own unwillingness Thou wilt not come to Christ this Jesus Christ complained of John 5.40 But ye will not come to me that ye might have life Ah! woe's me saith the poor lost sinner If I were so deeply humbled for my sins if I had a soft broken penitent heart if I could get victory over my corruptions then I should be willing to come to Christ for pardon and for salvation but these things hinder me and discourageth me from coming to Christ I am ashamed to come I am afraid to come I confess I am unwilling to come yet know God and Christ is willing that thou shouldest come Mat. 11.28 And ere long the Day of God's Power will come upon thee and then thou wilt be willing Psal 110.3 Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power Secondly I exhort you to believe in Christ When the Jaylor asked Paul and Silas and said Sirs What must I do to be saved They said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.30 31. This is that glad Tydings of the Gospel which Christ hath commanded and commissioned his Ministers to Preach unto every creature Mark 16.15 16. He that believes shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned There is an absolute necessity of believing in Jesus Christ unto salvation for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Alas saith a poor sinner I cannot Believe I know not how to Believe what shall I do to Believe I answer Faith is not of our selves it is not of works but it is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 9 10. The Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2.12 It is the exceeding greatness of his mighty power Eph. 1.19 20. The same Almighty Power of God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead must raise the soul of a sinner from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness The soul being dead in trespasses and sins must be quickened together with Christ and raised together with Christ Eph. 2.5 6. Thirdly I exhort you to Repent of your sins Repentance is also the Gift of God Act. 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life Evangelical Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin or a sorrowing for sin after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 10. For godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation c. which Gospel-Repentance consists of confession of sins to God contrition and mourning for sins before God and turning from sins unto God with our whole heart and with our whole man in Spirit Soul and Body And I do exhort sanctified Believers to prepare themselves to leave this world and to enjoy the world to come Noah did prepare himself all the time he was building the Ark by being a just and perfect man and walking with God Gen. 6.9 for the Ending Time of this world draws near And the End of our natural life is to us the End of this World And that we may be prepared we ought to dye daily to sin to self and to this evil world And we must live to God live God in Christ Jesus Titus 2.11 12 13 14. For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works THE WORLD to Come CHAP. I. Wherein the General Position is propounded proved explained 1. The Position propounded THere is a World to come wherein will be the New Heavens a New Earth and the New Jerusalem also the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints the Resurrection of the Dead and the Eternal Judgment which World to come will begin when the LORD Jesus Christ shall come again from Heaven 2. The Position proved The holy Scripture of Truth doth Testifie 1. That there is a WORLD to come Matth. 12.32 But whosoever speaketh against the holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come Eph. 1.20 21. Not only in this world but also in that which is to come And Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection that WORLD even that to come 2. That then the LORD Jesus Christ will come again from Heaven Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 9.28 And to them that look for him shall he appear the Second Time c. 1 Thes 3.13 At the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ with all his Saints 3. That then there will be the New Heavens and a New Earth and the New Jerusalem yea and all things new Isa 65.17 I create New Heavens and a New Earth 2. Pet. 3.13 We according to his promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth c. Rev. 21.1 2. And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth And I John saw the holy City the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven c. And Heb. 12.22 23 24. The heavenly Jerusalem 4. That the LORD Jesus Christ and his Saints shall have a Kingdom and shall Reign on Earth Dan. 7.13 14. 27. And there was given to him a Kingdom Zech. 14.9 And the LORD shall be King of all the Earth Dan. 7.27 And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High c. Rev. 5. 9 10. And thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on Earth Also Rev. 11.15 20.4 And they lived and Reigned with Christ a thousand years 5. That then there shall be a Resurrection from the Dead 1 Thes 4.16 And the dead in Christ shall rise first Rev. 20.5 6. And the Rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished 1 Cor. 15.21 22 23-51 52. And the dead shall be raised incorruptible c. 6. That then shall be the last and Eternal Judgment Rom. 14.10 and 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ And Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.16 and 2 Tim. 4.1 Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 1 Pet. 4.5 Ready to judge the quick and the dead Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing c. Rom. 2.16 and Matth. 12.36 called the Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 So then without all controversie or any modest contradiction we have the Testimony of Christ his Apostles and Prophets recorded in the holy Scripture of Truth for the full confirmation of our general Position 3. The Position explained In explaining our general Position I shall begin with the first
the Spirit Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions And God will graciously prevent the Prayers of his Saints Isa 65.17 24. It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear All the Sons Daughters of God will then be of one Heart and of one Mind Jer. 32.39 40. Then all sanctified Believers will come in the Unity of the Spirit to a perfect Man Eph. 4.13 And in that Day there shall be ONE LORD and his Name One in all the Earth Zech. 14.9 Zeph. 3.9 And They shall serve the LORD with one consent And then Honour Dignity and Renown shall be given to the Church of God to Religion to Religious persons and to all holy things Zech. 9.16 The Church shall then be as the Stones of a Crown lifted up Those Living Stones in that spiritual Building will then be a Crown of Glory a Royal Diadem in the hand of the LORD Isa 62.1 2.3 28.5 2. In particular 1. To the seed of Abraham the Jews They shall be called gathered united into one Nation and the Davidical Kingdom of Jesus Christ shall be given to them Micah 4.8 which they shall take and possess for ever and ever Dan. 7.14.18 27 28. They shall be all holy Isa 60. and so all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11.26 27. 2. To the Off-spring of Japhet the Gentiles whom God shall persuade to dwell in the Tents of Shem Even all the Nations of them that are saved who shall then walk in the Light of the New Jerusalem Rev. 21.24 and shall also enjoy the spiritual Glory and Blessings of the WORLD to come whereof we speak A word of Counsel to Virgin Professors in this Generation 1. Take heed you do not fall asleep whilst the Bridegroom tarryeth or rather only seems to delay his coming as they did Matth. 25.5 6. They all slumbred and slept until a midnight Dispensation a Cry did awaken them out of their carnal security when being at ease in Zion they became formal luke-warm and worldly minding earthly things more than heavenly and seeking their own things more than the things of Christ 2. Prepare your selves for that time of Tribulation which shall come before Christ come Matth. 24.21 29 30. It 's call'd an hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth Rev. 3. It will come upon the Jews Dan. 12.1 2 3. and upon the Gentiles Rev. 11.7 but more especially upon the Inhabiters of the Earth Rev. 8.13 12.12 Rev. 19.19 20. viz. upon the Beast and the false Prophet and upon the Kings of the Earth and their Armies Prepare for that midnight Dispensation of Darkness Distress and Temptation which is coming upon Nations Cities and Churches to try them 3. Consider what manner of persons you ought to be in all holy conversation and godliness that look and wait for the Glory of Christ his Church and Saints in the world to come 2 Pet. 3.11 13 14. Lastly A word of Instruction to the King the Nobles the Judges and all the Magistrates in this Island and in this City The Kingly Prophet David gave the Instruction I intend Psal 2. wherein by the Spirit of Prophecy he foretold 1. That the Kings of the Earth will set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against his Anointed vers 2 3. 2. That God speaks to them in his wrath and vexes them in his hot displeasure vers 5. 3. That the LORD Jesus Christ will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel 4. That God will set his King namely King Jesus opon his holy Hill of Zion vers 6 7. 5. That God will give the LORD Jesus Christ the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost part of the Earth for his Possession and his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea even unto the Ends of the Earth vers 8. And then the holy Prophet exhorts those Kings and Judges to be wise and to be instructed vers 10 11 12. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish This phrase of kissing the Son implies 1. A Declaration or Testimony of Love and Peace between Christ and them Cant. 1.2 Christ who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth Rev. 1.5 is the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 and it concerns all Kings to be at Peace with Jesus Christ And the LORD Jesus Christ is the Judge of the quick and dead and he sits among the Judges called Gods of the Earth and they also must stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ therefore it concerns all Judges to kiss the Son that is to make their Peace with Christ 2. To kiss the Son implies to worship Jesus Christ And if God commanded the holy Angels to worship him Heb. 1.6 then Kings and Judges are not exempted from worshiping Jesus Christ Phil. 2.9 11. Every knee shall bow to him and confess that he is LORD Because God hath exalted Christ above all and given him a name above every name c. Eph. 1.20 21. and set him far above all Principalities and Powers in this World c. 3. By kissing the Son is intended the submitting to his Dominion and Government Isa 9.6 7. God the Father hath laid the Government of Saints upon Christ for he is King of Saints Rev. 15.3 and the Government of Zion his Church upon Christ for he is King of Zion Psal 149.1 2. and the Government of the Nations upon Christ for he is King of Nations Jer. 10.7 10. By him Kings Reign and Princes decree Judgment He puts down one and sets up another Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Judge of Judges therefore be wise O Kings and be instructed ye Judges of the Land Now I will conclude with a word of Exhortation to the Magistrates and Inhabitants of this City Consider God hath visited this City with the Pestilence and with a Fire and yet the Inhabitants thereof have not returned to the LORD Now God threatens a Famine of Bread if He shut up Heaven that it Rain not and a Famine of the Word if He suffer the Papists to prevail O Repent and Amend Administer Justice and Righteousness Plead the Cause of the Widow and Fatherless Relieve the Oppressed and Acquit the Innocent Let the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation teach you Citizens of London to deny all ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world that in the world to come you may have Life everlasting Amen FINIS
him he is fully persuaded that there is not Salvation in any other and believing that Christ is able to save to the utmost all that come to God through him And being drawn to Christ by God the Father he doth by a lively Act of Faith go to him and adventure his Soul upon him resolving If I perish I will perish here This Faith is God's workmanship Eph. 28. By grace are ye saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God Faith is not of our selves for when the poor lost Soul sees a necessity of believing and is willing to believe he experienceth that it is not in his own power to believe he cannot believe Faith is the gift of God and the Convert lies under doubting until God give him to believe Though to believe be our duty yet it is God's Grace Gift and Work 1 Thes 1.11 Called the Work of Faith with power and the Faith of the operation of God Col. 2.12 As before Another part of God's Workmanship upon Converted Believers is Mortification of Sin Rom. 6.6 Our Old-man is Crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed this is also our duty Rom. 8.13 But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body to wit of sin ye shall live And it is the Effect of true Faith in Christ Acts 15.9 Having purified or purged their hearts by Faith The Spirit of God by Faith works out sin and corruption both out of the heart and out of the life gradually killing and crucifying our Old Man Gal. 5.24 that the body of sin might be destroyed That henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6.6 nor fulfil the lusts of our flesh and of our carnal mind for to be carnally minded is death This part of God's Workmanship called Mortification is begun in Evangelical Repentance and godly sorrow for sin whereby a sanctified Believer is made to loath abhor and hate his sins 2 Cor. 7.9 10. and by the Grace of God to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts And to live soberly righteously and godly in this evil world Tit. 2.11 12. Now his heart being out of love with sin the Young Convert doth by the Assistance of the holy Spirit and Grace of God labour and endeavour the mortification of every corruption and the power of the indwelling Spirit in every sanctified Believer opposeth and subdueth the power of indwelling sin that remains in him after Regeneration Gal. 5.17 And the Spirit and Grace of God in him gets the Victory whereby Grace Reigns Rom. 5.20 21. And the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus makes him free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Free first from the Reigning power of sin Rom. 6.11 14. Sin hath not dominion over a sanctified Believer nor will Christ suffer sin to reign in him nor suffer him to obey it in the lusts thereof Secondly From the captivating power of sin which Paul so sadly complained of Rom. 7.23 24 25. and was freed from by the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.2 Thirdly From the Motions of sin in the flesh Rom. 7.5 6. So that no lust shall conceive and bring forth sin Jam. 1.14 15. And at last Christ will free sanctified Believers from the indwelling presence of sin Death will make a total and final separation between their sins and their souls for Eternity Another part of God's Workmanship upon converted Believers in order to their Salvation is sanctification of heart and life God hath chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes 2.13 And Jesus Christ sanctifieth his People Heb. 2.11 As the End of our Faith is the salvation of our souls 1 Pet. 1.9 so the way to Salvation is Sanctification and Holiness Isa 35.8 And without Holiness no Man shall see the LORD to his comfort and salvation Heb. 12.14 Sanctification consists in the Truth of Grace in the Growth of Grace and in the Perfection of Grace The Truth of Grace produceth the Spiritual Fruit of the Gospel Col. 1.5 6. The Word of the Truth of the Gospel bringeth forth fruit since the day ye heard it and knew the Grace of God in Truth The Growth of Grace hath a threefold gradation some sanctified Believers grow like little Children in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Those St. John calls little Children whose sins are forgiven 1 Joh. 2.12 13. And St. Paul calls them Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 For he is a Babe one that is weak in Faith Rom. 14.1 15.1 Though such have but a little grace yet it is true grace and doth grow Grace is of a growing nature like a grain of Mustard-seed Matth. 13.31 Other sanctified Believers grow like young men they are strong in Faith and overcome the wicked One 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Their Faith is great their Love is fervent and their Patience hath its perfect work that they may be entire lacking nothing 1 Thes 1.3 And some sanctified Believers are compared to Fathers that is to say gracious grave grown and experienced Christians 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Such were some of the Saints in the Church at Thessalonica 2 Thes 1.3 4. Your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all to each other aboundeth The Perfection of Grace is the state of sanctified Believers in Heaven there are the spirits that is the souls of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Sanctified Believers ought to go on to perfection Heb. 6.1 And they that have received the Promises ought to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and filthiness of spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 2. And God hath ordained the Ministry of the Gospel for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.11 12 13. Until we all come in the unity of Faith unto a perfect man And though the Apostle was not perfect as he confessed yet he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.12 14. So ought all the Saints to do until they be translated from Earth to Heaven and from Grace to Glory and shall be set down in the Father's house among the Spirits of just men made perfect Thus Jesus Christ who came into the WORLD to save sinners brings them to salvation The next particular in our general Position to be explained is that Jesus Christ came into this WORLD to build up his own House the Church of God As Moses was faithful in the House of God as a servant who did all things about the Tabernacle according to the Pattern shewed unto him by God in the Mount Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 8.5 So Jesus Christ was faithful unto God that appointed him as a Son over his own House the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man Heb. 3.2 3 5 6.