Good Things to Come, Part 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Containing ſomething, further propoſed and dilated on; Touching ſundry high predictions, promiſes, and ſayings of our Lord Chriſt, the holy Apoſtles, and other penmen of the New Teſtament; eyeing and relating to that happy day, of our Lords coming the ſecond time; for their great and utmoſt fulfilling and making good; with thoſe great things before, which ſhall take place then, alſo.
AS the new covenant, and thoſe high and great promiſes and propheſyes in the old Teſtament, will have their great and utmoſt fulfilling in the world to come, at the coming of the Lord Chriſt in the new earth: ſo, in like manner, will many prophecies, promiſes, and bleſſed ſayings, in the ſcriptures of the new Teſtament then; be fulfilled, and made good alſo; whatever fulfilling, in a degree, they may have had before in the day of grace, Then, there will be full redemption, full ſalvation to the utmoſt: full freedom, and very glorious liberty of the children of God. There will be full reſtoration from their corrupt and fallen condition in Adam to a perfect rectitude. Full deliverance from ſin, and death, and the grave; with full enjoyment of God, and the Lord Chriſt; and likewiſe with the holy Angels, and ſaints of the moſt high God: Abraham, and Iſaack, and Jacob; the holy prophets, and martyrs; the holy Apoſtles of the lamb; with all the juſt men made perfect; Together with full bleſſedneſs, felicitie, and joy; and that without any ſorrow, grief, or pain; together with immortality, and life everlaſting, in the enjoyment of all thoſe high enjoyments, and bleſſedneſs to the full, beyond conceiving. As it is written, the eye hath not ſeen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 1. Cor. 2. 9. All which, ſhall be made good, and enjoyed. Then; at that happy day of our Lord Chriſt; in the world to come.
The looſers, and ſufferers for Chriſts ſake; ſhall, then; be fully rewarded, with all that forementioned; they are encouraged to wait and hope ſtedfaſtly to the end: for great will be the grace that will attend them, at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, 1. Pet. 1. 13. In the world to come, it will be ſo. Not ſo fully, in any time in this world. Here, they have the word, and promiſe, ſure, and ſtable, that will not fail. Then, and there: they ſhall have the things promiſed. Here, they have the earneſt, (to wit, the ſpirit), then; and, there; they ſhall have in poſſeſſion, and full enjoyment. It is ſaid of the faithful, Heb. 11. 13. All theſe [to wit, Abraham, and Iſaack, and Jacob, and Sarah, and thoſe named before] dyed in faith, [ſo as they lived] not having received the promiſes; but having ſeen them afarr off, [to wit, by the eye of faith] and they were perſwaded of them [with high perſwaſion and confidence] and embraced them [cheerfully, and joyfully, no queſtion] and confeſſed, that they were ſtrangers and pilgrims on the earth. Another, a better country, their hearts went out after, and God prepared a better for them: that theſe bleſſed expectants, and all others of like expectation might not fail or miſſe of their hope, God hath provided for them a city, verſ. 16. Theſe, they had the promiſe; but they did not receive the things promiſed: vers. 13. It is ſaid, they ſaw them a far off. As our Chriſt ſaid of Abraham, Iohn. 8. 56. He rejoyced to ſee Chriſts day, and he ſaw it, and was glad. As they before mentioned were much pleaſed and ſatisfyed concerning the thing, and confeſſed That they were pilgrims, and ſtrangers in the earth: Abraham, and Iſaack, and Iacob, and Sarah, &c. It is ſpoken of them: good ſervants of God: their thoughts were of another, a better countrey, of a more heavenly nature or kinde, and God hath provided one for them. A citty, a country, new and undefiled. A new Ieruſalem; In that happy day of the coming of the Lord Chriſt, in the new earth, in the world to come. The expectants of that happy day may ſay with holy Peter, bleſſed be God, and the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again into a lively hope, by the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead. Unto what are we ſo begotten to the lively hope of? he tells us in the words following: it is to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that fadeth not away: it is ſafe and in ſure hands: it is reſerved in heaven, for believers: they are kept by the power of God through faith, for that great ſalvation, ready to be revealed: and it is kept for them; and ſhall be brought unto them, they ſhall not need to go to fetch it: but when will it be? at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. 1. Pet. 1. 3. 4. 5. He wills the ſervants of God, to hope on, for that great grace that ſhall be brought unto them at the revelation of Ieſus Chriſt, vers. 13.
Then will Abraham, and Iſaack, and Iacob be chief among the holy ones, as it is ſaid, many ſhall come from the eaſt, and from the weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaack, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, Math. 8. 11. This ſeemeth to eye that in Iſa. 25. 6. The feaſt the Lord will make unto all people, in his holy mountain: a feaſt of fat things: and wine well refined, full of marrow and fat things: ſee the place, it eyeth, in a likely way, as to its full fulfilling, ſuch a time, when Abraham, and Iſaack, and Iacob, and the holy prophets, and Apoſtles, &c. ſhall feaſt together, in the kingdom of Chriſt. It looketh beyond the ſpiritual feaſt of the goſpel; to a time, as vers. 8. When death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory. Which the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 54. Relateth to a very far time, for the making of it good, and fulfilling of it: even, the time of the kingdom of the Lord Chriſt, in the world to come. When corruption ſhall have put on incorruption, and mortality immortalitie. And as it followeth, agreeing with and ſpeaking out that to be the time: all tears will the Lord wipe away from the faces of his people, and the rebuke of his people ſhall be taken away from off all the earth. This world will not as to the full fulfilling of it afford ſuch a happy day: the waited for ſalvation of the people of God ſhall then be fully enjoyed, and great ſhall be their joy and rejoycing.
Redemption from the captivity of ſin and ſatan: from death and the grave; ſore enemies and cruel tyrants: believers have redemption from them all in the bloud of Chriſt; and may reckon and account themſelves virtually ranſomed and delivered by their redeemer, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and that they are redemed ones by the price of his moſt precious bloud: but this is only virtually and in the firſt fruits, in the ſure promiſe, in the earneſt, to wit, the ſpirit, the redeemer ſhall fully come to Sion; then ſhall the great redemption and deliverance take place, Rom. 11. 26. the deliverer ſhall come to Sion, and ſhall turn away ungodlyneſſe from Iacob: or as holy Iſaiah expreſſeth it, the redeemer ſhall come to Sion, and unto them that turn from tranſgreſſion in Jacob. It is good and true in both readings: thoſe believers, that have turned to God by faith, and repentance: he ſhall come to them; and coming he ſhall take their iniquities quite away. I conceive, by chainging them, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye: putting off their corruption, and putting on incorruption: ſo he ſhall come to the turned, and likewiſe turn away their iniquitie.
The redemption of the body ſhall be then from the priſon and power of the grave, Rom. 8. 23. A great thing! which believers have in the promiſe, and in the earneſt, to wit, the ſpirit: they ſhall have then in the enjoyment of it, the whole man, Body and ſpirit, with all the parts and faculties of both united in one: full and perfect, and it will be eternal redemption, which the redeemer, the Lord Chriſt, hath obtained for his, Heb. 9. 12. No more ſlavery then to ſin or death or the grave; Chriſt our bleſſed redeemer hath fully ſubdued it, then, and will ſet us fully free; ſo as inſtead of ſaying, as ſometime holy Paul did: who ſhall deliver us from this ſinful body of death? to wit, ſubject to ſin death and the grave, thoſe great tyrants: we, by faith may ſay according to our preſent intereſt and hope, what ſhall then be ſayd, and ſung aloud in the full poſeſſion and enjoyment of it by way of praiſe to their redeemer, Rev. 5. 9. Thou art worthy, &c. For thou waſt ſlain, and haſt redeemeed us by thy bloud; out of every kinred, and tongue, and people and nation; and haſt made us unto our God, kings and Prieſts, and we ſhall reign on the earth: then followeth that great thanksgiving, of that great number, in the three following verſes, in praiſe of the redeemer.
The time this relateth unto, when it will be made good and fulfilled, it is very likely it will be then, when our Lord cometh the ſecond time; when the raiſed from the dead, and the then living, changed, ſhall take place: when they ſhall meet the Lord Chriſt, and come with him to the new earth: where he will fully ſet up his kingdom and throne: then will that be fully made good, Iſa. 35. 10. Iſa. 51. 11. The ranſomed of the Lord, or the redeemed, ſhall come to Sion with joy, and ſongs, and everlaſting joy ſhall be on their heads, they ſhall obtain gladneſs and joy, and ſorrow and mourning ſhall flee away. Their rejoycing and felicitie then ſhall not be of the length of a kings reign, as to inſtance in Solomon; in whoſe dayes there was great felicity: but it laſted not beyond his dayes: but this, ſhall be everlaſting, as long as the ſun and moon endureth, Pſal. 72. 7. This world affords it not, nor never will, it is likely, as to the fulneſs of it. Trouble and ſorrow and diſquiet, hath been and is at the preſent the portion and lot of the righteous, here, in this world, our Lord hath told us ſo, Ioh. 16. 20. Ye, [to wit, the righteous] ſhall weep and lament [that is their condition, here, for a ſeaſon: what ſhall the men of the world do?] but the world ſhall rejoyce, [it is their day] ye, [namely, the righteous] ſhall be ſorrowful: [oh, but when that time comes, they ſhall then rejoyce] your ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy: and their joy, ſhall none take from them. As to the fulnes of it, it's the time, when ſorrow, and tears, and pain, and death, ſhall be no more: we know what time that is; it is Jeruſalems happy day, in the new earth, in the world to come: then it will be ſo, and all made good and fulfilled in the fulneſs and length of time.
Of neere affinity with redemption, is ſalvation or being ſaved, which we ſhall dilate on a little. Not after the way of a theam, or common place: but only, as ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt, the bleſſed ſaviour of ſuch as believe in him. The beginning of it, and firſt fruits, here, in regeneration, in this world: and the full harveſt and perfection in the world to come, at that happy day of our Lord Chriſt, when, as it is written, Heb. 28. To them that look for him, he ſhall appear the ſecond time with ut ſin unto ſalvation: full ſalvation of ſoul and body, ſalvation to the utmoſt, Heb. 7. 25. Salvation, begun by the ſpirit of regeneration; it hath for the earneſt of the whole; the holy ſpirit: and it hath ſure promiſes; all yea and Amen in Chriſt. About which; faith in the ſervants of God, is exerciſed, laying hold on them; and with much conſolation and encouragement go on from faith to faith, after the way of the living of the juſt: they live by faith, and they alſo dye in faith, and do not receive the thing promiſed, to wit, full ſalvation. They that went before, to wit, Abraham, and Iſaack, and Jacob, &c. Nor thoſe that followed after, ſince their day; they have not; neither ſhall they, or any others, receive it, till that bleſſed time come, Heb. 11. 13. Theſe all dyed in faith, and received not the promiſe: ſo, vers. 39. They obtained a good report through faith, but received not the promiſe. It is the ſalvation of the whole man, body and ſpirit united in one, as at the firſt, when God made man, and breathed into him the breath of life, and he became a living ſoul, or perſon: of that we ſpeak: which the Apoſtle tells us, is nearer then when we firſt believed. It grows nearer and nearer. As we have a mighty redeemer, ſo we have a bleſſed ſaviour, who is able to ſave to the uttermoſt. Heb. 7. 25. He hath undertaken it, he hath begun it, he will perfect it, and finiſh it to the full, then, at that time, will that be made good to the full, Rev. 12. 10. Now is come ſalvation: now ſo as never before, full, abſolute, perfect: it was before but in the beginning, and in the way to perfecting, but then it will be fully finiſhed in the world to come, and true to the utmoſt; when our Lord cometh again, and all his faints and ſaved ones with him. Then, the miſtery of godlyneſs and ſalvation will be finiſhed; as he hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets, Rev. 10. 7. This great ſalvation, the prophets, as holy Peter tells us, 1. Pet. 1. 10. have enquired, and ſearched diligently, who prophecyed of that great grace: (the ſaviour that brought ſalvation unto all the ſaved ones) they enquired after the manner, and after the time, teſtifyed by the ſpirit, when it began or was to begin, in a way of humiliation, and ſuffering of the Lord Chriſt: and end: and be perfected, in great enſuing glory, vers. 11. O happy, and bleſſed ſaying, Col. 3. 4. When Chriſt who is our life [and our ſalvation] ſhall appear, then ſhall we alſo appear with him in glory; and behold him in his glory, and be like unto him.
The happy reſtoration of all things that God hath ſpoken, muſt here be treated of; but I ſhall wave it here, and ſpeak of it after by it ſelf; and ſhall take knowledge of ſomething concerning immortalitie and eternal life; which Adam was not poſſeſſed of: a great thing indeed; of which the holy ſcriptures of the new teſtament ſpeak much: a bleſſed thing to come which will be enjoyed, then; at that happy day of the Lord Chriſt, in the world to come; immortalitie, and eternal life are of neere affinity, as the cauſe and the effect; the root and the fruit: immortality, hath for its contrary, mortalitie or dying which all the poſterity of Adam know experimentally: we have treated of it before, and ſhall be breif in what ſhall be further offered. The ſame may be ſaid of immortality and life everlaſting, as was ſayd of redemption and ſalvation; the ſervants of God, have the promiſe and likewiſe the earneſt, to wit, the ſpirit in their hearts, here in this world, but not the things themſelves, otherwiſe then as afore, the things themſelves in the real poſſeſſing and enjoying of them to the full, in the world to come, as it is written, Mark. 10. 30. The ſufferers for Chriſt, ſhall have rewards here. In this world, and in the world to come everlaſting life, Luk. 18. 30. the ſame. Immortalitie is ſo great a thing, as the ſcripture tells us, God only hath Immortality. 1. Tim. 6. 16 He will give it, at that day, by Jeſus Chriſt, to the raiſed, and to the changed ones: they ſhall then and not before, (whatever ſome unwiſely ſay) put on immortalitie, as it is ſaid, 1. Cor. 15. 53. 54. This mortalitie, it ſhall put on immortalitie. Then it ſhall be, as is elſewhere ſaid, mortality ſhall be ſwallowed up of life. 2. Cor. 5. 4. to wit, of life everlaſting, the concomitant of immortalitie.
This of immortalitie, and life everlaſting appertains unto, and ſhall be enjoyed by the whole perſon, the body more eſpecially: into which, the ſpirit or angelical part was breathed by almighty God, when he firſt made man? this is vulgarly called the ſoul: happily not very properly: it is a received principle that dyes not nor is capable of it, but returns to God that gave it, Eccles. 12. 7. how, and where, and in what manner it ſubſiſteth, and whether it hath ſympathy, and diſtinct deſire, as it had in the body? is, I conceive, a very high, and very hidden thing: of which I ſhall forbear to ſay any thing.
To be made immortal and put into ſuch an eſtate, is a condition, beyond what Adam attained unto in his happy eſtate: it is one of the additions of bleſſedneſs, the raiſed and changed ſaints ſhall be made partakers of, at that happy day very few have as yet, and it is likely none ſhall further attain it till then; and then they ſhall put it on and enjoy it; thoſe that by patient continuing in well doing, ſeek for glory, honor, and immortalitie, and eternal life, Rom. 2. 7. They ſhall then finde it, according to the promiſe of the Lord Chriſt, Math. 7. 7. Seek, and ye ſhall finde, &c. ſuch ſhall finde and enjoy immortalitie and everlaſting life.
This life, (to wit, eternal life) of the ſaints of God, it is hid with Chriſt, in God: and when he that is their life, ſo, ſhall appear; then ſhall they alſo appear with him in that ſtate of glory and immortality and life eternal. As it is written, the gift of God is eternal life. It ſhall be given them then, as our Lord ſayth, concerning his ſheep that hear his voice, he gives them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, or be loſt, Rom. 6. 22. 23. Ioh. 10. 27. 28. they ſhall be immortal, then, though now for the preſent they be mortal and dying dayly.
The Angelical part or ſpirit in man, ſimply conſidered in it ſelf, and barely minded ſo, ſeemeth not to be reckoned as eternal life in the ſcriptures; without the further gift of God, and grace of the ſaviour; together with all thoſe adjuncts of bleſſedneſs, and happineſs, adjoyned as attendants, making up the whole: for that the wicked, as they have ſuch angelical ſpirits in their day, here, ſo they in their day, hereafter, will have a kinde of immortalitie, and eternity in the world to come. The holy ſcriptures imply, of the everlaſting life of the wicked, Math. 25. 41. Then ſhall the king ſay, Depart from me ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, &c. verſ. 46. And theſe ſhall go into everlaſting puniſhment: 2 Theſ. 1. 9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and glory of his power; their worm never dyeth, and their fire it never goeth out: implying, their continual being and exiſtence, in order to wo and a ſad condition: then; it may be ſaid of them, as ſometime our Lord ſaid of Judas; good had it been for that man, if he had never been born: ſo, good were it for the wicked, if there were no reſurrection, nor life after this: but that they remained for ever in the grave, in oblivion, and were anihilated and extinct for ever. But alaſs it is otherwiſe! they muſt live again, and that in woe, and torment, for ever!
But the eternal life of the juſt, their life everlaſting will be a bleſſed and a happy life, accompanied with all the bleſſed attendants and enjoyments of happyneſs and bleſſedneſs, and freedom from all woe and miſery for ever: this happy enjoyment of life eternal, or everlaſting, often ſpoken of by our Lord, and the Apoſtles, recorded in the new teſtament, it is only enjoyable here, in the firſt fruits, and in the way of the beginning of it: believers have thoſe bleſſed fruits of the ſpirit, faith and hope: faith aſſures them and helps them to reckon thoſe things that are not as if they were, Rom. 4. 17. And hope it fixeth a ſoul in the full expectation there of it; for that hope is of things not ſeen or enjoyed; for ſayth the Apoſtle, how can a man hope for that he ſeeth? Rom. 8. 24. written to Titus. chap. 1. 2. chap. 3. 7. he ſpeaks of the hope of eternal life: and he ſayth alſo, it is the hope of eternal life, which God hath promiſed before the world began, Holy Iohn alſo, 1 Ioh. 2. 25. ſaith, This is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, even eternal life: We have it in the beginning, we have it in the earneſt, the ſpirit. We have it in faith and hope, thoſe bleſſed fruits of the ſpirit of God. We have it in the ſure word and promiſe, which is yea and Amen: we have it as the ſervants of God have redemption and ſalvation: ſo we have immortalitie and eternal life: and it ſhall be brought and given unto us, at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt; then they ſhall be endowed with it: they ſhall then put on immortalitie and inherit everlaſting life. Hope as an anchor of the ſoul, ſure and ſtable, hath pitched within the vail, Hob. 6. 19. 20. Whither the forerunner [to wit, the Lord Jeſus] is for us entred and gone before, in order to our enjoying of all thoſe great good things, before mentioned; together with everlaſting life.
One of thoſe great things that ſhall take place and be made good, at the coming of the Lord Chriſt, is that miſtery ſhewed by holy Paul, 1. Cor. 15. 53. That the believers that ſhall be found alive at the coming of the Lord Chriſt, ſhall not die but be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye: of the which, we have treated before: a very great thing, concurring, in time with thoſe other great things before held forth: I ſhall therefore forbear to treat of it here. I ſhall only offer this as very likely: that the holy Apoſtle had it by revelation; or otherwiſe he learned it of our Lord Chriſt, who in communication with Martha, at Lazarus his death, held forth the very ſame thing, Ioh. 11. 20. Our Lord cometh where Lazarus was then dead: ſhe, to wit, Martha, goeth to meet him, vers. 21. ſhe ſayth, Lord, if thou hadſt been here, my brother had not dyed. Vers. 22. her faith being ſtrong, ſhe ſayth to our Lord, I know, that whatever thou wilt ask of God, he will give it thee. Vers. 23. Our Lord ſayth to her, thy brother ſhall riſe again! vers. 24. She, well informed in the doctrine of the reſurrection; ſhe ſayth, I know that he ſball riſe again, at the reſurrection, at the laſt day. Jeſus ſaith to her, vers. 25. I am the reſurrection and the life, to wit, he is the author, in whoſe power and ordering both are at his diſpoſe: he is the raiſer of the dead; the giver of eternal life. And our Lord tells her further; that, he that believeth in him, though he were dead, [as Lazarus then was] yet he ſbould live. As Lazarus, preſently after did: then; vers. 26. He tells her, that whoſoever liveth, and believeth in him, ſhall never dye: he asked her whether ſhe believed that? alaſs! ſhe, its likely, was at a loſſe in the underſtanding of it, (as are many of the ſervants of God now) and therefore ſhe anſwereth not: our Lord Chriſt intended not believers of that time, ſuch as Martha, and the Apoſtles, that were there preſent; nor any others, believing in him, of that time: but only ſuch as believing ſhould be alive at his appearing: as holy Paul, hath fully informed us; as for Martha, and all the Apoſtles, and believers in Jeſus, in that age, and in the ages ſince: they have all dyed, and ſo they will die, till that day take place; and then ſhall that be fulfilled and made good, ſayd then by our Lord Chriſt: that he that liveth, and believeth in him ſhall never dye: for ſuch, ſhall only be changed: in a moment in the twinkling of an eye; as Adam was changed for the worſe, and lived; ſo ſhall they be changed for the better, and continue living ſtill; putting on immortalitie, and eternal life.
Minde we one place more, Rev. 21. 1. 2. The new heaven; and the new earth, that Iohn ſaw in a viſional way; and the new Ieruſalem coming down from heaven, which he ſaw alſo: very rich and glorious. Vers. 3. He hath declared that which he heard alſo as well as ſaw; a great voice from heaven, [what doth it declare?] behold, the tabernacle of God is with men. It is uttered with a behold: a great thing, a great bleſſing! but greater followeth: and he, [to wit, the Lord God] will dwell with them: in the new earth, holy Iohn ſaw, where men, to wit, the ſervants of God, will dwell then; God, will then and there dwell with them: a very great and wonderfull thing! which Solomon admired; as well he might. 1. Kings. 8. 27. will God indeed dwell [with men] on the earth? behold, the heaven, and heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee; &c. And yet further grace, and they ſhall be his people, and God himſelf, ſhall be with them, and be their God. happy ſouls indeed: for happy are the people, whoſe God is the Lord: who have him with them: in whoſe preſence and favour is life. Pſal. 144. 15. Pſal. 30. 5. this enjoying of God, and Chriſt is the great adjunct of life everlaſting: to be for ever with the Lord; in whoſe preſence is fulneſs of joy, and at whoſe right hand, are pleaſures for evermore. Pſal. 16. 11.
Vers. 4. of Rev. 21. and God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there be any more pain. And as Chap. 22. there ſhall be no more curſe, &c. for the former things are paſſed away. It is not hard to conceive, and determine, to what time this relateth. This world will not afford ſuch full freedom, and utter exemption from thoſe bitter things forementioned: as it will not afford thoſe high attayners and enjoyments, mentioned by holy John; it will be in the world to come; then will all things be made new as at the beginning ſutable to the new heavens, and the new earth, and the happy reſtoration of all things; of which we ſhall treat in the following diſcourſe: take we knowledge of what he that ſat on the throne, ſaid further to John. Write, ſaith he, for theſe words are true, and faithfull, and will be made good in their time. Alaſs for thoſe that believe not! all is ſubmitted to the wiſe in heart.