Good Things to Come, Postscript – Errata
A Poſt-ſcript, or, an Appendix to the whole.
THere are many great Prophecyes and ſayings in the holy Scriptures, of the old and new teſtament, that hold forth very great good things, and a very bleſſed and happy time the righteous ſhall have and enjoy, and be made partakers of, hereafter; when the Lord Chriſt ſhall come, and his reward with him: when the refreſhing from the preſence of the Lord and the reſtoration of all things ſhall take place; which are recorded to encourage the ſervants of God to believe and hope, and wait patiently, for the appointed time.
There are very high atteſtations recorded in the holy Scriptures, of the ſureneſs and certainty of them; which we ſhall a little enquire into; and ſet down for encouragement to believe, hope on, and wait patiently for the great grace, and bleſſed good things, that ſhall be brought unto us, and we ſhall enjoy, at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt. 1. Pet. 1. 13. I ſhould tire the reader, and as it were, hold a candle to the ſun, to go about to ſet down what might be gathered out of the holy Scriptures, this way: two or three places we ſhall venture to propoſe and ſet down, and leave the reſt. In Iſa. 51. likewiſe Iſa. 54. we may ſee, how God himſelf, aſſerts his faithfullneſs in his word and promiſes, of good to his people: as ſure, as the waters of Noah, the floud that drowned the old world, but ſhall no more do it, ſo ſure will he perform his promiſes of good things to his people. As ſure as he divided the ſea, and made it a way for the redeemed to paſſe over; ſee the places In Jer. 31. 35. 36. 37. See how the Lord ſetteth forth himſelf, by his greatneſs; in the great works he hath done of old: and upholding of them by his mighty power: the ordinances of heaven, and the foundations of the earth, that cannot be meaſured or ſearched out: ſo will he be in his word, and promiſes to the ſeed of Iſrael his people; ſee the place. And conſider what the prophet Micha ſayth Mich. 7. 20. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou haſt ſworn unto our fathers, from the dayes of old.
The words of prophecy, contained in the holy ſcriptures, they are very ſure, very ſtable, ſetled in heaven: confirmed by the promiſe and oath of almighty God: it is impoſſible for him to lye, or fail; our Lord Chriſt hath given a high teſtimony, Math. 24. 35. Heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away but my words ſhall not paſſe away. Hath he ſpoken and ſhall he not do it? hath he promiſed, and ſhall he not perform it? he hath highly engaged himſelf therein: he is faithful, he is able, he will make it good and perform it. There is nothing hard for him: he is mighty in power, and wonderful in working. What he hath declared by his ſervants the prophets, there ſhall nothing fail thereof; but be made good, in its time.
The teſtimony of holy Peter, 2. Pet. 1. 16. Is very conſiderable, he tells us that the things concerning the kingdom and coming of the Lord Chriſt, are no cunning deviſed fables; but true and real things. firſt, that they were eye witneſſes of his majeſty, to wit, of the Lord Chriſts; ſhewn forth, at the transfiguration on the holy mount, Math. 17. 1. What honor and glory he received, when there came a voice to him from that excellent glory; this is my beloved ſon, in whom I am well pleaſed. This voice they heard from heaven, namely, Peter, James, and John; being with him in the holy mount, where Moſes, and Elias were alſo preſent. Here were three good and authentique witneſſes; that both heard and ſaw themſelves; againſt the validneſs of their teſtimony, no exception could be made. They had it not by hear-ſay: but ſaw and heard themſelves: yet he: good humble ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, prefers prophecy before it. Pet. 1. 19, We have a more ſure word of prophecy, to the which, we ſhall do well to take heed. A very high and bleſſed teſtimony, in the behalf of what the holy prophets have ſpoken, concerning the power, and coming of the Lord Chriſt: and he encourageth the ſervants of God, to take heed unto it, as to a light that ſhineth in a dark place. But it may be asked: how long are we ſo to do? He tells us, until the day dawn, and the day-ſtar ariſe in your hearts. The bleſſed day when Jeruſalems light ſhall be fully come, and the day-ſtar ariſe in the heart, and to the heart: when there will be light within, and without: great light; as the light of ſeven dayes put together. When all the prophecyes which concern Chriſt our Lord, his coming in power and great glory, and the coming of his kingdom, with all the things relating to that happy day, ſhall have their full fulfilling and making good: as thoſe former promiſes relating to his firſt coming and the day of his humiliation and ſufferings; had then their fulfilling and making good. Of which, we ſhall ſpeak a little, in a paralel way, with much aſſurance that it will be even ſo, without any the leaſt failer at all.
There is mention in the holy Evangeliſts of many prophecyes fulfilled, at the firſt coming of our Lord Chriſt; obſerved, and written, and not in vain. God he is the ſame, and his word is the ſame, and the promiſes relating to his coming again: his ſecond coming will have the ſame fulfilling, and making good whether we believe it, or not. They are all true, and faithful: they are all, yea and Amen. touching thoſe in his humiliation, there were ſome of them, at his very firſt coming: and ſome of them were fulfilled, at the end and finiſhing of his ſuffering. In like manner there be prophecyes and high ſayings, relating to the beginning of his coming in power and great glory; and the coming of his kingdom, and the things relating thereunto. And ſome prophecyes relating to the latter end of his kingdom and reign, which will, accordingly, take place, and be accompliſhed.
Take we knowledge of thoſe relating to our Lord Chriſt his firſt coming; the very beginning thereof, Math. 1. 22. His incarnation, is ſayd to be on that account; that it might be fulfilled, which was ſpoken by the prophet [to wit, Ifaiah, chap. 7. 14] behold, a virgin ſhall conceive and bring forth a ſon, and they ſhall call his name Emmanuel. A very unlikely thing, and hard to be believed, if reaſon had been conſulted, yet was fulfilled and made good. Our Lord Chriſt was born in Bethleem; ſo it was written, Mich. 5. 2. ſee Math. 2. 5. Herods enquirie where Chriſt ſhould be born, our Lord Chriſt being carryed into Egypt; and brought thence, was, that it might be fulfilled which was written, Out of Egypt have I called my ſon. Hoſ. 11. 1. This had been fulfilled before in Iſrael's being brought out of Egyps; ſo the prophet ſpeaketh of it; yet it had an eye to annother fulfilling, which it had here in our Lord Chriſt, Math. 2. 15. Vers. 17. Herods cruel murthering the innocent children, was the fulfilling of a prophecy: then was fulfilled that of Jeremie the prophet, Jer. 31. 15. In Rama was a voice heard, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, &c. When our Lord came out of Egypt he went and dwelt in a citie, called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled, that was ſpoken by the prophet, he ſhall be called a Nazarene. Our Lord leaving Nazareth, came and dwelt in Capernaum, in the border of Zebulon and Napthalie, Math. 4. 13. 14. 15. That, it might be fulfilled, Iſa. 9. 1. The Land of Zebulon, &c. The people that ſate in darknes, have ſeen great light, &c. See the places, and conſider them.
At the latter end alſo, when he was finiſhing his ſufferings and humiliation: Judas his taking of money, thirty peeces of ſilver of the chief preiſts, to betray his maſter, Matth. 27. 9. was the fulfilling of a prophecy: then was fulfilled that which was ſpoken by Zechariah the ptophet, Zech. 11. 12. 13. Likewiſe, the parting of his garments, and caſting lots for his veſture Math. 27. 35. It was, that it might be fulfilled that is written, Pſal. 22. 18. His crucifying between two theives, was that the ſcripture might be fulfilled; that ſayth, He was numbred with the tranſgreſſors, Iſa. 53. 12. Mark. 15. 28. That very remarkable place we may ſee in Joh. 19. 28. 29. 30. When his ſuffering was neer over; he being then in the very laſt part of it, and knowing that all things were accompliſhed (only, one little thing, as ſome might be apt to think) that the ſcriptures Pſal 69. 21. might be fulfilled; he ſayd, I thirſt: and they filled a ſpunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyſop, and put it to his mouth: which when he had received the vinegar, he ſaid, it was finiſhed [to wit, fully; that being the very laſt thing,] and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghoſt. So, as we ſee what great ſtreſſe lay upon it; our Lord could not die till it was done; and then he ſayd, it was finiſhed, and gave up the ghoſt. The like ſtreſſe, was on thoſe other things before mentioned; as the parting of his rayment; and caſting lots for his veſture; his going to Nazareth, and Capernaum, and the like; recorded and fulfilled in the very letter of the ſcripture, without any allegorie or ſpiritual meaning, which many are apt to be putting on prophecyes. Beſides theſe there are many more recorded in the holy ſcriptures, and are not written in vain; which for brevity I forbear to ſet down.
In like manner, and in way of proportion and paralel, we may reckon, account, and believe, that all the prophecyes, and ſayings of the holy prophets, and of our Lord Chriſt himſelf, and the holy Apoſtles, written by inſpiration, by the holy pen-men, and writers of the holy ſcriptures, relating to Chriſt our Lord his coming again in power and great glory, and the coming of his kingdom and reign; and all thoſe great things that ſhall contemporize, fall in, and take place, then; of which we have ſpoken before, and are too many to be here ſet down: they ſhall all have their fulfilling, and making good then; theſe of the holy pſalmiſts; of Iſaiah, Ieremiah, and Ezekiel; of Daniel, and the reſt of the prophets, relating to that time; ſhall then in like manner be fulfilled as they are written.
We ſhall particularize a few, out of the new teſtament, and draw to a cloſe. Firſt, that of our Lord, Math. 25. 31. With all that followeth to the end of the chapter, as it is ſetdown; when the ſon of man ſhall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him: then will he ſit on the throne of his glory: likewiſe the gathering the nations: the ſetting them on the right hand, and on the left: the ſaying as is their ſpoken: and judging and ſentencing of them: will be fulfilled, according as it is written, in all the particulars of it. As alſo that, Luk. 21. 27. and then ſhall ye ſee the ſon of man come in the clouds, with power, and great glory. Every eye ſhall ſee him, Rev. 1. 7. As ſure as the wiſe men ſaw his ſtar, and afterwards himſelf, lying in the manger: or as they in the time of his humiliation, ſaw him ride on an aſſe, and on a colt the foal of an aſſe; as it was written, Zech. 9. 9. Math. 21. 4. 5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and ſitting on an aſſe, &c. So as ſure then, when he comes again, he ſhall come in the clouds of heaven, in great power, and glory, and every eye ſhall ſee him.
That Acts. 1. 10. 11. Which the two men in white apparrel, to wit, Angels, told the diſciples, looking after our Lord, being aſcended: this Jeſus whom ye have ſeen go up into heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner, as ye have ſeen him go into heaven; it ſhall then be fulfilled. As likewiſe, that Heb. 9. 28. To them that look for him, ſhall he appear the ſecond time, without ſin, unto ſalvation. Then will be fulfilled that which holy Peter, and others have told concerning the burning of this world; and the taking place of the new: a new heaven, and a new earth; according to the promiſe of God: with tho raiſing of the dead in Chriſt, out of their graves; and the changing of thoſe ſaints then alive; in a moment. The reſtoration of all things ſpoken by the mouth of all the holy Prophets: will be fulfilled as ſure as thoſe things ſpoken by them were formerly when he came before. Then will that be fulfilled, written by holy Paul, Rom. 8. concerning the waited for adoption; the redemption of the body: and the creatures alſo delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the ſons of God. Then ſhall Daniel, as was told by the Angel, ſtand up in his lot, And Abraham, and Iſaack and Jacob: and all the Prophets; ſit together in the kingdom of God, as it is written. That which holy Iſaiah, chap. 60. hath foretold; and holy John, hath ſhewed, Rev. 21. Rev. 22. concerning Jeruſalems glory; coming down from heaven, and ſhining gloriouſly; with the pure river of water of life, and the trees bearing fruit every monethmonth: which he hath atteſted to be the true ſayings of Almighty God. And alſo that concerning the righteous then, that they ſhall hunger no more, nor thirſt any more, nor ſuffer pain or death, any more for ever: nor no more curſe; the ſayings being true and faithfull, and will be fulfilled: then the righteous ſhall ſee the vengence that is written, fully made good againſt their wicked oppreſſors; their wrongs righted: their faith and patience rewarded: the righteous proceedings of God manifeſted in puniſhing them with everlaſting deſtruction from his preſence; ſuch as ſorely afflicted them, when they ſhall have reſt together: it will be all fulfilled as it is written. Great terror and fear will attend the wicked then; and they will according as it is written, be found, ſaying to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us from the preſence of him that ſitteth on the throne. And Gog and Magog, the beaſt, and falſe Prophet; the captains and mighty men; and all their great numbers be deſtroyed. And the devill that deceived them, and death alſo, and the grave, or Hell, be caſt into the lake of ſire, for ever; with very many things of the like kinde, which in a prophetical way, by way of threatning againſt the wicked, are written: it ſhall, then be fulfilled and made good from the faithfulneſs of the Lord Iehovah that is engaged in it.
Why ſhould any that believe the the power and faihfulneſs of God doubt of it? why ſhould any think that the things ſpoken of in the holy Scriptures, relating to the Lord Chriſt his ſecond coming in power and great glory, declared by the prophets, and holy penmen of the Scriptures: that thoſe ſhould not as well be fulfilled and made good: as thoſe were fulfilled at his firſt coming, in the ſtate of humiliation and ſuffering? why ſhould any go about to advance unbelief and weak reaſon into the room and place of faith? and conclude, that thoſe things of Chriſts coming and kingdom, are diviſed fables, or things impoſſible ever to come to paſſe.
Holy Peter, ſtrong in faith, and lively in hope, ſaith, 2. Pet. 3. 12. ſeeing ſo great things are to be done; (as burning and diſſolving this old heaven and earth, with the works therein, in order to the coming in of the new, in the room thereof) we ſhould be looking for, and haſtning to, the day of their performance: Vers. 13. we according to his promiſe, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dweleth righteouſnes. And again vers. 14. ſeeing that ye look for ſuch things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, &c. unto thoſe that look for him, the ſecond time; he will appear, Heb. 9. 28.
Great good things, will attend the righteous hereafter: a great change for the better will come, when they ſhall enjoy a flouriſhing condition, and abundance of peace and felicity. The bleſſed morning will come when they will come to have the preheminence. The day haſteneth, when they, as Lazarus had, will have the good things and be comforted, when the wicked will ſadly ſuffer: the righteous being in the height of their enjoyments of bleſſedneſs, enjoying the preſence of God, and being for ever with the Lord Chriſt, and having fellowſhip with juſt men, throughly made perfect; and ſhall live and reign with Chriſt, a thouſand years; as it is written, and will be fulfilled. It is impoſſible, that any thing thereof, ſhould fail. or come ſhort. I ſhall forbear to enlarge. The reaſon, and ſcope of the whole, is to infor from what is written, as fulfilled, of the prophecyes, at Chriſt our Lord his firſt coming: to ſhew, what we may look for and expect at his ſecond coming in like manner: remembring, holy Peter hath told us, we have a more ſure word of Prophecy, unto which we do well to taken ed; Hope we ſtedfaſtly, therefore for the great grace, and bleſſedneſs, that ſhall be brought unto us, at the revelation of Ieſus Chriſt. O come Lord Ieſus, come quickly.
Errata.
PAge line 7. for on, reade gone. p. 32. l. 2. for on, r. in. p. 33. l. 27. for had no r. had not. l. 22. r. Lord Jeſus. p. 43. l. 30. for Pſalm r. Eſa. p. 44. for pſal. r. phil. l. 33. for his r. this. p. 52. l. 15. for preceher r. preached. p. 55. l. 17. for changed r. raiſed. p. 57. l. 36. for world r. word. l. 30. r. is come, dole which is to come. p. 59. l. 22. for many r. man. p. 78. l. 13. r. that will attend. p. 83. l. 16. for as our Chriſt, r. as our Lord Chriſt. l. 11. r. the regeneration. p. 87. l. 12. for muſt r. might l. 31. for as ſo great, r. is ſo great. p. 91. l. 12. for thee r. him. p. 102. dele for a time. p. 105. l. 23. for light r. right. p. 107. for be r he. p. 109. l. 17. for muſt r. may. l. 24. dele ſave.
In p. 13. at the cloſe of the 3. chap. ſome thing intended to have been left out was caſually left in, concerning a long time after a 1000. years ſaid to be Mr. Archors judgement; alſo p. 16. towards the end, theſe words, and as ſome apprehend will be a 1000 years more, Which not being the judgement of the Authour is here intimated.
FINIS.
End of the text · Praise-God Barebone, Good Things to Come (1675)