thousand yeares but as I said before this cannot be meant of a corporall death or bodily resurrection but it must be understood mystically that they were slaine in their outward livelihood both in their name and estate saith David I was as a dead man out of mind in the esteeme of the world and yet at the same time reigne over satan and their owne corruptions Or if any were slaine in the first thousand yeares yet God left not himselfe without witnesse but the more they afflicted them the more they multiplyed Acts 14 17 Exod. 2. 12 Rev. 11. and grew as Israel did in the bondage of Aegypt and some of the witnesses that were slaine are said to lye in the streetes and not suffered to be buryed and after three dayes and a halfe the Spirit of life came into them and they stood upon their feete these things have beene clearely shewed of late to be understood mystically And againe can we thinke that some of them that are dead their soules shall return some shall not to live here a thousand yeares and their bodies raised and not all shall some rise a thousand yeares before others doth not Christ say they shall all rise in one houre Marvell not at this for the houre commeth in which all that are John 5. 28 29. in the graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the resurrection of damnation 1 Cor. 15. 52. And doth not Paul say In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump for the trump shall sound and the dead shall be raised Then I conclude this argument that if the bodies of all shall rise together in one houre in a moment in the twinkling of an eye but it is said all they that are in the graves not some of them and in a moment not a thousand yeares distance of some from the rest that shall rise from the dead And whereas some affirme that in this thousand yeares the Church or Kingdome of Christ shall be all righteous all Saints under the King of Saints and no hypocrites nor excommunicate persons and the wicked Revel 15. shall be as slaves to them in that day and the Saints shall be as Lords in the earth and shall neither marry nor be given in marriage and the Apostles shall come and rule this Kingdome I answer these things some are false and some are true but mis-applyed those that are true are to be fulfilled after the day of Judgement and not in this corrupted world as when the people shall be all righteous they shall inherit the Land not onely a thousand yeares but for ever in the Isa 60. 19 20 21. new world when the Sunne shall no more goe downe nor the Moone withdraw it selfe but the Lord shall be to them an everlasting light and thy God thy glory And so if the Saints of the most High shall take and possesse the Kingdome I answer After the day of Judgement so they shall not onely for a thousand yeares but for ever even for ever for his dominion Dan. 7. 18. 14 7. is an everlasting dominion when all people and Nations and languages shall serve him in it and to say that there shall be no Hypocrites in it I say so too in the new Jerusalem when it comes downe from heaven unto the earth but this will never be till the restitution of all things till the fire at the day of Judgement hath purged the earth and made it fit for so great a mercy wherein dwelleth righteousnesse but till that day of Judgement this cannot be For the Tares and the Wheate shall grow together untill the Harvest which is at the end of the world and the Angels are the Reapers and by them shall the Wheate bee brought into the Barne they shall gather the elect from the foure windes Mat. 24. 31. And they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them Math. 13. 41 42. that doe iniquity and shall cast them into the furnace of fire but when the Angels are sent about this businesse they will finde them altogether minding earthly things as eating and drinking and marrying and mixed together Mat. 24 37 38. two in a bed the one taken and the other left two in the field and two grinding at the Mill the one taken and the other left Therefore when Christ comes to Judgement there shall be Hypocrites and they shall not be used as slaves but in the same bed at the same worke and recreation together And to say the Saints shall be Lords over the wicked this cannot be true neither here nor hereafter for before the end the wicked shall have as great a share of outward riches and honour as the Saints and many times greater and after the day of Judgement I shewed before that all things that offend and that doe iniquity shall be cast into the furnace of fire so that though it be true they shall be Lords and Kings it is not meant over wicked men but over the rest of the creatures this Adam had and lost it and Revel 5. 10 the second Adam hath restored it to us againe as I shewed before and to say that the Apostles shall rule this Kingdome when they are all Saints and the King of Saints present is not worth the answering for they shall be all Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Feare not little flocke it is your Rev. 1. 6 5 10. Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome none shall rule but God alone for all rule and authority and power shall then be put downe Then shall Luke 12 32 1 Cor. 15. 24 28. Revel 20 1 2 3. God himselfe be all in all But they will object against all this cleare light that John saw an Angell come downe from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon that old serpent which is the devill and bound him a thousand yeares and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seale upon him that he should not deceive the Nations till the thousand yeares should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season This say they is to be understood of Christ binding the devill a thousand yeares after their soules are returned againe and their bodies raised and united to them then they say they shall live here a thousand yeares againe before the day of Judgement in great glory and happinesse I answer the devils were bound in chaines of darknesse as soone as they had sinned For God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse And if you aske me how long I 2 Pet 2. 4. Jude 6. Job 1. answer till the day of Judgement He was in
THE SAINTS INHERITANCE After the Day of IVDGEMENT Being also An Answer to certaine scruples of late delivered and others Printed especially in that Booke intituled The Personall Reigne of Christ upon Earth By T. B. Isa 45. 17 18. For Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end for thus saith the Lord that created the heavens God himselfe that formed the earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vaine he formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is none else Dan. 7. 18. 27. But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possesse the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever and the Kingdome and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes and are to be sold by John Sweeting in Popes-head-Alley 1643. Revel 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and be shall be my sonne THe meaning of these words are not to be confined onely to the joyes of heaven when the body is dead and the Soule is ascended up thither and hath the fruition of God the Father and of Jesus Christ and the blessed Spirit and the holy Angels and soules of just men made perfect but it reacheth unto all things that are here below in this world to satisfie the body also at the resurrection day when the creatures and man also are all restored againe to their first perfection for saith the Lord I will bring a seede out of Jacob and out of Judah an inheritour of my mountaines and mine elect shall inherit it Isa 65. 10. 11. see 3 5 2. and my Servants shall dwell there and Sharron shall be a fold for flockes and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lye downe in for my people that have sought me This is promised to those that overcome First the world as it is now corrupted by the sinne of man so that neither the pleasures nor profits thereof deceive our hearts to set our love immoderately on it Let your moderation be knowne to all men the Lord is at hand Secondly to them that stand fast against all the wiles of the Devill Phil. 4. 5. Ephe. 6. 11 and doe not let Satan get advantage of them those that are not ignorant of his devices but resist the Devill and cause him to flye from them Thirdly 2 Cor. 2. 11 Jam. 4. 7. Isa 44. 20. Pro. 4. 23. 1 Cor. 9. 27 those that their owne deceived heart hath not turned them aside those that keepe their heart withall diligence those that keepe under their body and bring it in subjection and keepe their mouth with a bridle Psal 39. 1. and make a covenant with their eyes Job 31. 1. he that thus overcometh saith Christ will I grant to fit with me on his throne Rev. 3. 21. he shall inherit all things but in this world we are Warriours fighting against them for they are not really overcome in this world therefore the full fruition of all things is reserved till after death in the world to come when old things are passed away and all things are become new for he that sate on Revel 21. 5 the throue said Behold I make all things new then saith the Lord I will be his God and he shall be my Sonne Beloved now we are the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but wee know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him but while we are here in this 1 Joh. 3. 2. Gal 4. 1. world we are as the heire under age being a childe and differing nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all we are not fit to have that authority over the creatures as Adam had till we are againe restored to that perfection that he had to be without sinne as he was neither are the creatures fit to doe their duty to us being all corrupted with our sinnes but when we and they are againe restored to our first perfection then and not before shall the Saints inherit all things for this inheritance must bee immortall uncorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away but these things as they 1 Pet. 1. 4. Mat. 5. Heb. 12. 28. are now are sometimes taken from us and sometimes we are taken from them and at the day of judgement the heavens and earth shall passe away I doe not meane the heaven of the blessed that is a kingdome that cannot be moved but the starry heavens and the cloudy heavens they shal passe away with a great noyse and the elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the heavens being 2 Pet. 3. 10. 12. on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat and saith John I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them thus in Revel 20. 11. the day of Judgement but the Lord whom ye seeke shall suddainly come to his Temple even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hoasts but who may abide his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he shall be like refiners fire and fullers sope he shall purifie the sonnes of Levi for he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and shall purge them as gold and Mal. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesse then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord but in this Judgement he will be a swift witnesse against the wicked then will Christ purifie the creatures through fire at that day and consume their drosse with fire and brimstone and bring them backe againe to their first Chaos and then saith John in his vision I saw a new heaven and a new earth Rev. 21. 1. for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea and we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth 2 Pet. 3. 12 13. wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for saith the Lord Behold I create new heavens and a new earth for the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind The new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remaine before me Isa 65. 17. Isa 66. 22. And for the rest of the creatures the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God for the creature it selfe also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22 23.
and the earth Iron Deu. 28. 23 and when the ground was cursed for mans sinne Gen. 3. 17 18. He turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psa 107. 34 this is a sore bondage Sixthly Every creature would preserve his owne kind for ever but the variance and discord of the creatures one with another make it to seeme unpossible and all their labour to be lost this was occasioned by the sin of man that all the foundations of the earth are out of course Psa 82. 5. from this burden they groane to be delivered Seventhly It is a great bondage to the creatures that they have lost a great part of their vertue operation and influence they are by the sinne of man much dulled and disabled to act or to operate or to communicate their vertues to others as they did at the first creation and this is a great bondage from which they groane to delivered but this is true that the Heb. 1. 11 12. Joh. 15. 15. heavens wax old as a garment and as a vesture they shall be changed and subject to perish too for the sinne of man for that it hath defiled them The heavens are not cleane in his sight and it is observed by some since the creation that the Sun hath lost a great part of its heate and that it runnes nearer to the earth now then it did at the first by at the least 9976. Germane miles Byfield on the Colossians which shewes the dulnesse of it in comparison of its first creation therefore without exception the heaven and the earth with all the creatures that are in them as men and beasts and fowles groane to be delivered But I suppose that the Sea and the Creatures that live in it shall not continue after the day of judgement for it is said expresly when the new heavens and the new earth are made there shall be no more Sea neither were the Fishes brought to Adam as to their Lord to see what hee would call Rev. 21. 1. Gen. 2. 19 20. Gen. 1. 21. Gen. 6. 17. 19 20. them when all the beasts and fowles were and God gave the Whales their name before Adam was made neither were any Fishes in Noahs Arke preserved from that great Deluge which was a type how some of every kind shall be preserved from the fire in the day of judgement as then they were from the water which then drowned all the world therefore I exclude them from the groaning creatures And the blessed Angels I cannot include among the groaning creatures yet they sustaine a kinde of bondage for they are made to serve earthly Psal 91 11. Matth. 18. 10. Heb. 1. 14. things men have their Angels to attend and guard them and it is thought they have the charge and protection of Kingdomes committed to them from such places as these in Scripture Dan. 10. 13. 12. 1. Psal 34. 7. Revel 12. 7. Luk. 2. 9 10. 13. 15. And some thinke they move the Orbes of Heaven and sometimes they are put to inflict punishments on wicked men as on the Isa 37. 36. Campe of the King of Assyria and sometimes they are hindred in their worke as one complaines that the great Prince of the kingdome of Persia Dan. 10 13. withstood him one and twenty dayes and although the Angels shall bee imployed at the day of judgement yet they must not know when it must Matth. 24. 31 36. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephe. 3. 10. Luk. 15. 7. be and the Angels desire to looke into the mystery of our redemption as not being satisfied in their knowledge and by the Church is made known to them the manifold wisedome of God and they have some joy when one sinner is converted thus when their knowledge and joy is increased by the Church and they are freed from all the forementioned things it will be a great ease to them as it were a deliverance out of bondage but this is true For unto the Angels hath he not put into subjection the world to come whereof Heb. 2. 5. we speake they shall be eased of that bondage Object Suppose any doe object and say that the world to come is meant ever since Christ was on the earth now under the Gospell because wee keepe our account not from the beginning of the world but from the yeare of Christ I answer that is no more then we do the yeare of our King but what is this concerning the age of the world we are not so simple as to affirme the account from Christ is the account of the world for we know the contrary Againe it cannot be meant that now under the Gospell is the world to come for saith the Apostle after Christs ascension we are they on whom 1 Cor. 10 11 Heb. 9. 2â— the ends of the world are come now if it be counted by the Apostle since that Christ was on the earth to be the end of the old world it cannot bee the world to come here spoken of Againe the world may be divided into three parts the first from the creation to the giving of the Law in which mans diet was the hearbs of the field and they had not the written Law but onely by tradition and the Church was in but one family Secondly Gen. 1. 23. Gen. 18. from Moses to Christ in which they might eate of such beasts as were cleane by the Law so that they did not eate the blood which was the life and they had the Law written yet darkely in types and shadowes and a whole kingdom taken into the Church Thirdly from Christ to the end of the world in which all things may be eaten with thankesgiving nothing 1 Tim. 4. 3. Acts 10. to bee counted common or uncleane and wee have not onely the Law in darke types and shadowes but the vaile taken away and the Gospell clearely setting forth Christ farre beyond all types and shadowes and the bounds of the Church to be in all nations this third age of the world is Matth 28. 19. Gal. 4. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Jude 17. 18 19. called the fulnesse of time and saith Paul In the last dayes perilous times shall come and saith Peter There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their owne lusts and saith Jude Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you that there should come mockers in the last times who would walke after their owne lusts now marke These be they saith he who separate themselves sensuall having not the Spirit and saith John Little Children it is the last time and yee have heard that Antichrist 1 John 2. 18. shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time therefore if now be the last times of the old world then sure I am that
it is not the world to come and as Adam was made Lord of all the creatures living under heaven and the Lord himselfe brought all the beasts and Gen. 1. 29. Gen. 2. 19. fowles unto him as to their Lord to see what he would call them but now since the fall neither beasts nor fowles will yeeld him any free subjection but by the halfes as hee doth to the Lord but at the restauration of all Job 39. 9. 27. things when all that offend are taken away and all that doe iniquity then shall the righteous shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father Matth. 13. 41. 43. 1 Cor. 15 24. Heb. 2. 8. that is when Christ hath rendred up the kingdome to his Father then shall all these creatures yeeld their free obedience to man as at the first but saith the Apostle we see not yet all things put in subjection under him and as I said before the Angels have the charge of things here below because man by reason of his corruption and weakenesse that came by sinne is unable to governe the creatures but when man is restored to his first perfection and made able to doe it the Angels shall doe it no longer but this wee see is not yet therefore it is still the third part of the old world for unto the Angels he hath not put in subjection the world to come then the Angels shall abide in heaven their owne proper place and man being made equall to the Angels shall have the dominion over all things as at the first and Christ is at his Fathers right hand till all these things be done the heaven shall receive him untill the restitution of all things to their first perfection this is that refreshing that is for to come from the presence of the Acts 3. 19. 21. Lord he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you then you that are troubled shall rest with us when the Lord Jesus shal be revealed 2 Thes 1. 7. 10. from heaven with his mighty Angels when he shall come to bee glorified in his Saints and to bee admired in all them that beleeve then shall the creatures be delivered into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God that is Rom 8. 21. they shal have a most excellent estate when the children of God are glorified the Lord will doe them justice also in restoring them to their first perfection and they shall have againe all that they lost by the sinne and fall of Adam I doe not say that there shall bee any resurrection of the creatures that are dead but there shall be some of every kind that was given to Adam Gen. 6. 19. 20. Eccle. 3. 14 1 Cor. 3. 15 both of fowles and beasts whereof Noahs Arke was a figure for I know saith Solomon whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever the judgement day shall be as a purgation to purifie the creatures and they shall bee saved as through fire as death and the grave doe not destroy our bodies for ever and as the corne is cast into the earth it must die before it can be quickned but being dead God giveth it a body so shall the creatures be purified at the day of judgement then shall the light of the Moone be as the light of the 1 Cor. 15. 36 37 38. Esa 30. 26. Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes but as the wages of sinne is death and it is gone over all except those that are found alive at the last day they shall not die but be changed at the twinkling of an eye and so made able to endure the fire that they may not bee 1 Cor. 15. 52 53. consumed but purged from their corruption But some because it is said that the Saints shall raigne with Christ a thousand yeares and they will needs have it in this world before the end Revel 2 5. and not knowing where to finde it they say the judgement day shall continue a 1000. yeares but this cannot bee except they deny the expresse Word of God because he hath appointed a day in which hee will judge the world The day of the Lord commeth as a thiefe in the night The great Acts 17. 31. 1 Thes 5. 24 2 Pet. 3. 10. 12. Acts 2. 20. Rom. 2 16. Matth. 24. 36. Matke 13. 32. and notable day of the Lord In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men That day and hower knoweth no man thus it appeares to me to be rather lesse then a day then more it may be the shortest day that ever came for any thing we know but more it cannot be when the Scripture is so full and cleare to every understanding that will be satisfied in it When the righteous and the wicked appeare before the Lord at the day of judgement Christ for the love he beareth to the righteous he will come leaping over the mountaines and skipping over the hills Can. 2. 8. he is not slacke concerning his promise 2 Pet. 3. 9. When the Son of man commeth I tell you that he will avenge them speedily Luk. 18. 8. and concerning the wicked saith he I will come nearre to you to judgement and I will bee a swift witnesse against them Mal. 3. 5. here Christ comes leaping and skipping speedily and swiftly that his elect may not be held too long in suspence from their happinesse as some would have it a 1000. yeares wayting at the barre before the Judge for absolution And there is good reason for it for God that is able and will bring to every mans remembrance at that day all their thoughts words and deeds that ever was in all their lives and the booke of their conscience and the booke of the Law of God shall be both open to them Revel 20. 12. then I suppose the sentence may soone bee passed upon them they need not have their sentence one after another as some that affirme this would have it but the righteous being all on the right hand and the wicked all on the left hand then shall the Judge say to them on the right hand Come ye blessed and to all on the left hand Goe ye cursed Matth. 25. 34. 41. And if they reply and say one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares I answer this was the judgement of those that hold because God was six dayes in creating the world therefore it should continue six thousand yeares which if it be so there being passed above five thousand and a halfe already where will you finde a thousand yeares more before the day of judgement so that this will not helpe them at all and to say the Saints doe raigne with Christ a 1000. yeares meaning while they stand at the barre of his judgement to mee it seemes very improper and though their cause be never so good neither can they be said to raigne here
feare them that kill the body but cannot Mar. 22. 32. Mat. 10. 28 Luke 2. 29. kill the soule the soule cannot dye with the body but it departs away from it Then I conclude that if the Soule assoone as it leaves the body goes immediately to Paradise the third heaven there is neither purgatory nor place of residence after death but as the tree falleth so it lies after death to Judgement a particular sentence is passed immediately upon them for heaven or hell and there is no place of abode for Abrahams children till they come into his bosome with him in Heaven for ever But thirdly which is the maine objection to all my former discourse if the soule of Abraham be in Heaven and when he was here he desired a better Country than this world which is a heavenly then they say after the day of Judgement the Saints shall not inherit all these things here below in this world because the Saints did alwayes set a low value of them To this I answer that the Soule is of a Heavenly substance and when it Rom. 6. 7. leaves the body then it hath ceased from sinne therefore no place between this and Paradise is fit to receive it Therefore saith the Prophet Arise ye and depart for this is not your rest because it is polluted and after the Heb. 12. 23. day of Judgement the Angels shall abide in Heaven being a place for such glorious Spirits and the soules of men made perfect being of the same nature with them shall abide in Heaven also till the body shall rise againe for as the soules of men are now confin'd in Heaven Luk. 16. 26. and the Angels have businesse both in the Heavens and in the Earth so after the day of Judgement when they have finished their worke in this world they shall rest and I suppose shall be confined in Heaven for ever and when our bodies Eccle 21. 7. are risen and united to our soules then shall we inherit all things here in their first perfection and also we shall have sweet communion with Angels in Heaven for as I said before man consists of two parts body and soule so he shall have two worlds answerable to his two natures to delight himselfe in that he may have fulnesse of joy for whom all things were made 1 Tim 4. 8. for godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and the meane time that the body lies in the grave the soule is gone to take possession of the kingdome of heaven and when the body riseth againe it shall then have this world bestowed upon it and as the soule brought nothing with it so it shall take nothing out with it no not his owne body but leaves it here in the earth till it comes againe and so the body goes to the grave and takes nothing with it but weeping and mourning yet when it comes againe having had the pretious seeds of grace in it shall doubtlesse come againe with rejoycing and Psal 126. 6. bring his sheaves with him so then after the day of judgement when all things are purified by fire and restored to their first perfection then I say man shall inherit all things both in this world and in the world to come then shall the meeke inherit the earth and delight themselves in the abundance Psal 37. 11. Joh. 16. 20. 33. Esay 49. 8. Matth. 10. 16. of peace but this cannot be before the day of judgment for saith Christ In this world you shall have tribulation Christ was given for a covenant of the people to establish the earth to cause to inherite the desolate heritages but for the present the Saints are as sheep among wolves so that these things shall not be restored to the Saints till themselves are in their first perfection then they shall be given us againe perfect as they were to Adam at the first And although mans body shall put on immortalitie and shall be made so firme and permanent as to endure for ever eternally yet his body shall not be turned into a spirit it shall be a body still with flesh and bones as Luke 24. 39 49. the body of Christ was after his resurrection saith he Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me have And he did eate and drinke with his disciples after his resurrection they gave him a peece of a Luke 24. 42 43 30. Joh. 21. 9. 12. 13. Acts 10. 41 Matth. 26. 29. Rom. 14. 17 Joh. 18. 36. broyled fish and of an hony combe and he tooke it and did eate before them so it is likely man may after his resurrection for saith Christ I will henceforth drinke no more of the fruit of the vine till I drinke it new in my Fathers Kingdome this cannot bee meant presently after his ascension for wee never read that hee dranke wine in all that fortie dayes and his kingdome doth not consist in drinking wine but in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost My kingdome is not of this world saith hee then I conclude that Christ will not drinke of the fruit of the vine till he hath rendered up the kingdome to 1 Cor. 15. 24. his Father then will Christ amongst the Saints drinke it new not as though he desired to drinke new wine rather then old for he himself saith that no man having old wine desireth new for hee saith the old is better Luke 5. 39. then the meaning is when the vine is made now and all the trees and creatures restored to their first perfection then will he drinke with them in his Psal 96. 11 12 13. Fathers kingdome then shall the heavens rejoyce and the earth be glad the fields shall be joyfull and all the trees of the wood shall rejoyce before the Lord when hee commeth to judge the earth Hee shall judge the world with righteousnesse and his people with his truth then here you see the world every creature the very trees shall have righteousnesse as they have suffered by the sinne of man so shall they have benefit in mans deliverance from his sinne this is that which the whole creation groaneth and traveleth in paine together untill now but the creature it selfe shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children Rom. 8. 21. 22. of God but it is observable when all the creatures in heaven and earth rejoyce at the comming of Christ to judgement at the same time the Sea Psa 96. 11. roares and the fulnesse thereof because it is said there shall be no more Sea Revel 21. 1. then shall man enjoy all the creatures that were given him at the first as he did in his innocency so that he may eate of all the trees for his pleasure and yet not feele the perill of hunger and although our bodies shall
of the tree were for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and the Lambe shall be in it and his servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither light of the Sunne for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reigne for ever and ever and hee said unto me These sayings are faithfull and true then blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the Citie then shall they rejoyce in their portion in their land they shall have double everlasting joy shall bee unto them I Isay 61. 7. Isay 60. 15. 18. will make thee an eternall excellency violence shall no more bee heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise For they shall hunger no more neither thirst any more for the Lambe in the midst of the Throne shall Reve. 7. 16 17. Luk. 20 35 36. feed them and lead them unto living fountaines of water and they that are accounted worthy to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead can die no more but are equall to the Angels in this new heaven and new earth God will wipe away all teares from our eyes there shall bee no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither any more paine because the former things are passed away And he that sate on the Throne said behold I make all things new and there shall bee none in Revel 21. 1 4 5 that world that his strength is gone with age nor an Infant who is weake Isay 65. 20. for want of age or that hath not fulfilled his dayes they shall bee all in their full growth and first perfection If it be said the child shall die a hundred yeares old I answer I have shewed before that there shall be no more death in the new Jerusalem when it is come downe from God out of heaven Revel 21. 4. Luk. 20. 36. then the meaning of that place is this those that lived in the first age of the world living eight or nine hundred yeares were a hundred yeares before they came to their full growth but in the resurrection they shall rise in their full growth as if they had dyedat the age of a hundred yeares old yet in this age of the world I suppose they that die shall rise about the age of the second Adam when he gave his life a ransome for us being the full growth of this age to their full strength and Isay 65. 22. perfection but it was I suppose a hundred yeares in the first age before they came to the stature and full growth of the first Adam in the day of his creation this is also the meaning of the next words For as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people that is say the Philosophers an Oake tree is a hundred yeares before it is come to its full growth so was man before the flood then at this age they shall rise againe and long injoy the worke of their hands then Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation Ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end for thus saith the Lord that created the Heavens God himselfe that formed the Earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vaine he formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is none else Isa 45. 18 19. Doe but minde this Text and consider it well and judge thy selfe who ever thou art that readest it whether the lower Heavens and the Earth and all the creatures in them shall be consumed at the day of judgement and become an unpâ—ofitable and uncomfortable Chaos and so remaine for ever No the Lord Reigneth the world shall be established that it shall not be moved Psa 96. 10. One generation goeth and another generation commeth but the earth abideth for ever Eccles 1. 4. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein for he hath founded it upon the Seas and established it upon the floods Psal 24. 1 2 The world also is established that it cannot be moved Psal 93. 1. 2 Peter tels us in the last dayes there shall come scoffers and then sheweth the occasion of their scoffing and that is some promises that were made of the comming of Christ such as these Sing O Daughter of Zion for loe I come and I will dwell in the middest of thee saith the Lord Zach. 3. 10 11 12. 8. 3. 8. Behold I come quickly Revel 22. 12. He that shall come will come Heb. 10. 37. Behold he commeth Rev. 1. 7. Jude 14. But say these scoffers where is the promise of his comming 2 Pet. 3. 3. Another occasion is of his preparation for his comming for saith the Apostle we according to his promise in Isa 65. 17. 66. 22. looke for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse ver 13. But say these scoffers All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation ver 4. now this is to be understood literally of the Heavens and earth for he blames them of their ignorance how that the Heavens were of old and the earth stood out of the waters and then in the waters for the world that then was was overflowed and perished v. 5 6. But the Heavens and earth that are now are reserved for fire at the day of Judgement then shall the elements melt and the earth and all things in it shall be burnt up v. 7. 10. 12. Then he exhorts them to a holy conversation and godlinesse from this motive that we according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth after that day wherein dwelleth righteousnesse v. 11. 13. And God made all things for himselfe Prov. 16. 4. And he greatly delighteth in the workes of his hands and although man hath prodigally lost them all by sinne yet God will not lose them so and by Christ all things were made both in heaven and in earth they were all made by him and for him and shall we thinke that Christ will lose them all no he made peace through the blood of his Crosse to reconcile all things unto himselfe both things in earth and things in heaven Col. 1. 16. 20. And God hath made Christ Heire of all things for by him the worlds were made and he upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 2 3. And the children of God are joynt-heires with Christ of the same inheritance and the creatures themselves waite for that day to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God Rom. 8. 19. 21. And all the
in the ayre 1 Thess 4. 17. then I conclude that the Saints departed are in heaven with Christ neither shall they come againe before with him nor without him till the day of judgement for as Adam had the world prepared for him before his creation so shall the Saints departed have the world purged from all the corruption of it before they shall have it restored to them againe and this shall be a great happinesse to them to have it in the first perfection for ever yet I grant from the creation of the world to the end of it that Christ as a King rules by his power and providence over all kingdomes peoples and creatures he upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. he saith By me kings raigne and Princes decree justice by me princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth Prov. 8. 15 16. our God is in heaven and hath done whatsoever he pleased his counsell shall stand and the thoughts of his heart to all generations Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. 33. 10 11. Secondly Christ rules his Church in an especiall manner ordering all the affaires of it he hath made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will hee worketh in us both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure Ephe. 1. 9. 11. thus Christ rules now and shall to the end of the world and no otherwise Phil. 2. 13. And to say that Christ shall rule and governe as earthly monarches have done over this corrupted world before the day of judgement in a worldly visible and earthly glory is but a fancy and cannot bee grounded upon the word of God and the author of that booke that goes in the name of Mr. Archer grants himselfe Page 5. that there is a world to come to bee put in subjection to Christ of which Adam in his Innocency was a type in many respects first as hee damned all mankind this was a type and figure of Christ saving all the elect Rom 5. 14. and his marriage to the woman was a type of the conjunction of Christ to his Church Ephe. 5. 30 31 32. and his soverainty over this present world was a figure of the subjection of the world to come to Christ these things I grant yet not before the day of judgement because the good and the bad are mixed together and shall bee so till the day of judgement Ioh 15. 15. and because all the creatures are corrupted by the sinne of man The heavens are not cleare in his sight and God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt Gen 6. 2. for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth this came by the sinne of man and shall not be purged but by fire at the judgement day But they object this cannot bee after the day of judgement because then Object 1 Cor. 15. 24. Luke 19. 11 12. 2 Tim. 4. ◠Christ resignes up his Kingdome but Christ in that parable of the noble man is gone into a farre country to receive for himselfe a kingdome and to returne and saith the Apostle at the appearance of Christ and his kingdome from these places they would prove that Christ shall come a thousand yeares to raigne here before his last comming to judgement To these things I answer that it is not meant that Christ shall render up his kingdome out of his owne hand but to render up the manner of government he shall then render up his mediatorship he need make intercession no longer when his people are in full possession of all that happinesse that is promised to them neither need Christ to make use of earthly things as his deputies or Isay 49. 23 Dan. 7. 9. 1 Cor. 15. Vers 28. Heb 7. 25. Mark 13. 3 John 8. 29 4. 34. vicegerents to be noursing fathers to his Churches all these thrones shall be cast downe when the ancient of dayes doth sit and though it may be said then the Sonne shall be subject to him that put all things under him that God may be all in all this is to be understood the humanity of Christ shall be subject to the deity and so it is now for he now makes intercession for his people and as man he knoweth not when the day of judgement shall be and saith he the Father hath not left me alone for I doe alwayes those things that please him Jesus said unto them my meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke but his mediatorship is not yet finished Matth. 22. 44. till all his enemies are made his footstoole then will his glory be farre greater then now it is when the Devils and wicked men and all things that offend and that doe iniquity shall by the Angels be cast out of his kingdome and cast into Matth. 13 41 42. John 17. 2 Ephe. 1. 2 4. 13. Dan 7. 1◠18. 27. Revel 22. ◅ Revel 21. ◅ Luke 19. ◅ 11 12. Heb. 12. 2◠24. 2 Tim 4. ◠1 Thess 3◠3 13. 2 Thess 1◠the furnace of fire all his Saints shall be where he is to behold his glory this is called the fulnesse of Christ when all his Saints are glorified with him his dominion is everlasting which shall not passe away his kingdome shall not be destroyed but when the curse is taken from the earth the throne of God and of the Lambe shall be in it and his servants shall serve him as naturall members of his body when the Saints shall inherit all things And whereas it is said that Christ went to receive a kingdome and to returne I answer that he is gone to heaven to receive that kingdome for us and the soules of just men made perfect doe enjoy it and from that other place spoken of his appearing and his kingdome this is at the day of judgement when he comes to judge both the quicke and dead at his appearing and his kingdome and then shall Christ have another kingdome when he comes from heaven with all his Saints when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels all these earthly things shall then be purified by fire and restored againe to him and his Saints in their first perfection and unto them that looke for him he shall appeare the second time without sin unto salvation then if salvation be at his second cōming in my judgement there needs Heb. 9. 2◠not a third neither can his second comming be understood of his living here in this corrupted world a thousand yeares but after the day of judgement in that new world to all eternity The Prophet Isay after hee hath spoken of the comming of Christ in the flesh Chap. 11. from the first verse to the eleventh then hee speakes of his comming to judgement