substance and qualities That it shall differ from this present world for qualities or as touching its qualities is acknowledged by many Writers 1. Because this present world waxeth old like a garment and is grown decrepit but that to come shall be new 2. Because this is corruptible but that shall be incorruptible 3. Because this is mutable and moveable but that shall be immutable and immoveable Isai 66. 22. Heb. 12. 4. Because this is polluted and defiled but that shall be undefiled 5. Because this shall have an end but that shall be everlasting without end For which causes the World to come must needs differ from this present world for qualities or in and touching its qualities And hereunto I add That it shall differ also from this present world for substance or as touching the substance of it 1. Because the World to come shall not be created before the substance of this world as a Continent shall be burnt up and brought to dust as hath been before shewed And if so then the World to come must needs be another from this for substance and so differ from this as touching the substance of it 2. Because the World to come shall not be created of the substance of this present world but either it shall be created of nothing or of something that shall not be the substance of this And suppose it shal be created of the dust of this yet it wil not hereupon follow that it shall be created of the substance of this For as the dust of a mans body after it is burnt to ashes cannot properly be called the substance of his body so neither can the dust of this present world after it shall be burnt to ashes be properly called the substance of this world And seeing the World to come shall not be created of the substance of this it will necessarily follow That it shall be another from this and shall differ from this as touching the substance of it 3. Unless the World to come shall differ from this in and for the substance of it I cannot see how it can differ from it in and for the qualities of it because where any natural substance remains the natural qualities of it are wont to remain too As when in Noahs time the world then was drowned with a flood the natural substance of it remained and the natural qualities too though the superficies of it was much altered for a while But it is granted by many as I said That the world to come shall differ from this for qualities Therefore I infer from the premisses That the World to come considered as a Continent shall differ from this present world and be another from it both for substance and qualities Sixthly I affirm That the World to come considered 6 Ground as a Continent shall be the same for essence and essential properties with this present world Thus our new bodies after the last Resurrection shall be the same for essence and essential properties with these bodies which now we have And as it is essential to these bodies which now we have to to consist of flesh and bones of eyes ears hands and feet c. So it shall be essential to our new bodies after the last Resurrection to consist of flesh and bones of eyes ears hands and feet c. For I my self shall behold him saith Job with these same eyes Job 19. 27. Yet our new bodies shall not be the same with these for substance for thou sowest not that body that shall be 1 Cor. 15. 37. Neither shal they be the same with these for qualities for that which is sown in corruption shall rise again in incorruption that which is sown in dishonor shall be raised in glory c. 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. So the World to come shall be the same for essence and essential properties with this present world And as it is essential to this world to be Gods Creation and Workmanship to consist of visible Heavens and a visible Earth to be a round world and of large extent So shall it be essential to the World to come to be Gods Creation and Workmanship to consist of visible Heavens and a visible Earth to be a round world and of large extent And so much I gather from this Scripture-Maxim God hath established the world never to be moved Psal 96. 10. whereas we know that this present world shall be moved at the time of its dissolution in respect of its present substance and qualities but the meaning is That it shall never be moved in respect of its essence because this shall continue not onely until but after its new Creation I infer then That the World to come shall be the same with this for essence and essential properties though it shall not be the same with it for substance and qualities These six Grounds thus cleared make for the discovery Vse of three Errors The first Error is of those who think That the World to come shall be nothing else but that blessed Heaven or third Heaven which now is Which Opinion as I take it hath been effectually confuted before in my second Section and so I need say no more of it in this place The second is the Error of those who think That the World to come shall be the same for substance with this present world Which Error as I conceive hath been substantially refuted in my two last Grounds upon this Section For though I grant in one of them That the World to come shall be the same for essence with this world yet I have shewed in the other That it shall not be the same for substance with it And therefore I will say no more at this time concerning this matter The third is the Error of those who think That the World to come as a Continent shall not consist of new Heavens and a new Earth because say they where ever the Scripture speaks of new Heavens and a new Earth it speaks of a new reformed Church in this life all the world over before the end of it and not of the World to come Which Opinion hath obtained many Patrons Advocates and Followers of late years and in these Times who have hereupon fancyed to themselves strange Forms of Religion and strange Forms of Government and Discipline as necessary to be established in the Church in these latter Times But all of them have justly deserved to be censured by the Church 1. Because they have put a false gloss or interpretation upon those places which speak of the new Heavens and a new Earth 2. Because they make use of a figurative or allegorical interpretation when the proper and litteral sence is onely right and orthodox 3. Because they wrest many other places of Scripture in favor of this interpretation 4. Because that conclusion which they intend to prove by their wrestings is grosly erroneous in it self viz. That there shall be such a Reformed Church all the world over
the same day with the second Coming of Christ as appears 1 Thes 4. 16. and for this cause it is said That the dead shall rise and be raised at the last day Joh. 6. 39 40 54. and 11. 24. where the day of Christs second Coming is called the last day not absolutely but respectively as I conceive because it shall be the first and last day of that nature and kind And though Zach. 14. we know not this day as we know other days by way of computation from the beginning yet we must know it to be the last day in the former sence Eighthly It informeth us That the last Resurrection 8 Informat shall produce a great change in or upon the bodies of men women and children For though in this Resurrection of which I speak our bodies shall be the same with these 1. For Essence because whatsoever is essential to these shall be essential to them as head and ears eyes hands and feet c. 2. For Propriety because every one shall receive his own body again 1 Cor. 15. as God shall give unto every dead seed it s own body and so we shall see Christ not with other but with these same eyes Job 19. 27. Yet in the last Resurrection our bodies shall not be the same with these either 1. For Substance because the substance of these shall perish and be brought to dust Gen. 3. and the substance of those shall be formed and raised as is probable out of the dust of these not out of the substance of them Indeed those bodies of men which have been translated without death and those bodies of men which shall be changed without death probably shall have the same substance in the World to come which now they have But I speak here of the dead bodies of men and do not think that they shall be the same for substance with these which now we have for the Reason before alledged 2. Neither shall our bodies in the last Resurrection be the same with these for Qualities because they shall be changed in this respect For whereas 1. These bodies are corruptible those shall be incorruptible 2. These bodies are mortal those shall be imâ—ortal 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. Phil. 3. 21. 3. These bodies are weak and frail those shall â—e strong and able 4. These bodies are deformed and vile those â—hall be well formed 5. These bodies are natural those shall be spiâ—itual 6. These are it may be imperfect for stature or â—imbs those shall be perfect in both respects And thus the last Resurrection shall produce a great change in or upon the bodies of dead men and women Being thus informed touching the last Resurrection we should be admonished from hence to beware of all erroneous opinions in reference to this Subject As 1. If any think there shall be no such Resurrection Vse as the Sadduces thought Mat. 22. 23. as some Philosophers Epicureans and Stoicks thought Acts 17. 18. and as some amongst the Corinthians thought 1 Cor. 15. 12. This is an erroneous opinion contrary to the Informations before given and we should beware of it because they who thus think are not much better then Atheists but are much worse then some Pagans in former times who acknowledged the Resurrection of the dead and an everlasting life after death 2. If any think this Resurrection is past already with Hyminetus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2. 18. This is an erroneous opinion too and we should beware of it because they who thus think conceive that either the Scripture speaks of no other Resurrection but a spiritual Resurrection or of no other Resurrection but such corporal resurrections as haâ—â— been heretofore whereas it hath been shewed bâ—fore That the Scripture doth plainly distinguish thâ— last Resurrection from both these 3. If any think that the reasonable soul of maâ— is mortal and shall dye with the body it is an erroâ—â— not only against those plain places of Scriptuâ—â— Psal 16. Luke 23. Luke 16. which teaches That the Souls of Christ of the penitent Thief of Dives and Lazarus were living while their bodies were dead but also against thâ— doctrine of the last Resurrection For if these soulâ— of men should dye with their bodies what betteâ— reason can there be given for the resurrection oâ— dead men then may be given for the resurrection oâ— dead beasts birds and fishes wherefore beware oâ— this opinion 4. If any think that dead beasts as well as dead men shall rise again at the last day they are much deceived also as may appear by what hath been said before in this Section and this brutish conceit is a plain denyal of that difference which Solomon puts betwixt a man and a beast in their death Eccl. 3. 21. and shews themselves to be ignorant of it therefore beware of it 5. If any think that the dead in Christ shall rise a thousand years before those men which are dead out of Christ we must take this for an error too though it hath many friends because the Word of God teacheth us to allow but one day for the last Resurrection called the last day Joh. 6. 39 40 54. and 11. 24. in which this great Work shall be finished How then can the dead in Christ rise a thousand years before the rest of the dead unless this one last day shall contain a thousand years from the morning to the evening of it which I suppose none of them will acknowledg for a truth Wherefore when it is said The dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thess 4. 16. we must understand that they shall rise first in â—rder of dignity if not first in time as we said before And suppose they shall rise some moment of time â—efore the rest of the dead yet we have no reason â—o think that they shall rise a thousand years before â—hem And whereas it is said The rest of the dead â—ived not again until the thousand years were exâ—ired Revel 20. we are to understand that Saint â—ohn in this place and in the Context doth acquaint â—s with two sorts of dead men viz. some are dead â—n Christ and these are yet alive in him and shall â—ive with him in Heaven by virtue of their spiritual Resurrection until the thousand years there spoken â—f shall be expired And others are dead out of Christ and these shall never live by virtue of a spiâ—itual Resurrection neither shall they live again by â—irtue of a corporal Resurrection until the thouâ—and years before mentioned shall be expired And â—f this be the true meaning of the place as I conceive â—â— is it makes nothing at all for this last Opinion â—ut proves it rather to be erroneous and therefore we should take heed of it Again This Doctrine touching the last Resurâ—ection should exhort and stir us up to divers duâ—ies As 1. To beleeve the last Resurrection seeing we have so many Scriptures to confirm it for when our Saviour had
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
he shall come again in the Flesh the second â—â—me so assureth us that this Coming of his shal be fâ—om Heaven viz. that third Heaven or blessed Heaâ—en wherein he now is and raigneth with his Father iâ— his humane nature as God and man in one person â—nd for to assure us hereof it is said This same Jesus â—hich is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout 1 Thes 4. 16. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with â—is mighty Angels 2 Thes 2. 7. From Heaven we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 20. and hereunto accords that Vision of Saint John I saw the holy City New Jerusalem coming â—own from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride â—dorned for her husband Rev. 21. 2 10. Where by New Jerusalem I understand all the Saints which Christ shall bring with him at his second Coming to be espoused unto him after a more glorious manner then formerly they were and if this New Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven then Christ himself also shall come down from thence at his next return in the Flesh But it may be here demanded Whether Christ Quest shall come from the third Heaven at this next Return of his with a purpose to leave it To which demand I answer thus First The third Answ Heaven may be considered as the most high and holy place of the Godhead Father Son and Holy Ghost and so I say That Christ considered only as God shall never leave it because it is the essential place of the Godhead Secondly It may be considered as it is now the place of Christs humane Nature wherein he raigneth with the Father as God and man in onâ— person and so I beleeve That Christ at his seconâ— Coming from the third Heaven shall leave it altogether never to possess it again as formerly nor as the constant place of his habitation yet I deny not but conceive that after this descention of his he may be taken up again in his humane Nature at some times into the third Heaven for some ends known only to God as Saint Paul once was before hiâ— death but still I think that at his next Return from this Heaven in his humane Nature he shall leave iâ— altogether as the dwelling place of his humane Nature and that for these Reasons 1. The third Heaven was not promised to Christ for an everlasting habitation but only for a certain time as may be seen in these places Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. He must raign till he viz. the Father hath put all enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. And that which is here promised shall be made good unto him at his second Coming and not before And if the third Heaven be not promised unto him for an everlasting habitation but for such a time as is expressed in the promise then we may well think That at his second Coming from this Heaven he shall leave it altogether as it is the dwelling place of his humane Nature 2. It is said That this third Heaven shall receive or contain Christ but for a certain time viz. until the times of restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. that is until the World to come shall be created and all things therein shall be restored according to the Decrees and Promises of God And if so then doubtless Christ at his second Coming from this Heaven shall leave it altogether considered as the dwelling place of his humane Nature 3. It is written That Christ at his second Coming from this Heaven shall resign or deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. And what Kingdom is this that he shall then deliver up to his Father Ans 1. I do not say with some Writers That he shall then deliver up his Mediatory Kingdom to his Father because this Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is the Son of David shall have no end Luk. 1. 33. Neither 2. do I say with others That he shall then deliver up his Church-Kingdom unto his Fathers sole dispose and Government because the Government of the Church both Militant and Triumphant is laid upon Christs shoulders as a Mediator and shall never be taken off from him Isai 9. 6 7. Neither 3. do I say with others That he shall then deliver up his Representative Kingdom consisting of outward Ordinances and Administrations now in use to be abolished by his Father because these things shall cease and determine of their own accord and be abolished before his second Coming at least in order of nature But I say That he shall then resign and deliver up the Kingdom of Heaven properly so called as it is his Fathers personal Kingdom unto the sole dispose and Government of his Father that so his Father may be all in all in it as he was before Christs coming thither 1 Cor. 15. 28. And if he shall resign this Kingdom to God even the Father then we may well think That at his next Coming from this Heaven in his humane Nature he shall leave it altogether as it is the dwelling place of his humane Nature 4. It is said That Christ after his next Coming from Heaven in the Flesh shall be subject to him that put all things under him 1 Cor. 15. 28. that is as if the Apostle had said While Christ remains in the third Heaven in his humane Nature and as the person of a Mediator we are not to consider him as the Fathers Subject because he is there after a sort equal with his Father his Father having advanced him at his own right hand upon his own Throne and having given unto him all power in Heaven and in Earth but after his coming from thence he shall be subject to his Father as he was before his Ascention and if so then doubtless at his second Coming from this Heaven he shall leave it as the dwelling place of his humane Nature 5. Have we never read That Christ after his personal Coming from this third Heaven shall possess his own personal Kingdom and sit upon his own personal Throne according to his Fathers appointment Luk. 19 12. and 22. 29. Rev. 3. 21. And how can this be unless he shall then leave his Fathers personal Kingdom and personal Throne and unless he shall then leave this third Heaven altogether considering it as the dwelling place of his humane Nature Sixthly It informeth us touching the place whither 6 Informat he shall come when he shall come again in the Flesh And so I cannot think that he shall come again from Heaven into this polluted world because this will be no fit place for a glorified Person to be and reside in but doubtless he shall come again from Heaven into the World to
eye shall see Christ in his Humane Nature sitting upon the Throne of his Glory Rev. 1. 7. Mat. 25. 31. And some shall say unto the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne Rev. 6. 16. And where shall this be but in the World to come Wherefore from these premises I infer That the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ shall be very visible and apparent unto men in the World to come And this Ground should be firmly held against such as think that Christ shall have no Personal-Humane Kingdom in the World to come because it 's said That at or upon the end of this world he shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. But as I have intimated before upon an other occasion so now I say more fully That Christ shal never deliver up his own Kingdom to God even the Father either his own Essential Kingdom or his own Personal Kingdom For if he should deliver and resign his own Essential Kingdom then he should cease to be an Essential King which would be absurd to acknowledg And if he shall resign his Personal Divine or Humane Kingdom to God even the Father then he shall cease to be a Personal King or else the Personal Kingdom of Christ shall become the Personal Kingdom of the Father both which would be also absurd to affirm Therefore the true meaning of this place is That when Christ shall come again from the third Heaven his Fathers Personal Kingdom in his Humane Nature he shall then resign and deliver up this Kingdom viz. his Fathers Personal Kingdom not his own Personal Kingdom to God even the Father that his Father may be all in all in it as he was before Christ came thither in his Humane Nature And so this place rightly understood makes nothing at all against this third Ground Fourthly I affirm That this Personal-Humane 4 Ground Kingdom of his belonging to the World to come is much spoken of in the Scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments It is much spoken of in the Old Testament for therein the Father hath said unto Christ I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Psal 2. 8 9. And where shall this promise be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Therein it is said concerning Christ That he shall raign over the Nations and shall judg the Earth 1 Chron. 16. 31 33. And where shall this promise be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Therein it is said concerning him That he shall have Dominion over the works of Gods hands and all things shall be put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowl of the ayr and the fish of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas Psal 8. 6 7 8. And where shall we see all this fully performed unto him not in this world Heb. 2. 8. but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Therein we find him described as a Humane King Psal 45. throughout Psal 72. and in many other places But where shall he appear as a humane King not in this world but in the World to come where he shall have such a Kingdom Therein it is said concerning him That of the increase of his Government there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Judgment and Iustice Isai 9. 7. And where shall this promise be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Therein it is said concerning him That a King shall raign and prosper and shall execute Iudgment and Iustice in the Earth In whose days Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Ier. 23. â— 6. And where shall this be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come Therein it is said concerning him David my Servant shall be King over them and they shall all have one Shepherd they shall also walk in my Iudgments and observe my Statutes and do them And David shall be their Prince for ever Ezek. 37. 24 25. And where shall this be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Lastly Therein it is said concerning him That there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. And where shall this be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom It is also much spoken of in the New Testament For herein we find That the Lord God shall give unto Christ the Throne of his Father David Luk. 1. 32. And where shall he fully receive this gift not in this world but in the World to come for the Throne of David was not a Type of Christs Spiritual Kingdom but of his Humane Kingdom in the World to come Herein also we find That some shall sit at his right hand and some at his left in his Kingdom Mat. 20. 21. 23. And where shall this be fully verified of him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom And when the penitent thief said Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Luk. 23. 42. I do not think that he speak of Christs coming into his Spiritual Kingdom which was both then and before in Being but that he spake of his coming into his Humane Kingdom of Glory And the better to assure him that his request was granted our Saviour replyed To day shall thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. viz. in respect of thy Soul And doubtless all that are or shall be with him in Paradise in respect of their Souls shall be remembred of him when he shall come into his Personal-Humane Kingdom And lustly Whereas upon the sounding of the seventh Trumpet this saying shall be ecchoed forth The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ c Rev. 11. 15. I do not think that this saying shall ever be fulfilled at the utmost in this world but in the World to come And doubless after the Kingdoms of this world shall be dissolved and broken in peeces as they shall be with the dissolution of this present world then immediately shall they be resolved into the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and shall be brought wholy in subjection to him and not before Wherefore I infer That the Personal-Humane
sins in this world of what nature sort or degree soever they have been or shall be Yea there is no sin of theirs whether original or actual of omission or commission in thought word or deed against the Law or the Gospel that shall be forgotten but all their sins shall come into remembrance before God and for these they shall be cursed in the world to come And we may say of a cursing Reprobate with the Prophet As he loved cursing so let it come unto him as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment so let it come into his bowels like water and like oyl into his bones Let it be as the garment which covereth him and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually Psal 109. 17 18 19. For thus it shall be with them in the world to come 3. If it be farther demanded In what manner they shall be cursed in the World to come I answer thus They shall be fully and perfectly cursed For though these vessels of wrath may not be of one size but some of them may contain more then others yet they shall be all filled up to the brim with Gods curses in the world to come They shall be also everlastingly cursed For their cursed condition in the world to come shall never have an end but after millions of years shall be expired in their apprehension they shall know it to be without end Yea they shall be exceeding cursed above all that can be spoken or conceived by men and Angels concerning this matter 4. Lastly If it be demanded Wherewith they shall be cursed in the World to come I answer thus They shall be cursed in the world to come 1. With everlasting Destruction 2. With everlasting Death 3. With everlasting Shame 4. With everlasting Contempt 5. With everlasting Bondage 6. With everlasting Slavery 7. With everlasting Poverty 8. With everlasting Tribulation 9. With everlasting Darkness 10. With everlasting Sorrow 11. VVith everlasting Fear But my meaning is to speak of these things more fully in the following Sections And it may suffice to mention them in this place because all that I intended in this touching this cursed condition of Reprobates was to speak of it in a general way which I have done accordingly in this second Proposition And this cursed condition of theirs may inform Vse us First That it had been good for Reprobates if they had never been born as our Saviour said of Judas for if they had never been born they had never been subject to the curse of God But now seeing they have been are or shall be all born it will follow from hence That they shall be cursed for ever Secondly That it will be worse with Reprobates in the world to come then in this For 1. In this they are seldom sensible of the curse of God but do often think themselves to be the blessed of the Lord but in that they shall still be sensible of the curse of God 2. In this they meet with divers things that take off from them the meditation and thought of Gods curse as riches pleasures profits honors and merry companions c. But in that world they shall not meet with any thing that shall take off from them the meditation and thought of Gods curse 3. In this there is still hope that they may be converted and so escape the eternal curse of God But in that world there shall be no hope of their conversion Ergo. Thirdly If we will not be cursed with Reprobates in the world to come we must take heed of final impenitency and unbelief the most proper sins of Reprobates and see that we be soundly converted and then not till then we shall be safe from the eternal curse of God SECT XI Touching the Salvation of Gods Elect and the Destruction of Reprobates in the World to come HAving spoken of a general difference which shall be betwixt Gods Elect and Reprobates in the world to come I am next to speak of some special differences which shall be betwixt them And the first special difference which shall be betwixt them may be expressed in these two Propositions viz. Gods Elect shall be saved in the World to come Reprobates shall be destroyed in the World to come Gods Elect shall be saved in the World to come 1 Proposit And touching this Salvation of theirs we are to understand The Nature of it The Certainty of it The Causes of it The Extent of it The Continuance of it First As touching the Nature of it I affirm That they shall be saved from all the Evils of the World to come that shall be found therein And this Salvation of theirs shall be all one with Deliverance with Redemption with Preservation or safe-keeping It shall be all one with Deliverance for so far as any in this world are delivered from the evil of it they are saved from the evil of it Now Gods Elect shall be delivered from all the evils of the world to come according to the last Petition of the Lords Prayer But deliver us from evil Mat. 6. 13. And in this sence they shall be saved It shall be all one with Redemption for so far as any in this world are redeemed from the evil of it they are saved from it Now Gods Elect shall be fully and perfectly redeemed from the evils of the world to come according to that of our Saviour Your Redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21. 28. In this sence also they shall be saved It shall be all one with Preservation or safe-keeping for so far as any are preserved and safely kept in this world from the evil of it they are saved from it Now Gods Elect shall be fully and perfectly preserved and safely kept from the Evils of the world to come according to that promise The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil Yea it is even he that shall keep thy Soul Psal 121. 7. And in this sence too they shall be saved In short there is no evil that shall touch them or happen unto them in the world to come either from God from Chirst from the good Angels from evil Angels from themselves from Reprobates or from other creatures There is no evil that shall happen unto them in respect of their Souls bodies names or outward estates for as they shall gain much so they shall suffer no loss as they shall receive much good so they shall receive no evil from the hands of God in the world to come And so we may understand the nature of their Salvation Secondly As concerning the certainty of their Salvation I affirm That Gods Elect shall most certainly be saved in the World to come As we may well conceive for these Reasons 1. Because they were from everlasting appointed and chosen unto Salvation 1 Thess 5. 9. 2 Thess 2. 13. And they that were from everlasting appointed unto it shall be
may be enjoyed in it Now Gods Elect shal enâ—oy much more spiritual light in the World to come â—hen may be expected in this life for whiles they â—ive here they are defective in their spiritual light of saving knowledg in their spiritual light of holiness â—n their spiritual light of experience but in that world they shall know no such defect whiles they live here the best of them know but in part and prophecy in part and see as through a glass darkly but in the World to come they shall know as they are known and shall see face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Wherefore that world is much to be desired in this respect And if any desire it in this respect there are three Things especially expected from them 1. That they be soundly regenerated and converted that so they may be translated into a state of spiritual light 2. That after this they be thankful for the spiritual light which they have received Psalm 16. 7. 3. That they be careful to improve their spiritual light so as to walk in it or according to it 1 Thes 5. The other Proposition is That Reprobates shall be 2 Proposit punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come Some perhaps may think that Reprobates shall be punished with bodily darkness in the next world as the Egyptians were in Moses time for then God brought a thick palpable darknes over al the land of Egypt so that the Egyptians could not see one another nor rise any one off his place for three days Exod. 10. 23. yet I cannot think so for if they shall be punished with bodily darkness how then can it be that they shall see him whom they have pierced how then can it be that they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of God which things they shall certainly see with their bodily eyes in that world rather then I think that their bodily eyes shall be clear enough but their spiritual eyes shall be darkened and they covered with spiritual darkness in that world Which spiritual darkness of theirs as I conceive shall be a total and perpetual privation of that spiritual light which belongs to Gods Elect in that world that is to say they shall have no light of saving knowledg no light of holiness no light of comfortable experience in that world but the darkness of ignorance the darkness of an unholy life the darkness of discomfort being so many branches of spiritual darkness shall still remain upon them And this darkness of theirs is called in Scripture the midst of darkness it may be because they shall not know how to come forth of it It s called the blackness of darkness it may be because they shall have no comfort in it It is called outer darkness it may be because it shall be proper to an outer sort of people such as shall be found to be out of Christ and out of Gods favour in that world Now that Reprobates shall be punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come may thus be proved 1. It is said That the light of the wicked shall be put out Job 18. 5. where as I suppose the Text speaks not of bodily light for in this sence it may be as truly said The light of the godly shall be put out as the light of the wicked shall be put out but it speaks of that spiritual light which wicked hypocrites may seem to have in this life and so the meaning is That that spiritual light which wicked hypocrites may seem to have in this life if they shall still remain such and be found Reprobates at the last shall be one day altogether extinguished and put out from whence I may argue thus They that shall have their seeming spiritual light altogether extinguished and put out shall be punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come But Reprobates shall have their seeming spiritual light altogether extinguished and put out Ergo. 2. They that have no spiritual light sown for them shall be punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come Now Reprobates have no spiritual light sown for them as may be gathered from Psal 97. 11. Ergo. 3. They that will still be the children of Satans Kingdom in this world shall be punished with spiritual darkness in that which is to come as it is written The children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness Mat. 8. 12. Now Reprobates will still be the children of Satans Kingdom in this world Ergo. 4. They that will still be without the wedding garment of saving faith and repentance whiles they live in this world shall be punished with spiritual darkness in that which is to come as may appear by our Saviours sentence upon the man that had not on a wedding garment Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Mat. 22. 13. Now Reprobates will still be without the wedding garment of saving faith and repentance whiles they live in this world Ergo. 5. They that will still be unprofitable servants in this life shall be punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come according to the saying of Christ Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness Mat. 25. 30. But Reprobates will still be unprofitable servants in this life Ergo. 6. They that will still remain in a state of spiritual darkness whiles they live in this world shall be punished with spiritual darkness in that which is to come Now Reprobates will still remain in a state of spiritual darkness whiles they live in this world and so long it will be truly said of them That they are in darkness and walk in darkness and know not whither they go because darkness hath blinded their eyes 1 Joh. 2. 11. Ergo. 7. They that will still love spiritual darkness rather then spiritual light shall be punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come But Reprobates will still love spiritual darkness rather then spiritual light Ioh. 3. 19. Ergo. 8. They that will still mistake light for darkness and darkness for light in a spiritual sence shall be punished with spiritual darkness in the World to come But Reprobates will still mistake light for darkness and darkness for light as both are taken in a spiritual sence Isai 5. 20. Ergo. 9. They that will still be deceivers of themselves and others whiles they live in this world shall be punished with spiritual darkness in that which is to come 2 Pet. 2. 17. Iude 13. But Reprobates will still be seducers of themselves and others whiles they live in this world Ergo. 10. They that will still be wicked in this world shall be punished with spiritual darkness in that which is to come according to that in Hannah's song The wicked shall be silent in darkness 1 Sam. 2. 9. Now Reprobates will still remain wicked in this woâ—ld Ergo. And this latter Proposition may inform us That Vse it cannot be