A DISCOVERIE OF THE VVorld to Come According to the SCRIPTURES The first Part thereof being Didactical or such as contains a Form of Positive Doctrine WHEREIN 1. The Doctrine of the World to come is propounded explicated confirmed and applyed in a more familiar method then formerly hath been observed 2. The Doctrine of Millenaries touching a New Reformed Church in the latter Times which they call A New World is confuted 3. Sundry passages of holy Writ are interpreted in reference to the World to come which have been formerly wrested and forced in a wrong sense Written by J. SEAGER M. A. and Minister of Broadclist in the County of Devon LONDON Printed by J. Macock for Luke Fawne and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1650. TO The Parishoners of Broadclist Grace and Peace be Multiplyed BEloved in the Lord It is now full eighteen years since that I was placed by the hand of Providâ—nce as a Spirituall Pastor amongst you upon the death of Mr. Robert Stennings three years of which time I was forced by the violence of Souldiers to absent my self from you these three years only excepted I have been constantly with you and as the Lord hath given me much health and strength of nature amongst you so I have spent much of that strength in my private studdies and publick imployments for you In witness whereof I can yet produce diverse volumes of Sermons written by me and published amongst you but I account this needless seeing you your selves can witnesse enough as touching this matter I will not compare my self with other Spirituall Labourers in Gods Vineyard for I know that they have received some of them ten talents some five some two yet this I may safely say that I have not hid my Masters one talent in a napkin but have improved it with diligence for the advancement of his glory and truth amongst you Wherefore after so long a time it concerns you all to enquire how ye have profited by my Ministry for be ye well assured that after so much spirituall husbandry as hath been used amongst you in plowing sowing planting and wattering the Lord will expect a plentiful crop of saving knowledge and obedience from you For my part I am prone to think the best of you as indulgent fathers are wont to think of their children I acknowledge that diverse of your friends and allies have dyed in my time whose life was precious and whose death was comfortable unto me and I hope to be better acquainted with them in the world to come then ever I was in this world I ac-acknowledge also that there are diverse now living amongst you of whom I am perswaded such things as accompany Salvation that they do sincerely love God and his truth and have not received the Grace of God nor the word of his grace in vain and my prayer for such is That they may persevere in grace unto the end holding fast the pattern of wholsome words which they have received and may never suffer themselves to be drawn away with the error of the wicked and so fal from their own stedfastness And I must needs acknowledge a third sort amongst you whom I have hitherto apprehended as proud contemners of the Word of God in my Ministery I pray God to give them Repentance unto life that they may recover themselves out of the snare oâ— the devil and may obtain pardon for this sin before their death otherwise I tremble to think how hard it wil be with them in the great day of the Lord Christ when they shall be accountable for every good Sermon and for every wholesome truth which they have thus contemned and trampled under their feet And now my beloved being desirous before my death to leave among you some token and testimonie of my love towards you I have published this Treatise which I call A Discovery of the VVorld to come some matters herein contained have been delivered in the open Congregation and here your eyes may see what your eares have heard yea here your eyes may see more then yet your eares have heard from me or from any other as I suppose touching this subject I am perswaded in my conscience of the truth of such grounds as are here delivered and my own soul hath felt the comfort of them for which cause I am the more hopefull that the same grounds may proove usefull and beneficiall unto others You may perceive with your eyes that I have not studdied strong lines and lofty expressions in this work but have endeavoured in plain and familiar termes to unfold a great Mystery unto you I do not herein perswade you to seek and search after the knowledge of this present world and the things hereof neither do I herein perswade you to love this present world and the things hereof you are by nature prone enough unto these things but hereby I do perswade and intreate you to study the knowledge of the world to come and to be better acquainted with the Doctrine hereof then yet you are because I apprehend this as a choyce part and high degree of saving knowledge and that which will profit you more at the last then all earthly treasures whatsoever and I am perswaded it is for want of this part of saving knowledge that many errours in these latter times are so readily entertained an assented unto In brief you have here a price put into your hands by Gods providence the Lord give you hearts to make a good use of it and if at any time I shall perceive this first part of my Discovery to be acceptable and useful to the Church of God I shal forthwith if the Lord shal permit studdy to conceive a Second Part and as soon as I shall have conceived it I shall be in travel to bring it forth to publick view In the interim I commend you to God and the Word of Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them that are sanctified Your Servant in such matters as concerns your eternal good John Seager The Contents AN Introduction Sect. I. Shewing That none should be grosly ignorant of the World to come as touching the Nature of it Sect. II. Shewing That the World to come considered as a Country or a Continent is to be distinguished from the third Heaven Sect. III. Shewing That the World to come shall have no Being before this present evil world shall be dissolved but shall begin immediately thereupon Sect. IV. Touching the Nature of the World to come considered as a Continent Sect. V. Touching the second Coming of Christ in the Flesh Sect. VI. Touching the last Resurrection Sect. VII Touching the last Judgment Sect. VIII Touching the Personal-Humane Kingdom of Christ in the World to come Sect. IX Touching the different Conditions of good and evil Angels in the World to come Sect. X. Touching the blessed Condition of Gods Elect
Phil. 3. 19. Ergo. 2. They that are vessels fitted for destruction shall be destroyed in the world to come But Reprobates are vessels fited for destruction RoÌ„ 9. 22. Ergo. 3. They that are made to be destroyed shall be destroyed in the world to come Reprobates are made to be destroyed Prov. 16. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 12. I do not say they are made to be destroyed for nought but for sin Ergo. 4. They that will never beleeve effectually shall be destroyed in the world to come as was prefigured and fore-shewed by the destruction of the Egyptians at the red Sea God having saved the Israelites from them afterward destroyed them that beleeved not Jude 5. Now Reprobates will never beleeve effectually Ergo. 5. They that will never repent of their transgressions unfainedly shall be destroyed in the world to comâ— Psal 37. 38. But Reprobates will never repent unfainedly of their transgressions Ergo. 6. They that will still be workers of iniquity shall be destroyed in the world to come according to that of Solomon Destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity Prov. 10. 29. 21. 15. But Reprobates will still be workers of iniquity Ergo. 7. They that will still be despisers of Gods Word shall be destroyed in the world to come Prov. 13. 13. But Reprobates will still be Despisers of the Word Ergo. 8. They that will still harden their necks against reproof shall be destroyed in the World to come Prov. 29. 1 without remedy But Reprobates will still harden their necks against reproof Ergo. 9. They that will still go in the broad way that leadeth to destruction shal be destroyed in the world to come Mat. 7. 13. But Reprobates will still go in the broad way that leadeth to destruction Ergo. Thirdly As concerning the causes of their Destruction in the World to come I affirm 1. That the efficient cause thereof shall be the whole Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost For which cause it is said That Hâ—ll and Destruction are before the Lord Prov. 15. 11. That Destruction shall come from the Almighty Joel 1. 15. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud Pro. 15. 25. 2. That the meritorious cause of their Destruction shall be their own sin in this world committed For which cause it is said That evil shall slay the wicked Psa 34. 21. Thy destruction is of thy self Hosea 13. 9. And more particularly it is said The prosperity of fools shall destroy them Pro. 1. 32. The perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them Prov. 11 3. Pride goeth before destruction Prov. 16. 18. The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them Prov. 21. 7. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledg Hosea 4. 6. 3. That the final cause of their Destruction shall be the glory of Gods Justice God shall destroy them that he may glorifie his Justice upon them Pro. 16. 4. 4. The ministring or dispensing cause of their destruction shall be both Christ and his Saints in the world to come For as Christ shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessel Ps 2. 9. so the saints shal do the like Rev. 2. 27. Fourthly As concerning the extent of their destruction I affirm That it shall extend to all of them in general and particular For because they will not repent they shall all perish Luk. 13. 1 2. and shall all be destroyed Psa 145. 20. 62. 3. and that in all respects Fifthly As touching the continuance of their Destruction I say That it shall continue for ever For it is written concerning wicked Reprobates That they shall be destroyed for ever Psa 52. 5. And if they grow green as the grass and flourish it is that they may be destroyed for ever Psa 92. 7. And again That they shall be punished with everlasting Destruction 2 Thess 1. 9. Now this Proposition may inform us Vse 1. That it had been good for Reprobates if they had never been born for if they had never been born they could not have been destroyed in this world nor in the world to come But now seeing they have been are or shall be all born it will follow necessarily That they shall be all destroyed both in this world and in the world to come for their sins 2. That it will be worse with them in the world to come then it can be with them in this world For the worst destruction that can befall them in this world is but a temporal Destruction but in the world to come they shall have everlasting Destruction 3. That seeing none are willing to be destroyed with Reprobates in the world to come we should all be careful 1. To avoyd the way that leadeth to destruction which is a broad way Mat. 7. 13. the way of the multitude and of the major part and we should not follow a multitude to do evil lest we suffer with them But if we avoyd this way we shall never be destroyed with Reprobates in the world to come 2. To shun the most proper sins of Reprobates as final impenitency final unbelief and final apostacy the two former of which may be without the latter but the latter can never be without the former all three are deadly sins And if we be careful to shun these most proper sins of theirs we shall never be destroyed with them in the world to come 3. To harken unto those which teach us the way of Salvation that so we may be acquainted with this way and walk in it and continue in it and if we do so we shall never be destroyed with Reprobates in the world to come 4. To give diligence that we may make our calling and Election sure unto our selves by our faith repentance love and obedience and other such graces And of we do so we shall never fall 2 Pet 1. 10. neither shall we ever be destroyed with Reprobates in the world to come SECT XII Touching the Life of Gods Elect and the Death of Reprobates in the World to Come I Am now to speak of a second special difference which shall be betwixt Gods Elect and Reprobates in the World to come and this difference may be thus expressed in two Propositions viz. Gods Elect shall enjoy everlasting Life in the world to come Reprobates shall suffer everlasting Death in the world to come The first Proposition is That Gods Elect shall 1 Proposit enjoy everlasting Life in the World to come And touching this Life of theirs we are to consider The Nature of it The Certainty of it The Causes of it First Touching the nature of it I say that everlasting Life is not here to be taken in a natural sence but in a spiritual and mystical sence for if we should take it in a natural sence it can be nothing else but an everlasting conjunction of the Soul of man with his body which Life shall be common to good and bad to Elect and Reprobates in the World to come
a good hope to do it as he sheweth vers 14 15 23 24 28 29 30 31 32. Yet in all this Chapter he speaks not a word of a National Conversion of the Jews of latter times and when he saith Aâ—l Israel shall be saved vers 26. he is so far from speaking of the temporal Conversion of any â—hat he speaks of the final full and everlasting Salvaâ—ion of all the Elect Israel of God as hath been acknowledged by many learned Expositors Wherefore Calvin Gerard Wollebius when you shall awake out of this sleep I hope â—ou will say with me that ye have been in a dream â—hitherto and that this present world is evil and is â—ikely to be yet worse both in respect of sin and punishment But if some shall here object and say We must Object distinguish the morning and the evening of the latter times and must know that though the morning of the latter times doth yet continue perillous yet the evening shall not be so but shall be auspicious and glorious To this I answer It will be hard if not impossible Sol. for any to prove either that these perillous days of ours do belong unto the morning of the latter times or that the evening shall be less perillous then the morning hath been Rather I think it may be proved That the morning of the latter times was less perillous both in respect of sin and punishment and more eximious for holiness and happiness then the evening shall be Wherefore as I conceive this distinction thus applied will not help at a dead lift though it may be very useful as it may be applied some other way And though it be true that all such unconverted Jews as belong to Gods Election shall in time be converted yet it will be a sweating task for any to prove from the 11 Chapter to the Romans or from any other place or places of Scripture That there shall be an Universal or a National Conversion either of the present oâ— of a latter off-spring of Jews or that there shall be so great or so numerous a Conversion of Jews hereafter in any time to come as there was in the days of Christ and of his Apostles And if the Conversion of the Gentiles shall continue in a constant course and succession till the second Coming of Christ from the heavenly Sion Rom. 11. 25 26. what time will there remain for a National Conversion of a latter off-spring of Jews But more will be said of this in the following pages Again If this present world be evil in both the former respects then the sons of men should not love it in those respects nor set their hearts upon it Indeed we have no reason to hate this world as it is Gods workmanship nor as it is the place for Repentance and true Conversion nor as it is the place wherein much good may be received and done and wherein we are to seek the Kingdom of God and his Mat. 6. Righteousness to run the race of Christianity and to make our Calling and Election sure So neither have we any reason to love it for any vanity sin corruption or misery that is to be found in it according to that of Saint John Love not the world neither the things that are in the world 1 Joh. 2. 15. where the world is taken either figuratively for thâ— wicked of the world or else properly for the placâ— of earthly corruption and by the things that arâ— in the world he understands the sinful lusts hereof and shews that this world is not to be loved in these respects because if any man love the world in such respects the love of the father is not in him and all that is in the world saith he the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world Vers 16. And Sainâ— James tells us That the friendship of this world is enmity with God Jam. 4. 4. Nay we should be so far from loving it in those respects that 1. We should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. 2. We should use it rather for necessity then for delight and this is to use this world as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7. 31. 3. We should strive by faith to overcome and subdue in our selves the love of earthly vanities For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith 1 Joh. 5. 4. 4. We should take heed lest at any time our hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life and so that day of the Lord come upon us unawares Luk. 21. 34. 5. We should be heavenly minded and affected according to the Apostles advice If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth Col. 3. 1 2. And according to our Saviours advice Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where theeves break through and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where theeves do not break through and steal For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Mat. 6. 19 20 21. 6. We should be much conversant in our thoughts and speeches about heavenly matters and affairs and this is to have our Conversation in Heaven from whence we look for our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 20. 7. We should be constantly willing to leave this world and to be wholy divorced from it in the former respects as Elijah was when he said It is enough Lord take away my life for I am no better then my father as old Simeon was when he said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace and Saint Paul was when he said I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And then may a man truly say with the Apostle I am crucified unto the world and the world to me Gal. 6. 14. when he is as willing to part with the world as the world is to part with him The next Position to be proved is That this present world shall one day be dissolved 2 Posit And here by this present world I understand the visible Heavens and Earth that now are together with the creatures and works which are in them or shall be found in them at the latter day For though the visible Heavens and Earth which now are may be called this present world considered as a Continent and the creatures and works in them may be called the things of the world yet all these together do but make up this whole visible world as appears 2 Pet. 3. 10. And to be dissolved is all
best Christians have in this world For I grant That the regenerate have some spiritual Light in this world for which cause they are called the children of Light Luk. 16. 8. That is to say They have some light of saving knowledg which is a spiritual kinde of Light and that which is mentioned Mat. 4. 16. The people which sate in darkness saw great light and to them which sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up viz. the light of saving knowledg They have some Light of Holiness which is a spiritual kinde of Light too and that which is mentioned Matt. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father in Heaven They have some Light of Christian Experience which is also a spiritual kinde of Light and that which is mentioned Psal 112. 4. Vnto the upright there ariseth light in darkness But all this spiritual light of theirs is but little in comparison of that which Gods Elect shall have in the World to come because therein they shall abound with spiritual Light that is they shall have as much light of saving knowledg as much light of holiness as much light of godly experience in that world as their hearts shall be able to wish and desire to have For proof whereof these following Arguments are to be considered 1. They that have spiritual Light sown already for them shall have abundance thereof and abound therewith in the world to come Now Gods Elect have this spiritual Light sown already for them as I gather from that of the Prophet Light is sown for the righteous Psal 97. 11. where by light we are to understand spiritual Light and by the righteous all and every one of Gods Elect who are or shall be all truly righteous before God in their generations And when he saith that this light is sown for them his meaning is that God hath certainly decreed and intended to give them a ful and plentiful measure of this Light in the next VVorld as men do certainly intend a ful crop for the poor when they sow plentifully for them Ergo. 2. They that doe or shall endeavour to follow Christ in this World and to imitate His good example so far as it is imitable shall abound with spirituall light in that VVorld which is to come as we may gather from those words of our Saviour he that followeth me shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of Life Ioh. 8. 12. viz. the Light of the Life of grace here and the Light of the Life of glory hereafter Now Gods Elect are such as do or shall endeavour to follow Christ and to imitate his good example in things imitable Ergo. 3. They that are or shall be the Children of spirituall Light shal abound with spirituall Light in that VVorld which is to come Now Gods Elect are or shall be the Children of spirituall Light Luk. 16. 8. 1 Thess 5. 5. Ergo. 4. They that shal have God Himself to be their everlasting Light shal abound with spirituall light in the VVorld to come Now Gods Elect shal have Him for their everlasting Light Esay 60. 19 20. Ergo. 5. They that shal have Christ the Lamb of God to be their Light in the VVorld to come shal abound with spirituall Light in that VVorld But Gods Elect shall have Christ the Lamb of God to be their Light in the VVorld to come Rev. 21. 23. Ergo. 6. They that are or shall be meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light shall abound with spirituall light in the VVorld to come Now Gods Elect are such as are or shal be meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Col. 1. 12. Ergo. 7. They that shall be immediately taught of God in the VVorld to come shall abound with spirituall light in that VVorld Now Gods Elect shall be immediately taught of God in the next VVorld As appears Esay 54. 13. Ioh. 6. 45. Ergo. 8. They that shall have no need to teach every one his Neighbour nor every one his Brother in the VVorld to come shall abound with spirituall light in that VVorld Now Gods Elect shal have no need to teach every one his Neighbour nor every one his Brother in the next VVorld as may be gathered from Heb. 8. 11. Ergo. 9. They that shal have perfect saving konwledg of God in the VVorld to come I mean so much knowledg of him as their new natures shal be capable of shal abound with spirituall light in that VVorld Now Gods Elect shal have such perfect knowledg of God in the next VVorld as may appear by these passages they shall see God Mat. 5. 8. They shall see face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. They shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8. 11. the Earth that is the new Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the Waters cover the Sea Hab. 2. 14. Ergo 10. They that shal have the perfect saving knowledg of Christs Love to his in the VVorld to come shal abound with spirituall Light in that VVorld because saving knowledge is spirituall Light Now Gods Elect shal have in the next VVorld the perfect saving knowledge of Christs Love to his according to Saint Pauls Prayer they shall be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height and to know the Love of Christ passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18. 19. that is though this Love of his passeth the knowledge of men in this Life yet it shal not passe the knowledge of the Saints in that which is to come Ergo. 11. They that in the VVorld to câ—â—e shal have the perfect saving knowledge of such Divine Mysteries as are in a great part hid from many in this Life shal abound with spiritual light in that world Now Gods Elect in the VVorld to come shal have the perfect knowledge of such Divine Mysteries as are in a great part hid from many in this Life there being nothing hid now which shal not therein be revealed and made known Lu. 12. 2. Ergo. 12. They that in the VVorld to come shal have perfect saving knowledge of the works and creatures of God shal abound with spirituall light in that VVorld Now Gods Elect in the VVorld to come shal have perfect knowledge of the works and creatures of God as we may gather from Adams wonderful knowledge in the state of innocency for he then knew the nature of all creatures and gave them significant and distinct Names according to their several natures and as he named every creature so was the name thereof Now if Adam in his innocency had such admirable knowledge of al creatures doubtless the saints in the state of glory shal have much more perfect knowledge of them and so much knowledge of them as their new natures shal be made capable of and so shal abound
inward peace and assurance of conscience which if we can obtain before our death we shall be safe from the of evil in the next world 3. We must still pray for the spirit of Adoption which if we can obtain before our death we shall be safe from the fear of evil in the next world and shall be able to say with the Apostle We have not received the spirit of bondage to fear again but we have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 4. We must still pray for the spirit of Love that it may increase and abound more and more in us which if we can obtain before our death then we shall be perfect in love hereafter in the next world and this perfect love will cast out all slavish fear of evil and make us dwell securely for ever Finally By all that hath been said touching the different condition of Gods Elect and Reprobates in the world to come we may plainly perceive the error of such as plead for Vniversal Redemption and say That Christ by his Death hath purchased Eternal Redemption for all and every one of Mankinde none of them excepted Whâ—ch bold assertion must needs be erroneous because it crosseth all such Scripture passages as do by way of Antithesis describe a different condition of Mankinde in the world to come And if there shall be such and so many differences betwixt men and men in the world to come as have been before discovered how can all and every one of them agree or be equal in the grace of Redemption Or if all men agree and be equal in the grace of Redemption how can there be such differences betwixt them in the world to come Doubtless there shall be no oppositive differences betwixt the redeemed of the Lord in the next world But all such differences shal be betwixt the redeemed and the not redeemed Wherefore I may safely say That the grace of Eternal Redemption is the priviledg of Gods Elect and was purchased onely for them not for all and every one of Mankinde And our Saviour plainly intimated so much when he said I lay down my life for the sheep Joh. 10. 15. And lest any should think that by sheep in this place we are to understand all and every one of Mankinde he doth elsewhere distinguish between sheep and goats Matth. 25. that we may understand by sheep the whole company of Gods Elect and by goats the whole company of Reprobates And though the Scripture saith in some places That Christ dyed for all and tasted Death for all 2 Cor. 5. 15. Heb. 2. 9. yet we must know that in these and such like places the word All is not taken absolutely for all without exception but restrictively for all the Elect or for some of all Nations and all conditions And in this sence the word All doth but signifie many in the Doctrine of Mans Redemption for which cause it is often expounded in Scripture by the word many as when it is said Christ gave his life a ransom for many Mat. 20. 28. He shed his blood for many Matth. 26. 28. He was once offered to bear the sins of many Hebr. 9. 28. Away then with the Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption It hath been too long preached by some and by such as know not how to content themselves and the people longer then they are harping upon this string But methinks the different condition of Mankinde of Elect and Reprobates in the world to come should make them ashamed to own this Doctrine any longer because it is not possible for them to reconcile this Doctrine of Vniversal Redemption with the Doctrine of the World to come For the former Doctrine communicates the benefit of Christs Death unto all and every one of Mankinde but the latter denies it unto many yea unto all the Reprobate sort of Mankinde And so for the present I conclude this point The Lord give you understanding in all things needful for you to know Imprimatur Januar. 19. 1650. Joseph Caryl FINIS
us and to our children for to know them Deut. 29. 29. and we are commanded to search the Scriptures that we may understand what is revealed in them Joh. 5. 39. And he that shall still continue stubbornly ignorant of his masters revealed will shall be beaten with stripes that is he shall have his portion of torments in the world to come Now the world to come is revealed in the Word of God and much therein is revealed concerning it Therefore it cannot be safe for any to continue grosly or perversly ignorant thereof nor of what is meant thereby Thirdly They that understand not the world to come nor the nature of it cannot so ardently desire and affect the fruition of it as those that do because good things are most desired of such as know them best And as none do so earnestly desire the blessed enjoyment of God and of Christ as those that have most acquaintance with God in Christ so none do so strongly desire the world to come and the enjoyment of it as those that have most undersâ—â—â—â—ing concerning it Fourthly The doctrine of the wâ—rld to come is very useful and comfortable yea I know no doctrine in the whole Bible more proâ—â—â—able for instruction reproof and comfort then 〈◊〉 if rightly understood and applyed But how can it prove useful to such as understand it not Fifthly All Gods elect with Abraham their â—ather are heirâ— of the world to come Rom. 4. for which cause â—hey would be not only willing to understand and know whatsoever the Scripture teacheth concerning the same but also should take great delight to read hear and confer of such matters as concern the same As they that are heirs apparent to the Kingdoms of this present world are not only willing to understand the nature of them but also find great content to discourse of such things as concern them And so for these Reasons I infer that it cannot be safe for any to be grofly and perversly ignorant of the World to come Now if ignorance of the World to come be so dangerous Vse and the knowledg of it so needful as hatâ— been shewed then for my part I shall the less fear and the less regard any rash censures or aspersionâ— that shall be cast upon this poor endeavor of mine For I am perswaded in my Soul of the truth of sucâ— grounds as are here delivered I am convinced in mâ— Conscience of the necessity and usefulness of them I have found in my experience the comfort of them Why then should I regard such censures or aspersions Rather I shall still hope for Gods blessing upon these Meditations knowing that he can mak◠〈◊〉 as beneficial to others as they have been untâ— me 〈◊〉 if this discovery shall by his divine providence invite â—â— occasion but some one Divine of better parts then â—â— self to write a better Discoursâ— concerning the samâ— Subject how shall I rejoyce But to conclude this â—â—rst Section I profess that esteem the right knowledg of the World to come aâ— a choice piece of saving knâ—wledg and I esteeâ— them all happy that shall attain â—nto it Whereforâ— let us be bold in the fear of God to search and enquire farther what the Scripture meanâ— by the Worlâ— to come which for my part I intend if God shaâ— permit And in the following Sections I shall consider the World to come two ways first I shall consider it as a Country or Continent next I shall consider it in reference to the principal matters and things which shall be contained in it SECT II. Shewing That the World to come considered as a Continent is to be distinguished from the third Heaven I Acknowledg that there shall be some of the same things in the World to come which are now in the third Heaven As the humane nature of Christ the person of Enoch the person of Elijah which are now in the third Heaven and shall be in the World to come and as the two latter persons do now raign with Christ in the third Heaven so they shall raign with him in the World to come and as they now enjoy abundance of holiness righteousness love joy and peace c. so they shall enjoy as much if not much more in the World to come Yet I affirm That the World to come considered as a Continent is to be distinguished from the third Heaven For 1. Our Saviour Christ once came from the third Heaven into this world for to take our nature upon him but he came not then from the World to come into this world for to take our nature upon him 2. After his Resurrection he ascended into the third Heaven but he did not ascend into the World to come which had then no being 3. Saint Paul by his life time was caught up into the third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. 2 4. but we cannot say he was taken up or caught up into the World to come 4. The Souls of the faithful after their separation from the body as we conceive are in the third Heaven but we cannot say they are in the world to come 5. The third Heaven both is for the present and hath been of old but the world to come neither is for the present nor hath been of old but is altogether yet to come From all which premises I infer That the world to come considered as a Continent is to be distinguished from the third Heaven Yea that I may not dissemble my whole meaning is this point I must needs add this above all That I conceive as much difference betwixt the world to come and the third Heaven as betwixt a created and Ens creatum increatum an uncreated Substance And as I shall prove in its proper place That the world to come shall be created by God himself so in this place I dare affirm That the third Heaven was never created and if this shall appear to be so then there must needs be a vast difference betwixt the world to come and the third Heaven But some one it may be will say unto me I wonder Object you should say the third Heaven was never created surely this will seem as a paradox to many and unless you can substantially prove it there are few that will believe it What I have said I have said and I hope I shall clearly evidence this last passage viz. That the Answ third Heaven was never created by these ensuing Arguments First I take this for a ground That which was 1 Argument not made with hands was never created which proposition as I suppose none will deny For what is it to be created but to be made with hands and what is it to be uncreated but to be not made with hands And the Scripture acknowledgeth that all created things were made with hands and were the work of Gods hands as Psal 8. 3. I consider the Heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained
ears and turning their â—ars from the truth are turned unto fables There 2 Pet. 2. 2. â—re many that follow the pernicious ways of Seducers by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of And there are many that are lovers of 2 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 5. their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankeful unholy without natural affection truce-breachers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof And as it is an evil world at this day by reason of sin so we may well expect that it shall grow worse and worse towards its end and dissolution because our Saviour hath said That towards the end iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax cold Mat. 24. 12. wherefore we may well acknowledg this present world to be evil in respect of sin The second thing which proves this present world to be evil is pain or punishment whereof also there is much to be found and as long as a man lives in this world his flesh upon him shall have pain and his soul within him shall mourn Job 14. 22. Sin and punishment are as the cause and the effect as the mother and the daughter the one leads the way the other drags after the one makes men merry for the present the other makes them mourn afterward and as all men living have sinned so they do all suffer for their sin more or less in one kind or other only with this difference those pains which are suffered by Gods Elect in this world are truly said to be castigatory and such as do prepare them for eternal Salvation but those which are suffered by the rest are truly said to be vindicatory and such as do prepare them for eternal wrath And the pains of this life are either inward such as are inflicted upon the Soul or inward man or else outward such as are inflicted upon the body or outward estate of man But if any desire to have a particular accompt of the pains of this life he must hear and observe the several plaints and cries of all particular persons and so you shall have one to cry out Oh my head another Oh my eye another Oh my tooth another Oh my heart another Oh my back another Oh my bones another Oh my bowels another Oh my thigh another Oh my foot You shall have one to complain of the Fever another of the Plurisie another of the Dropsie another of the Palsie another of the Stone another of the Strangury another of the Gout You shall hear one bewail his corporal blindness another his deafness another his lameness another his poverty another his oppression another his losses another his imprisonment another his banishment And perchance you shall have another say The graves are ready for me and the pains of death or the pains of Hell are upon me Thus lust when it hath conceived bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Jam. 1. 15. Yea not only man himself doth thus suffer for his sin in this world but also other creatures do suffer pain for mans sake and the whole Creation is in pain and groans to be delivered from that bondage of corruption which the sin of man hath brought upon it Rom. 8. Now all pain or punishment is evil in its own nature Mat. 6. 13. That which helps to make the days of our pilgrimage to be few and evil Gen. 47. 9. And all the days of the afflicted are evil Prov. 15. 15. And consequently this present world that hath so much pain or punishment in it must needs be evil in this respect And if here it should be asked Whether the latter days of this world shall not be better then the former and more free from pain and punishment My Answer should be I think they shall not because our Savior hath foretold us of many painful evils that shall happen towards the end of this world as of Wars and rumours of Mat. 24. 6 7 10 30. Wars of Famines Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places of the rising of Nation against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom of the rising of parents against their children and children against their parents of hating and betraying one another and sheweth That at the very time of his second appearing all the Tribes of the Earth shall mourn and doubtless they shall then mourn not only by reason of sin but also by reason of pain and punishment that shall be then upon them Wherefore I infer from what hath been said That this present world is evil and is likely to beget worse both in respect of sin and also in respect of pain or punishment Yet I find in some Books printed of late years Vse that some men have dreamed of a great change in this world before the end not for the worse but for the better they say That this old world in its latter age and towards its end shall grow better and be more free from sin and pain then ever it was for say they Upon the fall of Antichrist there shall be a National Conversion of the Jews and thereupon shall follow a great Conversion of the Gentiles and such a golden age for holiness and happiness as never hath been Yea some of them have said That there shall be a Reformation-change all the world over at least in Discipline before its end But I would tell such Dreamers Surely a deep sleep is fallen upon you you sleep in the day of spiritual light and not in the night of spiritual darkness as others do you are more swayed by the letter then by the proper sence and scope of those Scriptures which you bring for the proof of that phantastical New-World of which you speak you balk the New-Testament and hide your selves under the dark Prophecies of the Old whereas you should consider that Christ and his Apostles have so clearly interpreted the Prophets as touching the latter times and have so fully stated the evil and perillous condition of them that we need not appeal from them to the Prophets in this Argument And whereas in your printed pages you quote divers passages out of the 11 Chapter to the Romans as if they were pat and sure for your opinion I would tell you also That you much mistake the proper occasion and scope of that Chapter for you should know that the Apostle in the said Chapter doth speak of the Jews of his present time and not of a latter off-spring of them as may appear vers 5. and that the Jews of his then present time were some of them of Gods Election and others not vers 7. and that those of the Election were some of them converted and others were not vers 14. but as for such as were unconverted among them he was willing to convert and save them and had
no more remembred nor come into mind in respect of its present and pristine condition form and manner of Being Isai 65. 17. Rev. 21. 1. and consequently in this respect it shall one day be dissolved and brought to dust And for further satisfaction in this point I shall â—nswer these three Queries By whom this present world shall be dissolved Quer. 1 Answ It shall be dissolved by him that made it It Ejusdem enim est mundum creare eundem destruere was only God himself that created it in the beginâ—ing Gen. 1. 1. and God himself shall dissolve it Psal 102. 26. Heb. 12. 26. by his mighty power By what means it shall be dissolved Answ It â—hall be dissolved by means of fire of which fire Quer. 2 we read thus A fire shall devour before him and â—t shall be very tempestuous round about him Psal â—0 3. The day cometh that shall burn like an Oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall he stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up that it shall leave them neither root nor branch Mal. 4. 1. The Heavens and the Earth which now are are reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly men In which day the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3. 7 12. And though I cannot perfectly shew what Qualis autem futurus sit hic ignis Deus novit qui est ignis consumens Wolleb kind of fire this shall be because only God himself who is a consuming fire perfectly knows what kind of fire it shall be yet I dare affirm that it shall be such a Judgment of fire as never was hath been or shall be before it 2 Pet. 3 7. And that this fire shall be extraordinary 1. For its noise because it is said That the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise 2 Pet. 3. 10. that is with such a noise as shall be heard all the earth over while the fire shall be yet in the Heavens 2. For its brightness or shining because it shall be seen all the earth over whiles it shall be yet in the Heavens as the lightening shineth from the one end of Heaven to the other Mat. 24. 27. 3. For itâ— melting and burning vertue because it shall melt and burn up such things as were never melted burnt and consumed since the world began When it shall be dissolved Answ Touching thâ— time of the worlds dissolution the Scripture teachetâ— Quer. 3 us three things viz. 1. That it shall be dissolved in Gods appointed time because he doth all his works in his appointed time and as he hath appointed a day wherein hâ— will judg the world in righteousness so he hath appointed a day wherein he will dissolve this presenâ— world Acts 17. 31. 2. That the time of Christs second coming shaâ— be the time of the worlds dissolution as may appeaâ— plainly Mat. 24. 3. 1 Cor. 15. 24. 2 Pet. 3. 7 10 12 where we find that in the very day of Christs second Coming the Heavens being on fire shall bâ— dissolved the Elements shall melt the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Howbeit as we know not in what day or hour oâ— the year and of the age of the world the Son of maâ— shall come so we know not in what day or houâ— of the year and of the age of the world this presenâ— world shall be dissolved 3. That the time of this worlds dissolution draweth nigh 1 Cor. 10. 11. Jam. 5. 8. 1 Pet. 4. 7. And wâ— have no reason to think it to be far off because manâ— Symptomes of the worlds dissolution mentioned iâ— holy Writ have been observed in our times as wâ— have heard of the plentiful preaching of the Gospel and of great Persecutions thereupon we have heard of Wars and Famines and Pestilences and Earthquakes in divers places we have heard of many false Teachers and false Christs of many Seducers â—â—d seduced persons amongst us we have seen how â—iquity hath abounded and love hath waxed cold â—mongst us And seeing these Symptomes of this â—orlds dissolution have been amongst us we have â—o reason to think its dissolution to be far off Inâ—eed there are some Symptomes of this worlds dissoâ—ution which are not as yet made visible unto us as â—he final Ruine of the Roman Antichrist the battel of Gog and Magog and that alteration which shall â—e in the Sun Moon and Stars Mat. 24. but for ought I know these three may speedily come and soon follow one another And I have read a Judicious Divine * Mr J. Z. in his printed Book on Rev. 20. who thinks that the Ruine of the Roman Antichrist will be made visible about the year 666. that the battel of Gog and Magog will follow shortly thereupon and that the alteration forementioned in the Sun Moon and Stars will immediately succeed This Position thus cleared makes for the refutation of Vse of four erroneous opinions The first opinion is of such as think that this present world is eternal in respect of its present form and condition and so shall never be dissolved which was the opinion of Aristotle the Philosopher who was the more to be pitied because he knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God as therein revealed but we Christians have known the Scriptures and have read often in them of the end of the world and therefore have no reason to hearken to Aristotle in this Assertion of his The second opinion is of those who think that this present world shall cease to be altogether after its dissolution wherein they are much mistaken For though it shall cease to be in some respect aftâ—â— its dissolution viz. in respect of its former and prâ—stine condition yet it shall not cease to be altogâ—ther because it shall have an everlasting Being undeâ— a new form and condition as hath been beforâ— proved and as mans body after its dissolution shaâ— have an everlasting Being under a new form anâ— condition neither do I think it worth my labouâ— to spend more words in confutation of this opinion The third opinion is of those who think that this present world shall only be purged by fire at the latter day from its evil qualities and not dissolved As the old world in Noahs time was drowned in respect of its superficies and in respect of some creatures in it yet the substance of it remained firm So say they This present world shall be purged by fire from its corruptions and evil qualities but the substance of Heaven and Earth shall remain as an everlasting Monument of Gods Wisdom and Power Goodness and Mercy But these are mistaken also For though I grant That fire hath a purging and refining vertue and that if the Lord should restrain the fire of the great Day before mentioned as a Goldsmith restraineth the fire when the
Yea the brother shall betray the broâ—her to death the father the son and the children â—hall rise up against their parents and shall cause â—hem to be put to death Mark 13. 12. And hath not â—his sign been already observed in the world Yes â—t sundry times and at this day we find it an hard â—atter to find a faithful friend whom we may safeâ—â— trust mens hearts for the most part are so full of â—uile and deceit of treachery and falshood 7. The trouble of War for our Saviour hath â—urther told us That before his second Coming in the â—lesh we shall hear of Wars and rumors of Wars â—nd Nation shall rise against Nation and Kingdom â—gainst Kingdom Mat. 24. 6 7. And surely there â—ath been woful experience of this sign in former â—ges and of latter years amongst our selves and at â—his day we see that the Sword is drawn and doth â—â—ge devour and tyrannize in divers parts of the â—orld yea we know not when it shall be sheathâ—d up again neither is it probable that it shall cease â—nd be quiet before the Roman Antichrist shall be â—estroyed nor yet then in all places because Christ â—t his second Appearing shall find some Nations in â—posture of War Rev. 20. 8 9. 8. The trouble of Famines Pestilences and Earthâ—uakes for our Saviour hath told us That before â—s second Coming there shall be these judgments in divers places Mat. 24. 7. Mark 13. Luk. 21. Now how many of these Pestilences Famines and Earthquakes have been already observed in the world the Chronicles of several Nations may inform us and how many more of such judgments may yet be observed before the end cometh after times may declare 9. The swarming of false Christs false Prophets and false Teachers in the visible Church for our Saviour hath foretold us That before his second Coming in the Flesh many of this generation shaâ—â— arise in the visible Churches and shall swarm anâ— creep into houses like the Locusts of Egypt anâ— shall deceive many Mat. 24. Mark 13. Luk. 21 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. Now the Churches of Christ havâ— many sad stories upon record concerning such Locusts since the Ascention of Christ especially in the Arrian times and since the raign of Antichrist began and the number of such is much increased of late iâ— the Church of England and doth rather increasâ— then decrease in other Countries yea and is likely so to do still towards the end of the world 10. The prevailing of Errors and Heresies in thâ— visible Church by the spirit of delusion for thâ— Scripture testifieth That before the second Coming of Christ in the Flesh God shall send men strong delusions to believe a lye because they received noâ— the love of the truth 2 Thes 2. 10 11. And as somâ— shall bring in damnable Heresies so many shaâ—â— follow their pernicious ways 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. and many shall be deceived by them Mat. 24. Now how long the Churches of Christ have had experience oâ— this sign their Ecclesiastical stories can witness anâ— how such Errors and Heresies have prevailed latelâ— â—â— the Church of England many can witness with â—â—eat regreet and how long this spirit of delusion â—â—all prevail with men before the mouth of all â—ickedness shall be stopt onely GOD himself â—â—ows 11. A great growth of iniquity causing a decay â—â— decrease of love for our Saviour hath shewed â—hat before his second Coming in the Flesh iniquity â—all abound and because it shall abound the love â—â— many shall wax cold Mat. 24. 12. where as it Vide Dickson in his Commentaries on this place â—â—ems to me the abounding of iniquity is to be reâ—â—â—ained to the unregenerate sort whether prophane â—â— formal in whom the practise of iniquity was to â—ound and doth abound in these latter times 2 Tim. â— 2 3 4. and the frigescence or waxing cold of love â—â— to be restrained to the regenerate of the same â—â—mes who perceiving many of their supposed breâ—â—ren to revolt to the practise of iniquity and to reâ—â—rn back with the dog to his vomit shall be jealous â—â—d suspicious one of another and so shall wax cold â—â— love one towards another not knowing whom â—â— trust not as if the habit of love or the truth of â—hristian love should decay in them but they shall â—ot be so servent in the exercise and manifestation of â—â—eir love to each other by reason of the abounding â—f iniquity in others as so merly they were And â—oubtless this sign also hath been already observed â—â— many in the world and is that which may easily â—e perceived in these days by such as have eyes to â—â—scern it For do we not see how shy the godly â—e and how fearful of trusting one another at this â—y And all this because iniquity doth so much â—ound in many professors whom they have lately â—â—â—ken for their beloved brethren Moreover as these before mentioned are suâ—â— signs presaging his second Coming as have been â—â— ready observed in the world So there are othâ—â— signs presaging it which have not yet been nor câ—â— be yet observed in the world because they are noâ— but shall be hereafter As 1. The Ruine of the Roman Antichrist is menâ—â—oned as a sign presaging his second Coming in tâ—â— Flesh for it is said That Christ shall destroy hiâ— with the brightness of his Coming 2 Thes 2. 8. nâ— with his Coming but with the brightness of â—â— Coming and here by the brightness of his Coâ—ing I understand the last temporal Judgment thâ— God shall bring upon the Roman Antichrist whiâ—â— shall be a Judgment of the Sword accompaniâ—â— with hailstones from Heaven Rev. 16. 19 21. Aâ— as this Judgment shall destroy him so it shall be clear and bright evidence of Christs second Approaâ—â— to be near at hand and for this cause may be caâ—â—ed the brightness of his Coming and thougâ— this sign be not yet apparent yet it shall be herâ—after 2. The warlike preparations of Gog and Magoâ— for a battel with the Saints and against the holy Citâ— is mentioned as a sign presaging his second Cominâ— in the Flesh for it is said That Satan being loosâ— out of his prison shall go forth to deceive the Nâ—tions which are in the four quarters of the eartâ— Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel Rev. 20. 8. And though it be true that Christ shaâ— come again and shall with fire from Heaven devouâ— these adversaries before this battel shall be fought yet this warlike preparation of Gog and Magog is to be esteemed as a near and close presage of his seconâ— Coming and albeit this is not yet visible yet it â—â—all be in due season 3. A great security of Nations is mentioned as a â—n presaging the second Coming of Christ in the â—â—esh for we read That Christ at this Coming of â—â— shall find the most part of the world in a secure â—â—sture neither mourning for their sins nor fearing
saved in the world to come 2. Because they are or shall be all regenerated And they that are or shall be regenerated shall be saved in the world to come Mat. 19. 28. 3. Because they are or shall be all justified by the blood of Christ And they that are or shall be justified by his blood shall be saved from wrath by him Rom. 5. 9. 4. Because they are or shall be all reconciled to God by the death of his Son And they that shall be reconciled to God by the death of his Son shall be saved by his life Rom. 5. 10. 5. Because they are or shall be all the adopted children of God by grace And all that are or shall be the adopted children of God by grace shall be saved in the world to come because they are heirs of Salvation Hebr. 1. 14. 6. Because they do or shall beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually And they that do or shall beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually shall be saved in the world to come according to the Promise Act. 16. 31. Mark 16. 16. 7. Because they do or shall repent unfainedly And they that do or shall repent unfainedly shall be saved in the world to come seeing this is called Repentance unto Salvation 2 Cor. 7. 10. 8. Because they do or shall all hope in God with a lively hope And they that do or shall hope in God with a lively hope shall be saved in the world to come Rom. 8. 24. 9. Because they do or shall all fear the Lord with a godly fear And they that do or shall fear the Lord with a godly fear shall be saved not onely in this world but also in the world to come Psal 85. 9. 10. Because they do or shall all walk sincerely and uprightly before the Lord And they that do or shall walk sincerely and uprightly before the Lord shall be saved in the world to come Prov. 28. 18. 11. Because they do or shall all call upon the name of the Lord in sincerity And they that so do or shall do shall be saved in the world to come Rom. 10. 13. 12. Because they have endured or shall endure constantly in the state of grace to the end And they that shall so endure to the end shall be saved in the world to come Mat. 10. 22. 13. Because they have an inward right to all the Promises of Salvation as to these amongst the rest Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks Isai 26. 1. But Israel shall be saved Isai 45. 17. In mount Sion shall be Deliverance Joel 2. 32. Obadi 17. Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shal turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11. 26. In which promises I understand by mount Sion the triumphant Church of Gods Elect in the World to come not excluding the Militant And by Israel and Jacob the whole body of Gods Elect who are fully to enjoy these Promises in the world to come and not before And thus may we understand the certainty of their Salvation Thirdly As concerning the causes of their Salvation I affirm 1. That the efficient cause of their Salvation in the world to come shall be the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost For Salvation belongeth to the Lord Psal 3. 8. And the Salvation of the righteous is of him Psal 37. 39. And the full Salvation of Israel shall come from him out of the heavenly Sion Psal 14. 6. And Israel shall be saved in the Lord Isai 45. 17. that is by the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. That the principal moving cause of their Salvation in the world to come is and shall be the Grace of God I mean the gracious good will and pleasure of God from everlasting And for this cause it is said We are saved by Grace Ephes 2. 8. And it is the grace of God that bringeth Salvation Tit. 2. 11. 3. That the principal final cause of this their Salvation shall be the glory of Gods mercy He shall save them that he may glorifie his mercy upon them which the Prophet knew well and therefore prayed That God would save him for his mercies sake Psal 6. 4. and according to his mercy Psal 109. vers 26. 4. The meritorious cause of this their Salvation is and shall be onely Christ And there is no Salvation in any other Act. 4. 12. as in the meritorious cause But he is the Author of eternal Salvation as God equal with the Father in an efficient way as Mediator and as God and man in one person in a meritorious way Hebr. 5. 9. And he it is by whom this Salvation is to be obtained 1 Thess 5. vers 9. 5. The instrumental cause of this their Salvation is and shall be the Word of God read and preached For this Word hath an instrumental power to save Souls Jam. 1. 21. The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16. By it a man may be made wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. And it pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1. 21. 6. The dispositive or helping causes of this their Salvation are and shall be all spiritual blessings or saving graces in this life as Justification Sanctification Faith Hope Love c. For these are the things that accompany Salvation Hebr. 6. 9. And these are the things that do fit and prepare men for Salvation in the world to come Fourthly As concerning the extent of this their Salvation I affirm 1. That it shall extend to all the particular persons of Gods Elect whether Jews or Gentiles by nature for it is said plainly All Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 26. that is all the Elect God will have all men to be saved that is all his Elect 1 Tim. 2. 4. The promise shall be sure to all the seed that is to all the Elect Rom. 4. 16. God preserveth all them that love him Psa 145. 20. He preserveth them not onely from temporal dangers but he will also preserve them unto Salvation in the world to come Yea we find That the whole house of Israel that is the whole Family of Gods Elect shall be saved Ezek. 37. 11. 39. 25. And 2. as this Salvation shall extend to all their persons so it shall extend to them in all respects both in respect of their Souls and bodies for their Souls shall be saved in the Day of the Lord and they shall receive the end of their Faith the Salvation of their Souls 1 Pet. 1. 9. And if their Souls after they are united to glorified bodies shall be saved doubtless their glorified bodies shall be saved too Fifthly As concerning the continuance of this â—heir Salvation I affirm That it shall continue â—or ever For which cause it is called Eternal Salâ—ation Heb. 5. 9. And it is said That Israel shall â—e saved in the Lord with an everlasting Salvatiâ—n
their Salvation but suggestions of this nature do usually and for the most part come from Satan the father of lyes God perswades all afflicted sinners to beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation But Satan perswades an afflicted sinner to despair of salvatiō with such suggestions as these Thou art a Reprobate Thou art none of Gods Elect none of those for whom Christ dyed thou hast no part in Christ therefore it is in vain for thee to hope for Salvation in the World to come In all which suggestions Satan acts the part of a lyar because he doth not certainly know any of these things to be true of this or that particular person whiles he is yet alive in the body Wherefore an afflicted sinner should not listen to these suggestions of Satan but he should attend to the counsel of Gods Word and labor to beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ effectually as we are all bound to do especially in difficult cases that we may be saved Fourthly It may inform us That Gods Elect should be constantly willing to dye and to leave this world because it is most certain that they shall all be saved in the World to come with a full perfect and everlasting Salvation as hath been proved whereas they cannot expect any such Salvation in this world And amongst other considerations these three especially should make them willing to dye and leave this world viz. 1. Death will put an end to the practice of sin As long as we live here we shall still be in a posture of sinning but after death we shall sin no more And should we not be willing that these days of sin may be finished Yes Then we should be willing to dye 2. Death will put an end to all the afflictions of this life which are caused by sin as wants necessities losses crosses sicknesses diseases vexations and perturbations of what kinde soever And should we not be willing to be delivered from all such afflictions Yes Then we should be willing to dye 3. Death is that which will put Gods Elect into the possession of good things promised as glory honor immortality peace joy tranquillity c. And should we not be willing to be put in the possession of such things Yes Then we should be willing to dye Wherefore let not any of Gods Elect say We could be well contented to abide in this world still it is good for us to be here and to build Tabernacles here For if it be good for them to be here it will be much better for them to be elsewhere either in Heaven or in the World to come and the greater good is more to be desired then the lesser And if our hearts hanker never so much after this world we must leave it of necessity sooner or later But it will be more acceptable and praise-worthy if we shall leave it willingly whensoever the Messengers of death shall be sent unto us Fifthly It should inform us That such as desire to be saved with Gods Elect in the World to come should neither neglect nor contemn the ordinary means of Salvation which God hath prepared and assigned for them whether they be inward as Faith Repentance Hope Love Fear c. or outward as the administration of the Word and Sacraments reading singing prayer thanksgiving in publique or private c. For how shall we escape the judgments of God if we neglect or contemn so great Salvation as God tenders unto us by these ordinary means Hebr. 2. 3. And surely it will be in vam for any to say If I be elected I shall be saved though I neglect or contemn the ordinary means because all such as are elected to be saved in an ordinary way are also elected to the conscionable use of such ordinary means as are or shall be assigned for them in way to Salvation Moreover it should be remembred that we are commanded to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. Now to work out our own Salvation is all one as to endevor our own Salvation in and by the use of ordinary means that so we may save our selves as the phrase is Act. 2. 40. And to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling is to endevor it in a reverential way so as to stand in awe of Gods displeasure and of Gods temporal Judgments For as long as we live here we are still in danger of displeasing him by our sins and of suffering for our sins For which cause we should fear both the Offence of God and the Judgments of God and so work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling And surely it is not so easie a matter as some think it to be for he that will be saved in an ordinary way must be contented to do much and to suffer much in obedience to Gods Will before he shall come to inherit the promises For which cause Saint Peter saith That the righteous shall scarcely be saved 1 Pet. 4. 18. And Saint Paul saith A man shall be saved yet so as by fire 1 Cor. 3. 15. Wherefore we should be careful to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling The next Proposition is That Reprobates shall 2 Proposit be destroyed in the world to come And touching this destruction of theirs we are likewise to understand The Nature of it The Certainty of it The Causes of it The Extent of it The Continuance of it First As touching the Nature of it I affirm That they shall be destroyed in the World to come not in a natural sence so as to be brought to nothing for Reprobates shall have a Being in the world to come to their great grief but they shall be destroyed in a spiritual or mystical sence so as to be brought into a very evil condition and so as to be put to endure all sorts of evils which shall be incidental to the world to come whether they shall be evils of loss or evils of sence Soul evils or bodily evils internal or external evils Yea it shall be evil for them to have any Being it shall be evil for them to see what they shall see to hear what they shall hear to speak what they shall speak and do what they shall do in the World to come So their last day shall be an evil day or a day of evil Prov. 16. 4. and their last end shall be worse then their begining And as in this world so in the world to come evil shall bunt and pursue them to overthrow them Psal 140. 11. Prov. 13. 21. Which evil condition of theirs shall be their destruction their full and final destruction Secondly As concerning the certainty of it I say That Reprobates shall most certainly be destroyed in the world to come As may be proved by these Arguments 1. They whose last end shall be destruction shall be destroyed in the world to come But the last end of Reprobates shall be destruction
glory but also rejoyce in hope thereof Rom. 5. 2. And this hope is that which will support the Soul in the hour of temptation and distress whereas without it the Soul is in danger of sinking into the gulf of despair Wherefore let Israel still hope in the Lord and that for this glory which is to be revealed in the world to come 4. To glorifie God in this world and to give as much glory to him as we can How else can we expect to be glorified of him in the world to come And we should here consider First That we are often commanded to glorifie God Glorifie him ye sons of Jacob Psal 22. 23. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie him both in your Souls and bodies which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. Secondly That glory doth most rightly belong unto God because his glory is above Heaven and Earth Psal 148. 13. Thirdly That Gods glory is most dear unto him because he will not give his glory to another Isai 42. 8. Fourthly That God doth seek his own glory in all his actions for to teach us to do the like Fifthly That Herod was punished with sudden death because he gave not glory to God but to himself Acts 12. 23. Wherefore we should be careful to give all possible glory to God in this life How may we glorifie him in this life Quest. We may do it divers ways As Answ 1. By beleeving Gods statutes and promises effectually As Abraham being strong in the faith gave glory to God Rom. 4. 20. so may we if we be strong in the faith Yea hereby we shall give him the glory of his truth and faithfulness For as he that beleeveth not hath made him a lyar so he that beleeveth hath put to his seal That God is true 2. By being thankful unto God for favors and benefits received for he that offereth praise glorifieth him Psal 50. 23. 3. By being fruitful in grace For herein is my Father glorified saith Christ if ye bring forth much fruit Joh. 15. 8. 4. By being exemplary to others in a good way for hereby we shall not onely glorifie our selves but shall occasion others to do the like according to that of our Saviour Let your light so shine before men that they may see you good works and may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. 5. By being patient under the reproaches that are or shall be put upon us for Christs sake according to that of the Apostle If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye On their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified 1 Pet. 4. 14. 6. By intending Gods glory in all our lawful actions according to the Apostles rule Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. The next Proposition is That Reprobates shall 2. Proposit be rewarded with Shame in the WORLD to come Touching which Shame of theirs we are to consider The Nature of it The Certainty of it The Degrees of it The Causes of it The Continuance of it First Touching the nature of it I conceive That their shame in the World to come shall be a total privation of glory because they shall have nothing to glory of in the World to come no Innocency no Righteousness no Holiness no Faith no Repentance no Love no Obedience c. but they shall have much to be ashamed of 1. Because their sins in this world shall all be remembred and set before them as the Lord saith by the Prophet Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psal 50. 21. and they that shall have all their sins remembred and set before them in the World to come shall have much to be ashamed of in that world 2. Because they shall have their consciences awakened to accuse and condemne them in the World to come Rom. 2. 15. and if so then they shall have much to be ashamed of in that world 3. Because they shall bear the guilt and punishment of all their sins in the VVorld to come as it is written God shall bring upon them their own iniquity Psal 94. 23. they shall bear their iniquity Ezek. 44. 12. and every man without a pardon shall bear his own burthen Gal 6. 5. and they that shall bear the guilt and punishment of all their sins in the World to come shall have much to be ashamed of in that world and so I understand the nature of their shame Secondly touching the certainty of it I say that reprobates shall most certainly be rewarded with shame in the World to come as may be good by these Arguments 1. They that will still be wicked in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to the Prayer of David Let not me be ashamed but let the wicked be ashamed Psal 31. 17. but reprobates will still be wicked in this world Ergo. 2. They that will still forsake God in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of the Prophet O Lord all that forsake thee shall be ashamed Jer. 17. 13. but reprobates will still forsake God and go on whoring from him in this world Ergo. 3. They that will finally be ashamed of Christ and his Gospell in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of our Saviour Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy Angells But reprobates will finally be ashamed of Christ and his Gospell in this world Ergo. 4. They that will still hate the righteous in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come as it was said to Job They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame Job 8. 22. but Reprobates will still hate the righteous in this world Ergo. 5. They that will still be the servants of sin and Satan in this world shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according as God saith by the Prophet My servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed Esa 65. 13. but reprobates will still be the servants of sin and Satan in this world Ergo. 6. They that will still be foolish in this world in a spirituall sense shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to that of Solomon Shame shall be the promotion of fools Prov. 3. 35. but reprobates will still be foolish in a spirituall sense Ergo. 7. They that will still be proud in this world and live under the dominion of this sin shall be rewarded with shame in the world to come according to the Prayer of David Let the proud be ashamed Psal 119. 78. And as Solomon intimates
3. These things considered I see no reason why any should grudg at the prosperity of wicked rich men in this world seeing that the Reprobate sort of them shall have a very poor estate in the world to come But I infer with the Prophet Fret not thy self because of evill doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity for they shal soon be cut down like the grasse and wither as the green herb Psal 73. 1 2. Secondly if we wil not be as none desires to be poor with Reprobates in the world to come we must labour to be poor in Spirit and rich in grace while we live in this world for if we be poor in Spirit here in this life we shall not be poor in the world to come as we may gather from that of our Saviour Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 3. And if we be rich in grace that is in knowledg faith repentance love and hope c. we shall not be poor in the World to come as we may gather from that of Saint James Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him Jam. 2. 5. SECT XVIII Touching the Peace of Gods Elect and the Tribulation of Reprobates in the World to come HEre followeth an eighth special Difference which shall be betwixt the parties before named in the World to come which may be thus expressed Gods Elect shall have Peace in the World Reprobates shall have Tribulation to come The former Proposition is That Gods Elect 1 Proposit shall have Peace in the World to come which Peace of theirs is to be considered As touching the Nature of it As touching the Certainty of it As touching the Nature of it I affirm 1. That their Peace in the World to come shall be great Peace According to that promise Great shall be the Peace of thy Children Isai 54. 13. which promise may be performed partly in this world and partly in Heaven but it shall be perfectly performed only in the world to come wherein the peace of Gods Elect shall be great for variety and great for excellency Their peace shall be great for variety because in that world They shall have peace with God God shall be no enemy unto them neither shall he lay any thing to their charge but shall be more fully reconciled unto them in respect of manifestation then now he is They shall have peace with Christ for Christ shall be no Enemy unto them neither shall he lay any thing to their charge in that world but shall own them for his Friends his Spouse his Love his undefiled They shall have peace with their Consciences Their Consciences shall not accuse nor trouble them for any sin for any thing but as they shall have boldness at the day of Judgment arising from peace of Conscience 1 Joh. 4. 18. so this peace shall continue still They shall have peace among themselves that is they shall worship and serve God peaceably together with one minde and with one heart and so there shall be one Lord and his Name one Zech. 14. 9. because the Elect shall worship onely one Lord and that with one kinde of worship and with one heart and one Soul in that world They shall have peace from the Angels for as the good Angels shall have no will so the evil Angels shall have no power to hurt or molest them as we may gather from that Promise The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16. vers 20. They shall have peace from wicked men and women for though the Saints shall have power to molest and trouble the wicked yet the wicked shall have no power to molest and trouble the Saints in that world seeing they shall be bound in chains Psal 149. 7. They shall have peace from all other creatures in that world as it is written Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee and thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace Job 5. 23 24. Again it is said The Wolf and the Lamb shall feed together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain saith the Lord Isa 65. 25. Which prophetical Promises shall never be perfectly fulfilled in this world but they shall be so fulfilled in that which is to come Such shall be the peace of Gods Elect in that world And as this peace of theirs shall be great for variety so it shall be great for excellency in as much as the excellency of it shall far surpass all that we can now in our mortal condition think or speak of it And if there be any peace of God out of God belonging to any creature which passeth all understanding as it should seem there is Phil. 4. 7. surely this shall be such a peace And who knows not that the peace of this world is more obvious to our present apprehension and understanding then that of the world to come 2. I affirm That this peace of theirs shall be abundant for measure and degree as it is promised They shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Psal 37. 11. And God shall extend peace to them like a river Isai 66. 12. Which Promises shall perfectly be fulfilled not in this world but in that which is to come 3. I affirm That this peace of theirs shall be perfect without defect as the Prophet assures us when he saith unto God Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee Isa 26. 3. The best peace which can be had in this world may be in some respect defective but in that which is to come the peace of Gods chosen shall be in nothing defective but they shall have so much of it as their hearts can wish or desire to have 4. I affirm That this peace of theirs shall be everlasting without end For which cause it is said That God shall keep them in perfect peace in the former place Isai 26. 3. without any limitation of time to intimate That he shall keep them in this peace for ever And the Covenant of peace which he hath made with his chosen is called an everlasting Covenant Ezek. 37. 26. And if this Covenant be everlasting then surely the peace which they shall enjoy by virtue of this Covenant shall be everlasting too And so we have seen the nature of this peace As touching the Certainty of it I aver it for a most certain truth That Gods Elect shall have peace in the world to come such a peace as hath been described as may be proved by these Arguments 1. They that shall be perfectly reconciled to God in the world to come shall have perfect peace in that
in the issue by all their mirth and jollity in this world Here indeed they may seem to be the onely merry companions here they are wont to spend much of their time in pleasure they call for the vial the harp and the merry lute in their feasts and say To morrow shall be as this day and much more vile and in their merry meetings they are wont to cry down the spirit of mourning and to say Hang up sorrow for what serves it let us eat drink and be merry let us rejoyce in our youth let our hearts chear us in the days of our youth let us walk in the ways of our hearts c. But suppose any of these mirth-mongers shal happen to dye in the guilt of their sins without repentance and without a pardon and so shall be found Reprobates at the last What then shall all their mirth profit them Surely nothing at all But then they shall finde That it had been good for them if they had never been born Then they shall finde That all their mirth and jollity shall be turned into sorrow and heaviness into weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore my beloved that we may not mourn and howl with Reprobates in the world to come let us still pray that God will pour upon us the spirit of godly mourning and contrition that we may walk heavily and grieve heartily for our own sins and for the sins of others here in this life That we may mourn with those that mourn and weep with those that weep now in a good sence And if God shall vouchsafe us this spirit then we shal not mourn with Reprobates but shall rejoyce with Gods chosen for ever in the world to come SECT XXI Touching the Security of Gods Elect and the Fear of Reprobates in the World to Come HEre followeth an eleventh special difference which shall be betwixt the parties before named in the next world Which may be thus expressed Gods Elect shall dwell securely in the World to come Reprobates shall be afraid in the World to come The former Proposition that Gods Elect shall 1. Propo. dwell securely in the World to come And here I speak not of security as it is sometimes taken in evil part for sinfull security for doubtlesse there shal be none such in the World to come but I speak of it as it is taken in good part for holy security and when I say that Gods Elect shall dwell securely in the World to come my meaning is that they shall enjoy abundance of holy security in that World that is to say though they shall have a reverentiall fear of God in that VVorld Psa 67. 7. yet they shal be safe and free from all slavish fear of God and of Christ and from al fear of evil they shal not feare the evil of sin nor the evil of punishment they shal not fear the power of Men nor Devils they shal not fear the power of any creature in that VVorld And that in this sense they shal dwel securely in the VVorld to come may be proved by divers passages of Scripture in which this security is either promised or asserted as 1. They that shal dwell in the house of the Lord for ever shal dwel securely and enjoy abundance of holy security in the VVorld to come Now Gods Elect shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever according to that of David surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal 23. 6. Ergo They shal enjoy abundance of holy security in that VVorld 2. The Lord who is wisdome it self saith he that hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evill Pro. 1. 33. which promise may be in part fulfilled in this VVorld but it shal perfectly be fulfilled only in that which is to come and from hence I may reason thus they that shal perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come shall abound with holy security in that world Now Gods Elect shal perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come Ergo. 3. It is said who so putteth his trust in the Lord shal be safe Prov. 29. 25. that is shal be safe from the fear of evil as that Text seems to import which promise also may be in part fulfilled in this world but it shal perfectly be fulfilled only in that which is to come and so from hence I may argue thus they that shall perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come shall abound with holy security in that world Now God Elect shal perfectly enjoy this promise in the world to come Ergo. 4. The Propher Ieremiah sheweth that in the dayes of Christs Raign Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely Ier. 23. 6. VVhereby Iudah and Israel I understand al Gods Elect and by the Salvation and Safety there promised them I understand chiefly their Eternall Salvation in the VVorld to come together with that safety from fear of evil which shal follow thereupon and so from hence I may reason thus They that shall be Eternally saved in the World to come shall be safe from the feare of evill in that World and so shall abound with holy security in it Now Gods Elect shal be Eternaly saved in the world to come Ergo. 5. It is Gods Promise to his Elect that he will gather them out of all Countries whether he hath driven them and will place them in their own Countrie and will cause them to dwell safely in it Ierem. 32. 37. VVhich promise hath never been perfectly fulfilled as yet but shal be perfectly fulfilled in the VVorld to come From whence I may argue thus they that shal dwel safely in the World to come shal abound with holy security in that world Now Gods Elect shal dwel safely in the world to come Ergo. 6. The like promise is to be found elsewhere for the Lord saith of his chosen People they shal no more be a prey to the heathen neither shal the beasts of the Land devour them but they shal dwel safely and none shal make them afraid Ezek. 34. 28. which promise hath never been perfectly fulfilled as yet but shal be perfectly fulfilled in the world to come Ergo. In the world to come Gods Elect shal dwel securely and shal abound with holy security 7. It is said that perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment 1 Joh. 4. 18. and what fear shal perfect love cast out but slavish fear and fear of evil from whence also I may thus reason They that shall be perfect in love in the World to come shall be safe from the fear of evill in that world Now Gods Elect shal be perfect in love in the VVorld to come Ergo. 8. They that shal have perfect rest in the world to come shal dwel securely therin shal be at rest from the fear of evil Now Gods elect