sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather his Elect together from the foure Windesâ— c. and then saith to his faithfull ones When these things begin to come to passe then looke up and lift up your heads for your redemâ—tion draweth nigh Then know that the Kingdome of God is nigh at hand Mat. 24. Luke 21.30.31 This is the redemtion which all the faithfull looked for even that deliverance of the whole house and Seede of Israel out of all Countries whereof the Prohets had spoken And here we see by what meanes the Lord will gather them and bring them together in that day even by his holy Angels whom he will send forth with a great sound of a Trumpetâ— They shall gather his elect together from the foure Winds as well they of the tenne Tribes of Israell and of the Gentiles also as them of Iudah and Beniamine he will leave none of them any more there he will open their graves and bring them up out of their graves and place them in their owne land where their fathers had dwelt and they shall know that the Lord had not onely spoken it but that he hath now performed it according as Ezekiel prophesied Ezek. â—7 They being now delivered from the hands of their enemies shall serve the Lord without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of their life according to the prophesie of Zacherias Luke 1. And as David in his Psalme of the Covenant saith unto the people of Israell O give thankes unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever and say yee save us O God of our salvation and gather us together and deliver us from the heathen that we may give thankes to thy holy name and glory in thy praise 1 Chro. 16.34.35 And now upon this great redemption shall the Kingdome bee restrored to Israell which the Apostles so desired to know the time of that which Christ commended to his little flocke to comfort them in the time of their affliction saying feare not little flocke for it is you fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome Luke 12.32 And of which he saith againe And I appoint unto you a Kingdome as the father hath appointed unto me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my Kingdome and sit on Throne iudging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.29 30. meaning the ungodly of all the Tribes And whereof he spake also unto the unbeleeving Iewes and all other Hippocrite and workers of iniquitie to their shame in their condemnation saying When ye shall see Abraham Isaack and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and your selves cast out Luke 13.27 where is to bee noted that the ungodly shall see the righteous in the Kingdome of God when themselves are cast out This is the Kingdome which God had prepared for his chosen from the foundation of the world to bee inherited now at this time when Christ shall come in his glory to judge the quicke and the dead as himselfe also further declareth saying And when the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all his holy Angels with him then shall he sit in the Throne of his glory and before him shall bee gaâ—hered all Nations and hee shall separate them as a Shepheard doth his sheepe from the goates and he shall set the sheepe on his right hand and the goats at the left then shall the King say unto them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungry and ye gave mee meate I was athirst and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and ye tâ—oke me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sicke and ye came unto me I was in prison and ye visited me c. And unto them on his left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire c. In which happie sentence to them that shall stand on Christs right hand at this day of Iudgement Christ in foretelling us of it doth give us to understand as a faire fore-admonition to us all what manner of persons they are and must be found to be in respect of workes that shall inherit this Kingdome And hereby also wee may perceive what it is to make us friends with the goods of this world called the Mammon of unrighteousnâ—sse because men love them so much setting their hearts upon them and by many unrighteously gotten And who the friends are that can will receive us into everlasting habitation even Christ himselfe and God his father also So that whosoever shall receive one of those little ones that beleeveth in Christ in Christs name receiveth Christ he that receiveth Christ receveth God the Father that sent him for so he hath said he that shall give a cup of cold water to one of the least of Christs brethren because he belongeth to Christ he shall not lose his reward because Christ counteth it as done to him self he wil stand his friend when the great day time of nâ—ede shall come and all frienâ—s else will faile him These bee the workes of Abraham which doe shew the faith of Abraham and of Abrahams children that shall inherit the kingdome And when Christ shall so come in his glory and shall sit in the Throne of his glory and be possest of his Kingdome which God the father had appointed unto him as he said Luk. 22.20 for the possession of his Kingdome and his appearing in glory to Iudge the quicke and the dead or both together as Saint Paul saith 2 Tim. 4.1 and the Saints possâ—ssing the Kingdome also dependeth upon his and beginneth as from his and by him is continued This Throne and kingdome of Christ I say is not to cease or be taken from him nor he from it God will settle him therein according as hee said and sware to his father David long beforre saying But I will settle him in my house and in my kingdome for ever and his throne shall be established for evermore 1 Chro. 17.14 And againe My Covenant will I not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lipps Once have I sworne by my holinesse that I will not lie unto David his seede shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sunne before me it shall bee established for ever as the Moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven Psal. 89.34 36. Christ is not to come to sit and passe sentence of Iudgement onely and so to depart away as some thinke but he is to continue to raigne upon his thrown in this kingdome for everâ— according also as in another Psal. it saith Thy Throe O God is for ever and ever a Septer of righteousnesse is the Septer of thy Kingdome Psal. 45.6 as also Heb. 1.8 And of this throne and Kingdome of Christ and the endlesnes thereof spake the Angel
Gabriel unto the blessed Virgin Mary when he was sent unto her saying Fâ—are not Mary for thou hast found favour with God and behold thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus he shall be great and shall bee called the Sonne of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end Luk. 1.30.31 32 33. Which Kingdome of Christ was also foreshewed unto the Prophet Daniel in a vision as he saith And I saw in the night vision and behold one like the Sonne of man came with the cloudes of heaven and came to the antient of dayes and they brought him before him and there was given unto him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7.13.14 And where hee saith againe foreshewing also that the Saints shall possesse the Kingdome with Christ and raigne with him when those great Monarches and usurpers of it are removed Dan. 7.16.17 But The Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdome and possesse the Kingdome for ever even for ever and ever verse 18. as also in verse 27. 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 kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all powers shall serve and obey him According to that which the Prophet Micha testifieth fâ—om the Lord saying And I will make hir that halteth a remnant and her that was cast farre off a great Nation and the Lord shall raigne over them in mount Sion from hence forth even for ever Mich. 4.7 Much more might be mentioned from the Prophets and Scriptures to this purpose for which of the Prophets have not prophesied thereof and what words can there bee spoken more fully and clearely to shew the perpetuity of this Kingdome of Christ and of his Saints on the earth under the whole heaven then these that hath been spoken in these several places of the Scritures before mentioned for ever even for ever for ever ever for evermore for ever even for ever and ever for an everlasting possession an everlasting Kingdome that which shall not bee destroyed there shall bee no end as the Sunnâ— and as the Moone c. And how can it be thought that all these things and words should bee spoken in such a manner and but a thousand yeares meant and to be here in this poluted world fulfilled on a latter offâ—sping of Iewes remainingâ— or as the Millinaries would have it of a comming of Christ and resurrection of the beheaded Saints or of all the Saints since the beginning of the World to that time and then at the end of those yeares to cease or to bee delivered up as they immagine and teach I say except men were besotted with willfulnesse and blindnesse that having once conceived an opinion and taken it up will wrest all Scriptures even from their plaine intention to make them serve for their purposes rather then let their opinion fall or harken to any thing that may bee said against it It is true the Throne and Kingdome wherin Christ is now at this present unto which after his sufferings God the Father exalted him at his right hand in the heavens to sit raigne with him there till he had put all his enemies under his feet the last enemie being death This he is to resigne and deliver up to God the Father at the end of the world when God shall have put all enemies under his feet as Saint Paul saith Then commeth the end when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the father when hee shall put downe all ruâ—e all authority and power for he must raigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet the last enemie that shall be destroyed is death for he hath put all things under him but when hee saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted that did put all things under him and when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the sonne also himselfe bee sâ—biect unto him that did put all things under him that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15. Where the Apostle sheweth plainely that in some consideration Iesus Christ the Sonne of man the Son of David is not subiect unto God the father now being at his right hand reigning with him in the heavens as he shall bee then at the end of the world when God shall have put all things under him himselfe onely excepted Nor God all in all now as he shal be then because now Christ in his humaine person sitteth in his Throne with him God having once setled him in the Throne of his Father David according to his oath which he sware unto David hee is to leave the other to him that gave him this and to bee suiect unto him and to honour him as his head even as his Spouse the Church is to be subiect unto him and to honour him as her head And herein shall the sonne loose no honour for as hee is God he is the same for ever Nay rather he shall receive much more glory and honour for although the glory and honour whereto he is now exalted at the right hand of God in the heavens be gâ—eat in respect of his humaine nature farre above all that ever any man else was exalted unto or ever shall yet it is seene of no man and beleeved but of a few neither are all his enemies now subdued But when all enemies all authority and rulâ— of Monarks and powers of this world of wickednes shall be subdued and death the last enemie and he himselfe sitting in the Throne of his glory with all his redeemed openly in the sight of all his and their enemies ruling them with a rod of yron as in the world to come it shall be Heb. 2.5 6 7 8. This his glory will be greater And these words of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. For he must reigne till hee hath put all enemies under his feete alluding in way of proofe unto the words of David Psalme 110.1 doe shew plainely that it is the Kingdom wherein he reigneth now at the right hand of God in the heavens that hee is to deliver up and resigne unto God his Father at his comming But this Throne Kingdome which God will now settle him in after all enemies are subdued he is never to resigne or deliver up neither shal it bâ—e taken from him nor he from it nor be destroyed or have an end as hath beene declared In this Throne he may admit his brethren that followed him in the regeneration that overcome to sit with him and wil as he hath promised saying
face continually remâ—mber his marvelous workes that he hath done his wonders and the judgements of his mouth yee seed of Israell his servant yee Children of Iacob his chosen ones he is the Lord our God his judgâ—ments are in all the Earth Be ye mindfull alwayes of his covenant the word which he commanded to a thousand generations Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham and of his oath unto Isaack and hath confirmed the same unto Iacob for a law and to Israell for an â—verlasting covenant saying unto thee will I give the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance when ye were but few even a few and strangers in it c. 1 Chro. 16. But small reason had David and as little reason had they either the Fathers or the children to be alway mindfull of this covenant if God had not confirmed it sure unto them all even to the thousand generations for an everlasting Covenant ever to endure and that it had not beene heavenly without corruption The covenant was made when they were strangers on earth but when they shall inherit the same they shall be no more strangers but true owners Then shall they worship the Lord in the beawtie of holynesse and feare before him all the earth the world also shall be stablâ—â— that it be not mooved Then shall the heauens bâ— glad and the earth shall reioyce and men shall say among the Nations The Lord raigneth According as David declareth in the same Psalme And that David did well vnderstand this covenant of the inheritance of the land of Canaan to be an eternall inheritance in the world to come he declareth himselfe further unto the People in another Psalme where he exhorteth them also saying O come let us worship bow down let us kneele before the Lord our maker for he is the Lord our God we are the people of his pasture the sheep of his hands To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse when your fathers tempted me proved mee and saw my workes fortie yeares long was I greived with this generation and said it is a people that doe erre in their hearts for they have not knowne my wayes unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psal. 95. Where the King and Prophet David doth playnly shew that when God did sweare in his wrath they of Israel that sinned in the wildernes erring in their hearts should not enter into that good Land which God sware he would give to their Fathers as it is in Deut. 1.34.35 God meant most especially and cheifly the heavenly estate of inheritance in the world to come wherin holynesse and righteousnesse rest and peace should habit and abide and God himselfe would dwell with all the holy Fathers and their Seed as in his Tabernacle for evermore for which cause he calleth it his rest and sheweth that they that will enter into it must vnharden their hearts and heare his voyce that is to say repent and believe the promise otherwise there is no entering into it And this doth the Apostle plainly prove mentioning this very same thing to the Hebrewes saying And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that bâ—leived not So we see saith he that they could not enter in because of unbeleife let us feare therefore least a promise being left of entering into his Rest any of you should seeme to come short of it for unto us was the Gospell preached as well as unto them c. Heb. â— 7.8.9.10.4.1.2.3 c. Where he also declareth that every one that hath the faith of Abraham that so beleiveth as He did not onely hath an entrance heere in the Spirit Spirituallyâ— as he saith we which haue beleived doâ— enter and as all the holy Fathers had but also shall hereafter their owne persones soule and body inherit the same really and truely with all the holy Fathers and sheweth that the same rest and entrance into it is preached unto us by the Gospell as it was also unto them by the promise it containing the summe of the Gospell And that it remaineth yet to be expected of all the people of God who are heere so entred by faith Their calling and election being made sure as the Apostle Peter saith For so an entrance is aboundantly ministred unto us into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.10.11 For Gods rest eternall is Christs everlasting Kingdome which is to be manifested at his appearing when he shall also judge the quicke and the dead as Saint Paul saith to Timothy For Ioshâ—a did not give the people of Israel that rest but Iesus Christ is to doe it in whom they beleived And of this salvation of Israel inheritance of the Earth and stability of the world doth the Prophet Esay also speake where he having forshewed the shame and confusion of the ungodly and Idolatours of the world which is to come upon them saith But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation yee shall noâ— be ashamed nor confounded world without end for thus faith 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 I have not spoken in secret in a darke place of the Earth I said not unto the seed of Iacob Seeke ye meâ— in vaine I the Lord speake righteousnesse I declare things that are right Esay 45.14.15.16 So that if Abraham Isaack and Iacob and their seed should not live and inherit the earth If God that made it had not established it so as they should inhabit the same and well therein for ever according to his word Then had he created it in vaine then had he said unto the seed of Iacob all this while seeke yee mee in vaine But the Lord speaketh righteousnesse he declareth things that are right and such as shall surely come to passe in their due time and season Neither hath he spoken in obscurity in darke places or corners of the Earth as if he would not have his mind knowen nay he speaketh plainly and openly to the eares of the people and inhabitants of the world So as the simplest soule through his grace may understand his meaning And for further confirmation that God did not create this excellent worke and Fabrike of the world to destroy it but that he hath established the same and will that it be not movâ—d Consider these scriptures 1 Chro. 16.30 â—sal 78.69 Psal. 93.1 Psal. 96.10 Psal. 14.5 The fift Question or Proposition Fiftly I aske iâ— the deliverance by Moyses and the possession and estate Ioshua gave the naturall Israelites in the land of Canaâ—n which God fore-shewed unto Abraham in Gen.