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
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
face continually remâ—mber his marvelous workes that he hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth yee seed of Israell his servant yee Children of Iacob his chosen ones he is the Lord our God his judgâ—ments are in all the Earth Be ye mindfull alwayes of his covenant the word which he commanded to a thousand generations Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham and of his oath unto Isaack and hath confirmed the same unto Iacob for a law and to Israell for an â—verlasting covenant saying unto thee will I give the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance when ye were but few even a few and strangers in it c. 1 Chro. 16. But small reason had David and as little reason had they either the Fathers or the children to be alway mindfull of this covenant if God had not confirmed it sure unto them all even to the thousand generations for an everlasting Covenant ever to endure and that it had not beene heavenly without corruption The covenant was made when they were strangers on earth but when they shall inherit the same they shall be no more strangers but true owners Then shall they worship the Lord in the beawtie of holynesse and feare before him all the earth the world also shall be stablâ—â— that it be not mooved Then shall the heauens bâ— glad and the earth shall reioyce and men shall say among the Nations The Lord raigneth According as David declareth in the same Psalme And that David did well vnderstand this covenant of the inheritance of the land of Canaan to be an eternall inheritance in the world to come he declareth himselfe further unto the People in another Psalme where he exhorteth them also saying O come let us worship bow down let us kneele before the Lord our maker for he is the Lord our God we are the people of his pasture the sheep of his hands To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse when your fathers tempted me proved mee and saw my workes fortie yeares long was I greived with this generation and said it is a people that doe erre in their hearts for they have not knowne my wayes unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psal. 95. Where the King and Prophet David doth playnly shew that when God did sweare in his wrath they of Israel that sinned in the wildernes erring in their hearts should not enter into that good Land which God sware he would give to their Fathers as it is in Deut. 1.34.35 God meant most especially and cheifly the heavenly estate of inheritance in the world to come wherin holynesse and righteousnesse rest and peace should habit and abide and God himselfe would dwell with all the holy Fathers and their Seed as in his Tabernacle for evermore for which cause he calleth it his rest and sheweth that they that will enter into it must vnharden their hearts and heare his voyce that is to say repent and believe the promise otherwise there is no entering into it And this doth the Apostle plainly prove mentioning this very same thing to the Hebrewes saying And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that bâ—leived not So we see saith he that they could not enter in because of unbeleife let us feare therefore least a promise being left of entering into his Rest any of you should seeme to come short of it for unto us was the Gospell preached as well as unto them c. Heb. â— 7.8.9.10.4.1.2.3 c. Where he also declareth that every one that hath the faith of Abraham that so beleiveth as He did not onely hath an entrance heere in the Spirit Spirituallyâ— as he saith we which haue beleived doâ— enter and as all the holy Fathers had but also shall hereafter their owne persones soule and body inherit the same really and truely with all the holy Fathers and sheweth that the same rest and entrance into it is preached unto us by the Gospell as it was also unto them by the promise it containing the summe of the Gospell And that it remaineth yet to be expected of all the people of God who are heere so entred by faith Their calling and election being made sure as the Apostle Peter saith For so an entrance is aboundantly ministred unto us into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.10.11 For Gods rest eternall is Christs everlasting Kingdome which is to be manifested at his appearing when he shall also judge the quicke and the dead as Saint Paul saith to Timothy For Ioshâ—a did not give the people of Israel that rest but Iesus Christ is to doe it in whom they beleived And of this salvation of Israel inheritance of the Earth and stability of the world doth the Prophet Esay also speake where he having forshewed the shame and confusion of the ungodly and Idolatours of the world which is to come upon them saith But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation yee shall noâ— be ashamed nor confounded world without end for thus faith the Lord that created the heavens God himselfe that formed the Earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vaine he formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is none else I have not spoken in secret in a darke place of the Earth I said not unto the seed of Iacob Seeke ye meâ— in vaine I the Lord speake righteousnesse I declare things that are right Esay 45.14.15.16 So that if Abraham Isaack and Iacob and their seed should not live and inherit the earth If God that made it had not established it so as they should inhabit the same and well therein for ever according to his word Then had he created it in vaine then had he said unto the seed of Iacob all this while seeke yee mee in vaine But the Lord speaketh righteousnesse he declareth things that are right and such as shall surely come to passe in their due time and season Neither hath he spoken in obscurity in darke places or corners of the Earth as if he would not have his mind knowen nay he speaketh plainly and openly to the eares of the people and inhabitants of the world So as the simplest soule through his grace may understand his meaning And for further confirmation that God did not create this excellent worke and Fabrike of the world to destroy it but that he hath established the same and will that it be not movâ—d Consider these scriptures 1 Chro. 16.30 â—sal 78.69 Psal. 93.1 Psal. 96.10 Psal. 14.5 The fift Question or Proposition Fiftly I aske iâ— the deliverance by Moyses and the possession and estate Ioshua gave the naturall Israelites in the land of Canaâ—n which God fore-shewed unto Abraham in Gen.
to whom it belonged and my servant David shall be their King for ever Moreover saith the Lord I will make a Covenant of peace with them it shall be an everlasting covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and I will set my Sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore my Tabernacle also shall be with them yea I will be their God and they shall be my people And the hâ—aâ—hen shall know that I the Lord doe sanctifie Israel when my Sanctuary shall bee in the midst of them for evermore Ezek. 37. This is that Country and Citie which the holy Fathers sought mentioned in Heb. 11. This is the place whereof God spake to David where he said Also I will ordaine a place for my people Israel and will plant them and they shall dwell in their place and shall be moved no more neither shall the children of wickednesse wast them any more as at the beginning c. 1 Chron. 17.9 This is that purchased possession untill the redemption wherof the faithfull are Sealed with the holy Spirit of promise the earnest of that their inheritance spoken of by Saint Paul Ephe. 1.13 14. This is that Eternall Tabernacle which God is the builder of and not man spoken of in Heb. 8.2 and 9.11 which Christ hath purchased with his owne blood for our Eternall inheritance as in verse 12. This is the place which Christ spake of to his Disciples when he said I goe to prepare a place for you Iohn 14. And this is that Building of God not made with hands eternall in the heavens spoken of 2 Cor. 5.1 This is that inheritance incorruptable undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to bee revealed in the last time spoken of in 1 Pet. 3 4 5 6. the times of restitution of all things whereof he spake in Acts 3. for then it is to bee revealed from heaven as Iohn foresaw Revel. 21. when all things shall be new This is the Kingdome which cannot be shaken spoken of in Heb. 12.27 28. This is that Citie of which he saith for here we have no continuing city but we seeke one to come Heb. 13.14 And this is the glory which Saint Paul saith the children and heires of God that suffer with Christ shall receive as joynt heires together with him for the manifestation whereof the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth and untill which the whole creation travelleth together in paine as in Rom. 8.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. And this is the rest which is said to remaine unto the people of God spoken of in Hebâ— 4. where hee exhorteth saying Let us therefore labour to enter into that rest leâ—t c. verse 9.10.11 Now all these promises and testimonies being of one and the same eternall inheritance as doth plainely appeare and that it belongeth to all the faithfull as is also manifest and being so acomplished as before is declared Then Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the holy Fathers before them and their children and their childrens children after them to the thousand generations even all their seede to this worlds end for there shall be no increasing of children any way afterwards shall inherit according to the promise the Land of Canaan which God gave unto the Fathers that good Land which he espied for them the glory of all lands as the Scriptures title it And not that Land onely but every habitable part of the world besides yet that land principally as the glory of all the rest There the Fathers sojourned in expectation thereof upon the promise There by faith they tooke order and gave charge to have their bones laid expecting their resurrection to that end Thither their children were brought from their servitude in Egypt to possesse it typically There God revealed his counsells and testimonies by his servants the Prophets There was the Temporall typicall Hierusalem There was Davidâ— Throne There was Iesus Christ the true king and heire of all things borne There he suffered and underwent the shame from thence he ascended into Heaven and to the same place he shall come againe as it is written And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Hierusalem c. Zech. 14.4 And there shall his Throne be upon the holy hill of Sion according to Psal. 2. For although his Kingdome and dominion shall reach throughout all the World from Sea to Sea and from the river to the ends of the earth as it is said where also his Saints shall inherit and raigne yet there shall be his Throne and his glory most eminent even there where he suffered the reproach and that shall all his enemies in that day see and know For God will get his servants praise and fame in every land where they had been put to shame according as he said Zeph. 3.19 And all the Seed and children of the promise since the beginning of the world the true Israel of God shall now be a nation before the Lord for ever and be Kings and Preists unto God and shall raigne on the Earth as the twenty foure Elders declared and being all of them the Children of God and of the new Hierusalem redeemed by the blood of the Lambe The Lambe wil now among all the rest of his promises and gifts performe this also in Rev. 3. Where he saith Him that overcomeâ—h will I make a pillar in the house of my God and he shall goe no more out I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God The new Hierusalem which cometh downe out of Heaven from my God and my new name ver. 12. Where we see also as in Rev. 21. that it is to come downe out of Heaven I aske now If these things be so as hath beene declared or no if they be truly so then I aske where ye will have ground for your doctrine of a thousand yeares glorious Church of the Iewes in the Land of Canaan or of any other that ye will have rise from the dead before the end of this world or what have ye to object against that which hath beenâ— said If ye object and say heere is not in all this a word spoken of heaven that the Saints after the resurrection of the body and end of this world shall ascend with Christ and Christ with them to live and raigne there in the presence of God and with all his holy Angels for ever I confesse I have not spoken a word to that purpose and the reason is because I find not a word in all the holy Scriptures that saith it and what they speake not I am not bound in this case to beleive though I deny them not heaven God may take up of them into heaven as he did Paul if he so please though he hath not said it That the Saints shall