for the Apostle saith In this we groan earnestly and had rather bee absent from the body to be present with the Lord for while we are present in the body wee are absent from the Lord And thus you see that the Apostle makes it cleare that while wee are present in this body there is not fulnesse of glory and therefore he desired to leave this earthly to injoy a heavenly Kingdome which was more to be desired and abundantly more glorious 11. That which we see and injoy here is but temporall but that which we doe not see and shall afterwards injoy is spirituall and eternall glory and therefore there is not fulnesse of glory in this life 2 Cor. 4. 18. 12. When this earthly house of ours shall bee dissolved wee shall have a building of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heavens 2 Cor. 5. 2. whereby it doth appeare that wee are not in fulnesse of glory 13. We are not cloathed with our house which is from heaven whereby we might be made fit to injoy such a heavenly glory For while we are present in the body we are absent from the Lord and so shall be untill we are cloathed with our heavenly house which will not be in this life 2 Cor. 5. 2. 6. 8. 14. When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall wee appeare with him in glory and then shall we injoy the fulnesse of glory and not before and he gives you the reason saying We are dead and our life or glory is hid with Christ in God but when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we appear with him in glory 15. Christ is in heaven and we are in earth and therefore we are not in the fulnesse of glory for Christ saith And if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my selfe that where I am there you may be also and while we are absent from Christ who is in heaven in glory it selfe how then have wee fulnesse of glory 16. These vile bodies of ours are not yet changed like unto his glorious body we are not yet made partakers of that divine nature till this mortall shall put on immortality and till this corruptible shall put on an incorruptible and this naturall become a spirituall and then shall we be like him as he is but this will not be in this life and therefore we look for it in anotherlife Phil. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 44. 53 54. 17. We are not in the Throne we are but in the footstool we are not in heaven the fulnesse of glory for Christ is entred into his glory Luke 24. 28. that is into heaven where his glory is Act. 1. 22. Heb. 4. 14. and we also shall bee in heaven for there our glory is Colos 1. 5. having in heaven a better and induring substance Heb. 10. 34. and therefore we desire a heavenly Kingdome rather then an earthly Heb. 11 28. which is reserved for us in heaven 1 Pet. 1. 4. So that you see there is not a fulnesse of glory in this life 18. We are not yet risen from the dead untill the resurrection of the dead and therefore we are not in fulnesse of glory for as we have borne the image of the earthly so also shall we beare the image of the heavenly when these vile bodies of ours shall be raised up and made like unto his glorious body which will not be in this life 19. We doe not yet reign with Christ and therefore we are not in the fulnesse of glory we are not yet entred into our inheritance to be Kings and Priests and to have that immortall Crowne where is that glory that we enjoy are we not persecuted on all sides are we not accounted as the vilest of creatures but the Saints shall reigne in glory and then shall all oppositions be trampled under their feet they shall be Kings and Priests and be crowned and shall live and reigne for ever with God the Father and with Jesus Christ his Son with those glorious Angels and with all the Saints in glory but this glory is yet to come we are yet waiting for it 20. If we were in fulnesse of glory there could nothing be added to our condition for we should be perfect we should not need any thing to make our condition glorious but the best of us finde abundance of Spirituall wants we want Spirituall joy and Spirituall peace we want that Spirituall union and communion with our God we have not that assurance in the Promises but we might have more for we cannot have the fulnesse of glory in this life it is laid up for us in a better life Lastly mortality will tell thee oh vaine man that thou art not in the fulnesse of glory shalt thou not dye and where will thy fulnesse of glory be then that will tell thee thou art not perfect if thou art in fulnesse of glory why dost thou dye why dost thou hunger and thirst why dost thou eate and cloath thee why art thou subject to cold and nakednesse and why dost thou complaine of wanting if thou wast perfect thou couldest not want any thing for diddest thou possesse all things how couldest thou want any thing O thou vaine man thy condition tells thee thou wantest but thy proud heart tells thee thou art full thy condition tells thee that thou wantest all things but thy proud heart tells thee that thou wantest nothing thou sayest that thou art in the fulnesse of glory in this life but death will tell thee that thou wantest glory and dost not thou slight the glory to come when thou sayest here is fulnesse for none but God alone knowes the fulnesse of glory and yet thou dost Oh vaine man I counsell thee to buy eye-salve that thou mayest see thy want of a fulnesse of glory for if thou dost not now thou wilt when it is too late And now in the next place I shall speake a word or two of glory because I know that many have deceived themselves with the word glory Now there is divers kinds of glory for there is a glory of the two Covenants for if the administration of Condemnation was glory here how much more shall the administration of Righteousnes exceed in glory And God revealed himselfe from the glory of the first to the glory of the second from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 7 8 9 10. There was a glory of Moses for the Children of Israel could not behold his face for his glory 2 Cor. 3. 17. There was a glory of Solomon and yet the grasse of the field passed the glory of Solomon Mat. 6. 29. and a glory of man but all the glory of man is as the flower of the field 1 Pet. 2. 24. There is a glory of the Sunne and of the Moon and Starres for they differ in glory 2 Cor. 15. 41. and glory to him that worketh good and to every man that
mouth of God in all their Doctrine speaking of the Resurrection and the day of judgement and preaching the judgements of God against wicked men which was a great part of their Doctrine in all their preaching and whether do not those that deny the Resurrection question all the rest of their Doctrine to be false by this their Tenet of denying the Resurrection for if their Doctrine of the Resurrection be false then why may not you also question all the rest of their Doctrine to be false for deny the Doctrine of the Resurrection and you may as well deny all the rest but how vile and wicked this Tenet is let all wise men try and judge 15. Whether is not this a most Atheisticall Tenet to deny the Resurrection and whether is not this the same that the Atheists hold in 2 Pet. 3. 4. saying Where is the promise of his comming for since the Fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation and being ignorantly willing of this their wicked Tenet not knowing that One day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day for the Lord is not slack of his comming as some count slacknesse but is long suffering to us ward not willing or consulting that any should perish but that all men should come to a change Ver. 8. 9. And thus you see there were such Atheists in the Apostles times who were wilfully ignorant of the Resurrection and the comming of Christ but this shal be the perdition of ungodly men to their utter destruction and now I shall further prove that there is a Resurrection 1. Christ will tell thee that there is a Resurrection when he saith I am the resurrection and the life Joh. 11. 25. that is he is an infallible testimony of the Resurrection in being risen from the dead and hath trampled death under his feet and hath shewed us that as he rose from the dead so also shal we be raised up by the same power and when he was asked a question concerning Marriage he told them they erred not knowing the Scripture and the power of God for in the Resurrection they neither married nor were given in marriage but were like unto the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22. 29 30. And as touching the Resurrection have you not heard in the Prophets what God spake saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob now God is not the God of the dead but of the living and that the Saints shal be recompenced at the resurrection of the just Luke 14. 14. and that they that shall be accounted wâ—â—thy to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage neither can they doe any more for they are equall with the Angels and are the children of God being the children of the Resurrection Luk. 20. 34 35 36. and Moses shewed you at the Bush of the Resurrection ver 37. And Christ saith further Marvell not at this for the houre is comming when all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the resurrection of condemnation Joh. 5. 28 29. and thus you see the words of Christ which are sufficient to satisfie any reasonable man that there is a Resurrection 2. Christs Apostles will tell thee that there is a Resurrection of which they are witnesses Act. 1. 22. Preaching through Jesus the resurrection of the dead Acts 4. 2. and for which Doctrine Paul was called in question for preaching the resurrection Act. 24. 22. For since by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15. 22. and therefore the Apostle pressed forward that he might be made partaker of the glory of this resurrection Phil. 3. 10. 11. and this was a principle of the Gospell that they taught as you may see Heb. 6. 2. And in the 11 Heb. the Apostle sheweth you an epitome of the glorious Acts of the Saints of former times what they under-went that they might obtaine the glory of a better Resurrection Heb. 11. 35. And so we are begoâ—ten to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. For God hath hath raised up the Lord Christ and will also raise up us by his owne power 1 Cor. 6. 14. And knowing that God the Father which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Iesus and shall present us with you 2 Cor. 4. 14. and thus the Apostles cleare the truth of this Doctrine that there is a resurrection 3. The day of Judgement will tell thee that there is a Resurrection and thus saith the wise Solomon For God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill Eccles 12. 14. And therefore Christ saith It shall be more tolerable for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for those that reject the Gospel Mat. 10. 15. And I say unto you that for every idle word that men shal speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Mat. 12. 36 37. And saith Christ The words that I have spoken shall judge you at the last day Joh. 12. 48. And therefore Christ is ordained of God to be a judge of the quicke and the dead Act. 20. 42. For God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousnesse by the man Christ whom he hath appointed Act. 17. 31 And the disobedient or wicked treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 5. And when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2. 16. And we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ Rom. 14. 10. For to this end Christ hath dyed and rose againe that he might be the Lord both of the dead and living vers 9. For we must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every man may receive according to that he hath done in the body whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. And it is appointed for all men once to dye and after that commeth judgement Heb. 9. 27. And Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of this saying Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all Jude 14 15. For the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust to the day of judgement to be punished 2 Pet. 29. And the Angels are reserved in chaines of darknesse untill the judgement of the great day Jude 6. And thus I have shewed that there is a Judgement For it is appointed for all men once to dye and after
Grave but the smiles of God will bring me to Heaven and therefore it is better to dye in the favour of the Lord then in the favour of men for were I a lover of the World I were an enemy to God I desire to leave the honours riches and pleasures of this world for a better I am willing to leave the glory of this life for I looke for a better for I desire to undergoe all the fury of Hell to have a Heaven My time is but short I desire to bid adiew to the world for what is the world but vanitâ— all the honours are but dishonours and all the riches iâ— but poverty all the joy is but sorrow and all the pleasure is but displeasure and had I no better comfort then what is in this life I were in a sad condition for I live in hope of a better resurrection and so I hope dost thou which if thou dost thou wilt like my workes the better and so farewell Richard Stookes A Second CHAMPION to the TRVTH CHAPTER 1. Of working of Miracles ANd first I shall begin to speak of Miracles which so many dote upon in these dayes waiting for visible signes and some great Revelation and to them I shall say as Christ said unto the Scribes and Pharisees that the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation for they looked that Christ should come with abundance of earthly pompe and glory but Christ tells them they were deceived for the Kingdom of God consisted not of outward glory and excellency for saith he the Kingdom of God is within you it is more of substance then of shew more glorious within then without and the Miracles more inward then outward Miracles of a more spiritual nature to appear in the inward man to the beating down of every strong hold and therefore those outward miracles are swallowed up of inward miracles of a more glorious nature the one being a type of the other as the outward man was a type of the inward man and therefore my work shall be in this Chapter to shew you my reasons why I conceive that Miracles in a visible way aâ—e to cease in that age So that this is my meaning that the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles in a visible way were to cease in that age 1. Because Miracles were to testifie of Christs coming in the flesh and therefore when Christ came he came with signes and wonders as his casting out of Devils Mat. 12. 22. and Luke 11. 17. Of his healing the sick and curing them of their Diseases as you may see Mat. 15. 30. In giving sight to the blind and hearing to the death and speech to the dâ—â—â— making the lame to go as raising up the dâ—â—â— and all this he was to do to manifest himself to the World that he was the Christ Isâ—iâ—â— 35. 5. 6. chap. 61. 1. Mat. 11. 5. And thus 〈◊〉 came to be known of John Baptist as you 〈◊〉 see Mat. 11. 4. 5. Together with the 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost descending upon him in the likeness of a Dove Luke 3. 22. John 1. 33. And thus he was manifest to John as to all the World doing such works as never man did whereby he might appear to be the Christ to leave all men without excuse as John 15. 24. in doing such works as were never done from the beginning in opening the eyes of the blind John 9. 32. and in shewing such signes wonders which were not before recorded least the world should take up to much time in the searching thereof and in doteing more upon his acts then upon the end of his coming John 20 30. 21. 25. As also further the Apostles were gifted for the same end to manifest Christ to be come in the flesh working miracles both before and after his ascensioâ— that thereby they might manifest to the World that he was the Christ and for that and they were promised by Christ to receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost Luke 24. 49. which was performed in Acts 2. 1. 2. The gifts of the spirit being powred upon them insomuch that they were able to speak infallibly to work Miracles and to speak with new Tongues and to understand all Languages under Heaven 〈◊〉 2. 6. Even for this very end that they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was the Christ both at 〈◊〉 and to the 〈◊〉 paâ—ts of the Earth Act. 1. 8. And thus the Lord granted signes and wonders to be done by the hands of the Apostles to give Testimony to the word of his grace Act 14. â— who did manifest to the world that all the wonders that they wrought were in the name and power of Jesus Acts 4. 10. shewing in their preaching that this was the end for which Miracles were on foote even to testifie of Christ Acts 2. 22. And this was one end for which Miracles were given to hold forth the coming of Christ 2. Miracles were to confirm the Covenant of grace which was to be established as firm as the first for when the first Covenant was given out it was ratified with signes and wonders for all the Mountaine was on fire and there were thunderings and lightnings and voices and so terrible was the sight that it made Moses the man of God tremble So terrible were the signes Heb. 12. 18. 19. 22. And thus you see the first Covenant was ratified with Miracles and so also was the second which is a better Covenant estableished upon better promises Heb. 8. 6. And also more glorious Miracles of a more spiritual nature for the Miracles of the first Covenant were more outward and terrible But the Miracles of the 2. Covenant are more inwardly 〈◊〉 comfortable which did accompany the Appostles in their Ministry confirming the truth by signes and wonders Mark 16. the last Act. 19. 10. 11. And thus did the Lord Jesus Christ himself also confirm the Doctrine of the Gospel with more Miracles then ever any word was before from the beginning of the World so that you may see that the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles wanted not Miracles to confirm it God the Father also bearing witness with signes and wonders and divers gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 4. That it might appear the Covenant was the more glorious and more excellent firm and sure being so wonderfully ratified and confirmed with Miracles And thus you see a second Reason wherefore Miracles were on foot even to confirm the truth of the Gospell Now a third reason wherefore Miracles were on foot was this even to confirm the calling and Ministry of the Apostles who were to lay the Foundation both for Doctrine and practise which the World was to follow in after Ages to the end of the World For we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Eph. 2 20. In being the Authour both of their Doctrine and Practise and therefore you see it was requisite that Miracles should
Crowning him with Thornes and doing him all the disgrace that they could who was led as a sheep to the slaughter and did stand up to maintain the Doctrine that he delivered 〈◊〉 the mouth of the Father to his death that it might appear to all the word that that he had delivered was truth and for to indicate his doctrine he was ready to lay down his life and was ready to seale the truth with his bloud and as the first Covenant was sealed and confirmed with the bloud 〈◊〉 â—uls and of goats even so he 〈◊〉 willing â—â—d ready to seal and confirme the Covenant of grace and glory with his own bloud and so the bloud of Christ is called the bloud of the Testament Covenant or Will of God â—â—d thus to know the Lord Jesus Christ iâ—â—â—â—rnall life Seventhly it is life eternall to know Christ in his resurrection from death to life so he became the more glorious in that he conqueâ—â—d all his enemies and destroyed those that thought to have destroyed him for he said unto death I will be thy death and he conquered the grave and he said unto the grave give up he overcame sin the world and the devill for he loosed the powers of darknesse and he conquered principalities powers and made a shew of it openly Colos 2. Yea he conquered proud flesh to the terrour of all â—is enemies and thus Jesus Christ rose from death to life and was more famous in his suffering then before in loosing the pains of death Acts 2. 24. for it was impossible that it should be holden of it the Father having before promised That he would not leave his soule in grave nor suffer his holy one to see curruption Psal 16. 10. being the first fruits of them that sleep and a sure evidence of the resurrection of the dead being raised up by the mighty power of God that as Christ was raised up so also shall we by the same spirit who raised up Jesus who is gloriously ascended up into heaven as a fore-runner for us for he that was made a â—little lower then the Angels is crowned with glory and honour so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confesse him yea those that pierced him being made the Judge both of the quick and the dead to the joy and salvation of his friends and to the destruction of his enemies and thus to know him is eternall life Eightly To know him as he is God is eternall life for when he had done the will of the Father had so gloriously confirmed the Gospell by his suffering and confirmed the truth with his bloud when that heavenly naâ—ure was made subject to anger when 〈◊〉 sweat water and bloud making strong cries and supplications with tears unto him that was able to deliver him and was heard in the thing that he desired and when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and when he said Father into thy hands I commit my spirit and so he suffered as a lamb without spot and blemish in fulfilling all the prophesies that the Prophets prophesied of him to fulfill the Scriptures and the mind of the Father when he said O Father not my will but thine be done that he might accomplish all that was written of him to do that thereby he might finish the glorious work of the Gospell and establish an everlasting Covenant sealing and confirming it with his own bloud being the bloud of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 10. 29. chap. 13. 20. and for all those heavenly acts of the Son the Father raises him from the dead For he was raised up by the mighty power of God as the God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Acts 2. 24. 32. chap. 3 13. 15. chap. 5. 33. 31. And thus you see the Father raises him from the dead in a glorious manner and makes him a God and gives all power into his hands as you may see Mat. 28. 18. and so the Son is God by office being the great and chiefe officer of God in being made heir of all things Heb. 1. 1. 2. and this was prophesied as in the Psal 110. 1. where the Prophet saith The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Now Davids Lord was Christ and Christs Lord was God as doth appear in Heb. 1. where the Father saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee and again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son and again When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels worship him And of the Angels he saith who maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire but of the Son he saith Thy-throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdom for thou hast loved righteousnes and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse above thy fellowes and thus the Father hath exalted him above the Gods saying Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. For God the Father hath made him the God of all things and so the Father calls him the everlasting Father the Prince of peace and hath put the Government upon him and of his Government there shall be no end for God the Father will perform this Esay 9. 6. 7. The Spirit of God the Father being upon him that he might judge the righteous in mercy and the wicked in judgement Esay 11. 4. And thus the Father hath crowned him with glory and honour for it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell for he is the fulnesse of the Godhead the Father having made him God of all things both in heaven and earth and now the Son is to rule till he have put all things under his feet Now the last enemy is death for he hath put all things under his feet but the Son shall subdue and conquer death and shall reign till he hath put down all rule and all authority and power and then cometh the end when he shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father and be subject to him that so God the Father may be all in all things 1 Cor. 15. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. And thus you see that God the Father hath given all things to the Son and hath made him a God till the end of all things till all enemies are conquered by the Son and then shall he give up the Kingdome to the Father again and be subject to him that God the Father may be all in all and thus to know Christ is eternall life Now the use that I make of all this is this It sheweth the great exceeding love of the Father to us in revealing his mind and will to a
these dayes such as hold there is no Resurrection but in this life and such are in but a sad condition whose hope are perished from the Land of the living and goe out of this world worse then they came in for when they came into this world there was some hope in them to receive a better world but now the death of these men is worse then their birth and beginning but the Resurrection is that which is desired of all the Saints hoping and longing for the day for their Redemption to wit the Resurrection of the dead for then the Saints shall enter into their inheritance which was prepared for them from everlasting time and therefore for my owne comfort and for the comfort of the Saints I shall endeavour to speake a word or two of the Resurrection and first I shall prove that there is a Resurrection and then I shall shew how we shall be raised Now the reasons to prove that there shall be Resurrection are these First God doth declare to all the world that he did not intend the creature should dye for ever because he sent his Sonne to declare to the contrary that all men shall rise and that he is the resurrection of the dead John 11. 25. and the first fruits of them that sleepe and that as he was raised from the dead so shall all men be raised by the same power and shall conquer and trample death under their feet 2. There will be a Resurrection that God may manifest his great power to all men in raising them from the dead that thereby it may be seen how glorious he is in all his undertakings in so wonderfull an act as to raise them from the dead by his glorious power which will be manifest at that day 3. That he might fulfill his promises who hath promised that we shall see him as he is and shall injoy his face and presence in the Throne of his glory with that glorious company of Angels that attend his presence to behold his beauty and to joy in his presence where is fulnesse of joy and pleasure for evermore 4. There shall be a Resurrection that hee may give unto every one according to his works and reward the Saints with blessing and the wicked with cursing and to give to every man according to his desert 5. There is a Resurrection because that God hath promised to restore the Creation to its first purity in making a new heaven and a new earth where in shall dwell righteousnesse and to make his power and glory appear as at the first 6. It hath beene the beleefe of the Saints that there shall be a Resurrection Job saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and that hee shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though this flesh be destroyed with wormes yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold him though my reines be consumed within me Job 19. 25 26 27. and then shall the gates of death be opened Job 38. 17. And David saith Thou settest me before thy face for ever Psal 41. 12. And Esay saith Thy dead men shall live together with my dead bodies shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for the dens is as the dens of herbs and the earth shall cast out her dead Esay 26. 19. And the Apostle to the Heb. 11. doth recite a Catalogue of the Saints who all dyed in the faith and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth that they might obtaine a better resurrection as vers 23. 35. 7. If there be no Resurrection then the faith of the Saints is void and all their hopes are perished and their glory is at an end and they all as lost creatures and their condition very sad 8 If there be no Resurrection then the Saints have lost their reward and all their labour is in vain in seeking for a better Kingdome and a better inheritance for if there be no Resurrection then there is no heaven nor no glory after this life then we shall never injoy the presence of God and Christ nor those glorious Angels nor the heaven of glory 9. If there be no Resurrection then the wicked will be in a better estate then the godly for they have had their portion in this life and have glutted themselves with the pleasures of this world and have had all the delights of the sonnes of men and have satisfied their hearts to the full and the people of God have weaned themselves from all the pleasures and delights of this world and have lost all the glory thereof and have been despised of all men in hopes of a better life and all in vain if there be no Resurrection 10 If there be no Resurrection the wicked shall never be punished for all the wickednesse that they have acted against the Lord then they will never bee called to account for all their blaspheming his glorious Name their swearing and cursing their drunkennesse and whoredome with their shedding of innocent blood their wicked pride and basenesse with all their abominations if there be no Resurrection this is the day they looke for then they might commit all wickednesse with greedinesse for what should they feare if there be no Resurrection 11. If there be no Resurrection then the Devills shall not be punished for they are reserved in chaines of darknesse till the great day but if there be no Resurrection then there will be no judgement and so they will never be punished and they would not cease to reigne nor injoy â—â—eir wicked power for ever then what need the Devils feare and tremble if there beâ— no Resurrection they need not fear any judgement to come 12. If there be no Resurrection then we may live as we list and injoy all the pleasures we can in this life to injoy the sight of our eyes and the desires of our hearts and eate and drinke and be merry for to morrow we dye and so all our glory is at an end for then we have onely our portion in this life if there be no Resurrection then all our glory is at an end 13. Those that hold this Tenet to wit that there is no Resurrection whether doe not they question whether there be a God for if there be no Resurrection then they may question whether there be a God or if there be a God yet he is not able to performe his promises for he hath made many large promises that there shall be a Resurrection but he is not able to performe it for there shall be none and what do these men else but question God and the power of God and whether is not this blasphemy think you in the highest nature and whether shall not this great God one day judge such Sadduces as these are 14 Whether doe not those that deny the Resurrection question all the Prophets and Apostles and that which they spake by the
men and to this I shall adde Scripture Job saith I know that my â—edeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though the wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall behold for my selfe and mine eyes shall â—ebol 〈…〉 and not â—â—ther eyes though my reines be cons 〈…〉 in me Job 19. 25 26 27. And David doth declare That his flesh did rest in hope for that great and glorious day to wit the redemption of his body Psal 16. And the Apostle saith We shall be judged according to those things that we have done in this body whether good or bad For another body shall not be judged but the same body nor another body shall not be punished but the same body for the same body shall be punished that hath acted wickednesse and this the Apostle doth cleare in the 1 Cor. 15. shewing us that there is divers kindes of flesh but he will give to every body his owne flesh and to every seed his own body to shew us that the same flesh shall be raised up again and not another and so I shall conclude with the words of the Prophet saying Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Esa 26. 19. 7. They shall appear in the same form and likenesse and fashion as they were in upon earth and shall have the same body and the same stature and proportion with the same likenesse and complexion for their rising shall not change their proportion no way but rather adde to it to make them more like themselves then ever they were before and every man shal be knowne in the same body and proportion as he was upon the earth Adam in his owne likenesse and Abraham Moses Solomon and David in their owne likenesse and every man and woman in their owne likenesse as they were upon earth and so they shal be known every man and woman as they were upon the earth only they shal appeare more glorious but their glorious appearance wil not take away the being of their likenesse and proportion but rather adde to it as the glory and excellency of a man doth not take away his leaving to be a man but rather adds to it and even so the glory of our appearing doth not take away the likenesse of our being but rather adds to it and so makes our likenesse the more glorious 8 The wicked shal also be raised up for Christ shal judge both the quicke and the dead and we shal all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account for those things that we have done in the flesh whether good or evil for Christ shal sit upon the throne of his glory and all Nations shal be gathered together before him Mat. 25. 31 32. For the time is comming that all that are in the graves shall heare the voyce of the Son of Man and shall comâ—forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the resurrection of condemnation Joh. 5. 28 29. For it is appointed for all men once to dye and after that commeth judgement Now the wicked I conceive shal not rise like the Saints but every one according to his nature for the Saints shal rise with the nature of Christ upon them for their vile bodies shal be fashioned like unto his glorious body and be cloathed with their house which is from heaven but the wicked shal rise in their corrupt nature and shal be cloathed with their sinne and as the Saints shal be cloathed with their obedience even so shal the wicked be cloathed with their disobedience and this I conceive shal be the distinguishing badge whereby the righteous shal be knowne from the wicked for the Saints shal rise with the cloathing or livery of Christ upon them and the other shal rise with the cloathing or livery of the Devil upon them whereby they shal be known whose servants they are and yet I conceive the Lord wil doe his part for he wil raise them up a pure nature for they shal be most pure and glorious in their nature until they shal be cloathed with their sinne which shal darken their nature for they wil come forth of the new earth and so their natures shal â—e Spirituall incorruptible and immortall whereby they wil be more capable of Sin and Judgement and the more capable of all their sorrow and misery and now I shal speake a word or two where this Judgement shal be 9. Where this Judgement shal be is a great question for some thinke it shal be in the Aire but me thinkes that is but an airie argument for there is no good reason can be given wherefore it should be in the Aire and others thinke it shal be in heaven but that is not likely wherefore it should be in heaven because Christ comes downe to judge and therefore it doth appeare it shal be on the earth for what should the wicked doe in heaven and therefore Christ comes downe upon earth to Judge them for it is most fit that where they have done their wickednesse that there they should be judged and that is upon the earth now the place of Judgement I conceive wil be at Jerusalem about the valley of Iehoshaphat which is the middle part of the earth for there Christ was put to death and had all the dishonour and there he wil vindicate himselfe in that place and have all the honour for in the place where he ascended up into heaven it is likely in the same place he wil discend with his mighty Angels and that is upon the Mount Oliveâ— or the Mount of Olives for thus it is Prophesied of him when the Lord shal come forth of his holy place for behold the Lord commeth forth out of his place and will come downe and will tread upon the high places of the earth and the Mountains shal be molten under him and the Vallies shal be cleft as Wax before the fire and as the waters that are poured down a steep place Mich. 1. 3 4. and at that day his feete shall stand upon the Mount of Olives that is before Jerusalem on the East and the Mount of Olives shal cleave in the midst towards the East and towards the West and there shal be a very great Valley and half of the Mountaine shal remove towards the North and halfe of it towards the South and yee shall fly to the Valley of my Mountaines for the Valley of the Mountaines shal reach unto Azal and those that are there at that day fhal fly as they fled before the Earth-quake in the dayes of Vzzah King of Judah and the Lord my God shal come and all the Saints with him Zach. 14. 3 4 5. and thus you may see how
and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the harbour of his people and there shall we know that he is the Lord dwelling in Zion his holy mountaine then shall Jerusalem be holy nor there shall no strangers passe through her any more and it shall come to passe at that day that the mountaines shall drop downs new wine and the bils shall flow with milke and all the Rivers of Judah shall flow with waters and a fountaine shall come forth from the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Joel 3. 17 18. For in the middest of this City new Jerusalem shal proceed from the Throne of God and of the Lamb a 〈◊〉 River of water of life in the midst of the street of it and on the other side of the River there shal be a tree of life which shal have twelve manner of fruits and yeelding her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree shal be for healing the Nations of all their spiritual griefe for there shal be no more cryes amongst the Saints but the Throne of God and of the Lamb◠shall be in this glorious City and they shal serve him and there they shal see his face and presence and his name shal be in their foreheads the honour of their glorious profession and in that City there shal be no night and there the Saints shal reign in a glorious manner for it is the great day of the great Judge in which there shal be no darknesse And thus wil the Lord Christ prepare a glorious place for the Saints such a glorious City as cannot be expressed where they shal gloriously reigne in all spiritual pleasure and delight which is not able to be expressed for there wil the great Court of heaven be while the great Judge is upon the earth to shew forth his wonderful glory while he sits in judgement until the great Court shal be broken up for Jesus Christ shal sit upon his glorious Throne and al Nations shal be gathered together before him and he shal seperate the good from the bad and wil set the sheep on his right hand and goats on his left hand and when the great Trial and Judgement is passed upon all the wicked then shall he send them to their place saying Goe ye wicked and cursed ones depart from me into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels and then shall they goe into everlasting punishment for ever and ever where the worme never dyes nor the fire never goes out Mat. 25. 41 46. And when Christ hath done his work upon the earth then shall that glorious Court be broken up with glorious triumph and glory which is not able to be exprest and then shal they al return unto the place prepared for them far above all heavens for then shall the great Judge of heaven and earth returne from whence he came with all his glorious heavenly host far above all heavens into the heaven of heavens there to remaine for ever and ever and so the whole Creation shall injoy the footstool Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22 and the Saints shall injoy the Throne for ever and ever And thus I have spoken a word or two as my time would permit me of the Resurrection CHAP. X. Of Visible Worship THe wise Solomon saith That the full stomach loatheth the hony comb his saying is made good in this Age for never was the word of God more plentifull nor never more contemptible then it is in these dayes but what brings a loathing but a fulnesse and what brings contempt but plenty are not many fatted up in these dayes to the day of slaughter they are full but not of goodnesse for that would make them see their wants who is more proud of grace then he that hath least and who is more humble then he that hath most how many in these dayes are rapt up in spirituall pride and boast of more then they have and yet improve not that they have many say they are full that are empty and yet they boast as if they were full who is worse then he that thinkes he is best he saith he knoweth when he is ignorant he saith he seeth when he is blinde he saith he is full when he is an hungry and he saith he wanteth nothing when he wanteth all things he saith he is rich when he is poore And this is the condition of a spirituall proud man It was spirituall pride that brought the Devills from heaven to hell and there is many in these dayes that are sicke of this disease when all the Devills snares faile yet here he takes the Bird the Devill is more subtill then man and yet he makes man more wicked then himselfe for the Devils durst not deny the Scripture but he begets a worse childe then himselfe and when he hath done so he laughs at his folly he talkes of high attainments if they breake the Command they shall be as Gods but he knows when they doe transgresse they shall be as Devils he tells men when they disobey they shall be highest but he knoweth when they disobey they shall be lowest he tells them if they will obey him they shall see but he knows if they doe obey him they shall be blinde he tells them that obedience is nothing but he knows disobedience is something he saith obedience will not save thee but he knows that disobedience will damne thee he saith the Scripture is not true but he knows he is a liar he saies thou needest not serve God but he knows thou shalt be damned if thou dost not he saith thou needest not shew any visible obedience but he knows if thou dost not thou wilt shew a visible disobedience he tells thee that Christ hath done all for thee thou needest not doe any thing but he knows thou shalt not be saved except thou doe something he tells thee thou needs not keep al the Commands but he knows if thou break one thou art guilty of all he tels thee that some Ordinances are carnall but he knows that thou art carnall he tells thee it is nothing to breake some Commands but he knows it is something to breake any Command he tells thee thou art higher then obedience but he knows thou art in the highest disobedience he tels thee that all shall be saved but he knows that the greatest part shall be damned he tels thee there is no glory but in this life but he knows thou shalt finde punishment in another he tels thee there is no heaven but he knows thou shalt find a hell he tels thee there is no Resurrection but he knows thou shalt finde a Judgement he tels thee there is no Judgement but he knows thou shalt finde a punishment he tels thee that God acts all thy actions but he knows thou art a liar he tels thee that God acts all thy good acts and yet he knows thou shalt be condemned for not