Prophet Isaiah Thy people also shall be all righteous Isa. 60.21 It is further apparent if we consider Isa. 35. the 10th verse by the ransomed of the Lord I understand either the people of the Jews in general or else every true believer in particular These shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Why Gods bringing of his people now unto Zion it is with weeping and with supplication but in this day when Zion the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be exalted in the top of the Mountains it shall be with everlasting joy agreeing to that in Jer. 31.12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion But in the 9th verse there is weeping and supplication and in the latter end of the 12th verse they shall not sorrow any more at all Certainly then this will be a time of extraordinary spiritual joy which we expect and wait for and not an outward glorious Jewish Kingdom which some speaking against it say that we look for but let such see their portion it they have a portion in Christ and how gracious Christ will be unto them in this his kingdom in that sweet Prophesie of his reign in Isa. 32.4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge I am perswaded that many a gracious heart in the corsideration of that glorious truth of Christs spiritual reign in the hearts of his people over sin Satan and the world hath cried down this his personal reign upon the Throne of his father David as error and Heresie I might cite much in the behalf of this truth from Isa. 65.17 to the end but I shall passe over to Jer. 30.9 And they shall serve the Lord their God and David their King whom I will raise up unto them Now observe the time when they shall serve this King it is when God shall give them to pessesse the land which he gave unto their fathers as you may see plainly in the third verse and before they do thus serve him they shall return and seek him even the Jews that are called the children of Israel Hosea 3.5 O ye Gentile Saints of the most high what room hath God made in your hearts for the poor Jews did they think upon us when we were not a people and shall not we think upon them Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence for he hath said that the Nation and kingdome that will not serve them shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly destroyed Isa. 60.12 certainly then there is little hopes for England that would not suffer you to dwell amongst us but faithfull is God that hath promised and will accomplish even to set over them that great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls the Lord Jesus Christ Ezek 34 23. The next plain Scripture is Dan. 7.27 And the kingdom and dominion and the greatnesse 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 This is a plain Prophesie of Christs personal appearing to rule and reign with his Saints if ye consider the 22th verse there ye have him mentioned Untill the ancient of dayes came agreeing with that his title in the Revelation I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last This is a kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven certainly then it must be on earth and then shall that promise be made good which saith The meek shall inherit the earth We do not doubt as a worthy Preacher lately said of a kingdom in the heavens in that celestial place of glory prepared for us but our God hath promised us a kingdom under the whole heaven wherein Christ shall be King that one Lord both over believing Jews and believing Gentiles This kingdom it is given him by God the Father who is also called the ancient of dayes for as Christ saith I and my father are one you have it in the 13. and 14. verses of Dan. 7. I saw in the night Visions and behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven agreeing unto Christs words Then shall ye see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory I shall plainly lay down my Meditations concerning it and leave it to the judgement of the Christian Reader which were this Christ coming and the Saints bringing of him unto God their father for it is said in the 13th verse They brought him near before him agreeing to that in Isa. 8.18 Behold I and the children which thou hast given me And now being before their father as Christ said I go to my father and to your father to my God and to your God the subject matter of their plea is for a kingdome founded in the sufferings of Christ and so a branch of the new Covenant Isa. 53.12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoyl with the strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto death Now God the father being faithful that promised he gives the kingdom unto the Son agreeing to that in Ps. 72.1 Give the King thy judgements O God and thy righteousnesse unto the Kings Son which is fulfilled in Dan. 7.14 And there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him even him that was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief unto whom the Nations have said We will not have this man to reign over us even unto him shall this glory and dominion be given that so that which is written may be fulfilled At the name of Jefus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confesse that he is the Lord for he will be King alone in that day Hosea 13.10 The Prophet Joel is very large in declaring the signs and wonders that shall be before this great day of the Lord agreeing with those in Matth. 24. The Prophet Amos is in the latter end of his Prophesie treating of the restauration of the children of Israel which take in many special circumstances concerning this truth and will require a larger Treatise then this is for there is both heighth and depth and length and breadth in the truths of God But I passe them over and shall onely take notice of Mich. 4.3 And he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off vers. 4. They shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree and none shall make them afraid It shall be a Solomons kingdom in respect of peace so that in this sense he will come as the desired one of all Nations and this kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem as you may see in vers 8. but more especially in
Zeph. 3.14 Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all the heart O daughter of Ierusalem Now see the reason why The Lord hath taken away thy judgements and then thou shalt not see evil any more O how beautiful upon the Mountains should the feet of such publishers be that would say unto Zion Thy God reigneth Isaiah 52.7 Then shall the Saints of the Lord sing that song which none shall learn but onely those who are redeemed from the earth and from amongst men Rev. 14.4 Then shall Mount Zion sing Zech. 2.10 Sing and rejoyce O daughter of Zion for lo I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord And many nations shall be joyned unto the Lord in that day and shall be my people Verse 12. The Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land and shall chuse Jerusalem again There will be such abundance of light in the latter days that the Nations shall be able to see and to distinguish between the Bride and the Whore the false Church and the true Church the house of God and Babylon that shall be made the Cage of every unclean and filthy bird even when the Gentiles shall come to the light of the Jews which shall be as life from the dead Rom. 11.15 for as sure as ever the Lord hath cast them off so surely will he receive them again but Oh the dreadfull work that the Lord must make in the earth before he shall have accomplished his designes unto his people and for this he hath appointed a day and Oh that Saints and Sinners would take notice of it Mal. 4.1 For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord Agreeing unto this is that Prophesie in Isa. 2.12 For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty and upon every one that is lifted up and he shall be brought low And in vers. 20. In that day a man shall cast his Idols of silver and his Idols of gold which they made to the Moles and to the Bats All which may certifie us of a notable fiery day of Tryal which will come before the great day of Christ And truely here I may justly take up a deep Lamentation in the Consideration of that abundance of pride and wickedness which doth abound not onely amongst the common profane of the world but also amongst Professors themselves this is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation O how few have kept their first love and such as are in the day of their first Espousals if they be not very watchful will be caried away with the stream amongst Professors that have cooled in their first love certainly therefore it is a time for such as fear the Lord to be thinking upon his dishonoured Name for unto such as fear his Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing under his wings Thus far there hath been onely treated of this Kingdom from the Old Testament Prophesies I shall come now to some New Testament Scriptures wherein it is as clearly affirmed From Mat. 25.31 it is thus written When the Son of man shall come in his glory then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and in the 34 verse Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand By the man Christ Jesus the Son of David the Son of Abraham God will judge the world yea and so judge them as he is a King or elâ—e what Kingdom shall he have to deliver up unto God the Father Then cometh the end saith the Apostle when he shall have delivered up the kingdom unto the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25. Mat. 2.2 Mark 13.26 Luk. 1.32 there God makes a promise unto Mary by the Angel that that child Jesus which was in her womb should sit upon the Throne of his Father David which is to rule and reign over the house of Jacob as it followeth in the 33 vers. And in order unto this he shall so come from Heaven as he ascended up into Heaven Now there is none that will deny this but such as will deny Christ and Scripture too that he did ascend with the same body with which he did arise this is his own testimony of his second coming when he saith Then shall ye see the Son of man coming Act. 1.9 10 11 but until that time the Heavens must receive him which will be the time of the restitution of all things Act. 3.21 2 Tim. 4.1 Paul doth charge Timothy upon the account of the appearing and Kingdom of Christ to be faithful in the work of his Ministry so that Christ as he is King and in his Kingdom shall judge both the quick and the dead but when Christ shall give up this Kingdom unto God the Father wch he shall do 1 Cor. 15. then saith Christ to his Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundations of the world were laid And thus God the Father shall be all in all the Saints shall come into the Fathers Kingdom Come ye blessed of my Father Luk. 12.32 It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a kingdom and this is a Kingdom which was prepared for them from before the foundations of the world were laid so that the Saints of God besides that Kingdom that they shall have upon the foundation of the world shall have a Kingdom prepared for them from before the foundation of the world was laid which is a house eternal in the Heavens Amongst the twelve chosen Apostles of Jesus Christ John was the beloved Disciple who lay in the bosom of Christ and therefore he did deeply share in afflictions for Christ and being banished into the Isle of Patmos there he had the glorious things that do belong unto this Kingdom opened unto him it is the Revelation which God the Father gave unto Christ and Christ by his Angel revealed unto John I John saith he in the ninth verse who also am your brother and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of of us Christ John and the Saints that he did write unto were travelling towards this Kingdom yea and they were in the way too and that was through many tribulations You have in the third verse a blessing pronounced upon him that readeth and they that hear and keep the things which are written in this Prophesie that is keep up the testimony of them and the power of them being manifested in their lives and conversations Now see those sweet Motto's that he gives to Christ in the fifth verse First he is the fathful witness and that in respect of that witness that he did hold forth in the world to his Fithers glory And Secondly in respect of that witness
that he beares unto his people by his Spirit and that is a witness that he holds forth by his Spirit unto their spirits that they are the children of God Rom. 8.16 Secondly he is called the first begotten of the dead as the Apostle argues it in 1 Cor. 15.21 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead and in verse 22 he speaks of Christ as being the first fruits agreeing to that in Col. 1.18 where he is called the first born from the dead Thirdly he is called the Prince of the kings of the earth and this very manifest in Scripture he is often called the King of kings and Lord of lords But I shall speak something of that which he delivered to the Pharisees Mat 22.49 If David then call him Lord how is he his son It was the question that Christ put unto the Pharisees What saith he think ye of Christ whose Son is he And they answered him The Son of David How then saith Christ doth David call him Lord as in Psalm 110.1 So that by this it doth appear that Christ is both Davids Lord and Davids Son he is Davids Lord not onely as he is Lord of Heaven and Earth but also as he is King of kings and Lord of lords And thus he is Davids Lord and Davids Prince as well as Nero's Prince or any other wicked Prince that ever was upon the Earth Again he is Davids Lord in respect that he shall sit upon David's Throne and this is that which David by faith did foresee and that which is promised Christ in Luk. 1.31 32 33. Now I hope that there is none that will deny that Christ is the Son of David for taking upon him our sins he must of necessity take upon him our body a body hast thou prepared me And thus he was in all things like unto us sin onely excepted and that the Scripture might be fulfilled he is born of a Virgin Isa. 7.14 compared with Mat. 1.23 I am perswaded in my very conscience that the clearing up of the birth of Jesus Christ with his personal appearance in the flesh to suffer and dye for sinners together with his personal appearance in glory hereafter will be the Doctrine that God will make effectual in order unto the conversion of the Jews for I understand that herein lyeth their blindness which was also in their forefathers an expectation of the Messiah in a state of glory but what saith Christ unto this O fools and slow of heart to believe ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to have entered into his glory Luk. 24.25 so that the very foundation of Christs exaltation lieth and consisteth in his humiliation because he was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief therefore shall he come in the glory of his Father and in the glory of his holy Angels This Truth is farther confirmed from Rev. 2.26 He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations even as I have received of my Father Psal. 2.9 The saints as the Scripture speaks are Heirs joynt Heirs yea co-Heirs with Jesus Christ and therefore he having received of God the Father to have power over the Nations he will give the same power over the Nations unto his saints that do overcome and as he did overcome Sin Death Satan and the World and is now set down in his Fathers Throne so also he hath a Throne even the Throne of his father David that he will give his overcoming Saints to sit down upon with him Rev. 3.21 In Rev 11.15 it is thus written And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great Voices in heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ from hence it is very plain that they are the Kingdoms of this world which shall be given unto Jesus Christ And the devil that red Dragon that devouring Lyon that old Serpent did know full well of this when he came to tempt Christ for after that he had failed twice he comes in the third temptation with this All the Kingdoms of this world will I give thee and the glory of them so thou wilt but fall down and worship before me Mat. 4.8 9 he knew it with a witness from the very first promise that God gave unto fallen man The seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpents which is Christ born of the Virgin Mary and manifested to destroy the works of the devil Object Whereas you speak here of a thousand years reign it is said in this verse That he shall reign for ever and ever I answer I do believe that a thousand years is a Type of perfection and therefore we cannot read of any of the sons of Adam that God did suffer to live a thousand yeers to demonstrate unto man that there is no persection here in this life but then see the limitation that this word Ever hath in Scripture in Psal. 72.17 it is for ever as long as the sun But let us take a little notice how the Nations will take this it is said They were angry vers. 18. so that while the Saints are praising and rejoycing before God with great admitation in the enjoyment of this salvation the Nations will be sretting and vexing to see what is come to pass for thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged all Christs implacable impenitent Enemies do but heap up wrath against this day of wrath for this will be a day of Judgement wherein Christ will give to every man according to his works yea God will have an account of the very carth which he hath let out unto the sons and daughters of Adam for it is said He will destroy them which destroy the earth And certainly this is that the Church of Christ is now in pain for and crying travelling to be delivered even of this Man child who shall rule all Nations with a Rod of Iron Rev. 125. and that because of that great joy which they will receive when Christ is exalted for the Saints they are such as love the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4.8 For when he shall come in flaming fire unto his Enemies he shall be with his people as a Lamb And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion here is fulfilled that Prophesie in Psal. 2. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion so that he will be both King and Lamb upon mount Zion Mount Zion as it is written shall be exalted above all mountains and the Name of Jesus upon this exalted mountain shall be exalted above every Name and then shall the Saints of God sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb saying Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty Just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Rev. 15.3
that infallible signe of day unto them In the third verse And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men Heaven it self will witness unto this truth Behold where-ever we have this word it speaks out something of admiration that his people might know the certainty of that which is promised you have it in Isa. 52.15 Behold my servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high Christ Jesus the Son of the Eternal God though equal with God yet he took upon him the form of a servant My Servant shall be extolled yea and as it follows the kings shall shut their mouthes at him c. It is said of this new Jerusalem in the fourth verse And the kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour into it In the fourth verse And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Here are the Saints in their perfect state a sinless state for surely if there shall be no more crying there shall be no more sinning when a Saint sins God will take care to bring him unto Godly sorrow O but this is a state without sorrow Sin is a way of pain but the former things shall be passed away A Saints grief is either first for himself or else secondly for the sins of others why in both these respects sorrow and sighing shall flee away if it be in himself it is from a body of sin a Law in his members warring against the Law of his minde O but this vile body shall be changed and as it is written made like unto his glorious body Secondly sin in others is that which doth often grieve the gracious heart as it tends unto the dishonour of Christ but in this state the Saints shall have no such cause of grief for Christ alone shall be exalted and admired in them that believe I might cite much more in the behalf of this truth from divers other verses in this chapter but I pass by them all unto the last verse And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs book of life though it hath twelve gates of enterance yet at these gates there are twelve Angels There is such a glory of God in the new Jerusalem as would even torment a poor sinner to be in the presence of it as you may see in the eleventh verse As they see not here into that kingdom of grace set up in the heart of a believer which consists in peace and joy in the holy Ghost so they shall not see into that Kingdom of glory that the believer shall be possess'd of and shall be revealed in him No no it is the Saints onely that can give the description of both Psal. 145.10 And thy Saints shall blesse thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power to make known unto the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom I come now to Rev. 22.3 And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his servants shall serve Him Vers 4. And they shall see His face and His Name shall be in their foreheads And there shall be no night there and they need no Candle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever Such as shall be brought unto this state of glory shall never more know what belongs unto the curse for they being redeemed from the curse of the Law Christ being made a curse for them they shall also be delivered from death into a state of immortality and therefore they are said to reign for ever and ever here the Saints shall see that beatifical vision and be perfected in that glory which in some measure was here revealed in them according as the Apostle saith he revealeth them unto us by his Spirit they shall see his face and his name shall be in their forehead this name is that name which Jesus Christ shall write upon him that overcometh even the name of my God and the name of the Citie of my God which is new Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new name witnessed in Rev. 3.12 agreeable unto this is that Prophesie in Isa. 65.5 For the Lord God shall slay thee and call his servants by another name but this in the time of this new Jerusalem state as you may see in vers 17. whereas formerly men blessed themselves in the abundance of their enjoyments there shall be no such Generation here but he that blesseth himself in the earth shall blesse himself in the God of truth and whereas formerly the Land hath mourned because of Oaths now he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth And there shall be no night there and they need no Gandle neither light of the Sun for the Lord God giveth them light and they shall reign for ever and ever It hath been night long enough but now the day shall dawn and the shadow shall flee away and it shall be such a day as night shall never follow it yea such a day as shall not need the light of the Sun if by the Sun we may understand as also by the Moon to be held foâ—â—h unto us the Ordinances of the Gospel in this respect in this respect there will be no need of these because we shall no more see darkly as through a glasse though much glory is so manifested but we shall see him as he is Isa. 60.19 20. Now here I would speak a word unto such who professing themselves to have gone through all and do look upon others as Carnalists Legalists that walk in the practise of Ordinances Certainly if in this state there is no need of these we may safely conclude that untill this state there is need of them and that it is the will of God that his people should walk in them according as it is written in Isaiah Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse and remembreth thee in thy wayes We are so frail and to apt to be taken in the snare of iniquity that we have need to be instructed in many things as the Apostle saith though we know them already and if Satan can but once finde us in that sin of spiritual pride then it is to be feared that he will beguile us as once he beguiled Eve For it is the Lords revealed method to discover himself in love and mercy in and through his own appointments but I would not limit the holy One of Israel neither yet would I set up the Ordinances as to the