following So in the latter part of chap. 14. the decay of the Papacy is spoken of which afterwards is again explained chapters 15 16 more briefly and some of the Vials again more largely chapters 18 19 20. 19ly In the Book of the Revelation when things are not said to succeed one the other as 1st 2d 3d c. as the Seals Trumpets Vials but one measure of time is assigned and suited to them all or one table of Chronology is fitted to them all such distirct Visions are contemporaries as all that concerned the true and false Church in Antichrist's time have the same measure though diversly computed by months dayes and a time times and an half all agreeing in 1260 years the date of the Beast the mourning-time of the Witnesses the Woman's Wilderness-condition by which also the Whore of Babylon the ten crowned Horns with the two-horned Beast c. are limited to their seasons So all those Visions under or after the 7th Trumpet See the Irenicon pag. 30. have one Chronological Table to compute their time as chap 11. to v. 15. contained the forty two months for the night-workers in darkness and a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes of such as are of the Light and walk therein So all the Visions I say in the three last chapters have one Chronological Table to compute the time of them all to wit a thousand years wherein Christ will reign with his Saints the Devil shall be bound and shut up c. the New Jerusalem come down from God and God's Tabernacle be with men and the New Heavens and New Earth and the Paradise of God and the Tree of Life and the pure River c. all for the said time of the thousand years and so are contemporaries and all strongly there asserted and confirmed See Irenicon in several places 20. Observ After Christ Jesus our Saviour had finished his Farewel Sermon Joh. 16. he then in the presence of his Disciples made that most excellent declarative Prayer Joh. 17. wherein a large Prophecy of many things to come is very divinely though mystically couched wherein we may observe many things in order according to the Will of his heavenly Father set forth by Christ which should afterward according both to his prayer prediction or disposal be done and hath herein caused to be recorded which shall have their due accomplishment in their times begining from his making that excellent prophetical Prayer who alwayes prayed according to his heavenly Father's Will and as he said was alwayes heard of him and so it is to be known by us that all here he prayed for in respect of himself his Disciples and the faithful Pastors and Christians succeeding even all such as his Father had given him till his coming again and all that believed through their word namely the Apostles Doctrine through the time of the wicked world which he prayed not for till the time of the good world came that should both believe and know him whom the Father had sent when that Glory should be given to his own that the Father had given him concerning which he then made his Will v. 24. that they should behold his Glory in his Kingdom Dan. 7.13 14. at the Resurrection in that World to come of which he speaks Luke 20.35 36. which as was said Heb. 2.5 is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world habitable to come of which the Apostle there said he spake namely chap. 1.6 where he had said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he shall bring his Son again into the World that is the second time he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him for he shall then as both Daniel and from Daniel three of the Evangelists witness Christ's words of his coming come in the clouds of Heaven as was foretold of him and all his holy ones with him both Saints and Angels And in reference to this order of this prophetical declarative Prayer of our blessed Saviour observe the ensuing steps of his proceeding therein to the said purposes which we have already hinted to be now further observed and duly considered accordingly Ver. 1. he saith Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may also glorifie thee which was evidently soon after answered in his Resurrection from the dead
of which God said Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2.7 applyed largely by St. Paul to Christ's Resurrection Acts 13.33 34 35 36 37. with other Scriptures of which saith he again Rom. 1.4 he was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead And being so glorified by his Father he also glorified him by setting up the preaching of the Gospel and give Salvation thereby v. 2 3 4. when all power being given to him in Heaven and in Earth as he said Mat. 28.18 he then mainly improves the same in commissionating and fitting and sending his Disciples to be his Apostles to preach the Gospel as in the Prayer is to be observed afterwards and Mat. 28.19 20. Go preach the Gospel to all Nations and Mark 15. Go preach the Gospel to every creature and also glorified his Father many wayes in the forty days after his Resurrection but especially he is said then to speak to his Disciples of the things that concerned the Kingdom of God Acts 3.3 4 5. whereupon seemed that question of the same Kingdom then to be moved by them c. The next step was his Prayer for his Ascension into Heaven v. 5. to be glorified with that Glory which he had before in the Bosom of his Father before the world was when he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thenceforward should as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man in one person sit at the right-hand of the Father in his Caelestial Glory which he had with the Father before the world was and then v. 6 7 8. having declared divers things respecting his Disciples what he had done towards them and what effect was found in them c. he proceeds in v. 9 11. to make his Prayer for his Disciples after to be his Apostles being in the world when he was ascended that his Father would keep them from that evil world as he had done for them to that time v. 12. having shewed their joynt interest ver 10. and shews the end why he spake these things suitable to their present state v. 13 14. and shewing what Persecution they were to look for but how they should be preserved c. he proceeds to limit his Prayer for his Disciples v. 15. not that they should be taken out of the world but that they should be kept from the evil And since they were not of that world v. 16. he prayes further in v. 17. to have them sanctified by the Word of God's Truth and giving them their Mission v. 18. he shews the end of his sanctifying himself was for their sanctification by that means v. 19. So having done with what concerned his Disciples to be sent as Apostles into the world and in them for all faithful Messengers of the Gospel that were to succeed he then proceeds v. 20. to pray for all truly faithful and believing souls through their Word as he speaks even from that time of their Mission to his Coming again as may many wayes appear by what follows from ver 20. to 25. wherein all such faithful persons should be equally concerned shewing that the end and drift of all their believing through their Word or of any of his Messengers was that they might all be one as the Father was in him and he in the Father that they might be one as the Father and the Son were one v. 21 22. that is that they should be as the Bride the Lamb's Wife is one with her Head in the New Jerusalem come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21. and so made perfect in one v. 23. at Christ's second coming or his coming again into the world as Heb. 1.6 when that good world to come shall believe that the Father hath sent him yea and know it too in an especial manner as he adds and repeats in part the same thing v. 21 23. having shewed in v. 22. that he had given them the same Glory that the Father had given him in his Kingdom Dan. 7.14 15. and for that end that they might be one as was said before as he and the Father are one who loved them as he had loved him And v. 24. he further declares his own last Will and Testament in that particular respecting the enjoyment of that happiness with himself in the said Kingdom which his Father had given him as Mediator as a reward in time for that work finished in the time of that his Office which the Faithful should enjoy with him in the time of that said good World to come when they should be where he should be and behold to their happiness the Glory then given him by his Father from his love to him as his obedient Son and faithful Servant before the foundation of the world and in the two last verses concludes with some special consolations respecting his Disciples as follows ver 25 26. to the end of the chapter Thus divinely hath our blessed Saviour according to his infinite Wisdom couched the order of these glorious Mysteries in his making and leaving this most excellent Prophetical and declarative Prayer of his before his departure out of the World recorded by his beloved Apostle St. John for the information and consolation of his poor and little little Flock to whom with himself it was his Father's pleasure to give that Kingdom with himself on Earth Rev. 20.4 Rev. 5.10 And the advancement of that state is the great drift of our Lord's Prayer recorded also by two Evangelists namely that God's Name may be hallowed See Irenicon p. 30. and his Kingdom come and consequently his Will be doen in Earth then as in Heaven before for which purpose as God's People should alwayes endeavour faithfully so they have abundant ground to believe from the Word it will be so done in the time when the Devil will be shut up in the bottomless-pit from seducing the Nations for a thousand years space Rev. 20. The blessed and holy Saints shall come with Christ to take their bodies in their own order The glorious Angels shall come and worship him and do their service to him in the world Heb. 1.6 And all the creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth shall bow the knee and be subject unto him Phil. 2. and all things be made new by him Rev. 21.5 all which since his Word declareth most surely shall be performed 21. Observ That the perfect Dominion over the Creatures which was part of the Image of God upon Man in his innocency will be restored again unto him the holy Scriptures make evident which the Apostle Paul saith The whole Creation groans for to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8. and this David prophetically foreshews will be done in Christ Ps 8. where he saith God had visited him the Son of man and made him for a little time as both the word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in Mr. Mede's Answer to Dr. Twisse's second Letter See Zech. 12.10 11. with Rev. 1.7 Isa 66.8 Isa 60. with many other Texts of Scripture 2dly Another sort of subjects then will be Converted Heathen Gentiles then to come in Isa 60.5 6 c. Isa 19. who shall be then Christ's Inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth his Possession as Psal 2.8 which the Apostle reckons the greatest riches of the Gentiles Rom. 11.12 If the casting off the Jews was the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness And afterwards v. 25. he reveals it as a Mystery to humble us Gentiles in the mean time that blindness was in part happened to the Jews until a first fulness of the Gentiles was come in which our Saviour expresseth by the fulfilling of the times of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 for so long was the Jews calamity and miserable Captivity to endure from Jerusalems destruction as is evident from the context 3dly Christ's chief and best Subjects or Assessors and Deputies then in that his Kingdom will be the blessed raised Saints in the New Jerusalem come down from God Rev. 21.2 who is said to be the Maker and Builder of that City Heb. 11.10 16. which are they our Saviour saith that are counted worthy of that World and the Resurrection of the Just called there also the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20.35 36. even in that habitable World as the Apostle calls it Heb. 2.5 And at that time when God brings his Son again into the World Heb. 1.6 Where those which God gave him before shall see his own Glory given him as Mediator by the Father as a manifestation of his eternal love to him who he knew would perfectly fulfill that Office and therefore in his last Testament-Will he bequeatheth it to them in the presence of his Father and his Disciples saying John 17.24 Father I will that they c. Observe well both the words and the context they are very weighty all full to this purpose that those raised Saints shall there be where Christ is in his own Kingdom as Dan. 7. there beholding his Glory and many other Texts to the like purpose Consider in the Books wherein many other excellent and sweet points of Christian Doctrine to serious spirits may be observable bordering upon these which to such may by God's Grace be exceeding available to promote Grace and Piety and that from a great advantage above what usually hath been taught or is yet expected by most Christians namely from the weighty consideration of the happiness of the whole man both in soul and body together and that upon Earth where those Saints were formerly despised and suffered when their enemies shall not live in body Isa 26.14 but they shall live with Christ in a triumphant state of Glory Rev. 20.4 5. and that above a thousand years sooner than is ordinarily expected and this happy estate will be a sure entrance into the possession of eternal blessedness in the highest Heavens Men use too greatly to prize and very dearly purchase many times with the loss of their precious souls their earthly falsly supposed perpetuities and when they have done all know not that they or their heirs shall possess I will not say enjoy them for a thousand dayes on Earth but suppose a lawful acquired purchase and left ordinarily with the greatest hope of blessing by a Godly Parent to a gracious Christian Posterity yet how soon do successions many times here degenerate and in some few hundreds of years how are Estates and Nations turned up-side down as sacred and other Histories abundantly evidence and the best mens best estate is here full of evil as well as good bitter sweets at the best yea they and every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39. And doth Christ by his own peculiar teaching and his evidence must needs be best assure his faithful Servants he hath procured and appointed unto them not a small pittance but a Kingdom and one that cannot be shaken not for a life here or a few successions but for a thousand years on Earth free not only from outward enemies but in the judgment of the best Christians from far worse scil from Sin and Satan with all their retinue Shame Sorrow Death Hell with all that black Regiment that guards them c. On the other hand What bruitish madness do wise men reckon such to be possessed with that cast away a great Estate with the casting of a Dye or by any other sinful earthly frenzy but what is it for any worldly vanity with a curse hereunto entailed and sometimes pursuing it close at the heels to cast away a sure Christian Interest in such a Kingdom as Christ's is sure to be on earth so glorious so satisfying as every condition of the faithful after death is satisfying fully so secure every way blessed in what they enjoy at that period and in what they know they shall enjoy to all eternity For as evil men are made to know all the degrees of their cursed estate both of soul and body likewise to come to their exceeding horror from the very moment of their death when their Conscience being let loose is their accuser witness judge executioner and continual tormentor so godly men appear to know from the very moment of their departure hence every happy condition they are to pass through to eternity therefore of this state said the representatives Rev. 5.10 almost one thousand six hundred years ago we shall reign upon earth so that on the one hand upon this said great advantage Christians may be urged by the Apostles argument a fortiori more strongly as the good is so great and near approaching wherefore Beloved brethren since these things are so what manner of men ought we to be in all holy manner of conversation c. And on the other hand in respect of evil men a fortiori they will not only lose such happiness which they wil not now believe but they will presently know they have lost it and that it will from thenceforth be irrecoverable and which ever will make them miserable they will find they were taken hence in wrath from the tenders of mercy which they had shal never have tenders thereof again made before Christ's second coming or at his coming nor after the last resurrection so that whether thus taken away in particular-displeasure or in the common destruction of the wicked they will throughly know each miserable estate which shall abode them privatively positively as well their poenam damni as poenam sensus as well what they have irreparably lost as what in every estate to eternity will be inflicted upon them Qu. But here by the way is one great Question How will this Doctrine be proved for many great and learned men do not assent to it Answ Whether any Doctrine that is founded evidently and strongly on Gods Word is owned by learned men or eminent men in the