and the earth Iron Deu. 28. 23 and when the ground was cursed for mans sinne Gen. 3. 17 18. He turneth a fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Psa 107. 34 this is a sore bondage Sixthly Every creature would preserve his owne kind for ever but the variance and discord of the creatures one with another make it to seeme unpossible and all their labour to be lost this was occasioned by the sin of man that all the foundations of the earth are out of course Psa 82. 5. from this burden they groane to be delivered Seventhly It is a great bondage to the creatures that they have lost a great part of their vertue operation and influence they are by the sinne of man much dulled and disabled to act or to operate or to communicate their vertues to others as they did at the first creation and this is a great bondage from which they groane to delivered but this is true that the Heb. 1. 11 12. Joh. 15. 15. heavens wax old as a garment and as a vesture they shall be changed and subject to perish too for the sinne of man for that it hath defiled them The heavens are not cleane in his sight and it is observed by some since the creation that the Sun hath lost a great part of its heate and that it runnes nearer to the earth now then it did at the first by at the least 9976. Germane miles Byfield on the Colossians which shewes the dulnesse of it in comparison of its first creation therefore without exception the heaven and the earth with all the creatures that are in them as men and beasts and fowles groane to be delivered But I suppose that the Sea and the Creatures that live in it shall not continue after the day of judgement for it is said expresly when the new heavens and the new earth are made there shall be no more Sea neither were the Fishes brought to Adam as to their Lord to see what hee would call Rev. 21. 1. Gen. 2. 19 20. Gen. 1. 21. Gen. 6. 17. 19 20. them when all the beasts and fowles were and God gave the Whales their name before Adam was made neither were any Fishes in Noahs Arke preserved from that great Deluge which was a type how some of every kind shall be preserved from the fire in the day of judgement as then they were from the water which then drowned all the world therefore I exclude them from the groaning creatures And the blessed Angels I cannot include among the groaning creatures yet they sustaine a kinde of bondage for they are made to serve earthly Psal 91 11. Matth. 18. 10. Heb. 1. 14. things men have their Angels to attend and guard them and it is thought they have the charge and protection of Kingdomes committed to them from such places as these in Scripture Dan. 10. 13. 12. 1. Psal 34. 7. Revel 12. 7. Luk. 2. 9 10. 13. 15. And some thinke they move the Orbes of Heaven and sometimes they are put to inflict punishments on wicked men as on the Isa 37. 36. Campe of the King of Assyria and sometimes they are hindred in their worke as one complaines that the great Prince of the kingdome of Persia Dan. 10 13. withstood him one and twenty dayes and although the Angels shall bee imployed at the day of judgement yet they must not know when it must Matth. 24. 31 36. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephe. 3. 10. Luk. 15. 7. be and the Angels desire to looke into the mystery of our redemption as not being satisfied in their knowledge and by the Church is made known to them the manifold wisedome of God and they have some joy when one sinner is converted thus when their knowledge and joy is increased by the Church and they are freed from all the forementioned things it will be a great ease to them as it were a deliverance out of bondage but this is true For unto the Angels hath he not put into subjection the world to come whereof Heb. 2. 5. we speake they shall be eased of that bondage Object Suppose any doe object and say that the world to come is meant ever since Christ was on the earth now under the Gospell because wee keepe our account not from the beginning of the world but from the yeare of Christ I answer that is no more then we do the yeare of our King but what is this concerning the age of the world we are not so simple as to affirme the account from Christ is the account of the world for we know the contrary Againe it cannot be meant that now under the Gospell is the world to come for saith the Apostle after Christs ascension we are they on whom 1 Cor. 10 11 Heb. 9. 2â— the ends of the world are come now if it be counted by the Apostle since that Christ was on the earth to be the end of the old world it cannot bee the world to come here spoken of Againe the world may be divided into three parts the first from the creation to the giving of the Law in which mans diet was the hearbs of the field and they had not the written Law but onely by tradition and the Church was in but one family Secondly Gen. 1. 23. Gen. 18. from Moses to Christ in which they might eate of such beasts as were cleane by the Law so that they did not eate the blood which was the life and they had the Law written yet darkely in types and shadowes and a whole kingdom taken into the Church Thirdly from Christ to the end of the world in which all things may be eaten with thankesgiving nothing 1 Tim. 4. 3. Acts 10. to bee counted common or uncleane and wee have not onely the Law in darke types and shadowes but the vaile taken away and the Gospell clearely setting forth Christ farre beyond all types and shadowes and the bounds of the Church to be in all nations this third age of the world is Matth 28. 19. Gal. 4. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Jude 17. 18 19. called the fulnesse of time and saith Paul In the last dayes perilous times shall come and saith Peter There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their owne lusts and saith Jude Remember ye the words which were spoken before of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you that there should come mockers in the last times who would walke after their owne lusts now marke These be they saith he who separate themselves sensuall having not the Spirit and saith John Little Children it is the last time and yee have heard that Antichrist 1 John 2. 18. shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time therefore if now be the last times of the old world then sure I am that
thousand yeares but as I said before this cannot be meant of a corporall death or bodily resurrection but it must be understood mystically that they were slaine in their outward livelihood both in their name and estate saith David I was as a dead man out of mind in the esteeme of the world and yet at the same time reigne over satan and their owne corruptions Or if any were slaine in the first thousand yeares yet God left not himselfe without witnesse but the more they afflicted them the more they multiplyed Acts 14 17 Exod. 2. 12 Rev. 11. and grew as Israel did in the bondage of Aegypt and some of the witnesses that were slaine are said to lye in the streetes and not suffered to be buryed and after three dayes and a halfe the Spirit of life came into them and they stood upon their feete these things have beene clearely shewed of late to be understood mystically And againe can we thinke that some of them that are dead their soules shall return some shall not to live here a thousand yeares and their bodies raised and not all shall some rise a thousand yeares before others doth not Christ say they shall all rise in one houre Marvell not at this for the houre commeth in which all that are John 5. 28 29. in the graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done evill to the resurrection of damnation 1 Cor. 15. 52. And doth not Paul say In a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump for the trump shall sound and the dead shall be raised Then I conclude this argument that if the bodies of all shall rise together in one houre in a moment in the twinkling of an eye but it is said all they that are in the graves not some of them and in a moment not a thousand yeares distance of some from the rest that shall rise from the dead And whereas some affirme that in this thousand yeares the Church or Kingdome of Christ shall be all righteous all Saints under the King of Saints and no hypocrites nor excommunicate persons and the wicked Revel 15. shall be as slaves to them in that day and the Saints shall be as Lords in the earth and shall neither marry nor be given in marriage and the Apostles shall come and rule this Kingdome I answer these things some are false and some are true but mis-applyed those that are true are to be fulfilled after the day of Judgement and not in this corrupted world as when the people shall be all righteous they shall inherit the Land not onely a thousand yeares but for ever in the Isa 60. 19 20 21. new world when the Sunne shall no more goe downe nor the Moone withdraw it selfe but the Lord shall be to them an everlasting light and thy God thy glory And so if the Saints of the most High shall take and possesse the Kingdome I answer After the day of Judgement so they shall not onely for a thousand yeares but for ever even for ever for his dominion Dan. 7. 18. 14 7. is an everlasting dominion when all people and Nations and languages shall serve him in it and to say that there shall be no Hypocrites in it I say so too in the new Jerusalem when it comes downe from heaven unto the earth but this will never be till the restitution of all things till the fire at the day of Judgement hath purged the earth and made it fit for so great a mercy wherein dwelleth righteousnesse but till that day of Judgement this cannot be For the Tares and the Wheate shall grow together untill the Harvest which is at the end of the world and the Angels are the Reapers and by them shall the Wheate bee brought into the Barne they shall gather the elect from the foure windes Mat. 24. 31. And they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend and them Math. 13. 41 42. that doe iniquity and shall cast them into the furnace of fire but when the Angels are sent about this businesse they will finde them altogether minding earthly things as eating and drinking and marrying and mixed together Mat. 24 37 38. two in a bed the one taken and the other left two in the field and two grinding at the Mill the one taken and the other left Therefore when Christ comes to Judgement there shall be Hypocrites and they shall not be used as slaves but in the same bed at the same worke and recreation together And to say the Saints shall be Lords over the wicked this cannot be true neither here nor hereafter for before the end the wicked shall have as great a share of outward riches and honour as the Saints and many times greater and after the day of Judgement I shewed before that all things that offend and that doe iniquity shall be cast into the furnace of fire so that though it be true they shall be Lords and Kings it is not meant over wicked men but over the rest of the creatures this Adam had and lost it and Revel 5. 10 the second Adam hath restored it to us againe as I shewed before and to say that the Apostles shall rule this Kingdome when they are all Saints and the King of Saints present is not worth the answering for they shall be all Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Feare not little flocke it is your Rev. 1. 6 5 10. Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome none shall rule but God alone for all rule and authority and power shall then be put downe Then shall Luke 12 32 1 Cor. 15. 24 28. Revel 20 1 2 3. God himselfe be all in all But they will object against all this cleare light that John saw an Angell come downe from heaven having the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chaine in his hand and he laid hold on the Dragon that old serpent which is the devill and bound him a thousand yeares and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seale upon him that he should not deceive the Nations till the thousand yeares should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season This say they is to be understood of Christ binding the devill a thousand yeares after their soules are returned againe and their bodies raised and united to them then they say they shall live here a thousand yeares againe before the day of Judgement in great glory and happinesse I answer the devils were bound in chaines of darknesse as soone as they had sinned For God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse And if you aske me how long I 2 Pet 2. 4. Jude 6. Job 1. answer till the day of Judgement He was in
in the ayre 1 Thess 4. 17. then I conclude that the Saints departed are in heaven with Christ neither shall they come againe before with him nor without him till the day of judgement for as Adam had the world prepared for him before his creation so shall the Saints departed have the world purged from all the corruption of it before they shall have it restored to them againe and this shall be a great happinesse to them to have it in the first perfection for ever yet I grant from the creation of the world to the end of it that Christ as a King rules by his power and providence over all kingdomes peoples and creatures he upholds all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. he saith By me kings raigne and Princes decree justice by me princes rule and nobles even all the Judges of the earth Prov. 8. 15 16. our God is in heaven and hath done whatsoever he pleased his counsell shall stand and the thoughts of his heart to all generations Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. 33. 10 11. Secondly Christ rules his Church in an especiall manner ordering all the affaires of it he hath made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe who worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will hee worketh in us both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure Ephe. 1. 9. 11. thus Christ rules now and shall to the end of the world and no otherwise Phil. 2. 13. And to say that Christ shall rule and governe as earthly monarches have done over this corrupted world before the day of judgement in a worldly visible and earthly glory is but a fancy and cannot bee grounded upon the word of God and the author of that booke that goes in the name of Mr. Archer grants himselfe Page 5. that there is a world to come to bee put in subjection to Christ of which Adam in his Innocency was a type in many respects first as hee damned all mankind this was a type and figure of Christ saving all the elect Rom 5. 14. and his marriage to the woman was a type of the conjunction of Christ to his Church Ephe. 5. 30 31 32. and his soverainty over this present world was a figure of the subjection of the world to come to Christ these things I grant yet not before the day of judgement because the good and the bad are mixed together and shall bee so till the day of judgement Ioh 15. 15. and because all the creatures are corrupted by the sinne of man The heavens are not cleare in his sight and God looked upon the earth and behold it was corrupt Gen 6. 2. for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth this came by the sinne of man and shall not be purged but by fire at the judgement day But they object this cannot bee after the day of judgement because then Object 1 Cor. 15. 24. Luke 19. 11 12. 2 Tim. 4. ◠Christ resignes up his Kingdome but Christ in that parable of the noble man is gone into a farre country to receive for himselfe a kingdome and to returne and saith the Apostle at the appearance of Christ and his kingdome from these places they would prove that Christ shall come a thousand yeares to raigne here before his last comming to judgement To these things I answer that it is not meant that Christ shall render up his kingdome out of his owne hand but to render up the manner of government he shall then render up his mediatorship he need make intercession no longer when his people are in full possession of all that happinesse that is promised to them neither need Christ to make use of earthly things as his deputies or Isay 49. 23 Dan. 7. 9. 1 Cor. 15. Vers 28. Heb 7. 25. Mark 13. 3 John 8. 29 4. 34. vicegerents to be noursing fathers to his Churches all these thrones shall be cast downe when the ancient of dayes doth sit and though it may be said then the Sonne shall be subject to him that put all things under him that God may be all in all this is to be understood the humanity of Christ shall be subject to the deity and so it is now for he now makes intercession for his people and as man he knoweth not when the day of judgement shall be and saith he the Father hath not left me alone for I doe alwayes those things that please him Jesus said unto them my meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke but his mediatorship is not yet finished Matth. 22. 44. till all his enemies are made his footstoole then will his glory be farre greater then now it is when the Devils and wicked men and all things that offend and that doe iniquity shall by the Angels be cast out of his kingdome and cast into Matth. 13 41 42. John 17. 2 Ephe. 1. 2 4. 13. Dan 7. 1◠18. 27. Revel 22. ◅ Revel 21. ◅ Luke 19. ◅ 11 12. Heb. 12. 2◠24. 2 Tim 4. ◠1 Thess 3◠3 13. 2 Thess 1◠the furnace of fire all his Saints shall be where he is to behold his glory this is called the fulnesse of Christ when all his Saints are glorified with him his dominion is everlasting which shall not passe away his kingdome shall not be destroyed but when the curse is taken from the earth the throne of God and of the Lambe shall be in it and his servants shall serve him as naturall members of his body when the Saints shall inherit all things And whereas it is said that Christ went to receive a kingdome and to returne I answer that he is gone to heaven to receive that kingdome for us and the soules of just men made perfect doe enjoy it and from that other place spoken of his appearing and his kingdome this is at the day of judgement when he comes to judge both the quicke and dead at his appearing and his kingdome and then shall Christ have another kingdome when he comes from heaven with all his Saints when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels all these earthly things shall then be purified by fire and restored againe to him and his Saints in their first perfection and unto them that looke for him he shall appeare the second time without sin unto salvation then if salvation be at his second cōming in my judgement there needs Heb. 9. 2◠not a third neither can his second comming be understood of his living here in this corrupted world a thousand yeares but after the day of judgement in that new world to all eternity The Prophet Isay after hee hath spoken of the comming of Christ in the flesh Chap. 11. from the first verse to the eleventh then hee speakes of his comming to judgement
THE SAINTS INHERITANCE After the Day of IVDGEMENT Being also An Answer to certaine scruples of late delivered and others Printed especially in that Booke intituled The Personall Reigne of Christ upon Earth By T. B. Isa 45. 17 18. For Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end for thus saith the Lord that created the heavens God himselfe that formed the earth and made it he hath established it he created it not in vaine he formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is none else Dan. 7. 18. 27. But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possesse the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever and the Kingdome and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdome and all Dominions shall serve and obey him LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes and are to be sold by John Sweeting in Popes-head-Alley 1643. Revel 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and be shall be my sonne THe meaning of these words are not to be confined onely to the joyes of heaven when the body is dead and the Soule is ascended up thither and hath the fruition of God the Father and of Jesus Christ and the blessed Spirit and the holy Angels and soules of just men made perfect but it reacheth unto all things that are here below in this world to satisfie the body also at the resurrection day when the creatures and man also are all restored againe to their first perfection for saith the Lord I will bring a seede out of Jacob and out of Judah an inheritour of my mountaines and mine elect shall inherit it Isa 65. 10. 11. see 3 5 2. and my Servants shall dwell there and Sharron shall be a fold for flockes and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lye downe in for my people that have sought me This is promised to those that overcome First the world as it is now corrupted by the sinne of man so that neither the pleasures nor profits thereof deceive our hearts to set our love immoderately on it Let your moderation be knowne to all men the Lord is at hand Secondly to them that stand fast against all the wiles of the Devill Phil. 4. 5. Ephe. 6. 11 and doe not let Satan get advantage of them those that are not ignorant of his devices but resist the Devill and cause him to flye from them Thirdly 2 Cor. 2. 11 Jam. 4. 7. Isa 44. 20. Pro. 4. 23. 1 Cor. 9. 27 those that their owne deceived heart hath not turned them aside those that keepe their heart withall diligence those that keepe under their body and bring it in subjection and keepe their mouth with a bridle Psal 39. 1. and make a covenant with their eyes Job 31. 1. he that thus overcometh saith Christ will I grant to fit with me on his throne Rev. 3. 21. he shall inherit all things but in this world we are Warriours fighting against them for they are not really overcome in this world therefore the full fruition of all things is reserved till after death in the world to come when old things are passed away and all things are become new for he that sate on Revel 21. 5 the throue said Behold I make all things new then saith the Lord I will be his God and he shall be my Sonne Beloved now we are the Sonnes of God and it doth not yet appeare what we shall be but wee know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him but while we are here in this 1 Joh. 3. 2. Gal 4. 1. world we are as the heire under age being a childe and differing nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all we are not fit to have that authority over the creatures as Adam had till we are againe restored to that perfection that he had to be without sinne as he was neither are the creatures fit to doe their duty to us being all corrupted with our sinnes but when we and they are againe restored to our first perfection then and not before shall the Saints inherit all things for this inheritance must bee immortall uncorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away but these things as they 1 Pet. 1. 4. Mat. 5. Heb. 12. 28. are now are sometimes taken from us and sometimes we are taken from them and at the day of judgement the heavens and earth shall passe away I doe not meane the heaven of the blessed that is a kingdome that cannot be moved but the starry heavens and the cloudy heavens they shal passe away with a great noyse and the elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt up the heavens being 2 Pet. 3. 10. 12. on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat and saith John I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them thus in Revel 20. 11. the day of Judgement but the Lord whom ye seeke shall suddainly come to his Temple even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hoasts but who may abide his coming and who shall stand when he appeareth for he shall be like refiners fire and fullers sope he shall purifie the sonnes of Levi for he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and shall purge them as gold and Mal. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesse then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord but in this Judgement he will be a swift witnesse against the wicked then will Christ purifie the creatures through fire at that day and consume their drosse with fire and brimstone and bring them backe againe to their first Chaos and then saith John in his vision I saw a new heaven and a new earth Rev. 21. 1. for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea and we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth 2 Pet. 3. 12 13. wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for saith the Lord Behold I create new heavens and a new earth for the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind The new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remaine before me Isa 65. 17. Isa 66. 22. And for the rest of the creatures the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God for the creature it selfe also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious Rom. 8. 19 20 21 22 23.
people the voyce of weeping shall be no more heard in her violence shall be no more heard in thy land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates Reve. 21. 22. 22. 9. prayer the Sunne shall be thy light no more by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moone give light unto thee but the Lord shall be to thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory thy Sunne shall no more go down Esay 60. 18 19 20 21. neither shall the moone withdraw it selfe for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended thy people shall be all righteous they shall inherit the land for ever the branch of my planting the worke of my hands that I may be glorified and not onely Esay 86. 24. so that they shall enjoy all things here but they shall goe forth and looke upon the carcasses of them that have transgressed against the Lord for their worme shall nor die not the fire be quenched but they shall bee an abhorring to all flesh the miseries of the damned that they shall see shall much increase their joy when they shall see what judgements the Lord hath saved them from and what a joy will it be when the creatures shall yeeld us true subjection as they did to Adam in Paradise and how will the Angels rejoyce to see all the Saints not onely converted but glorified Luke 15. 7. and how shall we rejoyce to see the will of God done on the earth as it is in heavens and when we shall have that Petition granted which we have so long prayed and waited for which is Thy kingdome come Matth 6. If any shall yet object and say the Saints shall not enjoy all things because we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine we shall carry nothing out naked we came and naked we shall returne Arise and depart 1 Tim. 6. 7. Job 1. 21. Micah 2. 10 Heb. 11. 16 Matth. 8. 11 Luk. 23. 43 Eccle. 12. 7 for this is not your rest because it is polluted therefore they desire a better country that is a heavenly and they shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven and this shall be as soone as they depart this life This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise then shall dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit to God who gave it The answering of this may satisfie three sorts of opinions first that the soule is begotten as well as the body secondly that there is a place of abode for the soule when it is departed from the body besides heaven or hell thirdly it may answer those that thinke the soule and body both shall not after the day of judgement enjoy all things but shall bee confined in heaven for ever First if the spirit returne to God that gave it then the Father did not beget it but the Lord breathed into Adam the breath of life and he became a living soule and the Lord formeth the spirit of man within him and Gen 2. 7. Zach. 12. 1. some untimely birthes never had any spirit in them Man is the father of the flesh because he begot it but it is Gods owne peculiar title to be the Father of Spirits Numb 16. 22. 27. 16. See Heb. 12. 9. because he formed it Zach. 12. 1. and gave it Eccles 12. 7. If man should beget the soule of his childe then he that hath a righteous soule would beget a soule in his own likenesse but we see the contrary Againe if a man should beget the soule of his childe he must either infuse his owne soule into it or else he must infuse a peece of it but which of the two is it If he infuse a peece of his owne soule into the childe then he hath but a piece left himselfe and his childe another piece but if he hath parted with all his soule then he hath none himselfe but so much for this ridiculous question For the second that there is a place for the soules abode when it is departed from the body besides heaven or hell this I deny for I suppose the testimony of Christ is sufficient to prove that the Soules of Abraham Isaac and Jacob are in Heaven for we doe not conceive that their bodies are there but that they are turned to dust and are in that burying place which Abraham bought of Ephron the Hittite then their soules are in heaven else Gen. 23. 15 how shall they come from the East and from the West and sit downe with them in Heaven If they were not there before the day of Judgement we should be there as soone as they But where is that great assembly of the first borne I meane of all those that are borne anew of the water and the Spirit if they be not entred into the Kingdome of God Where those first borne such as Andronicus and Junia who were in Christ before me Joh. 3. 3. 5. Rom. 16 7. Heb. 12. 22 23 24. are not they in the heavenly Jerusalem the City of the living God is it not there where the spirits or soules of Just men are made perfect they are with Jesus the mediatour of the new Covenant and where is he but in heaven till the restitution of all things and this as soone as their soules depart Acts 3. 21. Heb. 9. 24. from the body saith Christ to him upon the Crosse this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise but will you know where this Paradise is if you will take Pauls word for it he will tell you that it is the third heaven 2 Cor. 12. 3 4. for saith he such a one was taken up into the third heaven he was caught up into Paradise now if from this place you be not satisfied that Paradise and the third heaven is to be understood the same thing you must be forced to grant that Paradise is above it for he was first taken up into the third heaven and then he was caught up into Paradise he doth not say that he was cast downe againe into Paradise so then if the soule of the thiefe was that day with Christ in Paradise then it was in the third heaven where the soules of all just men are made perfect that are departed for they are not so while they are here and in the Parable the rich man died and in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments here it is plaine that his Soule went immediately to hell but the begger went to Abrahams bosome But Luke 66. 22 23. say they where is Abraham I say that Christ hath told you already in heaven but why in Abrahams bosome because he is said to be the father of the faithfull as the father of the Prodigall rejoyced to see the returne of his Sonne so will Abraham rejoyce to
creatures rejoyce at the comming of Christ to Judgement Psal 96. 11 12 13. because then they shall be restored againe to their first perfection by these things I know that what God doth it shall be for ever Eccles 3. 14. Yet I am confident that in this world before the end of it here well bee glorious dayes for the Gospell shall be Preached in many nations together in the last dayes in the times of the Gospell being the third and last age of the World when the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountaines and exalted above the hills that is the Gospell shall Micah 4. 1 2 3. Isa 2. 2 3 4 prevaile against and above all mountaines and hills of opposition and all nations shall flow unto it and many nations shall goe and say come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob he will teach us of his wayes and we will walke in his paths for out of Zion shall goe forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people that is Christ by his Church and people will bridle and curbe and keepe under the power of the enemies but the next words cannot well be fulfilled in this world before the end that is when they shall beate their swords into Ploughshares and their speares into Pruning hookes and learne warres no Vers 4. 2 Cor. 10. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 2 3 4. Mat. 24 7 8 more for all the life of a Christian is but warfare and we must indure hardnesse as a good Souldier and we know by experience what warres hath beene this last age under the Gospell and so they shall continue for Kingdome shall be against Kingdome and there shall be warres and rumours of warres till the comming of Christ to Judgement but after that day when the Saints shall have all things restored to them in their first perfection Mat. 13. 41 42. and all things are taken out of his Kingdome that doe offend and that doe iniquity and are cast into the furnace of fire by the Angels at that day then I suppose the Saints shall dresse the gardens and prune the vineyards as Adam did in his innocency yet for pleasure and recreation not working as a toyle but for delight then shall this be fulfilled there shall be warres no more but in the most glorious times under the Gospell before the end of the world wee shall never be freed from warres as I said before but when Kingdome is against Kingdome and Nation against Mat. 24 6 7. 14. 29 30 36. Nation then shall the Gospell be Preached in all the world for a witnesse unto all Nations and then shall the end come and immediately after the tribulation shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heaven yet the Judgement day knoweth no man nor Angell in heaven But it will be very glorious times when the hearts of Lions Tigers Wolyes Leopards and Cockatrices shall be taken from them and the hearts of Lambes and Children given to them so that they shall not hurt nor destroy in the Isa 11 6 7 8 9 10 11. mountaine of the Lord but the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that cover the Sea then shall his rest be glorious when his wayes are knowne upon earth and his saving health is come into all Nations and some shall be redeemed out of every Nation every kindred tongue and people Other sheep he hath which are not yet of this fold them also I must bring and they shall heare his voyce and there shall be one fold and one shepherd yet all this in troublous times Dan. 9. 25. The children of Israel shall returne and seeke the Lord their God and David Psal 67 2. Rev. 5. 9. Joh. 10. 16. Hos 3. 5. their King and shall feare the Lord and his goodnesses in the latter dayes Zions righteousnesse shall goe forth as brightnesse and the salvation therof as a lampe that burneth and the Gentiles shall see thy righteousnesse and all Kings thy glory and thou shalt be called by a new name which the Isa 62. 1 2 3. mouth of the Lord shall name thou shalt also be a crowne of glory in the Lord a Royall Diadem in the hand of thy God Arise shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee for darknesse shall cover Isa 60. 1 2 3 4 5. the earth grosse darknes the people but the Lord shall rise upon thee his glory shall be seen upon thee the gentiles shall come to thy light Kings to the brightnes of thy rising thy sonnes shall come from farre thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side then shalt thou see and flow together and thy heart shall feare and bee enlarged because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee and the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee surely these will be glorious times when Jewes and Gentiles so well accord to serve the Lord and this shall bee before the end and I Rev. 31. 13. 18 19. hope it is neare at hand that Antichrist shall downe this Kingdome being the tenth part of the great City which now is falling off and the rest will soone molder away and the Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ and the Temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seene in his Temple the Arke of his Testament the Nations were angry then what makes the Nations so angry with us how quiet have the Nations been these hundred yeares till now the tenth part of the City fell and the Temple is opened and the Arke and the Testimony are seene that is Christ and the saving doctrines of election and free grace are clearely laid open this makes the Nations angry but we hope in this great Earthquake all the superstition and Idolatry of Antichrist will tumble downe and many of those gracious promises shall be fulfilled But as the destruction of Jerusalem and the destruction of the world foretold in the Gospell are so infolded together that it is hard to distinguish one from the other because that in many things they doe so agree Mat. 24. yet in some things they may be knowne so the restauration of Jerusalem or the calling of the Jewes doth so agree with that restauration of all things to the first perfection and the comming downe of that Jerusalem out of heaven Rev. 21. 2. that it is hard to distinguish the one from the other yet in some things they may be knowne I will here name some places of the Scripture which I suppose the promises are so mixed that they neither can be applyed before nor after but partly before and partly after it is said judgment shall dwell in the Wildernesse
and this he calls a second comming Vers 11. in these words And it shall come to passe in that day that the Lord shall set his hand againe the second time to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left in many parts of the world and from the Islands of the Sea he shall set up an ensigne for the nations and shall assemble the out-casts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the foure corners of the earth Vers 12. the next chapter is nothing else but a praysing God for those excellent things that he hath made knowne in all the earth Vers 5. and in the 13. Chap. Vers 9 10 11. is shewed the manner of his judgements Behold the day of the Lord commeth cruell both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the Land desolate and he shall destroy the sinners out of it then the starres of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light the Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine for I will punish the world for their evill and the wicked for their iniquity now if the comming of Christ to judgement bee his second comming then where will be found his comming to raigne here a thousand yeares before the end of the world But they would needs have Christ to rule here as the other monarchs have done because he is mentioned to rise upon the downefall of those monarches first the Assyrian which fell into the Babylonian that was overcome by the Medes and Persians and that of the Medes and Persians was overcome by the Grecians and that of the Grecians was overcome by the Romans and that of the Romans was overcome by the white stone cut out of the rocke without hands this westerne monarch which fell into many kingdomes the white stone shall ruine all these kingdomes smite the image on the feet that were of Iron and Clay and swallow up the whole Image all the foregoing monarchs were â—an 2. 34 â—5 brought under and by it to nothing and it became a monarch over the whole earth by these things he would have the monarchy of Christ here spoken of to be before the day of judgement in this corrupted world while the good and the bad are in it and every creature defiled with sinne as I have shewed before but this cannot be for all things that offend and that doe iniquity the Angels shall gather out of this kingdome and cast them into the Furnace of fire Matth. 13. 〈◊〉 41 42. and this kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him the Saints of the most High shall possesse the kingdome â—an 7. 27. â—ers 18. for ever even for ever then this cannot bee before the day of judgement because that none but Saints shall possesse it for here the Tares and Wheate shall grow together and the good and the bad shall be together till the very day that the Angels are sent to fetch them before the Judge and the heavens shall receive Christ till the restitution of all things to their first perfection then shall the Saints inherit all things And where he saith that the Saints shall bee confined in heaven and all things here below shall bee turned againe into a confused Chaos and so remaine for ever this I have answered already One scruple more is this whether the middle heaven called the starry heaven shall continue after the day of judgement because some times it is spoken in the singular number I saw a new heaven and the Citie had no need of the Sunne or Moone to shine in it and there shall bee no night there now if the Revel 21. 1 heavens be destroyed and but one be made new and the Citie no need of the Sunne Moone or Starres then say they God will make nothing in vaine Revel 21. 23. 25. Isay 45. 18. Revel 21. 1 2 Pet. 3. 10. 12 13. I answer where it is said I saw a new heaven in the same place it is said the first heaven passed away this is spoken onely for brevity as in Cap. 20. Ver. 11. it is said the earth and the heaven fled away but we know the heavens shall passe away and the elements shall melt with fervent heate and we according to his promise looke for new heavens now where the Scripture in some places speakes more briefly and other places more largely we ought to take the largest expression and whereas it is said in the Citie there shall bee no neede of the Sun or Moone to shine in it I answer it is true when every Saint of God shall shine as the Sunne in the Firmament and Christ their head ten thousand times more brighter then the Sunne besides the infinite glory of God himselfe Matth. 13. 43. Revel 21. 23. shall be there to inlighten it so that in the Citie there will bee no neede of these things yet out of the Citie the beasts and fowles both stand in need of these things therefore they shall be purified that the rest of the creatures may have those comforts belonging to them and so they shall continue for ever the light of the moone shall then bee as light as the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seven fold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroake of their wound then shall the Sunne no more goe downe neither shall the Isay 30. 26. Moone withdraw it selfe else the creatures would not be in so happy a condition under the second Adam in the new world as they were in their creation Isay 60. 20. under the first Adam in the old world The uses follow First Use hath Jesus sent his Angell to testifie these things unto the Churches Revel 22. 16 17. 20. then let the Spirit and the bride say Come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come for hee that testifieth these things saith surely I come quickly even so come Lord Jesus there bee many benefits that come with Christ that may cause the Saints to desire his appearing there is a Crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me alone but to all that love his appearing Beloved 2 Tim. 48. 1 Pet. 5. 4. we are now the Sonnes of God but it doth not yet appeare what wee shall be but we know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is then let us looke for that blessed hope and the glorious 1 John 3. 2 Titus 2. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Psal 96. 11 12 13. appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ We according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse