Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A29100
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The doctrine of the kingdom and personal reign of Christ asserted and explained in an exposition upon Zach. 14, 5, 9 / by Ed. Bagshaw.
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Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing B411; ESTC R5233
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33,295
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40
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thing with God to recompense Tribulation unto them that trouble you but unto you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels He that serves Christ and follows the Lamb here shall hereafter be in the same place and partake of the same honour with him Joh. 12.26 And thus our Saviour prayed for them Father whom thou hast given me I will that where I am they also may be with me that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me Joh. 17 24 part of which glory is that the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an Eternal Decree hath set or as the Hebrew word signifies Anointed his Son upon his holy hill of Sion And when he returns from Heaven to take possession of that Soveraignty which the Father long since promised him his faithful followers shall enter into his Joy i. e. As our Saviour him self explains that Phrase Luk. 19.17 they shall have command and share the Dominion with him Therefore believers are said to be heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 and Partners with Christ or Partakers of Christ Heb. 3.14 i. e. as Peter expresseth Partakers of the glory which shall be revealed 1 Pet. 5.1 which glory is as to the beginning of it that which I have already mentioned and our Saviour hath fully declared when he saith that In the regeneration they shall sit with him upon Thrones to rule and judge Mat. 19.28 The sum therefore of this second observation is briefly contained in these three propositions which are all evident and clear in Scripture 1. With Christ all the deceased Saints both Patriarch Prophets Apostles and Martyrs shall be raised up and be brought to the Earth to see and share in the Royalty of his Government Rev. 11.18 2. The Saints at that time living upon Earth both Jews and Gentiles but especially the Jews unto whom the first domion and chief Soveraignty is frequently promised as Isa 49.23 and 7 60.11.12 M ch 4.8 shall injoy all that time the greatest security peace and prosperity immaginable doing all the actions of a mortal life but without either sin or sorrow for they shall be all righteous Isa 60.21 And the Lord will then put his Spirit into them without ever withdrawing it any more Ezek. 39 29. and Sathan shall be chained up and hindred from deceiving during the whole Term of a 1000 years Zech. 13.2 Rev. 20 2 4 6. 3. After this state of things and the 1000 years is expired then follows the Insurrection of Gog and Magog and the final judgement as is expressed Rev. 20.7 And then shall the Saints that remain untill that time be changed and death for ever swallowed up in victory and the Reign of Christ and of his Saints hitherto managed upon earth be translated into and consumated in Heaven that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 If any ask as Nicodemus did our Saviour when he had discoursed to him concerning the great mistery of Regeneration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how can these things be I may reply in our Saviours words art thou a Master or Teacher in Israel and knowest not these things For as the Apostle speaks Heb. 5. handling partly this very Doctrine Whereas ws ought to be teachers for the time considering how long the Light of the Gospel hath shone among us we have still need of Milk sitting down satisfied with the lowest Elements and Beginnings of Christianity such are the Doctrines of Faith in Christ and repentance towards God which the Apostle calls the word of the beginning of Christ Heb. 6.1 But we cannot bear strong meat nor are careful to be carried unto Perfection i. e. unto the height and perfection of our Hope and Holy Profession to the full comprehension belief and avowed owning of which we ought to arrive and leave the solution of all doubts and scruples unto the power of God which is able to the full to effect whatever he hath promised when the Angel had told Mary that the same Person who was the Eternal Son of God should become Man and be conceived in her Womb she asked presently How shall this be But after he had farther revealed that the holy Spirit should come upon her Luke 1. and the power of the most High overshadow her by whose secret and inconceivable acting that great and stupendious mistery should be effected we do not find then that she questioned or doubted any more but in an humble resignation of her seif gave immediately thanks to God Behold saith she the Handmaid of the Lord let it be unto me according to thy word The same should every true believer do in this case for this Temporal glory of Christ and of his Saints is not only promised in every whit as express words but likewise mention is made of the same creating and Almighty power as ingaged to perform it and therefore God speaking of this very state commands his people not to remember former things Isa 43.18 19 Because he was doing a new thing in comparison of which all former acts of power and mercy exepted by God on the behalf of his people should be obscured and darkned as stars are by the brighter glory of the Sun so Isa 65.17 Behold saith God I am creating a new Heaven and a new Earth In which as Peter hath it 2 Pet 3.13 Righteousness is to dwell and which we expect according to his Promise and this is that time of our Saviours and of his Saints Visible Kingdom which will bring a Reformation upon the whole World and when it once doth take place former things shall no more be remembred nor come into mind In that place of Isay the word creating is very remarkable for when the Prophet Jeremy foretold the Birth of Christ he useth the same expressions Jer. 31.22 Behold the Lord createth a new thing a woman shall compass a Man i. e. In other words a Virgin shall conceive a Son Isa 7.14 which thing when it was done was so new that is so strange and extraordinary that the Prophet Isay who foretold it complains Who hath believed our report Isa 53.1 and yet the exact and punctual fulfilling of that which is far greater and less intelligible will not prevail with us to believe the other but when our Lord shall come he will scarcely as to this particular find Faith upon earth Luke 18.8 So little expectation will there be of his A pearance and of his Kingdom which as they are joined by the Apostle so they will be revealed together 2 Tim. 4.1 And all who deny this may receive this answer which our Saviour gave to the Sadduces who denyed the Resurrection They erre not knowing the Scriptures which have clearly promised such a state nor the power of God which is fully able to effect it Here I might end as having fully and as I think to all unprejudiced persons convincingly proved the Truth of
of Christs patience Rev. 3.10 But in nothing is patience more necessary then in watching for our Lords appearance and therefore with the work of Faith and labour of Love is joyned the patience of the Hope of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 1.3 i. e. the patient waiting for and expecting him from Heaven as it is explained v. 10. So 2 Thes 3.5 the Apostle prays that God would direct their hearts unto the Love of God patience of Christ where patience as also the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Patient expectation for what faith believes and prayer solicites that patience waits for Rom. 8 24 25 Of which saith the Apostle to the believing Hebrews ye have need Hab. 10.36 For because our Lord not delays in the sense we usually take delay 2 Pet. 3 9. but forbears his coming till the proper time of it which is not yet fully come because that all things that are to preceed it are not yet accomplished therefore we had need be armed with patience or else our hast and impatience may undo us As that wicked servant who relaxed his watch and fell to fleshly pleasures lost thereby all the benefit of his former vigilance so will it also fare with us unless by patient perseverance in well doing we seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Rom 2.8 like rubbish by Fire and a new Theatre or Throne of Glory erected for men of another Nature and spirit to converse in How greatly then should we rejoyce to drink of our Lords Cup and to taste of the same sufferings since for ought we know the Death and Martyrdom of a few more may compleat the number and bring our Lord from Heaven to avenge their quarrel and then our Tears will be rewarded by having them forever wiped away and each drop of blood that hath been shed in this illustrious cause will add a Glory and a Wreath unto our Crown Then shall we in the Prophets words cry out and say Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he have saved us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Isa 25.9 In which place this very Time and Reign is spoken of Lastly we should learn from hence to make a diligent inquiry into Use 3. our Saintsship for since when our Lord come none but his Saints shall come with him we ought to make a careful search whither we be indeed Saints or not least in that day of Tryal which will be revealed with fire we be found deceivers of our selves and so be put to shame by him at his Appearance 1 John 2 28 Many Professors like the foolish Virgins and those who boasted of their prophecying in the Name of Christ Mat. 7.21.23 will be found mistaken and instead of partaking of the Resurrection of the Righteous to whom alone the reward is promised Luke 14.14 will be raized up to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12.1 with Isa 66 24 beholding the glory of others who formerly were much inferiour to themsel es but see themselves excluded which will increase their misery Luke 13.28 29. and occasion that inward anguish which is expressed by Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth Ps 112.10 Thus the Psalmist speaking of the happiness of the righteous The wicked saith he shall see it and be grieved he shall gnash his Teeth and melt away The coming of Christ though it be a time of Refreshing as it is called Acts 3 19. to his distressed and persecuted Servant yet to others it will be very terrible which makes the Prophet inquire who can abide the day of his coming or who can stand when he apprars Mal. 3.4 For he will come as fire to chaff to burn the wicked out of the earth Mal. 4.1 And therefore we had need ask whether we can like Gold indure his refining and continue unscorched in the midst of such everlasting burning Isa 33.14 Christ comes from Heaven to take vengeance on his enemies 2 Pet. 3.7 Jude v. 14.15 as well as to be glorified in his Saints and admired in them that beleive 2 Thes 1.7.10 And therefore we have the Great and Rich men of the Earth calling out to the Rocks to fall upon them and to the Hills to cover them Rev. 6.16.17 because truth of Holiness and nothing else will be of any avail at that day which should make us very serious in examining our selves about it Among many other signs which may be given of our Saints-ship I shall content my self with mentioning only two because they do in an especial manner relate to the matter in hand Sign 1. First What love have we for the Appearance of Christ and how are we affected with the thoughts and hopes of his coming Abraham rejoyced in Hope to see that day and when he saw it by an eye of Faith he was glad John 8.56 The same disposition should be in all Believers who are the Children of Abraham and so much the rather because now Christ is to appear without sin i. e. in his full Beauty for lustre of Majesty without any Cloud of imputed sin to eclipse and to hide his Comeliness as formerly there was Is 53.2 and this he will do for salvation unto them who expect him Heb. 9.28 This the Apostle Paul makes a certain sign of the Corinthians conversion to the Faith that they did expect the Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 for he cannot be a true Disciple of Christ a child of the Bride-chamber who doth not inwardly grieve and mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Mat 9.15 which Mourning must necessarily be accompanied with earnest longing to see one of his dayes Luke 17.22 And therefore the Apostle speaking of the great work that was wrought by the spirit of God upon the Thessalonians he makes the summe and height of it to be this They were turned from Idols to serve the living and the true God and to wait for his Son from Heaven 1 Thes 1.10 And again in his Epistle to Timothy he saith The Crown of Righteousness was laid up not for himself alone Comp. Tit. 2.13 Jam. 1.12 but for all those that loved our Lords appearance 2 Tim. 4.8 So that to have a love for Christ and a longing earnestness that his Name may be glorified and his Kingdom set up in the Earth it is an undoubted sign of the truth of Faith and that the spirit of Christ hath taken possession of us For the Spirit and Bride say come and every one that heareth or readeth let him say Come Yea O come Lord Jesus come quickly Rev. 22.17 20. Secondly What care have we to walk worthy of Christ This is Sign 2. that which the Apostle very often earnestly presseth We testifie saith he that you walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory 1 Thes 2.12 and having said 2 Thes 2.14