A Discourse Upon the Powers of the World to Come, Discourse · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Wherein the Grand Scope of the Diſcourſe is Endeavoured to be truly Fixed, viz. That the Chief and Adequate End, and Reaſon of Mirac…s is; That they are Portions and Pledges, Peices and Parcels and Portions of the Kingdom of Chriſt, or of the World to Come, and to Bring it in at Laſt;
I Come now to that Part of this Diſcourſe, wherein as in a Center, All the lines of it meet; that is, to ſhew, that the Principal, and moſt Adequate Reaſon of Miracles is; that They Bear a ſtrict cloſe, and Inſeparable Relation to that world to come, whereof, ſaith the Apoſtle, we ſpeak; And becauſe This world is to come, and they have not yet Introduced it; Therefore they can be no more then Parts or Peices, and Portions, and not the entire ſum; Pawns, and Pledges, and not the very Kingdom, not that very world it ſelf.
And in the attaining of this, It will be found; That whatever account can be given of Miracles, as if this moving mens Hearts Home to God were an end, or Reaſon of them; or as if the Confirmation of the Doctrine of the Goſpel were an end by it ſelf, worthy of them, even That account will be Found to Lye in their Relation, Thoſe very effects have to that world to come, as will be ſeen in the Particulars, I ſhall now preſent in order.
Argum. 1. If there be ſuch a World to Come, as the Scripture hath abundantly declared, there is; then every thing wherein the Preſent State of the World is lifted up above it ſelf, or the preſent Courſe of ſetled Nature; (which being by Immediate Power, and not in the ordinary manner of Ʋpholding, and merciful Governing the World, we therefore call Miracle;) is in its very own Nature a Pledg, and Aſſurance of ſuch a Restitu…ion, or New Creation, or W…rld to Come, as we ſpeak of, and is a part, or portion of it; For it is a Specimen, and a little part of what we ſhall ſee in full, and whole
And on the other ſide, if there by any thing done in Judgment, in ſuch Extraord…nary and Miraculous manner; breaking the Frame of the Preſent State, either in any more Eſſential Settlement, or in the general Courſe of Gods Government of the World; it is an Aſſurance to us, that he …ill Diſſolve the preſent World, to make room for a new World, and to bring in Ʋniverſal Judgment upon the Ʋngodly; on whi…h account, all Extraordinary Judgments are delivered in the Language of the general Judgment, as is moſt obſervable in all the Phraſe, wherein ſuch Judgments are expreſſed in the Prophetical Parts of the Old and New Teſtament; which are not a high Rh…torical or Poetical Language, or manner of Expreſſion, but have real Reference to what ſhall be Fulfill'd in the very Letter at laſt.
Now in the preſenting Particulars, and Arguing upon them; If the things ſpoken ſeem to be new, or ſingular, I would only Deſire the Noble Temper of the Bereans, to ſearch the Scripture, whether theſe things be ſo, or not!
1. I would begin more orderly, and in the Foundation; Jeſus Chriſt is the Second Adam, Lord of the World to Come; and un…r Him the preſent World is put▪ in regard of ſupreme Ad…niſtration of the very Things, that are not put under him, in the …enſe, They ſhall be put under him. I know we will All allow. This great Mediator, the Redeemer of the World Jeſus Chriſt, The Meſſiah, the Prince of the King… of the Earth, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords; He into whoſe Hand, the Father hath committed all Judgment, to Execute it, even becauſe he is the Son of Man; that His coming into the World was ſupreme Miracle; This none of us, that believe in Jeſus Chriſt, will deny, but own it, as an Article of Faith. This the Scripture ſpeaks of, as a great Miracle; For if Jeſus Chriſt had come into the World, the ordinary way of mankind, It had been a great Argument, that there had been no ſuch Relation between Miracle, and the World to Come, as I now affirm to you; But I will make it Evident to you, how much, (though it be a thing we all Profeſs to believe, That Jeſus Chriſt was born of a Virgin) The Scripture ſpeaks of it in the High Language of Miracle; The Prophet Eſay. ch: 7. v. 11. Commiſſion'd by God, propoſes to Ahaz, King of Judah, when there was a Confederacy againſt him, that yet God aſſured him, ſhould have no ſucceſs, To ask of God a ſign of it, that is, a Miracle; and God knowing how great a S…gn He intended him, a Miracle or Sign Comprehenſive of all Signs, bid him Ask it, as great, and wonderful, as he could deſire; either in the Depth, or in the Heighth; as if God had ſaid, I would have thee ask it; It ſhall be a Point of thy Faith, and of thy Obedience, and thus indeed God offers a Miracle as a Confirmation; as hath been allowed; of any Declaration of God to man, having yet an eſpecial Relation to the World to Come.
Oh how great is this Goodneſs of God to Ahaz! As if God ſhould ſay to us in any Extremity or Distreſs; I intend a Glorious Kingdom a World to Come of Grace, Mercy and Peace to my Servants, brought in by my immediate Hand, and Power; and you ſhall have a ſhare of it, a Lot in it; as God ſaid to Daniel; and a part, a p…wn of it in an Extraordinary, a Miraculous Relief of your preſent Extremity, and Diſtreſs; How great a mercy would we eſteem it!
But Ahaz being of a Perverſe, Unbelieving, Diſobedient Temper; Oh, ſaith he, I will not ask, I will not tempt the Lord, what do you talk to me of Signs, or Miracles? I am content with the Even Courſe of Providence, and with the ſtated Truth of the Word of God.
And ſo we are ready to ſay now; What do you talk to us of Miracles? They are Fancies, and Whimſies of Brain ſick Men only; Let us keep to the Written Word, and to ſettled Pr…vidence; even thus they will ſay at a Time, when God is giving greateſt Proof, He will Work, and Return on High; For elſe, I do acknowledg with all my Heart, we muſt wait Gods Appointed Time; But it is great Perverſity, when we Refuſe the E…idence of any thing Written in the Word of God, that we might, by the Scripture, have had patience, hope and Comfort in, and ſay, We won't tempt God.
Therefore immediately on Ahaz his Refuſal, ſaith the Prophet Eſay, Hear now, Oh Houſe of David, Is it too ſmall a thing for you to weary men? To weary his Servants, the Miniſters of theſe things from God to you, but will you weary my God alſo? Tho you are not willing to ask a Sign, I'le ſingle out a Sign for you; Behold, a Virgin ſhall Conceive a Son; This we know is perfect Miracle; It is True, This did not appear at that Time to the Senſes of Ahaz, when it was thus Promiſed; what ſenſible Symbol God gave of it then, I will not now Diſpute; but This Promiſe carries our Thoughts on the Very Miracle it ſelf, when our Lord came in the Fleſh; and ſo we find the Evangeliſts Matthew and Luke, give the Hiſtory of the Virgin Mary bringing forth the Holy Child Jeſus Thus we ſee in the Perſon of the Redeemer, the very Foundation of the World to Come is laid in Miracle; and according to this very Miracle, and in Order to that very World, he is Emanuel, God with us; God in our Nature; a Miracle beyond all Miracles.
I'le give you one Scripture more concerning this very Thing, Jerem 31. 22, 23. How long, ſaith God, wilt thou go about, thou backſliding Daughter; The Lord hath, or will create a new thing in the Eartk, a Woman ſhall compaſs a Man; it is an Expreſſion of the Miraculous Birth of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, his Birth of the Virgin; For as I have ſaid, the word, A New Thing, expreſſes the Nature of Miracle: And then it follows, They ſhall uſe this Speech in the Land of Judah, and Mountain of Ho…yneſs; which Holy Mount we know, is an expreſſion of the World to Come, the very Aſſurance of which ſatiates every wea…y Soul, and repleniſhes every ſorrowful Soul; and the ground of all this is the Miraculous Birth of the great Redeemer, Jehovah our Righteouſneſs.
According to this, Geneſis 3. 15. As ſoon as the preſent Creation was lapſed, and Fallen by the Sin of Man, and had ſunk utterly int… Ru…ne, if it had not been Shor'd up by the Mediator; It is ſaid, I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman▪ between her Seed, and thy Seed; It ſhall Bruiſe thy Head, and thou ſhalt Bruiſe his Heel. Here the Woman is taken a part from Adam; and between the Seed of the Woman in a Peculiar manner, and the Seed of the Serpen… is this Enmity Put, to expreſs that Miraculous Conception, and Birth of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
And indeed, if we could lay the thing cloſe to our Hearts, God Awakens us to all the great Things of the World to come, whereof we ſpeak; and ſhews us plainly, that Things ſhall be lifted up to a far greater, and more excellent ſtate; he hath given this as a Sign of it, A Virgin ſhall Conceive and Bear a Son.
Let us conſider one Scripture more, Eſay. 9. 6. For unto us a Child is Born, a Son is Given; and the Government ſhall be upon his ſhoulder; and his Name ſhall be called Wonderful; Counſellor; the Mighty God; the Everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace; of the Increaſe of his Government, and Peace, there ſhall be no end; Ʋpon the Throne of David, and his Kingdom, to order it, and to Eſtabliſh it with Judgment, and with Juſtice from henceforth, even for ever; The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts ſhall perform this; To us a Child is born, a Son is Given; Herein indeed is not an expreſs Delineation of the wonderfulneſs of his Conception and birth; but it is implied, and Included; His Name ſhall be called; what ſhall it be called? Wonderful, The Man of Wonders, That Wonderful Man throughout; he is all Wonderful; all Miracle; the Counſellor, and Mighty God, and that which we call Everlasting Father, is in the Hebrew, The Father of the World to come; And of his Government, There ſhall be no End; Glorious and Great ſhall be his Kingdom. The Zeal of the Lord of Hoſts ſhall perform this; and therefore the greatneſs of his Power, It being all Miracle, ſhall perform this. His hand ſhall be ſtretched out in it, and for the World to Come.
The Death of, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt was ſtupendious Miracle of Juſtice, and Judgment, when the Lord Bruiſed, and put him to Grief, and made his Soul an Offering for Sin. This foreſhewed the Dread of the Vengeance of God for ſin, burning upon the wicked to the Neithermoſt Hell, ſetting on Fire the Foundation of the Mountains, Burning up the Earth, and the Works of it, and the wicked becoming as Bryars and Thorns Burnt on that their own Earth. For as Chriſt ſaid in a Foreſight of the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, If theſe things were done in the Green Tree, what ſhall be done in the Dry! This ought to be carried to all Deſolations, and Deſtructions, the Manifeſtation of the Righteous Judgment of God ſhall make in his Holy Indignation, againſt the Poſterity, and World of the Apoſtate Adam not Reconciled by the Second Adam, The Lord from Heaven, and Father of the world to Come, whereof we ſpeak.
The Reſurrection of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the great Miracle, as all that ſpeak of Miracle, acknowledg, is a Glorious Pledg of the World to Come, and an entry into the very State of it; This World knew no ſuch thing before, nor had any ſuch Thing in all its Treaſure, Riches, or Variety; He was the Firſt Born, the First begotten from the Dead. Such was his Aſcention, his Glorious Entrance into the Tabernacle made without hands, not of this Building; his ſending down the Spirit; as the Apoſtle hath ſaid in the Context I am upon, in divers Signs, and Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will; And all this in Connexion with the World to Come, not in Subjection to Angels, but the Kingdom of the Son of God; All which comes home to this, That Miracles are proper to the World to Come, as the Reaſon, and end of it.
Now there is nothing, wherein I can more Humbly and earneſtly Intreat you, that Read theſe Things; and wherein you can yeild a greater Acceptance, to what I am now Diſcourſing, than that you would Search theſe things, and Compare them, and Argue them to your ſelves; For I know they will, and muſt bear weight with you.
Argum. 2. The Second Argument, I would give you, is the Conſideration of the way, by which God will ſave All, and every one of us, whom he will ſave by the ſecond Adam, and fits them for that World to Come, for that everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. He ſaves them, he does all for them in a way of Miracle.
This I will endeavour to make plain to you, by conſidering, That God would not ſave Men by the Firſt Covenant, the Covenant of Creation, the Law of Creation; They cannot be Saved by that; They muſt be ſaved by a New Covenant, a Covenant that is all Miracle. This I will ſhew you in two Parts of it.
1. When God Juſtifies Sinners by the Righteouſneſs of another, by the Obedience and by the Suffering, and by the Death of another; This is Miracle; and it is as great Miracle, as any of the Things, that Men allow to be Miracle; and indeed in Regard of the Internal Excellency, the Intrinſick worth of the Thing, It is far greater than any Miracle, except what concerns the very Excellency, and Glory of the Perſon of the Mediator; Thoſe Wonders of Miracle, if I may ſo ſpeak.
Oh therefore that we could conſider it; If we are Pardoned in Chriſt, if we are Juſtified by Chriſt, If we are Saved from Hell, from Wrath to come by him, or from the Curſe of the Law; This is all Miracle; For I would Ask any Man; I am ſure, None of the Men of Reaſon, and that ſeem to underſtand Miracle Beſt, can deny it; Is not Miracle a Lifting up of the preſent State of the World above the firſt Law, and Order of the Creation; ſure this cannot be Denied; Now that Law of Righteouſneſs, that was given to Man at firſt; Th…t Law, Do this, and Live; Be thou Holy, be thou Perfect, and thou ſhalt have the Reward of it; Thou ſhalt Live by it; This was the Firſt Law, and Conſtitution of God upon Mankind; Now if Men were ſaved any way by this Law of VVorks, and Righteouſneſs in themſelves; Let it be, what way it will; Here were nothing Anſwering to Miracle, to the Powers of the world to come; only God may have Moderated the Point; Take a little in the place of a great Deal, Sincerity in the place of Perfect Obedience; But ſtill that great Point of Doing, of Doing, that is the Thing; For there lies the Point of Miracle, of New Creation; That it is of Grace, and not of Works. For the Apoſtle hath Fixed the Firmament, as I may ſay, between Works, and Grace; He hath Eſtabliſhed the two Worlds; the World of the Old Adam, the World to come of the Second Adam, in ſaying; If it be of Wrk▪s, It is no more of Grace; otherwiſe Grace is no more Grace, or work is no more work.
Now Work was the very Foundation of the Firſt Creation, Man made in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs and True Holineſs; and then working according to it, acting from and by himſelf, according to the Law of his Creation. I doubt not indeed, that Man was made with the Knowledge of Chriſt, the Mediator of Amity, and Conciliation, and Suſtentation, in the ſtate wherein he was made; ſeeing all things were made by and for our Mediator; and that Adam himſelf was the Type of him to come; and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and of the Tree of Life pointed to him; and the very Image wherein Adam was made, was Chriſt the Image of God. But this being not of the preſent Intention, I only intimate, and ſtand not to prove it; But Adam not keeping cloſe to the Mediator, was wholly upon his own Bottom of Creation, and the Self Subſiſtence he choſe out of a Mediator: Whatever therefore God does in Grace, through a Mediator, to Man Fallen, is Miracle of Grace; and though it may ſeem in all Spiritual Concernments, the Concernments of the Inward Man, there is not Miracle, becauſe they do not at the preſent come into ſenſe; yet in regard of the preſent ſtate, they are of as Real Inward Deep Senſe, and Peace of Conſcience; and External Evidence in the Change of the Life and Converſation; and ſhall in the Future State appear in Glory, and illuſtrious V…ſibility, and ſo are now by the Apoſtle call'd, a being chang'd into the ſame Image from Glory to Glory, as by that Spirit who is Jehovah; I think This may be moſt juſtly called Miracle throughout, and ſo great Miracle, that all outward Miracles are but the Outſide Caſe, and Repreſentations of them.
Now then if it come to Grace, and to Faith to receive Righteouſneſs by another, it muſt needs be Miracle: We are ſaved by Miracle in the pardon of ſin, and being accepted through the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt; I think the Apoſtle guides us to this very Apprehenſion; For what (ſaith he) the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Fleſh, God ſending his own Son, and for ſin condemned ſin in the Fleſh, ſo that it might not be imputed to the Believer in Chriſt, Rom. 8. 3.
I would but parallel it thus; A Man is Blind, or Lame, or Sick, or Lunatick, or any of thoſe things we read of in the Goſpel; All the Power of Nature ſummoned together, the whole Colledge of Phyſicians, and of all the Wiſe Men in Nature, being ſummoned together, they could not have healed a Man born Blind; They could not have interpoſed in the Caſe of thoſe perſons at all, much leſs in an Inſtant, as Chriſt healed them in the Inſtant.
I ſay therefore, what Nature could not do, and all the Power of Art joyn'd with it, could not do, that God, ſending his Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh, did; He hore away our Sickneſſes, carried our Sorrows, ſo as to heave them off from us upon himſelf; This we greedily enough allow to be Miracle.
In the ſame manner, whatever the Law, the Eternal Rule of Righteouſneſs cannot, in regard of the Sinfulneſs and Guilt of the Nature, and of the Tranſgreſſions and Iniquities of Men, do, in the point of Juſtification before G…d▪ when this Juſtification is accompliſhed by the Righteouſneſs of God in the Mediator, it muſt needs be Miracle; For as is the Power of God, and his Omnipotency in Point of Efficiency; ſuch is the Righteouſneſs of God in the Point of Juſtification; and as is the Loſs or Deprivation of any of the Faculties of the Soul, or Body, of the Power due to, Innate, or Connatural to Them; So is the want of a Righteouſneſs, of Approbation▪ or Accepta…ce in a Man, wherein he may ſtand before the Juſt J…dg as of full Number, Weight, and Meaſure, according to that Law of Righteouſneſs▪ Given to Man; and by which his Righteouſneſs ſhall be Judged, whether it be a Righteouſneſs, or not.
If therefore there had been any Law or Rule of Righteouſneſs, that, Mans Sin being conſider'd, could have given Righteouſneſs, let it have been the Firſt Law, or any After Law, Verily Righteouſneſs ſhould have been by it, Gal: 3. 21. He Brings in theſe Words, Is the Law againſt the Promiſes of God? God forbid; it is as if he had ſaid; Is there any Reaſon, the Eternal Law of Righteouſneſs ſhould, ſpeaking of it as of a perſon Weighing its own Honour, Reputation, have Inclination againſt the promiſes of God, as undermining it, and ſurprizing that Honour, and Glory from it, of giving Righteouſneſs; or as if God, to ſpeak with Reverence, were fond of Juſtifying men by the Righteouſneſs of another; or, as if for the Glory of his Grace, and of his Son, he had brought in his Righteouſneſs, and begg'd of Men to take it, when there was a Law, that was worthy to be call▪d a Law of Righteouſneſs, by which they might better, or but as well, have had it of their own; All this, ſaith the Apoſtle, be far from God, to bring in his Promiſes in ſo Precarious a manner. But the Caſe of Man Abſolutely Requires it, he could not ſatisfy, he could not Anſwer any ſuch Law of Righteouſneſs by himſelf. The Scripture …ath concluded, or ſhut up every way, on every ſide all mankind under ſin. It muſt be by Miracle, by Free Juſtification, by the Righteouſneſs of Another; and by Free Pardon upon that Righteouſneſs, wholly out of the Creature, and by the Creator; Jehovah our Righteouſneſs▪ and this is Miracle; It is therefore ſaid, Scripture hath ſhut up men under ſin▪ that the promiſe by Faith of Jeſus Chriſt, might be given to them, that Believe; Now what is given by promiſe is Miracle; as Iſaac, a Son of Miracle, Miraculouſly Given, was a Son of Promiſe; as we find, Rom. 9. 9. The Promiſe was, At this Time will I return, und Sarah ſhall have a Son.
And as it is thus in the Point of Acceptance, as Righteous before God; So it is in the Point of Converſion, Regeneration, Sanctification: It is all by Miracle; For it …s by Promiſe; It is by a covenant of free Grace; therefore it is by Miracle: A new Heart and a New Spirit will I Give you; I will take away the Heart of ſtone, and Give you a Heart of Fleſh; I will write my Laws in their Heart, and put my Fear in their Inward parts; and they ſhall not depart from me, Ez…k. 36. Jerem. 31. Heb. 8. All This is by promiſe; Therefore It is by Miracle; It is by a New Covenant, as I have ſaid, Miracle is a New thing; therefore it is All Miracle. Both then, even Juſtification and Renovation, they look toward the Kingdom of Chriſt, toward the World to come; So they are by Miracle; For Miracle and the World to come turn one upon another; Therefore as Juſtification, ſo Renovation is by promiſe, by Free Grace, and ſo by Miracle; Free Will is according to the Law of the Firſt Creation, and not Miracle, in any other way than, as hath been ſaid before, the Firſt Creation, and the firſt Spring of All is Miracle; There are Two Frees, as I may ſo ſpeak, that make a Great Noiſe among us, Free Grace and Free Will. And although they do not ſo in themſelves, yet Men ſet them into an Encounter one with the other; They do not ſo in Themſelves, any more than the Law and the Promiſes of God, which the Jews Rencountered one againſt another, do; For if there had been a Free Will that could have produc'd Faith, Repentance, Renovation; Verily they ſhould have been by Free Will; But God hath concluded All under Ʋnbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
If therefore the Men of Free Will were ſpeaking of the State of the Firſt Creation; I confeſs, they diſcours'd well, excellent w…ll; but becauſe it is the World to come, of which we ſpeak; Therefore All Free Will in ſuch ſenſe falls to the Ground; All is by Miracle, by Miracle of Grace, by Miracle of the New Creation.
For the making tfiis plain by Scripture, we ſhall ſee how Duely this ariſes from John 3. 1, &c. Chriſt had a Learned Man in the Jewiſh Law to deal with▪ Nicodemus, a Ruler among the Jews; and I doubt not, He might have ſate among the Doctors of the Chair for Free Will; and he would have voted, no doubt, in all they ſaid, with them. He came with a Great Complement to Chriſt, calling him Rabbi; We know, ſaith he, Thou art a Teacher come from God; For no man can do the Miracles thou doeſt, except God be with him. Here you ſee he had a great ſenſe of Miracles, and of the Miracles of Chriſt; that is, his Miracles eſpecially on the Outward Man: Chriſt therefore, as it were, withdraws him from the Outward Court of Miracles, into the Inner Court of Spiritual Miracles, that yet, as I have ſaid, give both inward and outward Aſſurance of Themſelves; Chriſt inſtructs him therefore in the Point of Regeneration, Except a man be born again, a new, or from above; Either way ſignifies Miracle; he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God. What ſays Nicodemus to this? This Great Man that came to acknowledge the Miracles of Chriſt? Oh, ſaith Nicodemus. How can theſe things be? Thou ſpeakeſt of impoſſible things; How can a man be born again? Can he enter the Second Time into his Mothers Womb, and be born. We ſee this great Acknowledger of Miracles, when he came to a Point of Miraculous Power indeed; that is the Renovation of Man, the giving a New Heart, and a New Spirit; He is Puzzled, He is Poſed, He do's not know what to ſay.
I cannot forbear to take notice, That the great Men of Free-will are the greateſt Arguers of the Truth of Chriſtianity by Miracles; and yet notwithſtanding, they are as much puzzl'd, and Blunder as much concerning the very Miracles of Regenerating Grace, the Regenerating Spirit, as this great Man Nicodemus did; It is true, to hear them ſpeaking of it, as it is not Miracle, but according to the Law of the Firſt Creation, or very little Differing, They may ſpeak more Tollerably of it.
But ſaith our Lord to him, That which is Born of the Fleſh is Fleſh: According to the Law of the Firſt Creation, Let Fleſh be your Spring, and Well-Head, you ſhall never riſe above it, do what you can; Therefore marvel not, ſaith Chriſt, I ſaid, you muſt be Born again▪ This Regeneration is by the Spirit alone, no man can Beget himſelf, but he muſt needs beget himſelf the very ſame, He was before; The New Birth is, as Iſaac was, the Child of Promiſe. It is as the Birth of our Lord, and ſeveral of his Progenitors was, by Miracle. He can Communicate no New principle to himſelf; And juſt, as the Apoſtle ſays here; Divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will; So in this Miracle of Regeneration, ſaith Chriſt, The Spirit bloweoh where it Liſteth; To ſhew, It is all immediate power, that is, Miracle.
Thus alſo the Apoſt. Diſcourſes 2 Cor. 5. If any Man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature, or a new Creation; All Old Things are paſt away, behold all Things are become New.
I would ask any one, whether this is Miracle or not? If it be only according to the Law of the Firſt Creation, It is not Miracle, but if it be entirely, and perfectly a new Creation, It muſt needs be Miracle.
Argum. 3. The Reſurrection is agreed to be Perfect Miracle; The Kingdom of Chriſt is the Kingdom of the Reſurrection. From hence appears the ſtrong, and cloſe Connexion between the Kingdom of Ch…iſt, and Miracle.
I could Heartily Pray, the Threed, and Train of the principles Arguing from the R…ſurrection, as Miracle, were cloſely purſued, and followed Home; The Apoſtle ſays, Acts 17. 31. God hath appointed a Day, in which he will Judg the World by that man, He hath Ordain'd, whereof he hath given Aſſurance unto All men; whereof, ſaith he, God hath made Credit; He hath offered greateſt Reaſons of being aſſured of what he had ſo Ordained, by Raiſing the Lord Jeſus from the Dead; and therefore he is ſo often called, He that is Riſen from the Dead; and the Firſt Born, the Firſt Begotten from the Dead; God ſays to him, Thou art my Son, this day of the Reſurrection have I Begotten Thee; and ſo Royal Power is more ſolemnly ſettled upon Him; I was Dead, and am Alive, and behold, I Live for evermore; I have the Keyes of Hell, and Death; the Prince of the Kings of the Earth: Now this Reſurrection is the very Finger of God, and therefore, It i… juſtly acknowledged the Principal Miracle; It is indeed the Center Miracle in which all Lines meet; as all the greateſt Reaſoners on Miracles do alſo Fix in it, as ſo.
Now that the Kingdom of Chriſt is the Kingdom of the Reſurrection of all his Servants, is plain; For he Roſe Firſt; His Saints Riſe at his Coming, 1 Cor. 15. 23 His Coming, and his Kingdom are Conjoyn'd, 2 Tim 4. 1. So it is the Kingdom of the Reſurrection; But I would expreſly Eſtabliſh it on that, Revel. 20. 4. I ſaw Thrones, and they ſate upon them; And I ſaw the Souls; that is, the whole Perſons of Saints; Souls Re-united to their Bodies of them, who were Beheaded for the Word of God, &c. Now theſe Lived; They Lived and they Reign'd with Chriſt a Thouſand years; And the reſt of the Dead, That is, all thoſe who were not in a State of Bleſſed Life, but under the Condemnation of Chriſt, during the Thouſand Years; They Lived not again, after the Thouſand Years were fulfilled; This is the firſt Reſurrection, the Kingdom of the Reſurrection. Bleſſed and Holy is he, who hath his Part in this Firſt Reſurrection, as all the Living, Remaining Saints have; Over them the Second Death ſhall have no Power; For they in a Paradiſiac State, on the New Earth, chang'd into Bodies of Paradiſe, are Prieſts of God and Christ, for the Thouſand Years; Fitted to be Caught up, and to be together with the Saints Dead in Chriſt, Raiſed to Enjoy the Kingdom of the Reſurrection; as the Children of the Reſurrection, the Principals of the Firſt Reſurrection in the New Heaven.
I have often Heard, and Read the Diſcourſes of the Men of Reaſon, Magnifying the Reſurrection, as is moſt Due; As the Hand of God ſtretched out in the Higheſt manner, as the Greatest of Miracles But, oh, why ſhould they not follow on to the Kingdom of the Reſurrection, the World to Come of the Reſurrection, during its Thouſand Years; the New Creation, the New Heaven, the New Earth, the Kingdom of all Miracle; and then All delivered up to God and the Father, that he may be All in All.
For from all this I conclude, the Kingdom of Chriſt is the Kingdom of all Miracle; Every Miracle therefore that hath been in this World, is but a Peice, a Parcel, a Portion of that ſo vaſt, and entire Sum.
Argum. 4. I have now Argued, The New Creation, The New Heaven, and the New Earth are certainly Miracle; becauſe above the Conſtitution, and Law of the Firſt Creation; and that therefore all Miracle is but part, and parcel, a peice, and portion of the Great State of the Kingdom of Chriſt: For he that is upon the Throne, ſays, Behold I Create all New. And he adds, Write, For theſe Words are True and Faithful; Why did he ſay ſo? But becauſe he knew very well what an Oppoſition, what a contrary Sentiment, even Chriſtians would be of to this Truth; Be aſſur'd therefore, ſaith the Great Prince upon the Throne, Theſe Things are Faithful and True, and ſhall have their full Accompliſhment in their own proper Times.
But now, as there is in The Kingdom of Chriſt ſo Miraculous a State of Mercy, and of Grace to his Servants; ſo there is a Miraculous State of Judgment, Deſolating, and Diſſolving the Preſent State of this World; even, as it is upheld now by the Grace of the Mediator; and that in the Introducing the World to Come, whereof we ſpeak; and alſo to ſettle ſuch a Counter-ſtate of Wrath, and Judgment, wherein all the Wicked that have been in the World, ſhall be in a moſt Viſible State of Contempt and Diſhonour, under the wrath of God and the Lamb. And of this, all the Judgments that have been hitherto in the World, have been Parts, Peices, and Portions; alſo Pawns, and Pledges of that State. Thoſe Great Judgments therefore on the Fallen Angels, on the Old World; on Sodom▪ and Gomorrah; on Egypt; on Corah, Dathan, and Abiram; on Nadab and Abihu, have been already inſtanced in; the Deſtruction of great Armies, as moſt eſpecially in the Valley of Jehoſaphat, 2 Cor. 20. 24. Joel 3; 12. a great Type of that laſt Reſult at the Battle of Armageddon is moſt worthy to be conſidered; and ſo indeed are All the Judgments we Read of in the Book of God, The Book of the Wars of the Lord, Numb. c. 21. 14. Run down with a ſtrong Stream, and Torrent into their Great Sea, the laſt Judgment at the Kingdom of Chriſt; and having all the Nature of Miraculous, confirm the Point we are now upon; That Miracles, and the Kingdom of Chriſt are cloſely Connex'd and Joyn'd together.
Argum. laſt. For a Summary or Recapitulating Argument, we may look back on ſome of the moſt Remarkable Miraculous Appearances of God in the Old Teſtament; and ſee what an Illuſtrious Correſpondence they bear to the World to Come, or to the Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Christ; as the Tranſlation of Enoch, that he ſhould not ſee Death, Gen. 5. 22. Heb. 11. 5. That, we know was perfect Miracle, compar'd with the Preſent State of Dying; Elijah, and Eliſha's Raiſing the Dead, Types of the Reſurrection, 1 Kings 17. 17. 2 Kings 4 28. The Dividing the Red-Sea, and Jordan, Types of the ſmiting the Egyptian River in the Seven Streams, and Deſtroying the Tongue of it, making men go over Dry ſhod, and of a High way for his People, as to Iſrael in the Day he came up out of the Land of Egypt, Eſay 11. 16. and Like Drying up the Deep, and the River, and the Pride of Egyptian and Aſſyrian Departing away; when all ſhall be ſtrengthen'd in God, and the people ſhall walk up and down in the Name of the Lord, Zech. 10. 11. &c. The giving of Mannah, as Bread from Heaven, looks to Chriſt the Bread of Life, and the Tree of Life; as the Water out of the Rock to the Water of Life.
But I would eſpecially have Reſpect to that Standard Miracle of the Sabbatical Year: A great Wonder of the Riches, and Might, and Power of God: Every Seventh Year there was a mighty ſhewing forth of the Power of God; For that the Earth brought forth it ſelf ſo much in the Sixth Year, that they might Live upon it without any Plowing, or Sowing the ſeventh Year. The ſeventh Year was to be a Sabbath of Reſt unto the Land, a Sabbath to the Lord; the Children of Iſrael were neither to Sow their fields, nor to Prune their Vineyards, nor to Reap, nor to Gather, but all were to Live alike of what came forth of it ſelf: God promiſed to Bleſs the ſixth Year ſo, that It ſhould yeild meat for three years, that ſo the ſeventh year, might be a year of Sabbath or Reſt to them.
Now let us Conſider, what the Prophets have ſpoken concerning this World to Come▪ how exactly ſuitable, and agreeable to this they have ſpoken of the World to Come; From whence I Argue, and do appeal to any one, whether the Argument be not exceeding great; The ſeventh year among the Jews was a Symbol, was a Peice, Parcel, Portion of the World to Come, whereof we ſpeak, and of the great Sabbatiſm of it.
Amos 9. 11. In that day will I Raiſe up the Tabernacle of David, that it may be Built, as in the days of Old; That they may poſſeſs the Remnant of Edom, and of all the Heathen, which are called by my Name, ſaith the Lord, that doth this. And then it follows, Behold the dayes come, ſaith the Lord, that the Plowman ſhall overtake the Reaper, and the Treader of Grapes him that ſoweth Seed; and the Mountains ſhall drop ſweet VVine, and All the Hills ſhall melt
The Earth, and the Mountains, and the Hills ſhall Flow out with a great Freedom, and Spontaneouſneſs into an abundance for the Servants of God; Then ſhall the full Senſe, and Meaning of the Sabbatical years be underſtood; Then ſhall the Full Sum, of which that was but a Part, and Portion, be brought into open View; Then inſtead of the Briar, and Thorn, ſhall grow up the Mirtle Tree, and the Fir Tree; And It ſhall be unto the Lord for a Sign, and a Memorial, that ſhall not be cut off.
When our Lord was here in the Days of his Fleſh, he gave an Experiment of Divine Power to the ſame purpoſe; and it was a Miracle he ſeem'd to delight in; For he ſeveral Times Repeated it; He fed with a few Loaves, and ſmall Fiſhes ſo many Thouſands; and the Baskets of Fragments far exceeded the Principal, or very firſt Proviſion.
Now theſe Things are all own'd to be Miracles, let us but ask our ſelves whether theſe things were not ſo? If we now in this Nation ſhould let Plowing, and Sowing alone, for a year, would we not look upon it as the Introduction of a Famine? but now if God ſhould poſitively command us, and Aſſure us; That there ſhould be care taken in any one year, for three years, and we ſhould Find it ſo taken, Would we not look upon it as Miracle?
If any one ſhould Set down ſo great Numbers of People, as Chriſt did, to ſo ſmall a Proviſion, that every one could not take a little; ſhould we not look upon it with as great, or greater amazement, than the Apoſtles did upon Chriſts doing ſo? But if the ſmall Feaſt in the Beginning ſhould Multiply in the Eating, and become More, after a plentiful Eating, than it was before Eating, Should we not look upon it as a Miracle? Now All this Imports, That a Sufficiency of Food, and Durable Cloathing, ſhall be in the Kingdom of Chriſt, that his Servants may Eat and be Satisfied, Eat and Drink at his Table in his Kingdom, and attend upon the Lord without Diſtraction; that is, Fulneſs of Enjoyment.
Thus the Miracles Chriſt did in Healing, and Recovering the Sick, the Blind, and the Lame, How did theſe mighty Acts look to that State of the World to come, Revel. 21. 4. There ſhall be no more Sickneſs, Sorrow, Pain▪ Death, nor Curſe, but God ſhall wipe away all Tears from his Servants Eyes.
The Great Readineſs of Chriſt, in ſhewing his Mercy and Power towards the Blind and Lame, that they might be ſo no longer, makes me think of that Glory in the Book of Samuel, when it is ſaid of David; the Blind and the Lame, whom David's Soul hated. I only make an Alluſion, not conſidering the ſtrict Senſe: Jeſus Chriſt his Soul hated not the I ame, or the Blind; but the Blindneſs, and the Lameneſs, the Sickneſs and the Death: His Soul had ſuch a ſenſe, that this came upon the World, upon Mankind by ſin; That he Laboured and Travailed in Spirit, till he brought forth, as you know, ſo many great Inſtances of the Redemption of Mankind, in Carrying our Sorrows, and bearing our Sickneſſes, till there be that perfect Reſtitution of All Things named before; and the Creatures, or Creation it ſelf, be Delivered from the Bondage of Corruption, into the Manifeſtation of the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God.
Now theſe things joyn'd together ſeem to me ſo full of Evidence, that my heart is, while I ſpeak of them, ſo ſatiated with them, that I cannot but hope they will be alſo moſt Acceptable, and ſatisfactory to them that read them; ſo as to conclude, how cloſe Miracle, and the Kingdom of Chriſt are Related one to another; and that the Chief, and Adequate End, and Reaſon of Miracle is, that they are Portions and Parcels, Peices and Pledges of the Kingdom of Chriſt, or of the World to come, and ſhall bring it in at laſt.