John 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth c. Take away Truth and ye destroy Holiness at the root Let men pretend holiness whilest they will unclean opinions will ever be accompanied with unclean practises and therefore it is a vain thing for men to hope that a holy conversation can be maintained without truth which is the instrument which the Lord useth of mens sanctification Job 6.14 he forsakes God that forsakes the fear of the Lord. Secondly What is it for a people to be forsaken of God First when God withdraws the influence of his Spirit from the Ordinances that though the Ordinances continue yet the influences are gone it is the first step of the Lords removing from a people and this is properly the removing or departing of his glory from off the Temple though the Lord is everywhere present yet there was a gracious presence there Deus ubique est sed non eadem ubique praestat And therefore there is a darkness that fills the house when the glory of the Lord was departed its true that the Temple and the Sacrifices did continue but it was but barely an outside for the presence of God in glory and mercy was not among them and therefore when the Lord returns to a people in mercy the glory of the Lord doth in this manner return unto their Ordinances Ezek. 43.4 while he may be found seek the Lord the time of the Spirits working in the means is the day of salvation Heb. 6. unto that people there is a ground that drinks in the rain not only of Ordinances but of Influences and the Lord will say My Spirit shall not alwaies strive there is an oath that may go forth against a people and then they are undone for ever for the Lord is not as a man that he should repent and this is the greatest Judgement that can befall a person or a people in this life for if the Spirit of the Lord depart from them and evil Spirit from God in Judgement comes upon them a Spirit of giddiness a vertiginous Spirit which doth cause them to err in all the works of their hands there is by some a great talk of conversion that abundance have been lately converted it is true if turning unto a new opinion or being brought off from such a party be conversion there are abundance of such turnings in this Nation but such a general conversion that if we look into the conversation of men yea even of them that do profess Religion and the power of godliness and the good old way of holiness in the practise of it is even wholly forgotten amongst us Secondly he takes away the Ordinances also the presence of God is in them he is by these said to dwell amongst us now when God departs from a people he is said to take away the Ordinances which are the visible tokens of his presence Ier. 23.33 they say the burden of the Lord and they were weary of the Ordinances of God amongst them saies God this shall be your burden I will forsake you Nulla posthac erit Prophetia Calvin Calvin But what if it be so its that in a special manner that we desire but consider 2 Chron. 7.20 I will cast this house which I have sanctified for my name out of my sight and I will pluck you up by the roots out of my Land which I have given you when God once forsakes his Ordinances he will the Land too Thirdly the Lord doth forsake a people by taking away the former assistances that they have had and denying of them to his people therefore the promise is Isa 62.4 thou shalt be no more termed forsaken whilst they were under the power of the enemy and given up into the hands of their oppressors so long they were a people forsaken of the Lord Iosh 1.5 I will not leave thee nor forsake thee when God forsakes them they shall not have the wonted presence of God amongst them the Lord will neither bless their counsels nor go forth with their Armies but he will delight to make that people vile that all their enemies should take encouragement thereby and say God hath forsaken them persecute them and take them for there is none to deliver them as the presence of God is the great terror unto all that are round about he being a wall of sire about them and the glory in the middle of them so the greatest encouragement to the enemies is when they shall see that Gods people have not the wonted presence or assistance of God with them and they shall be a derision to all the Nations round about ha ha so would we have it Fourthly God doth forsake a people in respect of his returns of their prayers Psal 22.1,2 My God why hast thou forsaken me and why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season am not silent and this is the true greatness and the glory of a people Deut. 4.7 that they have God nigh them in all that they call upon him for and this hath been your glory in former times in the sight of your adversaries that you could say Tertullian Caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus And the prayers of the people of God have been the fire that hath gone out of the mouthes of the people of God that hath consumed your enemies on every side as Rev. 11 5. We did no sooner make our prayers but we might as it were with Stephen lift up our eyes to heaven and see Iesus standing at the right hand of God tanquam causae suae Judex vindex But if God forsake a people they may cry but the Lord will not hear them he will shut out their prayers in displeasure and will cover himself with a cloud that they shall not pass through when God takes away the spirit of prayer from his people there is not a greater Argument that I know that God doth intend to forsake them and to shut out their prayers Vse Having thus spoken of the Doctrinal proposition let us take the particular application to our selves If you forsake him he will also forsake you our own hearts cannot but testifie against us that there is a great forsaking of God in the middle of us look but upon the generality of the Nation and for all manner of prophaness we go beyond the worst of times and under a pretence of liberty every man doth that which is right in his own eyes and there is no master of restraint to put them to shame It may be the fault is immediately to be laid upon inferiour officers but ye know their neglects and yet you do not force your own Laws misera vis est valere ad nocendum it is woful liberty a liberty of sinning the horrible oppressions such as have not been heard of you have made an act against it and what
were but two Tribes returned from Babylon we never read of the return of the ten Tribes They went into Captivity with weeping and with weeping shall they return But if so it shall be sorrow under suffering in the one and under the sight and apprehension of their sin in the other Fifthly the Scripture seems to speak as if the great meanes of their Conversion should not be by the preaching of the Gospel as the Gentile Churches are brought home unto the Lord but that it shall be by sight and by a visible appearance of the Lord Jesus unto them I shall assert nothing possitively in it onely give me leave to set before you some Scriptures that seem fully to speak so much Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced and mourn And that it is not barely a spiritual looking upon him with an eye of faith such as the holy Ghost calls Joh. 6.40 Seeing the Son and believing on him but that it is a bodily vision and to see him with bodily eyes for Dan. 7.13 there is the Son of man comming in the clouds of heaven brought to the ancient of days to receive a Kingdome What Kingdom sure his Davidical Kingdom when he shall sit on the throne of his Father David When Christ receives this Kingdom it is not as he receives the spiritual Kingdom and entred upon the administration of the providential Kingdom that was by his sitting down at the right hand of his Father and so enter as man actually upon the administration of all things for its plain that to receive this Kingdom which shall be after the four beasts are destroyed He shall come in the Clouds of Heaven and they shall bring him unto the ancient of dayes he comes attended with the Angels and they bring him unto the ancient of days its true that Gods comming in the Clouds his riding upon the Clouds it s that which notes out the eminent visible glorious appearance of his Majesty but it s the appearance here of Christ as he is the Son of man which I conceive is never found to be so used in the Scripture but at the last day the Lord Jesus shall appear in the clouds when he comes to judgement As spoken of a visible appearance so this also shall be and so much haply is meant Mat. 4.30.31 Then shall appear the sigh of the Son of man in Heaven and then shall ye see the Son of man comming in the clouds of Heaven I know its a perplexing Scripture yet haply is meant this appearance of the Son of man not to judgement but as a signe that the judgement is neer that which they may be as truly assured of as the husband-man can be that the summer is neer when he sees the fig-tree put forth leaves c. and therefore I should rather conceive there is meant the appearance of Christ in the clouds for the conversion of the Iewes and to receive a Kingdom rather then his appearance at the day of judgement when he must shortly give up the Kingdom and I am induced rather to think so because it follows and he will send the Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together the elect from the four windes Which is I do not conceive to be restreined unto the day of judgement though the Apostle doth so speak also of the general Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.52 The Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised the Lord shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God 1 Thes 4.16 But when this Trumpet shall sound all the Nations shall be raised bad as well as good Elect as well as Reprobate and they shall all awake unto judgement but this is a Trumpet that gathers onely the Elect from the four winds therefore it seemes that none shall hear this trumpet but the Elect and that it shall sound unto them as such and shall never reach unto the Reprobate and that instruments of mercy or judgement are called Angels is ordinary and that what the Lord doth eminently and publickly and dreadfully make known his glory to them with the sound of a Trumpet is clear Rev. 1.10 4.1 and therefore it may be spoken of the Lords gathering in the Elect of the Iewes having not cast off whom he knew before who are now scattered even into the four windes of Heaven and therefore there is that which seems to incline unto this of the conversion of the Iewes at first shall be by sight and by appearance of the Lord Iesus Christ visibly in the clouds of Heaven and so Pauls conversion should be as the first fruits the Lord setting forth him as a pattern to the whole Nation his conversion was by a sight of Christ from Heaven and a glorious light that shone round about him and so its probable there shall also be but yet not all of them so converted but the Lord will take some of them and make them to be as Priests unto the Lord and they shall declare his glory amongst the Gentiles and shall be instrumental in gathering of them and they shall also bring in their brethren that is say some the unconverted Gentiles which shall be as brethren then all the differences between them being taken away Others more properly refer it unto the Iewes the remainder of them not brought in the first grand conversion of the Nation for it is said They shall bring all their brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon Horses and Charriots and upon wild beasts unto my holy mountain So that it may be some of them shall be converted by the appearance of Christ and others of them by the preaching of the Gospel by those that are amongst them converted that their brethren going forth to them and declaring to them the returning of God in wayes of grace unto their Nation and the great things that he hath done for them and so they having a spirit of grace poured out upon them shall also be brought as an offering to the Lord. Sixthly The manner of their calling shall be exceeding eminent and glorious unto the admiration of all Nations that they shall all see how the Lord hath honoured them Esa 60.1 The glory of the Lord is risen upon them Hos 1.11 Great shall be the day of Jisreel it shall be a glorious day that which shall make them honorable in the eyes of all the Nations of the Earth that ten men out of every Nation under Heaven shall lay hold of the scirt of a Jew and shall say we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Ps 10.2.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he will appear in Glory they shall have glorious appearances of him such as no people ever had and this shall make them to be the desire of all people as they have had a great day of misery so a great and glorious
we might learn to dye well for Heb. 9 27. it is appointed to all men once to dye but death comes not presently and the end of a mans life is that he may consider his latter end Deut. 32.29 men do not live here to get riches and injoy the good things that are present and the pleasures of sin are but for a season this life is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the school of death which teaches men how to dye 2 It is the last act of a mans life the close of all his actions and for a man in his life to burn as a Torch to shine as a light and afterwards to go out in a snuff as the foolish Virgins and the foolish Builders in Iobs affliction there was nothing desirable but yet there was in the end which God made with him that which was very desireable Iulius Caesar when he was taken in the Senate he plucked down the robe he wore about him Ut honestè caderet It is the night that commends the day mark the end of the righteous man his end is peace 3 At death all outward excellencies will leave a man Iob 4.21 their excellency goes away and they dye without wisdom for though there be a flower in the grass which has a glory in it yet Psal 90.11 it quickly comes to nothing so shall all the excellencies that men so pride themselves in their learning parts wisdom and policie knowledge in the Scripture and in the common works of grace it is all but flesh and will take its leave at death and it will be said of you as one of the Antients said of Caesar who was one of the greatest men in the world in his time Ubi nunc pulchritudo Caesaris quò abiit magnificentia tua What is become of his glorious magnificence his Armies Triumphs and Trophies 4 At death your eternal states are cast it is aeternitatis ostium the door of eternity there is a Double time set to the sons of men 1 A time of working 2 A time of rewarding A time of working here they toyl and labo urbut at death the Lord doth call the labourers to give them their hire every man shal have his peny but after death comes judgement there is no more time of working for after death remains nothing but judgement then for ever But what shall a man do that he may be blessed in his latter end I will set before you these five things and the Lord teach you to profit by them 1 Let me exhort you to get union with Christ and thereby thou art translated from death to life for this is a truth no man dyes well that doth not dye in the Lord. What a sad thing is it to think that a second death must follow death rides before and Hell follows after nihil facit mortem malam nisi quod sequitur mortem when death in sin went before and eternal life is not begun in thee 2 Serve thy Generation and thereby lay up a good foundation against that last day Act. 13.36 Fight the good fight and finish thy course be abundant in the works of the Lord It s said of Saul Sam. 13.1,2 he reigned two years over Israel he reigned twenty yeers but after he was rejected of God no more is counted of him nor will it be unto all those that spend their lives unprofitably that are but as empty trees onely serve to cumber the ground are unprofitable both to God and man vita fabula est in qua non refert quam diu sed quam bene 3 Number your days and consider your latter end with Joseph of Arimathea walk with thy Tomb. A man shall not need much Arithmtick to number his days they are so few and yet he will need a great deal of grace to number them they are so evil and so death shall come upon thee not as a stranger but as a friend that brings peace along with him and rest 4 Exercise faith much on the dying graces of Christ and the promises the Lord made Ioh. 16. to all Christians dying as well as living of his fulness we shall receive grace for grace it is our business in this world to be made conformable unto Christ not onely in our life but also at our death and then the Lord says of his people they shall be mine Mal. 3.17 what a glorious creature will a Saint be in that day when God himself looks on him as a Iewel 1 Cor. 3.21 all things are yours then a Saint enjoys perfection enough when he has a full possession of God Psa 16.11 in thy presence are fulness of joys and on thy right hand are rivers of pleasures for evermore and then when a Saint has such a glorious advantage by death shall not we say blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord 5. Lay up a treasury of prayers that thou mayst be fitted for this great change if a man be in any straight or any sad condition nature will prompt him to seek relief and he will take any course that may deliver him out of it especially since God hath made such a promise Call upon me in a time of trouble and I will hear you and if a man be so careful to avoid and prevent these lesser changes that they may not do him harm how much more should he be industriously careful touching this great change Psal 34. the Psalmist begs that he may know his latter end Psa 90.12 so teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom and therefore a man should lay up a treasury of prayers in his life time and they will be as so many comforts to him on his death bed he shall then have a gracious answer of all those prayers Vse 2. Let us lay to heart the loss of the righteous man that we be not guilty of that sin condemned in the Text. I know it has been a thing condemned or at least always suspected funeral Panegyricks as being a badge of the false Prophet and by a funeral Oration we do as the Papists do think to send souls to heaven after their death even those that have been posting to hell all their life but yet seeing the name of the righteous is as a precious oyntment poured out and that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints and seeing it was an Antient custom to do the Saints of God honor at their death I think it but our duty to consider of our loss in this brother at this time though it be but to carry a torch after him to his long home first he was a man of a gracious spirit in whom the Lord had wrought the good work and a through work of Regeneration he was one that feared God above many that had truly given up his name to Christ one that had oyl in his vessel and did not onely shine by profession before men one that was not indulgent
corner-stone to a Nation or to a Common wealth or to a Ciâ—y when you do thus uphold them And that is the first thing The Corner-stone aedificium sustinet it upholds the building I would speak something of the second the Corner-stone aedificium continet it unites it Magistrates are not only to sustain and to uphold but they are to unite Magistrates be called Healers Isa 3.7 they must bind up the wounds of the people The Lord Jesus Christ it is his glory and work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth unite them all under one Head things in Heaven and things in earth Eph. 2.20,21 in Adamo nos omnes uni sumus Prosp that as in the first Adam so it is true in the second Adam it is in him they are made one and united The Corner stone is to unite as well as to support Oh But you will say to me It is union that we all long for we are a divided people shall we alwaies eat the flesh of our own arms shall Ephraim be against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah still The staff of bonds is broken amongst us shall it alwaies remain broken what way is there that there might be a healing in this that this breach might be made up Why truly the hand of the Ruler must be first in this thing that the mercy may be called by his name the hand of the Ruler must be first in it you that are the Corner stones must unite the building you talk of perswading the people to unite I say the hand of the Ruler must be first in the union I but you will say how can that be I beseech you let me give you a few directions and then I shall from all make a short Application and conclude The waies of union are these five and I desire you that are in Authority to lay them to heart In the first place Religion is the great bond of union therefore I say let it be your great care that there be a unity in Religion the greatest breach is in that Odia-religionum sunt accrbissima no breach like that You shall see what began a breach between Israel and Judah it was Religion upon a Politick respect when God rent the Kingdom from the house of Rehoboam but observe the Politick difference might have been made up and Jeroboam out of his Devilish subtilty foresaw it 1 King 12.17 he saith if the people go up to Jerusalem to worship their hearts will turn again to the house of David saith he The Politick difference would have been made up therefore saith he I will make them two Calves one in Dan and the other in Bethel and this shall set them at a perpetual distance the difference the Politick difference might have been made up the State difference but the difference in Religion would never therefore this was the way to divide them perpetually If ever you will unite the people there must be your foundation So the Lord begins when he will unite his people Zach. 14.9 Iehovah shall be one and his name one you shall have but one God and you shall worship him one way by one name Now you have many Gods and many names Ichovah shall be one and his name one Ier. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way one way in what one way in Religion that is the main thing he speaks of or as the Prophet saith Zeph. 3.9 They shall serve the Lord with one shoulder I desire therefore that no man would take delight in keeping up differences in matters of Religion take heed of it either upon this ground because you look upon it as policy to uphold parties or else it may be because you dare not displease either party take heed of it I say be valiant for the truth upon earth in this contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints usually a girdle was an ornament belonging to the Magistrates in former times it is fit for those that are Rulers to wear it still have your loins girt about with truth Eph. 6.14 Beloved it is true I expect not that all men shall be of one mind one judgement I know men see with different light and I know that while the smoke of the Temple lasteth as it shall be during the pouring out of the Vials Rev 15. I know the Sea of glass will be mingled with fire but in this you should be of one mind you must be in the fundamentals that without which there can be no Religion no Christianity he that speaketh against these openeth his mouth wide against Heaven Neither say I that the Magistrates judgement in this should be the rule as some men suggest then you will have the Magistrates judgement to rule in matters of Religion No we have a sure word of prophecy and we know this sure word of prophecy is not dark in that in things necessary The Apostle tels us plainly there is a pattern of wholsom words to which we must keep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and though it is true the grossest errors in the world would shroud themselves under Scripture and flie thither for a refuge saith Iustine Martyr Justine Mâ—…r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a man expounds the Scripture secundum sensum non quem legit sed quem Attulit August August they would offer violence to the Scripture they would flie thither for refuge but upon examination it would appear that the Scripture gives no such shelter Well that is the first thing if you would unite the great body unite in Religion Let Ichovah be one and his name one Secondly if Magistrates would unite the people then take heed agree amongst your selves if you would have union amongst the people I say agree amongst your selves if the Corner-stones once fall asunder you may easily expect many cracks in the building differences amongst Governors must needs cause strange distractions among the people for they are generally led by parties and personal respects therefore if you would heal this breach now which you all seem to complain of begin with your selves Physitian heal thy self heal your own differences first all divisions amongst your selves this is the way the Lord takes in Hos 1. ult he saith they shall appoint to themselves one Head they should have many Governors united all under the Lord Jesus Christ they should be all under one head I beseech you consider it how comes it to pass then Governors in their Politick meetings meet with as great confusion as they did in their Church Ecclesiastical meetings 1 Cor. 14.26 how is it saith the Apostle that every one hath a Psalm and every one a Doctrine and every one hath a Revelation and every one hath an Interpretation let all be done to edifying every man did seek to shew his gifts and to lay out his own parts without all respect to the edification of the Church So many times it proveth in Politick meetings too It is good advice
fulfilled Confundetur omne jus leges interibunt non fides in hominibus non pax non pudor neque securitas neque Regimen hujus confusionis haec erit causa quod Romanum nomen quo nunc regitur orbis de terr a tolletur And it is the duty of the people of God to eye the prophesies and to look out for their accomplishment for the day of the Lord draws nigh then shall the Lord be King over all the Earth and Iehovah shall be one and his name one Zach. 14.9 The most glorious and perfect prophesie of this Kingdom of God which he shall set up in the latter days we have Rev. 21.22 So in the last eight chapters of Ezekiel which that I may give you a little light into There are three things mainly to be explained First what is meant by the City and Temple here spoken of 2. Unto what time this prophesie doth belong 3. What the waters are which issue out of the sanctuary which being explained will be as a key to open all the rest of the mysteries that are therein contained First unto what time is this prophesie to be referred for it s a great part of a Saints skill to be able rightly to discern and judge of times that they may know what to pray for and what to expect and when to co-operate and work together with God Now the times to which this prophesie relates are the times of the calling of the Jews when their coming in shall be as life from the dead and a new Resurrection in the world which will appear to us by four Arguments First it shall be after the Jews shall be converted for it is said The house of Israel shall defile my holy name no more as they have done by their abominations setting their threshold by my threshold and their post by my post and by this means there was a wall of separation between me and them and in my anger I consumâ—d them chap. 43.7,8,9 Secondly It shall be after the Tribes shall be united After the sticks of Ioseph and of Iudah shall become one in the Lords hand Ezek. 37.19,20,23 And therefore the Land is now divided amongst all the twelve Tribes of Israel Chapter 48. 3. It shall be after the glory of the Lord is returned for the name of the City shall be Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there chap. 48. ult and he saith I will dwell in the midst of them for ever chap. 43.9 I will set my sanctuary in the middle of them for evermore chap. 37.26 For when he doth return in to them again he will never forsake them he did indeed hide his face in a little wrath and for a moment but with everlasting kindness he will have mercy on them Isa 44.8 Ezck. 39.29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them c. 4. It shall be before Gog shall be destroyed for he shall come up against the people of Israel when they are planted in their own land and when they dwell safely chap. 38.14,15 Then he shall come against them as a cloud and cover the land and the Lord shall give unto Gog a place of graves in Israel c. Therefore Israel must be planted first in their own land and dwell there safely therefore I conceive it to be the same time with that Rev. 21.22 when Jerusalem shall come down from God out of heaven and when the glory of the Lord shall be in the middle of them the Tabernacle of God shall be with men and he will dwell with them And after they are setled in their own land and the people of God have rest for a thousand years then shall Satan be loosed who before was not bound from temptation but from persecution that he could not stir up men to persecute the Saints but as soon as he is loosed he stirs up this last and great enemy and he doth compass the Tents of the Saints and this holy City and then the Lord shews himself eminent and glorious in his destruction So that after Antichrist shall be destroyed Satan shall be bound so that the persecution of the Saints shall cease then shall this City and Temple be built which shall continue till the second coming of the Lord till the Heavens be no more the time therefore is to come do you long for it and pray for it Secondly What is meant by the City and the Temple prophesied of Here first it cannot be understood literally of a material City or Temple Peter Galatinus Peter Galatinus tels us that the Jews do commonly speak of a threefold Temple First the Temple of Solomon 2. The Temple of Zerubbabel 3. The Temple of Jacob which they say God shewed unto Iacob when he had the vision of the Ladder Now it cannot be spoken of the Temple of Solomon for that was destroyed before the captivity and therefore before this prophesie was revealed that was burnt with â—…re and for the Temple of Zerubbabel the measures and dimensions do no way agree thereunto for the glory of the latter house was inferior to the former Ezra 3.12 in many particulars as that the waters issue out of the Sanctuary and the trees that grow upon the River side and fishes in the River c. quae in secundi Templi instauratione nunquam fuerunt under the second Temple these things were not The materials shall not be in the Letter Foundations of Saphirs windows of Agats gates of Carbuncles Isa 54.11 and for the dimensions also Rev. 21.16 the height of the city shall be a thousand furlongs which could not be in the letter fulfilled and for the Temple there shall never be a restitution of the Jewish worship only the Lord doth as it is usual express Gospel Ordinances and Worship according unto the Ancient pattern Secondly it cannot be understood of heaven for these Reasons 1. It is new Ierusalem that comes down from God out of heaven Rev. 21.2 There is no Prince in Heaven but here the prince shall oppress the people no more 3. There is no priest in Heaven nor no Ordinances nor set times of worship which is plain here there 's the Priest and their several portions and set times of worship that when the people go in the Priest must go in and when the people go forth he must go forth 4. There is no measuring in heaven a city and a temple that is measured because it s built chap. 40.12 but this is a house not made with hands that cannot be meafured 5. They shall in this City be ashamed of all their former abominations but in Heaven there is neither sin nor shame chap. 43.11 6. This City shall have enemies that shall encompass it as we see Rev. 20.9 They shall compass the Tents of the Saints and of the holy city c. 7. And the waters that do issue out of the sanctuary are healing waters and the fruit of the Tree of life is for meat and the leaves
of it is for medicine now there will be no healing at the last day in Heaven there are the souls of just men made perfect and they need no healing Thirdly seeing it cannot be understood literally of a material Temple nor spiritually of heaven it must then be understood mystically of the Church of Christ made up of Iews and Gentiles when they shall be one fold under one shepherd Agnoscunt Haebrei quod ad futurum seculum hoc est ad Regnum Messiae haec pertineant Oecolamp Iâ—…m Nos ad Christi referimus Ecclesiam quotidie in Sanctis aedificari cernimus St. Jerom. But it is not a Temple that is always building and a City but it s a City that shall be built after such a time and therefore I conceive it not to be the Church of the whole New-Testament but barely the Church in the latter days of the world which is commonly called The city of our God but this in a special manner Rev. 3.12 is called so because of an Almighty hand of God in raising it and a glorious and special presence of God dwelling in it and by the Temple is meant those glorious ordinances of worship which should be exercised in this Church in the latter days which is set forth by expressions according to the Jewish pattern as the manner of the presence of Christ amongst the people under the Gospel is set forth by his presence amongst his people of Israel in the Tabernacle Rev. 4. so all the worship of God is set forth to us according unto that Standard pro ritu Templi there is a Temple and Altars and incense c. And that Ordinances of worship the institutions of Christ shall continue in this glorious Church unto the worlds end that 's plain for First it is said that the tabernacle of the Lord is with men Rev. 21.3 and that was a place for worship if the Lord will have a Tabernacle amongst men he will have amongst men instituted worship still Secondly the presence of God amongst men in this City is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lamp Rev. 21.23 therefore it shines in a dark place it is not such a presence as makes it a perfect day as it shall be in Heaven there will be no more the light of the candle c. And therefore it is a light in Ordinances for in them as in a Lamp the Lord gives unto his people light 2 Pet. 1.10 Thirdly there shall be all manner of Ordinances in this City of God First there shall be preaching for there shall be abundance of fishers chap. 47. Secondly there shall be the Sacraments for the Lord is with them baptizing to the end of the world and they are to shew forth the Lords death till he come Thirdly there shall be discipline for without are dogs and they that love and make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that lie or do incline to it and there shall be a greater Spirit of discerning poured out this way then upon any of the former Churches of the Saints Fourthly there shall be Officers in this Church for fishers there are the Ministery Eph. 4. and they are to last till all the Saints be gathered and perfected and there is a right and a priviledge that belongs to them and not to others they that have a right to the Tree of life and may enter in at the gates of this city which every one had not a right to do for the dogs are without as having no right to enter Rev. 22.14,15 3. What is meant by waters that issue out of the Sanctuary which flow from the presence of God in the middle of his people it is to be understood first of truths A river of the water of life clear as Christal Rev. 21.2 Hic fluvius uberrima doctrina Christi So Brightman Zach. 14.8 in that day Brightman Zac. 14 8. Living waters shall go out of Jerusalem that is Evangelii doctrina so Drus Rev. 12.15 Drus. Rev. 12.15 The Dragon is said to cast out of his mouth a flood after the woman what is this flood his doctrine Mede he cast out Doctrinam pestiferam Arianismum scilicet sobolem ejus Mede 2. Because the effects that are here attributed to these waters cannot belong unto the waters alone therefore I do not only understand the truths of the Gospel but the graces of the Gospel and the gifts there bestowed Joh. 7.38,39 Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters c. Joh. 4.14 Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again but he that drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but it shall be a well of water springing in him into everlasting life its true that there is not a healing vertue nor a quickning vertue in the word of it self Wheresoever the waters did come they were healed and every thing did live but yet it is by the word that the Lord doth work these great effects and by which the healing and quickning vertue of the Spirit is convey'd for it is a good rule that of Luther All things in the Church are to be measured by the word Florente verbo omnia florent in Ecclesia c. Luther But if all places where the waters come are not healed the Truths of God have not the same power and effect upon all there are some myrie and marish places First what is meant by these myrie and marish places the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie dirt or mire such as man sinks into that is can neither go forward nor backward Ier. 38.22 thy feet are sunk in the mire and it is such a place where waters stand and have not a free passage Iob 8.11 Can the rush grow without mire and the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a ditch lacuna a sink or a pit for dirty and foul water Isa 30,14 There is not a sheard to take water out of the pit and the resemblance between men that live under Ordinances unfruitfully and marish and myrie places is very plain in three things First in a marish place the water hath not a free passage but it stands and setles there it hath not affluxus and resuxus it meets with many a stop and a dam so it is with such a soul also therefore the Apostle prays that the Gospel may run and be glorified 2 Thes 3.1 Now when is the word said to run First when it meets with no stop no opposition but it hath a free passage Cum libere propagatur Secondly when it goes through the whole man and the will of God commanded is subjected unto Psal 47.15 when the word runs very swiftly that is Glass Cum voluntas Dei peragitur c. Glass So that when it hath no stop either in the mouth of the Ministers or in the hearts of the Hearers then the word is said to run and be glorified but when there are some truths of
visionem videtur Sanctis promittere Adonai dominationem denotat plane filio congruit per quem Deus pater ut fecit mundum sic mundum moderatur And. Masius Andr. Masius in Josh 7. There shall be vision of Christ in glory and in the vision of him and full communion with him our holiness shall consist 1 John 3.3 When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Austin t was Austins wish to have seen Christum in carne if it were so desirable to have seen Christ in the flesh in his humbled estate how much more desirable to see him in his glorified to see the King in his glory Christ glorified and our selves as partaking with him in the same glory for we shall enter into our Masters Joy Enter into the Joy of our Lord. That as he sate down with the Father upon his Throne so we should sit with him upon his throne and this was the happiness that Job expected I know that my Redeemer lives and that I shall see him with these eyes or else we may understand it of the vision of God for it is that only that is the beatifical vision for God being the ultimate object of our faith Christ is but the intermediate object through Christ we believe in God he must be the ultimate object of our happiness and so to See is an Hebraeism and implyes both vision and fruâ—tion in vision for to know a thing in the most perfect way is called seeing in the Scripture 1 Pet. 1.12 The Angels desire to look into that is to have a through and a perfect knowledge of them and it implyes fruition Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied Isa 66.14 Ye shall see and your hearts shall rejoyce that is of this you shall have experience and so to see the Kingdom of God is to possess it to enjoy it to have a part and a portion in it c. And this vision of God is double First fiducial which is by faith here for every believer must be first a Seer John 6.40 He that sees the son and believes in him So Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Heb. 11.27 He seeing him that was invisible This is a fiducial vision and the truth is without holiness no man can thus see God But that I shall not restrain the text to Secondly beatifical that is to see God immediatly and that with such a perfect vision as the creature is capable of First to see God as he is in himself Secondly to see God as he is in your selves for our happiness consists in both these first to see God as he is in himself for we shall see him as he is this is called seeing him face to face here we see God but by Negatives via negationis as he is not denying unto God the imperfections you see in the creature I say this is rather to see him as he is not then as he is and by shadows and resemblances from the creatures via causalitatis and neither of these is to see God as he is but rather what God is not but as he is pleased to represent himself unto our faith it s by way of reflection not intuition But we shall see him then as he is that is by these helps and means and through this glass no more but immediately face to face it is true that the infiniteness of the divine nature no created understanding is able to comprehend none can know God to perfection but God himself No not the Angels in Heaven nor the man Christ Jesus but yet all the Saints shall know God and see him unto their perfection so as to make themselves perfectly happy though they can never know him to his perfection for even a glorified understanding shall be finite and that cannot be capable of an infinite object we shall see him c. that is infinite but not modo infinito and this is that which is commonly called beatitudo objectiva blessedness in the object Secondly there is a seeing of God in themselves when the Saints shall see such a perfect image of the glory of God stamped upon them that they shall see more of God manifested in themselves of all his Attributes then they can see in the best of the creatures here below more then in all the works of creation and providence beside some weak appearances there are of the divine nature revealed in the Saints here but then they shall be full and glorious they shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of my Father there shall be more of the glory of God stampt upon their souls and bodies then there is brightness in the Sun and this is another thing wherein the happiness of the Saints shall consist the perfection of the image of God in themselves and this is commonly called beatitudo formalis to see God in themselves and to see God in himself in this doth the fruition of God consist and the happiness of the creature for ever and holiness is the means to attain to this vision there is no salvation without it it is only the holy man shall see God and they that think to attain it any other way deceive themselves for the expression is exclusive No man be he what he will be of what estate and condition soever high or low rich or poor be his authority never so great be his profession never so glorious let him make never so fair a shew amongst men let him be of never so great fame and repute let him be never so just amongst men and of a moral carriage and a good behaviour that no man can blemish him yet is he a holy man if there be no holiness in him there is no vision of God for him he can never see God by a vision of faith here neither shall he ever see him that is enjoy him in a vision of glory hereafter here there are great shews of holiness and shadows which are not so that men do count holiness and many are cryed up for Saints in their generation or as is the foolery of this age because other men will not they will canonize themselves for Saints but there is a holiness of truth that the Apostle speaks of Eph. 4. and such a holiness it must be not in name only but in truth not in word but in power and it is observable that the Apostle here makes it exclusive but only to the last particle he exhorts you to follow peace and holiness but he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which there may be a seeing of God without peace that is a man may follow peace and not attain it and yet see God but without holiness none can see him it is commonly by Interpreters restrained unto the vision of God in glory and therefore so I shall consider it only at this time and the observation that it doth
electing love the Lord hath separated unto himself the man that is Godly Psal 4.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is in the Hebrew he hath gloriously and miraculously wonderfully separated to himself into fellowship not only to himself for service but to himself for communion and what is the ground because you are predestinated unto followship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Beloved when you all fell from God as well as the Apostate Angels might not the Lord have left you in the same condition with them and your doom should have been cursed and therefore cursed because you must depart but if the Lord had been pleased to have been reconciled if he had said to you as David did concerning Absolom bring the young man home but let him returne to his own house and let him never see my face if the Lord should have said I will not remember their evil against them to destroy them but they shall never see my face more they shall be estranged to me for ever you would have said this had been a mercie even your preservation but this doth not satisfie Electing love there is a double end that electing-love aims at 2 Luke 14. it is peace and good will not only Reconciliation but Communion that God may take the creature into fellowship with himself and empty himself as I may so speak with reverence into the bosom of the creature Be pleased now to consider you may then draw neer to God upon this ground of Gods electing love Secondly you may draw neer to God grounded upon the nature of the Covenant of grace under which you stand My Beloved God deals with all mankind in a Covenant-way and according unto the Covenant under which he standeth so are all Gods dispensations towards him and to that end the Lord hath made a double Covenant with a double head The first Covenant was made with the first Adam the second Covenant with the second Adam and therefore God looks upon all mankind as if there were but two men in the world 1 Cor. 15.47 The first man was of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord from Heaven Heavenly God looks upon all mankind as coming under these two heads the first Adam and the second Adam Now the Covenant of grace which the Lord hath established it hath a double propertie First it is faedus amicitiae a Covenant of friendship the Lord doth take Abram as his friend Abram my friend James 2.23 Now the School-men tell us of two sorts of relations relatio disquiparantiae connotat dominium that notes subjection and dominion as between a King and a subject a master and a servant there is not so properly communion and relatio aequiparantiae quae denotat Communionem now the proper end of friendship is fellowship for a mans friend is as his own soul and the Covenant of grace is a Covenant of fellowship therefore they may draw neer unto him being taken by God into a Covenant of friendship 2ly the Covenant of grace is a matrimonial Covenant faedus Conjugale I betrothed her in Hos 2.9 you knowin this is the neerest Communion the surest oneness in this relation beyond al other in the world the greatest friendship by vertue of an Ordinance two made one One that was heretofore a stranger shall be dearer then Father or Mother and this voluntary relation by consent shall by vertue of the Ordinance of God be more powerful then a natural relation and a man shall leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and if there be this power in an Ordinance of God that is but civil what efficacy shall divine Ordinances and this spiritual Covenant have Surely thou shall lie in his bosom and have the more intimate and full communion with him for ever Now when the Lord will set forth the neer Communion that his people may have with him by this Covenant this he calls a Matrimonial Covenant Thirdly you may draw neer to God grounded upon your union with the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6.17 that he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and by that Spriit we have access to the Father Eph. 3.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle tells that our way to God is through him we have by Jesus Christ our manuduction he is the great Favourite that leads us in by the hand into the presence of the Father Eph. 2.18 through him we have an entrance to the Father by one Spirit Christ is not only medium reconciliationis but he is medium communionis also by his satisfaction the one by his intercession the other Jesus Christ my Beloved hath a double reference to us in the work of satisfaction he is the means of Reconciliation but in all our approaches unto God being reconciled Christ is the medium he it is by whom we have Communion with the Lord. Besides In the fourth place you may draw neer to God because of your conformity to him for we are made partakers of the divine nature 1 Pet. 1.4 and we live the life of God Eph. 4.18 and we have his Image restored 1 Cor. 15.49 Conformity is the ground of communion wheresoever it is Joh. 3.6 and the more Conformity the more Communion we have and when your Conformity shall be perfected so shall your communion be Take that place and it is a choice Scripture in that Zach. 3.7 If thou wilt obey my words keep my charge I will give thee places to walk in among those that stand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter stantes illos who are these Those interpreters conceive to be Angels So Drusius Post mortem anima tua in chorum recipietur c. the Angels and the Saints they are taken into neerest communion So Calvin so that the more Conformity there is the more a man obeyeth God and the more he keepeth Gods charges the more the Lord will delight to give him places to walk in amongst those that stand by Nay In the fifth place you may draw neer to God for though God be in Heaven you may ascend and the soul may be above in Heaven when the body is walking here below there is a double way of the souls assent either in contemplation or affection In contemplation the soul may ascend John in Rev. 4. said I saw a door opened in Heaven and a voice said Come up hither John in his body ascended not but John in contemplation of his heart was above Col. 3 4. A man is worth as much as his love is worth Ezekiel when he was in Babylon by the River Chebar yet he saith the Spirit of God carried him in the visions of God to Ierusalem Ezek. 8.3 in his contemplation at Ierusalem and yet notwithstanding in his body in Babylon by the River Chebar And the soul may ascend in its affection Mat. 6.21 Where a mans treasure is there will his heart be and surely where a mans heart is there is his happiness
in an afflicted condition He went mourning all the day long for the oppression of his enemies and the Lord hid his Face And his soul was dejected within him but yet he had hope in God For I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God The Saints do comfort themselves in their saddest condition with their Interest in things to come that the Lord will wait on them and be gratious and will not keep his anger for ever Consider these Eight thiâ—gs Secondly But how shall things to come become the Saints In respect of good and evil things to come 1. They are delivered from temptations to come A man shall be delivered from them and not left unto them and there is a great deal of mercy in the preventing grace of God this way in being freed from temptations The Lord will not lead his People through the Land of the Philistines Exod. though it was the neerest way to the Land of Canaan lest the people see it and their hearts turn back again into Egypt c. And indeed the Lord doth strangely order things in his Providence that temptations may be hid from his Peoples Eyes Satan desires continually to winnow the Saints but the Lord rebukes him and all his temptations 2. If Temptations sometimes assault them yet he doth make provision for them against Temptation Satan hath desired to winnow thee saith our Lord to Peter Luk. 23.31 but I have prayed for thee The Lord lays in consolation for the future tryals of the Saints and as the Temptation was fore-appointed so also is the Consolation Jer. 10.11 When the children of Israel were in Babylon and should have temptations to worship other Gods they were bid to make this Answer The Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens And 't is very observable that one Answer God puts into their mouths is wrote in the Chaldee Tongue c. So the Saints shall be able to withstand them by vertue of the Intercession of Christ c. 3. Afflictions to come either they shall be delivered from them as Hezekiah thou shalt saith God be gathered into thy grave in peace God had an Ark for Noah and a Grave for Methusalah The Floud was appointed to come upon all the Earth well at the time appointed it comes But first Methusalah must be delivered for he lived until that very Year the Flood came and God provides him a Grave takes him away from the evil to come him does God deliver from it But Noah he must abide the tryal for him God provides an Ark and safely carries him through it Isa 4.5 Upon all the glory there shall be a defence The great water Floods shall not come nigh unto thee or else if they be afflicted they shall be gratiously supported under them The grace of God shall be sufficient for he hath promised When thou goest through the fire I will be with thee Isai 43.2 There is gratia perveniens assisteus in suffering as well as in sins and duties Psal 43.46 We will not fear though the earth be removed for there is a River the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God 4. Mercies to come to the Saints shall prove Mercies indeed Saul hath a Kingdom as wel as David but it was a mercy to David and therefore the Lord did qualifie him for it and gave him Kingly graces and weaned hii soul from the Mercy before he had Bernard Bern. Ecce paratum est cor meum vis me constituere pastorem ovium aut regem populorum My heart is as a weaned child Psal 131.2,3 And therefore it 's sayd Isa 30.18 that the Lord waits to be gracious he doth not defer because he is unwilling to bestow mercies upon us but because we are not prepared to receive Mercie for Mercies to unprepared soules are like unto Cordials unto foul stomacks the which do but increase the peccant humours and therefore the Lord never gives them till the season of them and till he hath prepared the soul to receive them There is a double right that the people of God have to Mercy First there is jus haereditarium a right of Inheritance and that they have as soon as they are converted but yet they are but then as a child in its nonage Secondly there is a jus aptitudinarium a right of fitness that is wanting and the Lord doth not give any Mercy in Mercy till both be found in the soul till there is a right of fitness as well as an hereditary right Fifthly Sins to come If God leaves under any temptation that we are foyled by it as that the best of Gods people may for I know no sin but may overtake such but final impenitency and the sin against the Holy Ghost yet all things shall work together for good to them that fear God Et si omnia qui ni etiam peccata Aug. Aug. If all things then sin it self is not excluded God makes a strange use of sin to his peoples good and benefit either to discover unto a man what is in his heart and so to abate his carnal confidence as the Lord did let Hezekiah fall to that end that the work of Mortification may be perfected and the Sword of Godly sorrow may go the wider and the Plough of Repentance the deeper and that shall be the fruit of it that the man may be more vile in his own sight or else to make him the more instrumental in that kind to do good unto others being able to comfort them with the same consolation with which he himself was comforted of God And being himself converted he may be the better able to convert and strengthen the brethren Luk. 22.32 And the Saints of God do see great Mercy even in their sins to come as well as in their suffering that as some of the Antients have blessed God for the Falls of the Saints those Horrenda naufragia by reason of the comfort and support and admonitions that they had from them So they do see cause many times to bless God for that Grace that brings so much good out of their sins also and so much they may promise themselves from a principle of Faith in regard of sinning as well as suffering Sixtly in respect of the happy and glorious condition of the Church that is promised in the latter daies there is a time coming when all the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11.16,17 and unto the holy people of the most high Dan 17.27 And when the smoak out of the Temple shall vantsh and the Temple shall be opened in heaven and a man may see into the Court of the Testament which is within the vayl The darkness of the preâ—ent dispensation of God shall be done away and new Jerusalem shall come down from God out of heaven
day of their deliverance shall come to the astonishment and amazement of the Nations and there are many great reasons that it must be a great day but I cannot insist upon them Seventhly the time of their calling shall be when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in blindness so long is happened unto them when the four Monarchs are cast down to dust in the period of them Dan. 7.12.13.14 after the destruction of Antichrist when the little horn is slain and his body given unto the burning flame now he comes to receive a Kingdom of the ancient of days and it shall be when the seventh Angels Trumpet shall sound then the Kingdoms and Nations under the whole Earth become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ Rev. 11.16 which is from the setting up the abomination of desolation the 1290. days which shal be the year of the Iews redemption Dan. 12.11 which is to be finished four thousand year after which is 1335. daies but these are times â—hat I cannot now speak to Eighthly then shall be amongst them a glorious Church in which the presence of the Lord shall dwell Ezek. 37.27 I will set my Tabernacle among them for ever more And elsewhere Ezek. 48. ult the name of the City shal be Jehovah shammah the Lord is there Rev. 21.3 The Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and it is not in Heaven for it is new Jerusalem that comes down from God out of Heaven and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory to it and the glory of the Lord and of the Lamb shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the light of it and Rev. 21.12 twelve Angels at the gates and there shall be no use of the service of the Angels in Heaven they are sent forth as ministring spirits for the good of the Elect. But when they are gathered in as their Kindom begins with the Kingdom of Christ so shall it end also for he will put down all rule authority and power it is to be understood Etiam de principatu Angelico as well as of any other And they shall have the purest Ordinances Rivers of water of Life that is clear as Christal not running blood not mixed with fire Rev. 22.1 Not blood as is the Doctrine of Antichrist nor mixt with Fire either of affliction or contention as are the doctrines of the reformed Churches and then shall be the exactest discipline all that love and make a lye shall be without and the more of Gods order the more of his presence and his blessing for they shall see his face and his name shall bee written upon their foreheads c. Ninthly this Church of the converted Jewes shall be the Mother Church and shall be exalted above all the Gentile Churches the mountain of the Lords house exalted above the tops of the mountains Ezek. 16.61 then shalt thou be ashamed when I shall give thee thy sisters for daughters all the Gentile Churches shal know that they do receive as the Law from them at the first so now aboundance of light and nourishment great discoveries of God and of his grace for the light of the Moon shall be as that of the Sun and the light of the Sun seven-fold and the Temple shall be opened in Heaven and you may see into the Ark of the Testament all vailes shall be taken away both from the hearts of men and the mysteries of God and the Abdita the hidden things of God revealed the which should then be made fully manifest For he did not write the Word for the World to come but for the Life that now is and therefore there is nothing there hid that shall not be made manifest it shall appear unto the world that he wrote none of those divine mysteries in the word in vain Tenthly Then shall follow great peace and prosperity in the world all persecutions either from Enemies without or Tyrants within shall come to an end Ezek. 34.25.26 I wil make with them a Covenant of peace and wil cause evil beasts to cease out of the Land they shall dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods Esa 66.12 I will extend peace to her like a River that shall never be dryed up that when the enemies shall look when it will be dry it may be expected in vaine Labitur labetur Zach. 14.11 Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited persecutions from without for the four Monarchs shal bee destroyed and Satan shall be bound that he shall not stir them up to make war against the Saints Rev. 20. Ezek. 45.8 because their Princes before did slay them and not hold themselves guilty make nothing of oppression but now he saith my Princes shall oppresse my people no more a wall 12000 furlongs high Rev. 21.16 and for prosperity Esa 60.16.17 c she shall suck the milk of the Gentiles and the brests of Kings Eleventhly Over this people Iesus Christ shall in a glorious manner reign and that in a more eminent manner then he hath done over the Churches of the Gentiles for it is the Kingdom of David his Father which he is to sit on a Kingdom which he is yet to receive Ezek. 34.23.24 â—zek 37.25 Ezek. 21.26 David my servant he shall feed them and rule over them I will be their God and David my servant as a Prince amongst them when the dry bones are risen David my servant shall be their Prince for ever remove the Diadem c he will overturn overturn overturne and then will he come whose right it is The Scepter shal depart from Judah and they shall be many days without a King Any form of government of their own Hos 34. and what then they shall seek the Lord and David their King unto whom the Father hath committed all judgement Joh. 5.22 and in a special manner the Kingdoms and Nations over this people that from his presence their judgement is to go forth and therefore he shall in a more special manner be be King of the Jews as being his own people unto whom he hath a right of inheritance more then he has over any people of the world besides and yet I do confesse I do not see light from the Scripture to assert the personal reign of Christ upon Earth over them and the Saints reigning with him in his person I know Aliud est ChristuÌ„ regnare in Sanctis Aliud Sanctos regnare cum Christo both shall be in this life in some sense but yet whether Christ shall rule them by a personal residence upon earth is unto me still a doubt but this I say the Lord Iesus Christ hath a peculiar right unto the Kingdom of the Jews as he is of the seed of David And God will give him the Throne of his father David Twelfthly The people shall be exceeding holy in this Church walking in truth and sincerity there is a form of Godliness but there is little of the
did seem to be in the enemies hands as if God had put all power out of his hand I but he can reassume it when he will he takes to himself his own great power and raiâ—eth himself it is a most glorious Scripture and full of all consolation that in Zach. 1.8 Jesus Christ was on horseback he had an Army following him in battle array all in a readiness the Church saw no succour all this while the enemy came on none appeared but the enemy he was behinde the mirtle trees in the bottom saith the text the Lord many times seems to sleep appeareth not when yet notwithstanding his heart is on the business as I say the Saints sleep but their hearts wake in their spiritual failings so doth the Lord towards his people in his providential actings Well that is the first thing for the opening of the Doctrine Secondly The great labour of the Saints in all their straits is to awaken God that God may arise their business is not to raise armies and forces powers of men no my Beloved their great business therefore is to raise up God Psal 68.1 Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered whether any body else rise or no that is nothing Let God arise in Psal 44.23 Awake Lord why sleepest thou stand up for my help lay hold of the spear I God must do it and stop the wayes O stand up for my help the great business of the Saints hath alwaies been to raise up God Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord that is the Churches prayer Art not thou he that didst cut Rahab and wound the Dragon it is spoken of the destruction of the King of Egypt the great business of Saints hath been alwaies to get God to arise There are two things commonly awaken God two things cause him to rise up presently The one is the prayers of the Saints Because of the crie of the poor and of the sighing of the needy I will rise saith the Lord Psal 12.5 the truth is my Brethren God cannot sleep when you pray it was a golden speech that of Tertullian Tertul. Deum orationibus ambimus caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Basil We knock at Heaven gates we environ God beleguer God by our prayers we as it were wrest mercy out of his hands Be pleased to consider this is one means when the Disciples were in the storm at Sea what was their great business their great business was to awaken Christ and then immediately the storm was over and there followed a great calm and they were at the Haven where they would be God is awakened with the prayers of the Saints Secondly the Lord he is awakened likewise by the blasphemies of the enemies truly you have many times even my Brethren beheld how that the very end of Gods rising for you was because of the rage of the enemy I will awake and set him at rest from him that puffeth at him because of the rage of the enemy the enemies cruelty doth cry loud in the ears of God as well as the Saints prayers Now this being the great end that the people of God propound truly when God ariseth they are satisfied let God arise and they can sit down secure be the difficulties and oppositions what they will be in fine acquiescit appetitus efficientis It was a strange spirit that possessed Steven you will say that he was able to lie down to sleep when the stones flew about his ears having so said he fell asleep what is the reason why I see heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Christ was up for him Christ standing why Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God how doth Steven see him standing standing tanquam sui sudex vindex as one that would judge and one that would avenge his quarrel and truly he could lie down and sleep securely Lord Jesus receive my Spirit and when he had so said he fell asleep The great business of the Saints then in all their difficulties is to get God to arise that is the second thing In the third place The consolations of the Saints must needs be very great from the arisings of God for them in his providential actings though men do not rise though Armies do not rise yet I say they are mighty consolations to see God arise And that upon these three grounds Observe them I pray you In the first place When the Lord doth arise whatsoever standeth in opposition must fall God will rise up alone that assure your selves whatsoever stands in opposition I say must fall yet many times poor creatures we look upon Armies and multitudes of men and we think now Oh alas here is now no hope but the Church will presently be overwhelmed mark you have seen sometimes a black smoke arise out of a Chimney that you would think it would threaten even to darken the Sun in its orb but mark in Isa 13.3 I wilscatter them saith God as smoke out of a chimney when you see Nations and multitudes combine they are confederate as thorns when you see them confident drunk with confidence as the Drunkard then shall they be consumed like stubble fully dry Nahum 1.10 it was a good intimation that of Cyprian Cyprian ne attendas numerum never observe the number they be so many thousands and so many thousands certainly when God ariseth whatsoever stands in opposition must fall for God will rise alone that is the first ground of the Saints consolation Secondly when God ariseth he over-ruleth the spirits of men over-ruleth the malignity of the spirits of men so as they shall effect and accomplish his end â—…ou may see Psal 76.9,10 When God shall arise to Judgment the wrath of man shall praise him verily and the mainder of wrath thou shalt restrain my Brethren though we consider little of it yet we owe very much to restraining grace I say we owe very much to restraining graceâ— in the Saints indeed I conceive restraining grace and renewing grace to be one and the same habit as Justifying faith and Historical faith is the Saints owe very much to restraining grace that in their own persons but they owe much to restraining grace in reference unto others This is exercised two wayes There are restraints upon mens actions and there are restraints upon mens lusts God restrains not the Devils lusts he lets them out to the utmost but he restrains his actings but for men the Lord sometimes restrains their acts and sometimes their lusts No man shall desire thy Land God would lay a restraint upon their lusts now when God ariseth then I say he so orders the spirits of men that so much of their rage shall be let out as shall accomplish his ends and the remainder he will restrain In the third place the Saints have a great comfort in Gods rising for them upon this ground when
wrongeth many a soul and an ignorant Magistracy undoeth many a cause Therefore that is the second It would be very honourable unto the Governors of this honourable and populous City that they would apply themselves much these waies that they may know the rules of their own judgements and not be acted barely by those that plead the cause God will judge by Law my Brethren when he comes to judge and so should you he will judge the secrets of all men according to my Gospel he will not judge by prerogative he will judge by Law Rom. 2.16 That is the second uphold the Laws and you uphold the Common-wealth Thirdly Magistrates are to uphold their own authority and in so doing they uphold the Common-wealth I say you are to uphold your own authority to what purpose is the Legislative power if there be not an executive power the Magistrate is to be the living Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If once the authority of God fall in the heart of a man the authority of his Law will quickly fall down So if once the authority of the Magistracy fall before men truly the authority of the Law executed by it will quickly come to nothing therefore it should be your business to uphold your own authority In Prov. 20.8 it is said that a wise Ruler scattereth the wicked with his eye It is the Magistrates duty to uphold their authority in the highest to scatter the wicked with their eyes There is a generation of men that are enemies to authority and they talk of Levelling all every day I desire that you would be pleased to consider support your authority in the execution of Laws for if you cannot do that if you cannot support your own authority you will hardly be able to support the Law which is in it self a dead letter true indeed it is no wonder that the men of Belial should be willing to be sine jugo without a yoak It is said 1 Sam. 10. there were Sons of Belial that brought him no presents it is no wonder I say for consider seriously this is that which comes to pass sometimes by the Sons of men and sometimes by the just Judgement of God Zach. 11 ult it is said the sword shall be upon the right hand of the Magistrate his ruling power shall be taken away he shall have no authority his authority shall come to nothing the sword shall be upon his right hand my Beloved if the Lord engage your hearts to uphold holiness among you there is nothing will strike that awe into the hearts of offenders of the proudest oppressors as that will when Magistrates bear a double image the image of God in them as men and the image of God upon them as Magistrates Uphold your authority that is the third Fourthly the Magistrate is to uphold the peoples liberty and in so doing he upholds the Common-wealth uphold the peoples liberties the liberties among the Romans were looked upon as sacred things and of very high esteem Acts 22.28 with a great price bought I this freedom but I was free-born saith Paul your liberties my Beloved have cost much more then his could cost what expence both of treasure and blood and therefore how great care what great care should the Magistrate take those that are Custodes libertatis it is your honours to be Keepers of the Liberties of your City it is your honour aliud est obedire aliud servire it is one thing to obey as a subject it is another thing to serve as a slave therefore I say the liberty of the people that in an especial manner should be preserved you must draw them with the cords of a man drawn from Law and Love or otherwise whosoever he be that thinks to ride a people as a Beast that Beast will with the first opportunity cast his rider and this is the true reason why so many stars have fallen from heaven this is the true reason why you see at this very day so many Princes walking like servants upon the earth for surely that Authority which entrenches on the peoples liberty is not lasting nullum violentum est perpetuum it s the liberty of the people that equal Justice be towards all and that all have equal access to it and that it be administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without respect of persons or to servants or friends do not put a difference in the case out of partiality to any man for all men should have the same interest in the Magistrate as a Magistrate and all particular respects in Judgements should be put far away the most upright and wary Magistrates may sometimes distribute unevenly for the Ballances do seldom hang even when some personal respects are put into one end Consider that I beseech you That is the fourth particular In the last place and so I have done with this first Branch I am sorry the time hastneth so The Magistrate must uphold the propriety of the people and in so doing he upholds the Common-wealth he must uphold their propriety that every man may sit down under his own Vine and under his own figg tree Mica 4.4 That men may have something that they may call their own not only their own in reference to the Subjects but their own in reference to the Magistrate for we are to consider universa sunt in Regis imperio non in patrimonio though you come under the Magistrates command yet all is not the Magistrates patrimony he may not dispose of the subjects estates at his pleasure it is a dangerous thing when Magistrates prove Nimrods mighty Hunters before God when they hunt many for the estates of the people it was a sad complaint Hab. 1.14 Lord saith he why hast thou made men like fishes of the Sea that have no Ruler where the great ones shall devoure the less without controul These are sad complaints when they come up before God this is that that hath buried many a State in its own ashes that the propriety of the people hath not been preserved for Augustine complains of old August that mundi regna what were they saith he sed magna latrocinia the governments of the world what be they why truly but great Robberies Now I humbly desire you to consider then is the Nation then is a Common-wealth supported then do Magistrates prove the Corner when the Liberties when the Religion I say the Law the Authorities the Liberties the Proprieties of the people are preserved and remember the promise and we may look out for the time in Ezek. 45.8 My Princes saith God shall oppress my people no more my Princes they shall give unto their people their portion in my Land saith he they shall not take all to themselves but they shall be contented with their own portion they shal be contented that their Brethren shall take their portion My Princes shal oppress my people no more Now my Beloved then shal you that are Magistrates prove the
hath its evening there is indeed a long time sometimes of whetting the sword and bending the bow and making it ready Psal 7.12,3 But there will be a time of smiting also no souldier doth alwaies whet his sword but because he hath a purpose to cut at last though the decree bear long in its womb yet it will not bear alwaies there is a time when it will bring forth Zeph. 2.1 so that the time of patience hath its period Fifthly when the time of patience is expired there is then a time for Iudgement a day of recompence a year of vengeance a time for the expending of those Treasures of wrath that have been so long laying in because there was by sinning a time of treasuring and so there shall also come a time of spending Rom. 2.4,5 a time for the wall that is swelled out to hang but there will come a time also when it will fall Isa 30.13 husbandmen expect with much patience the ripening of the grapes there is a time of ripening and there is a time of pressing and treading the winepress Rev. 14.10 The Butcher stayes till the cattle be fat there is a fatting-time and there is a killing time and then they shall be plucked out as sheep for the slaughter Ier. 12.3 Lastly when this time doth come the Lord will forbear a people no longer this determinating of Iudgement in the time of it is exceedingly set before us in the word and that under divers expressions First the Lord doth express it by a full and a peremptory resolution that he will do it Ezek. 21.27 I will over-turn over-turn over-turn and it shall be no more I the Lord have spoken it Chap. 24.14 It shall come to pass I will do it I will not go back neither will I spare neither will I repent but according to thy waies and according to thy doings shall they judge thee saith the Lord God they are the expressions of a great and a full and peremptory resolution that will not be turned Secondly it is called a decree or the bringing forth the decree Zeph. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies decretum or statutum scriptum from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripsit and so it is commonly used in the Scripture and so I conceive it to be understood non de occulto consilio sed de decreto promulgato It s true in that the word of God by the ministery of the Prophets there were many threatnings and judgements denounced but faetus adhuc in utero latet there is a time when all these threatnings will take place for they shall not be in vain there is not a word that goes forth but it shall accomplish the thing that I speak Isa 55.11 Now it is called a decree in a double respect First decrees are acts of authority Secondly they are established and firm they shall not be altered or disannulled therefore every judgement is a decree and though it may be long hid that a man doth not know what is in the womb of it yet there will come a time for the Decree of God to be delivered and then there is no hope men shall be as chaff and pass away in that day Thirdly it is called swearing in his wrath Psal 9.11 It is true that the word of God is as firm and sure as his oath for Heaven and Earth shall pass away rather then one jot of it shall pass away but yet in the word there may be and commonly is an implicit and a tacit condition as we see Ier. 18.18 If I speak concerning a a Nation or a Kingdom to pluck it up and destroy it if that Nation turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them but the oath of God shuts out all secret and tacit conditions whatsoever that nothing shall arise de novo that shall hinder the accomplishment thereof which must not be conceived as if it were peculiar unto that time or unto this people but that the Lord doth constantly the same against other people and in other times also as the Apostle plainly manifests to us Heb. 3.11,12 Fourthly those means that do usually prevail with God and turn away Iudgement when it is threatned In the time of Iudgement they prevail nothing with the Lord and they are these First repentance comes too late so much the Prophet doth intimate Zeph. 2.1,2 gather your selves that is by repentance and publike humiliation but what is the season it must be before the decree come forth implying otherwise it would not avail many there were no doubt in Iudah that were the Basket of good figs that did repent and humble themselves but yet it came too late to keep off the Iudgement they must be carried into captivity as well as the bad indeed repentance never comes too late if it be true to prevent the curse but many times it may come too late to keep off the cross Secondly but if that to their repentance they add prayers will not the Lord hear them Prov. 1.28 they shall call but I will not answer for there is a time when that the Lord will not be found Isa 55.6 Thirdly but what if to their prayers they add fasting will not the Lord hear them then No Ier. 14.12 When they fast I will not hear their cry but I will consume them by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence Fourthly but if God will not do it for their own sakes yet it may be he may for some other godly mans sake if the godly pray for them they may stand in the gap as we know Moses did and did hinder the breaking in of Iudgement upon the people No then the Lord will not hear them Jer. 7.16 Pray not for this people neither lift up a cry or a prayer for them for I will not hear thee Fifthly but yet if he will not hear one of the Saints apart yet the united prayers of the godly may prevail far with him and that may overcome but the Lord names the most powerful men with God that ever were Ezek. 14.14 Noah Daniel Job and Moses and Samuel Jer. 15.1 and yet the Lord saith if they did stand before him an expression of prayer and intercession yet his mind could not be towards that people There is therefore a set and appointed time for judgement and if that be once come the Lord will forbear a people no longer it will be easier to weigh the fire to measure the winds to recall the day that is past to change the Ordinances of heaven and to restore the verdure of the withered grass then to reverse the Sentence and Decree gone forth against a sinful Nation for as Samuel said to Saul he is not a man that he should repent Doctrine This time of Judgement may and must be known for why are they blamed if they might not and how justly could they be blamed if they ought not to have known it
When that Sea of glass Rev. 15.2 shall be pure as Christal as it was in the Primitive times now mingled with fire of contention and disaffection then shall Jehovah be one and his name one These promises are all for the Saints if they dye and never see them fulfilled yet they dye in the Faith of them Heb. 11.13 Rev. 3. I will write upon him the name of the City of my God new Jerusaâ—em That when the Lord shall reckon up his people at the last day and put every man with those of his own rank all they that dyed in the faith of it shall be reckoned as truly to belong thereunto as they that lived in the time thereof that enjoyed it Seventhly in reference to the destruction of the Enemies of the Church Rev. 14. The Lord Jesus Christ hath a Winepresse to tread and a Vintage to gather It 's the Winepress of the fierce wrath of God who is almighty when the blood shall be up to the briales of the horses c. which is in the times of the third Angel and it hath a more special and peculiar aspect upon the times in which we live then the Saints shall rejoyce when they see the vengeance and wrath of God upon the ungodly and they shall sing Hallelujah praise and glory and honour be unto thee O Lord for thou hast judged the great whore and avenged the blood of thy Saints c. Rev. 19.2 Eighthly the glory of Heaven is to come but the Saints do rejoyce here in the hope of it and do bathe themselves in thâ—se Rivers of pleasures which shall be for evermore c. By this hope Anima ascendit frequentèr currit plateas caelest is Jerusalem By this doe they see God in a fiducial though not in the beatifical vision And a man having this hope he doth purifie himself that he way be made a meet partaker of the blessed hope that is set before him So that all things to come do make for the good of the Saints surely things to come are theirs But what are the grounds of the interest that the people of God have in things to come Consider these five First the Lord hath ordered his eternal decrees concerning things to come so that they shall not only make for his own glory but also for the good of his people Eph. 1.11 for he doth work all things according to the counsel of his own will He did not onely from all eternity chuse his peoples eternal estates and chuse them to glory but he hath a decree that passeth upon all things to come in the government of this world as may conduce unto this end and as may further this great decree and grand design of God For though in the decrees of God some Divines doe observe that there are not priora posteriora because they are eternal and in aeternitate non est prius posterius yet there are subordinata one thing may be subordinated to another as the means are to the end for he hath chosen us to glory and virtue the one as the end the other as the means 2 Pet. 1.3 And so the grand design of God is the glory and eternal good of all the Saints and he hath subordinated all things in the government of the whole creation of God unto this great and principal end all things to come shall work together for their good Secondly it is for their sakes that he hath committed the world unto the government of Christ Isa 9.8 for it is by their Covenant that the world stands and 't is for their sakes that he hath undertaken the Government of the world Ephes 1. last He hath made him the head over all things to the Church Christ is not a head over all things as he is the head of the Church He is a head of guidance unto all things but he is a head of influence unto the Church also and he did undertake the government of all things for the Elect sake That he might gather them all together under one head even in him Eph. 1.10 And he that doth rule all things for their sakes they need not fear but he will over-rule all things for their good and therefore all things which are in the government of Christ doe belong wholly unto the good of the Saints Thirdly hence Christ doth exercise a peculiar providence over his own people which is a great mercy There is a common providence which doth extend unto the meanest creatures not a sparrow doth fall to the ground not a hair from off your head without it But there is a special providence over all the Saints he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that beleeve 1 Tim. 4.10 It 's spoken of a temporal salvation and there is a special providence over the Saints in reference to temporal things Yet how apt are the people pie of God many times to distrust the providence of God even in these O ye of little Faith are you not much better then many sparrows c. Consider but the projects of this providence for the Saints good in reference unto things to come 't is exceeding remarkable how they have been overshaddowed by a special providence whilst they live in this world When the Saints shall come to Heaven and shall understand all the dealings of God towards them whilst they lived here below and the grounds thereof that they may give God the glory of it Suarez Beatus in Deo videt res omnes accommodas ad se pertinentes omnes circumstantias accommodatas Suarez Then when all things shall be opened and layd together then it will appear how gloriously God watched over them for their good by all things to come Fourthly hence it is that in the oeconomical Kingdom of Christ the Angels have their government and they doe order things to come strangely for the Saints good for though no creature can know things to come of themselves yet by Revelation they do for they receive from Christ Rev. 19.10 a spirit of Prophecie and they are employed as Officers under him in the government of all things Ezek. 1. The spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels and that was the Angels chap. 10.20 and ver 19. When the living creatures went the wheels went by them and when they were lifted up the wheels were lifted up for the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels and this is because they are sent forth as Ministring spirits for the good of the Elect Heb. 1.14 And when Christ gives up his kingdom to the Father he will put down theirs for he will put down all rule and all authority and power for they were made principalities and powers onely under the kingdom of Christ and so long their principality shall last and no longer as we see Dan. 10.20 I goe forth and fight against the King of Persia and then the Prince of Grecia shall come