Come Lord Jesus come quickly but such as are prepared for him nor can any assure themselves that they love him if they long not and wait not for his appearing that they may be with him and then when he comes you shall be able to say as Isa 25. 9. Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce and be glad in his salvation This has been the long look'd for day by all the Saints instructed therein Tit. 2. 13. Looking for the blessed â—ope 1 Thess 1. 9 10. It will be the day of Marriage to the Saints Now is the day of Espousal 2 Cor. 11. 2. Then will be the day of Marriage Rev. 19. 7. It will be the day of joy and gladness to the Church who shall â—e and reign with him eternally in the World to come â—â—ho that loves him doth not say with John Rev. â— 20. Amen even so come Lord Jesus Does the â—â—ole Creation wait for and groan after this time of â—â—rty and restitution Rom. 8. 22. and shall not those â—o profess to be the Children of that glorious liberty â— shall say no more but this Prepare rightly for it â— always ready love and look for his appearing be â—â—stant therein to the end and you shall inherit the â—ory when the time is come 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ Some say that if all these things be truth â— they are too high that you exercise your self in â—ings that are too high for you contrary to the sayâ—g of the Prophet Psal 131. 1. he did not exercise â—mself in great matters or in things too high for â—m Min. 1. In one sense it 's true consider we the matâ—ers themselves and consider we our own weakness and â—worthiness they are indeed too high for us even the â—â—h things of God and so is the Gospel in all its â—rts of which these are not the least yet others do â—ddle about the high things of the Gospel without â—uple or offence 2. They being the revealed things of God and in â—s sense they are not too high reâ—ealed things beâ—ging to us and so it 's our concern to inquire thereâ—â—o Deut. 29. 29. And as it was God's end in revealâ—g thereof that we might understand and believe â— so it 's our duty to be humbly inquiring thereinâ—â— 3. The Prophet who spake those words I think I â—â—y safely say pryed into and was exercised about â—â—se very things viz. The Mysteries of the World to come The General Grace and Glory thereof withâ— the Kingdom of Christ therein as much as any if noâ— as all the Prophets besides and obtained as great and â— large an understanding therein and probably God would have it so because his seed and Son was by promise to be the Heir universal King Lord and Governour thereof Psal 72. 1 2 11 17. Heb. 1. 2. CHAP. IX Sheweth That to hold Truth in Vnity is honourable to God and safe for our selves Christ WHat think you of the harmony and unity of the Scriptures do you suppose it to hold unity and harmony with it self without any contradiction if so then whether it do not concern us so to understand it as may hold in unity and not in contradiction Min. The Scripture being the Word of one God given by one Spirit and one Lord Jesus stands in unity and so it concerns us to understand it to hold truth in contradiction being next of kin to holding it in unâ—â—ghteousness If any thing I have herein said or do hold stand not in unity with the body of Scripture or with it self I shall gladly understand it and lay it down as an Error my desire and design being so to â—â—derstand the Scripture and mine own Principles from â—â—â—ce as may stand in unity it being that which is â—â—th honourable to God and satisfactory and safe for â—â— self and accountable to others This is really my â—â—re tho I dare not say or think that I have in all â—â—gs so obtained nor deny or hide what I have through â—â—ce obtained Christ Wherein stands the unity of the things â—â—ursed on with the Scripture and the contradiction â—â— the other notions thereunto I desire to understand â—â— something further about this matter Min. 1. As touching the Sovereign Power and Will â— God so to understand the exercise thereof towards â—â— as is before declared viz according to his own â—â—s in that behalf proved from the Creation to the â—â—gment stands in unity with the whole truth of â—â—ripture and Name of God and to understand it â—â—erwise viz. That God from his own decreed Will â—â—ore the World was determined the greatest part of â—â—n by far to no other end but to sin and be damned â—ttradicteth not only the plain revealed method of â— proceedings in this matter but the substance of his â—â—ealed Will in his Word Ezek. 33. 11. Joh 3. 16. â— 12. 47. 1 Tim. 2. 4. and therefore is not likely to be â—her true or safe 2. To deny the general love of God to the World â—â—d Christ giving himself for the life of the World beâ—â—use the Scripture saith he laid down his life for the â—â—ep for the Church which is in it self a truth conâ—adicteth the whole Scripture in this matter as has been â—â—ly proved and therefore is not likely to be either true â— safe But that he died both for the World and for the â—hurch is the truth of Scripture which being understood holds Scripture and Truth in unity and harmony without any contradiction at all but what men devise from their own heads at a distance from any Scripture ground or right reason the general and special grace of God to men being thereby understood and therefore is most likely to be both true and safe 3 To understand the Scripture so as to render not only the Scripture but the holy Name of God to stand in unity is most likely to be true and safe viz. to understand and believe that he loved the World in the gift of his Son and that Christ died for the World and will save all thaâ— do believe and obey the Gospel and judge and condemn those that obey him not as the just and deserving cause Rom. 6. 23. and not from his decree of reprobation as the first cause of sin and damnation this stands in unity with the whole Name and Word of God without any contradiction at all and therefore most likely to be true and safe But to understand the Scripture so as to limit the love of God to a very few only and the death of Christ to as few and yet that he will damn people for not believing that which was never intended to them nor was it possible for them by any means to obtain being reprobated therefrom is so great a contradiction to the whole Word and Name of God in all his attributes which stand in unity viz. his Goodness Love Truth
used to prove that which it does not at all intend it being so apparent that the Apostle speaks of the givings down of the Spirit in it's mighty works after believing and not in the first work of conversion it being the promise and was performed that the spirit should be given down abundantly upon believers after believing as clearly distinct from it's sacred work in the Gospel in begetting souls to the faith see for this Joh. 7. 38 39 Act. 2. 38 39. Eph. 1. 13. so that to apply the giving down of the Spirit according to promise after believing to the first work of faith and conversion is a very great weakness and mistake 2. The Apostle in that place intends not the giving down of the Spirit upon the Ephesians to whom he wrote much less to persons in the first work of faith it being evident that the Apostle throughout this chapter keeps the distinction between himself the ministers with him and the Church as was usual in his other Epistles from v. 1. to 13. he speaks to but not of the church but of themselves distinguished by We Us and Ye and v. 13. speaks of the church and from v. 16. to 19. speaks of themselves and lets the church to know the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe i. e. to the Apostles in the mighty gifts of the spirit and works done by them for confirmation of the truth of the Gospel according to Mar. 16. 17 18. Heb. 2. 3 4. 3. I conclude that the work of faith and conversion of sinners is so far from being a mâ—racle as some pretend that it 's rather a marvel that so few believe and are converted certainly our Lord would not have marvelled at their unbelief Mar. 6. 6. nor grieved for their hardness of heart if they could not have believed without a miraculous work which he was able to have effected Mar. 3. 5. It 's true many believed on the sight of miracles done without them but we read not of any miracle done within them to work faith nor is the work of faith and turning to God at all called a miracle 4. And from the whole we have great cause to fear that the Spirit is much more talked of by us all than known and enjoyed either in it's operations in the Gospel to conversion or in its gifts according to promise and cause we have to mourn in the sense thereof that he should be so much amongst us in word and so little in Power If the Spirit of the Gospel were a spirit of Ignorance errour and pride a spirit of Worldlyness oppression envy hatred and division Were this the Spirit of the Gospel we have enough and too much of this But if the Spirit of Christ is indeed in its operations and effects the Spirit of Power of Love and of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. If it be the Spirit of Love Joy Peace long Suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith â—eckness Temperance Gal. 5. 22. 23. Then surely we have cause to complain as the Prophet Isa 24. 16. My leanness my leanness wo unto me Christ What think you of the work of Regeneration relative to the matter in hand I desire to enquire 1. What it is and 2. How it is effected Min. Without doubt it carryeth the sum of the matter in it and includes Faith Repentance and the whole of Gospel Conversion and turning to God But more particularly 1. Negatively what it is not it 's not any Conversion then a Conversion only from â—in might be it there may be many Convictions and Conversions too that may be far short of Regeneration and Persons may be and it 's to be feared that many are deceived herein 2. Affirmative what it is the word Regeneration I find but twice used in the New Testament in the terms thereof and not at all in the Old it being most proper to the New tho I doubt not but that the true sense thereof is often exprest Joh. 3. 3 5. And it implyeth and importeth a renewing returning or restoring to a new Estate And those two Scriptures in which it 's mentioned teâ—ds much to give us a tight understanding therein The 1. I shall mention is Tit. 3. 5. According 〈◊〉 his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit Which Regeneration here consisteth in our being by the Power of the Gospel begotten to believe the Truth of the glad tidings thereof relating to the Restitution and World to come our Faith must be in the Regeneration to come or else it 's none of the Faith of the Commission or of Regeneration Mar. 16. 15 16. Nor brings us under the promise of a share in the Regeneration to come it not being the Faith of Regeneration Regeneration begun here being a preparation to the Glory of the perfect Regeneration of and in the new and restored World The 2. Scripture is Mat. 19. 28. Ye which have followed meâ—n the Regeneration when the Son of Mâ—â— shall â—it on the Thâ—one of his Glory ye also shall sit upon twelve Thâ—â—nâ—â— uâ—â—gâ—â—g the twelve Tribes of Israel That this Regeneration relates to the New life in the New World at and after the Resurrection I think is by the Learned generâ—â—ly owned that the true reading and sense of the Words is ye that have followed me shall in the Râ—genâ—â—aâ—â—en sit upon twelve Thrones c. That is in the new and restored World see Wilson's Scripture Dictionary on the Word the day and time of the last Judgment when our whole Nature being restored both Body and Soul shall enjoy the Heavenly inheritance Mat. 19 28. You which have followed me shall in the Regeneration sit upon twelve Thrones and the English Greek Lexicon on the Word the last day of the World and it 's so called because in it God will create a new Heaven and a nâ—w Earth and will perfectly ingender again a Man that is chosen Mat. 19. 28. And indeed this is properly the Regeneration time and state when all things shall be renewed restored and return to a new and better estate So that Regeneration may be thus defined When a Man doth truly believe the truth of the glad tidings reported in the Gospel by Jesus Christ Crucified for our sins raised and ascended into Heaven and shall come again from thence to perfect the Redemption viz. The Resurrection Regeneration and new World and to perfect his People with Himself therein and is in this Faith effectually turned to the Lord in heart and life according to the Gospel This iâ— Regeneration begun here which if persevered in will certainly issue in the perfect Regeneration and Glory in the World to come 2. How it 's effected and that is 1. For us by Jesus Christ Crucified Raised and Ascended in and by him the whole work is and shall be effected Act. 3. 21. Rev. 21. 5 12. 2. In us here the Lord begets us by the word of his Grace to
and of the World is as clearly and fully stated in the Scriptures as the special Salvation of Believers viz. the world 〈◊〉 general as Israel I say not all but the Majority a very full and large generality after they are raised and have past the Judgment and born their Punishment shall as Israel obtain a mitigation of their Punishment and some Degrees of blessing and Salvation by the seed of the Woman the seed of Abraham by whom they have been Redeemed to a new life and world in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed which Salvation shall not only wonderfully come short of the Salvation of believers but shall be inferiour to and differ from the common Salvation of the Jews God in the degrees of his Grace to men in the Restitution designing to keep up an Eternal distinction between the World and the natural seed of Abraham in their various and respective distinctions and degrees yet the World shall Enjoy some favour blessing and Salvation in times to be Effected which is one part of the mystery of the Gospel Eph. 1. 9 10. My further grounds are 1. Because God alwaies retained his propriety in the World as in the Jews tho more remote he â—ever Elected Abraham and his seed so as to lose his right and propriety in all or any of the World besides tho Abraham and his seed had the preheminency above all the World they were the chief or first fruits among the Nations Amos 6. 1. and so shall be in the new World Isa 60. 14. but in this choise he losed not his real Propriety in the World Deut. 10. 14 15. and hence he was and still is good to all and made and maketh provision for all Ps 145. 9 15 16. Mat. 5. 45. 2. Because the Womans seed according to promise Gen. 3. 15 hath undertaken and will Effect the breaking of the head design of the Serpent for all mankind in recovering all in the resurrection to a new life and World Joh. 6. 51. Heb. 2. 14 15. Rom. 5. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. and the Generality shall in time reap some advantage thereby Ps 96. 10. 11. 12. 13. 98. 4. to 9. Rev. 5. 13. 3. And Especially as an effect of this undertaking of Christ for the life of the world because there are as manifold Promises to the Nations in general as to the Jews and that as distinct from blessedness and the Tribes of Israel tho they shall be chief among the Nations and that not only of some believers but a return is Promised to the Nations at that day as fully as to the Tribes of Israel tho they are and shall be chief Jer 12. 14 15. Thus saith the Lord to all mine evil Neighbours that touch the inheritance that I have caused my People Israel to inherit behold I will pluck them out of their Land and pluck out the House of Israel from among them and it shall come to pass after that I have plucked them out I will return and have compassion on them and will bring them again every man to his Heritage and every Man to his Land vers 16. And it shall come to pass if they will diligently learn the ways of my People to swear by my name the Lord liveth as they taught my People Israel to swear by Baal then shall they be built in the midst of my People What is intended to swear by the Lord see Isa 19. 18. 45. 23. With Rom. 14. 10 11 12. And sutable to this promise is Zec. 9 1. The burden of the word of the Lord in the Land of Hadrach and Damasciâ— shall be the rest thereof when the eyes of Man shall be towards the Lord as the eyes of all the Tribes of Israel This will be a universal Restitution and Reformation indeed when the eyes of Man in general shall be towards the Lord as the eyes of all the Tribes of Israel in their restored estate according to ch 8. 20 21 22. When the Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea and as I have frequently elsewhere shewed especially in my Answer to Mr. Coxe the manifold promises to the Nations at that day as that they shall serve the Lord with gladness and joy which cannot be but in the enjoyment of some good by and from him Psal 67. 3 4 5. 100. 1 2. 22. 27 28 29. 86 9. And promises to particular Nations which will be made good to all as to Egypt and Assyria Isa 19. 17 to 25. Jer. 48. 47. is a particular promise to Moab yet will I bring again the Captivity of Moab in the latter days saith the Lord. And to Ammon ch 49. 6. And of Elam vers 39. But it shall come to pass in the latter days that I will bring again the Captivity of Elam saith the Lord. compared with Ezek. 32. 24 25. And Ezek. 16. 53 61. Is a promise of Sodoms return at that day as full and firm as to Judah and all these promises to the Nations refer to and are to be fulfilled in the latter days as those to the house of Israel Isa 2. 2 3 4. Mic. 4. 1. The last and latter days in Scripture sense frequently relating to the Judgment and new World to come Jam. 5. 1 2 3. 1 Pet. 1. 5. 4. Because the New Testament fully falleth in with the same truth as an explanation of those Prophesies and Promises thereof as the Restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. the uniting of all things in Christ the Head and Lord of his Church and the then visible Lord of the World and shall be so acknowledged and Worshipped Phi. 2. 9 10 11. Rev. 5. 13. Isa 5. 45. Of this general Salvation we read 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all Men but especially of them that believe It 's true it 's God the Father that is here intended but he saves no otherwise than by Jesus Christ Act. 4. 12. 13. 47. So he is called the Saviour of the World Joh. 4. 42. 1 Joh. 4. 14. And that all flesh shall see his Salvation Luk. 3. 6. And Jude v. 3. calls it the common publick or general Salvation I know that there it is Objected that the Faith of the Gospel is called the common Faith Tit. 1. 4. Which Faith is so called because it 's the common Faith of all true believers and so is the Salvation called common as the Faith is i. e. common to all true believers To this I say if this common and universal Salvatition is included in the Doctrine of the Commission for Gospel Preaching as indeed it is Preach the glad tidings to all the Creation Mar. 16. 15. Which do undoubtedly intend the common or general Salvation and if the Faith to which the special Salvation is promised is to believe the general and common Salvation as it 's most apparent it is Mar. 16. 16. And that there is but this
what is written Min. This saying must needs arise from ignorance or enmity for I enter not into the discoveries of either the perfect Glories or Miseries of the World to come what it shall be but that it shall be and that according to the Scripture discoveries thereof no further have I presumed to speak or write I know they are mysteries beyond our capacity to understand till the time thereof is come Christ I am well satisfied about this matter and shall trouble you no further at present about this but in as much as I perceive your understanding is that the Holy City spoken of Rev. 21. 2. Is a material City and shall come down from God out of Heaven and in as much as some think it to be the Church and not a City I desire you to clear this matter and that it shall come down into the new and restored World as sometimes you have asserted Min. In this I shall endeavour to clear three things of weighty concern in order thereunto 1. That God hath doth and will Tabernacle and Sanctuary himself with men and dwell among them and as to this besides his manifesting himself by his works Psal 1. 2 3. Rom. 1. 19 20. we find a fourfold dwelling of God with men declared in Holy Scripture the first three being but a preparation to the fourth in which will be the perfect Glorious presence Eternally In the first he did Gloriously yet figuratively Heb. 9. 9. Sanctuary himself in the Holy Tabernacle and Temple by himself ordained and appointed for that end Exod. 25. 8. 29. 44 45 46. 1 King 6. 13. 8. 13. 2. His Sanctuarying himself in his Son in a wonderful unconceivable unspeakable and Glorious manner 1 Tim. 3. 16. Col. 2. 9. And hence he himself alluding to the Figurative Temple calls himself the Temple Joh. 2. 19 21. As God of old dwelt in the Temple so now in a more wonderful way he dwek in his Son Joh. 14. 10 11. 10. 38. And in this way God in Christ dwelt among men while he was in the World Joh. 1. 14. 3. Christ being in Person ascended to his Father now in the Gospel day of Grace he dwelleth in and among his People by his Word and Spirit and in this way manifests himself to the World 1. By his Word and Ordinances Joh. 15. 7. Col. 3. 16. 1 Joh. 2. 24. 2. By his Spirit in and with his Word in unity 1 Cor. â— 16. 17. 6. 19. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Eph. 3. 17. Gal. 4. 19. Psal 68. 18. with Eph. 4. 8. to 12. 4. And as the finishing of his Figurative dwelling among his People of old and the preparations thereunto by his dwelling in his Son and since in and among his People he will Sanctuary and Tabernacle himself and dwell among men most Gloriously in the World to come but then it will be in and with his Son which in his first appearing in his Humiliation state was a preparation thereunto and this Glorious dwelling of God among men which will be the Crowning Glory of his whole Gospel design towards men is foretold by the Prophets Isa 12. 6. Ezek. 37. 26 27. Zec. 2. 10 11. And shewed to John in Vision Rev. 21. 3. Which Vision we have ground to believe was presented to John as the fulfilling of the promises that went before thereof and as it shall be performed when the time is come 2. That this Glorious dwelling of God in and with Christ among men will be especially and principally in the Holy City that shall come down from God out of Heaven when his Tabernacle shall be with men Christ I suppose one great doubt about this matter is whether it be a material City or the Church that is there intended I think most has and does understand it to be the Church and not such a City as you mention because it 's called Rev. 21. 9 10. The Bride the Lambs Wife Min. This being the great doubt in this matter I shall endeavour the clearing thereof and that I doubt not but with evidence of truth and doing of which I shall observe four things 1. That this City is frequently spoken of in the Scripture as Glorious and as the Saints expectation Psal 87. 3. Heb. 11. 10 16. 12. 22. 13. 14. So that this City and the expectation thereof is no new notion but of ancient expectation 2. That this City is spoken of in Scripture clearly in distinction from the Church and to be above in Heaven Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all so called because we are begotten from thence by the Gospel Of us all who are the Children and Church as distinct from the City so Heb. 11. 10. 16. He hath prepared for them a City where the City is distinguished from them for whom it is prepared and 12. 22. The City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem is mentioned as clearly in distinction from the Church verse 23. so chap. 13. 14. is the City distinct from those that seek after it and Rev. 21. 27. The City is mentioned as distinct from those that shall enter into it and the Scripture clearly presents us with a City or habitation in the Heavens of which the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple were the pattern Heb. 8. 5. 9. 1 2 9 23. By which it appears that those former things were Figures and Patterns of things in the Heavens and I take Joh. 14. 2 2 Cor. 5. 1. To intend the same thing in both which the house is distinct from those that shall dwell therein 3. I fully grant that the Church may be and is called the City i. e. after the name of the City tho improperly the place is properly the City old Jerusalem was properly the City yet the People that dwelt therein were so called from that name Jer. 13. 27. Luk. 13. 34. So that both City and Church are included therein and in this sense it is the City is called the Bride the Lambs Wife relative to the Church in the City Isa 60. 14. 4. I query where ever there was a People called by the Name of a City that never was in being but derived their Name from the City Where ever there had been a People called Jerusalem had there been no such City or London had there been no such City as London So what reason there is for any to suppose a People to be called New Jerusalem were there no such City especially the Scripture being so plain and express in the matter It 's true that those who build a City ordinarily give the Name and then the Inhabitants are called after that Name he that built this City is God 2 Cor. 5. 1. Hâ—b 8 2. And hath given it the Name and will write the Name thereof upon all overcomers Rev. 3. 12. New Jerusalem although but the Citizens Eph. 2. 19. It being so that Christ and the Saints shall have