be saved but the Lord shall cut the work short in righteousness so that when his people are in great trouble then he shall stand up as a Deliverer Dan. 11.1 Matth. 24.21.22 View well these Scriptures and you shal see that that opinion is false that affirmeth That the Saints shall flourish in such a condition before mentioned while they live in this corrupted Tabernacle of flesh and so I pass to the Third Particular shewing you how Christ and the Saints shall reign together in the Kingdom and shall begin with the words of the Apostle which saith that the Saints are joynt-heirs with Jesus Christ in these words If Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and Joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may bee glorified together Rom. 8.16 17. Now we know a Joynt-heir is an equal sharer or when two are made alike in the injoyment of one thing for so faith the Apostle Now are we the Sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be but when he shall appear wee shall be made like him 1 Joh. 3.1 2 3 4. they shall be like him in Glory in Majesty in Honour in a word every way like him only he in all things shall have the preheminence Moreover I shall adde a plain text of Scripture in the which we shall see that the Saints and Christ shall reign together in these words Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection for on such the second Death shall have no power but they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and reign with him a thousand years The which also agreeth with the words of the Prophet that saith A King shall reign in Righteousness and Princes shall decree Judgement and Saviours shall come up of Mount Sion and judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdoms shall be the Lords Revel. 20.6 Isa. 32.1 Obadiah 21. therefore let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds let the high praise of God be in their mouthes and a two-edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishment upon the people to bind the Kings in chains and the Nobles in fetters of Iron that they may execute upon them the Indgement that is written this honour have all the Saints praise yee the Lord so that it is a faithful saying if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him Psal. 149.5 6 7 8 9. 2 Tim. 2 12. So having shewed that Christ and the Saints shall reign together unanimously I shall also shew you that excellent peace that there shall be in the time of his reign throughout the Earth as saith the Prophet The whole Earth is at rest and quiet they shall break forth into singing the Mountains and Hills shall bring peace unto the people by Justice hee shall judge the poor of the people and he shall save the Children of the needy and subdue the Oppressors they shall fear thee so long as the Sun and Moon indureth from generation to generation he shall come down like the raine upon the new-mowen Grasse and as the showers that water the earth in his days shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon indureth his Dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth and they that dwell in the Wilderness shall kneel before him and his enemies shall lick up the dust in that day it shall be said wee have a strong City salvation hath the Lord appointed for Walls and Bulworks open yee the Gate that the righteous Nation that keepeth the truth may enter in thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Isa. 14.7 Psal. 72.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Isa. 26.1 2 3. From hence wee may see what great peace there shall be in the term of Christs reign there is good reason why there shall be such great peace upon these two accounts the first is Because the Devil shall be bound and shall not stirre up Nations to Warre which is his practise when he is loose The second Reason is Because that at the great destruction of God the Great Antichrist all the Weapons of Warre shall be burnt and those that remain which were not brought up to Warre upon the Mountains of Israel shall bee converted into other service namely Their Swords shall be beat into Plow-shares and their Spears into pruning-hooks for Nation shall not rise up against Nation neither shall they learn warre any more Ezek. 39.9 10. Isa. 2.4 Mich. 4.3 Revel. 20.3 From hence it comes to pass that the people in that day shall be led forth in peace and the Mountains shall break forth before them into singing then shall the Law go forth out of Sion and the Word of the Lord out of thy Jerusalem then shall the saying be made good that is written All thy Children shall be taught of God and great shall be the peace of thy Children So that be will extend peace to her like a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream Isa. 2.3 cap. 54.13 cap. 55.12 Isa. 66.10 11 12 13 14. Psal. 127.7 and 125.5 Nah. 1.15 and so I shall leave these Scriptures and the Fourth and pass to the Fifth thing in order which is to shew you the people whom Christ and the Saints shall thus rule with a rod of Iron and that is the ungodly even such as have afflicted the people of God and the Sons of them who have afflicted the people of God for so saith the Prophet The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall fall down at the soals of thy feet and they shall call thee the City of the Lord the Sion of the holy one of Israel Agreeing with that of Malachy To you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings and yee shall grow forth like Calves in the shall and yee shall tread down the wicked for they shall be like dust under the soals of your feet for thus saith the Lord after this glory hath he sent me unto the Nations which spoyled you for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye for behold I will lift up my hands upon them and they shall be a spoyl to their Servants and yee shall know that the Lord of Host hath sent me Sing and rejoyce O Daughter of Sion for I will come and dwell in the midst of thee faith the Lord Mal. 4.2 3 4. Zech. 2.8 9 10. Hence you may see that the enemies of God and his people shall be subdued by Christ and the Saints like as the Aegyptians of old were spoyled by the Israelites when they came out of Aegypt so shall all the ungodly Aegyptians be spoyled at the last as you may see Exod. 3.22 Cap. 11.2 Isa.
considerable particulars shewing you that Christ and the Saints Dominion shall be alike and that they shall reign alike they being joynt Heirs of one and the same Kingdom alike only hee in all things shall have the preheminence and so I passe to the first That Christ shall have a Kingdom on earth and in Jerusalem This we may see the Angel did declare or make known unto the Virgin saying For loe thou shalt conceive in thy Wombe and bear a Son and thou shalt call his name Iesus he shall hee great and he called the Son of the most High and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and hee shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom shall be no end Luke 1.31 32 33. From hence you may see that the Lord Jesus Christ shall injoy Davids Throne which was not Spiritual and in Heaven but on earth and in Ierusalem even so the Lord Jesus Christ in the same place shall reign Spiritually and Temporally over the very same people the Prophet also affirming the very same thing saith Then shall the Sun be ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of Host shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem before his antients gloriously for behold the day cometh saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David a righteous branch a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth in his day shall Judah be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnesse Isa. 24.23 Jer. 23.5 6. Thus you may see plainly that the Lord Jesus which is called the Son of David shall possesse the Throne of David Moreover you may see what the Prophet Micha also saith to the proof of this truth In that day saith the Lord I will assemble her that halteth and gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted and I will make her that halteth a remnant and her that was cast off a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Sion for henseforth and for ever and there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him agreeing with the Psalmist which saith Yet will I set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the outmost parts of the earth for thy possession thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Psal. 2.6 7 8 9. Dan. 7.14 Micha 4.6 7. For behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde but be you glad and rejoyce in the thing which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voyce of crying and he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord and in the Majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great to the ends of the earth Isa. 65.17 18 19. Psal. 67.4 Jerem. 3.17 Isa. 62.7 8 9 10 11 12. These Scriptures and many more that might be added to the proof of the first Particular That the Lord Jesus Christ shall reign on the earth in Ierusalem The second thing is to prove That the Saints also shall receive a Kingdom and reign on earth Unto the proof of this I shall begin with the words of our blessed Saviour which saith Yee are they that have continued with me in my temptations I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that yee may eate and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit upon Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Whereunto he adds also another sentence in the Apocalyps very pertinent to the proof of this saying He that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end I will give him power over the Nations and hee shall rule them with a rod of Iron and shall break them like a Potters Vessel even as I have received of my Father Luke 22.28 29 30. Revel. 2.26 27 28. From hence wee may see that as the Lord gave unto his Son Jesus a Kingdom in reference to his Sufferings and his obedience unto him even so Jesus the Christ will give his people a Kingdom in reference to their sufferings and obedience to his will and that this is to be on Eatth I shall give you a plain text even as saith the Spirit of Christ in these words And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof because thou wast killed and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation and hast made us to our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth Moreover they shall injoy that Sovereignty so long as the Sun and Moon indures for so saith the Lord by his Prophet in these words And in the days of those Kingdoms shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed and this Kingdom shall not be given to another people but it shall break and destroy all these Kingdoms and it shall stand for ever and the Kingdom and Dominion and Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heavens shall be given to the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all people shall serve and obey him Dan. 2.44 Cap. 7.27 28. Revel. 5.10 from these Scriptures we may see that the Saints shall injoy a Kingdom in the which they shall reign and rule the Nations with a rod of Iron so that the wicked shall be as ashes under the soals of their feet And this Kingdom also we see is to be held on earth neither can there be any other interpretations given upon these Scriptures without great abuse to the plaine meaning of the Spirit in these Scriptures If it be objected and said That these Scriptures bespeak or fore-shew the flourishing condition of the people of God while they live in this corrupt Tabernacle of flesh I shall deny and make this answer That it is the portion of the Saints nay all of them to suffer in this Life and the nigher the appearance of Jesus Christ the greater shall the suffering be so that through many tribulations they shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Dan. 7.21 2 Thess. 1.9 Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 Rev 6.9 10 11. and many more Scriptures I might give as to the proof of this for there shall bee such Trials for the godly that should not the days be shortened no flesh would
was counted as strange doctrine and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so or no even so although many of these particulars may be counted erroneous yet prove thy self a noble Berean to search the Scriptures to see whether it be so or no Moreover do not count it a strange thing that the truest Doctrines that ever was should be questioned and counted Heresie for the learned Scribes and Pharisees did question Christ to know where he had his Doctrine and said He hath a Devil and is mad The Apostle Paul also was called a pestilent fellow a teacher of strange Doctrines a ring-leader of Sectaries a turner of the world up-side down and what not Yet as the Apostle saith After the manner they called Heresie so worshipped he the God of his Fathers believing all that was written Even so say I that if any thing that I have written in this Treatise doe not agree with the Word of God and the doctrine according to godliness I shall give thanks to any man that will inform me of it and also renounce it but as the Apostle Paul saith in another case I judge I have the Spirit of God and speak the Truth Moreover Christian Reader know that we are in the last age upon whom the very end of the world is come in which last age that great howr of temptation shall be the which shall try all them that dwell upon the face of the whole Earth therefore very profitable for us to look into the Prophecies of the last Times that being fore-warned they may be fore-armed and in order to the stability of thy mind I have in the following Treatise set before thy view the glorious Paradise the which the Lord gave unto his Son Adam and although he lost it by transgression yet I have shewed thee that it shall be restored again by the Lord Jesus into that primitive glory at his second appearance and Kingdom Moreover I have shewed you what a glorious inheritance God will give to his Son Jesus which is the Man from Heaven So that although the earthly Mans earthly Paradise was glorious yet the heavenly Mans heavenly Paradise shall be farr more glorious it is that new Jerusalem the Walls whereof are garnished with all manner of precious stones the Streets whereof is pure gold like to transparent glasse the which Paradise shall not be of the Earth or from the Earth although it shall be placed upon the new Earth but as I have shewed in the Treatise it shall come down out of Heaven from God being that City which faithfull Abraham looked for which had foundations whose maker and builder was God it shall be the glorious habitation of Christ in the day of his raign and all that are saved shall walk in the light of it which City hath no need of the Sun Moon or Stars for the Lamb shall be the light of it Curteous Reader assure thy self that the Godly who have died in the Faith did see these things in promises although they were afar off and did imbrace them and did acknowledge themselves Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth and they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrey which is a heavenly one wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City and it was that glorious inheritance which made faithfull Moyses slight Pharaohs Royal Diadem and refuse to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season for he had an eye to the recompence of reward so that faith is the evidence of things not seen Moreover courteous Reader I desire thee not to slight the matter contained herein because of any prejudice thou mayst have against the Author so desiring the Lord to open thy understanding I shall rest but not to pray for thy endlesse happinesse by Christ in glory Thy unworthy Friend G. H. The Sum of a Dispute betwixt a Teacher of the Anabaptists and the Minister of Baughton where by Providence they met August 16. 1654. THe Anabaptist as appeared by his heat being much troubled at a Sermon delivered by the Minister wherein he proved plainly by Scripture That such as he was were the Messengers of Satan and delivered Satans Message fell upon the Minister with abusive words afterwards they entred into Disputation the Question was Whether there were any such Sin as Original sin the Anabaptist denied it the Minister urged an Argument from the example of David confessing that hee was shapen in iniquity and in sin did his Mother conceive him Psal. 51.5 to prove there was The Anabaptist answered That the meaning of that place was this not that David himself was corrupted or defiled with sin but that hee was shapen and conceived in a sinful Woman Which answer will appear to any man that hath but common sense to be not only false but also most absurd and ridiculous for David as will plainly appear to him that reads that Psalm speaks only of himself confesseth his own Sin only and this Original sin as the root and fountain of all the rest there was not so much as a thought of time betwixt his Natural being and his Sinful being Corruption did accompany the very first degree of his Conception I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me And he praies for the forgiveness of this sin among the rest After many words past the Anabaptist unsatisfied objected That the Minister never read of any Childe that was Damned therefore no such Sin which deserved eternal Death his reason was because eternal Death is only the wages of actual sin which the Minister denied and instanced in Esau reprobated from all eternity Rom. 9.11 12 13. The Anabaptist answerd That that was for Esaus actual transgression and cited Jeremy falsly but the words named are in Amos 1.3.6.9 For three Transgressions of Damascus and for Four I will not turn away the punishment thereof and so the sixth and ninth of Gaza and Tyrus which text is as farre from the purpose as Baughton is from Rome It appears plainly from the Apostle that the words cited by the Minister Esau have I hated are concerning Gods purpose in Election and Reprobation and not for any actual Sin committed by Esau or good done by Jacob for the Children not being yet born mark that neither having done good or evil mark that that the purpose of God according to election might stand vers. 11. it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated What will the Anabaptists say now they say it is unjust for God to Damn those that never committed Actual Sin the Apostle would stop their blasphemous mouthes vers. 14. What shall we say then is there unrighteousness with God God forbid saith he Hath not the Potter power over the Clay to make one Vessel for honour and another for
Vessels of honour and yet some hee made Vessels of dishonour To that I anwser It is very true that hee did make some of that Lump Vessels of honour but they were such as were pricked in their heart for their sins * and did purifie their heart through beleeving and obeying the truth and so Christ became the Author of their eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 1 Pet. 1. vers. 22. for it was that which the Lord hath promised Souls that did purge themselves from the unbeleef in their hearts as you may see 2 Tim. 2.20 But in a great House there are not only Vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of Wood and of Earth and some to honour and some to dishonour vers. 21. if a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work And now I shall give you a brief review of those words that the Apostle Paul makes use of Rom. 9. they are the words of the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 18.1 to 17. and so onwards And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying Go down to the Potters house and there will I cause thee to hear my words and I went down to the Potters House and behold he wrought a work on the wheel and the vessel that he made with clay was marred in the hands of the Potter and he made another Vessel as seemed the Potter good to make it then the Word of the Lord came unto me saying O House of Israel can I not do with you as this Potter saith the Lord Behold as the clay is in the Potters hands so are yee in my hands O House of Israel At what instant I speak concerning a Nation or Kingdom to pluck up or destroy If that Nation turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them but in what instant I speak concerning a Nation or Kingdom to build or to plant it if they do evil in my sight then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them now therefore go speak to the men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem saying thus saith the Lord Behold I frame evil against you and devise a device against you return every one of you from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good but they said there is no hope but we wil waâ—â—â— after our own devices c. and in vers 17. he threatens to shew them his back and not the face in the day of their Calamity the which wee may see the Lord brought upon them and yet he was just when he judged and thus you see the Apostle answereth the Objection and shews the Jews Rom. 9. what the Lord had determined concerning them and also made known by the Prophet Jeremy that hee could according to the truth of his Justice if they remained obstinate in doing evil in his sight make them a dishonourable Vessel as well as the Potter could make that Clay which was not yeelding and conformable to his hands a vessel of dishonour Thus I have shewed you the words of the Prophet and the meaning of the Apostle that he doth not stop the mouthes of those persons that say the Lord of the whole earth cannot do unrighteousness and therefore cannot Condemn the Childe and cast it into Hell for the Fathers sin neither can he Reprobate any but for their actual sin but hee stops the mouthes of those Jews and all such as they are who do question why God might finde fault although they before have given him just cause of offence Mal. 3.8 The next thing you affirm is not true wherein you said I did affirm That that fire which Saint Jude calls eternal fire was meant only consuming fire though it was consuming indeed yet I did not affirm that to bee the only meaning of it but you may remember I said by the word eternal fire was meant such a fire as was not kindled by man neither did it happen in the City by accident but it issued forth from God being not kindled by man and so was as eternal as himself for the breath of the Lord was ever a fire to his enemies Dan. 7.10 From hence it is said of him in Hebr. 11.29 Our God is a consuming fire the which fire did destroy the Natural bodies of the Sodomites and that eternal fire was not Hell as you blindly conceive but it was such fire as the Prophet commanded to come down from Heaven to destroy the Captains and their Fifties which was as eternal as that of Sodom being without kindling by man or without end and it came not out of Hell but from Heaven and so you may see it Gen. 19.24 in these words Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and sire from the Lord out of Heaven and this was for the destruction of no more but their Natural bodies for it is not Gods way to afflict the punishment of Hell before he hath tried Souls at the general Judgement which shall not be till after the Resurrection for the Sentence against the first sin and the punishment thereof which was the first death was not inflicted upon Adam till after God had legally tried him and Sir let me tell you that the very Devils are not yet in Hell but their punishment is reserved until the Day of Judgement Iude vers. 6. Matth. 8.29 Why art thou come to torment us before the time Which sheweth plainly that the punishment of reprobate Angels and reprobate Men is not yet inflicted but hath reference to time and Sir if I should ask you where Hell were what answer would you give me you would happily tell mee it was where the Wrath of God was and then I shall conclude that Hell were under your Coat for Christ saith Ioh. 3.36 That he that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him for ever And truly Sir if your faith should be tried by your works as Iames saith it must be then doubtless you would be found altogether unbeleeving and if so then according to the former words of our blessed Saviour That the wrath of God abides on such so that if you do conclude Hell to bee in all places where the Wrath of God is though I do indeed conclude that there shall be a material place of Hell where the Wrath of God shall remain perpetually then Hell must of necessity be at the place aforesaid And if you do conclude it to bee on the Earth or under the Earth as some foolishly have conceived then it is most evident that the Devils are not yet in Hell for he is called the Prince of the Air and hence it comes to pass that the Devil is many times cast down by the Judgements of God so that if you have any reason to prove Hell to be yet in being then you might have some better ground to say the
33.1 2 3. When Israel was to go out of the Land of Aegypt the Lord commanded them to ask every one of his Neighbour jewels of Silver and jewels of Gold and the Lord gave them favour in the sight of the AEgyptians so that they did obtain what they demanded by the which the Israelites were inriched by the spoyl of the Aegyptians and so it shall be at that day with the people of God they shall injoy the spoyl of their enemies for they are the true Heirs to the riches of the World present and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Corinth 3.22 Math. 19 29. So that they shall eate the riches of the Gentiles as also saith the Scriptures Yee shall be named the Priests of the Lord and men shall call you the Ministers of our God yee shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and be exalted with their glory Isa. 61.6 Here we see that the Lord is pleased to give them the riches of the Gentiles that is to say the riches of Sinners that although they heap up Silver like the dust and raiment like the clay yet the just shall put it on and the innocent shall divide the Silver so that their gain shall be consecrated to the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth therefore shall thy Gates be open continually neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring unto thee the riches of the Gentiles that thy Kings may be brought for the Nations and Kingdoms that will not serve thee shall parish and those Nations shall utterly be destroyed Job 27.16 Isa. 60 11 12. Cap. 66.11 Zech. 14.14 Revel. 21.24 From hence we may see that riches and glory and honour and a Kingdom nay and Crowns also shall be cast down before Christ and the Saints which shall be at their steps King Solomon in his glorious Reign was a lively Type of King Jesus in his glorious Reign and we know in King Solomons Reign there was great plenty of riches and glory such as was not in Jerusalem before or since and that there shall be so in Christs Reign was set out by those who came from the East to Ierusalem to worship Christ which when they had found him opened their Treasures and presented Gifts Gold Myrrhe Matth. 2.11 which shews to us That when the Lord is King in Ierusalem how persons shall come from the utmost parts of the Earth to submit to Christs and the Saints royal Dignity and present unto them the choycest of riches which agreeth to the Scriptures before mentioned so having discovered that Christ and his Saints shall reign in Ierusalem and of that excellent peace and sovereignty that they shall injoy in their time with riches and the glory of the Gentiles I pass now unto the Seventh Particular which is the description of the New Jerusalem A clear description of New Jerusalem not built by the Jews at their return out of Captivity The very consideration of this New Jerusalem is sufficient to ravish the hearts of all such as are heavenly-minded it was that which did stay and support the mindes of the suffering Saints of old and indeed it is sufficient because it is of such an excellent situation that it is to be admired as the Psalmist faith Beautiful for situation the joy of the whole earth is Mount Sion on the side of the North is the City of the great King God is known in her Palace for a refuge which City in the Mystery is no more but that New Ierusalem which shall be the City of the great King Psal. 48.2 compare Psal. 47.8 even so New Ierusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven and being situated about Sion it is Metaphorically called mount Sion because Sion of old did represent it which was Davids Throne the which David and his Throne was a lively type of Christ and his Throne and as David placed himself in Sion with his Family so Jesus Christ will place himself in that New Jerusalem with his Family the which Family consisteth of risen saved glorified Saints the which agreeth with the Word of the Lord that faith The people that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour unto it and there shall in no wise enter into it any that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life Rev l. 21.24 25 26 27. but now I shall pass briefly to a review of that glorious City New Jerusalem the which is treated of Revel. 21. beginning at the tenth verse And he carried me away in the Spirit unto a great and high Mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jasper stone clear as Chrystal and had a wall great and high and had twelve Gates and at the Gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel on the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates and the wall of the City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lambe and he that talked with me had a golden reed to meajure the City and the Gates thereof and the wall thereof and the City lyeth four square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the reed twelve thousand Furlongs and the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal and he measured the wall thereof an hundred forty and four Cubits according to the measure of man that is of the Angel and the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the City pure Gold like unto clear Glass and the foundations of the wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious Stones the first foundation was Jasper the second Saphir the third Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerauld the fifth Sardonix the sixth Sardins the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth Topas the tenth Chrysophrasus the eleventh a Jacinth the twelfth an Amethyst and the twelve Gates were twelve Pearls every severall Gate of one Pearl the streets of the City were pure Gold as it were transparent Glass and I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe were the Temple of it and the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lambe was the light thereof and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the North shall bring their glory and honour into it and the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day and there shall be no night there and they
the Lord hath set before thine eyes such a Kingdom and such an Immortal Crown of Life be exhorted to run with patience the race that is set before you What if though troubles do beset a Christian life yet these light afflictions which are but for a moment work in us a farre more and exceeding weight of glory Dear Christian be of the minde of the worthy Apostle that counted all things as dung and dross in comparison of the excellent knowledge of his Christ reckoning that the sufferings of this present time were not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed See thy blessed Saviour hath led thee an example of sufferings Who for the joy that was set before him indured the Cross despised the Shame and is nowset down at the right hand of the Father I say consider him who indured such Buffetings such Crowning with Thorns nay such spitting on and yet turned not away his back from the smiter nor his cheek from him that plucked off the hair Isa. 50.6 2 Cor. 4.26 27 28. Rom. 8.17 18. Heb. 12.2 3. Again in the second place let me exhort thee to stand always upon thy watch for the Day of Christ or the day of thy Dissolution is a very uncertain day for as it was in the dissolution of the old World so shall it be in the coming of Christ for the day before the Floud they are they drank they married and gave in Marriage until the Floud came and took them all away Even so was it with the Sodomites they continued in their security until the wrath of the Almighty broke out and there was no remedy Moreover when Lot fore-warned his Sons in Law of the Wrath of God upon the City he seemed to them as one that mocked Gen. 19.14 Matth. 24.37 38 39 40. Moreover the Apostle saith That the Day of the Lord shall so come as a Thief in the night that when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travel upon a Woman with Childe and they shall not escape 1 Thess. 5.1 2 3. So forasmuch as the Day of the Lord is so uncertain let us labour for a watchful Spirit for it is a duty of a very high concernment both from the example of the Saints that have gone before and from a command of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles as you may see from these Scriptures Psal. 102.7 Psal. 103.6 Isa. 21.5 Hab. 2.1 Mat. 24.42 Cap. 25.13 Mar. 13.33 34 37. Acts 10.31 1 Cor. 16.13 1 Thess. 5.6 The Apostle also gives two maine Reasons to urge Christians to thar duty of watchfulness the first is from this consideration That the end of all things is at hand in these words saying The end of all things is at hand watch and be sober 1 Pet. 4.7 The second Reason is because saith he your Adversary the Devil like a roaring Lion runs about seeking whom he may devour whom resist be stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5.8 the Spirit of God lays down the danger that will follow security and saith If thou shalt not watch I will come upon thee as a Thief and thou shalt not know whenever I will some upon thee Revel. 3.3 therefore blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garment lest he walk naked and they see his shame Revel. 16.15 Therefore for as much as it is a duty of such concernment let us labour to watch to the end we may know the Signs of the times so as that they overtake us not as a Snare whereby we be deprived of that glorious Crown that is set before us And so I pass to the second Use Secondly Be informed Christian Reader of the vanity or emptiness of all injoyments unless such injoyments as shall be brought at the revelation of Jesus Christ at that day under these two considerations The first is The instability or breviousness of their continuance Secondly from the little peace or Soul-satisfaction they speak to a Soul when they do injoy them and so to the first thing considerable which is the instability or breviousness or short continuance of the injoyments of all things below that inheritance We shall take notice first of the Wise-mans words that saith Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that that is not verily riches make themselves wings and fly towards Heaven riches are not for ever and the crown of them doth not indure to every Generation for as we brought nothing into the World so it is certain we shall carry nothing out so that every man walketh in a vain show getting goods knowing not who shall injoy them and thus spending their days in wealth in a moment go down to the Grave and his bones being full of the Sins of his youth which shall lye down with him in the dust Job 20.11 Cap. 21.13 Psal. 39.6 1 Tim. 6.7 Job 1.21 Prov. 23.5 Cap. 27.24 From hence we may see that we have no continuing City here but all our in joyments are very brevious and full of frugality so that we are like unto Dreaming men that dream they injoy much and wake and behold they have nothing So it is with all men that have not assurance of that Kingdom to come that Riches and Honour before mentioned although they may have much riches in this world yet when the Lord saith Return you children of men they return to dust and be as if they had not been and all the riches that they have injoyed is but to them a Dream as the Psalmist saith How are they brought to desolation as at a moment they are utterly consumed with terror as a Dream when one awaketh so Lord when thou awakest thou wilt despise their Image Psal. 73.19 20. Heb. 13.13 Psal. 90.3 4 5 6. Again wilt thou set thy heart upon honor that is as vain as the former for men of high degree are vanity and men of low degree are alike when they are put in a ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity their inward thoughts is that their houses should continue for ever and their dwelling pleces unto all generations they call their Lands after their own names neverthelesse man being in honor abideth not but is like the beast that perisheth this their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings like Sheep they are laid in the grave Death shall feed on them and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning and their beauty shall consume in their graves from their dwellings though while he live he bless himself and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thy self he shall go to the generation of his Fathers and never see light the man that is in honor and understandeth not is like the beast that perisheth Psal. 49. 11 12 13 14. compared with 18. Again wilt thou set thy heart on pleasure that is vain and but for a moment therefore Moyses did choose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than
rich yet for your sakes he became poor that you through his poverty might be made rich thus the Lord Jesus made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and became obedient to death even the death of the crosse and as the Apostle Paul saith this his great love did extend it self to us when we by Nature were the Children of wrath as well as others scarcely for a righteous man will one dye yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to dye but God commendeth his love to us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.7 8. 2 Cor. 8.9 Phil. 2.6 7 8. Ezek. 16.4 5 6 7 8. So that hence we may see the time when the Lord was pleased in his mercy and pity to look upon us and offer unto us this rich inheritance Fourthly and lastly be moved above all things to seek this kingdom because of the indurablenesse of it for it will never fail chee but will remain with thee for ever and ever as saith the Psalmist The Lord knoweth the days of the upright and his inheritance shall be for ever The Apostle Peter also to confirm this saying saith Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the Heaven for you wherefore gird up the loyns of your mind and be sober and hope to the end for the grace that shall be brought to you at the revolation of Iesus Christ the which shall be an ample recompence of reward for all the sufferings that thou shalt meet with for the profession of his name in this life Psal. 37.18 1 Pet. 1.3 4. comp. 13 v. Rev. 21.6 Rev. 22.12 Heb. 11 16 The seventh use is to set forth the misery and terror that will fall upon all such as sin against such great mercy were there no more but a deprivation of them from the presence of the glorious God and that Heavenly Ierusalem it might be sufficient to be a Worm never dying and a fire never quenched but there is also Tophet prepared of old he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimston doth kindle it Isa. 30.33 Agreeing with the words of the Apostle that saith Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God Rom. 2.4 5. 2 Thess. 1.7 8. What a forlorn condition will that Soul be in whoever he be that hath slighted the means of Grace and cast behind his back all those sweet invitations of the Gospel when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come forth to summon all to appear before the Judgement Seat to give an account before the Tribunal Seat Will not such Souls call for the Mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the presence of God Surely they will and all such faces shall gather blackness for thou that hast hated knowledge and hast not chosen the fear of the Lord but hast chosen Pleasure and all that thy heart hath lusted after here below and hast set greater account of the praise of Men than of the praise of God this shalt thou have at the Lords hands thou shalt lye down in sorrow where there shall be weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth therefore labour to be wise whilst thou maist be happy and in this thy day consider the things that belong to thy peace lest it be hid from thine eyes for ever and thou mourn when it be too late Prov. 1.24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. Cap. 5.11 Luke 19.42 The Eighth and last Use shall be for comfort and consolation to all those that shall be Heirs of that Kingdom Blessed are all they who are found watching when the Lord Jesus Christ shall come he will gird himself and make them sit down at meat and he will come forth and serve them Therefore be glad and rejoyce for the Lord Omnipotent will reign Blessed are all they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lambt for they shall enter into that glorious City even that heavenly Jerusalem which I have given you a glimps of where there shall bee singing praises by the Saints where there shall be everlasting joy and substantial or perfect felicity therefore I say Blessed are all the Dead that dye in the Lord for they shall be glorified at his appearance Even so Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly FINIS Errata PAge 68. line the 20. read obtain for owned p. 72. l. 24. r understanding for wisdom p. 77. l. 11. r. Ore Chase for out those p. 78. l. 6. r. Sword for Lord p 94. l. 24. r. that for but p. 96. l. 23. r. to for of p 124. l. 7. r. their wickedness for the wickedness l. 8. r. great multitudes twice p. 126. l. 9. for is King r. their King p. 127. l. 21. for dispaced r. displaced p. 137. l. 2. r. upon for up of p. 139. l. 21. r. of Jerusalem for of thy Jerusalem p. 140. l. 24. r. the Lord of Hosts after the glory p. 150. l. 3. r. from God p. 174. l. 28. for when ever r. what hour Baptizo signifies to plunge or overwhelm Rantizo to sprinkle or scatter * Adams sin brought not Condemnation to Hell on his Posterity but death of the Body with Sickness Sorrow c. Adams Sin brought no pollution or disability on the Spiritual part of Mankinde Man is not made uncapable to act good by Adams sin The Fathers iniquity makes not the Childe liable to the second death Esau not hated before hee was born Disobedience the cause that men become Vessels of dishonour * Act. 2.37 Sodom not suffering punishment in Hell fire Reprobate Angels and reprobate men not yet in punishment Parables prove not things Hell not in being till the coming of the Lord God not changeable in his Decrees God doth not change his Decree but doth decree to change his Dispensation according to the actions of the Creature Adams sin being only against the first Covenant brings not Condemnation to Hell Punishment in Hell only for transgression against the second Covenant Adam and all his injoyments before he fell were but earthly The affirming that Adamsâ—â— brought the second Death justifies the Devil to speak truth and makes God a Lyar 1 Character 2 Char. 3 Char. 4 Char. 5 Char. 6 Char. 7 Char. 8 Char. 9 Char. 10 Char. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. That the Cities of Judah shal be built as in the former days A Prophecie of the return of the Ten Tribes that there may bee one sheepfold on the Mountains of Israel Meaning that their Children and riches shall bee brought back from the Land of their enemies as aforetime 1 Three Reasons why the Temple shall be built again The Jews shall not be converted by a Gospel preaching The work of the Witnesses to prove the Man of Sin to be the Antichrist and not the Messiah that they look for The manner of the Man of Sins arising The Man of Sin proved not to be the Romish Babylon by Reasons followfng Use 2. 3 Use 4 Use 6 Use 7 Use
by abusing the worthy name of God speaking reproachfully of him and his Son Christ and slighting those Laws and Ordinances which are given forth to be practised till his second and great coming with the abusing of themselves in uncleaneness and Lusts of the flesh amongst which they contend for the community of Women which is none of the least of their Uncleanenesses and make themselves worse than the savage Beasts Of that sort are the rude Ranters and the blasphemous Quakers the which have cast off Civil Humanity and this generation of men are the men that will cause the Lord to arise and take vengeance upon the earth for so saith the word of the Lord in these words And Enoch also the seventh from Adam Prophecied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly Sinners have spoken against him So that we may see that the Lord will send his Son in flaming fire against all ungodly men but chiefly they that walk after the Lust of the flesh in uncleaneness as hee once did destroy the world and such like Sinners with an over-flowing Floud Gen. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Jude 4. compare 14 15. 2 Pet. 2.4 compare 10. cap. 3.3 compare 10. See also vers. 7. From hence you may see that that ungodly generation of men that are now in the World is a lively sign of Christs coming And so I pass briefly to the third The Third sign of Christs coming Is the Echo or sound of these two things in the World as namely the Preaching of the Gospel about in the Nations and the Warres and rumours of Warres that do accompany it for when these two things go together then Christ saith the end is very nigh and although the Gospel have been preached before in a private way that is to say in some particular Nation or privately in that Nation yet never was the Gospel preached to Nations and Rulers as it is in our days Obj. If it should be Objected and said That the Gospel hath been preached in Nations a great while by the Ministery of the Nation To which I answer Ans. That as the Congregations of the Nation was never called a Church of Christ nor her Teachers the Ministers of the Gospel neither hath that kinde of Doctrine which they have preached been called the preaching of the Gospel If it should be demanded of me what it is I should answer to them in their particuler order First the National Church is called by the name of the Cities of the Nation which is a borrowed word from Christs Church Yee are a City set upon an Hill Mat. 5.14 Rev. 16.19 and that this City of the Nations is meant the National Church is because they shall begin to decay and sink and shall also be destroyed at the time that Babylon shall come in remembrance before God whereby she shall receive the Cup at his hands for the Nations or the National Church hath been stained is and shall be with the corruptions or pollutions of Romes Doctrine Jer. 51.7 8. Again if you shall ask me what the National Ministers are called in Scripture I shall shew you as followeth they are called Merchants of the Earth or the Angels of the Waters now the word Angel signifieth Minister as Revel. 1.20 and the Waters signifie Nations for so saith the Spirit The Waters that thou sawest are Multitudes Nations and Tongues Rev. 17.15 so it is clear that the Angels of the Waters are meant the Ministers of the Nations so that they are neither called Ministers of Christ nor Ministers of the Gospel but the Ministers of the Gospel are called by another name in the same place even the Angel of the Altar and that Christ is our Altar is clear see Heb. 13.10 Rev. 16.7 Thirdly Why their Preaching is not called Gospel-preaching although they make use of the Gospel is because they teach for Doctrine the Traditions of their Fathers and the Apostle calleth not such Gospel-preaching but saith to the Galathians I marvel that you are so soon moved away from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there are some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ Gal. 1.6 7. so that those persons that do pervert any of the sayings of Christ according to Scripture account cannot be called the Ministers of the Gospel nor their Preaching Gospel-preaching which the Ministers of our Nation have done that is to say mingled the Commands of Christ with their Traditions and so cannot be meant that Gospel-preaching which shall bee the fore-runner of Jesus Christ but that the Gospel shall be preached again in the plain way of it that is to say in the way which Christ appointed when hee ascended up on high is clear Mat. 24.14 Rev. 14.6 The Fourth and last Sign of the second coming of Jesus Christ is those false Signs and Miracles that shall bee wrought by the false Prophets for a little before the coming of Christ there will be a Generation of men that will deny the way and Ordinances of the Gospel because they are not accompanied with Miracles and so shall deny the power of the Word The Devil seeing this hee shall impower the false Prophets whereby they shall do great Signs and lying Wonders to deceive by multitudes all incredulous persons who will beleeve a lying Sign before they will beleeve that Word that was confirmed by Signs for when persons do not like to retain God in their knowledge God is pleased to send them strong delusions to beleeve a Lye and that there are many such now in our days that have denied the Truth that once they owned and are grown to such a height as that they do shew many lying Signs if any shal question the truth of this let them but go to London and go to those Meetings that they call the Quakers Meetings and they shall see it apparently enough But now to prove that false Signs and lying Wonders before-runners of Christs coming see from these Scriptures following Mat. 7.22 Cap. 24.24 2 Thess. 2.9 Rev. 13.13 14. Cap. 16.14 15. Friends I should adde some more Signs of Christs coming as the gathering together of the Jews into their own Land which certainly might easily be proved did we but understand the consultation that there is amongst them but the returning of the Fleet from the Straights will give us more certain intelligence as to that thing and so I shall leave these few Signs unto your consideration and pass to the Tenth and last Particular A profitable Application of the Sum of what is fore-mentioned Christian Reader I having shewed you what excellent injoyment the Lord hath laid up for his people even for such as seek him as for hidden treasure Sith