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 [Page 2] 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. liberty of the Sonnes of God; For we know that the whole creation groa­neth and travelleth in paine together untill now, and not onely they, but we our selves also, which have the first fruites of the Spirit, even we our selves waite for the adopti­on, to wit, the redemption of our bodies, and then man shall inherit all things, both 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23. in heaven and in the earth, things present and things to come; All are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. He that spared not his owne Son, but delivered him up to death for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things? God­linesse Rom. 8. 32. 1 Tim. 4. 8. is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

The reason why man after the day of Judgement shall inherit all things, [Page 3] is this, because the second Adam hath restored againe all that the first Adam lost, for he is mighty to save, he is a Rocke and his worke is perfect, he Isa. 63. 1. Deut 32. 4. Joh. 17. 4. 19. 30. Heb. 7. 25. hath not done his worke by the halves, he saith, I have finished the worke that thou gavest me to doe, he said, It is finished, wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost, so that all which the first Adam had, is restored by the second, but the first Adam was the Master-peece of the whole creation, there­fore man was the last that was made, and all the rest were but prepared for him; and when man was to be made, the Lord did it with much delibera­tion, and called a Councell, the whole Trinity seemed to consult about his creation, saying, Let us make man in our likenesse, in our image, and let him Gen. 1. 26. have dominion over the fish of the Sea, and over the fowle of the Aire, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every thing that creepeth upon the earth: And man is an Epitome or an Abridgement of all the creatures; he hath a vegeta­tive, or a growing life, answerable to the plants and the Herbes, and grasse of the earth; and he hath a sensitive life, answerable to the beasts, and fowles, and fishes; and he hath a reasonable life, answerable to that of An­ges: thus all the creatures are to be seene in man; he hath a soule so glori­ous, fit to associate it selfe with the glorious Angels in Heaven, and he hath a body compounded of the foure elements, fit to communicate with and to governe the creatures here below: and when he was made, God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitfull and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and Gen. 1. 28. have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowle of the aire, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And when the Lord had formed all Gen. 2. 19, 20. the beasts of the Field, and fowles of the ayre, he brought them all to A­dam, as to their Lord, to see what he would call them, and whatsoever Adam called every creature that was the name thereof, and he gave names to all Cattle, and to the fowle of the aire, and to every beast of the field: thus they tendered their duty to him and were at unity among themselves.

But now since Adam fell from God, the creatures are disobedient to man, saith the Lord to Job out of the whirlewinde, Will the Ʋnicorne be willing to Job 39 9, 10, 11, 12, 27. serve thee, will he harrow the valley after thee, wilt thou trust him because his strength is great, or wilt thou leave thy labour to him, wilt thou beleeve that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy Barne? or doth the Eagle flye at thy command? no, we find the creatures disobedience to us, since our first disobedience to the Lord.

But to our comfort, the second Adam hath restored to us againe all that the first Adam lost, and although we have not that duty and service from the creatures, as Adam had at the first, by reason of their corruption, that came by our sinne, yet after the day of Judgement, when they are freed from this bondage, under which they groane, and shall be restored to their first perfection, then they will freely doe their duty unto man as they ought to doe, but this will not be, till the restitution of all things, for he that sate upon the Throne said, Behold, I make all things new, then shall that saying Rev. 24. 5. [Page 4] be fulfilled, Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. 2 Cor. 5. 17. And saith the Lord, Behold, I doe a new thing, now it shall spring forth, and shall ye not know it? I will make a way in the wildernesse, and rivers in the desart; Isa 43. 19. and what followes; the beasts of the field shall honour me, even the unlikeliest of all the creatures, Dragons and Owles at that day.

The reason why the creatures, as the Heavens and the earth, and all sorts of creatures in them, shall be restored to their first perfection, is, because they with man since the fall at their best estate are but vanity,Psal 39. 5. so, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, saith the Preacher: Eccles. 1. 1. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who subdued the same, but yet in hope and expectation to be delivered, for the whole creation groaneth in paine untill now, and not onely they, but we our selves also, which have received the first fruites of the Spirit, even we our selves groane, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redempti­on of our bodies. Rom. 8. 20. 22, 23. The bondage which makes the creatures groane are many, from which in time they shall be delivered, I meane at the restauration of all things after the day of Judgement.

First, They are fraile and subject to corruption, and putrefaction, which came by the sinne of man, this is a sore bondage.

Secondly, They are subject to confusions and inconstancy in any one condition, as by the many mutations, and alterations appeares dayly, being compounded of the foure elements, and the many confusions from the same foure elements; from this bondage they groane to be delivered.

Thirdly, They are forced to serve wicked men, The Sunne shines on the just and unjust, and the heavens make fruitfull with their showers, the field of the wick [...]d as well as the field of the just,Mat. 5 45. and the earth is forced to feede and to receive into her bowels, the ungodly as well as the godly, this is a sore bondage.

Fourthly, The visible creatures of God proclaime as in a booke, the in­visible things of God, as his eternall power, and God-head, to vaine men Rom. 1. 20. that will not learne; This is a sore bondage for which they groane.

Fifthly, The creature is many times made the subject of mans punishment, for mans sinne, as when the heaven is made Brasse, 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 [Page 5] 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 [Page 6] 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. 2 [...]. 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 it is not the world to come, and as Adam was made Lord of all the crea­tures living under heaven, and the Lord himselfe brought all the beasts and Gen. 1. 29. Gen. 2. 19. fowles unto him as to their Lord, to see what he would call them, but now since the fall, neither beasts nor fowles will yeeld him any free subjection, but by the halfes, as hee doth to the Lord; but at the restauration of all Job 39. 9. 27. things when all that offend are taken away, and all that doe iniquity, then shall the righteous shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of their Father; Matth. 13. 41. 43. 1 Cor. 15 24. Heb. 2. 8. that is, when Christ hath rendred up the kingdome to his Father, then shall all these creatures yeeld their free obedience to man as at the first; but saith the Apostle, we see not yet all things put in subjection under him, and as I said before, the Angels have the charge of things here below, because man by reason of his corruption and weakenesse that came by sinne is una­ble to governe the creatures; but when man is restored to his first perfecti­on, and made able to doe it, the Angels shall doe it no longer: but this wee see is not yet, therefore it is still the third part of the old world, for unto [Page 7] the Angels he hath not put in subjection the world to come, then the An­gels shall abide in heaven their owne proper place, and man being made equall to the Angels shall have the dominion over all things as at the first; and Christ is at his Fathers right hand till all these things be done, the heaven shall receive him untill the restitution of all things to their first per­fection, this is that refreshing that is for to come from the presence of the Acts 3. 19. 21. Lord, he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you, then you that are troubled shall rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shal be revealed 2 Thes. 1. 7. 10. from heaven with his mighty Angels, when he shall come to bee glorified in his Saints, and to bee admired in all them that beleeve, then shall the creatures be delivered into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God, that is, Rom 8. 21. they shal have a most excellent estate when the children of God are glorified, the Lord will doe them justice also in restoring them to their first perfecti­on, and they shall have againe all that they lost by the sinne and fall of Adam; I doe not say that there shall bee any resurrection of the creatures that are dead, but there shall be some of every kind that was given to Adam, Gen. 6. 19. 20. Eccle. 3. 14 1 Cor. 3. 15 both of fowles and beasts, whereof Noahs Arke was a figure, for I know saith Solomon whatsoever God doth, it shall be for ever, the judgement day shall be as a purgation to purifie the creatures, and they shall bee saved as through fire, as death and the grave doe not destroy our bodies for ever and as the corne is cast into the earth, it must die before it can be quickned, but being dead God giveth it a body, so shall the creatures be purified at the day of judgement, then shall the light of the Moone be as the light of the 1 Cor. 15. 36, 37, 38. Esa. 30. 26. Sunne, and the light of the Sunne shall be sevenfold as the light of seven dayes, but as the wages of sinne is death, and it is gone over all except those that are found alive at the last day, they shall not die but be changed at the twink­ling of an eye, and so made able to endure the fire that they may not bee 1 Cor. 15. 52, 53. consumed but purged from their corruption.

But some, because it is said that the Saints shall raigne with Christ a thousand yeares, and they will needs have it in this world before the end, Revel. 2 5. and not knowing where to finde it they say the judgement day shall con­tinue a 1000. yeares, but this cannot bee except they deny the expresse Word of God: because he hath appointed a day in which hee will judge the world, The day of the Lord commeth as a thiefe in the night, The great Acts 17. 31. 1 Thes. 5. 24 2 Pet. 3. 10. 12. Acts 2. 20. Rom. 2 16. Matth. 24. 36. Matke 13. 32. and notable day of the Lord, In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all men, That day and hower knoweth no man; thus it appeares to me to be rather lesse then a day then more, it may be the shortest day that ever came for any thing we know, but more it cannot be, when the Scripture is so full and cleare to every understanding that will be satisfied in it.

When the righteous and the wicked appeare before the Lord at the day of judgement, Christ for the love he beareth to the righteous he will come leaping over the mountaines and skipping over the hills, Can. 2. 8. he is not slacke concerning his promise, 2 Pet. 3. 9. When the Son of man commeth, [Page 8] I tell you that he will avenge them speedily, Luk. 18. 8. and concerning the wicked saith he, I will come nearre to you to judgement, and I will bee a swift witnesse against them, Mal. 3. 5. here Christ comes leaping and skip­ping speedily and swiftly, that his elect may not be held too long in su­spence from their happinesse, as some would have it, a 1000. yeares way­ting at the barre before the Judge for absolution. And there is good reason for it, for God that is able and will bring to every mans remembrance at that day, all their thoughts, words and deeds that ever was in all their lives, and the booke of their conscience, and the booke of the Law of God shall be both open to them;Revel. 20. 12. then I suppose the sentence may soone bee passed upon them, they need not have their sentence one after another, as some that affirme this would have it, but the righteous being all on the right hand, and the wicked all on the left hand, then shall the Judge say to them on the right hand, Come ye blessed, and to all on the left hand, Goe ye cursed. Matth. 25. 34. 41. And if they reply and say, one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares. I answer, this was the judgement of those that hold, because God was six dayes in creating the world, therefore it should continue six thou­sand yeares, which if it be so, there being passed above five thousand and a halfe already, where will you finde a thousand yeares more before the day of judgement? so that this will not helpe them at all; and to say the Saints doe raigne with Christ a 1000. yeares, meaning while they stand at the barre of his judgement, to mee it seemes very improper, and though their cause be never so good; neither can they be said to raigne here before the day of judgement, when the wicked shall have as great authority and ri­ches as they, neither can it properly be said that the Saints shall reigne in heaven, for there is none to bee subject unto them, then it remaines that the Saints after the day of judgement shall reigne here on earth,Revel. 5. 10 when they shall shine as the Sunne in the Firmament,Matth 13. 43. and be as glorious in the fight of God as he was at the first, & all the creatures restored to their first persection then they will yeeld to man all that obedience that is due unto him, and then shall man be honoured in the earth by the creatures, as their Lord and King, and wonderfull happy among the Angels in heaven, being of their nature in his soule, and in his body also, being made of the same elements with other creatures here below; then the Angels shall continue in heaven and these creatures shall continue here, and men shall have bodies so full of agility to ascend up to heaven, and to walke in the ayre, as to goe upon the ground, and the glory of the soule shall bee the wonderfull per­fection of Gods Image in all the faculties of it, then shall wee know both the secrets of heaven and earth, then shall our memories, will and affecti­ons bee after an unconceivable manner made conformable unto God, yea we shall have both in our soules and bodies rivers of joyes, and pleasure for evermore;Psal. 16. 11. Revel. 21 7 Esay 66. 22. then shall the Saints inherit all things, and the new heavens, and the new earth which I will make, shall remaine before mee, saith the [Page 9] Lord, and so shall your seed and your name remaine; then shall wee bee Luk. 20. 35. 36. equall to the Angels, being children of the resurrection, and counted worthy to obtaine that world, and we shall be as Kings and Priests, and wee shall reigne on the earth, Revel. 5. 10. and all the creatures here will yeeld subjection to us as to their Lord and King, and we shall be as Priests to offer the sacrifice of praise to the Lord, and give him all the glory.

And if any shall yet say, these times shall be before the end of the world, because in the eighth Psalme it is said, thou hast crowned man with glory and honour, and thou madest him to have dominion over the workes of thy hands, and hast put all things under his feet, and then names all the creatures here below.

I answer, David here magnifies the Lord for that great glory and honour that was put upon man at the first in Paradise, when he had dominion over Psal. 8. 6. all things under the heavens, for this is spoken in the time past, Thou ma­dest him have dominion, and thou hast put all things under his feet; but Heb. 2. 8. if we speake of the new world, we see not yet all things put under him.

And whereas some hold that the soules of men departed shall returne a­gaine, and their bodies shall be raised and united to them, and they shall live here againe before the day of judgement a thousand yeares; but I de­mand Revel. 20. 4 with what bodies shall they rise, if it be sowne a corrupted body, shall it not rise in incorruption, if it bee sowne a naturall body, shall 1 Cor. 15. 43 44. it not rise a spirituall body? they must rise with such a body as Christ did. But when the disciples saw him they were terrified and affrighted, Luk. 23. 37 Act. 10. 40. 41. and supposed that they had seene a spirit: and as for wicked men, they ne­ver saw his body at all after his resurrection; him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses, cho­sen before of God, even to us who did eate and drinke with him after hee Luk. 24. 31. 51. John 20. 17. Mich [...]. 10. arose from the dead: and when hee was with them, as soone as they knew him he vanished out of their sight, this strangenesse was betweene his spi­rituall and their corporall bodies, this is not your rest because it is pollu­ted; he charged Mary that she should not touch him, then what communi­on can be betwixt them, when some must not touch him, and others were affrighted at the sight of him, and as soone as they knew him hee vanished away because the world is polluted, then it cannot bee that spirituall and corporall bodies should live together, and though he eate and dranke with them after his Resurrection, yet we must not thinke it was for necessity, or through the perill of hunger, but onely for delight, and to shew them that Luk. 24 3 [...]. 40. he had a reall body as before, with flesh and bones, onely it was made im­mortall and everlasting, never to dye more, nor to suffer any perill more.

And whereas it is said, That the soules of them that were beheaded for the wit­nesse Revel. 20. 4 of Jesus, and for the word of God, and had not worshipped the beast, they lived and raigned with Christ a thousand yeares: This cannot be meant of a corpo­rall death, or of a bodily resurrection, for the rest that were dead lived not a­gaine Vers. 5. 6. [Page 10] till the 1000. yeares were finished, and yet in the first Resurrection, who are as blessed and holy as the rest, On them the second death hath no power: and they being in the first resurrection, and yet not raised in their bodies, what is this but to rise from the death of sinne to the life of grace? on such the second death hath no power; and Christ answered the Sadduces that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are living, for God is the God of the living, and he is their Mat. 22. 32 John 5. 24. God, he that is thus alive shall dye no more, but is passed from death to life.

And againe the planting of the Gospell, and increasing or spreading of the Church may very well be called a Resurrection, because men were brought out of a state of death to a state of life, and the growth of the Church was like to the rising of the waters of the sanctuary, first to the Ezekiel 47. ankles, then to the knees then to the loynes, and to a river that could not be passed over, so was the Resurrection of the Church, at the first but twelve, Acts 1. 15. 2. 41. 44, 5 14. then a hundred and twenty, then there was added three thousand, then five thousand, then multitudes both of men and women; now he that hath part in this first resurrection, on them the second death hath no power, and whether they have this first Resurrection, in the first thousand yeares, after Christs ascension, or in the second, it matters not, so they have it before the day of Judgement, on them the second death hath no power: But our controversie is about those that were slaine for the witnesse of Jesus, and yet lived and reigned with Christ a 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 [Page 11] 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 [Page 12] 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 chaines in Jobs time, and could not touch his goods nor children, nor his body, but as he had com­mission from God, and the devill desired to intice Ahab to goe and fall at Ramoth Gilead, and told the Lord how, but he could not doe it, till the 2 Chron. 18. 20, 21. Lord said, Goe and do so: and so in the times of the Gospel, they besought Christ that they might goe into the herd of Swine, but could not, till Christ said unto them, Goe: but yet in this time he did not cease to com­passe Mal. 8. 31, 32. 1 Pet. 5. 8. the earth, but goeth up and downe like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devoure, and his chaine is long, and his commission large to doe much hurt, but that God who is able to bring good out of evill, and all things worke together for good to them that love God, as in Jobs case, 2 Sam. 16. 12. Jam. 5. 11. And as the malice of Josephs brethren wrought for his good, but when Christ came into the world, the devils knew that he would Rom. 8. 28 Gen. 50. 20. chaine them up from their purpose a thousand yeares, which would be a great torment unto them, therefore when they saw Jesus they fell downe before him, and with a loud voyce said, Thou Sonne of God most high, I be­seech Luke 8. 28, 29. 31. thee torment me not: But he commanded the uncleane spirit to come out. And they besought him that he would not command them to goe into the deepe, meaning this bondage for a thousand yeares: Christ comes and disarmes the strong Mat. 12. 29, Luke 11 21 22. Col. 2. 14, 15 man and bindes him, and then spoyles his goods, upon the Crosse hee spoyled Principalities and powers, he made a shew of them, openly tri­umphing over them in it, the Son of God was made manifest to destroy the workes of the devill, then saith Christ after this, I am he that was dead 1 Joh. 3. 8. [Page 13] and am alive, and behold I live for evermore, and have the keyes of hell and death. Then he laid hold on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devill, and Revel. 1. 18 Revel. 20. 1, 2, 3. Satan, and bound him from his purpose a thousand yeares, he having the keyes of the bottomlesse pit, cast him in and shut him up and set a seale up­on him, that he should not deceive the Nations any more, till the thou­sand yeares should bee fulfilled, and after that he must bee loosed a little season.

Here Christ did not bind the devill from going up and downe as a roa­ring Lyon, seeking whom hee may devoure, and his commission did reach 1 Pet. 5. 8. to doe much hurt in this thousand yeares to single persons, but the Devils purpose was to set up the man of sinne, that mystery of iniquity, that sonne of perdition, the Antichrist, in his Throne and full authority: this hee knew would make great spoyles in the Church of Christ, and the mystery of iniquity did already worke, and Diotrephes loveth to have the prehe­minence, 3 Joh. 9. 10 he prates against the ministers of Christ with malicious words and would not receive them, and forbad others that would, and cast them out of the Church.

Here you see how busie the devill is with this instrument to set up Anti­christ, because he aimes not so much at single persons as the ruine of nati­ons from which he is bound a thousand yeares: I grant that he raised great persecutions and sowed the tares of heresies that did much mischiefe, and occasioned great warres, and made great spoyles in the Church, yet this did not content him, for he knew that Antichrist was for to come, having great knowledge in the prophesies of Daniel, which made him stirre so Dan 7. 20, 21. much, and caused his wicked instruments to bring in one patch of Popery after another, and would not rest till hee had him in his throne, which was about a thousand yeares before hee was in his full ruffe to doe that mischiefe to the Church of God that the Devill expected hee should.

Now when this thousand yeares was ended, there was a starre fell from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the bittomlesse pit, Revel. 9. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and he opened the bottomlesse pit, and there arose the smoake of the pit, as the smoake of a great furnace, and the Sunne and the ayre was darkened by the smoake of the pit, and there came out of the smoake Locusts upon the earth, and unto them was given power as the Scorpions of the earth have power, and it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth, nor any greene thing, nor any tree; but onely those men which have not the seale of God in their foreheads, and to them was commanded, that they should not kill them, but that they should bee tor­mented or vexed five moneths, and that their paine should bee as the tor­ment of a Scorpion when he stingeth and striketh a man.

Here you see the bottomlesse pit that was shut, and the devill that was bound a thousand yeares, now the pit is opened and the devils loosed, [Page 14] yet not to doe what they list, but according to the commission granted to them.

Francis Junius in his Annotations upon this place, saith, by this star is meant some Angel glistering with glory as a starre from heaven, it may be Christ who by princely authority hath the Keyes of Hell, Chap. 1. 18. or some other inferiour Angel who hath the same key permitted unto him, and occupieth it ministerially or by office of his mi­nistry, the key was given to the starre; for those powers of wickednesse are thrust 2 Pet. 2. 4. Jude 6. Revel. 20. 3 downe into hell, and bound with chaines of darkenesse and are there kept unto dam­nation unlesse God for a time doe let them loose; by the bottomlesse pit he meaneth the deepest darknesse of hell, and the smoake of the hellish and infernall spirits, all darke, and dackning all things in heaven and in earth, the spirituall darkenesses are the causes of all disorder and confusion, for the devill sent these darkenesses into his kingdome, that he might at once with one impression overthrow all things, and per­vert if it were possible the elect themselves, by this light, both active as the Sunne and passive as the ayre, which is lightned by the Sunne, is taken away, and this is that which goeth before the spirits, a description of the malignant spirits invading the world, taken from their nature and power; from their nature, for they are like unto Lo [...]usts in quicknesse, subtlenesse, hurtfulnesse and in number; and for their power they are like the Scorpians of the earth who have a secret power to doe hurt, yet al­though these devils be let loose, and their commission is inlarged, yet still they are bounded by the counsell of God, because they hurt not all men, but onely the reprobate, vers. 4. neither had they all power, nor at all times, nor ever all those that are their owne, but limited in manner and time by the prescript of God, vers. 5.

After the thousand yeares was expired, the devill was loosed a little season, that is, five months, Revel. 9. 5. or a hundred and fifty dayes, or so many yeares, in which Revel. 20 3 time the devils have mightily perverted all things in the world, and yet without killing as they were commanded, vers. 5. being under the fifth Angell this little season of a hundred and fifty yeares wherein Satan had his commission enlarged being loo­sed Revel. 9. 5. Verse 1. Francis Ju­nius Anno­tations. Revel. 9. 5. 20. 3. in some measure from his thousand yeares bondage; which saith Francis Junius fell out precisely in the Popedome of Gregory the seventh, that monstrous Necroman­cer a man being made altogether of impiety and wickednesse, a slave of the devill whom he served, he was the most wicked firebrand of the world, he excommunica­ted the Emperour Henry the fourth, he went about by all manner of treachery to set up and pull downe Emperors and kingdomes, he doubted not to put in Rodolph the Sweden over the Empire in stead of Henry the fourth, sending him a crowne with this verse annexed to it:

He so sinely beslirred himselfe in his affaires, that he miserably set all Christendome on flre, and convayed over unto his successors the burning brand of the same, who raged with like ambition, never ceased to nourish that flame, and to kindle it more and more, whereby Cities, Commonwealths, and whole Kingdomes set together by the cares amongst themselves by most expert cut-throats, came to ruine while they most [Page 15] miserably wounded one another, this hundred and fiftie yeares being that little sea­son that Satan was loosed ended in the time of Gregory the ninth.

This man caused to be compiled by one Raymond his Chaplain the body of De­cretalls, and by sufferance of Kings and Princes to bee published in the Christian world, and established for a Law, for by this sleight at length the Popes arrogated unto themselves li [...]ence to kill whom they would whiles others were unawares, and without feare established a butchery out of many of their wicked Canons and of the Decretals, the effects of these bloody actions declared upon the sixt verse of the ninth Chapter that the miserable world languishing in so great calamities run together unto death and preferre the same before life, by reason of the grievous miseries that oppres­sed So farre Ju­nius. them.

B [...]t before these Kings were in the first thousand yeares, the Saints may Revel. 9. 1. be said to raigne with Christ, because the devill should be hindred of his purpose all that time, but the time being expired and Satan loosed in the 2 Thes. 2. 9. ninth Chapter, then the Dragon gave him his power and his seate, and great authority, Revel. 13. 2. then hee was set up whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power, and signes, and lying wonders; now the Angels are loosed that were bound in the River Euphrates, being a type Revel 9. 13 14. of new Babylon, when they were going to set up the Pope in his Throne, they were bound in the River, and could not get over till the thousand yeares were ended, but now they are gone into all the foure quarters of the earth to deceive the Nations, and to gather Gog and Magog together, both Revel. 20. 7, 8, 9. Revel. 11. 8 Turke and Pope, whose number is as the sand of the Sea, against the holy Citie, the Church of God, till fire come downe from God out of heaven and devoure them; for as Rome is spiritually called Sodome for their filthinesse committed in it, so I suppose their judgement shall bee alike, both for the Gen. 19. Revel. 18▪ suddennesse, the one in a moment, the other in an houre, and both with fire from heaven.

If some shall yet say, that Satan was not bound the first thousand yeares, Revel. 20. 3, 4. because as soone as he is loosed there is mention made of thrones, and they that sate on them; I answer, they were not the throne of Christ, for that is mentioned in the 11. Verse, where John saith, I saw a great white throne, and him that is Christ sate on it, but the other are called in the Psal. 12 25. plurall number thrones, and they that sate on them, these are thrones of judgement, thrones of the house of David, or earthly thrones, these Dan. 7. 9. thrones must be all cast downe when the ancient of dayes doth sit, and hee alone shall be exalted in that day.

Againe, them that plead for Christs living here a thousand yeares before the day of judgement, they hold that then all things here below shall returne to the same confused Chaos as it was in the creation, and so re­maine for ever: and they hold likewise that the bodies and soules of men after the day of judgement shall be confined in heaven: but I have answered these things already, and something more I shall say anon. But the meane [Page 16] time what delight is it to the Lord to looke upon a confused Chaos to all eternity, when all his glorious workes of creation are spoyled? if it should be so; both God, and man, and the rest of the creatures would bee at great losse, God for spending his labour in the creation, and now to end in a con­fused Chaos, and man would suffer a great losse to lose a world of creatures that was given to him at the first, this would become a great reproach to the second Adam, as though he were not able to restore againe to us all that the first Adam lost, & the rest of the creatures would suffer both losse & inju­stice, if they should not have that restored which was not lost through their default, but surely God that is able to change our vile bodies when they are turned to dust, is able to subdue all things unto himselfe, The Lord made Phil. 3. 21. Prov. 16. 4. Eccles. 3. 14 Deut. 32. 4. Gen. 1. 31. Exod. 31. 17. all things for himselfe, then whatsoever God doth it shall be for ever; He is a rocke and his worke is perfect; A God of truth without iniquity, Just & true is he, All his wayes are done in judgement, The Lord looked upon all his workes, and said they were very good, He tooke so great delight in them that it is said he rested and was refreshed: then shall all things lie for ever in a confused Chaos? I cannot harbour such a thought.

Then saith the Lord, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not bee remembred nor come into minde; and what fol­lowes, Esay 65. 17, 18, 19. Be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create, for I create Jerusalem a rejoycing, and her people a joy, and I will rejoyce in Jerusa­lem, and joy in my 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 [Page 17] 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 [Page 18] 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 see his children partake with him of that eternall happinesse in heaven; saith John, I have no greater joy Luke 15 20 3 John 4. then to heare that my children walke in truth: yet I suppose the rich mans petition was not to the soule of Abraham, but to the God of Abraham who is the chiefe and onely father of the faithfull, who hath said he will gather his lambes in his armes and carry them in his bosome, to him all the soules in heaven are subject: then to me it seemes adsurd to thinke that the soule of Abraham should have power to send the soule of Lazarus out Isa. 40. 11. 46. 3, 4. Gen. 31. 55 Psa. 24. 6. Hos. 3. 5. of heaven, and for the name we need not much to scruple at, for the Lord is often times called by the name of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Joshua, and the like, and if they should say that the soule of Abraham, and the rest of the Saints departed, are in the airie heaven, then they might know many things that are done on the earth, for the soule is of a large capacity being dis­burdened Isa. 13. 16. of a corrupted body, But Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knowes us not, then surely their soules are gone above the two lower hea­vens, which are stained with sin, and must be purged with fire at the Judge­ment day.

If they say, none but the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies, so none but Christ, to heaven in his body & soul, after his resurrection, I answer, Heb. 9. 24. the beast that was sacrificed, signifyed the body of Christ, and the Holyest of all was the figure of heaven, but the High Priest went in, and left the sa­crifice behind, and so did Christ goe into heaven it selfe, while his body Luke 23. 43 46. was sacrificed, and lay in the earth, that day was he in Paradise; if this be not sufficient to prove it, then marke his last words, Jesus cryed with a [Page 19] loud voyce, and said, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit, and when he had said thus, he gave up the Ghost. Neither would he suffer his Joh. 20. 17 body to be touched, til that had been with his Father, although afterwards he bade them to handle him, to strengthen their faith in him, now shall we thinke that this going to his Father, was not to goe into the glory of the third heaven? themselves cannot deny it. It may be they will say that heaven was not opened till Christ entred in with his body and soule.

I answer, the way hath beene open from the beginning, although not made so manifest, for Christ was the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world, and their faith before his visible comming in the flesh, gave sub­stance Heb. 9. 8. Revel. 13. 8. Heb. 11. 1. John 8. 56. to things hoped for, Abraham saw his day and was glad: but if they grant that heaven is open since his comming in the flesh, I demand why the soules that now d [...]part must not enter into it: this they dare not grant, be­cause there is a great gulfe fixed, and no passage out, till they come with Luke 16. 26 1 Thess 3. 13. Jude 14, 15 Zach. 14. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 22. Acts 3. 21. Christ to Judgement, at the last day, so that then they cannot Reigne here a thousand yeares before the end of the world: but suppose the soules de­parted be not in heaven, yet they cannot deny but Christ is there, he is gone into heaven, and the Heaven shall receive him, till the restitution of all things. This gulph must keepe him in till the day of Judgement, and that is called his second comming, which is unto salvation, therefore there can be none before that, and as the High priest went in, not for himselfe, Heb. 9. 28. Exo. 28. 29 but bare the name of all Israel upon his brest, no more did Christ, but as soone as the body of any of the elect is sacrificed by death, their soule he John 17. 24 receives to himselfe, to be where he is, to behold his glory, else why did Steven when he was stoned, and saw the Heavens open, and Christ standing at Gods right hand, say, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit? and to what pur­pose Acts 7. 56, 59. 1 Pet 4. 19. doth Peter bid us, when we suffer according to the will of God, to com­mit our soules unto him? did God the Father deceive the Sonne when he prayed thus? doth he not say, Thou hearest me alwaies? or did the Sonne dissemble, when he said, I will that they be where I am; and therefore he Joh. 11. 42 Heb. 5. 7. would not heare Steven, a man full of Faith and of the Holy Ghost? or doth Peter deceive us all, in bidding us at our death to commit our soules to God when they shall not come neare him? I meane to that happinesse prepared for them: but what makes Paul, desire to depart and to be with Christ, Christ is not among the Starres, nor is he yet come in the clouds, that we Phil. 1. 23. 1 Thess. 4. 16, 17. 2 Cor. 5. 6, 8. should goe there to meete him, what makes him say, while we are in the body, wee are absent from the Lord, and wee are willing rather to bee absent from the body, that we may be present with the Lord; but if their soules after they depart should be kept in a kind of purgatory, or prison from the Lord Christ, they had as good be in the body still, and ab­sent from the Lord here, as there to be frustrate of our expectation, but the wicked shall be turned into hell, and the expectation of the poore Saints shall not perish, their soule shall returne to God who gave it; as there is but Psal. 9. 17, 18. [Page 20] two wayes, so there is but two ends for all men good and bad, which are Heaven or Hell: saith Christ, In my Fathers house are many Mansions, if Eccle. 12. 7 it were not so, I would have told you, that I go to prepare a place for you, But he will make knowne the riches of his glory on the vessels of mer­cy, John. 14. 2. Rom 9 23. Mat 25. 34. Psal. 3 [...]. 19. which hee had afore prepared unto glory, The Kingdome of Heaven was prepared for them before the foundation of the world, This is laid up for those that feare the Lord: they will not say, surely, it is a­mong the starres, or in the clouds, no, let Edom make his nest there, but when we depart, we shall be with Christ, which is farre better. It may be Phil. 1, 23. some will after all this, rather then they will yeeld, that the soule departed is gone into the heaven of the blessed, they will say that it dies mortally with the body, but if they will beleeve Christ, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are living, they may be convinced of it; for God is the God of the living, and he is their God, they need not to feare them that kill the body, but cannot Mar. 22. 32. Mat. 10. 28 Luke 2. 29. kill the soule, the soule cannot dye with the body, but it departs away from it: Then I conclude, that if the Soule assoone as it leaves the body, goes immediately to Paradise, the third heaven, there is neither purgatory nor place of residence after death, but as the tree falleth so it lies, after death to Judgement; a particular sentence is passed immediately upon them for heaven or hell, and there is no place of abode for Abrahams children, till they come into his bosome with him in Heaven for ever.

But thirdly, which is the maine objection to all my former discourse, if the soule of Abraham be in Heaven, and when he was here he desired a better Country than this world, which is a heavenly, then they say after the day of Judgement, the Saints shall not inherit all these things here below in this world, because the Saints did alwayes set a low value of them.

To this I answer, that the Soule is of a Heavenly substance, and when it Rom. 6. 7. leaves the body, then it hath ceased from sinne, therefore no place between this and Paradise is fit to receive it. Therefore saith the Prophet, Arise ye and depart, for this is not your rest, because it is polluted: and after the Heb. 12. 23. day of Judgement, the Angels shall abide in Heaven, being a place for such glorious Spirits, and the soules of men made perfect, being of the same nature with them, shall abide in Heaven also till the body shall rise againe, for as the soules of men are now confin'd in Heaven, Luk. 16. 26. and the Angels have businesse both in the Heavens and in the Earth, so after the day of Judgement, when they have finished their worke in this world, they shall rest, and I suppose shall be confined in Heaven for ever, and when our bo­dies Eccle 21. 7. are risen and united to our soules, then shall we inherit all things here in their first perfection, and also we shall have sweet communion with An­gels in Heaven: for as I said before, man consists of two parts, body and soule, so he shall have two worlds answerable to his two natures to delight himselfe in, that he may have fulnesse of joy for whom all things were made; 1 Tim 4. 8. for godlinesse is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that [Page 21] now is, and of that which is to come; and the meane time that the body lies in the grave, the soule is gone to take possession of the kingdome of heaven, and when the body riseth againe it shall then have this world bestowed up­on it, and as the soule brought nothing with it, so it shall take nothing out with it, no not his owne body but leaves it here, in the earth till it comes againe, and so the body goes to the grave and takes nothing with it but weeping and mourning, yet when it comes againe, having had the preti­ous seeds of grace in it, shall doubtlesse come againe with rejoycing, and Psal. 126. 6. bring his sheaves with him: so then after the day of judgement when all things are purified by fire, and restored to their first perfection, then I say man shall inherit all things, both in this world and in the world to come; then shall the meeke inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abun­dance Psal 37. 11. Joh. 16. 20. 33. Esay 49. 8. Matth. 10. 16. of peace; but this cannot be before the day of judgment, for saith Christ In this world you shall have tribulation, & Christ was given for a covenant of the people to establish the earth, to cause to inherite the desolate heritages, but for the present the Saints are as sheep among wolves, so that these things shall not be restored to the Saints till themselves are in their first perfection, then they shall be given us againe perfect as they were to Adam at the first.

And although mans body shall put on immortalitie, and shall be made so firme and permanent as to endure for ever eternally, yet his body shall not be turned into a spirit, it shall be a body still with flesh and bones, as Luke 24. 39, 49. the body of Christ was after his resurrection; saith he, Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me have, And he did eate and drinke with his disciples after his resurrection, they gave him a peece of a Luke 24. 42, 43, 30. Joh. 21. 9. 12. 13. Acts 10. 41 Matth. 26. 29. Rom. 14. 17 Joh. 18. 36. broyled fish, and of an hony combe, and he tooke it and did eate before them: so it is likely man may after his resurrection, for saith Christ, I will henceforth drinke no more of the fruit of the vine, till I drinke it new in my Fathers Kingdome, this cannot bee meant presently af­ter his ascension, for wee never read that hee dranke wine in all that fortie dayes, and his kingdome doth not consist in drinking wine, but in righteousnesse, peace and joy in the holy Ghost, My king­dome is not of this world saith hee, then I conclude that Christ will not drinke of the fruit of the vine till he hath rendered up the kingdome to 1 Cor. 15. 24. his Father, then will Christ amongst the Saints drinke it new, not as though he desired to drinke new wine rather then old; for he himself saith, that no man having old wine desireth new; for hee saith the old is better: Luke 5. 39. then the meaning is, when the vine is made now, and all the trees and crea­tures restored to their first perfection, then will he drinke with them in his Psal. 96. 11 12, 13. Fathers kingdome, then shall the heavens rejoyce and the earth be glad, the fields shall be joyfull, and all the trees of the wood shall rejoyce before the Lord when hee commeth to judge the earth, Hee shall judge the world with righteousnesse and his people with his truth; then here you see the world, every creature, the very trees shall have righteousnesse, as they have [Page 22] suffered by the sinne of man, so shall they have benefit in mans deliverance from his sinne, this is that which the whole creation groaneth and travel­eth in paine together untill now, but the creature it selfe shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children Rom. 8. 21. 22. of God; but it is observable when all the creatures in heaven and earth re­joyce at the comming of Christ to judgement, at the same time the Sea Psa. 96. 11. roares, and the fulnesse thereof, because it is said there shall be no more Sea, Revel. 21. 1. then shall man enjoy all the creatures that were given him at the first as he did in his innocency, so that he may eate of all the trees for his pleasure, and yet not feele the perill of hunger, and although our bodies shall be made perfect and glorious like unto the body of Christ, yet with flesh and bones as he had after his resurrection, and as our soules shall be re­newed Phil. 3. 21. Luke 24. 39, 40. in all the faculties, so shall the bodies bee perfect in all the senses, and they shall be abundantly satisfied for ever in the world to come.

If any shall aske me what the bodies of Christ, and Enoch, and Elias now doe feede upon? I answer, when they were here they lived upon food as others doe now: Yet as God was able to make Christ, and Elias, and Moses to faste forty dayes and forty nights, so he is able to make them live there without food; yet I will not contend whether our bodies shall eate for ne­cessity, yet I suppose when the new Jerusalem shall come downe from hea­ven and the Saints shall inherit all things, that then they shall eate and Revel. 21. 7 drinke although not for hunger, and thirst, but onely for pleasure sake, and although those bodies that are in heaven want earthly food, yet they have soules like Angels, and they amongst them are content with the joy of Angels as here sometimes inward comfort satisfies a Christian, when he wants outward comfort, so are they with heavenly food at this time in the want of earthly food, yet their fulnesse or joy is not till they injoy all things both in heaven and earth answerable to both parts of body and soule.

But it may be they will say it is absurd to say that the bodies of Eno [...]h and Elias are in heaven, or at the least that they were there before the body of Christ, because Christ is become the first fruits of them that slept, 1 Cor. 15. 20. and all shall be made alive, every man in his owne order, Christ the first fruits, and afterward they that are in Christ, ver. 23. To this I answer.

That there were many both in the Old Testament and the new, that were raised from a corporall death to a corporall life, and all before Christ, but they died againe, 1 Kings 7. 22. 2 Kings 4. Joh. 11. 44. and it is said ex­pressely that Eliah went up in a whirlewind into heaven, 2 Kings 2. 11. but he died not, and Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and God tooke him, Heb. 11. 5. Gen. 5. 24. here you see some arose under the Law, and under the Gospell to confirme their resurrection, yet died againe, and some ascended into heaven before the Law, and under the Law to confirme their hopes after death, yet Christ was the first that did both arise from the [Page 23] dead and died no more, but ascended into heaven, and there he is with the soules of all the Saints departed, and there is the body of Enoch and of Elias, and it is no absurd thing to beleeve it.

And because the soules of all the elect when they leave the earth ascend up to heaven, therefore it is called Jerusalem which is above, the mother of us all, it is called the mount Sion, the Citie of the living God, the hea­venly Gal. 4. 26. Jerusalem, the generall assembly and Church of the first-borne, where the spirits of just men are made perfect; but at the day of judgement when Heb. 12. 22. 23. their bodies shall rise spirituall bodies and in their first perfection,

Then Jerusalem which is above shall come downe from God out of hea­ven Revel. 21. 3, 4 as a bride adorned for her husband, then the Tabernacle of God shall be with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himselfe shall be with them, and be their God, then shall the bride be glad and rejoyce, and give honour to Christ, for the marriage of the Lambe is come, and the bride hath made her selfe ready: we were espoused Revel. 19. 7 Isay 54. 4. Ier. 3. 14. Hose. 2. 19, 20. Ephe. 5. 31. 32. Revel. 15. 3 2 Thes. 1. 10. Revel. 19. 8 Luk. 2. 36, 37. Reve. 7. 14, 15. Reve. 19. 9. or betrothed unto Christ in our convesion, but the great solemnity of the marriage is when the King of Saints shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired of all them that beleeve, then to his bride shall be granted that she shall be arrayed in fine linnen, cleane and white, for the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of the Saints, these are they which have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe, they served God in the temple with fasting and prayer night and day, therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple, and he that sitteth on the throne will dwell amongst them when this great solemnity is kept, Blessed are they which are called to the mar­riage Supper of the Lambe, these are the true sayings of God, The Angell said unto John, come hither, and I will shew thee the bride, the Lambes wife, and he carried me in the spirit to a great mountaine, and shewed me the great Citie, the holy Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God, Revel. 21. 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27. and in it was the glory of God shining like a stone most pretious: it had a wall great and high, and twelve gates to it, and twelve foundations, the Citie was fouresquare, the length and the breadth and heighth they are all equall, twelve thousand furlongs every way, & the wall was a hundred forty foure foure cubits in thicknesse, and the wall was built of Jasper stone, & the Ci­tie was pure gold, like unto pure glasse, the foundations of the wal of the Ci­tie was garnished with all manner of pretious stones; & the twelve gates were of twelve pearles, and the streets of the Citie were of pure gold as it were transparent glasse. I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty & the Lambe are the temple of it, and the Citie had no need of the Sun or Moone to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lambe is the light of it, and the nations of them that are saved shall walke in the light of it, and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it, and the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall bee no [Page 24] night there, and there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, or whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but onely they which are written in the Lambes booke of life, this is the glorious Citie, the new Jerusalem, the Lambs wife.

And he shewed me a pure River of water of life, cleare as crystall, pro­ceeding Revel. 22. out of the Throne of God, and of the Lambe in the midst of the street of it, and of either side of the River was there the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yeelded her fruits every moneth; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations, and there shall be no more curse, but the Throne of God, and the Lambe shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads, and there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the Sunne, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reigne for ever and ever, and hee said unto me, These sayings are faithfull and true; then blessed are they that doe his comman­dements, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the Citie, then shall they rejoyce in their portion, in their land they shall have double, everlasting joy shall bee unto them: I Isay 61. 7. Isay 60. 15. 18. will make thee an eternall excellency, violence shall no more bee heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walls salvation, and thy gates praise: For they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, for the Lambe in the midst of the Throne shall Reve. 7. 16, 17. Luk. 20 35, 36. feed them, and lead them unto living fountaines of water: and they that are accounted worthy to obtaine that world, and the resurrection from the dead, can die no more, but are equall to the Angels in this new hea­ven, and new earth: God will wipe away all teares from our eyes, there shall bee no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither any more paine, because the former things are passed away: And he that sate on the Throne said, behold I make all things new, and there shall bee none in Revel 21. 1, 4, 5 that world that his strength is gone with age nor an Infant who is weake Isay 65. 20. for want of age, or that hath not fulfilled his dayes, they shall bee all in their full growth, and first perfection. If it be said the child shall die a hun­dred yeares old, I answer, I have shewed before that there shall be no more death in the new Jerusalem when it is come downe from God out of hea­ven, Revel. 21. 4. Luk. 20. 36. then the meaning of that place is this; those that lived in the first age of the world, living eight or nine hundred yeares were a hundred yeares before they came to their full growth, but in the resurrection they shall rise in their full growth as if they had dyedat the age of a hundred yeares old; yet in this age of the world I suppose they that die shall rise about the age of the second Adam, when he gave his life a ransome for us, being the full growth of this age to their full strength and Isay 65. 22. perfection: but it was I suppose a hundred yeares in the first age, before they came to the stature and full growth of the first Adam in the day of his [Page 25] creation; this is also the meaning of the next words, For as the dayes of a tree, are the dayes of my people, that is, say the Philosophers an Oake tree is a hundred yeares before it is come to its full growth, so was man before the flood: then at this age they shall rise againe, and long injoy the worke of their hands: then Israel shall be saved in the Lord 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.Isa. 45. 18, 19. Doe but minde this Text and consider it well, and judge thy selfe, who ever thou art that readest it, whether the lower Heavens, and the Earth, and all the creatures in them shall be consumed at the day of judgement, and become an unp [...]ofitable and uncomfortable Chaos, and so remaine for ever. No, the Lord Reigneth, the world shall be established, that it shall not be moved:Psa 96. 10. One generation goeth, and another generation commeth, but the earth abideth for ever:Eccles. 1. 4. The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein, for he hath founded it upon the Seas, and esta­blished it upon the floods,Psal. 24. 1, 2 The world also is established that it cannot be moved.Psal 93. 1. 2

Peter tels us in the last dayes there shall come scoffers, and then sheweth the occasion of their scoffing, and that is some promises that were made of the comming of Christ, such as these, Sing, O Daughter of Zion, for loe I come, and I will dwell in the middest of thee, saith the Lord, Zach. 3. 10, 11, 12. 8. 3. 8. Behold, I come quickly, Revel. 22. 12. He that shall come will come, Heb. 10. 37. Behold he commeth, Rev. 1. 7. Jude 14. But say these scoffers, where is the promise of his comming? 2 Pet. 3. 3. Another occasion is of his preparation for his comming, for saith the Apostle, we according to his promise in Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. looke for new Heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse, ver. 13. But say these scoffers, All things continue as they were from the beginning of the crea­tion, ver. 4. now this is to be understood literally of the Heavens and earth, for he blames them of their ignorance, how that the Heavens were of old, and the earth stood out of the waters, and then in the waters, for the world that then was, was overflowed and perished, v. 5, 6. But the Heavens and earth that are now, are reserved for fire at the day of Judgement, then shall the elements melt, and the earth and all things in it shall be burnt up, v. 7. 10. 12. Then he exhorts them to a holy conversation, and godlinesse from this motive, that we according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new Earth after that day, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse, v. 11. 13. And God made all things for himselfe, Prov. 16. 4. And he greatly delight­eth in the workes of his hands, and although man hath prodigally lost them all by sinne, yet God will not lose them so, and by Christ all things were made, both in heaven, and in earth, they were all made by him, and [Page 26] for him, and shall we thinke that Christ will lose them all? no, he made peace through the blood of his Crosse, to reconcile all things unto him­selfe, both things in earth, and things in heaven, Col. 1. 16. 20. And God hath made Christ Heire of all things, for by him the worlds were made, and he upholdeth all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1. 2, 3. And the children of God are joynt-heires with Christ, of the same inheritance, and the creatures themselves waite for that day, to be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, Rom. 8. 19. 21. And all the 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 [Page 27] 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. [Page 28] 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 righteousnesse remaine in the Isa. 32. 16, 17, 18. fruitfull field, the worke of righteousnesse shall bee peace, and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever; and my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, sure dwellings and quiet resting places: again, Isa. 33. 5, 6. the Lord is exalted, for he dwelleth on high, he hath filled Zion with judg­ment and righteousnesse, and wisedome and knowledge shall be the stabili­ty of thy times, and strength of salvation, the feare of the Lord is his trea­sure.

But I suppose these precious promises are not to be fulfilled till after the day of Judgement, for which the sinners in Sion are afraid, fearefulnesse hath surprised the hypocrite; they say, who shall dwell with devouring fire? who can dwell with everlasting burnings? ver. 14. the answer is made, he that walketh righteously, that speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gaine of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, and stoppeth his eares from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from see­ing of evill, he shall dwell on high, his place of defence shall be the munition of Rockes, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure, thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty, they shall behold the Land that is very farre off. vers. 15, 16, 17.

But where is this land which these promises are of? looke unto Zion the City of of our solemnities; thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habita­tion, a Tabernacle that shall not bee taken downe, nor one of the Stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the coards thereof be broken, and the inhabitant shall not say, I am sicke, the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. ver. 20. and 24.

These things cannot be fulfilled in this world, for before the end all Churches are subject to sinne, sicknesse, and alteration, and desolation. But is this promise to the Jewes onely?

I answer, No: Come neare ye Nations to heare, and hearken ye people: let the earth heare, and all that is therein, the world and all things that Isa. 34. 1. come forth of it: here you see the extent of this promise is to all people and Nations, and not onely so, but to the earth and all creatures that come forth of it: Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowle of the ayre, and brought them unto Adam. All Gen. 2. 19. these have suffered a long time for the sinne of man, but here is a pro­mise for them; this is the ground of their hope and the earnest expectati­on Rom. 8. 19. [Page 29] of the creature, this makes the heavens and the earth so glad, and the Psal. 96. 11. 12. 13. field and the trees of the wood to rejoyce; when the Lord comes to judge the earth and the world, he will then doe all creatures Justice.

But shall this promise be fullfiled before the day of Judgement?

I answer, No, for all the hoast of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rouled together as a scroll, and all their hoast shall fall downe as the leafe falleth off from the vine, and as the falling figge from the figtree, for it is the day of the Lords vengeance and the yeare of recompences for the controversie of Zion; vers. 4. 8. then shall the wildernesse and de­sart Isa 35 1. bee glad for them, and the desart shall rejoyce and blossome as a rose, it shall blossome abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing, the glo­ry Ver. 1, 2. of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God; this may very well be understood to be after the day of Judgement, for your God will come with vengeance, even God with recompence, he will save you; vers. 4.

Then in what manner shall this salvation bee?

I answer, from all bodily infirmities, there shall neither be blinde, nor lame, nor dumbe, nor deafe, v. 5, 6. but this cannot be fulfilled in this world before the end, till all the creatures are freed from the corruption that came in with sinne; but that cannot be before the day of Judgement, for if sinne were removed before the day of Judgement, that day should never come, for God will not judge and condemne men where no sinne is. Againe, they are not onely freed from infirmities, but from danger without. No Lyon shall be there, nor any any ravenous beast shall be found there; and then the great comfort and fellowship of the Saints, none but the redeemed shall walke there, the ransomed of the Lord of hoasts shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads, they shall obtaine joy and glad­nesse, and sorrow and sighing stall flee away. v. 9. 10. I suppose none will thinke to have these things fulfilled in this corrupted world before Acts 3. the restitution of all things to their first perfection at the last day.

Againe, in those dayes and in that time saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sinnes of Judah, and they shall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reserve; but this cannot be understood of Israel and Judah in this world, but of them Jer. 50. 20. that are reserved for another, yet I grant that single persons in respect of their justification are freed from sinne, yet not in respect of sanctification, it is there still although it doth not reigne in them, but if wee take in all Israel and Judah, it must be fulfilled after the day of judgement. Againe, he hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob nor seene perversenesse in Israel, the Num. 3. 21. Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a King among them, that is, God was with them by his Angel that went before them, & the Arke was a Exod. 23. 20. Micah 7. 18. signe of his presence, and by successe and conquest over their enemies, and [Page 30] God did passe by their sinnes; and as the Apostle saith, in the times of ig­norance Acts 17. 30 God winked at them, that is, he did not so exactly marke their iniquities as to punish them, but this is chiefly to bee understood after the Psal 130. 3. day of judgement, then there shall be no sinne, and Christ will live amongst them; I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day, which can bee Zach. 3. 9. no other but the judgement day; againe, sing and rejoyce O daughter of Zion, for loe I come, and I will dwell in the middest of thee, saith the Lord, and many nations shall bee joyned to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people, and I will dwell in the middest of thee, and the Lord Zach. 2. 10, 11, 12. shall inherite Judah his portion, and shall chuse Jerusalem; againe, thus saith the Lord, I am returned unto Zion, and I will dwell in the middest of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called a Citie of truth, the mountaine of the Lord of hoasts, the holy mountaine, but now I will not bee unto the residue of this people as in the former dayes, saith the Lord, for the seede shall be prosperous, the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew, and I will cause the Zach 3. 3. [...], 12. remnant of this people to possesse all these things, I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the middest of Jerusalem, and they shall bee my people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousnesse; The Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flocke of his people, for they shall bee as the stones of a crowne, lifted up as an ensigne upon his land; In that day Zach. 9. 16. shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble a­mong them at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as Zach. 12. 8, 9. God, as the Angell of the Lord before him; And in that day I will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem, and the Lord shall bee King over all the earth, in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one, and men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited, And the Lord shall raigne over them in Zach. 14. 9. 11. Micah 4. 7, 8. mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever, and thou O Tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Sion, unto thee shall it come even the first dominion, in that day shall the branch of the Lord bee beautifull and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall bee excellent and comely, for them that are escaped in Israel; and it shall come to passe that he that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem, when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion, & shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the middest thereof by the spirit of judgement, and Isay 4. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. by the spirit of burning, and the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies a cloud, and a smoake by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a defence, and there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heate, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storme and from raine.

In the valley of Jehosaphat the Lord will sit to judge the heathen round about, for the day of the Lord is neare, the Sunne and the Moone shall Joel 3. 12. 14, 15. 20, 21. bee darkened, and the starres shall withdraw their shining, but Judah shal ldwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation; for I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Zion, then shall the light of the Moone bee as the light of 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 Isay 30. 26. the stroake of their wound; The Lord most high is terrible, hee is a great King over all the earth, he shall subdue the people under us, and the na­tions under our feet, he shall chuse our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved; God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet, Sing praises to our God, sing praises, sing praises to our King, sing praises, for God is the King of all the earth, sing praises Psa. 47. with understanding, God reigneth over the heathen, God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holinesse.

In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with ever­lasting kindnesse wil I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer, for as the waters of Noah I have sworne shall no more go over the earth; so have Isay 54. 9, 10, &c. I sworne that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee; behold the mountaines shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee; O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests and not comforted, behold I will lay thy stones with faire co­lours, and lay the foundations with saphires, and windowes of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones, and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children, in righteousnesse shalt thou be established, thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not feare, and from terrour, for it shall not come unto thee, and whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall, for thy sake no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne, this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord; Great is the Lord, and greatly to bee praysed in the Ci­tie of our God, in the mountaine of his holinesse, beautifull for situation, Psal. 48. 1, 2. the joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion, God is knowne in her palaces Vers 3. 8. 11, 12, 13, 14. for a refuge, as we have heard, so have we seene, in the Citie of the Lord of Hoast, in the Citie of our God, God will establish it for ever, Selah; Let mount Zion rejoyce, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgements, walke about Zion, goe round abour her and tell the towers thereof, marke well her Bulwarkes, for this God is our God for ever and ever: these things are mixed together concerning the calling of the Jewes to their Jerusalem, and the comming downe of Jerusalem out of heaven that it is hard to distinguish them, yet many of these things can­not [Page 32] be fulfilled before the restitution of all things, for Christ must bee in heaven till then, so that these things must be fulfilled afterward; againe, at the day of judgement Christ shall come from heaven with his mighty Angels,2 Thess. 1. 7 10. when he shall come to bee glorified in his Saints; for, behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all,Jude 14 15 but if Christ and his Saints should come and live here a thousand yeares before,1 Thess. 3. 13. how could it be said he and all the Saints shall come downe from heaven at that day; but you see that to be true, And wee which are a­live and remaine here, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord 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, [Page 33] 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 [Page 34] 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, 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 [...]an. 2. 34, [...]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 [...]an. 7. 27. [...]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, the heavens rejoyce and the earth is glad, the field is joyfull and all [Page 36] that is therein, and all the trees of the wood will rejoyce before the Lord, when he commeth to judge the earth; Then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in a cloud with power and great glory, when these things begin to come to passe, then looke Luke 21. 27, 28. Revel. 19. 7 Luke 2. 25. 26. up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draneth nigh; Let us rejoyce and be glad, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lambe is come, and his bride hath made herselfe ready; because it was revealed to old Simeon that hee should not see death, till he had seene the Lords Christ, therefore he waited for the consola­tion of Israel; be patient therefore brethren unto the comming of our Lord, behold the husbandman waiteth for the fruite of the earth, be yee also pati­ent, establish your heart, for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh, saith Mi­cah, James 5. 7, 8. Micah 7. 7. I will waite for the God of my salvation, and Paul commends the Co­rinthians for this thing, for saith he, yee come behind in no gift, wayting for the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall confirme you unto the end, that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord, for saith he, our con­versation 1 Cor. 1. 7. 8. is in heaven, from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies, and make them like unto his Phil 3 20, 21. glorious body, according to the working whereby hee is able to subdue all things unto himselfe, Blessed is hee that waiteth and commeth to the 1335. dayes saith the Angel to Daniel, but go thou thy way, thou shalt rest till the end Dan. 12. 12, 13. be, and then stand in thy lot in the end of the dayes when all things are re­stored to their first perfection, then Daniel shall have his lot among other Saints; therefore waite I say on the Lord, I will waite for the Lord, my soule doth waite, in his word doe I waite, My soule doth waite for the Lord, more then they that watch for the morning, I say more then they that watch for Psal. 130. the morning; let Israel hope in the Lord, watch therefore, for ye know not at what houre your Lord doth come, therefore be yee ready, for in such an Matth. 24. 42. 44. 46. 47. houre as yee thinke not of the Sonne of man commeth; blessed is that ser­vant whom his Lord when hee commeth shall finde so doing, verily I say unto you hee will make him ruler over all his goods, now what are those goods that the Saints shall bee made Rulers over at the day of judgement, but those creatures that were given to the first Adam, and hee by his sinne lost this Lordship over them, and the second Adam hath restored to him all a­gaine in their first perfection, and saith Luke, hee will make him ruler over his Luke 12. 42. 44. household and over all that he hath; now saith Paul, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and Ephe. 3 14. 15. earth is named, what other meaning can this have but this after the day of judgement, to be made Lords and Rulers over all the creatures here below, and as I take it in some degree also above the Angels in heaven? howsoever here is sufficient to answer a question sometimes moved, which is this, whether Quest. shall the Saints or Angels have the highest degree of glory after the day of judg­ment? I answer the Saints, for as the beasts shall be confined to the earth, so Answ. the Angels shall be confined in heaven, but man shall inherit all things, all things I say both in earth and heaven, and as man shall have more glory on [Page 37] earth then any beast or fowle can have, so I suppose he shall have more glory in heaven then any Angel there, because that he is the master piece of all, and as it were a modell of all the creation, being the last that was made, all the rest being but made for him; the Elders were with Christ on the throne, and the Angels standing round about it, read Revel. 7. 11. therefore in more glo­ry Revel. 5. 11 7. 11. then the Angels.

Secondly, Vse may teach us admiration with David, and say, O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee, which thou Psal. 31. 19. hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sonnes of men!

First, Looke backe upon sinne and see the cursed nature of it, and admire at the filthy contagion of it that hath defiled the lower heavens and the earth Iob 15. 15. Gen 6. 12. and all creatures in them and spoyled the glory and beauty of them all.

Secondly, This may teach us to admire at the great mercy and goodnesse Psal. 136. 23. 72. 12. Psal. 63. 5. of our God who remembred us in our low estate, how he delivered us when we had no helper, he looked and there was none to helpe, then his owne Arme brought salvation.

Thirdly, Here we may admire at the folly of Adam that would hazzard such a glorious world of creatures and lose them all for a bit of an Apple.

Fourthly, we may admire at their happy and permanent condition under the second Adam, when as they shall bee established for ever, and see how fickle and mutable they were under the first Adam, O then happy is he that is not under the first but under the second Adam, who hath restored againe what the first lost.

Fiftly, here we may admire at the great price of our redemption, the worth and value of the blood of Christ, when we had spoyled and ruined the whole 1 Pet. 1. 19 creation, all the glorious workes of God by our sinnes, that the blood of Christ should purchase redemption for mankind, and establishment to the Angels that had not sinned, and purification to the creatures here below, and establishment to all.

Sixtly, here we may see and admire at the justice of God to all, that creatures that have suffered punishment, not for their owne sins but for ours, now they shall not onely be delivered after so long a time, but established in an unchang­able condition for ever, which will make amends for their great losse they had by the sinne of man.

Seventhly, admire at the wisedome of God that could finde out such a way to satisfie his owne justice and yet to save his creatures.

Eighthly, this may teach us to admire at the power of God that is able to doe all these things, which in all mens judgement was a greater worke to re­new the ruins of the old world, then it was at the first to make it of nothing, he travelled in the greatnesse of his strength, and is mighty to save, he layd Isay 63. 1. Psal. 89. 19 Psal. 33. 9. helpe upon one that is mighty whereas the world was made by a word of command, He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast.

Ninthly, this may teach us to admire at the great love of God to us, in not sparing his owne Sonne, but gave him up to death for us all. Rom. 8. 32.

10. Admire at the great love of Christ, for when wee were yet without Rom. 5. 68 [Page 38] strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly, God commended his love to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

11. Admire at Gods free acceptation of Christs atonement and satisfacti­on when he became our surety, saith he, behold my Servant whom I have L 2 Heb. 7. 22. F Mat 12. 18, I 20, 21. 2 chosen, my beloved in whom my soule is well pleased, I will put my Spirit upon him and he shall shew Judgement to the Gentiles he shall send forth judgement unto victory, and in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

12. Admire at the faithfulnesse of God the father to God the sonne in gi­ving to Christ all the elect, and of the Sonne to the Father that will lose none of them that the Father, gave him before Christ came in the flesh, the Father gave Christ all the elect and set him a day to pay for the purchase, and now it is payed, the Sonne trusts the Father for all the elect as they fall in their severall ages of the world.

The third use, Is it so that all things shall be restored againe to the Saints in their first perfection? then let us not so much labour for them in their corrup­ted condition, as to have them perfect at the day of Judgement, let us use them to Gods glory in giving to relieve the poore, and behold all things are cleane Luk. 11. 41 unto you, unto the pure all things are pure; that is, he hath not onely a pure and a sanctified use of them here, but they shall be restored to their first puri­ty Tit. 1. 15. after the day of Judgement; let us not desire them immoderately in their corrupted condition, nor to get them unjustly by fraud or deceit, nor unjustly possesse them by keeping them to our selves, when the Lord calls for them for publicke uses, neither be thou envious at the foolish, when thou seest the prosperity of the wicked: There is a sore evill which I have seene under the Psal. 37. 1. 7 3. 3. Eccles 5. 13 Vers. 10. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Prov. 23. 5. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Heb. 10. 34 Prox. 8. 18 Sun, namely, riches kept to the hurt of the owners; these things in their cor­rupted condition will not satisfie us, he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase; and they are but un­certaine riches, trust not in them but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy, then set not thine heart upon that which is not, for riches make themselves wings and fly away as an Eagle toward heaven, cast your care upon God, for he careth for you, the Saints in former times could suf­fer with joyfulnesse the spoyling of their goods, because they had a better and an induring substance, let us labour for wisedome, and that will bring with it durable riches and righteousnesse, and her merchandise, and her hire shall be holinesse to the Lord, it shall not be treasured up, for her merchandise shall be before them that dwell before the Lord to eate suf­ficiently Isa 23. 28. Mat 6. 33. Luk. 12 31, 32. Luk 12. 43, 44. Gen. 3. 17, 18. Isa. 55 12, 23. & for durable cloathing. First seek the Kingdome of God, and all these things shall be ad­ded unto you, if not in this world, yet they shall in their purity and first perfection be restored at the last day; Feare not little flocke, it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdome. Here might be a use of comfort to the poore Saints of God, who have but little of these outward things, let them not be discouraged, for all is theirs as soone as the drosse and corruption is ta­ken off from them, for they are like unto men that waite for their Lord, if you be found so do­ing you shall be blessed and made rulers over all that he hath: when the curse is taken from the earth, and in stead of the thorne shall come up the firre tree, and in stead of the bryer shall come up the firre tree, this shall be to the Lord for a name and for an everlasting signe that shall not be cut off, for ye shall goe forth with joy and be led forth with peace: the mountaines and hills shall breake forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands, his honour have all the Saints, praise ye the Lord. Psal. 149. 9.