what they now have Esa 65. 15. a name better then of sons and daughters an everlasting name Esa 56. 5. 2. They shall be highly esteemed of in the world to come on Christs part for he shall still esteem them as his brethren he was not ashamed Heb. 2. 11. to call them his brethren in this world neither shall he be ashamed to call them such in the world to come he shall still esteem of them as of the children of God according to that compellation of his Come ye blessed children of my Father Mat. 25. 34. He shall still esteem of them as of his familiar friends as may appear by this because it is said that they shall eat and drink with him at his table in his Kingdome Luk. 22. 30. and shall sit some of them at his right hand and some at his left in his Kingdome Mat. 20. 23. Yea he shall so highly esteem of them that he shall still own them for Kings and Priests to God Rev. 1. 6. 3. They shall be higâ—â—y esteemed of in the world to come amongst the Angells good and evill for the good Angells shall so highly esteem of them that they shall own them for their superiours in some respect seeing Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and the evill Angells shall so highly esteem of them that they shall owne them for their Judges and shall not dare to think dishonourably of them 1 Cor. 6. 3. 4. They shall be highly esteemed of amongst themselves for we know that Gods Elect after they are effectually called do honour one another with an high esteem here in this world Psal 15. 4. much more shall they honour one another with an high esteem in the world to come 5. They shall be highly esteemed of in the world to come amongst the reprobate sort of mankind for these also shall have an high and honourable esteem of Gods Elect in the world to come for this cause it is said that the Gentiles shall see their righteousnesse and all Kings their glory Isai 62. 2. God shall establish Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isai 62. 7. which I understand to be spoken chiefly of the new earth or world to come yea saith the Lord they shall be a praise and an honour before all the Nations of the earth Jer. 33. 9. I will get them praise and fâ—me in doing laud where they have been put to shame Zeph. 3. 19. Secondly touching the certainty of it I say that Gods Elect shall most certainly be honoured in the world to come as may appear by these arguments 1. They that are vessells of honour shall be honoured in the world to come but Gods Elect are vessells of honour for which cause they are compared to such vessells of a potter as are made for honour Rom. 9. 21. and to such vessells in a great house as serve for honourable uses 2 Tim. 2. 20. Ergo. 2. They that do or shall know God effectually in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that promise I will set him on high because he hath known my Name Psal 91. 14. which is as if the Lord had said I will honour him both in this world if I shall see it expedient and much more in the world to come but Gods Elect do or shall all know God effectually in this world Ergo. 3. They that shall call upon God in sincerity here in this world shal be honoured in the world to come according to that promise He shall call upon me and I wil answer and honour him Psal 91. 15. But Gods Elect do or shall call upon him in sincerity in this world Ergo. 4. They that do or shall go fear the Lord with a godly fear here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come as we may gather from that of Solomon by the fear of the Lord are riches and honour Pro. 22. 4. but Gods Elect do or shall fear him with a godly fear here in this world Ergo. 5. They that do or shall humble themselves for their sins after an holy manner here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that of Solomon before honour is humility Pro. 15. 33. and honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Pro. 29. 23. but Gods Elect do or shall all humble themselves for their sins after an holy manner here in this world Ergo. 6. They that are or shall be mercifull towards others and follow after mercy here in this world in obedience to God shall be honoured in the world to come according to that promise He hath dispersed abroad he hath given to the poor his righteousnesse remaineth for ever his horn shall be exalted with honour Psal 112. 9. and Solomon saith he that followeth after mercy findeth honour Pro. 21. 21. but Gods Elect are or shall be mercifull in this senie here in this world Ergo. 7. They that do or shall regard wholesome reproof shall be honoured in the world to come as Solomon saith He that regardeth reproof shall be honoured Pro. 13. 18. but Gods Elect do or shall regard wholesome reproof in this world Ergo. 8. They that do or shall do good in obedience to Gods will here in this world shall be honoured in the world to come according to that of the Apostle Honour to every one that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Greek Rom. 2. 10. but Gods Elect do or shall do good in obedience to Gods will here in this world Ergo. 9. They that are or shall be the faithfull servants of Christ here in this world shall be honouin the world to come according to that of our Saviour If any man serve me him wil my Father honor Joh. 12. 26. but Gods Elect are or shall be faithfull servants of Christ here in this world Ergo. 10. They that shall conscionably purge themselves from the errors of these times shall be honored in the world to come according to that of the Apostle If any man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour 2 Tim. 2. 21. but Gods Elect are such as do or shall purge themselves from the known errors of their times Ergo. 11. They that do or shall honour God sincerely here in this world shall be honoured of him in the world to come as the Lord saith Them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. but Gods Elect do or shall sincerely endeavour to honour him here in this world Ergo. This Proposition should comfort all Gods Elect Vse that are now effectually called against the reproach and contempt of this wicked world for such of all others are most obnoxious to be contemned of the wicked if for no other cause yet for their graces and vertues as our Saviour himself though full of grace and vertue was despised and contemned of many in this life and the Apostles themselves notwithstanding their gracious
know that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of God at the day of Judgment whether he be bond or free Ephes 6. 8. More particularly it should exhort us 1. To beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually so as to rely upon him for Pardon Peace Sanctification and Salvation and not to content our selves as many do with a bare profession of faith or with an historical faith or with a temporary faith or with a false faith saying they beleeve that all shall be saved c. seeing we know that a dead faith cannot save any but it shall be well for such Beleevers as have a lively faith at the day of Judgment as it is written He that beleeveth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Christ shall come to be admired of those that beleeve 2 Thes 1. 10. And whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3. 16. Joh. 11. 2. To repent of our sins dayly by way of confession contrition and prayer seeing we know it shall go well with such penitent sinners at the day of Judgment when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of God Acts 3. 19. 3. To be doers of Gods Word and not hearers only deceiving our own Souls seeing we know it shall be well with the doers of Gods Word at the day of Judgment as it is written Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of God which is in Heaven Mat. 7. And it shall be then said unto every doer of Gods Will Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in little I will make thee Ruler over much enter into thy Masters Joy 4. To be merciful unto such as are in misery seeing we know that Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment yea against the last Judgment Jam. 2. 13. 5. To be circumspect in our ways according to that of Saint Iames So speak and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty Jam. 2. 12. 6. To fear the last Judgment not with a distrustful fear but with an awful and reverential fear so as to be admonished thereby to eschew the evil forbidden and to do the good required as David feared the temporal Judgments of God Psalm 119. 120. 7. To make our Calling and Election sure seeing we know that it shall be well with Gods Chosen at the day of Judgment Rom. 8. 33. SECT VIII Touching the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ in the World to come THough the Kingdom of Christ be Monarchical and so but one Kingdom in a large sence there being no other Christ superior or equal to him in it yet there be different estates of his Kingdom and every estate of it is called a Kingdom in Scripture and so we have warrant from the Word of God to distinguish of the Kingdom of Christ and to say there is a three-fold Kingdom of his viz. 1. His Essential Kingdom 2. His Personal-Divine Kingdom 3. His Personal-Humane Kingdom 1. The Essential Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs to him as he is God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost for whatsoever is common to the three persons in the Trinity is essential to each of them as the Godhead is common to all and essential to each of them Omnisciency is common to all and essential to each of them Omnipotency is common to all and essential to each of them So there is a Kingdom common to all of them which therefore may be called the essential Kingdom of Christ as he is God equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost which Kingdom of his is called by some His Natural Kingdom by others His Native or Providential Kingdom by me His Essential Kingdom And this Kingdom of his hath for its Object both this world and the World to come It is every where in Heaven in Earth and under the â—â—â—th it extends to all creatures together with their actions and all accidents incidental unto them as it is said God hath established his Throne in Heaven and his Kingdom ruleth over all Psal 103. 19. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth Psal 8. 1. God ruleth in the kingdoms of men Dan. 4. 17 25. And the Wisdom of God saith By me Kings raign and Princes decree Iustice By me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Iudges of the Earth Prov. 8. 15 16. 2. The Personal-Divine Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is God and man in one Person and wherein he now raigns in his Divine Nature For it is commonly acknowledged by Divines That Christ now raigneth over his Militant Church in his Divine Nature and hath so raigned from the beginning hitherto and shall so raign unto the end of the world in a spiritual way and that both inwardly by his Word and Spirit and outwardly by the Discipline and Government which he hath appointed in his Church And they say The Person which thus raigns is God and man yet the Nature wherein he raigns is not the Humane but the Divine Nature and therefore I call it his Personal-Divine Kingdom Of this Kingdom of his it is said The Kingdom of God is at hand Mar. 1. 15. The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation The Kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17. 20 21. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And I acknowledg that this Kingdom of his may fitly be called his Spiritual Kingdom because his Government in it is altogether Spiritual It may fitly be called his Donative Kingdom because he received it by donation and gift from his Father Joh. 17. 2. It may fitly be called his Mediatory Kingdom because it belongs unto him as he is a Mediator between God and man And it may fitly be called his Oeconomical Kingdom because it extends properly to his Family the visible Church Neither do I think that think this Personal Kingdom of Christ considered as meerly Divine shall extend to the Church Triumphant 3. The Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ is that Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is the Son of man and the Son of David and wherein he shall raign in his Humane Nature bodily and visibly And though I grant That this Kingdom of his shall be a second estate of his Personal Donative Mediatory Occonomical Kingdom yet for distinction sake I call it his Personal-Humane Kingdom because only in this estate of his Kingdom shall he raign after a bodily and humane manner Now this is the Kingdom of which I am here to speak and I shall speak of it partly by way of Doctrine and partly by way of Use and Application By way of Doctrine I shall lay down several principles or grounds needful to be known concerning this Kingdom of Christ As First I affirm That Christ shall one day have
eye shall see Christ in his Humane Nature sitting upon the Throne of his Glory Rev. 1. 7. Mat. 25. 31. And some shall say unto the Mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne Rev. 6. 16. And where shall this be but in the World to come Wherefore from these premises I infer That the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ shall be very visible and apparent unto men in the World to come And this Ground should be firmly held against such as think that Christ shall have no Personal-Humane Kingdom in the World to come because it 's said That at or upon the end of this world he shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. But as I have intimated before upon an other occasion so now I say more fully That Christ shal never deliver up his own Kingdom to God even the Father either his own Essential Kingdom or his own Personal Kingdom For if he should deliver and resign his own Essential Kingdom then he should cease to be an Essential King which would be absurd to acknowledg And if he shall resign his Personal Divine or Humane Kingdom to God even the Father then he shall cease to be a Personal King or else the Personal Kingdom of Christ shall become the Personal Kingdom of the Father both which would be also absurd to affirm Therefore the true meaning of this place is That when Christ shall come again from the third Heaven his Fathers Personal Kingdom in his Humane Nature he shall then resign and deliver up this Kingdom viz. his Fathers Personal Kingdom not his own Personal Kingdom to God even the Father that his Father may be all in all in it as he was before Christ came thither in his Humane Nature And so this place rightly understood makes nothing at all against this third Ground Fourthly I affirm That this Personal-Humane 4 Ground Kingdom of his belonging to the World to come is much spoken of in the Scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments It is much spoken of in the Old Testament for therein the Father hath said unto Christ I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Psal 2. 8 9. And where shall this promise be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Therein it is said concerning Christ That he shall raign over the Nations and shall judg the Earth 1 Chron. 16. 31 33. And where shall this promise be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Therein it is said concerning him That he shall have Dominion over the works of Gods hands and all things shall be put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowl of the ayr and the fish of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas Psal 8. 6 7 8. And where shall we see all this fully performed unto him not in this world Heb. 2. 8. but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Therein we find him described as a Humane King Psal 45. throughout Psal 72. and in many other places But where shall he appear as a humane King not in this world but in the World to come where he shall have such a Kingdom Therein it is said concerning him That of the increase of his Government there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it and to establish it with Judgment and Iustice Isai 9. 7. And where shall this promise be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Therein it is said concerning him That a King shall raign and prosper and shall execute Iudgment and Iustice in the Earth In whose days Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Ier. 23. â— 6. And where shall this be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come Therein it is said concerning him David my Servant shall be King over them and they shall all have one Shepherd they shall also walk in my Iudgments and observe my Statutes and do them And David shall be their Prince for ever Ezek. 37. 24 25. And where shall this be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom Lastly Therein it is said concerning him That there was given him Dominion and Glory and a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. And where shall this be fully made good unto him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom It is also much spoken of in the New Testament For herein we find That the Lord God shall give unto Christ the Throne of his Father David Luk. 1. 32. And where shall he fully receive this gift not in this world but in the World to come for the Throne of David was not a Type of Christs Spiritual Kingdom but of his Humane Kingdom in the World to come Herein also we find That some shall sit at his right hand and some at his left in his Kingdom Mat. 20. 21. 23. And where shall this be fully verified of him not in this world but in the World to come and in his Humane Kingdom And when the penitent thief said Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom Luk. 23. 42. I do not think that he speak of Christs coming into his Spiritual Kingdom which was both then and before in Being but that he spake of his coming into his Humane Kingdom of Glory And the better to assure him that his request was granted our Saviour replyed To day shall thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43. viz. in respect of thy Soul And doubtless all that are or shall be with him in Paradise in respect of their Souls shall be remembred of him when he shall come into his Personal-Humane Kingdom And lustly Whereas upon the sounding of the seventh Trumpet this saying shall be ecchoed forth The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ c Rev. 11. 15. I do not think that this saying shall ever be fulfilled at the utmost in this world but in the World to come And doubless after the Kingdoms of this world shall be dissolved and broken in peeces as they shall be with the dissolution of this present world then immediately shall they be resolved into the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and shall be brought wholy in subjection to him and not before Wherefore I infer That the Personal-Humane
Truth it self Therefore beware of them Secondly This Doctrine should humble all such as are enemies to Christs spiritual personal Kingdom in this world and will not submit unto it nor suffer him to reign over them by his Word and Spirit Surely such persons without repentance and without a pardon shall suffer for it when Christ shall come into his personal humane Kingdom And so much we may gather from the Prophets commination in Psal 2. For there he tells us of some that did rage and imagine a vain thing and band themselves together not onely against the Lord and against his Christ but also against the Laws of his spiritual Kingdom saying Let us break their bands in sunder and cast away their cords from us Vers 1 2 3. And shews withall how Christ shall deal with such unless they repent in his personal humane Kingdom viz. how he shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Vers 9. Yea our Saviour himself sheweth us how he will punish men in his personal humane Kingdom if they will not submit unto him in his personal spiritual Kingdom when he saith But those mine Enemies which would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me Luk. 19. 27. Be humbled therefore for this offence which is a great offence Thirdly This Doctrine should exhort and perswade all that are called Christians unto sundry duties As 1. To talk and confer much about this Kingdom of Christ that so they may rightly understand the doctrine nature and state hereof for it is said of Gods Saints That they shall speak of the glory of his Kingdom and talk of his power to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his Kingdom Psal 145. 11 12. And we should be like unto such in doing the like 2. To honor Christ as our everlasting King For God would have all men to honour the Son as they honor the Father And seeing he is and shall be our King for ever we can do no less then honor him and we should honor him so as 1. To harken to the Doctrine of his Kingdom Harken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear Psal 45. 10. 2. To prefer him in our esteem before all the sons of men as the Prophet saith to the Church in reference to this Kingdom of his Forget also thine own people and thy fathers house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty Psal 45. 10 11. 3. To repent of our sins and offences For the Prophet having spoken of his Kingdom doth thereupon exhort to repentance saying Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Judges of the Earth Psal 2. 10. As if he had said Be wise to eschew evil and be learned to do good In which two things consisteth the practice of true repentance 4. To worship him with Fear As it is said in relation to Christ He is thy Lord God worship thou him Psal 45. 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal 2. 11. Who shall not fear thee O Lord Rev. 15. 4. 5. To submit to his Government in this life And this is in the Prophets phrase To kiss the Son lest he be angry and we perish Psal 2. 12. 6. To beleeve and trust in him for all good things promised And upon this occasion the Prophet saith Blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2. 12. 7. To be diligent in our general and particular Callings that we may become profitable servants in them For when Christ shall come into this Kingdom of his he shall plentifully reward his diligent and profitable servants and shall say unto one Be thou Ruler over ten Cities and to another Be thou Ruler over five Cities Luk. 19. 17 19. 8. To be patient in our Tribulations especially in such as we shall suffer for Christs sake For if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 2. 12. 9. To make our Calling and Election sure unto our selves For so an enterance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Cheist 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. Lastly All good Christians should rejoyce and be glad when they hear and read of this Kingdom of Christ Yea we should never think that we have well meditated and throughly considered of this subject until the meditation thereof shall rejoyce our spirirs And for this end and purpose we shall finde in many places of Scripture where this Kingdom is spoken of that we are called upon to rejoyce As Rejoyce with trembling Psal 2. 11. Let the Heavens rejoyce and let the Earth be glad Let the field be joyful before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to judg the world in righteousness Psal 96. 11 12 13. Let Israel rejoyce in him that made him Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King let them praise his name in the dance let them sing praises unto him with the Timbrel and Harp Psa 149. 2 3. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth let us rejoyce and be glad and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready Rev. 19. 6 7. SECT IX Touching the different condition of good and evil Angels in the World to come HAving spoken of the Kingdom of Christ in the World to come I shall here in the next place say somewhat of the different condition of good and evil Angels in the World to come Yet I desire not to say much of this subject I had rather leave it to others who have better learn'd the art of amplification And some can better lay a foundation then build thereupon as others can better build then lay the foundation Onely I shall express briâ—fly what I have warrant from the Word of God to beleeve concerning the condition of both sorts of Angels As Concerning good Angels I beleeve 1. That they shall all attend upon Christ at his Coming from Heaven into the World to come For it is aid plainly The Son of man shall come in his glory and aâ—â— the holy Angels with him Matt. 25. 30. And again The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 2 Thess 1. vers 7. 2. That they shall be serviceable to Christ about the last Judgment For it is said That he shall send his Angels that is his good Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other Matt. 24. 31. And that his Angels viz. his good Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just and shall cast them into a furnace of fire c. Matth. 13. 49 50. 3. That they shall have a constant intercourse or passage between the third Heaven and the World to come as royal Messengers or Embassadors
world Yet I take it they do agree with me in effect and by good consequence when as they teach That the third Heaven is incorruptible unchangeable immoveable for if it be incorruptible unchangeable immoveable how can it be any part of the created world or if it be any part of the created world how can it be incorruptible unchangeable immoveable seeing we know that the whole created world is corruptible and groans to be delivered from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. 21 22. And as it is corruptible so it is changeable and shall be changed Psal 102. 26. And as it is changeable so it is moveable and shall be moved and shaken yea it shall be shaken in pieces at the time of its dissolution as it is written Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven Heb. 12. 26. If then those good Divines which the Objection speaks of do agree with me in effect and by good consequence why should I be blamed for speaking that plainly which they speak obscurely and implicitely Peradventure another will say If there be an Object 3 uncreated Heaven in all probability the Heaven of Heavens should be that but the Heaven of Heavens is a created Heaven as may appear Nehem. 9. 6. where it is said Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host c. and if so then the third must needs be a created Heaven also I dare not confound the third Heaven with the Answ Heaven of Heavens as some have done even supposing them to be both one and that whatsoever is affirmed or denyed of the one may also be affirmed or denyed of the other But I conceive a great difference betwixt them for by the Heaven of Heavens in the place before quoted and in some other places of Scripture I understand only the highest of created Heavens which in reference to those inferior Heavens which are within its circumference is called the Heaven of Heavens But by the third Heaven I understand the highest Heaven Luke 19. 38. which is higher then the highest of created Heavens and hath no other Heaven above it being the highest of all Heavens and the highest mentioned in Scripture whereas the Heaven of Heavens before mentioned though it be the highest of created Heavens yet it is not the highest of all Heavens but hath this third Heaven above it Now I acknowledg That the Heaven of Heavens in the former sence considered is a created Heaven according to that of Nehem. 9. 6. and being the highest of created Heavens it must needs be it self also a created Heaven But it will not follow from hence That the third Heaven is a created Heaven because this is above all created Heavens and therefore must needs be uncreated as hath been shewed before And for the better avoyding of strife about words I acknowledg also That the third Heaven in a tolerable sence may be called the Heaven of Heavens viz. in respect of its transcendent excellency as God sometimes is called God of Gods Lord of Lords and King of Kings yet I do not remember that it is any where so called in Scripture but if it be any where so called it cannot be the same with the Heaven of Heavens before described Peradventure another will say If there be an uncreated Heaven that third Heaven into which Saint Object 4 Paul was caught up 2 Cor. 12. 2. should seem to be that but that third Heaven may be thought to be a created Heaven because it is called the third in reference to two created Heavens viz. the Airy Heaven and the Starry Heaven and if these two be created Heavens then the third also must needs be so too The consequence of this Objection is denyed for we read of two Adams in Scripture the first Answ Adam and the second and the first Adam was sinful yet it will not follow from thence that the second Adam was so too So though I grant the two Heavens before mentioned to be created Heavens yet it will not follow from hence that the third is so too And as I acknowledg that third Heaven into which Saint Paul was taken up to be that blessed Heaven of which I speak in my former Assertion so I have proved by seven Arguments already That it was never created and I am the more confirmed in it because Saint Paul calls that third Heaven by the name of Paradise and saith he heard unspeakable words in it not lawful to be uttered 2 Cor. 12. 4. whereas if a man could see and hear all that is to be seen and heard in the created Heavens I suppose it might be lawful for him to utter it Peradventure another will say That which is and Object 5 ever shall be the habitation of created Beings is a created place but the third Heaven is and ever shall be the habitation of created Beings as of Christs humane Nature of holy Angels and of faithful Souls departed therefore it is a created place First I acknowledg that the third Heaven is for the present the habitation of some created Beings Answ yet it will not follow from thence that it is a created place for we read that God himself is and ever hath been the habitation and dwelling place of the faithful in all generations Psal 71. 3. Psal 90. 1. Psal 91. 1. yet we may not thence infer that God is a created Being So though I grant That the third Heaven is the habitation of some created Beings for the present yet we may not hence infer That it is a created place Secondly Whereas the Objection saith That the third Heaven shall ever be the habitation of created Beings as now it is this is plainly denyed by me for I believe That the third Heaven shall be the habitation of Christs humane Nature of holy Angels and faithful Souls as now it is only for a time Rev. 20. 4. that is until the Father shall have put all things under his feet and shall have subduedall his enemies Psa 110. 1. and until the times of restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. and when this time shall be expired which shall be at the end of this present world I believe That Christ in his humane Nature shall come again from the third Heaven with all his holy Angels and Saints with him for to judg and raign for ever after in the World to come and that he shall then deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. What Kingdom That personal Kingdom of the Father in which he now raigneth and shall raign till then and that then the Father shall be All in All in his own personal Kingdom as he was before Christ came thither and shall be supream over all elsewhere though the Son be after a sort now equal with him and so shall Christ ever after sit upon his own personal Throne and raign in his own personal Kingdom Rev. 3. 21. Luk. 22.
go before others in all holy conversation and godliness remembering that whatsoever good any man doth that shall he receive of God whether he be bond or free Ephes 6. 8. The third Position here to be proved is That 3 Posit the World to come shall have no Being before this present World shall be dissolved And for proof hereof It should be considered first That the World to come is often mentioned in Scripture as a Consequent not only of this present world but also of the end of it as Mat. 12 32. Luk. 18. 30. Ephes 1. 21. Heb. 2. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Yea I dare say That wheresoever the World to come is mentioned in the Word of God either in so many words or by way of interpretation it is mentioned as a Consequent of the end of this world Now that which shall be a Consequent of the end of this world shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved and ended but the World to come shall be a Consequent of the end of this world therefore â—t shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved It should be considered again That all things properly belonging to the World to come shall folâ—ow the end of this present world as at the end of â—his world Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. At the end of this world the Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all â—hings that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire Mat. 13. 40 41 42. At the end of this world the Angels shall â—ome forth and sever the wicked from among the â—ust Mat. 13. 49 c. And if all things properly belonging to the World to come shall follow the â—nd of this world then the World to come it self shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved but the former is true therefore the latter And it should be considered thirdly That where there is an orderly succession of collective bodies there the Being of the latter doth pre-suppose the dissolution of the former as the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians had no Being before the Monarchy of the Babylonians was dissolved the Monarchy of the Greeks and Macedonians had no Being before the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians was dissolved the Monarchy of the Romanes had no Being before the Monarchy of the Greeks and Macedonians was dissolved And as the Kingdom of David had no Being before the Kingdom of Saul was dissolved the Kingdom of Solomon had no Being before the Kingdom of David was dissolved and the Kingdom of Rehoboam had no Being before the Kingdom of Solomon was dissolved So the World to come shall be a collective body in an orderly succession * Vid. learned Dickson in his Commentaries on Heb. 12. 26. therefore it shall have no Being before this present world shall be dissolved Which Position thus confirmed makes against those Vse who think that the World to come shall be one thousand years before the end of this present world which is the opinion of Millenaries of these times I do not say it is the opinion of all of them because Mr Mede being one and not the least of them thinks Mr Mede on Rev. 20. 4. that this present world shall be dissolved before the World to come shall have any Being but it is the opinion of many of them who have thus expressed themselves That by the World to come the Scripmeans nothing else but an Universal Reformation-change all this world over either in respect of Conversion as one saith or in respect of Discipline at least as another of them saith and that the said Reformation-change shall be one thousand years before the end of this world therefore the World to come shall be one thousand years before the end of this world But I will tell these men that this opinion of theirs hath four Errors involved or wrapped up in it As 1. It is an Error to think that there shall be an extraordinary or Universal Reformation-change either in respect of Conversion or in respect of Discipline before the end of this world because the constant current of the New Testament is against this conceit and shews clearly That the latter age of this world shall be a very deformed age both in respect of the evil of sin which shall abound therein and also in respect of the evil of pain and trouble that shall follow thereupon as hath been before hinted nay it shews That at the very time of Christs second appearing in the Clouds he shall find the world I mean the people of this world in a posture of security For as in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and knew not until the Flood came and took them all away so shall also the Coming of the Son of man be Mat. 24. 38 39. In a posture of unbelief For when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth Luk. 18. 8. He may find some faith on the earth but it is probable he shall then find but little faith as touching his coming and the World to come In a posture of Atheism scoffing and scorning at Religion especially at the promise of his coming and of the end of the world There shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3. 3. Yea he shall then find the people of the world in a posture of War beating their fellow Servants and preparing a great battel against the Church Rev. 20. 9. Wherefore I see no reason why we should look for such a Reformation-change as these men speak of yet I hope there shall be a Reformation-change in many particular persons before the end of this world and its possible there may be a Reformation-change in some particular Countries at least in respect of Discipline but that there shall be such an extraordinary or Universal Reformation before the end of this world far be it from me and from my friends so much as to dream thereof 2. It is an Error in these men to conceive that the end of this present world shall be a thousand years off after their supposed Reformation shall begin or from this time as some of them say it being now begun seeing the signs presaging the end of the world laid down in the New Testament should teach us to think otherwise And for what other use serves this conceit of theirs but to make men secure in their sins and to perswade them that the Lord delays his coming and to say in their hearts Where is the promise of his coming Yea for my part I think That the Son of man will be seen to come in the Clouds of Heaven before such a Reformation-change as they speak of will
he shall come again in the Flesh the second â—â—me so assureth us that this Coming of his shal be fâ—om Heaven viz. that third Heaven or blessed Heaâ—en wherein he now is and raigneth with his Father iâ— his humane nature as God and man in one person â—nd for to assure us hereof it is said This same Jesus â—hich is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout 1 Thes 4. 16. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with â—is mighty Angels 2 Thes 2. 7. From Heaven we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 20. and hereunto accords that Vision of Saint John I saw the holy City New Jerusalem coming â—own from God out of Heaven prepared as a bride â—dorned for her husband Rev. 21. 2 10. Where by New Jerusalem I understand all the Saints which Christ shall bring with him at his second Coming to be espoused unto him after a more glorious manner then formerly they were and if this New Jerusalem shall come down from God out of Heaven then Christ himself also shall come down from thence at his next return in the Flesh But it may be here demanded Whether Christ Quest shall come from the third Heaven at this next Return of his with a purpose to leave it To which demand I answer thus First The third Answ Heaven may be considered as the most high and holy place of the Godhead Father Son and Holy Ghost and so I say That Christ considered only as God shall never leave it because it is the essential place of the Godhead Secondly It may be considered as it is now the place of Christs humane Nature wherein he raigneth with the Father as God and man in onâ— person and so I beleeve That Christ at his seconâ— Coming from the third Heaven shall leave it altogether never to possess it again as formerly nor as the constant place of his habitation yet I deny not but conceive that after this descention of his he may be taken up again in his humane Nature at some times into the third Heaven for some ends known only to God as Saint Paul once was before hiâ— death but still I think that at his next Return from this Heaven in his humane Nature he shall leave iâ— altogether as the dwelling place of his humane Nature and that for these Reasons 1. The third Heaven was not promised to Christ for an everlasting habitation but only for a certain time as may be seen in these places Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool Psal 110. 1. He must raign till he viz. the Father hath put all enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. And that which is here promised shall be made good unto him at his second Coming and not before And if the third Heaven be not promised unto him for an everlasting habitation but for such a time as is expressed in the promise then we may well think That at his second Coming from this Heaven he shall leave it altogether as it is the dwelling place of his humane Nature 2. It is said That this third Heaven shall receive or contain Christ but for a certain time viz. until the times of restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. that is until the World to come shall be created and all things therein shall be restored according to the Decrees and Promises of God And if so then doubtless Christ at his second Coming from this Heaven shall leave it altogether considered as the dwelling place of his humane Nature 3. It is written That Christ at his second Coming from this Heaven shall resign or deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. And what Kingdom is this that he shall then deliver up to his Father Ans 1. I do not say with some Writers That he shall then deliver up his Mediatory Kingdom to his Father because this Kingdom which belongs unto him as he is the Son of David shall have no end Luk. 1. 33. Neither 2. do I say with others That he shall then deliver up his Church-Kingdom unto his Fathers sole dispose and Government because the Government of the Church both Militant and Triumphant is laid upon Christs shoulders as a Mediator and shall never be taken off from him Isai 9. 6 7. Neither 3. do I say with others That he shall then deliver up his Representative Kingdom consisting of outward Ordinances and Administrations now in use to be abolished by his Father because these things shall cease and determine of their own accord and be abolished before his second Coming at least in order of nature But I say That he shall then resign and deliver up the Kingdom of Heaven properly so called as it is his Fathers personal Kingdom unto the sole dispose and Government of his Father that so his Father may be all in all in it as he was before Christs coming thither 1 Cor. 15. 28. And if he shall resign this Kingdom to God even the Father then we may well think That at his next Coming from this Heaven in his humane Nature he shall leave it altogether as it is the dwelling place of his humane Nature 4. It is said That Christ after his next Coming from Heaven in the Flesh shall be subject to him that put all things under him 1 Cor. 15. 28. that is as if the Apostle had said While Christ remains in the third Heaven in his humane Nature and as the person of a Mediator we are not to consider him as the Fathers Subject because he is there after a sort equal with his Father his Father having advanced him at his own right hand upon his own Throne and having given unto him all power in Heaven and in Earth but after his coming from thence he shall be subject to his Father as he was before his Ascention and if so then doubtless at his second Coming from this Heaven he shall leave it as the dwelling place of his humane Nature 5. Have we never read That Christ after his personal Coming from this third Heaven shall possess his own personal Kingdom and sit upon his own personal Throne according to his Fathers appointment Luk. 19 12. and 22. 29. Rev. 3. 21. And how can this be unless he shall then leave his Fathers personal Kingdom and personal Throne and unless he shall then leave this third Heaven altogether considering it as the dwelling place of his humane Nature Sixthly It informeth us touching the place whither 6 Informat he shall come when he shall come again in the Flesh And so I cannot think that he shall come again from Heaven into this polluted world because this will be no fit place for a glorified Person to be and reside in but doubtless he shall come again from Heaven into the World to
come which shall be created instead of this that is into the new Heavens and the new Earth And so first he shall come into the new Heavens there to be made visible to the Inhabitants of this Earth that some of them viz. his friends may be caught up together in the Clouds to meet him in the ayr of the new Heaven 1 Thes 4. 17. and that others viz. his enemies may be afflicted and astonished to behold him Rev. 1. 7. And from thence he shall descend unto the new Earth there to reside and dwell for ever and all his Saints with him as it is written We look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousness viz. the Lord our Righteousness with all his righteous Ones and nothing else but Righteousness 2 Pet. 3. 13. And as it is written again Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them Rev. 21. 3. Yea this dwelling of Christ and his Saints upon the new Earth was lively represented unto us at the time of his Transfiguration upon the Mount for then and there Christ himself with Moses and Elias appeared Mat. 17. in a humane shape and Peter said Master it is good for us to be here that is to reside or dwell here let us build three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias By which Transfiguration we are plainly taught what shall be hereafter But here perhaps some will be ready to object and Object say It will be a dishonour to Christ and his Saints if they shall leave the third Heaven for to reside and dwell in the World to come or upon the new Earth This will be no dishonour at all unto them because Christ and his Saints shall be in some respects Answ more glorious in the World to come and upon the new Earth then now they are in the third Heaven as we may well conceive for these Reasons 1. Because the World to come will be more suitable and proportionable unto humane bodies and natures then the third Heaven now is 2. Because in the World to come Christ shall raign in his own personal Kingdom with all his Saints with him whereas now in the third Heaven he raigns as Mediator only in his Fathers personal Kingdom and with only some of his Saints with him 3. Because in the World to come all Christs Enemies shall be manifestly subdued unto him whereas now while he remains in the third Heaven we cannot see all things put under him Heb. 2 8. 4. Because in the World to come the Saints shall raign with Christ both in soul and body and that for ever whereas now in the third Heaven they raign with him onely in respect of Souls and that but for a time These things considered I am so far from thinking that it will be a dishonour to Christ and his Saints when they shall leave the third Heaven for to reside upon the new Earth that I rather think it will be an encrease or augmentation of honour and glory unto them Seventhly It informeth us touching the manner 7 Informat of his second Coming in the Flesh and sheweth that he shall come again in like manner as he went into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Acts 1. 11. that is to say 1. As he ascended in a visible manner in the sight of many so he shall come again in a visible manner for they shall see the Son of man come in the Clouds Mat. 24. 30. And every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him Revel 1. 7. 2. As he ascended in a bodily manner and in his humane nature so he shall come again in a bodily manner and in his humane nature Mat. 24. 30. 3. As he ascended in a triumphant manner triumphing over Death Hell and the Grave so he shall come again in a triumphant manner triumphing over all his Enemies 4. As he ascended gloriously so he shall come again in the glory of his Father with power and great glory 5. As he ascended in a kingly manner with some good Angels attending on him so he shall come again in like manner with all his holy and mighty Angels attending on him 2 Thes 1. 7. Mat. 25. 31. 6. As his Ascention gave his Enemies great cause to lament and bewail their condition so his Coming again shall give them great cause so to do for then the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn Mat. 24. 30. And all the kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him Rev. 1. 7. 7. As his Ascention into Heaven gave his friends great cause to rejoyce because he went thither to prepare a place for them so his Coming again from thence shall give them great cause to rejoyce too because unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. Eightly It informeth us touching the ends of 8 Informat his second Coming in the Flesh which ends may be thus expâ—essed 1. He shall come again from Heaven for to judg and raign in the World to come for it is said He shall judg the quick and the dead at his appearing and in his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. From whence I gather That Christ shall have a Kingdom in the World to come wherein he shall judg and raign So much also may be gathered from 1 Chron. 16. 31 33. And if so then he shall come again from Heaven for to judg and raign in the World to come Luk. 1. 33. Jude 15. 2 He shall come again from Heaven for to render unto every one according to his works as it is written Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. From whence I gather That as Christ in the World to come shall render unto the good according to the good works which shall be found upon them not remembering their evil works and unto the wicked according to the evil works which shall be found upon them not regarding their seeming good works So he shall come again from Heaven for this end 3. He shall come again in flaming fire for to take vengeance on them which know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1. 8. viz. in case they shall not repent of these sins before their death 4. He shall come again from Heaven for to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 15. 5. He shall come again from Heaven for to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that beleeve 2 Thes 1. 10. viz. in the World to come All these Informations put together and all that Vse hath been here said touching the
together Gods Elect from the four winds of the Earth viz. unto Judgment Matth. 24. 31. They shall sever or separate the good from the bad before the sentence of Judgment shall be given Mat. 13. 49. And I grant that this Judgment shall be attested and approved of by all the Saints of God In which sence it is said That the Saints shall judg the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. And the Apostles shall sit upon Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19. 28. Yet we must know that this Judgment shall be visibly administred onely by Christ as Mediator and as God and Man in one person and by no other person In which sence it is said The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son Joh. 5. 22. God will judg the world by the man whom he hath ordained that is by Christ Act. 17. 31. He will judg the secrets of men by Iesus Christ Rom. 2. 16. And Christ is ordained of God to be Iudg of quick and dead Act. 10. 42. 2 Tim. 4. vers 1. And this without doubt will be a great comfort to Gods Elect at the day of Judgment when they shall consider that they shall have none to pronounce Judgment upon them at that day but Christ their Saviour who dyed for their sins and rose again for their Justification As on the other side it will be a great terror to reprobate sinners when they shall consider that they shall have none pronounce Judgment upon them but Christ whom they have always contemned and despised if not in his person yet in his Ordinances and in his Members and whom they would not have to reign over them in this world by his Word and Spirit Fourthly I affirm That the last judgment shall 4 Inform. extend unto all reasonable Creatures both Angels and men It shall extend to the Angels both good and evil For Christ is the Lord of the good Angels and their office is to worship him as their Lord and therefore he shall judg them at the latter day not for any evil they have done because they have done none but according to the good they have done because they have been always ready to worship him to obey his voyce and to do his Will And he shall judg the evil Angels or Devils for their first fall and for all the evils they have acted since For they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day Jude 6. And hâ—â— Judgment upon them shall be approved of by the Saints Know ye not that we shall judg the Angels that is the evil Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. This Judgment also shall extend unto all men women and children For this cause it is said That Christ shall judg the righteous and the wicked that iâ— such as shall be found righteous or wicked at that day Eccles 3. 17. And he shall judg the quick and the dead Act. 10. 42. that is such as shall be found alive at his second Coming and such as shall be found dead at that day shall be raised and brought to Judgment And he shall judg the small and the great Revel 20. 13. all the ungodly Jude 15 yea all shall stand before him Rom. 14. 10. Therefore all men shall be judged by him Yet we must understand That he shall judg men in a different way at that day For he shall judg the Elect as righteous persons with the Judgment of Absolution but he shall judg the Reprobates as wicked persons with the Judgment of Condemnation And he shall judg the Elect and Righteous according to the good they have done forgetting their evil works but he shall judg the Reprobates and wicked according to the evil they have done not regarding their seeing good works Fifthly I affirm That the last Judgment shall be just and righteous altogether For which cause 5 Inform. it is said That God shall judg the world in righteousness in uprightness in truth Psal 9. 8. Acts 17. 31. Rom. 2. 2. And if he shall thus judg the world at the last then the last Judgment shall be just and righteous altogether Yea all the proceedings of this Judgment shall be just as may be seen in these particulars 1. There shall be a Throne or seat prepared for Judgment For God hath prepared his Throne for judgment Psal 9. 7. And will not this be just That a Throne shall be prepared before Judgment shall be pronounced on any 2. There shall be a summons to Judgment to this effect Arise ye dead and come to judgment And will not this be just That there shall be a general summons before the Judgment shall be pronounced upon any 3. There shall be a personal appearance of all men made before the Iudgment seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. And will not this be just That there shall be a personal appearance of all before Judgment shall be pronounced upon any 4. There shall be a cause produced for this Judgment viz. the righteousness of the Just and the wickedness of the unjust For God shall bring every work to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil Eccles 12. 14. And will not this be just That there shall be a cause produced before the Judgment shall be pronounced upon any 5. There shall be evidence brought in on both â—â—es viz. for the acquitting and absolving of the Just and for the condemning of the unjust Which evidence shall be found written in the books which shall then be opened for the books shall be opened Dan. 7. 10. Revel 20. 12. What Books These 1. The book of Gods Omniscience 2. The book of every mans Conscience 3. The book of the Law Iames 2. 12. 4. The book of the Gospel Rom 2. 16. 5. The book of Life Rev. 20. 13. These books shall be opened and in them shall be found written whatsoever shall make for acquitting of the Just and the condemning of the unjust And they shall be judged according to that which shall be found written in these books And will not this be just That evidence shall be brought in on both sides before the Judgment shall be pronounced upon either party Yes 6. There shall be after all this a Sentence of Judgment given and pronounced both upon the Just and unjust The Sentence that shall be given and pronounced upon the Elect under the name and notion of just persons shall be to this effect Come ye blessed Children of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world And the reason of this Sentence shall be added thus For I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was naked and ye clothed me I was sick and in prison and ye came unto me And in as much as ye have done it to one of these little ones which beleeve in me ye have done it unto me Mat. 25. 34. 40. The Sentence
â— Ground a Personal-Humane Kingdom wherein he shall raign bodily in his Humane Nature as we may well conceive 1. Because he shall one day have a Kingdom wherein he shall judg the quick and the dead 2 Tim. 4. 1. But he shall never judg the quick and the dead in his present Personal-Spiritual Kingdom Therefore he shall one day have a Personal-Humane Kingdom wherein he shall do this 2. Because he shall one day have a Kingdom wherein some shall sit at his right hand and others at his left hand as is acknowledged Mat. 20. 21 23. But none shall sit on his right hand and on his left in his present Personal-Spiritual Divine Kingdom Therefore he shall one day have a Personal-Humane Kingdom wherein some shall sit on his right hand and some on his left 3. Because he shall one day have a Kingdom wherein some shall eat and drink at his table after a new manner yet unknown as it is acknowledged Luk. 22. 30. Ye shall eat and drink at my tabl in my Kingdom But none shall eat and drink at his table after a new manner and way yet unknown in his present Personal-Spiritual Kingdom Therefore he shall one day have a Personal-Humane Kingdom wherein this shall be done 4. Because Christ was long since anointed to be a Prophet a Priest and a King not only in his Divine but also in his Humane Nature And we know that in the days of his flesh he executed his Prophetical and Priestly Offices not only in his Divine but also in his Humane Nature though he did not then so execute his Kingly Office Therefore doubtless he shall one day execute his Kingly Office also in his Humane Nature and so he shall one day have a Personal-Humane Kingdom This ground should firmly be held against such as think that Christ shall never have a Personal-Humane Kingdom but say That the Personal Kingdom of Christ is and ever shall be only a Spiritual Kingdom And though I do not read much yet I have read two or three Books printed of late years which speak much of the Personal Raign or Kingdom of Christ but what they speak they refer only to his Spiritual Kingdom and nothing at all to his Personal-Humane Kingdom Now all that I shall say of these Writers is this I will not dishonour them so much as to name them it my margin neither do I think that they have as yet seriously considered of such Reasons as are here alledged and might be farther alledged for the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ but if at any time they shall seriously consider of them I perswade my self they will be of another mind Secondly I affirm That Christs Personal-Humane â— Ground Kingdom shall never be found to be of in or belonging to this persent world And so much I gather from those words of our Saviour My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered unto the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Ioh. 18. 36. where our Saviour speaks not of his Essential Kingdom nor of his present Personal-Divine Kingdom because both these belong to this present world as wel as to any other But he speaks of his Personal-Humane Kingdom which belongs not to this world in any respect For they that have humane Kingdoms in this world have some to fight for them against their enemies but Christ while he was in this world had no servants to fight for him against the Jews Therefore his Personal-Humane Kingdom belongs not to this present world Again we know that while Christ lived in this world he had no Humane Kingdom of it but he still â—ppeared in the form and condition of a Servant not in the form and condition of a humane King Phil. 2. â—herefore we may well think that he shall never be a humane King nor have a humane Kingdom in this world Moreover we know that Christ shall not come again in his Humane Nature before this present world shall be dissolved and an other world shall be created instead hereof And if Christ shall not come again in his Humane Nature till then it is manifest That his Personal-Humane Kingdom shall never be found to be of in or belonging to this present world This ground also should be firmly held against such as think that Christ shall have a Personal-Humane Kingdom in this world which is the opinion of many Millenaries in these days For though some of this sort are come on to this Error to think that Christs Personal Kingdom shall be only a Spiritual Kingdom yet the most part of this sort think that Christ shall have a Personal-Humane Kingdom in this world either for a thousand years or at least for a certain time And they which are of this opinion are forced to hold some other erroneous opinions as 1. That Christ shall come again in his Humane Nature a thousand years before the end of this world 2. That he shall convert all Nations both Jews and Gentiles that he may raign over them at his Coming 3. That he shall raise the dead Saints a thousand years before the rest of the dead that they may raign with him Thus one Error conceived genders many But our Saviour himself hath sufficiently confuted these Opinionists in one saying when speaking of his Humane Kingdom he saith My Kingdom is not of this world How then can they prove that Christ shall have a Humane Kingdom in this world And if they would but consider farther what hath been said for the clearing of this second ground it may be that they might be be the better convinced of their Error Thirdly I affirm That this Personal-Humane 3 Ground Kingdom of his shall be very visible and apparent unto men in the World to come For 1. Seeing there is such a Kingdom belonging to him it must needs be apparent to men either in this world or in the World to come but it shall not be apparent to men in this world Joh. 18. 36. Therefore it shall be apparent unto them in the World to come 2. We find that the World to come shall be put in subjection not to the Angels but to Christ as the Son of man Heb. 2. 5 6. And if so then doubtless his Humane Kingdom shall be very visible and apparent unto men in the World to come 3. Our Saviour saith Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Ioh. 1. 51. Hereafter we shall see this and where shall we see it not in the highest Heaven which now is there is no such thing to be seen not in this present world here is no such thing to be seen but in the World to come we shall see this Kingly Honour given to Christ and so his Personal-Humane Kingdom shall be very apparent to men in the World to come 4. It is plainly said That every
Kingdom of Christ is much spoken in the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament And consequently we should not doubt whether or not he shall have such a Kingdom Fifthly I affirm That this Personal-Humane 5 Ground Kingdom of his in the World to come shall be of large extent For 1. It shall extend to all Nations that shall be in the World to come As it is written of Christ All Kings shall bow before him all Nations shall serve him Psal 72. 11. All Nations and Languages and People shall serve him Dan 7. 14. which shall never be fully accomplished in this world as we may well think because at his second Coming he shall find the Nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog gathered together to battel against him and against his Saints the number of whom shall be as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20. 8 9. Therefore it is in the World to Come that all Nations shall serve him 2. It shall extend to all Countries that shall be in the World to come as it is written His Domion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the River unto the ends of the Earth Psal 72. 8. 3. It shall extend to all other creatures beside men and Angels that shal be in the World to come Psa 8. 6 7 8. whereas in this world we know the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ doth extend to no such creatures but only unto the visible Church and some say only unto the Saints on this earth 4. It shall extend both to his friends and foes which shall be in the World to come For Christ shall raign and rule over his Friends the Saints in this Humane Kingdom of his and for this cause he is called the King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. And though the Saints shall raiâ—n with him in this Kingdom yet their raign shall be subordinate to his and they shall be his Subjects yet Kings over others And he shall also raign and rule over his Enemies in this Kingdom of his for which cause it is said Through the greatness of thy Power shall thine Enemies submit themselves unto thee Psal 66. 3. They that dwell in the Wilderness shall bow before him and his Enemies shall lick the dust Psal 72. 9. 5. Yea it shall extend unto the whole World to come seeing it shall be put in subjection to him Heb. 2. 5. And so this Kingdom of his shall be of large extent Sixthly I affirm That this Personal-Humane 6 Ground Kingdom of his shall be a flourishing Kingdom As 1. In respect of Prosperity because Christ shall raign prosperously in it without any disaster or ill success at all as it is written of him In thy Majesty ride prosperously because of Truth and Meekness and Righteousness Psal 45. 4. A King shall raign and prosper Jer. 23. 5. 2. In respect of Honour and Glory because he shall raign honorably it it without any the least open affront or dis-respect as it is written of him Gird thy Sword upon thy thigh O Most Mighty with thy Glory and thy Majesty Psal 45. 3. Honor and Majesty are before him Psal 96. 6. 3. In respect of Righteousness because he shall raign and judg righteously it it as it is said of him He shall execute Iudgment and Iustice Jer. 23. 5. He shall judg the People with Righteousness Psal 72. 2. A Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Heb. 1. 8. 4. In respect of Peace because he shall raign peaceably in it without any open resistance or opposition Yea in this Kingdom of his shall be abundance of peace and the mountains shall bring peace unto his people Psal 72. 3 7. 5. In respect of plenty because in this Kingdom of his both Christ and his Saints shall live in a plentiful condition without the want of any thing And he that overcometh shall inherit all things Revel 21. 7. And thus this Kingdom of his shall be a flourishing Kingdom Seventhly I affirm That this Personal-Humane 7 Ground Kingdom of his shall be an everlasting Kingdom For thus it is written of him and of this his Kingdom His name shall endure for ever Psa 72. 17. Of the increase of His Government there shall be no end Isai 9. 7. His Kingdom shall never be destroyed but shall stand for ever Dan. 2. 44. His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Dan. 7. 14. He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of His Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1. 33. David shall be their Prince for ever Ezek. 37. 25. Thy Throne O God is for ever ever Heb. 1. 8. Yea this Kingdom of his is called by Saint Peter the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. Wherefore we should not vainly imagine with M. H. A. M G. H some Writers That this Personal-Humane-Divine Kingdom of Christ shall one day have an end or that it shall continue but onely for a long time because as they say some things are said in Scripture to continue for ever which were to continue but onely for a long time But we should understand that these phrases for ever for ever and ever are taken two ways in Scripture Sometimes Tropically and not properly and then indeed they are referred to such things as were to continue but only for a long time as may be seen Exod. 12. 14 24. 21. 6. Numb 15. 15. Sometimes also the same phrases are taken properly and not Tropically and then they are still referred to such things as have no end at all Yea thus these phrases for ever for ever and ever are taken in the former passages concerning the Personal Humane Kingdom of Christ and so the meaning of them is That this Kingdom of his shall have no end at all And it is plainly said in some of those passages once and again That this Kingdon of his shall have no end Isai 9. 7. Luk. 1. 33. By which latter phrase we must expound the two former that we may not consent to the blasphemy of those who say That the Personal Kingdom of Christ whether Divine or Humane shall continue but onely for a time Thus much of this Kingdom of Christ by way Vse of Doctrine in seven Grounds or Propositions I shal also speak something by way of Application according to my promise And First This Doctrine should admonish all to beware lest we entertain any erroneous Opinions in our mindes in reference to this Kingdom of his And far be it from us to think 1. That Christs personal Kingdom shall be onely a spiritual Kingdom 2. That Christ shall have a personal humane Kingdom in this world 3. That he shall have no personal humane Kingdom in the World to come 4. That his personal humane Kingdom shal have an end For all these Opinions are contrary to the former Grounds and to the
from the Father to the Son of man and from the Son of man to the Father or from the personal Kingdom of the Father to the personal Kingdom of the Son and from the personal humane Kingdom of the Son unto the personal Kingdom of the Father And so much I learn from those words of our Saviour himself Hereafter ye shall see Heaven open and the Angels of God viz. his good Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man John 1. vers 51. 4. That as they are now blessed so shall they be for ever blessed in the World to come And by so much the more shall they be blessed in the World to come by how much their Ministry and Service shall be more visible to the Saints and better understood of them in the World to come then now it is Which condition of the good Angels may inform Vse us First That the Humane Nature in Christ shall in dignity far excel the good Angels in the World to come For we are sure that these Angels shall serve Christ and administer unto him but we are not sure that Christ shall serve them in the World to come And we know that Christ is now for the present above these Angels in his Humane Nature at his Fathers right hand and that he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and the nature of Mankinde and therefore he shall still be above the Angels in his Humane Nature And albeit during the time of his Humiliation he was made a little lower then the Angels that he might suffer in the flesh Yet now he is exalted above them and shall be crowned with glory and dignity above them in the World to come for ever Again This condition of the good Angels in the World to come may inform us That the adopted Children of God have great cause to be thankful for the perseverance of these Angels in the state of grace for that God hath kept them hitherto in their holy station that so they might be helpful to us by their Ministry both in this world and in the World to come And though our fleshly nature be not sensible of the Ministry of these Angels yet we should beleeve according to the Scriptures That God doth make their Ministry beneficial to his adopted ones in this life divers ways Sometimes for Instruction as he sent a good Angel to instruct the Shepherds concerning the birth of Christ Luk. 2. Another to instruct the women concerning his Resurrection Another to instruct his Disciples touching his Ascension Act. 1. 11. Sometimes for Direction as he sent a good Angel to direct Lot what course to take for his own and his families safety Sometimes for Protection as it is written The Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him Sometimes for Deliverance as he sent a good Angel to deliver Peter out of prison Act. 12. Sometimes for Consolation as when the Devil had ended his temptation against Christ he sent good Angels to administer comfort unto him Mat. 4. Now if we consider what excellent Creatures these good Angels are and how glorious they shall be in the World to come we shall finde it a great mercy of God that he hath made them ministring spirits and hath sent them to minister for the good of those who are heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1. 14. And consequently that the adopted ones have great cause to be thankful for their Perseverance Concerning evil Angels I beleeve 1. That they shall be subject not onely unto Christ himself but also unto the Saints in the World to come And to assure us hereof it is said That the Saints shall judg the Angels that is the evil Angels 1 Cor. 6. 3. And that the God of peace shall bruise Satan under their feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. And so much God said unto Satan in the beginning shortly after his Fall I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Gen. 3. 15. 2. That they shall be everlastingly punished in the World to come and to assure us hereof it is said That everlasting fire is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. 3. That this everlasting punishment of theirs shall be full of torment as they themselves well know and therefore they cryed unto Christ saying What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God Art thou come hither to torment us before the time Mat. 8. 29. And again I beseech thee torment me not Luk. 8. 28. 4. That this everlasting punishment of theirs shall be full of darkness For if now they be punished with everlasting chains under Darkness Jude 6. much more shall this punishment be upon them in the World to come And if Reprobate men shall be cast into outer darkness for their sins Mat. 22. 13. how shall Reprobate Angels escape this punishment Which condition of evil Angels in the World to Vse come may inform us That the Kingdom of Satan shall one day have an end and then all his opposition against God Christ and the Saints shall cease and determine SECT X. Touching the blessed condition of Gods Elect and the cursed condition of Reprobates in the World to come more generally considered HAving spoken of the different condition of good and evil Angels in the World to come I am in the next place to speak of the different condition of mankinde viz. of the godly and the wicked of the Elect and Reprobates in the world to come And this different condition of theirs may be considered more generally and more specially The general difference that shall be betwixt them may be expressed in these two Propositions Gods Elect shall be blessed in the World to come Reprobates shall be cursed in the World to come Gods Elect shall all be blessed in the World to 1 Proposit come As we may well conceive for these Reasons 1. Because Gods Elect are all known of God with the knowledg of approbation as it is written The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. 19. And the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psal 1. 6. Now all that are thus known of God shall be blessed in the World to come But Gods Elect are all thus known of him therefore they shall all be blessed in the World to come 2. Because Gods Elect have their names all written in Heaven Luk. 10. 20. And they that have their names there written shall be blessed in the World to come why else should they be bid to rejoyce in this But this is true of all Gods Elect therefore they shall be blessed in the World to come 3. Because Gods Elect shall all be pronounced blessed at the general Judgment and our Saviour shall then say unto them Come ye blessed Children of my Father c. Matth. 25. 34. Now they that shall
over ten cities and to another Have thou authority over five cities Luke 19. 17 19. Where by cities I understand such at the later day as shal be found to have been the reprobate sort of divers Cities in this world as of Sodome and Gomorrah Corazin Bethsaida Capernaum Babylon c. and if in this sense Gods elect in the world to come shall have authority over divers Cities then doubtlesse they shall have dominion over reprobates in that world but in this sense they shall have authority over divers Cities Ergo. 7. They that shall judge reprobates in the world to come by way of attestation or approbation shall have dominion over them in this respect in that world but Gods Elect shall judge reprobates in that world both reprobate Men and reprobate Angells 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. Ergo. 8. They that shall punish reprobates in the world to come and execute judgements upon them shall have dominion over them in this respect in that world but Gods Elect shall punish reprobates in the world to come and execute judgements upon them as it is written Let a two-edged sword be in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen and punishments upon the people to bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute on them the judgments decreed Psal 149. 6 7 8. Ergo. 9. They that shall captivate reprobates in the world to come and rule over them shall have dominion over them in that world but Gods Elect shall captivate reprobates in the world to come and rule over them as it is written they shal take them captives whose captives they were and they shal rule over their oppressors Esa 14. 2. Yea shall rule them with a rod of iron Rev. 2. 27. Ergo. 10. They that shall have dominion in the world to come under the whole heaven shall have dominion over reprobates in that world but Gods Elect shall have dominion in the world to come under the whole heaven according to that of the Prophet Daniel And the Kingdome and dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high Dan. 7. 27. Ergo. 11. They that shall have reprobates subdued unto them in the world to come and brought under their feet shall have dominion over them in that world but Gods Elect in the world to come shall have reprobates subdued unto them and brought under their feet as it is written He shall subdue the people under us and the Nations under our feet Psal 47. 3. yea saith the Lord they shall lick up the dust of thy feet Esa 49. 23. Ergo. 12. If Gods Elect in the world to come shal impose service upon reprobates and shall compell such to serve them then they shal have dominion over them in that world but Gods Elect in the world to come shall impose service on such and shall compell such to serve them as I gather from that of the Prophet And the people shall take them and bring them to their place the house of Israel shal possesse them in the land of the Lord for servants handmaids Isa 14. 2. Ergo. Secondly touching the nature of this dominion I affirme 1. That the dominion of Gods Elect over reprobates in the world to come shal be a donative dominion such as shal be given them from God and from Christ for there is no cause to be found in them in respect of their nature or desert why they should have dominion over them but this dominion shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High Dan. 7. 27. and Christ shall give them power over the Nations Rev. 2. 26. 2. That this dominion of theirs shall be subordinate to the dominion of God and of Christ for God shall reign over reprobates in the world to come by his essentiall power and Christ shall reign over them by his personall humane power but the Saints shall reign over them only by way of subordination or delegation as Vicegerents or Dâ—puties under Christ for which cause they are called Kings unto God that is in subordination to God Rev. 5. 10. 3. That this dominion of theirs shal not be an absolute but a limited dominion that is to say they shal not reign over reprobates according to their own wil and pleasure but according to the decree wil pleasure of God in Christ they shal execute on them the judgments decreed Ps 149. 8. 4. That this dominion of theirs shal be ful of hardship and severity as the strict justice of God shal require for which cause it is said that they shall rule them with a two-edged sword with a rod of iron and shal bind their Kings in chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron that is to say they shall exercise their power over reprobates in the world to come with much hardship and severity 5. That this dominion of theirs shall be both common and speciall common to all overall and speciall to some over some for all Gods Elect shal have this Kingly power overall reprobates where ever they find them in the world to come and yet some of them shall have a more speciall dominion over some reprobates then over others 6. That this dominion of theirs shall continue for ever over such as I gather from that of the Prophet The Saints of the most high shall take the kingdome and shall possesse the kingdome for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. Which Proposition thus cleared may be useful thus 1. It makes for the confutation of such as plead hard for a temporall dominion of Vse all Saints overall the wicked and reprobate sort in this life which conceit is much cried up by all sorts of Millenaries in these dayes for a great mystery and some of them say that the time is now come wherein the Saints must take possession of all the Kingdomes upon earth and must rule the wicked and reprobate sort in them with a two-edged sword and a rod of iron and must bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron c. But I would have these deluded Brethren at length to understand that this conceit of theirs is first contrary to Scripture because that dominion over the wicked which the Scripture promiseth to the Saints is not a temporall dominion to be injoyed in this world but an eternall dominion to be injoyed in the world to come as hath been before shewed Secondly that it is contrary to reason for if Gods Elect in this life cannot discern reprobates from others it is against reason to think that they shall have dominion over them in this life but they cannot by all their skill discern reprobates from others while they live here therefore it is against reason to think that they shall have dominion over them in this world Thirdly that it is contrary to daily experience for we find by daily experience