A Discourse Upon the Powers of the World to Come, Discourse · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Wherein a Repreſentation of the Excellency of the State of Miracles in the Days of Christ, and of the Apoſtles is given, That we may thereby Judg of the Return of ſuch a State of Miracles, excelling even that in Ʋniverſality, and reaching the utmoſt effects.
THat I may now draw this Diſcourſe of Miracles to its Concluſion, I will Briefly draw up the State of the Miraculous Powers of the Holy Spirit, that were ſo Viſibly, and Gloriouſly Acting in the Days of Chriſt, and of the Apoſtles of our Lord, and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; that none may ſay, Lo here, and Lo there, a Power of Miracles; or this, or that is the Time of them; but that the Time of them may be known to be like the Lightning; For as the Lightning Lightneth from the Eaſt, and ſhineth to the Weſt; or as the very day, and the Brightneſs of it is known from all the Deceptions, and Miſtakes of the Day, when it is not; ſo ſhall the True Time of the Return of Miracles be known by a Compare with the Standard, and Exemplar of them in the Fore-nam'd Time; For it was a Standard, and Exemplar above all other Times; All therefore muſt be meaſured by this; altho indeed in ſome Things, the Return of Miracles ſhall exceed, as the fullneſs of Times, or of All Times in the Second Coming of Chriſt, exceeds the fulneſs of Time, Singular only, or of that Firſt Coming of our Lord Jeſus in the Fleſh; Yet then there was an Offer of the Kingdom to the Jews, and it ſhould have been Propagated to the Gentiles; but the Kingdom being refus'd, the Wonders could not be Finiſhed, nor Miracles conſequently Conſummate.
1. The State of Miracles at the Time, I am ſpeaking of, was Illuſtrious above any Time before, or ſince it, for the variety of Miracles; various Signs, and Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as we find in 1 Cor. 12. To one The Gift of Healing, to another of Knowledg, to another of Tonues, &c. So one hath an Exhortation, a Pſalm, a Prophecy; yea, Then was Raiſing of the Dead. This was the First Fruits, the beginning of what was ſpoken by the Prophet Joel. Now by ſuch a Variety of Miracles, how great is the Confirmation? One or Two might be Attributed to ſome unknown Cauſe, but ſuch a Conſort, and Harmony could be only Divine; even the Atheiſt would be puzzled to Sacrifice to his Occult Cauſes decently for ſuch a Variety; God ſaw in the whole Creation, where Miracles were fit to be Planted.
Then Behold and look, Judg, and Diſtinguiſh of the Return of Miracles hereby; They ſhall Return in ſuch a Variety, as may Teſtify their Relation to that Original Exemplar-Variety in the Firſt Appearance of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles in them; and that together they may make up that one (however Interrupted in regard of Viſible Miracles) pouring out of the Spirit before the great and Illuſtrious Day of the Lord, ſpoken of by the Prophet Joel, as aforeſaid.
2. There were Commiſſion'd Miniſters of the Power of Miracles; the Twelve Apsſtles of our Lord Jeſus; and ſome, that were as Gifted Brethren, ſharing in the Communication of theſe Miraculous Powers, as we may perceive by the Seventy ſent out by the ſame Power in ſome Regard, as the Apoſtles; and thoſe Chriſtians, to whom the Apoſtle Writes among the Corinths, 1 Cor. 12. To One, To Another, ſuch Power was given, &c. For hereby the whole Power became of greater Notoriety, of greater Authority, as in a Sanhedrim: as our Lord ſays to the Phariſees, accuſing him of Acting by Belzebub; By whom do your Children Caſt out Devils? Therefore they ſhall be your Judges, as in a Conneel. The Miraculous Efficacies were alſo of greater Diſpoſition, and freer Diſtribution: Accordingly we may ſuppoſe; The 144000 with the Fathers Name writ on their Foreheads; who learn the New Song Firſt, and thoſe who are In ſtructed by Them in it; ſhall very Univerſally, yet according to his Wiſdom and Will, who is the Supreme Donor, be Endued with Power from above; as Miniſters of State in the Kingdom of Chriſt, and Receiving Gifts for it.
3. Theſe Miraculous Powers were Diſpens'd in a Frequency, in a Continued Daylineſs, in an univerſality; we find our Lord on all occaſions diſpens'd theſe Largeſſes of Heavenly Bounty, and Compaſſion; He never denyed any; He extended them to his very Enemies, the High Prieſts Servant; onelyonly he was (as it were) Repuls'd in his Grace, by the Ʋnbelief of ſome; He could do no mighty Works, becauſe of their Ʋnbelief; that is, he declar'd himſelf ſo, that he might leave a Teſtimony againſt that Sin; and Warn all of it: Elſe He went about doing good; He Healed all manner of Sickneſs, and diſeaſes. And ſo by the Apoſtles, This Miraculous Power was carried throughout the ſeveral Circuits of their Miniſtry, as the Apoſtle Paul Witneſſes concerning his own, round about from Jeruſalem to Illyricum; He Preached the Goſpel with mighty Signs and Wonders, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Rom. 15.
And without doubt in the ſame manner ſhall this Miraculous Power Compaſs Sea and Land, in the Preaching the Everlaſting Goſpel to every Tongue, Nation and Lauguage. And till this be I would Require none to believe, Miracles are Return'd, and then indeed it will be undeniable.
4. As there was thus a Power of Miracles given to the Commiſſion'd Officers of Chriſt; and to his Gifted Servants; So there was a Faith of both doing Miracles, and a Faith of Receiving the Benefit of thoſe Miraculous Efficacies; For as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of All Faith, 1 Cor. 13. 1. Viz. Miraculous, or Wonder working Faith; So that I could; ſaith he, remove Mountains, &c ſo there is a Faith of Receiving the Benefit of Miracles; For Peter, and John, and Paul are ſaid, Acts 2. c. 14▪ To perceive a Faith to be Healed, a Faith of Receiving; And our Lord took notice of the Faith of the Centurion and others; altho it is True; In many Acts of Grace, there was no Regard we can Find to the Faith of the Receiver; but the mighty Power and Mercy of God Sallyed out upon Perſons, by the Faith of the Miniſters of the Miraculous Power; Having Mercy, becauſe he would have Mercy: And it gives us an Emblem of the Grace and Power of Chriſt in Converſion, and bringing home to himſelf; ſometimes, as it ſeems in a way of Preparation; ſometimes wholly without; but however it ſeems, it is certain; Divine Power and Grace Drawing near, did Erect that Faith, that is in the Wiſe Ordination neceſſary to Receive Chriſt, Grace Pardon, Juſtification, Sanctification; even as the Miraculous Power of Chriſt being abroad, and Drawing Nigh, Raiſed ſo generally a Faith in that Miraculous Power, ſo general; and the particular Dtawing Nigh of Chriſt excited it in the particular Perſons, on whom the Benefits were beſtowed.
And thus in the Return of Miracles the Servants of Chriſt, both in Ordinary, and Extraordinary, Commiſſion'd to Work Miracles, ſhall be Cloath'd with a Faith to that End; that thoſe who can by no means Believe now, ſuch a Power ſhall Return, will by Feeling that very Power comming upon them, and the Hand-writing of the Fathers Name by the Spirit on their Foreheads, will be fully perſwaded of his wondrous works, being as near, as his Name, to Declare it; and theſe effects flowing out from it upon others, There will be a Rouſing the Senſeleſs, ſleepy World, that knows not yet the Bleſſings near it, to wait for the Graces to be beſtowed by this Power; Till theſe things are, No Opinions, or beſt Fram'd Diſcourſes, No Eſſays, Beginnings, or Scatterings of ſuch a Power can perſwade (I know none, would have it ſo) that Miracles are Returned; But when theſe are, none will be able to perſwade the contrary; and in the mean time the Hopes, Expectations, and Prayers of Chriſtians are hereby rais'd.
5. There aroſe then, and there will ariſe at the Return of Miracles, ſuch full Aſſurance, ſuch Plerophory of Perſuaſion concerning the Truth of Things, that they can be no more doubted, than the Aſſurances of the Light, and of the Day; and indeed, as Cartes Argues; Rational, Intellectual Aſſurance ſurmounts all Senſible, even ſo Spiritual Surmounts both Senſible, and Intellectual; and this, both as to matter of Fact, that indeed ſuch things are wrought; and that they are wrought by God, by a Divine Power, and that herein is the Finger of God.
6. Herewith a mighty Stream, and Torrent of Truth paſs'd along, and Fill'd the World with the Light, and Glory of it in very wonderful manner then, and ſhall much more do ſo at the Return of Miracles; that the Iſles ſhall wait for the Law of Chriſt, his Name ſhall be great from the Riſing of the Sun, to the going down of the ſame; The Knowledg of the Lord and of his Glory ſhall Cover the Earth, as the VVaters do the Sea; The Light of one Day ſhall be, as the Light of Seven; For ſo hath the mouth of the Lord ſpoken: He hath ſpoken, and he will do it; He will VVork, and none ſhall let it: He the Lord will haſten it in his own Time; No one of theſe things, ſhall want it's Mate; and tho it be wonderful in our Eyes, yet ſhall it be ſo in his?
7. There was a mighty Power of Converting Grace, a change of the Hearts, Tempers, purpoſe, manner of Life, and Converſation of men; as appears by the 3000 Converted at one Sermon of the Apoſtle Peters, Acts 2. a Real, and Sincere, and Sound Converſion, as the Spirit of God Implies to us; ſaying, the Lord Added to that Number, then of his Church, and to his Church Daily, ſuch as ſhould be ſaved; The Five firſt Chapters of the Acts plainly ſhew us, what the State of Chriſtianity, and of the Churches of Chriſt was, before the Apoſtaſy made ſome Inroads upon it, c. 6. How they walk'd in ſingleneſs of heart, all Spiritual Joy and Gladneſs of Heart, in the Fear of the Lord, and had all things Common; a Heavenly Spirit and Temper prevailed in them; And ſo ſhall it be at the return of Miracles; a Spirit of Holineſs, Heavenly Mindedneſs, Love, Charity, Singleneſs of Heart, and all Purity ſhall come back with them; For theſe inward Powers of Grace, and Divine Preſence are the Life, and Spirit to Miracles; when the one returns, ſo ſhall the other alſo; and nothing will indeed ſo convince the World of a Divine Power, and Preſence, as to find it ſelf thus Chang'd, and quite other, than as now it Criminates, and recriminates upon it ſelf; as it now perpetually complains of, Accuſes, and Condemns it ſelf.
8. As in the Miracles of Chriſt, and of the Apoſtles, there was a great Offer of the Kingdom of God, and of Chriſt, at that Time to have Appear'd; as Chriſt ſays; Be ſure the Kingdom of God is come upon you; and Chriſt Commands the Apoſtles to Preach the Kingdom of God in the Doing of Miracles, as I have fully ſhown; And it did indeed then come in the Spiritual State of it; ſo at the return of Miracles, that Kingdom ſhall indeed without any further Delay come in the Higheſt, both Spiritual Glory, and outward Manifeſtation of it; in which regard Miracles, as I have manifeſted through this Diſcourſe, ſhall be moſt Univerſal, and to the higheſt Efficacy; Becauſe the world to Come, which is the Kingdom of the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, ſhall be prepared for, and effectually brought in thereby; ſo that till the Time of that Kingdom be in its Succeſſion, There can be no ſuch return of Miracles, expected; and that, as I have ſhewn, cannot be, till the Four Monarchies are fully Expired; For the Kingdom of Chriſt and of this Monarchy cannot mingle; As therefore the Miracles proper to this Kingdom have been more Interrupted by the Courſe of thoſe Monarchies; and eſpecially the Three Times, and Half of the Laſt State of the Laſt Monarchy, than at any other Time; ſo they muſt be fully ended, and the Kingdom of Chriſt be Proclaimed, according to Rev. 11. The Kingdoms of this World, are become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chriſt; and he hath taken to himſelf his great Power to Reign; and then ſhall Miracles, the mighty Powers of the VVorld to come, Return again to Huiſher it in; even a Stated Power of Miracles, as in thr Days of Chriſt, and of the Apoſtles; as our Lord ſays, I work Cures to day and to morrow, &c. A continuity, a Connexion of one Miracle with another, a Miraculous Power waited at his Hand, at his Right Hand, a ſtate of Miracles there was, that God was Magnified, who had given ſuch power to men; a ſettled Power; the Account he ſent to John the Baptiſt of himſelf; was, The Blind receive their Sight, the Lame walk, the Lepars are Cleanſed; and that great Spiritual Miracle running along; The Poor are Evangeliz'd, and under the Power of the Goſpel: Meſſiah and his Kingdom, and the Power of Miracles are always joyn'd; mighty in word and deed, in doing good, Full of Compaſſion; becauſe he himſelf took our Sickneſs, and carried our Sorrows; and ſo heal'd, as in Mercy to himſelf; that it might be truly ſaid, Phyſitian, Heal thy ſelf: The Apoſtles, as Miniſters of State in his Kingdom, were Miniſters of Miracles, Freely Received of this Power, a…d commanded, Freely to give; and ſo we find they did, and with that Power, that the Shaddow of Peter, and the very Linnen touch'd by the Apoſtle Paul, conveyed Cure; inſomuch, that the very Pagans, in ſenſe of Divine Power, ſaid; The Gods are come down among us, Acts 14. 28. And ſurely when that Kingdom of the Reſtitution of all things ſhall actually appear; then in all things It ſhall be fulfilled, that our great Prince hath Received Gifts for men, even for the Rebellious alſo, that the Lord God may dwell among them; Miracles ſhall Huſher it in, and Miraculous Powers ſhall Found, and Settle it.