as they speak of before the end come as I have before shewed Wherefore though I have here fit occasion given for to examine their Books and to discover their several Mistakes and Errors yet I am not willing in this Tract either to trouble â—he Reader any further with their conceits or to hinâ—er him from the meditation of profitable matters Again These six Grounds discovering the nature of the World to come should move and excite all â—eleeving Christians to look and hope for such a world to come as is here described with Christian hope after the example of S. Peter and the faithâ—ul with him who looked for new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. So did the scattered Jews to whom he wrote his epistle they looked and hoped â—or the same Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for such things 2 Pet. 3. 14. And when Abraham looked for a City with foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. doubtless he hoped â—or the world to come wherein this City shall be found So when the beleeving Romans had in them the hope of glory Rom. 5. 2. and Paul had in him the hope of the Resurrection Act. 23. 6. They had also in them a good hope of the world to come wherein such things are to be found If it be here asked why beleeving Christians should hope for the world to come I answer 1. The world to come is often promised in the Word of God and for this cause we should look and hope for it Nevertheless according to his promise we look for new Heavens and a new Earth 2 Pet. 3. 13. 2. VVe are commanded to look and hope for the world to come Look up for your Redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21. 28. Looking for that blessed hope Tit. 2. 13. And for this cause we should hope for it 3. This hope of the world to come is called the hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 23. because the Gospeâ— teacheth and perswadeth it And for this cause we should hope for it 4. This hope of the world to come is called the hope of our calling Eph. 1. 18. because it should accompany the Christian Calling And for this cause it should not be wanting in us 5. Unless Beleevers hope in Christ for the world to come they are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And if it be asked after what manner beleeving Christians should hope for the world to come I answer thus 1. Our hope for the world to come should be a lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. such as should make us active and lively in the performance of Christian duties 2. It should be constant and stedfast such as should continue with us in the worst times unto the end of our days according to that of the Apostle Gird up the loyns of your minde be sober and hope unto the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 13. Prov. 14. 32. 3. It should be a patient hope such as should make us to wait patiently for the world to come and the good things thereof with the faithful at Jerusalem Luk. 2. 38. and with Joseph the Counsellor Luk. 23. 51. 4. It should be chearful such as should make us comfortable under the Cross of Christ with the beleeving Romans who rejoyced in hope of the glory of God to be revealed hereafter Rom. 5. 2. 5. It should be diligent such as should stir us up to be diligent in the exercise of all saving graces acâ—â—rding to that of the Apostle Seeing ye look for â—â—ch things be diligent that ye may be found of â—â— in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3. â— where he intimates That they who are diliâ—â—nt in the exercise of saving grace while they live this world shall be found of God and of Christ the world to come and accepted of him as perâ—â—ctly reconciled and as perfectly holy and conseâ—â—ently they shall be found of him in peace withâ—â—t spot and blameless Let us not then cast off this â—â—pe at any time SECT V. Touching the Second Coming of Christ in the Flesh HAving hitherto spoken of the World to come considering it chiefly as a Country or Contiâ—ent Method requires that I should now in the next â—â—ace speak of it in reference to the things which shal â—e contained in it And though I cannot name all â—he particular matters things and occurrences which â—hall be in the World to come yet the Scripâ—ure mentions many of them and such as I find â—entioned in Scripture I shall endeavor to discover â—â— God shall permit And amongst others I here name five principal things that shall be visible to men in the World to come viz. 1. The Second Coming of Christ in the Flesh 2. The last Resurrection 3. The last Iudgment 4. The Kingdom of Christ 5. The blessed Condition of all that arâ— Christs with the cursed Condition of alâ— that are none of his But in this Section I shall speak only of the first oâ— these viz. Of the Second Coming of Christ in the Flesh And here we must know that the Word of God doth inform us of divers things touching this matter As First It informeth us That the Second Coming 1 Informat of Christ in the Flesh is to be distinguished from all other Comings of his for wheresoever this Second Coming of his is mentioned as Acts 1. 11. Heb. 9. 26. and in other places it is distinguished from all other Comings of his And more particularly it is distinguished 1. From his Coming in the Spirit for after his Ascention he came to his Apostles in the Spirit or in a spiritual way in the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his promise before his Ascention I will not leave you comfortless but will come unto you Joh. 14. 18. And this his Coming in the Spirit was not his second Coming in the Flesh 2. It is to be distinguished from his first Coming in the Flesh For though his first Coming in the Flesh was a Coming from Heaven as his second Coming shall be as it is written No man hath ascended into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Joh. 3. 13. yet his first Coming in the Flesh was partly a coming into this polluted world at the time of his Birth as he saith To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth Joh. 18. 37. And partly it was a coming from place to place in this polluted world as He came from Galilee to â—rdan to John to be baptized of him Mat. 3. 13. â—e came to his own and his own received him not â—â—h 1. 11. He left Judea and came to a City of â—â—maria which is called Sychar Joh. 4. 3 5. But â—s second Coming in the Flesh shall never be a comâ—â—g into this polluted world nor
what they now have Esa 65. 15. a name better then of sons and daughters an everlasting name Esa 56. 5. 2. They shall be highly esteemed of in the world to come on Christs part for he shall still esteem them as his brethren he was not ashamed Heb. 2. 11. to call them his brethren in this world neither shall he be ashamed to call them such in the world to come he shall still esteem of them as of the children of God according to that compellation of his Come ye blessed children of my Father Mat. 25. 34. He shall still esteem of them as of his familiar friends as may appear by this because it is said that they shall eat and drink with him at his table in his Kingdome Luk. 22. 30. and shall sit some of them at his right hand and some at his left in his Kingdome Mat. 20. 23. Yea he shall so highly esteem of them that he shall still own them for Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1. 6. 3. They shall be higâ—â—y esteemed of in the world to come amongst the Angells good and evill for the good Angells shall so highly esteem of them that they shall own them for their superiours in some respect seeing Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and the evill Angells shall so highly esteem of them that they shall owne them for their Judges and shall not dare to think dishonourably of them 1 Cor. 6. 3. 4. They shall be highly esteemed of amongst themselves for we know that Gods Elect after they are effectually called do honour one another with an high esteem here in this world Psal 15. 4. much more shall they honour one another with an high esteem in the world to come 5. They shall be highly esteemed of in the world to come amongst the reprobate sort of mankind for these also shall have an high and honourable esteem of Gods Elect in the world to come for this cause it is said that the Gentiles shall see their righteousnesse and all Kings their glory Isai 62. 2. God shall establish Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isai 62. 7. which I understand to be spoken chiefly of the new earth or world to come yea saith the Lord they shall be a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth Jer. 33. 9. I will get them praise and fâ—me in doing laud where they have been put to shame Zeph. 3. 19. Secondly touching the certainty of it I say that Gods Elect shall most certainly be honoured in the world to come as may appear by these arguments 1. They that are vessells of honour shall be honoured in the world to come but Gods Elect are vessells of honour for which cause they are compared to such vessells of a potter as are made for honour Rom. 9. 21. and to such vessells in a great house as serve for honourable uses 2 Tim. 2. 20. Ergo. 2. They that do or shall know God effectually in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that promise I will set him on high because he hath known my Name Psal 91. 14. which is as if the Lord had said I will honour him both in this world if I shall see it expedient and much more in the world to come but Gods Elect do or shall all know God effectually in this world Ergo. 3. They that shall call upon God in sincerity here in this world shal be honoured in the world to come according to that promise He shall call upon me and I wil answer and honour him Psal 91. 15. But Gods Elect do or shall call upon him in sincerity in this world Ergo. 4. They that do or shall go fear the Lord with a godly fear here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come as we may gather from that of Solomon by the fear of the Lord are riches and honour Pro. 22. 4. but Gods Elect do or shall fear him with a godly fear here in this world Ergo. 5. They that do or shall humble themselves for their sins after an holy manner here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that of Solomon before honour is humility Pro. 15. 33. and honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Pro. 29. 23. but Gods Elect do or shall all humble themselves for their sins after an holy manner here in this world Ergo. 6. They that are or shall be mercifull towards others and follow after mercy here in this world in obedience to God shall be honoured in the world to come according to that promise He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousnesse remaineth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honour Psal 112. 9. and Solomon saith he that followeth after mercy findeth honour Pro. 21. 21. but Gods Elect are or shall be mercifull in this senie here in this world Ergo. 7. They that do or shall regard wholesome reproof shall be honoured in the world to come as Solomon saith He that regardeth reproof shall be honoured Pro. 13. 18. but Gods Elect do or shall regard wholesome reproof in this world Ergo. 8. They that do or shall do good in obedience to Gods will here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that of the Apostle Honour to every one that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Greek Rom. 2. 10. but Gods Elect do or shall do good in obedience to Gods will here in this world Ergo. 9. They that are or shall be the faithfull servants of Christ here in this world shall be honouin the world to come according to that of our Saviour If any man serve me him wil my Father honor Joh. 12. 26. but Gods Elect are or shall be faithfull servants of Christ here in this world Ergo. 10. They that shall conscionably purge themselves from the errors of these times shall be honored in the world to come according to that of the Apostle If any man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. but Gods Elect are such as do or shall purge themselves from the known errors of their times Ergo. 11. They that do or shall honour God sincerely here in this world shall be honoured of him in the world to come as the Lord saith Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. but Gods Elect do or shall sincerely endeavour to honour him here in this world Ergo. This Proposition should comfort all Gods Elect Vse that are now effectually called against the reproach and contempt of this wicked world for such of all others are most obnoxious to be contemned of the wicked if for no other cause yet for their graces and vertues as our Saviour himself though full of grace and vertue was despised and contemned of many in this life and the Apostles themselves notwithstanding their gracious
in the issue by all their mirth and jollity in this world Here indeed they may seem to be the onely merry companions here they are wont to spend much of their time in pleasure they call for the vial the harp and the merry lute in their feasts and say To morrow shall be as this day and much more vile and in their merry meetings they are wont to cry down the spirit of mourning and to say Hang up sorrow for what serves it let us eat drink and be merry let us rejoyce in our youth let our hearts chear us in the days of our youth let us walk in the ways of our hearts c. But suppose any of these mirth-mongers shal happen to dye in the guilt of their sins without repentance and without a pardon and so shall be found Reprobates at the last What then shall all their mirth profit them Surely nothing at all But then they shall finde That it had been good for them if they had never been born Then they shall finde That all their mirth and jollity shall be turned into sorrow and heaviness into weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore my beloved that we may not mourn and howl with Reprobates in the world to come let us still pray that God will pour upon us the spirit of godly mourning and contrition that we may walk heavily and grieve heartily for our own sins and for the sins of others here in this life That we may mourn with those that mourn and weep with those that weep now in a good sence And if God shall vouchsafe us this spirit then we shal not mourn with Reprobates but shall rejoyce with Gods chosen for ever in the world to come SECT XXI Touching the Security of Gods Elect and the Fear of Reprobates in the World to Come HEre followeth an eleventh special difference which shall be betwixt the parties before named in the next world Which may be thus expressed Gods Elect shall dwell securely in the World to come Reprobates shall be afraid in the World to come The former Proposition that Gods Elect shall 1. Propo. dwell securely in the World to come And here I speak not of security as it is sometimes taken in evil part for sinfull security for doubtlesse there shal be none such in the World to come but I speak of it as it is taken in good part for holy security and when I say that Gods Elect shall dwell securely in the World to come my meaning is that they shall enjoy abundance of holy security in that World that is to say though they shall have a reverentiall fear of God in that VVorld Psa 67. 7. yet they shal be safe and free from all slavish fear of God and of Christ and from al fear of evil they shal not feare the evil of sin nor the evil of punishment they shal not fear the power of Men nor Devils they shal not fear the power of any creature in that VVorld And that in this sense they shal dwel securely in the VVorld to come may be proved by divers passages of Scripture in which this security is either promised or asserted as 1. They that shal dwell in the house of the Lord for ever shal dwel securely and enjoy abundance of holy security in the VVorld to come Now Gods Elect shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever according to that of David surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23. 6. Ergo They shal enjoy abundance of holy security in that VVorld 2. The Lord who is wisdome it self saith he that hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evill Pro. 1. 33. which promise may be in part fulfilled in this VVorld but it shal perfectly be fulfilled only in that which is to come and from hence I may reason thus they that shal perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come shall abound with holy security in that world Now Gods Elect shal perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come Ergo. 3. It is said who so putteth his trust in the Lord shal be safe Prov. 29. 25. that is shal be safe from the fear of evil as that Text seems to import which promise also may be in part fulfilled in this world but it shal perfectly be fulfilled only in that which is to come and so from hence I may argue thus they that shall perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come shall abound with holy security in that world Now God Elect shal perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come Ergo. 4. The Propher Ieremiah sheweth that in the dayes of Christs Raign Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Ier. 23. 6. VVhereby Iudah and Israel I understand al Gods Elect and by the Salvation and Safety there promised them I understand chiefly their Eternall Salvation in the VVorld to come together with that safety from fear of evil which shal follow thereupon and so from hence I may reason thus They that shall be Eternally saved in the World to come shall be safe from the feare of evill in that World and so shall abound with holy security in it Now Gods Elect shal be Eternaly saved in the world to come Ergo. 5. It is Gods Promise to his Elect that he will gather them out of all Countries whether he hath driven them and will place them in their own Countrie and will cause them to dwell safely in it Ierem. 32. 37. VVhich promise hath never been perfectly fulfilled as yet but shal be perfectly fulfilled in the VVorld to come From whence I may argue thus they that shal dwel safely in the World to come shal abound with holy security in that world Now Gods Elect shal dwel safely in the world to come Ergo. 6. The like promise is to be found elsewhere for the Lord saith of his chosen People they shal no more be a prey to the heathen neither shal the beasts of the Land devour them but they shal dwel safely and none shal make them afraid Ezek. 34. 28. which promise hath never been perfectly fulfilled as yet but shal be perfectly fulfilled in the world to come Ergo. In the world to come Gods Elect shal dwel securely and shal abound with holy security 7. It is said that perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. and what fear shal perfect love cast out but slavish fear and fear of evil from whence also I may thus reason They that shall be perfect in love in the World to come shall be safe from the fear of evill in that world Now Gods Elect shal be perfect in love in the VVorld to come Ergo. 8. They that shal have perfect rest in the world to come shal dwel securely therin shal be at rest from the fear of evil Now Gods elect
A DISCOVERIE OF THE VVorld to Come According to the SCRIPTURES The first Part thereof being Didactical or such as contains a Form of Positive Doctrine WHEREIN 1. The Doctrine of the World to come is propounded explicated confirmed and applyed in a more familiar method then formerly hath been observed 2. The Doctrine of Millenaries touching a New Reformed Church in the latter Times which they call A New World is confuted 3. Sundry passages of holy Writ are interpreted in reference to the World to come which have been formerly wrested and forced in a wrong sense Written by J. SEAGER M. A. and Minister of Broadclist in the County of Devon LONDON Printed by J. Macock for Luke Fawne and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1650. TO The Parishoners of Broadclist Grace and Peace be Multiplyed BEloved in the Lord It is now full eighteen years since that I was placed by the hand of Providâ—nce as a Spirituall Pastor amongst you upon the death of Mr. Robert Stennings three years of which time I was forced by the violence of Souldiers to absent my self from you these three years only excepted I have been constantly with you and as the Lord hath given me much health and strength of nature amongst you so I have spent much of that strength in my private studdies and publick imployments for you In witness whereof I can yet produce diverse volumes of Sermons written by me and published amongst you but I account this needless seeing you your selves can witnesse enough as touching this matter I will not compare my self with other Spirituall Labourers in Gods Vineyard for I know that they have received some of them ten talents some five some two yet this I may safely say that I have not hid my Masters one talent in a napkin but have improved it with diligence for the advancement of his glory and truth amongst you Wherefore after so long a time it concerns you all to enquire how ye have profited by my Ministry for be ye well assured that after so much spirituall husbandry as hath been used amongst you in plowing sowing planting and wattering the Lord will expect a plentiful crop of saving knowledge and obedience from you For my part I am prone to think the best of you as indulgent fathers are wont to think of their children I acknowledge that diverse of your friends and allies have dyed in my time whose life was precious and whose death was comfortable unto me and I hope to be better acquainted with them in the world to come then ever I was in this world I ac-acknowledge also that there are diverse now living amongst you of whom I am perswaded such things as accompany Salvation that they do sincerely love God and his truth and have not received the Grace of God nor the word of his grace in vain and my prayer for such is That they may persevere in grace unto the end holding fast the pattern of wholsome words which they have received and may never suffer themselves to be drawn away with the error of the wicked and so fal from their own stedfastness And I must needs acknowledge a third sort amongst you whom I have hitherto apprehended as proud contemners of the Word of God in my Ministery I pray God to give them Repentance unto life that they may recover themselves out of the snare oâ— the devil and may obtain pardon for this sin before their death otherwise I tremble to think how hard it wil be with them in the great day of the Lord Christ when they shall be accountable for every good Sermon and for every wholesome truth which they have thus contemned and trampled under their feet And now my beloved being desirous before my death to leave among you some token and testimonie of my love towards you I have published this Treatise which I call A Discovery of the VVorld to come some matters herein contained have been delivered in the open Congregation and here your eyes may see what your eares have heard yea here your eyes may see more then yet your eares have heard from me or from any other as I suppose touching this subject I am perswaded in my conscience of the truth of such grounds as are here delivered and my own soul hath felt the comfort of them for which cause I am the more hopefull that the same grounds may proove usefull and beneficiall unto others You may perceive with your eyes that I have not studdied strong lines and lofty expressions in this work but have endeavoured in plain and familiar termes to unfold a great Mystery unto you I do not herein perswade you to seek and search after the knowledge of this present world and the things hereof neither do I herein perswade you to love this present world and the things hereof you are by nature prone enough unto these things but hereby I do perswade and intreate you to study the knowledge of the world to come and to be better acquainted with the Doctrine hereof then yet you are because I apprehend this as a choyce part and high degree of saving knowledge and that which will profit you more at the last then all earthly treasures whatsoever and I am perswaded it is for want of this part of saving knowledge that many errours in these latter times are so readily entertained an assented unto In brief you have here a price put into your hands by Gods providence the Lord give you hearts to make a good use of it and if at any time I shall perceive this first part of my Discovery to be acceptable and useful to the Church of God I shal forthwith if the Lord shal permit studdy to conceive a Second Part and as soon as I shall have conceived it I shall be in travel to bring it forth to publick view In the interim I commend you to God and the Word of Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified Your Servant in such matters as concerns your eternal good John Seager The Contents AN Introduction Sect. I. Shewing That none should be grosly ignorant of the World to come as touching the Nature of it Sect. II. Shewing That the World to come considered as a Country or a Continent is to be distinguished from the third Heaven Sect. III. Shewing That the World to come shall have no Being before this present evil world shall be dissolved but shall begin immediately thereupon Sect. IV. Touching the Nature of the World to come considered as a Continent Sect. V. Touching the second Coming of Christ in the Flesh Sect. VI. Touching the last Resurrection Sect. VII Touching the last Judgment Sect. VIII Touching the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ in the World to come Sect. IX Touching the different Conditions of good and evil Angels in the World to come Sect. X. Touching the blessed Condition of Gods Elect
and the cursed Condition of Reprobates in the World to come more generally considered Sect. XI Touching the Salvation of Gods Elect and the Destruction of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XII Touching the Life of Gods Elect and the Death of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XIII Touching the Glory of Gods Elect and the Shame of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XIV Touching the Honor of Gods Elect and the Contempt of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XV. Touching the Liberty of Gods Elect and the Bondage of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XVI Touching the Dominion of Gods Elect and the Slavery of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XVII Touching the Riches of Gods Elect and the Poverty of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XVIII Touching the Peace of Gods Elect and the Tribulation of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XIX Touching the Light of Gods Elect and the Darkness of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XX. Touching the Joy of Gods Elect and the Sorrow of Reprobates in the World to come Sect. XXI Touching the Security of Gods Elect and the Fear of Reprobates in the World to come A DISCOVERY OF THE World to Come An Introduction IT is well known of some That many learned men have written many learned Tractates concerning this corrupt World wherein we live In which they have discovered not only the whole Continent thereof which they call the Globe of Heaven and Earth but also severall Parts Countries and Occurrences belonging to the same who by this industry of theirs have deserved well of all Students and lovers of learning Wherefore it should not be thought presumption for me being a Minister of the Gospel though the least of many to discover in this Tractate such as it is my thoughts concerning the World to Come In as much as the world to come is a subject of transcent worth and excellencie far surpassing al that can be thought or spoken concerning this polluted world And it was wont to be thought as a vertue in any to have their minds much taken up about this Subject which being esteemed as a vertue in others should not be imputed as a vice unto me Now in this Treatise I intend to take the Sacred Scripture for my guide and to say no more herein then I shall conceive to be warranted thereby And seeing I have not as yet so much as heard or read of any writer that hath professedly made a Discovery of the World to come though many have written of the Heaven that now is it may not be expected that I should observe so exact a Method in this discourse as doubtless some after Writers may yet I intend to lay down my Meditations touching this subject in the same Order in which they have been represented to me and conceived by me SECTION I. Shewing That none should be grosty ignorant of the World to come as touching the nature of it THere be some things which a Christian may safely be ignorant of without any prejudice to his soul as on my part it is freely confessed That I know not God perfectly 1 Cor. 13. 9. I know not the minde of the Lord perfectly Rom. 11. 34. I know not the times and seasons which the father hath put in his own power Act. 1. 7. I know not the numericall day and hour of Christs second comming Mat. 25. 13. I know not the certain definite number of my particular sins Psal 19. 12. I know not the full power of Gods anger Psal 90. 11 Which ignorance being inavoydable on my part anâ— so no sin in me cannot be any way prejudiciall to my soul yet I do not think it safe for any to be grosly or perversly ignorant of the World to come as touching the nature of it Howbeit I conceive this ignorance to be too common amongst many Christian professors in these our days for do but ask many of them what the Scripture means by the World to come and either they will say We cannot tell or else they will say It means nothing else thereby but the third heaven or the highest heaven which now is and so they conceive no difference betwixt the world to come and the highest heaven And do but observe the discourses of many both in publike and in private when they speak of the World to come and you shall finde that they will never expresse distinctly what they mean by this subject from which answers and practises of theirs I thus infer within my self Surely these people have had some good thoughts in their minds concerning the World to come and they can speak much of divers things and occurrences which shall be in it but are still ignorant thereof as touching the nature of it And doubtlesse this ignorance hath been occasioâ—ed and is still continued and fomented by a misâ—â—ision or mis-understanding of divers such Scripture â—assages as do plainly describe unto us the nature of â—â—e World to come and as long as such passages are â—is-understood how can it be but that people â—â—ould be grosly ignorant of this subject Whereâ—ore I shal endeavour in the following Sections to gâ—ve a true interpretation of those forenamed scripâ—ure-passages as occasion shall be offered that so all â—ay be rightly informed touching the nature of this â—â—bject Mean while I affirm That none should be grossely A Position ignorant of the world to come as touching the nature of it but all should understand in some competent measure what the Scripture means by this subject and that for these Reasons First It cannot be denyed that the world to comâ— Reasons is often mentioned in the New Testament as in thesâ— passages Mat. 12. 32. Whosoever speaketh against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neitheâ— in this world neither in the world to come Mark 10. 30. He shall receive an hundred folâ— now in this time and in the world to comâ— eternall life Luk. 20. 34 35. The children of this world maâ—ry and are given in marriage but thâ— which shal be accounted worthy to obtain thâ— world and the resurrection from the deaâ—â— neither marry nor are given in marrage Eph. 1. 1. 21. Christ is far above every naâ—â— that is named not only in this world but aâ—â— in that which is to come Heb. 2. 5. Vnto the Angels hath he not put â— subjection the world to come Heb. 6. 5. They have tasted the good Word God and the powers of the world to come In all which places the world to come is not oâ— mentioned but also plainly asserted yea distinguiâ—â—ed from this polluted world And wherefore shoâ— it be so often mentioned in the New Testameâ—â— but for this end that all should rightly understâ—â—â— the nature of it Whatsoever things are thus wrâ—â—ten are written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. â— if so then none should be grosly or perversly ignorâ—â—â— of the nature of it Secondly Things revealed belong to
Vers 6. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of tby hands Psal 19. 1. The Firmament sheweth his handy work Psal 102. 25. Of old hast thou laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands Isai 48. 13. My hand hath laid the Foundation of the Earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens Thus all created Substances were made with hands and consequently that which was not made with hands was uncreated Now we read of the third Heaven that it was not made with hands Heb. 9. 11. and that when Christ entered into it he entered into the holy Places not made with hands Heb. 9. 24. Where the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly distinguisheth the third Heaven not only from the Tabernacle in Moses time which was made with mens hands but also from the whole created world which was made with Gods hands not denying the whole Creation to be the work of his hands but saith of the third Heaven That it was not made with hands and if it were not made with hands then surely it was uncreated Agreeable hereunto is that other place 2 Cor. 5. 1. If our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Where the Apostle shews that the Souls of the faithful after their separation from the body shall have an house not made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with hands plainly distinguishing the Souls heavenly house from its bodily or earthly house And as he denies not its bodily house to be made with hands nor could have denyed it because God made it of the dust of the ground Gen. 2. So he affirms that its heavenly house was not made with hands and if it were not made with hands then it was uncreated and if it were uncreated then it must needs follow that the third Heaven also was uncreated Secondly I take this for a ground That which 2 Argument was from everlasting and without beginning was never created which Proposition as I suppose will not be denyed because it is acknowledged on all sides That whatsoever had a beginning and was not from everlasting was created Gen. 1. 1. and whatsoever had not a beginning but was from everlasting was not created Now I assume That the highest Heaven commonly called the third Heaven was from everlasting and without beginning and I am moved to think so for these Reasons 1. God himself was from everlasting and without beginning as it is written Psal 90. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God And we read in Scripture of Gods Glory before the world was Joh. 17. 5. Of his Ordination before the world was 1 Cor. 2. 7. Of his chusing of men before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. 4. And of his purpose before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. From which places I infer That God himself was from everlasting and without beginning and if he were from everlasting then he was somewhere from everlasting I dare not say he was no where from everlasting neither dare I say he was everywhere from everlasting but he was somewhere from everlasting and where was that but in the highest Heaven and if he were in the highest Heaven from everlasting then this Heaven was also from everlasting with God and so without beginning 2. This third Heaven is called Gods Place Isai 26. 21. The Lord cometh out of his Place to punish the inhabitants of the Earth and Mica 1. 3. Yea it is called his high and holy place Isai 57. 15. and his dwelling place 1 King 8. 30. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place Now I demand whether it was not Gods dwelling place before the Creation as it hath been since Yes doubtless it hath been his dwelling place ever since the Creation and shall be so for ever and was so from everlasting for which cause he is said to inhabite eternity Isai 57. 15. and to inhabite eternity is to inhabite an eternal place for in the same Text his dwelling in an eternal place is distinguished from his dwelling in the hearts of humble and contrite ones And if the third Heaven was Gods eternal place then surely it was from everlasting with him and so without beginning Yea if we acknowledg God to be an everlasting Being I see no reason why we should deny him an everlasting place suitable to his Being 3. This Heaven of which I speak is called Gods Throne Isai 66. 1. Heaven is my Throne and Mat. 5. 34. Mat. 23. 22. Acts 7. 49. And was it not his Throne from everlasting Doubtless it was and so much I gather from that of the Prophet Psa 93. 2. where he saith thus to God Thy Throne is established of old thou art from everlasting which sounds in my ears as if he had said As God was from everlasting so was his heavenly Throne and if it were from everlasting then it was without beginning and if we acknowledg him to be an everlasting King and to have a Kingdom from everlasting as the Scripture witnesseth in many places why should we not also acknowledg this his heavenly Throne to be from everlasting and so to be without beginning 4. Yea this Heaven of which I speak is that which is predicable and may be predicated of the Essence of God and we may say without a trope or figure this Heaven is God and God is this Heaven for which cause I conceive it is that this Heaven is often put for God himself in the written Word as Dan. 4. 26. where it was said to Nebuchadnezzar Thy Kingdom shall be sure unto thee after thou shalt have known that the Heavens do rule which is all one as if it had been said After thou shalt have known that the most high God shall raign in the Kingdoms of men as it is interpreted for us Dan. 5. 21. So also it is said unto the chief Priests and Elders Mat. 21. 25. The Baptism of John whence was it from Heaven or of men as if it had been said Was it from God or from men only So again Luk. 15. 21. the Prodigal said unto his father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee which is all one as if he had said I have sinned against God and against thee And so lastly John said Joh. 3. 27. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from Heaven that is except it be given him from God from whom every good and perfect gift doth come In all which and other such like places God is described by the name of Heaven and called Heaven and why so For to teach us as I conceive that this Heaven is something appertaining to the Essence of God and doth not essentially differ from God himself but as he is a spiritual Being an independent Being so he is
but the third Heaven And if we acknowledg concerning God himself That he is and ever hath been above the created Heavens as we may well acknowledg because he is said to be most High and to be higher then the highest of created Beings why should we not also acknowledg concerning the third Heaven which is Gods essential Place or Vbi that it both is and ever hath been above the created Heavens and if so then it will necessarily follow That it was never created Sixthly I take this for another ground That 6 Argument which is a place of perfect Bliss was never created which I conceive to be true because there is no perfect Bliss to be found in this created World and we use to say None are perfectly blessed while they remain in this World but are subject to many defects and imperfections their knowledg cannot be perfect because it is mixt with ignorance their joy cannot be perfect because it is mixt with sorrow their love cannot be perfect because it is mixt with hatred their righteousness cannot be perfect because it is mixt with sin Yea this whole Creation is so far from being a place of perfect Bliss that it groans to be dissolved and so to be resolved into a more blessed condition and if there be no perfect Bliss to be found in this created world then it must needs be found in an uncreated place But say I The third Heaven is a place of perfect Bliss for there the Father is perfectly blessed above all degrees of comparison or comprehension there the Son is perfectly blessed in his degree and there the Saints are perfectly blessed in their degree and it is commonly said That this Heaven is a blessed Coelum beatorum Heaven the Heaven of blessed Ones and of blessed Souls departed and if so then it will follow That it was never created Seventhly I take this for my last ground That Argu ∣ ment 7 which never was any thing of or belonging to this created world was never created which Proposition we may well assent unto because all created Beings either were or are of or belonging to this created world And I add That the third Heaven never was any thing of or belonging to this created world as may appear by such places of Scripture as do distinguish this Heaven from this created world and from all things of or belonging thereunto Thus the Fathers being in this Heaven is distinguished from his being in this created world Our Father which art in Heaven Mat. 6. 9. Whosoever shall confess me before men him will I confess before my Father which is in Heaven Whosoever shall deny me before men him also will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 10. 32 33. Thus Christs being in Heaven as touching his humane nature is distinguished from his being in this created world I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Again I leave the World and go to the Father Joh. 16. 28. This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall s◠come again in like manner as ye have seen him g◠into Heaven Acts 1. 11. Thus the being of holy Angels in this Heaven is distinguished from their being in this created world at other times In Heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 18. 10. Likewise joy shall be in Heaven in the presence of the Angels of God Luk. 15. 7 10. And thus the being of faithful Souls in this Heaven is distinguished from their former being in this created world Luk. 23. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise From which distinguishing places I gather That this third Heaven never was any thing of or belonging to this created world and if so then it will follow from hence That it was never created And I would here demand of any indifferent Reader not prepossessed with prejudice Whether our Saviour Christ and the faithful Souls departed at the time of their ascention into this Heaven did not leave this created world altogether and so go unto the Father If you say They did not then you grant that they yet remain in some part of the created world and that at the time of their ascention they went but from one part of this created world unto another and consequently from one place of misery unto another But if you say They left this created world altogether when they ascended into this Heaven then by consequence you grant That they are now in an uncreated Heaven and so you do consent unto all that I have said concerning this matter Wherefore I hope these seven Arguments before produced will suffice for proof of my former assertion Howbeit to make the matter yet more plain I shall be contented to answer such Objections as I can imagine will be raised against the said assertion Peradventure some man will say Many natural Object 1 Philosophers have written much of the blessed Heaven which they call the Empyrean Heaven and Coelum Empyreum they say It is a created Heaven for which cause your former Assertion is the more to be suspected 1. My former Assertion is not to be tryed by the rules of natural Philosophy but by the written Answ Word of God which speaks of divers matters above the reach and proper scope of natural Philosophy and so I do not take natural Philosophers to be competent Judges in this case though I am willing to hear them when they speak of matter proper to their Science yet I think it more proper for a Divine then for a natural Philosopher to write of the third Heaven 2. Whatsoever they say touching this Subject I have met with a Christian Philosopher a judicious Writer who acknowledgeth the Bartholinus de Coelo third Heaven to be an uncreated Heaven to be distinguished from the whole created world and proveth that Empyrean Heaven of which they speak so much to be a meer Chimera or figment of their own and I hold the testimony of one such Christian Philosopher to be of more validity for my cause then the testimony of many more natural Philosophers can be against it Peradventure another will say Many good Divines Object 2 have spoken much of a blessed Heaven but not one word of an uncreated Heaven as you do but still they understand the third Heaven to be a part of the created world and why should you dissent from them 1. If in this point I dissent from good Divines Answ it is not out of any ill-will to them but out of love to the truth and out of a desire to manifest the truth that hath been too long concealed from many Amicus Socrates Amicus Plato Amicior Veritas 2. Suppose those good Divines do not agree with me in plain words nor speak out as I do That the third Heaven is an uncreated Heaven but seem to imply that it is a part of the created
world Yet I take it they do agree with me in effect and by good consequence when as they teach That the third Heaven is incorruptible unchangeable immoveable for if it be incorruptible unchangeable immoveable how can it be any part of the created world or if it be any part of the created world how can it be incorruptible unchangeable immoveable seeing we know that the whole created world is corruptible and groans to be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. 21 22. And as it is corruptible so it is changeable and shall be changed Psal 102. 26. And as it is changeable so it is moveable and shall be moved and shaken yea it shall be shaken in pieces at the time of its dissolution as it is written Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven Heb. 12. 26. If then those good Divines which the Objection speaks of do agree with me in effect and by good consequence why should I be blamed for speaking that plainly which they speak obscurely and implicitely Peradventure another will say If there be an Object 3 uncreated Heaven in all probability the Heaven of Heavens should be that but the Heaven of Heavens is a created Heaven as may appear Nehem. 9. 6. where it is said Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host c. and if so then the third must needs be a created Heaven also I dare not confound the third Heaven with the Answ Heaven of Heavens as some have done even supposing them to be both one and that whatsoever is affirmed or denyed of the one may also be affirmed or denyed of the other But I conceive a great difference betwixt them for by the Heaven of Heavens in the place before quoted and in some other places of Scripture I understand only the highest of created Heavens which in reference to those inferior Heavens which are within its circumference is called the Heaven of Heavens But by the third Heaven I understand the highest Heaven Luke 19. 38. which is higher then the highest of created Heavens and hath no other Heaven above it being the highest of all Heavens and the highest mentioned in Scripture whereas the Heaven of Heavens before mentioned though it be the highest of created Heavens yet it is not the highest of all Heavens but hath this third Heaven above it Now I acknowledg That the Heaven of Heavens in the former sence considered is a created Heaven according to that of Nehem. 9. 6. and being the highest of created Heavens it must needs be it self also a created Heaven But it will not follow from hence That the third Heaven is a created Heaven because this is above all created Heavens and therefore must needs be uncreated as hath been shewed before And for the better avoyding of strife about words I acknowledg also That the third Heaven in a tolerable sence may be called the Heaven of Heavens viz. in respect of its transcendent excellency as God sometimes is called God of Gods Lord of Lords and King of Kings yet I do not remember that it is any where so called in Scripture but if it be any where so called it cannot be the same with the Heaven of Heavens before described Peradventure another will say If there be an uncreated Heaven that third Heaven into which Saint Object 4 Paul was caught up 2 Cor. 12. 2. should seem to be that but that third Heaven may be thought to be a created Heaven because it is called the third in reference to two created Heavens viz. the Airy Heaven and the Starry Heaven and if these two be created Heavens then the third also must needs be so too The consequence of this Objection is denyed for we read of two Adams in Scripture the first Answ Adam and the second and the first Adam was sinful yet it will not follow from thence that the second Adam was so too So though I grant the two Heavens before mentioned to be created Heavens yet it will not follow from hence that the third is so too And as I acknowledg that third Heaven into which Saint Paul was taken up to be that blessed Heaven of which I speak in my former Assertion so I have proved by seven Arguments already That it was never created and I am the more confirmed in it because Saint Paul calls that third Heaven by the name of Paradise and saith he heard unspeakable words in it not lawful to be uttered 2 Cor. 12. 4. whereas if a man could see and hear all that is to be seen and heard in the created Heavens I suppose it might be lawful for him to utter it Peradventure another will say That which is and Object 5 ever shall be the habitation of created Beings is a created place but the third Heaven is and ever shall be the habitation of created Beings as of Christs humane Nature of holy Angels and of faithful Souls departed therefore it is a created place First I acknowledg that the third Heaven is for the present the habitation of some created Beings Answ yet it will not follow from thence that it is a created place for we read that God himself is and ever hath been the habitation and dwelling place of the faithful in all generations Psal 71. 3. Psal 90. 1. Psal 91. 1. yet we may not thence infer that God is a created Being So though I grant That the third Heaven is the habitation of some created Beings for the present yet we may not hence infer That it is a created place Secondly Whereas the Objection saith That the third Heaven shall ever be the habitation of created Beings as now it is this is plainly denyed by me for I believe That the third Heaven shall be the habitation of Christs humane Nature of holy Angels and faithful Souls as now it is only for a time Rev. 20. 4. that is until the Father shall have put all things under his feet and shall have subduedall his enemies Psa 110. 1. and until the times of restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. and when this time shall be expired which shall be at the end of this present world I believe That Christ in his humane Nature shall come again from the third Heaven with all his holy Angels and Saints with him for to judg and raign for ever after in the World to come and that he shall then deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. What Kingdom That personal Kingdom of the Father in which he now raigneth and shall raign till then and that then the Father shall be All in All in his own personal Kingdom as he was before Christ came thither and shall be supream over all elsewhere though the Son be after a sort now equal with him and so shall Christ ever after sit upon his own personal Throne and raign in his own personal Kingdom Rev. 3. 21. Luk. 22.
gold is in it it should only then purge and refine the world and the substance thereof should remain yet the Scripture sheweth plainly That by the fire of that great Day the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein whether works of the first Creation or works of nature or works of mans art and industry shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3. 10. Now when any substance is consumed and burnt up it is more then purged â—â—om its corruption but this present world shall â—e one day consumed and burnt up in respect of its â—â—esent substance and so it shall be more then purged â—â—d refined by fire Much more I might say against this opinion if 〈◊〉 had the Books of such as have asserted it â—ut I have them not yea I am a plundered man one â—â—at hath but few Books left therefore I will say â—o more now touching this opinion The fourth opinion is of those who think that the â—â—me of this worlds dissolution is yet one thousand â—ears off at least as some of the Millenaries of these â—imes think in favor of which opinion they bring â—hat of Saint Peter A thousand years with the Lord â—s as one day and one day as a thousand years â— Pet. 3. 8. And that of Saint John The Souls of â—hem which were beheaded for the witness of Jesus â—ived and raigned with him a thousand years Rev. â—0 4. From which places they infer That the time of this worlds dissolution must needs be yet one â—housand years off at least but these places rightly weighed will never prove their opinion For suppose that those passages as they lie have reference to the end of this world and suppose that those two Apostles Peter and John by vertue of those passages in their time thought the end of the world to be a thousand years off yet we should consider that a thousand years and more are by gone and past since those words were spoken by them and consequently though they in their times might conceive the end of the world to be then a thousand years off yet we in these times have no reason to think it so far off Nay I have shewed before That we have good reason to think that the time of this world dissolution is near at hand Again That which hath been said touching thâ— worlds dissolution should admonish us to moderatâ— our minds and affections in the use of all worldlâ— things though never so lawful in themselves according to that of Saint Paul The time is short It remaineth that both they that have wives be â—â— though they had none and they that weep as thougâ— they wept not and they that rejoyce as though theâ— rejoyced not and they that buy as though theâ— possessed not and they that use this world as not â— busing it For the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. Lastly It should exhort us to all holiness of liâ— and conversation according to that of Saint Peterâ— Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolveâ— what manner of persons ought ye to be in all hoâ—â— conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. where wâ— may not think that the Apostle teacheth us to distinguish between an holy conversation and godlinesâ— because these two agree in one an holy conversatioâ— is a godly conversation and a godly conversation as holy conversation But in that place he teachetâ— two things First That the certainty of this worlds dissolution should perswade us to be universal in our obedience that is in the practise of holy and godly duties which universal obedience is that which Goâ— commandeth at our hands Let not the Book of thâ— Law depart out of thy mouth but meditate thereiâ— day and night that thou mayst observe to do according to all that is written therein Josh 1. 8. It is thaâ— which God wisheth for on our behalf Oh thaâ— there were such an heart in them that they would â—ear me and keep all my Commandments always Deut. 5. 29. It is that which he hath promised to â—eward with many blessings Psal 19. 11. Josh 1. 8 c. It is that which is and will be dangerous for us â—o neglect For he that breaketh the least of Gods Commandments and teacheth men so without reâ—entance shall be the least in the Kingdom of God Mat. 5. 19. Yea it is that which all men will either wish for or rejoyce in at the time of the worlds â—issolution Therefore I say That the certainty of â—his worlds dissolution should perswade all men to be universal in their obedience in the practise of holy â—nd godly duties Let us not then my Brethren content our selves with the bare and naked professiâ—â—â—f godliness nor with some good words in prayer â—nd conference nor with the doing of many things commanded with Herod while we allow our selves in the omission and neglect of many other But let us strive to practise every known duty prescribed in Gods Word after the example of Zachariâ—as Elizabeth his wife who walked in all the Commandments of God blameless Luk. 1. 6. remembering what David saith Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psal 119. 6. Secondly In that next fore-quoted place of Saint Peter he teacheth That all Christians should be eximious and exemplary before others in their obedience and that in all holy conversation and godliness which exemplary obedience also is that which God commands at our hands thus Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works Mat. 5. 16. It is that which will cause the observers of it to glorifie God * Mat. 5. 16 It is that which is commended in the converted Corinthians for their zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9. 2. and in the converted Thessalonians for they were ensamples to all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia 1 Thes 1. 7. And it is that which shall not be forgotten another day for they that exceed others here in the practise of holiness and vertue shall exceed them also hereafter in glory 1 Cor. 15. Yea it is that which many wil wish for and many will rejoyce in at the time of this worlds dissolution Therefore the certainty and nearness of this worlds dissolution should perswade all Christians to be exemplary before their brethren in all holy conversation and godliness Let us not then be altogether careless of a good conversation with Gallio and many others neither let us be of a loose and dissolute conversation with the Gentiles Rom. 1. Neither let us be of a scandalous conversation with those Jews through whom the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles Rom. 2. Neither let us be exemplary for wickedness as Cain Balaam and Jeroboam were Neither let us be lukewarm in the practise of godliness as the Laodiceans were But let us strive to excel in vertue and to
go before others in all holy conversation and godliness remembering that whatsoever good any man doth that shall he receive of God whether he be bond or free Ephes 6. 8. The third Position here to be proved is That 3 Posit the World to come shall have no Being before this present World shall be dissolved And for proof hereof It should be considered first That the World to come is often mentioned in Scripture as a Consequent not only of this present world but also of the end of it as Mat. 12 32. Luk. 18. 30. Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Yea I dare say That wheresoever the World to come is mentioned in the Word of God either in so many words or by way of interpretation it is mentioned as a Consequent of the end of this world Now that which shall be a Consequent of the end of this world shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved and ended but the World to come shall be a Consequent of the end of this world therefore â—t shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved It should be considered again That all things properly belonging to the World to come shall folâ—ow the end of this present world as at the end of â—his world Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. At the end of this world the Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all â—hings that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire Mat. 13. 40 41 42. At the end of this world the Angels shall â—ome forth and sever the wicked from among the â—ust Mat. 13. 49 c. And if all things properly belonging to the World to come shall follow the â—nd of this world then the World to come it self shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved but the former is true therefore the latter And it should be considered thirdly That where there is an orderly succession of collective bodies there the Being of the latter doth pre-suppose the dissolution of the former as the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians had no Being before the Monarchy of the Babylonians was dissolved the Monarchy of the Greeks and Macedonians had no Being before the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians was dissolved the Monarchy of the Romanes had no Being before the Monarchy of the Greeks and Macedonians was dissolved And as the Kingdom of David had no Being before the Kingdom of Saul was dissolved the Kingdom of Solomon had no Being before the Kingdom of David was dissolved and the Kingdom of Rehoboam had no Being before the Kingdom of Solomon was dissolved So the World to come shall be a collective body in an orderly succession * Vid. learned Dickson in his Commentaries on Heb. 12. 26. therefore it shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved Which Position thus confirmed makes against those Vse who think that the World to come shall be one thousand years before the end of this present world which is the opinion of Millenaries of these times I do not say it is the opinion of all of them because Mr Mede being one and not the least of them thinks Mr Mede on Rev. 20. 4. that this present world shall be dissolved before the World to come shall have any Being but it is the opinion of many of them who have thus expressed themselves That by the World to come the Scripmeans nothing else but an Universal Reformation-change all this world over either in respect of Conversion as one saith or in respect of Discipline at least as another of them saith and that the said Reformation-change shall be one thousand years before the end of this world therefore the World to come shall be one thousand years before the end of this world But I will tell these men that this opinion of theirs hath four Errors involved or wrapped up in it As 1. It is an Error to think that there shall be an extraordinary or Universal Reformation-change either in respect of Conversion or in respect of Discipline before the end of this world because the constant current of the New Testament is against this conceit and shews clearly That the latter age of this world shall be a very deformed age both in respect of the evil of sin which shall abound therein and also in respect of the evil of pain and trouble that shall follow thereupon as hath been before hinted nay it shews That at the very time of Christs second appearing in the Clouds he shall find the world I mean the people of this world in a posture of security For as in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and knew not until the Flood came and took them all away so shall also the Coming of the Son of man be Mat. 24. 38 39. In a posture of unbelief For when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth Luk. 18. 8. He may find some faith on the earth but it is probable he shall then find but little faith as touching his coming and the World to come In a posture of Atheism scoffing and scorning at Religion especially at the promise of his coming and of the end of the world There shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3. 3. Yea he shall then find the people of the world in a posture of War beating their fellow Servants and preparing a great battel against the Church Rev. 20. 9. Wherefore I see no reason why we should look for such a Reformation-change as these men speak of yet I hope there shall be a Reformation-change in many particular persons before the end of this world and its possible there may be a Reformation-change in some particular Countries at least in respect of Discipline but that there shall be such an extraordinary or Universal Reformation before the end of this world far be it from me and from my friends so much as to dream thereof 2. It is an Error in these men to conceive that the end of this present world shall be a thousand years off after their supposed Reformation shall begin or from this time as some of them say it being now begun seeing the signs presaging the end of the world laid down in the New Testament should teach us to think otherwise And for what other use serves this conceit of theirs but to make men secure in their sins and to perswade them that the Lord delays his coming and to say in their hearts Where is the promise of his coming Yea for my part I think That the Son of man will be seen to come in the Clouds of Heaven before such a Reformation-change as they speak of will
spoken to Martha concerning this subject he said unto her Beleevest thou this intimating that we should beleeve what the Scripture faith of the Resurrection And when Saint Paul had spoken of the same point he said to the Corinthians So we preach and so ye have beleeved 1. Cor. 15. 2. To hope for the last Resurrection as we are taught by the example of Saint Paul and others Act. 23. 6â— â—â— 1â— because it will be a joyful day for all Gods Elect. 3. To be patient in the mean time under all afflictions and perfecutions as the Martyrs in the primitive times were willing to suffer and refused to accept of deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection Hebr. 11. 35. 4. To do good in every kinde seeing we know that our labor shall not be in vain in the Lord but that we shall be recompenced for every good act at the Resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. Lastly This Doctrine touching the last Resurrection should comfort all good Christians greatly against all the evils of this life seeing we are charged to comfort one another with these words which concern the Resurrection 1 Thess 4. 18. More particularly it should comfort such against all their bodily infirmities and defects as blindness deafness lameness sickness c. knowing that in the Resurrection all these shall be done away and our bodies shall be restored unto us safe and sound in all parts and in all respectâ— And against the fear of a corporal death as Iob did comfort himself against it when he said If a man dye shall he live again Aâ— the days of mine appointed time will I wait till my change shall come Iob 14. 14. And as David also comforted himself in the like case when he said My flesh was glad and my glory rejoyced because thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell nor suffer thy holy One to see corruption Psal 16. SECT VII Touching the last Iudgment THree of the first things which shall be made visible in the World to come are the second Coming of Christ in the Flesh the last Resurrection and the last Iudgment And having spoken of two of these before I am now to speak of the third in this Section And here for the better information of our judgments I shall affirm divers things also touching the last Judgment As First I affirm That the last Iudgment it to be 1 Inform. distinguished from all other judgments whether of God or of men It is to be distinguished from all other Judgments of God 1. Because all other Judgments of God are but some National or some particular ones such as concern some whole Nations or such as concern some particular persons But the last Judgment shall be more then some National or particular one because it shall be universal such as shall concern all particulars of Mankinde of all Nations 2. Because all other Judgments of God are passed upon men at several times for some mens sins are open before-hand going before to judgment and some mens follow after 1 Tim. 5. 24. But the last Judgment shall be passed upon men all at once 3. Because all other Judgments of God are but partial and gradual not according the full measure of their works but the last Judgment shall be full and compleat 4. Because all other Judgments of God are but temporal whereas the last shall be eternal in respect of the execution thereof 5. Because all other Judgments of God have in them something that is secret and hid from men but the last Judgment with the cause of it shall be fully and clearly revealed to men It is also to be distinguished from all judgments of men that are given and passed by men in this life 1. Because such judgments of men are in some things commonly peccant and faulty like themselves but the last Judgment shall not be peccant or faulty in any thing 2. Because such Judgments of men may be appealed from unto the Judgment of God at least but the last Judgment will admit of no appeal and so the last Judgment is to be distinguished from all other Judgments whether of God or of men Secondly I affirm That the last Iudgment 2 Inform. shall certainly be and come to pass in due season And we should not doubt of it because God hath made the last Judgment sure unto us by three things As 1. By the Resurrection of Christ from the dead And one end for which God raised him from the dead was that thereby he might assure us of the last Judgment Act. 17. 31. 2. By his Decree and Appointment For it is appointed unto men once to dye but after this the Iudgment Hebr. 9. 27. And God hath appointed a day in which he will judg the world Act. 17. 31. Now matters decreed and appointed by God shall certainly be and come to pass in due season But the last Judgment is a matter decreed and appointed by God therefore it shall certainly be and come to pass in due season 3. By plain Testimonies of Scripture such as cannot be evaded For David speaketh plainly of the last Judgment when he saith The ungodly shall not stand in the Iudgment Psal 1. 5. God shall administer Iudgment unto the people in uprightness Psal 9. 8. He shall call to the Heavens from above and to the Earth that he may judg his people Psal 50. 4. So doth Solomon when he saith God shall judg the righteous and the wicked Eccles 3. 17. For all these things God shall bring thee to judgment Eccles 11. 9. And God shall bring every work to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil Eccles 12. 14. So doth our Saviour when he saith That he shall execute judgment as the Son of man Ioh. 5. 27. So doth Saint Paul when he saith We know the judgment of God shall be according to truth against them that do such things Rom. 2. 2. So doth Saint Iames when he saith There shall be judgment merciless unto them that shew no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment Iames 2. 13. And so doth Saint Peter when he speaketh of the Iudgment of the great day 2 Pet. 3. 7. Wherefore seeing the last Judgment is thus made sure unto us by these things we should not doubt thereof but should beleeve that it shall certainly be and come to pass in due season Thirdly I affirm That the last Iudgment shall 3 Informat be visibly administred onely by Christ as Mediator as God and Man in one person Indeed I grant that this Judgment shall be efficiently caused by the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost because it is said That God shall judg the world Psa 50. 6. 75. 7. Act. 17. 31. And the outward acts of the Godhead are common to all three persons in the Godhead I grant also that this Judgment shall be instrumentally caused by the holy Angels because they shall go forth and gather
know that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of God at the day of Judgment whether he be bond or free Ephes 6. 8. More particularly it should exhort us 1. To beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually so as to rely upon him for Pardon Peace Sanctification and Salvation and not to content our selves as many do with a bare profession of faith or with an historical faith or with a temporary faith or with a false faith saying they beleeve that all shall be saved c. seeing we know that a dead faith cannot save any but it shall be well for such Beleevers as have a lively faith at the day of Judgment as it is written He that beleeveth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Christ shall come to be admired of those that beleeve 2 Thes 1. 10. And whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. Joh. 11. 2. To repent of our sins dayly by way of confession contrition and prayer seeing we know it shall go well with such penitent sinners at the day of Judgment when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of God Acts 3. 19. 3. To be doers of Gods Word and not hearers only deceiving our own Souls seeing we know it shall be well with the doers of Gods Word at the day of Judgment as it is written Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of God which is in Heaven Mat. 7. And it shall be then said unto every doer of Gods Will Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in little I will make thee Ruler over much enter into thy Masters Joy 4. To be merciful unto such as are in misery seeing we know that Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment yea against the last Judgment Jam. 2. 13. 5. To be circumspect in our ways according to that of Saint Iames So speak and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty Jam. 2. 12. 6. To fear the last Judgment not with a distrustful fear but with an awful and reverential fear so as to be admonished thereby to eschew the evil forbidden and to do the good required as David feared the temporal Judgments of God Psalm 119. 120. 7. To make our Calling and Election sure seeing we know that it shall be well with Gods Chosen at the day of Judgment Rom. 8. 33. SECT VIII Touching the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ in the World to come THough the Kingdom of Christ be Monarchical and so but one Kingdom in a large sence there being no other Christ superior or equal to him in it yet there be different estates of his Kingdom and every estate of it is called a Kingdom in Scripture and so we have warrant from the Word of God to distinguish of the Kingdom of Christ and to say there is a three-fold Kingdom of his viz. 1. His Essential Kingdom 2. His Personal-Divine Kingdom 3. His Personal-Humane Kingdom 1. The Essential Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs to him as he is God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost for whatsoever is common to the three persons in the Trinity is essential to each of them as the Godhead is common to all and essential to each of them Omnisciency is common to all and essential to each of them Omnipotency is common to all and essential to each of them So there is a Kingdom common to all of them which therefore may be called the essential Kingdom of Christ as he is God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost which Kingdom of his is called by some His Natural Kingdom by others His Native or Providential Kingdom by me His Essential Kingdom And this Kingdom of his hath for its Object both this world and the World to come It is every where in Heaven in Earth and under the â—â—â—th it extends to all creatures together with their actions and all accidents incidental unto them as it is said God hath established his Throne in Heaven and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 103. 19. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth Psal 8. 1. God ruleth in the kingdoms of men Dan. 4. 17 25. And the Wisdom of God saith By me Kings raign and Princes decree Iustice By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the Earth Prov. 8. 15 16. 2. The Personal-Divine Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is God and man in one Person and wherein he now raigns in his Divine Nature For it is commonly acknowledged by Divines That Christ now raigneth over his Militant Church in his Divine Nature and hath so raigned from the beginning hitherto and shall so raign unto the end of the world in a spiritual way and that both inwardly by his Word and Spirit and outwardly by the Discipline and Government which he hath appointed in his Church And they say The Person which thus raigns is God and man yet the Nature wherein he raigns is not the Humane but the Divine Nature and therefore I call it his Personal-Divine Kingdom Of this Kingdom of his it is said The Kingdom of God is at hand Mar. 1. 15. The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation The Kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17. 20 21. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And I acknowledg that this Kingdom of his may fitly be called his Spiritual Kingdom because his Government in it is altogether Spiritual It may fitly be called his Donative Kingdom because he received it by donation and gift from his Father Joh. 17. 2. It may fitly be called his Mediatory Kingdom because it belongs unto him as he is a Mediator between God and man And it may fitly be called his Oeconomical Kingdom because it extends properly to his Family the visible Church Neither do I think that think this Personal Kingdom of Christ considered as meerly Divine shall extend to the Church Triumphant 3. The Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is the Son of man and the Son of David and wherein he shall raign in his Humane Nature bodily and visibly And though I grant That this Kingdom of his shall be a second estate of his Personal Donative Mediatory Occonomical Kingdom yet for distinction sake I call it his Personal-Humane Kingdom because only in this estate of his Kingdom shall he raign after a bodily and humane manner Now this is the Kingdom of which I am here to speak and I shall speak of it partly by way of Doctrine and partly by way of Use and Application By way of Doctrine I shall lay down several principles or grounds needful to be known concerning this Kingdom of Christ As First I affirm That Christ shall one day have
from the Father to the Son of man and from the Son of man to the Father or from the personal Kingdom of the Father to the personal Kingdom of the Son and from the personal humane Kingdom of the Son unto the personal Kingdom of the Father And so much I learn from those words of our Saviour himself Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God viz. his good Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man John 1. vers 51. 4. That as they are now blessed so shall they be for ever blessed in the World to come And by so much the more shall they be blessed in the World to come by how much their Ministry and Service shall be more visible to the Saints and better understood of them in the World to come then now it is Which condition of the good Angels may inform Vse us First That the Humane Nature in Christ shall in dignity far excel the good Angels in the World to come For we are sure that these Angels shall serve Christ and administer unto him but we are not sure that Christ shall serve them in the World to come And we know that Christ is now for the present above these Angels in his Humane Nature at his Fathers right hand and that he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and the nature of Mankinde and therefore he shall still be above the Angels in his Humane Nature And albeit during the time of his Humiliation he was made a little lower then the Angels that he might suffer in the flesh Yet now he is exalted above them and shall be crowned with glory and dignity above them in the World to come for ever Again This condition of the good Angels in the World to come may inform us That the adopted Children of God have great cause to be thankful for the perseverance of these Angels in the state of grace for that God hath kept them hitherto in their holy station that so they might be helpful to us by their Ministry both in this world and in the World to come And though our fleshly nature be not sensible of the Ministry of these Angels yet we should beleeve according to the Scriptures That God doth make their Ministry beneficial to his adopted ones in this life divers ways Sometimes for Instruction as he sent a good Angel to instruct the Shepherds concerning the birth of Christ Luk. 2. Another to instruct the women concerning his Resurrection Another to instruct his Disciples touching his Ascension Act. 1. 11. Sometimes for Direction as he sent a good Angel to direct Lot what course to take for his own and his families safety Sometimes for Protection as it is written The Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him Sometimes for Deliverance as he sent a good Angel to deliver Peter out of prison Act. 12. Sometimes for Consolation as when the Devil had ended his temptation against Christ he sent good Angels to administer comfort unto him Mat. 4. Now if we consider what excellent Creatures these good Angels are and how glorious they shall be in the World to come we shall finde it a great mercy of God that he hath made them ministring spirits and hath sent them to minister for the good of those who are heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1. 14. And consequently that the adopted ones have great cause to be thankful for their Perseverance Concerning evil Angels I beleeve 1. That they shall be subject not onely unto Christ himself but also unto the Saints in the World to come And to assure us hereof it is said That the Saints shall judg the Angels that is the evil Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. And that the God of peace shall bruise Satan under their feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. And so much God said unto Satan in the beginning shortly after his Fall I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Gen. 3. 15. 2. That they shall be everlastingly punished in the World to come and to assure us hereof it is said That everlasting fire is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. 3. That this everlasting punishment of theirs shall be full of torment as they themselves well know and therefore they cryed unto Christ saying What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8. 29. And again I beseech thee torment me not Luk. 8. 28. 4. That this everlasting punishment of theirs shall be full of darkness For if now they be punished with everlasting chains under Darkness Jude 6. much more shall this punishment be upon them in the World to come And if Reprobate men shall be cast into outer darkness for their sins Mat. 22. 13. how shall Reprobate Angels escape this punishment Which condition of evil Angels in the World to Vse come may inform us That the Kingdom of Satan shall one day have an end and then all his opposition against God Christ and the Saints shall cease and determine SECT X. Touching the blessed condition of Gods Elect and the cursed condition of Reprobates in the World to come more generally considered HAving spoken of the different condition of good and evil Angels in the World to come I am in the next place to speak of the different condition of mankinde viz. of the godly and the wicked of the Elect and Reprobates in the world to come And this different condition of theirs may be considered more generally and more specially The general difference that shall be betwixt them may be expressed in these two Propositions Gods Elect shall be blessed in the World to come Reprobates shall be cursed in the World to come Gods Elect shall all be blessed in the World to 1 Proposit come As we may well conceive for these Reasons 1. Because Gods Elect are all known of God with the knowledg of approbation as it is written The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. And the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal 1. 6. Now all that are thus known of God shall be blessed in the World to come But Gods Elect are all thus known of him therefore they shall all be blessed in the World to come 2. Because Gods Elect have their names all written in Heaven Luk. 10. 20. And they that have their names there written shall be blessed in the World to come why else should they be bid to rejoyce in this But this is true of all Gods Elect therefore they shall be blessed in the World to come 3. Because Gods Elect shall all be pronounced blessed at the general Judgment and our Saviour shall then say unto them Come ye blessed Children of my Father c. Matth. 25. 34. Now they that shall
be pronounced blessed at the general Judgment shall be blessed in the World to come But this shall be true of all Gods Elect therefore they shall all be blessed in the World to come 4. Because Gods Elect are all under that Covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed and have an inward right unto it which was a Covenant of blessing them and is extant in this form In blossing I will bless thee In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Genes 12. 2 3. 18. 18. that is the Elect of all Nations Now they that have an inward right to this Covenant shall be blessed in the world to come But Gods Elect have all an inward right unto it therefore they shall all be blessed in the World to come 5. Because Gods Elect shall enjoy all that Christ hath merited for them But Christ hath merited for them a blessed condition in the world to come for which cause it is said That God sent his Son to bless us Act. 3. 26. And he sent his Son to bless his Elect in that he sent him to merit for them the blessings both of this world and the world to come Doubtless then they shall all be blessed in the World to come 6. Because Christ hath promised That none of Gods Elect shall be lost Joh. 6. 37. And if none of them shall be lost then they shall all be blessed in the world to come 7. Because God doth continually bless his Elect in this world with spiritual blessings Eph. 1. 3. and with corporal and external blessings Prov. 10. 6. Wherefore doubtless they shall all be much more abundantly blessed in the world to come Now touching this blessedness of theirs there are four Queries here to be resolved As Of whom they shall be blessed in the World to Quere 1 come Ans They shall be blessed of the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost For the God that made Heaven and Earth shall bless them Psal 134. 3. And the God that made Heaven and Earth is Father Son and Holy Ghost The God Almighty shall bless them Gen. 28. 3. And God almighty is Father Son and Holy Ghost The Father is almighty the Son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty Neither may we think that the act of blessing is to be appropriated onely unto any one person in the Godhead because it is common to all For what causes they shall be blessed in the World Quere 2 to come Ans Primarily and chiefly they shall be blessed for Gods sake for his will and pleasure sake as the original cause and for the glory of his grace as the final cause And as God doth all things chiefly for his own sake Rom. 11. 36. so he shall bless his Elect in the world to come chiefly for his own sake Secondarily they shall be blessed in the world to come for Christs sake as the meritorious cause For as in Isaac typically so in Christ really shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Rom. 4. that is the Elect of all Nations Thirdly they shall be blessed in the world to come for the same graces and virtues for which they are blessed in this world As God doth bless them in this Partly for their effectual knowledg of him and of his Will as it is said Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound Psal 89. 15. And for this he shall bless them in the World to come Partly for their faith and confidence in Christ Blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2. 12. And for this he shall bless them in the world to come Partly for their humility godly sorrow hungering and thirsting after righteousness for meekness mercifulness Blessed are the poor in spirit blessed are they that mourn blessed are they that hunger Matth 5 3 4 5 6 and thirst after righteousness blessed are the meek blessed are the merciful c. And for these causes they shall be blessed in the world to come And partly for their godly fear Psal 112. 1. for their upright walking Psal 119. 1. for their godly conversation Psal 1. 1. for their patience in suffering for truth and righteousness sake Mat. 5. And doubtless for these causes shall they be blessed in the world to come In what manner shall they be blessed in the World to come Quere 3 Ans First They shall be fully and perfectly blessed For though there be no perfect bliss to be expected in this world neither is there perfect bliss enjoyed now in Heaven by the faithful Souls departed yet there shall be perfect bliss for Gods Elect in the world to come as we may gather from those words of the Apostle These all having obtained a good report through faith received not the Promises God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Hebr. 11. 39 40. where he shews that the faithful mentioned before in this Chapter were not perfectly blessed in this life because they received not all the Promises and that their Souls now being in Heaven are not perfectly blessed there because they cannot be made perfect without us that do or shall beleeve in after-times But withall he intimates That both the faithful of former times and those of latter times shall be made perfect all of them together in the world to come And though these vessels of mercy may not be all of one size in the world to come but some of them may hold and contain more of Gods benediction then others yet all of them shall be filled up to the brim therewith and so shall be perfectly blessed Secondly They shall be everlastingly blessed For Gods mercy is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him Psal 103. 17. And as their inchoate blessedness in this world shall end in that which is to come so that which is to come shall have no end Thirdly They shall be exceedingly blessed above all that we can now think or speak or conceive of their blessed condition according to that of the Apostle Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. where indeed the main scope of Saint Paul is to shew that the natural man is no competent judg of heavenly things as the spiritual man is Howbeit though the spiritual man can better judg of such things then the natural man can yet we must understand that the spiritual man cannot perfectly judg them while he is in this world neither can he fully comprehend the blessed condition of the Saints in the world to come Wherewith they shall be blessed in the World to Quere 4 come Ans They shall be blessed in the world to come 1. With everlasting Salvation Rom. 11. 2. With everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. 3. With everlasting Glory 4. With everlasting Honor Rom. 2. 5. With everlasting Liberty Rom. 8. 6. With everlasting
Dominion Psal 7. With everlasting Riches 1 Pet. 1. 8. With everlasting Peace Isai 26. 9. With everlasting Light 10. With everlasting Joy 11. VVith everlasting Security But my purpose is to speak of these particulars more fully in the following Sections It may suffice in this place to mention them onely because all that I intended in this Section touching this blessed condition of Gods Elect was to speak of it in a general way which I have done accordingly in this Proposition If so be that Gods Elect shall be blessed in the Vse world to come then we may here inform our selves That it is in vain and will be in vain for any in this world to curse them First Because God hath not doth not will not curse them And how shall we curse whom the Lord hath not cursed Num. 23. 8. Secondly Because God will bless them though men curse them never so much as the Prophet saith Let them curse but bless thou Lord Psal 109. 28. And God shall bless us Psal 67. 7. Thirdly Because God will curse them that curse his people Gen. 12. 2 3. Fourthly Because the curse causless shall not come Prov. 26. 2. Fifthly Because we cannot curse them so secretly as that the Lord shall not know it For which cause Solomon saith Curse not the King no not in thy thought and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber for a bird of the ayr shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall tell the matter Eccles 10. 20. For these causes it is in vain for any to curse Gods Elect in this life VVherefore my brethren let us not curse one another as the manner of some is let not Parents curse their Children nor Children their Parents Masters their Servants nor Servants their Masters Husbands their VVives nor VVives their Husbands the Rich the Poor nor the Poor the Rich c. foâ— in so doing we may curse Gods Elect unawares and it will be in vain to curse them Nay those curses which we shoot as arrows against them may recoyl upon our selves as Balak and Balaam desired to curse the Israelites but this became a curse to themselves at last So Shimei cursed David the Lords anointed but this became a curse upon himself at the last Object Though it be not lawful to curse Gods Elect yet I hope it may be lawful to curse wicked Reprobates Sol. If we certainly knew Reprobates from others in this life we might lawfully curse them as God doth and will curse them But this knowledg is too high for us we cannot without extraordinary revelation know in particular who are Reprobates in this life therefore we ought not to curse any as such Object Noah cursed his son Cam Genes 9. 25. and Elisha cursed the two and fourty children that mocked him 2 King 2. 24. and why may not we do the like Sol. These examples of Noah and Elisha are extraordinary and are not recorded for our imitation But concerning them I thus judg and conceive That either Noah knew by extraordinary revelation his son Cam to be a Reprobate and thereupon cursed him or else that he sinned in this act And so that Elisha either knew by extraordinary Revelation those two and fourty children to be Reprobates and thereupon cursed them or else that he sinned in this act Now in these days we have no such extraordinary Revelations but must walk by that ordinary rule which our Saviour hath given us viz. Bless them that curse you Bless I say and curse not Mat. 5. 44. Again If eternal blessedness in the world to come shall be the reward and portion of Gods Elect then we should learn from hence too That Christians must live in this world as becometh Gods Elect that so they may receive the portion of such in the world to come Now it becometh Gods Elect in this life to know God to fear him to love him to beleeve in him to hope in him to be zealous for him and willing to keep his Commandments It becometh them to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world yea it becometh them to live virtuously in every kinde as Saint Paul adviseth us Put on as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of minde meekness long-suffering Forbearing one another and forgiving one another as Christ forgave you And above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. 12 13. 14 c. And if we thus live here the life of Gods Elect we shalâ— undoubtedly receive the portion of Gods Elect in the world to come viz. eternal bliss and happiness Reprobates shal all be cursed in the World to come 2 Proposit As we we may well conceive for these Reasons 1. Because they shall not be known of God and of Christ in the world to come with the knowledg of approbation as may appear by our Saviours speech to the foolish Virgins Verily I say unto you I know you not Mat. 25. 12. and to the Hypocrites at the latter day I tell you I know not whence ye are depart from me ye workers of iniquity Luk. 13. 25 27. And they that shall not be known of God and of Christ with the knowledg of Approbation shall be cursed in the World to come 2. Because they shall not have their names found written in Heaven And such as shall not have their names found written in Heaven shall be cursed in the world to come 3. Because they shall be pronounced cursed at the general Judgment and Christ shall then say unto them Matth. 25. 41. And they that shall be pronounced cursed at the general Judgment shall be cursed in the world to come 4. Because Christ was not made a curse for them as he was for the Elect Gal. 3. 13. And seeing Christ did not suffer the cursed death of the cross for them they must suffer the curse for themselves and in their own persons both in this world and in the world to come Deut. 27 15 to 26. 28. 15 16 17 5. Because men are still under the curse of God until they repent effectually and beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ Now we know that Reprobates shall never have grace to repent effectually and to beleeve effectually in the Lord Jesus Christ therefore they shall be cursed in the world to come 1. And if it be here demanded Of whom they shall be cursed in the World to come I answer They shall be cursed of the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost He that made them shall curse And as the curse of the Lord Father Son and Holy Ghost is now upon the house of the wicked Prov. 3. 33. So the curse of the Lord Father Son and Holy Ghost shall be upon the heads of wicked Reprobates in the world to come 2. If it be demanded again For what causes they shall be cursed in the World to come I answer They shall be cursed for all their
saved in the world to come 2. Because they are or shall be all regenerated And they that are or shall be regenerated shall be saved in the world to come Mat. 19. 28. 3. Because they are or shall be all justified by the blood of Christ And they that are or shall be justified by his blood shall be saved from wrath by him Rom. 5. 9. 4. Because they are or shall be all reconciled to God by the death of his Son And they that shall be reconciled to God by the death of his Son shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. 5. Because they are or shall be all the adopted children of God by grace And all that are or shall be the adopted children of God by grace shall be saved in the world to come because they are heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1. 14. 6. Because they do or shall beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually And they that do or shall beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually shall be saved in the world to come according to the Promise Act. 16. 31. Mark 16. 16. 7. Because they do or shall repent unfainedly And they that do or shall repent unfainedly shall be saved in the world to come seeing this is called Repentance unto Salvation 2 Cor. 7. 10. 8. Because they do or shall all hope in God with a lively hope And they that do or shall hope in God with a lively hope shall be saved in the world to come Rom. 8. 24. 9. Because they do or shall all fear the Lord with a godly fear And they that do or shall fear the Lord with a godly fear shall be saved not onely in this world but also in the world to come Psal 85. 9. 10. Because they do or shall all walk sincerely and uprightly before the Lord And they that do or shall walk sincerely and uprightly before the Lord shall be saved in the world to come Prov. 28. 18. 11. Because they do or shall all call upon the name of the Lord in sincerity And they that so do or shall do shall be saved in the world to come Rom. 10. 13. 12. Because they have endured or shall endure constantly in the state of grace to the end And they that shall so endure to the end shall be saved in the world to come Mat. 10. 22. 13. Because they have an inward right to all the Promises of Salvation as to these amongst the rest Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks Isai 26. 1. But Israel shall be saved Isai 45. 17. In mount Sion shall be Deliverance Joel 2. 32. Obadi 17. Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shal turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11. 26. In which promises I understand by mount Sion the triumphant Church of Gods Elect in the World to come not excluding the Militant And by Israel and Jacob the whole body of Gods Elect who are fully to enjoy these Promises in the world to come and not before And thus may we understand the certainty of their Salvation Thirdly As concerning the causes of their Salvation I affirm 1. That the efficient cause of their Salvation in the world to come shall be the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost For Salvation belongeth to the Lord Psal 3. 8. And the Salvation of the righteous is of him Psal 37. 39. And the full Salvation of Israel shall come from him out of the heavenly Sion Psal 14. 6. And Israel shall be saved in the Lord Isai 45. 17. that is by the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. That the principal moving cause of their Salvation in the world to come is and shall be the Grace of God I mean the gracious good will and pleasure of God from everlasting And for this cause it is said We are saved by Grace Ephes 2. 8. And it is the grace of God that bringeth Salvation Tit. 2. 11. 3. That the principal final cause of this their Salvation shall be the glory of Gods mercy He shall save them that he may glorifie his mercy upon them which the Prophet knew well and therefore prayed That God would save him for his mercies sake Psal 6. 4. and according to his mercy Psal 109. vers 26. 4. The meritorious cause of this their Salvation is and shall be onely Christ And there is no Salvation in any other Act. 4. 12. as in the meritorious cause But he is the Author of eternal Salvation as God equal with the Father in an efficient way as Mediator and as God and man in one person in a meritorious way Hebr. 5. 9. And he it is by whom this Salvation is to be obtained 1 Thess 5. vers 9. 5. The instrumental cause of this their Salvation is and shall be the Word of God read and preached For this Word hath an instrumental power to save Souls Jam. 1. 21. The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16. By it a man may be made wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. And it pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. 6. The dispositive or helping causes of this their Salvation are and shall be all spiritual blessings or saving graces in this life as Justification Sanctification Faith Hope Love c. For these are the things that accompany Salvation Hebr. 6. 9. And these are the things that do fit and prepare men for Salvation in the world to come Fourthly As concerning the extent of this their Salvation I affirm 1. That it shall extend to all the particular persons of Gods Elect whether Jews or Gentiles by nature for it is said plainly All Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 26. that is all the Elect God will have all men to be saved that is all his Elect 1 Tim. 2. 4. The promise shall be sure to all the seed that is to all the Elect Rom. 4. 16. God preserveth all them that love him Psa 145. 20. He preserveth them not onely from temporal dangers but he will also preserve them unto Salvation in the world to come Yea we find That the whole house of Israel that is the whole Family of Gods Elect shall be saved Ezek. 37. 11. 39. 25. And 2. as this Salvation shall extend to all their persons so it shall extend to them in all respects both in respect of their Souls and bodies for their Souls shall be saved in the Day of the Lord and they shall receive the end of their Faith the Salvation of their Souls 1 Pet. 1. 9. And if their Souls after they are united to glorified bodies shall be saved doubtless their glorified bodies shall be saved too Fifthly As concerning the continuance of this â—heir Salvation I affirm That it shall continue â—or ever For which cause it is called Eternal Salâ—ation Heb. 5. 9. And it is said That Israel shall â—e saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvatiâ—n
7. They that shall partake of glory in the world to come shall be rewarded with glory in that world But Gods Elect shall be partakers of glory in that world 1 Pet. 5. 1. Ergo. 8. They that are or shall be wise in Gods esteem shall inherit glory in the world to come Prov. 3. 35. But Gods elect are or shal be wise in his esteem Erg. 9. They that are or shall be righteous in Gods account shall be rewarded with glory in the world to come according to the burthen of that triumphant song Glory to the righteous Isa 24. 16. But Gods Elect are or shall be all righteous in Gods account Erg. 10. They that have or shall have their faith tryed as by fire shall have glory in the world to come 1 Pet. 1. 7. But Gods Elect have or shall have their faith tryed as with fire Ergo. 11. They that do or shall walk uprightly before God shall have glory in the world to come according to his promise Psal 84. 11. But Gods Elect do or shall thus walk Ergo. 12. They that are or shall be guided by the counsel of Gods Word here shall be rewarded with glory in the world to come according to that of the Prophet Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Ps 73. 24. But Gods Elect are or shal be guided with Gods counsel here Erg. 13. They that do or shall glorifie God in this life shall be rewarded with glory in the world to come Joh. 13. 32. But Gods Elect do or shall glorifie him in this life Ergo. 3. Next as concerning the degrees of it I acknowledg That there shal be degrees of glory in the world to come according to the degrees of grace and virtue in this world and that those of the Elect which have been or shall be more gracious then others here shall be more glorious hereafter as on the contrary those of them that have been or shall be less gracious here shall be less glorious hereafter so much the Apostle illustrateth by a comparison taken from the natural glory of the Sun the Moon and the Stars There is one glory of the Sun and another glory of the Moon and another glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another in glory So shall it be in the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 41 42. And if it shall be so in the Resurrection then it shall be so in the World to come amongst Gods Elect And it was shewed before That some of them shall shine as the Firmament some as the Stars and some as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father Now for natural glory we know the Sun hath more then the Moon the Moon more then the Stars some Stars more then others And on the contrary the Firmament hath less natural glory then the Stars the Stars less then the Sun So by these places and similitudes we are taught what to think and judg of degrees of glory in the world to come 4. As concerning the causes of it I affirm 1. That the efficient cause of it shall be the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost For the God of glory shall glorifie his Elect in the world to come and the whole Trinity is the God of glory Psa 29. 3. Act. 7. 2. And he shall give glory to the upright Psal 84. 11. 2. That the meritorious cause of it shall be onely Christ our Mediator who is called the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. and the Lord of glory Jam. 2. 1. because in a meritorious way he hath brought and is to bring many sons unto glory Hebr. 2. 10. 3. That the final cause of it is and shal be the glory of Gods mercy He wil glorifie his Elect in the world to come that he may glorifie his mercy upon them as he doth all things chiefly for his own glory Rom. 11. 36. 4. That the instrumental cause of it is and shall be the Word or Gospel of Christ which hath ever been instrumental unto some for the obtaining of glory 2 Thess 4. 14. and is so far instrumental for this purpose as it is accompanyed with the Ministry of Gods Spirit and therefore it is said in another place We are changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3. 18. 5. As concerning the continuance of it I say That this glory shall continue for ever upon Gods Elect in the world to come and that they shall never cease to be glorious for which cause it is called an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. and it is often called eternal glory as â— Tim. 2. 10. 1 Pet. 5. 4 10. Now this doctrine touching the glory of Gods Elect Vse in the world to come is usually applied in Scripture by way of Exhortation to which purpose only I shall here also apply it And in this Exhortation I shall speak unto you all as unto Gods Elect For though I am not certain that all of you are of this sort and of this number yet you may be all or many of you of this sort for ought I know to the contrary Neither dare I say of any particular person now living amongst us that this man or this woman is none of Gods Elect. Wherefore supposing in my charity that you may be of this sort I now in this as in all other Exhortations speak unto you as unto such And so exhort you 1. To be patient in all your present tribulations and afflictions because it is most certain that Gods Elect shall be rewarded with glory in the world to come and therefore you should be patient in the mean time Especially considering 1. That the afflictions of this though grievous in themselves it may be are but light in comparison of the glory that shall be revedled hereafter and so not worthy to be compared with it Rom. 8. vers 18. 2. That the afflictions of this life are but short and momentary in comparison of the glory hereafter 3. That the afflictions of this life if patiently suffered in obedience to Gods will shall be recompenced with glory and so shall work for us a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 2. To be plentiful in good works and in doing Gods Will For to him that doth good shall be glory Rom. 2. 10. And look what good any man doth in obedience to Gods Will the same shall he receive whether he be bond or free Eph. 6. 8. Yea the more good we shall do in obedience to Gods Will the more glory shall we receive according to that of the Apostle He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly but he that soweth plentifully shall reap plentifully 2 Cor. 9. 6. 3. To hope for glory in the world to come For it is most certain that Gods Elect shall be rewarded with glory in that world and therefore they should constantly hope for it as Saint Paul and other Beleevers with him did not onely hope for this
glory but also rejoyce in hope thereof Rom. 5. 2. And this hope is that which will support the Soul in the hour of temptation and distress whereas without it the Soul is in danger of sinking into the gulf of despair Wherefore let Israel still hope in the Lord and that for this glory which is to be revealed in the world to come 4. To glorifie God in this world and to give as much glory to him as we can How else can we expect to be glorified of him in the world to come And we should here consider First That we are often commanded to glorifie God Glorifie him ye sons of Jacob Psal 22. 23. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie him both in your Souls and bodies which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. Secondly That glory doth most rightly belong unto God because his glory is above Heaven and Earth Psal 148. 13. Thirdly That Gods glory is most dear unto him because he will not give his glory to another Isai 42. 8. Fourthly That God doth seek his own glory in all his actions for to teach us to do the like Fifthly That Herod was punished with sudden death because he gave not glory to God but to himself Acts 12. 23. Wherefore we should be careful to give all possible glory to God in this life How may we glorifie him in this life Quest. We may do it divers ways As Answ 1. By beleeving Gods statutes and promises effectually As Abraham being strong in the faith gave glory to God Rom. 4. 20. so may we if we be strong in the faith Yea hereby we shall give him the glory of his truth and faithfulness For as he that beleeveth not hath made him a lyar so he that beleeveth hath put to his seal That God is true 2. By being thankful unto God for favors and benefits received for he that offereth praise glorifieth him Psal 50. 23. 3. By being fruitful in grace For herein is my Father glorified saith Christ if ye bring forth much fruit Joh. 15. 8. 4. By being exemplary to others in a good way for hereby we shall not onely glorifie our selves but shall occasion others to do the like according to that of our Saviour Let your light so shine before men that they may see you good works and may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. 5. By being patient under the reproaches that are or shall be put upon us for Christs sake according to that of the Apostle If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4. 14. 6. By intending Gods glory in all our lawful actions according to the Apostles rule Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. The next Proposition is That Reprobates shall 2. Proposit be rewarded with Shame in the WORLD to come Touching which Shame of theirs we are to consider The Nature of it The Certainty of it The Degrees of it The Causes of it The Continuance of it First Touching the nature of it I conceive That their shame in the World to come shall be a total privation of glory because they shall have nothing to glory of in the World to come no Innocency no Righteousness no Holiness no Faith no Repentance no Love no Obedience c. but they shall have much to be ashamed of 1. Because their sins in this world shall all be remembred and set before them as the Lord saith by the Prophet Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psal 50. 21. and they that shall have all their sins remembred and set before them in the World to come shall have much to be ashamed of in that world 2. Because they shall have their consciences awakened to accuse and condemne them in the World to come Rom. 2. 15. and if so then they shall have much to be ashamed of in that world 3. Because they shall bear the guilt and punishment of all their sins in the VVorld to come as it is written God shall bring upon them their own iniquity Psal 94. 23. they shall bear their iniquity Ezek. 44. 12. and every man without a pardon shall bear his own burthen Gal 6. 5. and they that shall bear the guilt and punishment of all their sins in the World to come shall have much to be ashamed of in that world and so I understand the nature of their shame Secondly touching the certainty of it I say that reprobates shall most certainly be rewarded with shame in the World to come as may be good by these Arguments 1. They that will still be wicked in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to the Prayer of David Let not me be ashamed but let the wicked be ashamed Psal 31. 17. but reprobates will still be wicked in this world Ergo. 2. They that will still forsake God in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of the Prophet O Lord all that forsake thee shall be ashamed Jer. 17. 13. but reprobates will still forsake God and go on whoring from him in this world Ergo. 3. They that will finally be ashamed of Christ and his Gospell in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of our Saviour Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angells But reprobates will finally be ashamed of Christ and his Gospell in this world Ergo. 4. They that will still hate the righteous in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come as it was said to Job They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame Job 8. 22. but Reprobates will still hate the righteous in this world Ergo. 5. They that will still be the servants of sin and Satan in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according as God saith by the Prophet My servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Esa 65. 13. but reprobates will still be the servants of sin and Satan in this world Ergo. 6. They that will still be foolish in this world in a spirituall sense shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of Solomon Shame shall be the promotion of fools Prov. 3. 35. but reprobates will still be foolish in a spirituall sense Ergo. 7. They that will still be proud in this world and live under the dominion of this sin shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to the Prayer of David Let the proud be ashamed Psal 119. 78. And as Solomon intimates
When pride cometh then cometh shame Prov. 11. 2. but reprobates will still live in this sin without repentance in this world Ergo. 8. They that will still refuse wholesome instruction in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come as it is said Shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction Prov. 13. 18. but reprobates will still refuse wholsome instruction in this world Ergo. 9. They that shall rise againe to shame at the generall Resurrection shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come But reprobates shall rise again to shame at the generall Resurrection Dan. 12. 2. Ergo. Thirdly Touching the degrees of this their shame I conceive that they shall be proportioned according to their degrees of sinning in this world as their sins shall be more or lesse so shall their shame be the greater sinners amongst them shall have the greater shame and the lesser sinners amongst them the lesser shame in the world to come And so I conceive because as every one of them shall bear his own iniquity so every one of them shall ber his own shame Ezek 16. 54. yet every one of them shall be filled with shame Hab. 2. 6. Fourtthly Touching the causes of this their shame I say 1. That the meritorious cause of it is and shall be onely their sin for one sin deserves shame and every sin of it's own nature deserves the shame of this world and of that which is to come And though it be true that such sinners as have or shall have their sins pardoned shall never be put to shame in the world to come yet Reprobates who shall never have their sins pardoned because they will never repent in season shall be sure in the world to come to beare the whose shame which their sins have deserved or shall deserve 2. That the efficient cause of it shall be the whole Trinity God Father Son and Holy Ghost for the same God that is now displeased and offended with their sins is he that shall bring them to shame and put them to shame and fill their faces with shame in the world to come as appears by the prayer of the Prophet Psal 83. 16 17. 3. That the finall cause of it shall be the glory of Gods justice he shall reward them with shame that he may glorifie his Justice upon them Fifthly Touching the continuance of it I say that this shame of theirs shall continue for ever in the world to come for which cause it is said that their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten Jer. 20. 11. and their perpetuall shame shalâ— never be forgotten Jer. 23. 40. Which latter Proposition doth not only confirm wâ—at hath been formerly said viz. that iâ— had been good for Reprobates if they had never been born and that it shall be worse with them in the World to come then it can be with them in this World but also it should admonish all mankind now living amongst us to take some effectuall course for their own safety that they may be preserved from this everlasting shame we are not willing to have our share with Reprobates in it therefore we should take some effectuall course for our preservation from it What course must we take for our preservation Quest 1. We must sue out a pardon for our sins in Answ the name of Christ while we live and if we can obtaine this pardon we shall be preserved if not from temporall yet from everlasting shame 2. We must constantly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this faith will preserve us if not from temporall yet from everlasting shame in the world to come as it is written Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone elect and precious and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 9. 33. shall not be confounded 1 Pet. 2. 6. viz. in the world to come 3. We must hope in the Lord for good things promised and this hope if it be a lively hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. but will preserve us if not from temporall yet from eternall shame in the world to come 4. We must patiently wait upon God for the accomplishment of his promises and then we shall not be ashamed in the world to come as it is said they shall not be ashamed that wait for me Esa 49. 23. 5. We must be willing to observe and keep all the knowne precepts of God so far as they shall concern us and then we shall be preserved from this eternall shame as David saith Then shal I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements Psal 119. 6. 6. We must be soundly affected to Gods Word and then we shall be safe from eternall shame according to the prayer of David Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Psal 119. 80. 7. We must walk uprightly and sincerely before the Lord because the Lord knoweth the days of the upright and they shall not be ashamed in the evill time Psal 37. 18 19. 8. We must persevere in grace received which is to abide in Christ unto the end and then we shall be safe from eternall shame according to that of S. John Little children abidein him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 Joh. 2. 28. SECT XIIII Touching the honour of Gods Elect and the contempt of Reprobates in the world to come HEre followeth a fourth speciall difference which shall be betwixt the parties before-named which difference may be thus expressed in two Propositions Gods Elect shall be honoured in the world to come Reprobates shall be contemned in the world to come The former Proposition is That Gods Elect Proposition shall be honoured in the world to come touching which honour of theirs we are to consider two things viz. The nature of it The certainty of it Frst Touching the nature of it I conceive that they shal be honoured with an high esteem in the world to come and that on Gods part on Christs part amongst the Angels amongst themselves and amongst the reprobate sort of mankind 1. They shall be 〈◊〉 esteemed of in the world to come on Goâ— for part for he shall still esteem them as his Covenant-people according to his promise I will be your God and ye shall be my people Rev. 21. 3. which promise is often repeated he shall still esteem them as his children according to his promise I will be a father to you and ye shall be sons and daughters unto me saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. He shall still esteem them as his faithfull servants according to that saying Well done good and faithfull servant Mat. 25. 23. He shall still esteem them as his triumphant Church as the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. 2. Yea he shal so highly esteem of them in the world to come that he shal put a new name upon them Esa 62. 2. another name from
3. These things considered I see no reason why any should grudg at the prosperity of wicked rich men in this world seeing that the Reprobate sort of them shall have a very poor estate in the world to come But I infer with the Prophet Fret not thy self because of evill doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity for they shal soon be cut down like the grasse and wither as the green herb Psal 73. 1 2. Secondly if we wil not be as none desires to be poor with Reprobates in the world to come we must labour to be poor in Spirit and rich in grace while we live in this world for if we be poor in Spirit here in this life we shall not be poor in the world to come as we may gather from that of our Saviour Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 3. And if we be rich in grace that is in knowledg faith repentance love and hope c. we shall not be poor in the World to come as we may gather from that of Saint James Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him Jam. 2. 5. SECT XVIII Touching the Peace of Gods Elect and the Tribulation of Reprobates in the World to come HEre followeth an eighth special Difference which shall be betwixt the parties before named in the World to come which may be thus expressed Gods Elect shall have Peace in the World Reprobates shall have Tribulation to come The former Proposition is That Gods Elect 1 Proposit shall have Peace in the World to come which Peace of theirs is to be considered As touching the Nature of it As touching the Certainty of it As touching the Nature of it I affirm 1. That their Peace in the World to come shall be great Peace According to that promise Great shall be the Peace of thy Children Isai 54. 13. which promise may be performed partly in this world and partly in Heaven but it shall be perfectly performed only in the world to come wherein the peace of Gods Elect shall be great for variety and great for excellency Their peace shall be great for variety because in that world They shall have peace with God God shall be no enemy unto them neither shall he lay any thing to their charge but shall be more fully reconciled unto them in respect of manifestation then now he is They shall have peace with Christ for Christ shall be no Enemy unto them neither shall he lay any thing to their charge in that world but shall own them for his Friends his Spouse his Love his undefiled They shall have peace with their Consciences Their Consciences shall not accuse nor trouble them for any sin for any thing but as they shall have boldness at the day of Judgment arising from peace of Conscience 1 Joh. 4. 18. so this peace shall continue still They shall have peace among themselves that is they shall worship and serve God peaceably together with one minde and with one heart and so there shall be one Lord and his Name one Zech. 14. 9. because the Elect shall worship onely one Lord and that with one kinde of worship and with one heart and one Soul in that world They shall have peace from the Angels for as the good Angels shall have no will so the evil Angels shall have no power to hurt or molest them as we may gather from that Promise The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16. vers 20. They shall have peace from wicked men and women for though the Saints shall have power to molest and trouble the wicked yet the wicked shall have no power to molest and trouble the Saints in that world seeing they shall be bound in chains Psal 149. 7. They shall have peace from all other creatures in that world as it is written Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee and thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace Job 5. 23 24. Again it is said The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain saith the Lord Isa 65. 25. Which prophetical Promises shall never be perfectly fulfilled in this world but they shall be so fulfilled in that which is to come Such shall be the peace of Gods Elect in that world And as this peace of theirs shall be great for variety so it shall be great for excellency in as much as the excellency of it shall far surpass all that we can now in our mortal condition think or speak of it And if there be any peace of God out of God belonging to any creature which passeth all understanding as it should seem there is Phil. 4. 7. surely this shall be such a peace And who knows not that the peace of this world is more obvious to our present apprehension and understanding then that of the world to come 2. I affirm That this peace of theirs shall be abundant for measure and degree as it is promised They shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Psal 37. 11. And God shall extend peace to them like a river Isai 66. 12. Which Promises shall perfectly be fulfilled not in this world but in that which is to come 3. I affirm That this peace of theirs shall be perfect without defect as the Prophet assures us when he saith unto God Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee Isa 26. 3. The best peace which can be had in this world may be in some respect defective but in that which is to come the peace of Gods chosen shall be in nothing defective but they shall have so much of it as their hearts can wish or desire to have 4. I affirm That this peace of theirs shall be everlasting without end For which cause it is said That God shall keep them in perfect peace in the former place Isai 26. 3. without any limitation of time to intimate That he shall keep them in this peace for ever And the Covenant of peace which he hath made with his chosen is called an everlasting Covenant Ezek. 37. 26. And if this Covenant be everlasting then surely the peace which they shall enjoy by virtue of this Covenant shall be everlasting too And so we have seen the nature of this peace As touching the Certainty of it I aver it for a most certain truth That Gods Elect shall have peace in the world to come such a peace as hath been described as may be proved by these Arguments 1. They that shall be perfectly reconciled to God in the world to come shall have perfect peace in that
world perfect peace being a fruit of perfect reconciliation But Gods Elect shall be perfectly reconciled unto him in the World to come because they have been are or shall be truly reconciled unto him in this world Ergo. 2. They that shall be perfectly justified in the World to come shall have perfect peace in that world perfect peace being a fruit of perfect Justification But Gods Elect shall be perfectly justified in the world to come Act. 3. 19. because they are have been or shall be truly justified in this world Rom. 5. 1. Ergo. 3. They that shall be perfectly sanctified in the world to come shall have perfect peace in that world perfect peace being a fruit of perfect Sanctification But Gods Elect shall be perfectly sanctified in the world to come because they are have been or shall be truly sanctified in this world Ergo. 4. They that are wont to have their mindes stay'd on God in this world so as to be stedfast towards him in respect of graces received and truths received and in respect of well doing c. shall have perfect peace in the world to come according to that of the Prophet Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee Isai 26. 3. Now Gods Elect after they are effectually called are wont to have their mindes thus stayed on him Ergo. 5. They that are wont to trust in God really and in sincerity here in this world shal have perfect peace in the world to come as the Prophet adds in the former place Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace because he trusteth in thee Isai 26. 3. Now Gods Elect after their effectual calling are wont thus to trust in him Ergo. 6. They that do or shall love Gods Word in sincerity while they live here shall have perfect peace in the world to come because they shall have great peace in this life as it is written Great peace have they that love thy Law Psal 119. 165. Now Gods Elect are such as do or shall love his Word in sincerity while they live here Ergo. 7. They that do or shall endevor to walk according to the rule of Gods Word while they live here shall have perfect peace in the World to come according to that of the Apostle As many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy Gal. 6. 16. Now Gods Elect are such as do or shall endevor to walk according to this rule whiles they live in this world Ergo. 8. They that are or shall be sincere and upright before God in this world shall have perfect peace in that which is to come as I gather from that of the Prophet Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37. 37. his end being put chiefly for his future condition in the next world Now Gods Elect are such as are or shall be all upright and sincere before him in this world Ergo. 9. They that are under a Covenant of peace and have an inward right thereunto shall have perfect peace in the world to come according to the same Covenant Now Gods Elect are all under a Covenant of peace and have an inward right thereunto as appeareth Ezek. 34. 25. 37. 26. Ergo. 10. They that shall have nothing to offend them in the world to come shall have perfect peace in that world But Gods Elect shall have nothing to offend them in the world to come as it is promised in plain words Nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Which Promise though it may in some respects and degrees be made good to them in this world yet it shall not be perfectly fulfilled but in that which is to come when nothing at all shall offend them Erg. 11. They that do or shall do good in this life with an honest and good heart shall have perfect peace in the world to come as the Apostle witnesseth when he saith Peace shall be to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Greek Rom. 2. 10. But Gods Elect are such as do or shall do good in this life with an honest and good heart Ergo. They shall have perfect peace in that which is to come This Proposition thus cleared and proved may be useful As Vse First It makes for the confutation of such as expect a state of perfect peace in this world before its end and give out in their Pamphlets That the latter times shall abound with such peace and unity as the like was never seen For proof whereof they wrest many passages of Scripture and draw them to a wrong sence But these Writers are much mistaken For as I have shewed before that perfect peace which is promised in holy Writ belongs to the world to come not to this world And it is a vain thing for any to expect perfect peace in this world for these causes 1. Because God hath put enmity betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. betwixt the godly and the wicked so that the wicked are still an abomination to the just and the just are still an abomination to the wicked Which enmity doubtless will continue as long as this world it self continues 2. Because there is still an enmity betwixt the flesh and the spirit in every regenerate person For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that we cannot do the things that we would Gal. 5. 17. Which enmity also is likely to continue unto the worlds end 3. Because the New Testament which best describes this latter age of the world fore-shews that the latter times shall be very unquiet troublesom and perillous What saith our Saviour Think not saith he that I am come to send peace on Earth I came not to send peace but a sword I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter in law against her mother in law and a mans foes shall be they of his own houshold Matt. 10. 24 35 36. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars Matth. 24. 6. And saith he in the world ye shall have tribulation Joh. 16. 33. In the last days perillous times shall come saith Saint Paul 2 Tim. 3. 1. Yea we finde Rev. 20. That Christ at his second Coming from Heaven shall find the Nations of the world in a posture of war And for these Reasons we have no cause to think that the latter times shall be such peaceable times as some have described Indeed I grant That Gods faithful people and servants at certain times may enjoy much good peace in this world They may have some experience of peace with God through Christ They may have at times some peace of Conscience within themselves They may have peace from war and peace from publick persecution for a time But for any to dream