men whereas the Saints suffer the judgements of God in this kinde and the wicked and ungodly are freed Unto this I answer Judgement begins at the house of God as Peter saith and if it begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appear and if it be thus with the green tree what shall become of the dry But howsoever though this fire with which God doth judge flesh in his Saints as it is in Isa. 66. the Lord doth judge with fire and the sword all flesh in the first place so I say this fire breaks forth in the house of God unto the destruction of the flesh and so you see the benefit that comes by it Now this destruction of the flesh it is not to be understood in the letter but flesh in a spiritual sense and so the works of the earth likewise Now flâ—sh in the Sainâ—s is that earth which shall be burnt up in some by the fire of the Spirit which hath dissolved heaven and hath melted the elements and burnt up the earth with the works thereof even that which remains when the pure metal is refined and separated from it Now this earth as before I have spoken is the best part of man as his Reason Natural Wisdom and Learning Now as the fire of the Spirit dissolves heaveâ— and melts the elements and burns up the earth which is the flesh in the Saints so the fiery trials which are inflicted upon the people of God whilst they are in Babylon do effect the same work as the fire of the Spirit though it doth not so appear to our apprehension Now when this is done and heaven which is the Word of God is dissolved ceasing to appear in a shadow which is to see Christ in the flâ—sh now we do enjoy heaven more spiritually in that we have more spiritual discerning and Truth which was our element hath been refined and hath lost nothing but its drosse and the earth being burnt up in the Saints when all this is accomplished in the Saints Object How can it be said that the heavens and earth that now are which is the Ordinances as before spoken can be reserved to fire against the day of judgement and perdition of wicked and ungodly men Unto this I answer It is howsoever it may appear for now heaven is passing away with a great noise and the elements are melting with fervent heat and the earth and the works thereof are burning up which is all accomplishing in the Saints and at this time the Church of God is in a sad condition for the sorrows of a travelling woman are come upon them as in Revel. 12. and Hos. 13. and Isai. 26. nay the pangs of death are upon her and sure it is not an easie matter for the soul to part from the body and it is no otherwise when we must part from all our former comforts and so when the Saints are under these fiery trials the dolorous nature of them cannot be expressed at this time the hateful enemies of God the inhabitants of Caldea do adde unto their affliction and in doing so they do procure damnation to themselves whose judgement as Judge saith of a long time slumbreth not where he speaks of Enoch the seventh from Adam who prophesied of these things Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement c. And so you see that these heavens and earth are reserved to fire against the day of judgement and the perdition of the wicked And surely the long-suffering of of God in that the heavens and earth have not passed away long ago is as the Apostle Peter saith salvation to us-ward in that God was not willing that any should perish but that all should be saved that is God will offer salvation to all and for this reason this heavens and earth are continued which is the Ordinances and the teachings of the Saints because God appearing in them they are the ordinary means of salvation for as the Apostle Paul saith faith cometh by hearing the Word of God preached and certainly though there have been much of earth made forth by the ministery of men yet there is somewhat of God so much as is necessary to salvation And so when this heaven and earth which is reserved to fire in reference to the Saints shall passe away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat according as before it is spoken then presently follows the perdition of wicked and ungodly men for when heaven is passed away and vanisht away and taken away which is the Ordinance then there remains no more means of grace in an ordinary way but howsoever no doubt but God will work extraordinarily in bringing in those who are heirs of salvation Now another reason why the perdition of wicked and ungodly men followeth immediately upon the passing away of the Ordinances is Because when God is refining his people in destroying the flesh in them he doth make use of the wrath of men who do fill up the measure of their sin by their cruel usage of the Saints but sure the wrath of man shall turn to the praise of God and the remainder of wrath will he restrain and when God hath finished his work on mount Sion whilst they are in Babylon and so shall have gathered his people from all places whither they have been led captive in respect of a local separation from their hateful enemies then he will visit the proud heart of the King of Babylon and then the violence which hath been done unto the Saints shall be on Babylon shall the inhabitants of Sion say as in Jer. 51. and our blood be on the inhabitants of Caldea shall Jerusalem fay And so when heaven and earth are passed away and the Saints gathered away then follows the destruction of the wicked The Scriptures to prove it are many as in Isa. 13. 14. c. Jer. 50 8 44. and 51. 45. Mic. 4. Rev. 18. This is the day of judgement and perdition of wicked and ungodly men Now having spoken so far as God hath carried me forth concerning the former particulars I shall come to the next as it lieth in order which is concerning the glorious state of the Church that shall not be until the Jews are converted unto the Faith Unto this I do agree with those of this judgement howsoever we differ concerning whom those Jews are which shall be converted Now as God hath made known to me I conceive that those Jews which are to be converted are not the natural Jews for we know there are no natural Jews in that they are mixt among all Nations But let it be granted that there are yet it can be proved that the ten Tribes did never return out of Captivity and so likewise they have no Genealogie howsoever I do not deny but that there are a remnant of those people according to the election of grace But the Apostle Paul who
so after that the glorious state of the Church follows Others likewise do conceive that the Jews shall be converted to the Faith before the end And so concerning the glorious state of the Church most conceive it in a spiritual sense yet some do not deny but that there shall be a temporal power which shall go forth from the Saints as in Revel. 2. 16 17. and Psal. 2. which is the Kingdom of the Saints that is begun even here in Babylon amongst their implacable enemies as Mic. 4. from vers. 8. unto the end Dan. 2. 41. Now I shall not undertake to confute any of these particulars by force of Argument but I shall shew how far I can joyn with them and where I differ Now in the first place Whereas the Saints do expect a dissolution of all things at the last day when the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and all the Saints with him in like manner who shall be gathered together by the sound of a trumpet as in 1 Cor. 15. and 1 Thess. 4 and 5 Chap. concerning which time the Scriptures are as follow Isai. 2. towards the end Isa. 13. Isa. 51. 6. Isa. 66. Psal. 50. Revel 6. 13. unto the end Reveâ— 20. all which Scriptures and many more speak of the day of Judgement and unto this I will assent in that I do verily believe that the glorious state of the Church shall not be until all these things be fulfilled which are spoken in these Scriptures as our Saviour saith Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away for that cannot be shaken because it is the foundation of the new heaven and the new earth as Isa. 51. 16. which is not to be understood of the written Word for that shall passe away when all things are fulfilled Now that Word of God which continues for ever is God himself as Joh. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God so that as God was from all eternity so this Word of God continues to all eternity and sure this Word begins to be manifested in the Saints 1 Joh. 4. though it hath been a long time hidden Howsoever though I do joyn in this that the glorious state of the Church shall not be till these visible things are passed away yet I differ from them in the matter which shall passe away and in the manner how it shall passe away and by what means it shall passe away Now that matter which shall passe away is generally conceived to be this visible heaven and earth at the last day and by what means by fire and in what manner it is made forth at large 2 Pet. 3. where it is said that the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night wherein the heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the element shall melt with fervent heat and the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up Now I say I do differ in all these particulars in some sense for I differ First in the matter which shall passe away for I do not conceive that these visible heavens shall be dissolved and so consequently of that which follows Unto this some may reply Doth not the Apostle Peter speak plainly that the heavens and earth are reserved to fire against the day of judgement and perdition of wicked and ungodly men To this I answer If you do observe the Apostle Peter in the words foregoing you shall finde that he makes distinction between the world that perished by water and the heavens and earth which now are which are said to be reserved to fire whereas this visible heaven and earth as it is understood in the letter to be the firmament and the earth that we live in as it was distinguished in the Creation it is the same as it was from the beginning as the mockers say vers. 4. Now whereas the Apostle makes this distinction between the heaven and earth which was before the flood and the heaven and earth that now is whereas it is the same in the letter none will deny I say from this distinction of the Apostle in this Scripture and many other Scriptures which joyn in this I do conclude that these Scriptures which we have formerly conceived to concern the dissolution of this visible heaven and earth do onely concern the passing away of the Ordinances which is that heaven wherein God hath appeared gloriously unto the unspeakable consolation of the Saints and this earth here spoken of is the best part of man as his natural wisdom and humane learning and gifts not onely common gifts but spiritual gifts whereby they are enabled to speak unto edification which may be comprehended under the same notion for the Apostle speaks as if the wicked may have the common gifts of the Spirit Now those gifts that the Saints have been carried forth in of late do evidently appear to be that element which melts with servent heat But here you may observe that though heaven in our sense is thus on fire 2 Pet. 3. 12. yet it is but dissolved and the element is but melted onely here is a difference between heaven and the element for heaven onely ceaseth to be in that manner as it was in grosse yet there is no alteration in the nature of it as when we say the Parliament is dissolved the men continue the same onely it ceaseth to be a body Politick and likewise our precious Cordials as Bezer are not effectual to our good untill they be dissolved into some liquid matter so God who is our heaven in the Ordinance for there can be no heaven without him And so when God which is our heaven shall be thus dissolved and cease being covered with a vail then this vail shall vanish away like smoke which vail is the Ordinance and heaven being dissolved the Saints are in a capacity to contain this heaven in the flesh and surely God who is our heaven shall appear in the flesh of all his Saints shortly in his glorious manifestations for as the Apostle Peter saith We according to his promise look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse which is not a heaven without us as before in the Ordinances and the teachings of men but it is a heaven within us even God manifested in the flesh of his Saints as in the humanity of Christ Now the Saints stand in the same relation to God as our elder brother Christ whilst they are in the state of imperfection as John saith We are the sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be but when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and then are the sons of God manifest Now we see that we are no losers though our heaven being on fire hath been dissolved for now we have our heaven within us that cannot
be shaken but our heaven without us hath been shaken which is the Ordinance and hath likewise been taken away for when God withdraws and doth not appear in it then all is gone But howsoever here is matter of unspeakable comfort to the Saints even at this time wherein the powers of heaven are shaken and shall likewise vanish away because that which remains cannot be shaken though it be dissolved ceasing to appear in that manner as formerly as covered with a vail but now we shall see face to face Now having spoken at large concerning the heavens being on fire which is dissolved to some and shall be dissolved to all when the Saints shall see God as he is because the Ordinance which is that vail that hath hid the glory of God from us whilst we live so lowe in the earth is taken away because we could not see God and live except he had been so covered but when this vail shall vanish away like smoke Isa. 51. and be rolled together like a scroll Revel. 6. 14. and every mountain and hill shall be removed out of his place and heaven shall be shaken and the earth shall be removed out of his place in the wrath of the Lord Isa. 13. 13 14. Heb. 12 God saith that once more I will not shake earth onely but also heaven Now this once more signifies the removing of those things which are shaken that the things which cannot be shaken may remain And our Saviour saith Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away which is God himself Now that which vanisheth and passeth away and is shaken and taken away as in these Scriptures here quoted heaven which is here spoken of is the Ordinances which shall passe away when God appeareth in his glorious manifestations when he comes into his Temple Mal. 3. 1 c. But it is said Who can abid his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth Heaven passeth away now with a great noise there is great trouble in the Saints when this shall be Now heaven which is the Word of God in distinction to that heaven which passeth away with a great noise v. 10. though this heaven which is the word of God shall be dissolved it remains the same in nature though not in such a grosse substance Now when it is thus dissolved there is more spiritual efficacy in it then before in that this Word shall become flesh as is spoken of Christ 1 Joh. 1. And so as the Word of God did become flesh in Christ our elder brother so this Word shall become flesh in all the Saints when God shall be manifested in their flesh and they likewise shall be declared mightily to be the sons of God by the Resurrection from the dead not the Resurrection of the body natural which we do not expect in that manner as formerly we conceived but the resurrection from the dead in a spiritual sense Now concerning the resurrection of the bodies of the Saints which is expected after their natural death it is to me a mystry as yet and so I conceive it is to most of the Saints As for that resurrection which is held forth commonly in the Scripture it is in part made known unto me 〈◊〉 to be dead with Christ and so to be risen with him Now to be dead with Christ the Apostle saith is to be dead unto the Ordinances and all vails and shadows and to be risen with him is to live in God in seeing eye to eye when God shall bring again Sion Isai. 52. And so that resurrection which we do expect is not the resurrection after death but a resurrection in a spiritual sense whilst we are in the flesh before the state of glory and it is a resurrection out of a spiritual defection which we have been brought into being slain by our iniquity as Hos. 13. where God saith O Ephraim thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Onely here is a difference in the cause of the death of Christ and the cause of this death in the Saints in a spiritual sense Now the cause of the death of Christ was the sin of mankinde as the Scripture speaketh but the Saints are slain by their own sin Now here will arise a Question How can it be said that the Saints are slain by their iniquities seeing Christ hath satisfied for the sins of the whole world Answ. It is true the satisfaction which was in Christ it was a sufficient ransome for in that the whole Creation is redeemed from the curse of the â—aw and if all did believe all should have benefit by this redemption for it is evident that none are damned but for the sin of unbelief as the Scripture declares in divers places So howsoever though there be such a sufficient ransome yet none have benefit by it but those who do believe and unto them the guilt and malediction of sin is taken away but though the guilt and malediction of sin be taken away by this redemption and so the Saints cannot be slain by their iniquity in respect of the spiritual man yet they are slain in their own apprehension when they are bereft of all joy and comfort in the spirit in that God hath withdrawn himself from them And here it may be said they are put to death with Christ in that they are conformable to his sufferings in respect of the spiritual desertion that Christ was in who in the days of his flesh did pour out strong prayers with crying and tears as in the Hebrews and so likewise the Saints are to be conformable to Christ their Head in being slain by the cruel hatred of the wicked in respect of reproach c. And so the Saints may be said to be slain with Christ when they are slain by their iniquities as in the first Chapter of Hosea When Ephraim saw his sicknesse and Judah his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to king Jareb yet could be not heal nor cure him of his wound for saith God I will be unto Ephraim as a lion and as a young lion to the house of Israel I will tear and go away I will take away and none shall rescue And then God returns to his place until they do acknowledge their offences in their afflictions they will seek him early And so the resurrection of Christ follows in the sixth Chapter where those which are thus slain in a spiritual sense take unto themselves these words and say Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath wounded and he will heal after two days he will revive us and the third day we shall live in his sight So in Hos. 13 it is said that Ephraim had destroyed himself as we may see in the words following in that death follows for it is said that Ephraim was an unwise son for he should not have stood still in the breaking forth of children but he doth stand still and in
until thou return to the earth for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and to dust shalt thou return Unto this some may object The creature is ransomed from eternal death by the redemption that was in Christ in respect of the bodies remaining ever in the grave for it is said 1 Cor. 15 that As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive So from this Scripture we do conclude there shall be a resurrection of the body Unto this I answer There can no such thing be gathered from this Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 22. for whereas it is said As in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive this death and resurrection is to be understood in a spiritual sense and not to be understood of the death and resurrection of the body for natural death cannot be said simply to be death and so the resurrection of the natural body cannot be said to be life for if it were so the bodies of the wicked may be said to rise to life as well as the Saints But death eternal is death and life eternal is life to be cast into outer darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth and to be cast out of the favour of God this is death and to live in God who is love and nothing but love as the Apostle saith God in love and he that loves in live liveth in God and God in him this is life eternal to know this God and his Son whom he hath raised from the dead not onely to know that God hath raised Christ from the dead but he hath raised me with Christ and so destroyed death in me which is the last enemy in that we are risen with Christ death and hell are destroyed in the spiritual man and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death now this second death belongs to none but the wicked the Saints being altogether freed Now it may be demanded what this lake of fire and brimstone is and so consequently what is the second death from which the Saints are free Unto this I answer The second death is onely that horrour of Confusion which shall be in wicked men in the day of perdition concerning which the Saints have some experience in the last and dreadful desertion as in Hos. 13. 13 14. from whence they are ransomed and so in Dan. 12. 1. Jer. 30. beginning at vers 5. For thus saith the Lord We have heard a noise of trembling of fear and not of peace Ask ye now and see whether a man doth travel with childe Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travel and all faces are turned into palenesse Alas for the day is great and there is none like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it And so it follows in vers 8. which sheweth the full redemption of the Saints as well in bodies temporal as spiritual Now death in a spiritual sense is death as to be cast out of the favour of God c. and this was the death that God did denounce to Adam in the day that he did eat the forbidden fruit Gen. 3. Now this death is not the natural death of the body for that cannot be said to be death as before it is spoken but death in this sense as here from the which death mankinde is ransomed in that redemption that was in Christ for now there is no hatred in God for God is love nay he is love to his enemies as our Saviour saith Love your enemies that ye may be like your heavenly Father and God saith Anger is not in me as in Isai. for should God be angry the creature would be as stubble before consuming fire But then it may be objected If God be love to all why are not all saved I answer Because God doth not manifest himself in his own nature unto any but those who are ordained to life as in Acts 2. As many as were ordained to life believed So Judas said Why dost thou manifest thy self to us aad not unto the world And our Saviour said To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them in parables that they seeing might not see and hearing might not conceive And the Apostle saith that Israel hath not attained what he sought for but the election hath attained it and the rest were hardened And so where God doth not manifest himself in the face of Jesus in the anointing such a one continues in unbelief and so dead in trespasses and sins and such were some of you as the Apostle sâ—ith until we were washed and made clean by this anointing And so those in whom this anointing this Spirit of Jesus is in whom Jesus Christ is come in the flesh such a one need not that any should teach him for as the Apostle saith the anointing teacheth him And so as we are taught of God so are we like wise freed from the bondage of the Law and all Forms nay Gospel-forms as in Isai. 10. 27. where it is said It shall come to passe in that day that his burden shall be taken off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing And Isai. 9. it is said Thou hast broken the yoke of the burden the staff of the shoulder and the rod of the oppressour as in the days of Midian for every battel of the warriour is of confused noise and with tumbling garments in blood but this shall be with burning and with fuel of fire and the reason is given For to us a Childe is born to us a Son is given the government shall be upon his shoulder as vers. 6 17. and then we are freed from all servitude as well temporal as spiritual for there shall be no grieving brier nor pricking thorn the whole creation shall be subject to the Saints and they shall rule over their oppressours Isai. 65. 15. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but you shall howl for vexation of spirit and ye shall leave your Name for a curse to my chosen And it follows vers. 7. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth the former shall not be remembred nor come into minde but be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice of crying And so it follows to vers 23. where it is said They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth in trouble and in vers. 25. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together which shews the glory of the Saints in this life and their freedom from servitude When it is thus we are no more subject to any Law but the law of liberty and so we are made kings and