own unwillingness Thou wilt not come to Christ this Jesus Christ complained of John 5.40 But ye will not come to me that ye might have life Ah! woe's me saith the poor lost sinner If I were so deeply humbled for my sins if I had a soft broken penitent heart if I could get victory over my corruptions then I should be willing to come to Christ for pardon and for salvation but these things hinder me and discourageth me from coming to Christ I am ashamed to come I am afraid to come I confess I am unwilling to come yet know God and Christ is willing that thou shouldest come Mat. 11.28 And ere long the Day of God's Power will come upon thee and then thou wilt be willing Psal 110.3 Thy People shall be willing in the Day of thy Power Secondly I exhort you to believe in Christ When the Jaylor asked Paul and Silas and said Sirs What must I do to be saved They said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16.30 31. This is that glad Tydings of the Gospel which Christ hath commanded and commissioned his Ministers to Preach unto every creature Mark 16.15 16. He that believes shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned There is an absolute necessity of believing in Jesus Christ unto salvation for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Alas saith a poor sinner I cannot Believe I know not how to Believe what shall I do to Believe I answer Faith is not of our selves it is not of works but it is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 9 10. The Faith of the Operation of God Col. 2.12 It is the exceeding greatness of his mighty power Eph. 1.19 20. The same Almighty Power of God that raised Jesus Christ from the dead must raise the soul of a sinner from the death of sin unto the life of Righteousness The soul being dead in trespasses and sins must be quickened together with Christ and raised together with Christ Eph. 2.5 6. Thirdly I exhort you to Repent of your sins Repentance is also the Gift of God Act. 11.18 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life Evangelical Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin or a sorrowing for sin after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 10. For godly sorrow worketh Repentance to salvation c. which Gospel-Repentance consists of confession of sins to God contrition and mourning for sins before God and turning from sins unto God with our whole heart and with our whole man in Spirit Soul and Body And I do exhort sanctified Believers to prepare themselves to leave this world and to enjoy the world to come Noah did prepare himself all the time he was building the Ark by being a just and perfect man and walking with God Gen. 6.9 for the Ending Time of this world draws near And the End of our natural life is to us the End of this World And that we may be prepared we ought to dye daily to sin to self and to this evil world And we must live to God live God in Christ Jesus Titus 2.11 12 13 14. For the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works THE WORLD to Come CHAP. I. Wherein the General Position is propounded proved explained 1. The Position propounded THere is a World to come wherein will be the New Heavens a New Earth and the New Jerusalem also the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints the Resurrection of the Dead and the Eternal Judgment which World to come will begin when the LORD Jesus Christ shall come again from Heaven 2. The Position proved The holy Scripture of Truth doth Testifie 1. That there is a WORLD to come Matth. 12.32 But whosoever speaketh against the holy Spirit it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come Eph. 1.20 21. Not only in this world but also in that which is to come And Heb. 2.5 For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection that WORLD even that to come 2. That then the LORD Jesus Christ will come again from Heaven Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 9.28 And to them that look for him shall he appear the Second Time c. 1 Thes 3.13 At the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ with all his Saints 3. That then there will be the New Heavens and a New Earth and the New Jerusalem yea and all things new Isa 65.17 I create New Heavens and a New Earth 2. Pet. 3.13 We according to his promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth c. Rev. 21.1 2. And I saw a New Heaven and a New Earth And I John saw the holy City the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven c. And Heb. 12.22 23 24. The heavenly Jerusalem 4. That the LORD Jesus Christ and his Saints shall have a Kingdom and shall Reign on Earth Dan. 7.13 14. 27. And there was given to him a Kingdom Zech. 14.9 And the LORD shall be King of all the Earth Dan. 7.27 And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High c. Rev. 5. 9 10. And thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign on Earth Also Rev. 11.15 20.4 And they lived and Reigned with Christ a thousand years 5. That then there shall be a Resurrection from the Dead 1 Thes 4.16 And the dead in Christ shall rise first Rev. 20.5 6. And the Rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished 1 Cor. 15.21 22 23-51 52. And the dead shall be raised incorruptible c. 6. That then shall be the last and Eternal Judgment Rom. 14.10 and 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ And Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.16 and 2 Tim. 4.1 Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 1 Pet. 4.5 Ready to judge the quick and the dead Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing c. Rom. 2.16 and Matth. 12.36 called the Eternal Judgment Heb. 6.2 So then without all controversie or any modest contradiction we have the Testimony of Christ his Apostles and Prophets recorded in the holy Scripture of Truth for the full confirmation of our general Position 3. The Position explained In explaining our general Position I shall begin with the first
a litlte while and HE that shall come will come and will not tarry Act. 1.11 This self same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven As Christ ascended into Heaven in his own Person so he shall lihewise descend from Heaven in his own Person Matth. 24.27 As the Lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall also the Coming of the SON of Man be so visible Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him And 1 Thes 4.13 14 18. The LORD himself shall descend from Heaven c. To them that look for him he shall appear the Second Time without sin unto Salvation Now the principal things to be explained in this Branch or part of our general Position are three viz. 1. The Manner 2. The Time 3. The Ends of Christ's Coming First Touching the Manner of Christ's Second Personal Coming from Heaven it is testified Matth. 16.27 That the SON of Man shall come in the Glory of his Father The Glory of the Father is the highest and most heavenly Glory called the Excellent Glory 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18. When we made known unto you the Power and Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ For he received from God the Father honour and glory from the Excellent Glory which was but a glimpse of that Excellent Glory of the Father which Christ shall come in Attended with all his holy Angels and glorified Saints from Heaven and met in the Air by all the changed Saints then living on Earth Jude v. 14. Behold the LORD cometh with Ten Thousand of his Saints and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of Angels saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and honour and glory Rev. 5.11 12. and 2 Thes 1 7-10 When the LORD Jesus Christ shall be Revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels At the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints 1 Thes 3.16 1 Thes 4.17 18. Then we which are alive and remain unto the Coming of the Lord ver 5. shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Read Luk. 21.17 Mark 13.16 Matth. 24.30 Secondly Touching the Time of Christ's Second Personal Coming from Heaven Though of that Day and that Hour when Christ shall come knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heaven nor the Son of Man but the Father only Mark 13.26 32. Yet there are some signs of Christ's Second Coming recorded in the Scripture of Truth whereby we may know that it is near even at the door The Disciples of Christ asked him What shall be the sign of his Coming Matth. 24.3 to whom Christ gave this for a sign ver 37 38 39. But as the Daies of Noe were so shall also the Coming of the Son of Man be And Luk. 17.28 29 30. Likewise also as it was in the Daies of Lot even thus shall it be in the Day when the Son of Man is revealed It will be so with the Men of this World as it was with the Men of the Old World which God destroyed with Water Then the wicked ones of that Generation were very ungodly Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth c. And Christ told his Disciples Matth. 24.12 That Iniquity shall abound a little before his Second Coming vers 30. And it will be so with the Men and Women of these Cities as it was with those Citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah whose Cities were burned Another sign of Christ's Second Coming is a great Apostasie both in the Doctrine and Worship of the Gospel This sign of Christ's Second Coming the Apostle Paul foretold 2 Thes 2.1 2 3. Now we beseech you Brethren by the Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ Let not man deceive you for that DAY shall not come except there come a falling away first An Apostasie first from the Doctrine of the Gospel especially Faith and Love 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter daies some shall depart from the Faith c. And Christ saith Matth. 24.3 12. The Love of many shall wax cold before his Second Coming from Heaven vers 30. Some Teachers make the Law of the Ten Commandments a Doctrine of Faith in Christ affirming that those ten words are a Covenant of Grace Other Preachers make the Gospel of the Grace of God a Doctrine and Covenant of works teaching Justification by works and Salvation by works holding Free-will and falling away And many there are of whom the Apostle Peter prophesied 2 Pet. 2.1 2. False Teachers who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them c. And 2 Pet. 3.3 4. That there shall come in the last Daies Scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying Where is the Promise of his Coming c Insomuch that our Saviour said Luke 18.8 When the Son of Man cometh shall he find Faâ—th on Earth And many Professors will fall from their first Love as the Ephesians did Rev. 2.4 The Faith and Love of the Primitive Saints in the Churches of Christ continued and increased 2 Thes 1.1 2 3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Love of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth But in these last Daies many depart from the Faith and many cool in their Spiritual Affections to Christ there are great decaies of Grace and many flourishing Professors experience great withering fading and decaying in their spiritual gifts and graces their backslidings are increased As the Apostasie in Doctrine so in Worship is a sign of the Last Daies and of the Second Coming of Christ The Apostle Paul foretold thereof 1 Thes 2.3 4. 2 Tim. 3.1 5. This know also that in the Last Daies Men shall be Lovers of their own selves c. more than Lovers of God having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof In those last Daies even a little before the Second Coming of Christ the Laodicean Churches will be lukewarm neither cold nor hot formal not fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rev. 3.15 16. And then the National Churches will be Papal Superstitious and Will-worshippers Col. 2.16 18-22 23. Which things have indeed a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship c. Then Mystery Babylon will say I sit a Queen c. Revel 18.7 8. Therefore shall her Plagues come in one day to wit the seven Vials of the last Plagues for in them is filled up the wrath of God Rev. 15.1 7. And then our Lord Jesus Christ will come in power and great glory and shall utterly destroy Antichrist 2 Thes 2.8 Whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his Coming When those Virgin-Professors who have highly pretended to be upon their watch waiting for the Coming of the
Bridegroom Christ Jesus shall grow secure careless invigilant and all slumber and sleep it is a Sign that the Second Coming of Christ is near Matth. 25.5 6. While the Bridegroom Jesus Christ tarried they all slumbred and slept And at midnight there was a Cry made Behold the Bridegrom cometh And ver 10 The Bridegrom came called the Son of Man ver 13. See my exposition upon the Parable of the ten Virgins printed Anno 1667. David prophesied Psal 145.10.11.12.13 that the latter DAY Saints shall bless the LORD Saying They shall speak of the Glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy Power To make known to the Sons of Men the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom But when the wise Virgins begin to be Sinfully silent and dare not bear their Testimony boldly and publickly for Christ against Antichrist when they cease to teach and preach the Doctrine of Christs Second Coming and of the glorious Majesty of his Davidical Kingdom then they begin to grow carnal worldly careless and secure formal and lukewarm But there will then come a Midnight Dispensation that will awaken all virgin Professors and then Christ will come Another Sign of Christ's Second Coming from Heaven is that great Tribulation which our Saviour foretold his Disciples would be immediately before his Second Coming and Appearance Matth. 24.21 29 30. For then shall be great Tribulation And immediately after the Tribulation of those days they shall see the Son of Man Coming in the Clouds of Heaven c. This great Tribulation will cause Distress of Nations with great perplexities Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon the Earth Luk. 21.25 26 27. Read Dan. 12.1 2 3 4 8 9 13 c. This great Tribulation will be such as never was since the world began Mat. 24.21 WOE WOE WOE to the Inhabitants of the Earth Rev. 8.13 and of the Sea Rev 12.12 And the People of God especially his two Prophetical Witnesses to wit the separated Churches and their faithful Ministers shall not be exempted from the Tribulation of those Daies for they shall suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.1 12. This know also that in the Last daies perillous Times shall come Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution And when the two Prophetical Witnesses of Christ shall have finished their Testimony that is to say have Preached the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ King of Nations Jer. 7.10 and Matth. 24.14 The Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless Pit shall make War against them and shall overcome them and kill them Rev. 11.7 See my Exposition of the 11th chapter of the Revelation where I have proved That before the Second WOE be past Rev. 11.14 The Papal-Beast shall ascend that is Rise and Reign and He shall overcome that is the Papists will prevail against the Protestants and will kill the Two Witnesses that is they will persecute the separated Churches of Saints and their Ministers scatter their Assemblies disperse their Congregations break their Meeting-places imprison some banish others and condemn some to Death and will burn them kill and slay them And the Second WOE being past the Third WOE will come quickly Rev. 11.14 to wit the Seven Vials of the Last Plagues of God Almighty shall then be poured out upon the Papal-Antichristian Beast the great Whore and the false Prophet whose Name is Mystery-Babylon Rev. 17.5 See my Book intituled Mystical-Babylon unvailed Thirdly Touching the Ends of Christ's Second Coming to wit what Christ will do when he comes again from Heaven First When Christ cometh from Heaven with his holy Angels HE will send them to gather together his Elect from one end of Heaven to the other Matth. 24.30 31. Then shall the dispersed of Judah be gathered and the Out-casts of Israel with them as was foretold Isa 11.12 16. And HE shall set up an Ensign for the Nations and shall assemble the Out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four Corners of the Earth In that DAY God will pour upon the House of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look upon Christ whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him Zech. 12.10 and Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with Clouds and every Eye shall see him and they also that pierced him Then shall come to pass that wonderful work of the Jews Conversion prophesied Isa 66.6 8. Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day Shall a Nation be born at once And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written The Redeemer shall come to Zion Isa 59.20 And shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11.26 27. For this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins And all the Tribes of Judah and Israel being gathered they shall all be Reunited into one Nation which the Prophet Ezekiel shewed them by the parable of two sticks made one stick in his hand Ezek. 37 15-22 And I will make them one Nation And one King shall be King to them Vers 24. And they shall have one Shepherd Vers 27. My Tabernacle also shall be with them Yea I will be their God and they shall be my People Vers 28. My Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore Then shall also the fulness of the Gentiles be converted unto them Isa 6.1 2 3 5. And the Gentiles shall come to thy Light and the Abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee Rom. 11.25 Until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour into it Rev. 21.24 This will be a glorious day and a glorious work and then will the LORD be for a Crown of Glory and for a Diadem of beauty unto the Residue of his People Isa 28.5 6. Then shall they be also a Crown of Glory in the hand of the LORD and a Royal Diadem in the hand of their God Isa 62.3 And this is One End of our Saviour's Second Coming from Heaven Isa 49.6 To gather his People together unto himself Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me Matth. 24.27 28. Secondly Another End of Christ's Coming from Heaven and another Work that he will do when he comes again is this viz. He will put down all Rule all Authority and all Power that are his Enemies who would not have him to Reign Luk. 19.27 For he must Reign until he hath put all his Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.24 25. as was prophesied Psa 110.1 and Luk. 20.42 43. The External Enemies of Christ are principally three First Ezekiel's Gog and Magog who are prophesied of Ezek. 38. 39. chapters Thus saith the Lord I am against thee O Gog c. 38. v. 2
3 8 11 16. And thou shalt come up against my People Israel It shall be in the latter daies And vers 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self c. chap. 39.1 8-13 21 25 29. Secondly Mystery Babylon and the Kings of the Earth who have given their Power and Strength unto the Beast Rev. 19.19 20 21. Thirdly John's Mystical Gog and Magog and all their multitude Rev. 20.8 9. Who will compass the Camp of the Saints about and the Beloved City And fire will come down from God out of Heaven and devour them Thirdly Another End of Christ's Coming from Heaven and another Work that he will do when he comes again is this viz. He will set up his Davidical Kingdom on Earth Dan. 2.44 And in the daies of those Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom that shall never be destroyed Luk. 1.31 32 33. And the Lord shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And Isa 9.6 7. The next particular in our general Position is touching the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints The holy Scriptures of Truth do in several places plainly affirm That the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdom of Christ and his Saints Dan. 7.13 14 27. Vers 14. And there was given him Dominion Glory and a Kingdom His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away And his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Vers 27. And the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People even to the Saints of the most High And Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdom of our LORD and of his Christ c. By the Kingdoms of this World we may understand universally All the Kingdoms in the whole world for Christ shall be King of all the Earth Zech. 14.9 In that Day shall there be one Lord and his Name one Particularly the Kingdom of David to wit Judah and Israel Luk. 1.31 32 33. And the LORD God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And of his Kingdom there shall be no end Isa 9.6 7. Micah 4.8 And thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come Even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem And vers 7. All those Prophesies shall be fulfilled Dan. 2.37 43 44. When the Stone hath broken all those Kingdoms in pieces vers 34 35 45. which Stone is Christ Luk. 20 17 18. and his Jerusalem Zech. 12.3 compared with Matth. 21.44 and Jerem. 51 19-24 And with thee will I destroy Kingdoms Then that Stone will become a great Mountain and fill the whole Earth Dan. 2.35 that is to say Christ will be King of all the Earth Zech. 14.9 And thâ— Kingdom of Christ will be enlarged 1. By the extraordinary Conversion of Sinners both Jews and Gentiles Isa 60.3 5 8 10-15 and Rom. 11 25 26 27. 2. By the pouring out of the Spirit upon all Flesh Joel 2.28 Isa 44.3 4 5. whereby the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Joel 2.29 and Hab. 2.14 Then the Nations shall know That the LORD Jesus Christ is King of Nations Jer. 10.7 The King of Kings and the only Potentate 1 Tim. 6.15 And HE shall put down all Rule and all Authority and Power 1 Cor. 15.24 25. For he must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet And the Saints shall know That the Kingdom of Christ is not of this World Joh. 18.36 that is to say Christ's Kingdom is not of a worldly Constitution but it is a spiritual and Heavenly Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.18 and called the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 25.1 2. though it will be a glorious Kingdom Psal 145.10 11 12 13. yet it is not that Kingdom of Glory where Jesus Christ his holy Angels and the Spirits of Just men made perfect now are for there are no foolish Virgins in that Kingdom of Heaven See more of this matter in my Exposition of the Parable of the Kingdom of Heaven Printed anno Dom. 1674. And also in the third Part of my Apocalyptical Mysteries Printed Anno 1667. likewise in my Exposition of the 11th Chapter of the Revelation Printed Anno 1679. This Kingdom of our LORD Jesus Christ will begin in the Daies of these Kings Dan. 2.44 that is to say the ten Kings of the fourth Kingdom the Roman Monarchy Then the Dominion shall be given unto the Saints Dan. 7.27 And the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever and ever Dan. 7.18.22 And they shall Reign on Earth Rev. 5.9 10. Then the Saints shall be rarely qualified and spirited for Government for They shall be all Righteous Isa 60.1 2 3 20 21. They shall do no iniquity Zeph. 3.13 And They shall be without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14.5 They shall be endued with courage clad with Zeal and girded with strength to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in fetters of Iron and execute upon them the Judgment written Luk. 19.27 This Honour have all his Saints Psal 149.1 2 6 7 8 9. and Zech. 12.5 6 7 8 9. and Isa 60.12 For the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted And when the Kingdom of our LORD Jesus Christ is established on Earth and all the Kingdoms of this world are become his the thousand years of the Reign of Christ and his Saints being ended Rev. 20.4 5 6 7. then Christ will Raise the Dead and he will judge the Quick and the Dead which being done HE will deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15 24-28 The next particular in our general Position to be explained is the Resurrection of the Body at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ compare 1 Cor. 15.20 22 23. with 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven And the Dead in Christ shall Rise first The Dead Bodies of the Saints shall then be Raised from the Dead that shall yet remain in their Graves They that sleep in Jesus will God raise up them will Jesus Christ awaken with the Trump of God 1 Thes 4.14 The Resurrection of the Dead hath this Order and is described by the Apostle in this manner to wit Christ first 1 Cor. 15.22 23 24. afterwards they that are Christ's at his Coming But the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished Rev. 20.5 6. This is the first Resurrection Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection They shall Reign with Christ a thousand years and that on Earth Rev. 5.9 10. These Kings and Priests are the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20.35 36. being the Children of God Whose vile Bodies shall be changed and
not the holy Scripture teach Women professing godliness when they come to pray and worship Gods to adorn themselves in modest Apparel with shamefac'dness and sobriety not with broidered hair or costly Aray 1 Tim. 2.8 9 10 11 12. 1 Pet. 3.3 4 5 6. And more especially in daies of Humiliation and Tribulation even at such a time as this which is indeed a perillous time Read Exod. 33.4 5 6 7. Isa 3 16-24 Another Character of those Apostates of the last Daies is Truce-breakers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covenant-breakers such as do break their Oaths Vows Promises Ingagements Oh how guilty have some Courtiers Counsellors Souldiers Mareners Citizens Professors and Church-Members been of those hainous sins Read the Army-Remonstrance 1648. and that Book intituled A Looking-glass for the ARMY in which Book you may find collected the Vows Promises and Covenants that those Sword-bearing Professors made and several of them brake To say nothing of the Scots and English Covenants so solemnly taken in their Parish-Churches Many Professors have broken God's Covenant as Israel did Jer. 31.23 Which my Covenant they brake Another Character of the Apostates of the last Daies is False-accusers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Calumniators Devils incarnate such are those false witnesses that rise up against men and do falsly accuse them Psal 35.11 And when may false witnesses do not agree in their Testimony which men suborned at last comes other false witnesses and then the Sentence of Death is given and afterwards executed Thus they dealt with the Lord of Life and put him to death Matth. 26.59 60. and with Stephen Act. 6.11 12 13. and stoned him to death Another Character of the Apostates of the last Daies is this Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God Who more than rich Professors for fine Clothes sumptuous Houses delicate Fare costly Furniture and Court-fashions wherein they have exceeded since the Burning of the City besides other vain Pleasures wherein they have delighted themselves more than in the waies of God and Godliness Amos 6.1 Woe to them that are secure in Zion Ver. 3. Ye that put far away the evil day V. 4. That lye upon Beds of Ivory V. 5. That chant to the sound of the Viol. V. 6. That drink Wine in Bowls But they are not grieved for the Affliction of Joseph The last Character of these Apostates in the last Daies which is a sign of the Ending-Time of this Evil WORLD is this viz. Having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof To have a Form of Godliness is to hold on in Religious duties and Gospel-Ordinances as Praying in their Families often hearing Sermons attending daies of publick Fasting and of Thanksgiving also frequent Assembling themselves with the separated Congregations of Saints and therein partake of all Gospel-Administrations such are Sinners in Zion and Hypocrites like them Isa 33.14 yet are lovers of themselves and lovers of Pleasures more than God Christ Godliness and the poor afflicted Children of God Proud-Professors Covetous Church-Members Covenant-breakers and false-accusers denying the Power of Godliness For though these Apostates profess they know God yet in works they deny him Tit. 1.16 Read Isa 1.11 12 13 14 15. Isa 6.2 3 4. I am not against the True Form of Godliness that is to say Church-Fellowship and Gospel Order and the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth according to the Constitutions of Jesus Christ and his Apostles But I thus speak and write to open and expound the words of this Prophecy Another Sign of the Ending-Time of this world is the abounding of Iniquity among the profane persons of the world Mat. 24.3 12. Tell us what shall be the sign of thy Coming and of the End of the world And Jesus answered and said unto them Iniquity shall abound The Apostle also tells us 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lyeth in wickedness Ungodliness was the destruction of the Old World Gen. 6.5 6 7. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth V. 5. And the Lord said I will destroy Man from the face of the Earth V. 7. The destruction of the Old World was by the Flood but the desolation of the world that now is shall be by Fire 2 Pet. 3.6 7. The Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up By Iniquity we are to understand those Immoralities and abominable wickednesses that are committed and practised by ungodly men who declare their sins as Sodom and boast of their abominations Now Reader consider how doth Iniquity abound to wit Adultery that hath gotten a Whores forehead which is not ashamed of that abomination Also profane and false-swearing which is an abomination to the Lord who hateth profane and false Oaths And Drunkenness which so unmans men and so effeminates them that they are thereby fit for nothing but sinfulness wantonness lasciviousness and all manner of wickedness Likewise oppression violence robbery injustice bribery and all sorts of unrighteousness Lastly Persecution Imprisonment and Banishment for Preaching the Lord Jesus Christ and Practising the Ordinances of the Gospel Do not these Iniquities abound in our daies I think that the Inhabitants of this Nation do abound in these Iniquities much more than in former Ages Another Sign of the Ending-Time of this World is that great Tribulation which our blessed Saviour spake of Mat. 24.21 29 30. This is that hour of Temptation which Christ said shall come upon all the world Rev. 3.10 11. This day of Tribulation will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time Dan. 12 1-4 Shut up the words and seal the Book even to the Time of the End The Tribulation of the People of God will be the War that the Roman Beast will make against Christ's two Prophetical Witnesses wherein he shall overcome them and kill them Rev. 11.7 See my Exposition of that Chapter and Verse Printed 1679. And the Tribulation of the Roman Beast the great Whore and the false Prophet will be the seven Vials of the last Plagues of God Almighty which shall be poured forth upon Mystery Babylon the great Rev. 16.17 18 19 20 21. And the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into the Air and there came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying It is done And there were voices and thunders and lightnings And there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great And the great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the Cup of the Wine of the fierceness of his wrath And every Island fled away and the Mountains were not found And there fell upon men a great Hail out of Heaven every stone about the weight of a talent and men blasphemed God because of the Plague of the
branch thereof already proved viz. That there is a WORLD to come wherein will be the New Heavens and a New Earth and the New Jerusalem By the World to come we are to understand that which the Apostle calls That inhabited WORLD even that to come Heb. 2.5 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle Peter tells us that the old world being overflowed with water perished the world that now is even this present evil world is reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment c. 2. Pet. 3.6 7. But there will come another world after the world that now is called the WORLD to come in contradistinction unto this world Eph. 1.21 This world is distinguished from that world by Christ himself Luk. 20.34 35 36 37. The WORLD to come will be a New Creation then Christ will make all things new Rev. 21.5 He will create New Heavens and a New Earth and a New Jerusalem Isa 65.17 When St. John had seen in his Vision the New Heaven and a New Earth Rev. 21.1 2. He saw the New Jerusalem coming down from God out of Heaven and vers 5. He that sate upon the Throne said Behold I make all things new This New-Creation will bear some Resemblance unto the first Creation in respect of Matter Manner Parts and End thereof The Matter out of which the Lord Jesus Christ will create the WORLD to come whereof we treat is a meer Chaos viz. the Confusion and Desolation of this present evil world All things will be in a confused and desolate Condition towards the End of this world will be perilous Times 2 Tim. 3.1 In the last daies perilous Times shall come And great Tribulations such as never was Mat. 24.21 yea and most wicked Abomination the whole world lying in wickedness 1 John 5.19 and behold then even then will the Lord Jesus Christ appear Matth. 24.29 30. And HE will come and restore all things For then will be the Times of the Restitution of all things Act. 3.21 and then will Christ Restore our Judges as at the first Isa 1.26 27. HE will make our Oppressors Peace and our Exactors Righteousness Isa 60.17 Then the Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain saith the Lord Isa 65.25 The Manner of the New-Creation will be in an Instant as the first Creation was God spake the word and it was done He commanded and they were created Psal 148.5 God said Let there be Light and there was Light Gen. 1.3 Isa 66.8 Who hath heard such a thing Who hath seen such things Shall the Earth be made to bring forth in one day They are created now and not from the Beginning Isa 48.6 7. Or shall a Nation be born at once far as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth her children And so will the whole New-Creation there will be a Restitution of all things and all things will be on a sudden made new Rev. 21.5 The Parts of the New-Creation in the World to come are first the new-New-Heavens and the New-Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 whereby we are to understand that New-State and Frame of Government here on Earth which the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Kings and King of Nations will constitute and command his Saints to execute in all his Dominions and Kingdoms under the whole Heaven Dan. 7.13 14 27. Isa 9.6 7. Secondly The New Jerusalem that heavenly Jerusalem Heb. 12.22 23 24. called the General Assembly and the Church of the first born written in Heaven c. whereby we are to understand that glorious State of the Church of God on Earth which will be in that day when God will glorifie the House of his Glory Isa 60.1 2 7 13 19 20. which Christ shall present unto himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle nor any such thing Eph. 5.27 but holy and without blemish called the Lamb's Wife Rev. 21.9 10 11. prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband v. 2. In this holy City the heavenly New Jerusalem shall the pure Worship of God be celebrated and his Sacred Ordinances shall be administred according to his Divine Institutions and his Spiritual Gifts shall again be given unto his Saints for the Glory of his holy Name and for the Conversion of the Nations that shall be saved Isa 60.1 2 3 4 5. The Gentiles shall come to thy Light The Abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee And Rev. 21.10 23 24. And the Nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it c. Thirdly The Renewed Creatures whose earnest Expectation waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God Rom. 8. 23. And not only they but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our body The End of the New-Creation in the World to come is first To make all things very good as God did in the first Creation Gen. 1.31 And God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good So the Lord Jesus Christ will create all things new and make every thing very good in the world to come Wherein will be the Times of the Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Act. 3.19 20 21. Secondly To glorifie himself and to make his Church glorious Isa 28.5 62.3 In that Day shall the LORD of Hosts be for a Crown of Glory and for a Diadem of Beauty unto the Residue of his People Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the LORD and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God Isa 60.1 2 3 7 9 13 19 22. I the LORD will hasten it in his Time The second Branch of our general Position which hath also been proved is this That the LORD Jesus Christ shall appear the Second Time which is now to be explained The Second Coming of Christ from Heaven is often asserted by the Prophets and Apostles and confirmed by the Testimony of Christ himself Rev. 22.7 I come quickly ver 12. Behold I come quickly And ver 26. Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come LORD Jesus Zech. 14.5 And the Lord my God shall come and all the Saints with thee Also 1 Thes 3.13 At the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ with all his Saints These Scriptures and those also before mentioned for proof of this Branch of our Position viz. Phil. 3.20 Heb. 9.28 do testifie That our LORD Jesus Christ will certainly suddenly and visibly appear the Second Time and come from Heaven upon the Earth in his own Person This Job believed and therefore did he speak Job 19.25 For I know that my Redeemer Liveth And be shall stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the last of Time or Day upon the Earth Read ver 26 27. Heb. 10.37 Yet