plainly appear that many if not most of the exhortations in the new testament to believe to repent to add to faith vertue c. To grow in grace and so all other duties towards God and man are from the consideration of the great glory and happiness that is to be brought to and enjoyed by the saints at the fore mentioned glorious coming and kingdom of Christ here upon earth and not so much from the consideration of the glory of heaven above save only as it is in the last place comprehended therein and to be enjoyed by them to wit after the last judgement here upon the earth is ended and our Lord Christ hath delivered up the kingdom to God the father There are yet other hindrances of which briefly Some say it is a controversie and they do not care to meddle with controversies what doth this signifie at our Lords first coming it was a controversie among the people whether he was the Christ or no some said he was others denied it and said he was a deceiver and those deceived that did own him have any of the rulers or pharises belived on him but this people who know not the law are cursed Joh. 7. 48. 49. John sent to him to know art thou he that should come or do we look for another Indeed so great a thing and of so high concernment as the coming of the Saviour vailed and so much opposed should make men to search and seek into it the more lest haply they be found at a losse when be comes And yet further some say and upon that account look not after it but let it alone namely That the ancient fathers and some add the modern Divines were not for it but rather against our Lord Christ his coming to set up his kingdom and reign here on earth this is taken for granted though very questionable and not likely to be true which if it were what doth it signifie little or nothing at all the high Preist and elders were against Christ and the Gospel do any of the Priests or rulers believe on him They did not then and if they do not now or have not done what doth it avail But notwithstanding all before said of the obstructions the knowledge of it increaseth and is very likely so to do till that be made good that the Gospel of the kingdom and coming again of the Lord Christ to reign be preached to all nations then shall the end come Math. 24. 14. great things will attend that great day and though now it is dark and hidden it will come to be preached on the house top and received and entertained more and more as it begins to be being as the present truth of the day and that which is much on the spirits of many of the good servants of the Lord who look for the return of their Lord and are in great expectation like good old Simeon who waited for the consolation of Israel and was glad and greatly satisfied when he had seen the Saviour as those blessed expectants now will be with the signes of his coming and much more when they shall see him come in the clouds of heaven when they will be changed in a moment and caught up to meet him when he cometh when he cometh Fully to take unto him his great power and to reign at which the nations will then be fully angry Rev. 11. 17. 18. when he cometh to judge the world in righteousness and the people with his truth Psal 96. 13. when he cometh to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in and by all them that believe 2. Thess 1. 10. when he cometh in flaming fire to render vengeance c. as in vers 8. when he cometh to make inquisition for blood Psal 9. 12. to wit the blood of the righteous from Abel to that day shed by cruel and envious ones and wicked oppressers on the earth Rev. 16. 6. Rev. 18. 24. that cry will be a sad tone to the wicked and will make them shake and tremble Psal 96. 13. for he cometh for he cometh to judge the world with righteousness c. as on the other hand it will be gladsom to the Saints they may lift up their heads and hearts with joy for their redeemer their redemption and full blessedness is at the very door If these proposalls and essays come into the hands of the learned their favourable censure is desired and that they would overlook any failer if in want of art and well dressing the matter or over often mentioning of of things called tautologie which could not well be avoided the things relating to Christ his kingdom and coming having so many great things and various attending of them And besides those for whom this principally was intended and made common may not have that acuteness but what they may want that way they have in love and affection in zeal and readiness to receive and embrace the truth at all times In the time of our Lord Christs being here they owned him the poor then received the Gospel when those of higher rank stood at a distance and rather made opposition The Apostles were men of low rank fisher-men and the like yea the women were very forward in the then owning our Lord Christ and great lovers of him and such as our Lord Christ being risen first appeared unto and made them messengers to the Apostles to inform them of that great truth of his being risen again from the dead his way is so to make men humble that they might learn not to dispise the day of small beginnings or things Consult the holy histories and the histories down and since the histories of France Germany the Waldenses and others and it is likely as it hath been so it will be found still not but that sometimes God annoints persons of higher rank and maketh known his mind unto them and makes use of them but it seemeth not to be his ordinary method but the contrary If any advantage by the things proposed come to any either for the furthering of their knowledge or their being encouraged to believe hope and wait for their fulfilling the proposer of them will think himself well appaied read and consider well of what thou readest nothing is imposed on thee try all things hold fast that which is good Farewell P. G. B. CHAP. I. Of the Resurrection in general 1 Cor. 15. THe great doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was a thing that holy Paul the great Apostle of the gentiles had a great insight into as he had also in many other high mysteries which were revealed and made known unto him the which he imparted for the benefit and profit of others That truth looking forward eyeing a future time when it shall be made good but in all times necessary to be made known and believed by all the servants of God whose hope is not in this world This of rising again after death in his proceed on
the first fruits then a long time since not yet come after those that are Christs expresly declared to be at his coming then cometh the end implying as before neer that time they shall arise and not before towards the end a little before the last session neer a thousand years after the rising of the just as before Then cometh the end the end of time or of a state it may be considered as in a more General way as holding out the latter end of a state or of time as a day year or years neer accomplished is said to be the end of that day year or years as was said by the Lord himself to Noah Gen. 6 13. the end of all flesb is come c. It is at hand It is but a little while and the floud will come and sweep away all it only stays while Noah builds the Ark but the end was come Yet further when the floud was come all were not drowned presently haply some might live twenty thirty or forty days after the floud was come and begun and it is said that the end of all flesh was come But secondly the end may be taken strictly for the utter end of time or being of a thing as the utter end of a day year or years the filling or full finishing thereof nothing remaining an end an utter end According to such an end as was come upon the old world when the floud was at hand so it may be minded and taken here as in order to the rising of the unjust and wicked to judgment towards the end of Christs kingdom and reign on earth a little before he resigns before the utter end be come shall the rising of the unjust and wicked be to judgment And as in the last place it relates to them is the true understanding of what is spoken on that account in John 5. 28. 29. for sutable to the several resurrection both of the just and unjust so also is their judgment to be and also what is spoken in Math. 25 34. concerning the judgment and salvation of the just and in vers 41. of the judgment and destruction of the unjust is thus to be understood and will be found to be truth in the day thereof CHAP. III. Containing sundry things of the reign of our Lord Christ of his putting down all his enemies and how long his reign will be THe Apostle in his proceed seemeth to make a digression from the matter in hand namely the resurrection which he returns unto and speaks largely of afterward but here having mentioned the coming of the end he falls on speaking of very high and great things that shall attend the end in order to our Lord Christ his kingdom and reign and having put down all enemies his then delivering up his kingdom and God the father becoming all in all he waves the mentioning of the resurrection of the unjust and speaks no otherwise then thus then cometh the end and so takes on another thing that shall be at the end also Vers. 24 Then cometh the end when he shall have put down all rule and all Authority and power that which is first set down is the last thing that will be done at the utmost end when all things relating to the reign and dominion are finished then he shall deliver up the kingdom to God the father when all power and authorities are put down all enemies under his feet then he shall deliver up the kingdom to God the father of whom he received it Then all that are under our Lord Christ then shall give up their power also and God the father shall be all in all When he shall have put down all rule and authority and power Great kings and monarchs use to have all rule authority and power derived from them by all that are under them and what they meet with in their dominions that is not so derived they put down and suppresse Our Lord Christ a mighty king and monarch then will do in like manner put down all rule and authority not derived from him all that make opposition his enemies that would not have him reign over them that will not subject themselves the princes and rulers of the unsaved Nations Gog and Magog and the captains and mighty men with all that excercise rule and power they will then by our Lord Christ he utterly dispossessed of their power and put down The prophecy of Malachi will then in the reign of our Lord Christ be made good to the life they shall be so burnt up as there shall be left neither root nor branch there will be none to succeed them to take their dominions and thrones after them as now the son succeeding the father but it will not be so then their places will be no more sound for ever All authoritie and power and rule in the time of the kingdom and reign of our Lord Jesus in the thousand yeers he will subject and put down all that have enmity in them sooner or later he will put them under his feet This is one of the great things to be done before the utter end come the putting down all rule authoritie and power in an active visible way and until then he must reign and his kingdome continue for so it is said expresly in vers 25. He must reign until he himself hath put all his enemies under his feet All his enemies great and small high and low one and all by what name or title soever they be named or called he shall subdue them and as a mighty mighty Monarch shall subject them under his feet and put them down all that have enmity in them against him sin and death and the grave they shall all be destroyed by him the last enemy that shall be destroyed will be death as after is exprest the Apostle layes great stresse upon it he must he must reign until then This until seemeth not to be the same with that in the 110. Psalm mentioned by our Lord Math. 22. 44. Also by the Apostle Heb. 1. 13. Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Which scriptures some urge against the personal coming of our Lord Christ the second time and his reigning here on earth saying thus he must stay in heaven until all be done here his enemies made his footstool So as if all the scriptures that speak of his kingdome and reign shall be made good in a virtual way and that 's all To dilate the matter a little First that in the 110. Psalm and the other alledged scriptures is done by God the father himself he said to the son the Lord Christ as those places do shew but this is done by the Lord Christ himself he must reign until he hath made c. Again that 's done by God the father in heaven this is done by the Lord Christ himself on earth That 's done by the father in heaven where the Lord Christ is sitting at
his right hand This is done by the Lord Christ he reigning on earth and being come the second time unto the earth and having taken to himself his great power and reign Rev. 11. 17. And he must reign till his enemies be made his footstool That 's but enemies in a general way of expression and may refer to and be meant only of some enemies but this here is of all enemies even the last even death it self That of the 110. Psalm seemeth to be an investing of the Lord Christ with power and a deligating to him soveraigntie or rule over all things in heaven and earth as it is said 1 Pet. 3. 22. Angels authorities and powers being made subject unto him But this of the Apostle here is of acting and exercising that power and putting it in execution putting down and under him all rule authoritie and power and his enemies under his feet actually Lastly That in the 110 Psalm so often mentioned in the holy scriptures is of a prophetical promisary nature and was made good unto our Lord Christ by God the father when he had performed his so low humiliation then and therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name Phil. 2. 9 10 11. That at the name to wit the soveraigntie and power of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the father that so highly exalted Jesus our Lord. He is exalted far above all principallitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named to wit of dignity honor and power he hath a name above all whether in this world or that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet c. Ephes. 1. 21. 22. God the father hath advanced our Lord Jesus above them all and put all things under his feet Our Lord Christ he is above above them all higher and greater and over them all And they all below and under his feet the Apostle Peter sayth he is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him 1 Pet. 3. 22. So as upon the whole to say no more there is no need of our Lord his stay in heaven upon that account his enemies not being made his footstool and subjected under him that being done already he need not stay but to the appointed time As in the appointed time or the fullness of time Gal. 4. 4. he came before in the state of humiliation so he will in the appointed time come the second time in power and great glory then he will take unto him his great power and rule in the middest of his enemies when he taketh to him his great power and reign then all nations shall serve and obey him and all kings shall fall down before him Psalm 72. 11. And his kingdom and reign shall be outward and visible on earth as his converse and humiliation was in the days of his being here on earth when he shall come the second time in power and great glory The holy Apostle seemeth fully to speak unto that before declared Heb. 2. 8. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet for in that he put all things under him he left nothing that is not put in subjection under him c. And this according to his soveraignty and greatness of power so he is highly advanced over all But according to his dominion kingdom and reign he hath not entred upon it yet he hath not yet taken unto him his great power he hath not yet subjected and put down all rule authority and power as the Apostle tells us and we may say as he said we see not yet all things put under him When he comes he must reign till he hath put them under his feet even death that great and last enemie to be destroyed as then when the Apostle did write he did not then see all things subdued under him so now we may say the great and opposite powers and rulers they remain in dignity and power The Ethnick and Infidell Monarchs and Potentates the Mahumetans the antichristians do yet keep up their authoritie with other enemies not a few And sin and the last enemy death all these remaining doth speak out this fully we see not yet all things put under him the Lord Christ Though we see the Lord Christ that was made low by the suffering of death highly advanced and crowned with honour and glory in which the promise Psalm 110. which is prophetical is fully made good by the father and as before was said is no lett of his coming the second time till his enemies be made his footstool first So as that untill Psalm 110. and the rest differ from this untill the one relating to the time of his taking upon him his great power and reign as a mighty monarch here on earth unto whom all shall stoop serve and obey and till then he must reign even till death it self the last enemy be conquered subdued and destroyed by him that mighty conquerer that shall cause death to be swallowed up in victory vers 54. that triumphing may be made O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory vers 55. and thanks given to God for the same vers 57. thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ that great and mighty conqueror Further there will be enemies in the time of Christ our Lord his reign on earth which he must subdue and put down all rule authority and power wherein there is enmity gog and magog with all their confederates and company whose numbers will be as the sand of the sea Rev. 20. 8. and these enemies must by him be all destroyed before the end of Christ our Lord his kingdom and reign for that death also that last enemy must likewise be destroyed as it is written Rev. 20. 14. and death and hell or the grave were cast into the lake of fire gog and magog and all other enemies must be first destroyed for that the last enemy that is to be destroyed is death Vers. 26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death of death being the last enemy somthing hath by occasion been often said it shall therefore be waved here but death as an enemy we shall minde a little Death it is an old and common enemie an enemie to all the sons of Adam an enemy to the Lord Christ himself an enemy to those that are Christs to the promised seed few have escaped him death as an enemy it seized on the Lord Christ and had power over him but could not keep it for it was not possible that he should be holden of it Acts. 2. 24. He tryumphed over it on the Cross and by death overcame him that had the power of death
Heb. 2. 14. Enemies there will be in the time of the reign of our Lord Christ to be put down and to be destroyed by him but the last enemie to be destroyed will be death Rev. 20. 14. it is said death hell or the grave were cast into the lake of fire and then presently followeth the end of Christ his kingdom and reign here on earth and a delivering up all to God the father Vers. 27. For he hath put all things under his feet he to wit God the father hath so put all things under the feet of our Lord Christ He hath highly advanced him over all far above all principalities and powers and mights and dominions and every name that is named to wit of power and dignities all God the father put under the feet of Christ as before is more largly held forth But here the Apostle comes in with a caution or reserve for God the father in putting all things under him namely the son he did not subject or put under himself there 's an exception in that there 's a but there so saith the Apostle in the words that follow but when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest he is excepted he is not meant or intended he is not comprehended in this all things but the contrary God that put all things under it is manifest he is excepted so the Apostle that did put all things under him the sum of all seemeth to be this that God the father in the high advance of the Lord Christ did not subject or make lower himself for saith the Apostle it is manifest he is excepted Vers. 28. He goeth on further saying and when all things shall be subdued unto him by the way the words subduing subjecting putting under putting under feet are all of like import and tendenoy when the Lord Christ in the time of his reign hath subdued and actually put down all authority and power when all enemies are put under his feet and the last enemy death destroyed for till then he must reign then shall the son himself be subject unto him namely the father that put all things under him that God may be all in all When the Lord Christ that great and mighty monarch king of kings and Lord of Lords shall have finished his reign and done what he had to do here on earth then shall he deliver up the kingdom to the father of whom he did receive it God the father that so highly advanced him and put all things under him shall have all surrendred and delivered up to him and be all in all An end a final end of that happy kingdom of our Lord Christ here on earth and of our living and reigning with him therein a 1000 years and all the time of the last Session of judgment following the same which is the last and most glorious administration of his kingdom and as worthy Mr. Archer apprehends will last neer a thousand years more which I leave to the day to declare all which is comprehended in Christ's and the Saints reigning together therein though not so particularly expressed and also a mentioning of one to succeed to wit the kingdom of the father Of which something after These being very high and great misteries CHAP. IV. Containing something of the beginning and end of Christ our Lord his kingdom and of such things as will be at the beginning and end of the same TO dilate a little concerning the beginning and end of the kingdom of our Lord Christ so often mentioned to be a thousand years the beginning and end have a medium or middle time to make up the whole so as to suppose if a hundred or if fifty years be reckoned to the beginning in a general way and a like number to the end then the middle or body of the time will be eight or nine hundred years the Apostle speaketh of the beginning at our Lord Christ his coming when will be also the resurrection of the just mentioned Luk. 14. 14. he mentions the end when the Lord hath reigned his time and done or finished his reign what he had to do therein and had received that honour he was to have done him on earth he saith then cometh the end but he speaks little expresly touching the middle time and what shall be done therein only inclusively he saith he must reign till the end untill he hath put down all rule authority and power till his enemies be made his footstool and death the last enemy destroyed But as to the Beginning and likewise as to the end he speaketh of very high and great things that will fall in with and be done in both the one and the other of which we shall dilate a little and first of the things that concur with the beginning First then will be the coming of the Lord Christ in the glory of his father and of all the holy Angells Math. 25. 31. then when he appeareth we shall appear with him in glory Col. 3. 4. When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory then will he fit on the throne of his glory and before him will both the good and the bad the saved and the unsaved nations that are then living be gathered the righteous will have the preheminence then they will be set on the right hand vers 33. then will be the resurrection of the just Luk. 14. 14. to live again and to reign with the Lord Christ a thousand years upon the earth Rev. 20. 4. Rev. 5. 10. no mention is made of the wicked dead rising at that time then will be the redemption of the body and an entertaining again of the soul or spirit Rom. 8. 23. A great thing a high misterie then will actually be made good that great misterie the holy Apostle hath told us of vers 5. We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye and be caught up with the raised saints to meet the Lord Christ together 1 Thes. 14. 17. Then will be the time of our being unclothed and clothed upon when corruption shall put on incorruption and mortallitie put on immortalitie 2. Cor. 5. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 53. Then shall be the refreshing from the presence of the Lord and the restitution or restoration of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began Acts. 3. 19. 20 21. Then shall the new heavens and the new earth wherein righteousness will dwell take place according to the promise of God the father 2. Pet. 3. 13. Then will the new Jerusalem come down from heaven and the bride the lambs wife be richly adorned and exceeding glorious Then will be also the mariage supper of the lamb Rev. 21. 2. 10. Then shall all things be made new as at the beginning For these sayings are faithful and true Rev. 22. 6. then God shall wipe
of the father having been a long while before in the kingdom of the son the Lord Christ there enjoying that great glory they with the more facility may take on that greater and higher glory of shining as the sun in the kingdom of the father Our Lord addeth in that verse he that hath an ear to hear let him hear not with the hearing of the outward ear of the body only but with the ear of the minde and understanding by conceiving and understanding the greatness of the thing a high thing a great mistery which few do understand or are able to apprehend or conceive of I know the Lord Christ in Isaiah 9. 6. is called the everlasting father and so minded as he is God coequal with the father God blessed for ever in the unity of the three in one and so he and the father are one Joh. 10. 30. Joh. 17. 22. I and my father are one weigh but the places and the difference between father and son will appear CHAP. VIII Of the mistery of God and the father and of Christ so in like manner the kingdom of God the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the father BUt there is also a different count and consideration and likewise a different denomination betwixt God the father the creator of all things and God the son the redeemer the mighty God sent of the father sent of the father the first time in the state of humiliation and will be sent again the second time in power and great glory Great is the mistery of God manifested in the flesh the consideration of minding the matter so is so necessary as to deny it or decry it as an errour hath very ill consequences attending of it of which more hereafter Here I say only this let the context be minded and the close be weighed that of the Lord Christ the son delivering up his kingdom that God the father may be all in all the righteous shining as the stars in the kingdom of the son and shining as the sun in the kingdom of the father succeeding the delivering up of the kingdom of the son to the father that so the father may be all in all I say let it be minded and see if it doth not hold forth the distinction as betwixt the father and the son so betwix that of the kingdom of the son and that of the father succeeding that God the father may be all in all And it may be taken notice of that the Lord Christ speaketh very often of the father and of his father and ours but no where doth he call himself father but stiles himself the son of man very often and sometimes the son of God also Many in a general way seem without any distinction at all or putting any difference between the kingdom of God the creator of heaven and earth the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of God the father and accordingly they speak and apply but how rightly they do in so understanding and applying the Scriptures so may be considered Further in the 26th of Mathew we have something that seems to look that way our Lord Christ having eat and drank with his disciples says to them in vers 29. I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine untill that day when I drink it new with you in my fathers kingdom The father will have a kingdom as the son will have a kingdom these seem to be distinctly spoken of in the holy scriptures The son will have a kingdom in the which he will reign and which he will deliver up to the father and the father become all in all the end of the one to wit that of the sons being the beginning of the fathers when he shall be all in all As there is the kingdom of Christ spoken of very plainly expressed and the righteous there shining as the stars so there is the kingdom of God the father spoken of and the righteous there shining as the sun as is before set forth and these seem to be very distinctly set forth in the scriptures As the son is not the father nor the father is the son even so it seemeth to be in regard of the kingdom of the son given him of the father and the kingdom of the father When he shall be all in all The son will have a kingdom which the father hath appointed him Luke 22. 29. And he is gone to receive it Luk. 19. 12. He will come again and his kingdom will come with him vers 15. 2. Tim. 4. 1. In his kingdom he will reign to the end and then deliver it up to the Father and the Father be all in all In his kingdom when and where our Lord Christ will drink with his of the fruit of the vine in his fathers kingdom Our Lord Christ Luk. 22. 30. speaketh of eating and drinking in his own kingdom in expresse words and very distinctly that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom c. But in the 26th of Mathew he saith I will not henceforth drink of this fruit of the vine till I drink it now with you in my fathers kingdom We reade of the father and the son and take them distinctly and do not take them as on Ephes 5. 5. This we know that no whoremonger c. hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God to wit God the father and not that the kingdom of Christ and of God there is all one kingdom as some apprehend We cannot without offering losse to the scripture and counting it a kind of tautologie but count them as distinct kingdoms We read Col. 2. 2. The Apostles prayer unto God in the behalf of the Colossians was that the eyes of their understanding might be opened to the acknowledgment of what of the mystery of God and the father and of Christ Very distinct the three in one is a great mystery the three distinct are three great mysteries The mystery of God to wit the creator of heaven and earth a great mysterie the mysterie of God the father reconciling the world unto himself to believers by Jesus Christ our blessed redeemer and Saviour 2 Cor. 5. 9. a great mysterie the mystery also of God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. is a great mysterie As we reade of the mysterie of God the father and of Christ so we reade of the kingdom of God and of the father and of Christ very distinctly held forth in the holy scriptures and to be able to understand them aright seemeth a great attayner To take them and make them all one and the same seemeth to be an offering of loss to the holy scriptures as if they had spoken in vain To say that the mysterie of God and the mysterie of the father and the mysterie of Christ are one and the same thing without any difference at all and so in like manner to say the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the father
of old who is the Lord And as it hath been so it will be his kingdom will rule over all and he shall give the power and dominion to whom he pleaseth for he is God over all blessed for ever Untill the time come that the kingdom of the Lord Christ take place and his dominion and rule begin when he shall take to him his great power and reign and after deliver it to God the father so as God the creator of heaven and earth will be first in kingdom and rule The great Alpha and will be the last in kingdom rule and power the great Omega The middle it will be to the Lord Christ when he takes it on all power in heaven and earth being given unto him and he must reign till the end and then deliver up and God the father be all in all the Alpha and Omega In the kingdom of God Almighty there hath been two great Mediums or two that have been eminent between God and man besides others namely Moses a great Prophet raised up of God of great authority and rule and the Lord Christ sent of the father first to suffer and then to be highly advanced and to reign but I shall forbear to dilate further In the next place we propose that direction of our Lord Christ about prayer Math. 6. from vers 6. to vers 15. which seemeth to speak to the same matter to wit the kingdom of the father and his being all in all after this manner saith our Lord pray ye our father which art in heaven c. thy kingdom come the kingdom of the father we are to pray that it may come implying it was not then come and likewise that it was not that kingdom which had been since the creation then was and now is and also shall be till the kingdom of our Lord Christ takes place but a kingdom that was to come when our Lord Christ shall resign and God the father be all in all and his kingdom shall come and take place and wonderfull shall be the glory of it beyond all conceiving This kingdom we are to pray that it may come I do not here intend the excluding of the kingdom of grace or glory to be comprehended within this desire or prayer the further advance of the kingdom of grace in the increase of the number and the advance of the intrest of God and Christ here may be included in it and likewise the coming of the kingdom of our Lord Christ when he and his kingdom shall appear and come in power and great glory Whatever of God and Christ hath not yet had its time and highest attainer we may pray that it may come as included in this direction of our Lord thy kingdom come But in special as that which was mostly intended by our Lord Christ in this direction was that the kingdom of God the father that it may come being the last and highest in glory when God the father will be all in all in kingdom sovereignty and rule the great Omega This being that it is likely which the voge and spirits of the servants of God in their desires and wishes go out after and that which their dayly expressions are of as the sum of all blessedness to wit heaven and glory and to be with their heavenly father in glory in his kingdom as the uttermost of all their desires The close of our Lords prayer hath much in this his attest for thine is the kingdom the Power and the glory for ever and ever Amen all in all He had in the times and ages of the world delegated and given kingdoms and authorities and powers to others he hath given unto the Lord Christ kingdom power and authority he hath made and appointed him to be king of kings and Lord of Lords 1. Tim. 6. 15 and he shall come and take to him his great power and all nations serve and obey him but when the end of his kingdom is come he will deliver up all unto his father and be subject unto him himself and the father shall take all into his own power and be all in all for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen It will be so in an eminent manner then God the father his will be the kingdom and the power and the glory and all in all Holy Paul hath a like close he having spoken of the rejection of the Jewes and taking on the Gentils and the restoring of the Jewes again by the coming of the deliverer out of Sion when all Israel shall be saved high mysteries which he admired and cryed out O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his Judgements and his ways past finding out Rom. 11. 33. he closes thus in vers 36. for of him and through him or by him and to him are all things to his glory to him be glory for ever Amen for his is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever and he shall be all in all I further propose as worthy our consideration that consolatory speech of our Lord Christ to his disciples in Joh. 14. 1. 2. 3. they being much troubled at the thoughts of his departure from them he saith to them let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God to wit the father so is the Creed I believe in God the father Almighty c. believe also in me God the son that he spake of God the father the words following show in my fathers house he doth not say in his own house or kingdom but in his fathers house Whether by house here be meant the new heaven and new earth wherein will be several degrees of glory Luk. 19. 15. to 19. 1. Cor. 15. 41 or whether heaven only or whether both together to wit the kingdom of the son and the kingdom of the father so it may seem to be it being a blessed estate they are to be in after Christ at his coming hath received them to himself or whether it be a borrowed way of speaking I shall not determine but leave it to consideration The tendencie is consolatory to the Disciples in my fathers house are many mansion places places of great contentment happy repose and much blessedness I shall not venture to allegorise this saying of our Lord but rather believe it as it is spoken for that our Lord doth attest it saying If it were not so I would have told you There is such provision such blessednes in my fathers house and I go to prepare a place for you A place our Lord tells his disciples he goeth to prepare for them not expressing where it shall be happily in his fathers house very great and spacious like the master of it the great Jehovah I go to prepare a place for you hapily in his own house or kingdom which he is one to receive Luk 19. 12. 15. in the new heaven and the new earth where he will
dwell and reside with his for a thousand years Rev. 20. 6. Further he saith if I go or though I go and prepare a place for you I will come again good newes and comfortable the Lord Christ gone into heaven will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also Very comfortable and gladding to all his that love him and are sad for the absence of him but shall abundantly rejoyce when they shall see him again Joh. 16. 22. They shall be with him in his kingdom they shall never be severed from him or deprived of his presence any more but be for ever with him 1. Thes. 4. 17. with the which the servants of the Lord Jesus may comfort themselves and one another as the Apostle Paul bids them to do with the considerations of those sayings But where will our Lord Christ be then to wit when he is come from heaven may some ask answer he will be in his kingdom for he is the noble man that is gone into a far countrey to receive for himself a kingdom and to return Luk. 19. 12. And being returned and come again he will send and gather all his elect to himself and they shall then be with him where he is he prayed so to his father afore-hand Joh. 17. 24. Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which is the same with those words aforemontioned Joh. 14. 3. I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also If it yet be asked where our Lord Christ will be then to wit at his coming we say as before in his kingdom in the new earth where those that are his shall live and reign with him a thousand years Rev. 20. 6. The Lord Christ hath made those that are his kings and Preists unto God the father and they shall reign on the earth Rev. 5. 10. he the Lord Christ when he hath received his kingdom must reign till the end and then deliver up to the father While he stays they stay with him when he goes they go with him a higher and greater attayner of glory they shall proceed unto then they shall have mansion places prepared they shall shine as the sun on the fathers kingdom they shall be still with Christ they shall drink of the fruit of the vine with him in the fathers kingdom be it in heaven or wherever it shall be The father and great Lord of the house that good householder will keep the highest and best enjoyments till the last and so great it will be as the eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God to wit the father hath prepared for them that love him which they then shall enjoy in his kingdom when they shall shine forth as the sun for ever It is true in respect of the kingdom of the Lord Christ also and the saints enjoyments there it is not manifest what we shall be for happines and blessednes then and there 1. Joh. 3. 2. But higher and greater shall the saints enjoy and be made partakers of in the kingdom of the father when God is all in all This distinction of kingdoms and gradual way of proceed from glory to glory or to higher and higher glory may hapily seem strange to some that think of nothing but stepping into heaven presently when they leave this world but I shall forbear CHAP. IX Something held forth concerning a mixed or interwoven way of speaking in the holy scriptures when the kingdom of God and of the Lord Christ are spoken of FOr the better minding and taking knowledge of this matter I propose how that in sundry prophecies and high sayings in the old and new Testament concerning kingdom and glory to come there seemeth to be an interwoven or mixed way of speaking some part of the matter relating to the Lord Christ his kingdom and glory and some part relating to the kingdom of the father and the high soveraignty and glory when he shall be all in all the matter warily minded it may hapily appear to be so in way of instance we shall propose a place or two That in the 1 Epistle to Timothy Chap. 6. 15. 16. seemeth to be so Paul having layd a charge on Timothy vers 13. as likewise he had done before chap. 5. 21. And this charge it being as is set forth before God or in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Jesus Christ who before Pontius Pilat witnessed a good confession that thou keep this commandement c. How long it might be asked he answers until the appearing of Jesus Christ vers 15. Which in his times he shall shew to wit them himself in his glory for that is a sure word and shall be made good the Lord Christ shall be manifested and shewn forth in his times to be the only potentate the king of kings and the Lord of Lords the words are Who is the blessed and only potentate the king of kings and Lord of Lords That hath all power in heaven and in earth given unto him of the father Math. 28. 18. He being highly advanced far above all principallitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named to wit of power and dignity not only in this world but also in that which is to come Ephes. 1. 21. In the world to come will his kingdom and reign be for that will not be subjected to the Angels Heb. 2. 5. but to the Lord Christ and those he shall authorize to rule with him over ten cities and over five cities Luk. 19. 15. 17. 19. When that blessed time shall take place when the kingdom of the Lord Christ shall be come then the Lord Jesus that great potentate king of kings shall rule and reign in his kingdom before his antients groriously Isa 24. 23. That this thus far is spoken of the Lord there is I conceive little doubt or question to be made of it But that which followeth in vers 16. seemeth to be spoken of God the father who in vers 13. of this 1. Tim. 6. is named the quickner of all things who only hath immortallitie c. The Lord Christ he had no Immortality the scriptures do not attribute that to him he dyed he suffered according to the design of heaven he redeemed and purchased the Church with his own bloud Acts. 20. 28. He was humbled to death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. and was afterward advanced highly by God the father It followeth dwelling in the light which no man can approch unto whom no man hath seen or can see this seemeth to be spoken of God the father and is true in him and is not applicable to the Lord Christ touching whom it is said we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten son of the father
at his first creating but enjoy some blessed additions to his happy estate namely stability therein immortalitie and life everlasting the high enjoyment of the presence of God and the Lord Christ high interest in the new covenant and more of the spirit and grace of the saviour then Adam ever had and that for evermore But there is something further considerable man was made male and female in the image of God they were created so And was made with seed in him whereby to propagate posteritie he had a wise given him of God for that it was not good for him to be alone A woman or female suitable unto him was formed out of him in a wonderful wise and they were bidden to multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and God made nothing in vain He had no question in his innocent estate if he had continued in it and not fell from it generated and replenished the earth as he did after in his fallen condition being bidden to do so before in order to what will be at the restoration and change in that moment at our Lord his coming the scripture seemeth silent in it and so I shall be likewise till time discover further or that day it self declare I shall only intimate to prevent prejudice that I do not in the least intend the including of the raised ones or children of the resurrection in the case before spoken of their condition seeming much to differ from that of the changed alive then it is said by our Lord Math. 22. 30. That in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heaven but the changed alive will be men and women as Adam and Eve were in their first estate such by whom that happy world to come will be begun and peopled as that first world would have been if Adam had not fell The old world was so after Adams fall and how the new world to come will be some way or how it will be it is likely I shall say no more Further it is intimated that the seperate condition of man is not in the least medled with but man intire as he will be at his being changed at the restoration of all things Having made this digression I premise one or two things more namely that the restoration and changing in a moment it will be here below on earth it will be from this old corrupt earth under the curse to that new which God will create wherein will dwell blessing which we according to the promise look for at that happy day And that by the world to come spoken of in the holy scriptures in which this restoration will take place is not meant of heaven above but a state here below on earth and that to take it for heaven properly or understand it so is to offer losse to the holy scriptures and that which in effect renders insignificant and makes void what is said in them concerning the restoration of all things the change in a moment the new earth with all things made new by him sitting on the throne with very many other things that might be mentioned And lastly I premise that the Israelites the seed of Abraham Isaack and Jacob will be the people highly concerned and cheif in this restoration and change the twelve thousand of every tribe of Israel and that their land the land of promise will share in a principal wise in that happy restoration and change and in a likely way be the center of the new earth We shall now return to the matter we had under consideration before namely man considered according to propagation and off-spring How acceptable to some the proposing of it will be I know not but it will be some way necessary in order to the better minding and taking knowledge of sundrie high prophecies that seem to look that way and to relate to that day First that Isa 59. 20. 21. the coming of the redeemer to Sion of which we treated before it relateth as to the full fulfilling of it to that happy day of the changing in a moment and the blessed restoration of all things then See what followeth vers 21. as for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord to wit with the Israelites the seed of Abraham my spirit that is upon thee it is not said in thee but upon thee a very glorious unnoynting then like that Zech. 4. 14. such a kind of annoynting it is likely will be then on the changed people it followeth and the words I have put in thy mouth Whether Gods law in their hearts or the joyfull tone of the Gospel and tidings of great joy or the new Song of praise and thanksgiving to the lamb for the great grace and blessedness enjoyed Psal 40. 3. it may be considered the latter very likely Rev. 5. 12. 13. it followeth nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth As I conceive from the time of the redeemers coming the second time and from henceforth as to the fulness of is and for ever Of great duration when once begun Whither this be the same Covenant with that Ier. 31. 31. may be considered Or whether it will be another that will take place with that happy day and so forward for ever I will make no assay to declare but that it relateth as to the utmost fulfilling of it to that blessed time of the restoration and that it implieth seed and generation then and seeds seed for ever seemeth very likely and that it may probably relate to the changed people of whom we have spoken and the rather if we minde that that followeth in Isa 60. being the very same prophecy carried on where Israel is bidden to arise and shine when Gods spirit or annoynting is upon them they will then shine gloriously as Moses shined when he had been in the mount with God Then their light will be fully come and the glory of the Lord will be risen upon them and the gentiles will see it c. For great will be their glory see the whole chapter and that in the close where it is said a little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation hapily by generation for then will be no conversion to increase so further Chap. 61. 8. 9. The Lord sayeth I will make an everlasting Covenant with them and their seed shall be known among the people all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed What time this eyeth as to its full fulfilling consult the 2d and 3d. verses minde the whole and in particular the two last verses it eyeing that time when the Lord Christ shall appear and his shall appear with him in glory Col. 3. 4. Chap. 65. Where the New Heaven and the new earth are foretold and promised vers 17. for behold I create a new heaven and a new earth the old shall passe
away and be changed as a vesture Psal 102. 26. They shall also be forgotten and not remembred amongst the many things there held forth vers 23. It is sayd they shall not labour in vain nor bring forth to wit children for trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them There are other things in the chapter as to the full fulfilling of them relating to that time of the restoration when our Lord shall again come from heaven which may be mentioned after Take we further knowledge of that Isai 11. 6. That very high prophecy in order to the restoration of all things speaking in the former part of the Lord Christ and the happiness then vers 6. He sayeth the woolf shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kidd and the calfe and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them vers 7. And the cow and the bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the Oxe Vers. 8. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice Den. And as it is sayd vers 9. none shall hurt or destroy then no not these devouring creatures at that happy time of the restoration of all things the prophecy is very high that we have mentioned And that which followeth speaks forth a wonderful change in the creature and that their hurtfulnes and devouring nature will then be taken away by the restoration and they made harmlesse as at their first making so as that will then be that followeth vers 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy not these in the new earth in all my holy mountain But as to that of seed and offspring then here is a little child and a sucking child here is a weaned childe very likely to be such then at that happy time of the restoration and change when the groaning creatures under their present bondage shall be freed and be delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8. 21. which as they are capable they shall enjoy and be made partakers of That of Ezekiel is very considerable Ezek. 36. 37. Ezek. 37. 25. Speaking concerning their dwelling in their own land the land of promise to Abraham he sayth thus And ye shall dwell in the land I have given to Jacob my servant wherein your fathers have dwelt and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever And my servant David shall be their prince for ever Veri 27. I will make a covenant of peace with them and multiply them and set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore Was there ever such a thing such an attayner by Israelites since Ezekiels time or is there like to be short of that day any such full fulfilling as may answer what he hath said the Jewish monarchy or kingdom of stone which some are strong in their thoughts for as having much of scripture for it as they judge which I shall not meddle with here it is reckoned short but for forty or five and forty years will that amount to make good to the full what he hath said they shall dwell in it and their children and their childrens children for ever And hath David Gods servant to wit Christ been or is he in his person like to be a prince or ruler in this old world for ever is it not more like to be in the world to come in the day of the restoration let the wise in heart consider Having held forth something concerning the restoration and change of man and the creatures according to what is held forth in the holy scriptures and the prophecyes therein conteyned it may be necessary to take a little notice and see what is spoken concerning the place where they will have their aboad and being then at the restoration The prophet Isaiah chap. 65. 17. He tells us of a new earth for behold I create a new heaven and a new earth for which the servants of God in the verse following are bidden to be glad and rejoyce Holy Peter likewise tells us 2. Pet. 3. 13. That we according to his promise look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein shall dwell righteousnes to wit righteous men and things Holy John he tells us Rev 21. 1. Of a new heaven and a new earth which he saw This newnes it will be by a restoration and change Psal 102. 27. speaking of the old he sayth they shall perish and wax old as a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed and as before made new for the servants of God the seed of Abraham to inhabit and dwell in for they shall be changed and continue and dwell there see vers 28. It seemeth to be prophetical and speaks out much the children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee Even in the new earth for till then they shall continue to make good the prophecy then shall that be made good in the new earth Isa 60. 21. Thy people shall be all righteous they shall inherit the land for ever This planting it will be of God himself for his own glory the changed in a moment will be such righteous ones a blessed plantation indeed where no polluter or polluted shall enter or be found Rev. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth the meek they shall inherit the earth Math. 5. 5. The restoration will effect great things for the better as Adam his sin and transgression did for the worse which will be removed and done away it was said by the Lord Gen. 3. 17. 18. 19. Cursed is the earth or ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat thereof all the dayes of thy life thorns and thistles shall it bring forth in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground c. A very sore curse and punishment a change greatly for the worse it not being so before as it will not be then when the restoration takes place and the change for the better so greatly all things made new and restored as at first The curse taken off no curse there then Rev. 22. 3. as now none of the bitter fruits of transgression and the curse that attended man and the creatures as sorrow and pain sickness and want hard labour and toyl for bread barrenness of the earth and thorns and thistles and want of all good things all removed and taken away with the curse at this happy restoration of all things wherein the land of promise To Abraham and his seed to Jacob and his called Israelites Gen. 35. 12. The land I gave Abraham and Isaack to thee will I give it and to thy seed after thee will I give the land This
lastingness no comparison for that shall abide as long as the moon endureth When the Lord Christ reigneth there shall be great honour and subjection given to him by the great ones and it will fare well with the poor vers 12. 13. 14. also vers 2 4 6. of this 72. Psalm then shall that be fulfilled and made good Psal 67. 3. 4. 6. 7. Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee O let the nations be glad and sing for joy for thou shalt judge the people righteously and govern the nations upon earth Let the people praise thee As they will do then they will sing Hallelujans and prayse to the lamb what followeth then then shall the earth yeeld her encrease very fruitful times then and God even our own God shall blesse us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him It will be so eminently then In the next place take we knowledge of that very eminent place Isa 65. It is the prophecy where the new heaven and the new earth are spoken of and promised see what is said in vers 13. Therefore thus sayeth the Lord behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry to wit the wicked and unsaved nations and people behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold all with a behold very observable my servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed vers 14. Behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart and howl for vexation of spirit vers 15. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen for the Lord God shall slay thee and call his servants by another a new name a great difference then like that of Dives and Lazarus we see here is eating and drinking then for so did Adam and Eve and so did our Lord Christ in the day of his being here both before his death and after his resurrection Luk. 24. 42. 43. And so very likely will those changed alive then do for they will be men and women It followeth as a reason and that with a behold also vers 17. For behold I create a new heaven and a new earth The old will be done away and forgotten vers 18. They are bidden to rejoyce for the great blessednes and glory Jerusalem will be in God will create them so a rejoycing a praise Vers. 19. The voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her nor the voice of crying It is easy to see to what time and state that belongs this world affords no such exemption from weeping and crying only it will as to the full fulfilling be in the blessed world to come Vers. 21. They shall build houses and inhabit them they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them Vers. 22. They shall not build and another inhabit they shall not plant and another eat it fares so in this world many times but it will not then for as the dayes of a tree which are many so shall be the dayes of Gods people It followeth and mine elect shall long injoy the work of their hands their building and planting c. vers 23. They shall not labour in vain as many do in this world nor bring forth for trouble of which we made mention before For they are the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Vers. 25. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together The same with that in Isa 11. of which before It is not hard to conceive what time this relateth unto it relateth to and is a prophecy of the new earth that God will create when there shall be the restoration of all things When it shall all come to passe and be so as is declared whether we believe it or no. The prophet Jeremiah declareth something to the like effect Ier. 33. 6. 7. 8. 9. I will bring them health I will cause their captivitie to return I will cleanse them from all their iniquitie and it shall be to me a name of joy and praise before all the people of the earth For the great prosperitie God will procure unto it And vers 11. The voice of joy and the voice of gladness the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride c. For he will cause their captivitie to return And so he goeth on in a promisary way of good things to the end of the 16th verse See the prophecy at large I spare to set it down for fear or being over-large And consider to what time it relateth for its full fulfilling at the time of the branch of righteousness growing up to David in the land it will be We may also minde that Ier. 50. 19. 20. When Israels captivitie shall be returned c. and the iniquity of Israel and Judah sought for and not be found for there shall be none we spake of it before Hosea the prophet mentioned by holy Paul Rom. 9. Eyeing the time of their great return and Gods gracious return to them Hos 2. 18. In that day to wit of the restoration I will make a covenant with them and with the beasts of the feild and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bow and the sword and the battel out of the earth I will make them lie down safely It may easily be minded what day this relateth unto it being the same with Isa 11. mentioned before when the hurtful nature of the creature will cease and mans enmitye also and wars cease to the ends of the earth and the restoration of all things and the peaceable kingdom of the Lord Christ takes place then it will be so and it is not like to be before Vers. 19. I will betroth thee to me for ever The marriage of the lamb will be nigh then yea I will betroth thee to me in righteousness c. vers 21. And it shall come to passe in that day I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyl and they shall hear Iezreel and I will sow her to me in the earth to wit the new earth as to the fulfilling of it it is not sayd in heaven but in the earth Further see what the prophet Ioel sayth chap. 3. 18. And it shall come to passe when Ierusalem shall be holy and no stranger passe through her any more as they shall in no wise then Rev. 21. 27. at that day then at that day the mountains shall drop down new wiue and the hills shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Chittim It will go ill with Egypt then vers 20. But Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from generation to generation for God will then cleanse so as never before I conceive by changing of
and the coming of his kingdom and reign and all those great things that shall contemporize fall in and take place then of which we have spoken before and are too many to be here set down they shall all have their fulfilling and making good then these of the holy psalmists of Isaiah Ieremiah and Ezekiel of Daniel and the rest of the prophets relating to that time shall then in like manner be fulfilled as they are written We shall particularize a few out of the new testament and draw to a close First that of our Lord Math. 25. 31. With all that followeth to the end of the chapter as it is setdown when the son of man shall come in his glory and all his holy Angels with him then will he sit on the throne of his glory likewise the gathering the nations the setting them on the right hand and on the left the saying as is their spoken and judging and sentencing of them will be fulfilled according as it is written in all the particulars of it As also that Luk. 21. 27. and then shall ye see the son of man come in the clouds with power and great glory Every eye shall see him Rev. 1. 7. As sure as the wise men saw his star and afterwards himself lying in the manger or as they in the time of his humiliation saw him ride on an asse and on a colt the foal of an asse as it was written Zech. 9. 9. Math. 21. 4. 5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting on an asse c. So as sure then when he comes again he shall come in the clouds of heaven in great power and glory and every eye shall see him That Acts. 1. 10. 11. Which the two men in white apparrel to wit Angels told the disciples looking after our Lord being ascended this Jesus whom ye have seen go up into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven it shall then be fulfilled As likewise that Heb. 9. 28. To them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation Then will be fulfilled that which holy Peter and others have told concerning the burning of this world and the taking place of the new a new heaven and a new earth according to the promise of God with tho raising of the dead in Christ out of their graves and the changing of those saints then alive in a moment The restoration of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets will be fulfilled as sure as those things spoken by them were formerly when he came before Then will that be fulfilled written by holy Paul Rom. 8. concerning the waited for adoption the redemption of the body and the creatures also delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Then shall Daniel as was told by the Angel stand up in his lot And Abraham and Isaack and Jacob and all the Prophets sit together in the kingdom of God as it is written That which holy Isaiah chap. 60. hath foretold and holy John hath shewed Rev. 21. Rev. 22. concerning Jerusalems glory coming down from heaven and shining gloriously with the pure river of water of life and the trees bearing fruit every moneth which he hath attested to be the true sayings of Almighty God And also that concerning the righteous then that they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more nor suffer pain or death any more for ever nor no more curse the sayings being true and faithfull and will be fulfilled then the righteous shall see the vengence that is written fully made good against their wicked oppressors their wrongs righted their faith and patience rewarded the righteous proceedings of God manifested in punishing them with everlasting destruction from his presence such as sorely afflicted them when they shall have rest together it will be all fulfilled as it is written Great terror and fear will attend the wicked then and they will according as it is written be found saying to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne And Gog and Magog the beast and false Prophet the captains and mighty men and all their great numbers be destroyed And the devill that deceived them and death also and the grave or Hell be cast into the lake of sire for ever with very many things of the like kinde which in a prophetical way by way of threatning against the wicked are written it shall then be fulfilled and made good from the faithfulness of the Lord Iehovah that is engaged in it Why should any that believe the the power and faihfulness of God doubt of it why should any think that the things spoken of in the holy Scriptures relating to the Lord Christ his second coming in power and great glory declared by the prophets and holy penmen of the Scriptures that those should not as well be fulfilled and made good as those were fulfilled at his first coming in the state of humiliation and suffering why should any go about to advance unbelief and weak reason into the room and place of faith and conclude that those things of Christs coming and kingdom are divised fables or things impossible ever to come to passe Holy Peter strong in faith and lively in hope saith 2. Pet. 3. 12. seeing so great things are to be done as burning and dissolving this old heaven and earth with the works therein in order to the coming in of the new in the room thereof we should be looking for and hastning to the day of their performance Vers. 13. we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dweleth righteousnes And again vers 14. seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace c. unto those that look for him the second time he will appear Heb. 9. 28. Great good things will attend the righteous hereafter a great change for the better will come when they shall enjoy a flourishing condition and abundance of peace and felicity The blessed morning will come when they will come to have the preheminence The day hasteneth when they as Lazarus had will have the good things and be comforted when the wicked will sadly suffer the righteous being in the height of their enjoyments of blessedness enjoying the presence of God and being for ever with the Lord Christ and having fellowship with just men throughly made perfect and shall live and reign with Christ a thousand years as it is written and will be fulfilled It is impossible that any thing thereof should fail or come short I shall forbear to enlarge The reason and scope of the whole is to infor from what is written as fulfilled of the prophecyes at Christ our Lord his first coming to shew what we may look for and expect at his second coming in like manner remembring holy Peter hath told us we have a more sure word of Prophecy unto which we do well to taken ed Hope we stedfastly therefore for the great grace and blessedness that shall be brought unto us at the revelation of Iesus Christ O come Lord Iesus come quickly Errata PAge line 7. for on reade gone p. 32. l. 2. for on r. in p. 33. l. 27. for had no r. had not l. 22. r. Lord Jesus p. 43. l. 30. for Psalm r. Esa p. 44. for psal r. phil l. 33. for his r. this p. 52. l. 15. for preceher r. preached p. 55. l. 17. for changed r. raised p. 57. l. 36. for world r. word l. 30. r. is come dole which is to come p. 59. l. 22. for many r. man p. 78. l. 13. r. that will attend p. 83. l. 16. for as our Christ r. as our Lord Christ l. 11. r. the regeneration p. 87. l. 12. for must r. might l. 31. for as so great r. is so great p. 91. l. 12. for thee r. him p. 102. dele for a time p. 105. l. 23. for light r. right p. 107. for be r he p. 109. l. 17. for must r. may l. 24. dele save In p. 13. at the close of the 3. chap. some thing intended to have been left out was casually left in concerning a long time after a 1000. years said to be Mr. Archors judgement also p. 16. towards the end these words and as some apprehend will be a 1000 years more Which not being the judgement of the Authour is here intimated FINIS
Joh. 1. 14. Holy Stephen he saw heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Acts. 7. 55. Paul likewise saw him and it is said When he cometh in the clouds every eye shall see him Rev. 1. 7. But God the father the great Jehovah told Moses he could not see him and in great condescension shewed him his back parts He is the invisible God Col. 1. 15. The holy scripture tells us that no man hath seen God to wit the father at any time 1. Joh. 4. 12. 20. His brightness is so serene where he dwelleth that no mortal no created eye is able to approch unto it or to abide the beholding of it But the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Image of the invisible God as we have seen him as before is said so we shall see him and behold him in his glory and be with him for ever as he made it his prayer unto his father that it might be so When he shall again appear we shall then appear with him in glory and as holy John saith When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Joh. 3. 2. The close of that scripture seemeth to relate to God the father likewise to whom be honour and power everlasting Amen the great Omega That is and will be all in all Further that of Daniel 7. Is of like consideration vers 9. likewise vers 22. It speaketh of the ancient of days God the father very high things are spoken of him that in vers 13. One like the son of man seemeth clearly to be meant of the Lord Jesus Christ Much the same seemeth that to be in Rev. 20. 11. I saw a great white throne and him that sate thereon from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them and I saw the dead small and great stand before God to wit God the father it seemeth to be spoken of him but that which follows in that verse relating to the judgment it is very likely to be meant of the Lord Christ to whom all judgment is committed all judgment is given to the son by the father and as Peter sayth 1. Pet. 4. 5. That he is ready to judge the quick and the dead all must appear before his tribunal and be judged by him this of judicature to the end of that 20. chapter relateth in a tacit way to the Lord Christ That in the second Psalm seemeth to be of like consideration and other scriptures that I shall forbear to name being of an interwoven way and manner of speaking of the power and dominion of the father and likewise of the son the Lord Christ I shall end these essays with that prophetical Psalm of the kingly prophet David in Psal 72. speaking to his son Solomon as the type but chiefly relating to a higher and greater Solomon in the antitype namely the Lord Jesus Christ very high and great things are spoken of in that Psalm concerning the kingdom of our Lord Christ how that in his days as in vers 7. The righteous shall flourish and abundance of peace shall be so long as the Moon endureth vers 8. he shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth Then he speaketh of the submission of kings and of their bringing of gifts saying vers 11. Yea all kings shall fall down before him all nations shall serve him Then he speaketh of his great kindnes to the poor and needy and of how high esteem they shall be in his sight and how he shall take care of them and do for them for which he shall be dayly praised Vers. 17. It is said His name shall be continued for ever his name shall endure as long as the sun and men shall be blessed in him And all nations shall call him blessed Great will be the glory of our Lord Christ in his kingdom and when he shall come in his glory and reign in his kingdom of which there seemeth little doubt but that this Psalm treateth of it and blessed will they be that shall enjoy their share therein But towards the end of the Psalm the prophet seemeth to turn and addresse himself to the Author and giver of all this glory and blessedness namely God the father with the which he closeth the Psalm and in the two last verses sayeth thus Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who only doth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen With the which he closes as I shall also these essayes referring the whole to the serious consideration of the wise in heart A MYSTERY I. Shewed by holy Paul That the Saints alive at the Coming of the Lord Christ shall not then die but be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye II. Something treated of concerning that change wherein it will consist and the Standard or Measure of it III. That many of the great Prophecies in the Holy Scriptures do eye that Time and those Changed People and state for their Great Fullfilling IV. Something held forth concerning the Restoration of all things and the world to come that shall take place when our Lord Christ shall come again V. Of the Great Happiness of that day and the Flourishing Estate the Righteous shall then Enjoy Proposed to consideration With sundry other things occasionally Discussed By P. G. B Joh. 11. 26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me to wit in Christ at his coming shall never die believest thou this Psa 31. 19. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast prepared for them that trust in thee before the sons of men Joh. 20. 29. Blessed are they that have not seen me yet have believed Printed in the Year 1675. To the READER THou hast here offered to thy view and consideration that which few haply have much minded though it be a very great thing a mistery no less and that which it is likely will be found as a key that will help to open divers great prophecies and high sayings in the holy Scriptures which some have been very ready to allegorize and put some notion of a spiritual meaning on them as if that were all whereby they have drawn a veil over them rendring them another thing This mistery it relateth to the very time of the second coming of the Lord Christ when those servants of God believing in Jesus shall be changed in a moment without dying they shall put off corruption and mortallity and put on incorruption immortality and everlasting life and be rechanged into their former state as man was before his fall and it is very likely they will be the blessed inhabitants of the world to come and such as shall inherit and dwell in the new earth Consider of it and what is offered about it it
is asked where Lord and he tells them in a dark borrowed way of speaking saying wheresoever the body or carcase Math. 24. 28. is thither will the Eagles be gathered together As if he had said where I am thither shall mine to wit the raised and changed saints be gathered together Consider the demand where Lord not where those so taken and left shall be then when they are so taken and left that our Lord declared plainly in the feild and in the bed but where those that are taken away should be when they were so taken from their companions in the feild and in the bed they should be taken and brought to the Lord Christ to meet him in the aire This that in Math. 24. 31. comp with vers 27. 28. seemeth very fully to hold forth When the Lord Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory vers 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet at which sound those dead shall awake and arise and those living shall be changed in a moment The trumpet shall sound and the dead raised and we shall be changed 1. Cor. 15. 52. the place we are treating of So. 1. Thes. 4. 16. with the trumpet of God And as it followeth he shall send his Angels and they shall gather his elect to wit those so raised and changed from the four windes from one end of heaven to the other A great thing a wonderful gathering this will be at his coming very sudden and transperent as the lightning shining from the east to the west let this be considered with the answer of our Lord in Luke and then we may perceive what those words both there and here do mean and what was the intent of our Lord in them namely where the carcase or body is thither will the Eagles be gathered together The raised and changed shall then as Eagles mount up together to meet the Lord in the Aire 1 Thes. 4. 17. then shall that prophecy of holy Isaiah be fully made good and fulfilled which it is very likely eyeth that day Isa 40. 31. they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles c. as Eagles mount up so shall these changed and changed do then according to the very letter there needs no allegory in the matter The servants of God shall be very agile aierie and spriteful and as the Eagles shall mount up so to meet the Lord Christ Then will be the difference between the righteous and the wicked of which the prophet Malachy speaketh Mal. 3. 18. be greatly made manifest and clear to be known Between the righteous and the wicked when the one shall be taken and the other left when one shall be changed and the other left in their corrupt and mortal state and condition There are many great things that will be attendants of this change As the change will be very great and misterious so will be the things that will concur and go along with it such as we mentioned when we treated of the resurrection as the attendants of that the same in like manner will be at this change we shall forbear to mention them here having done it then This change it will be accompanyed with another even the change of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began Acts. 3. 21. they will be restored into their former good condition renewed refined and made new A new heaven new earth as it is said Psal 102. 26. as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed All shall be changed and made new as at the first making Rev. 21. 5. behold I make all things new A blessed state like that of paradise if not higher this world shall end and cease and with the change the world to come shall begin and take place of which we shall treat a little CHAP. V. Containing something proposed to consideration touching the world to come as being much the same with the New heaven and the New earth spoken of in the Holy Scriptures and that it will contemporsze in time with that and other great things that will take place at the Coming of our Lord Christ The holy scriptures declare Heb. 1. 2. that God by Jesus Christ made the worlds and by faith we understand and believe so Heb. 11. 3. By saith we understand the worlds were framed c. the scriptures make mention of three worlds the old world which began with the creation and continued to the floud and then perished and ended so Peter tells us 2. Pet. 3. 6. This present world so called in scripture and may be so called still it took place with the ceasing of the floud and was peopled by Noah and his sons and it continued and doth yet continue is grown old and is reserved being grown old unto fire and the great burning to come vers 10. at the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men The day of the Lord will come vers 12. and then will be the dissolution and end of this present world The Apostle expresseth it by the heaven and the earth that are now vers 7. As the same thing to wit this world this present evill world There is in the third place the world to come which will begin with the end or ceasing of this present world of which the holy scripture speaks very often so frequent as I shall forbear quotations When that end cometh which will be with the burning spoken of then will begin the world to come of which we are now treating and shall mention a few places Math. 12. 32. Mark 10. 30. Luk. 18. 30. Ephes. 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. of which we may take notice hereafter the time when and how this will contemporize with other great things that will take place likewise then to wit at the coming of the Lord Christ in power and great glory to them that look for him the second time he will then appear Heb. 9. 28. This third world this world to come it will then begin In the which the Lord Christ will fully take unto himself his great power and will reign very gloriously the dominion power and sovereignty will rest in him and he will then appear on earth as king of kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. 15. Then in the world to come he will delegate power as he pleaseth to one to be ruler over five cities and to another to be ruler over ten cities they shall rule under him yea then will they rule with him and that be made good in Rev. 5. 10. And hast made us kings and Priests unto our God and we shall reign on the earth it is not said in heaven For the world to come it will be here below on earth and not in heaven above This world to come it will not be subjected under the power of the Angels the scripture expresly
be given to the saints for they shall reign with him Rev. 20. 4. 6. of which more after But to proceed in a gradual way and take knowledge of what the holy scripture holds forth as relating to and eyeing that happy time before mentioned we may take knowledge of father Jacobs blessing of Judah his son Gen. 49. 8. His hand should be on the neck of his enemies his fathers children should bow before him Vers. 10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah c. We may also take notice of Balaams prophecy Numb 24. 7. 8. see the place the height and fulness is like to be then see like wise vers 17. 18. 19. All held forth which I forbear to set down relateth to a time afarr off and not nigh Vers. 17. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have the dominion a wonderfull time it relateth unto for as vers 23. Who shall live when God doth this he will he will do it Then in the dayes of the dominion and reign of the Lord Christ shall that be fulfilled Psal 15. acknowledged and stiled a Psalm of Christs kingdom vers 14. In stead of thy fathers thou shalt have or there shall be children whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth to wit fully so in the new earth I will make thy name to be remembred in all generations therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever Psal 49. 14. Eyeing the resurrection when death feedeth on the wicked in the grave the righteous shall arise and have the day the dominion in that very morning likewise will that be made good then Psal 149. 9. To have power to execute the vengeance that is written it is sayd this honour have all the saints to share with the Lord Christ their blessed saviour and redeemer their king and governor sure enough to be true and made good then In the next place take we knowledge of what holy Isaiah sayth Isa 60. 12. The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee to wit Isrnel shall perish yea those nations shall be utterly wasted vers 14. The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and shall call thee the city of the Lord. That this relateth to the time of Christ and his kingdom few deny We shall proceed to that eminent place Dan. 7. It is after the fourth kingdom or monarchy see what is sayd vers 18. But the saints of the most high to wit the Israelites especially shall take and possesse the kingdom for ever even for ever and ever very great durations not yet begun it is likely but will fully be fulfilled at the restoration when our Lord Christ shall be sent the second time then the saints shall fully take and possesse the kingdom Vers. 22. And the ancient of days came and judgement was given to the saints of the most high And the time came that the Paints possessed the kingdom Some build the fifth Monarchy or kingdom of the stone on this and other the like scriptures apprehending it will be in this world before the restoration and change we have treated of which I leave to the day to declare whether it will be so or no but what holy Daniel hath foretold will surely be made good even that vers 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 whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him that is their governour There can be nothing more full and plain only the time is to be waited for and very like it will be fully fulfilled when our Lord Christ fully takes to him his power and reigns at the happy restoration of all things I shall mention no more out of the old testament Our Lord Christ in the new hath told us that his kingdom is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. neither as I apprehend is or to be in this world save in a spiritual consideration as the gospel and gospel dispensations as the spirit and word and the fruits of the spirit righteousness peace and joy with faith and love c. though some apprehend from those words in the latter part of that verse but now is my kingdom not from hence or then to be set up in this world the emphasis of the words as they conceive lying in the word but now that his kingdom will begin to be set up in this world before his personal coming but I leave it as not being the subject matter of this discourse but that is clear another thing that we are treating of from his kingdom in a spiritual consideration only It is dominion kingdom and power outward and visible which our treaty is of this our Lord hath not taken to him as yet he hath not taken to him his great power and kingdom he is gone to fetch it when he comes he will bring it with him Luk. 19. 12. 15. 2. Tim. 4. 7. And then he will fully set it up and reign gloriously in the midst of his enemies It is much in my apprehension that any should think the saints of the most high should reign and have kingdom and power and dominion before the Lord Christ that would answer the prophecyes in the holy Scriptures and be a fulfilling of them but I conceive though some so think and say yet most of them that judge Christs kingdom will begin to be set up in this world before his personal coming do not apprehend that the prophecyes on that account will have their full fulfilling therein nor will be so fulfilled till he so comes Our Lord Christ tels his followers that continued with him in his temptations Luk. 22. 28 29. 30. And I appoint unto you a kingdom as my father hath appointed unto me that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom when it comes and he reigns in it and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Minde we that in Math. 25. 24. come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you c. When will this be when he shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him and shall fit on the throne of his glory it will be then that the Saints of the most high God will be so advanced and dignified so impowered to judge know ye not saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 6. 2. that the Saints shall judge the world yea and Angels also vers 3. the world have judged and wrongfully many times condemned them and they have been for Christs sake killed all the day long Rom. 8. 36. it will be otherwise then they shall judge them that injuriously condemned them then the Saints shall have the day and what Daniell hath told shall come to passe that the dominion and greatness of the kingdom under the
whole heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most high Our Lord Christ will be then the greatest monarch that ever was on earth 1. Tim. 6. 25. he will be the only potentate the king of kings and Lord of Lords he will be far advanced in power and dignitie beyond and above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name of power and dignitie by which the potentates of this world are named that is named in this world and that which is to come far above them all will the Lord Christ be then it will be happy for the Saints then for he is their head and they shall share with him therein they shall reign on earth when he reigneth he will deligate power to them they shall be invested with great authority and shall reign with him on earth He will give power to the faithfull improvers of their trust Luk. 19. 17. 19. to one to be ruler over ten Cityes and to another to be ruler over five Cityes And in like manner it is likely to others to be over nations and countryes according to that Psal 45. 16. thou shalt have children whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth Like to be fully fulfilled and made good then and as it followeth vers 17. I will make thy name to be remembred in all generations therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever the promise to the overcomers in the Church of Thyatira speaks forth much and comports with the psalmist before Rev. 2. 26. 27. he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron c. even as I received of my father to wit power to do it Those alive and believing at the coming of the Lord Christ then changed in a moment will be such overcomers and keepers of his works to the end in an eminent wise and haply may have that power given to them then together with all other overcomers that had been dead before to that time then raised Holy Paul saith 2. Tim. 2. 12. if we suffer we shall also reign with him and saith it is a faithfull saying as it is a blessed word and comfortable Rom. 8. 17. if so be we suffer with him we may be also glorified together The world to come it will not be under the subjection and rule of Angels Heb. 2. 5. he hath not put in subjection unto the Angels the world to come of which we speak haply this present world is so under them but that to come shall not but it will be under the Lord Christ and the Saints they will be made unto God kings and priests and shall reign on the earth at that happy day in the new earth when our Lord is come they shall have full power and reign Jude speaketh of the Lord Christ his coming with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement on ungodly sinners whose day will be over then like unto rich Dives Lazarus day will take place then the righteous will have the day then and the preheminence Rev. 20. 4. the martyrs for Christs sake it is said of them by way of eminence as to rule and gevernment above the rest of the dead Saints then also raised and reigning They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years And again vers 6. it is said of all the raised Saints compared with other Scriptures including the changed at that time they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years And we may believe it for these sayings are no fables or insignificant expressions Whither they be believed or no they will be found to be the true sayings of almighty God and shall with the rest of the Prophecyes and sayings concerning good things to come for the righteous be made good and fulfilled to the full whatever fulfilling in a degree they may have had before This also held forth is submitted to the consideration of the wise in heart A Post-script or an Appendix to the whole THere are many great Prophecyes and sayings in the holy Scriptures of the old and new testament that hold forth very great good things and a very blessed and happy time the righteous shall have and enjoy and be made partakers of hereafter when the Lord Christ shall come and his reward with him when the refreshing from the presence of the Lord and the restoration of all things shall take place which are recorded to encourage the servants of God to believe and hope and wait patiently for the appointed time There are very high attestations recorded in the holy Scriptures of the sureness and certainty of them which we shall a little enquire into and set down for encouragement to believe hope on and wait patiently for the great grace and blessed good things that shall be brought unto us and we shall enjoy at the revelation of Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 1. 13. I should tire the reader and as it were hold a candle to the sun to go about to set down what might be gathered out of the holy Scriptures this way two or three places we shall venture to propose and set down and leave the rest In Isa 51. likewise Isa 54. we may see how God himself asserts his faithfullness in his word and promises of good to his people as sure as the waters of Noah the floud that drowned the old world but shall no more do it so sure will he perform his promises of good things to his people As sure as he divided the sea and made it a way for the redeemed to passe over see the places In Jer. 31. 35. 36. 37. See how the Lord setteth forth himself by his greatness in the great works he hath done of old and upholding of them by his mighty power the ordinances of heaven and the foundations of the earth that cannot be measured or searched out so will he be in his word and promises to the seed of Israel his people see the place And consider what the prophet Micha sayth Mich. 7. 20. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the dayes of old The words of prophecy contained in the holy scriptures they are very sure very stable setled in heaven confirmed by the promise and oath of almighty God it is impossible for him to lye or fail our Lord Christ hath given a high testimony Math. 24. 35. Heaven and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away Hath he spoken and shall he not do it hath he promised and shall he not perform it he hath highly engaged himself therein he is faithful he is able he will make it good and perform it There is nothing hard for him he is mighty in power and wonderful in working What he hath declared by his servants the prophets there shall nothing fail thereof but