The Little Horns Downfall, Treatise 2 · Discourse · Part 3 · Description 4 · Part 8
Of the Outward and external priviledges that Saints ſhall then injoy.
I come now to declare alſo what the external priviledges of the Saints ſhall then be. But firſt I ſhall premiſe theſe three things.
Firſt, That though the external priviledges of the Saints ſhall then be very many, and very great; that yet theſe outward priviledges are no way to be compared with thoſe ſpiritual priviledges I have already ſpoken of: Neither can the heart of a true Saint ſuffer any compariſon to be made between them.
And ſecondly, That though theſe outward enjoyments are favours and bleſſings, which may be lawfully deſired; yet are they not deſired by Saints, in compariſon of that deſire they have to injoy thoſe ſpiritual priviledges already ſpoken of; which they would think themſelves happy if they might but now injoy, though they had not thoſe outward things any more then they have had in their loweſt condition.
And thirdly, That to the people who are in this frame, (and to none but ſuch) whoſe hearts are thus ſpiritual, and who ſo little regard theſe things in compariſon of ſpiritual; even to ſuch, will God in theſe times we are ſpeaking of; abundantly give, not onelyonly theſe ſpiritual injoyments and priviledges; but all other things ſhall be added unto them: that ſo their joy may be compleat, and nothing may interrupt it.
And now I come to declare how comfortably, and (if I may ſo ſay) how happily the Saints ſhall live in this new world, in reſpect of outwards. Concerning which, hear how the Lord expreſſes himſelf, Iſa. 60. 15. For I will make thee an eternal excellency, the joy of many generations. It is a ſhort, but a full word: for ſpeaking of the external glory that he will confer upon his Church, he ſays, that his Sion ſhall have as much outward glory, as ever any people had: nay, he ſays not onelyonly ſo; but that they that excel others: he will make them an external excellency. The outward glory that was conferred upon Solomon, the type of our King of peace, was very great; but this ſhall excel it, and excel all kingdoms that ever were before it; for outward things, as well as ſpiritual. It ſhall be an ex…rnal excellency, and it ſhall be the joy of many generations: ſuch outward glory, and ſuch excellency above all others, ſhall be conferred upon it, as ſhall be the joy, as ſhall glad the hearts of all that live in thoſe generations, or that ſhall be brought forth in thoſe times, while theſe thouſand yeers ſhall laſt. And what the outward glories of it ſhall be, is in part expreſt in the following words: For braſs I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring ſilver, and for wood braſs, and for ſtones iron. Theſe are the things wherein the external glory of a land conſiſts: and he ſays withal, that they ſhall ſuck the milk of the Gentiles, and ſuck the breaſts of Kings. Which imports that the treaſures, and outward glory of the Nations, and of the Kings, and great men of the world, ſhall be all drain'd together, and brought in to them; they ſhall ſuck the ſweetneſs of them, and ſhall injoy them all. And thus will the Lord make his Sion an eternal excellency in outward reſpects, as well as in inward or ſpiritual reſpects.
But now more fully to declare what this external glory of this new world ſhall be; thus:-
There ſhall be no outward thing wanting to the Saints, that may make their life outwardly comfortable: for what is it that can be deſired, or that heart can think of, that ever at any time maketh the lives of people comfortable, but the Lord hath promiſed that his people ſhall enjoy it, in theſe times?
And firſt, *Saints ſhall then have that outward bleſſing of long life, and a comfortable enjoyment of all their relations, until they come to a good old age.Doth the enjoyment of neer relations, without loſing of them, make the life comfortable? Are children outward bleſſings, in which men take much outward content and delight? And is it a very deſirable thing to have our children the Lords children, to be the bleſſed of the Lord? And is it a bitter thing to loſe an onelyonly ſon, a ſad thing to loſe children and neer relations, and is the contrary a deſirable mercy? And is long life a bleſſing, and an outward favour lawful to be deſired? According to that, Pſa. 91. 16. With long life will I ſatisfie him, and ſhew him my ſalvation.
Why, all theſe things hath the Lord promiſed to his people in theſe days, when theſe new Heavens and new Earth ſhall be, as we finde in theſe Scriptures. Iſai. 65. 17, 18, &c. Behold, I create new heavens & a new earth: and then what follows? I will rejoyce in Jeruſalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping ſhall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. But if they ſhould loſe their children, & loſe their relations, before they come to a ful age, there would be mourning and weeping: for theſe things uſually prove ſad afflictions to the beſt Saints; even to Jacobs and Davids. But they ſhall not loſe theſe then: for, verſ. 20. it is ſaid, There ſhall be no more thence an infant of days nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the childe ſhall die an hundred yeers old. So that this is clear, No infant of days ſhall die; none ſhall die while they are young; all ſhall come to a good old age. They ſhall not be afflicted for the loſs of their children; for they ſhall live till they be an hundred yeers old; and not an old man ſhall die that hath not filled his days. Again Zech. 8. 3, 4, &c. Thus ſaith the Lord, I am returned to Sion, and will dwell in the midſt of Jeruſalem: and Jeruſalem ſhall be called, A city of truth, and the mountain of the Lord of hoſts, the holy mountain, wherein the Lord will dwell. And what follows? Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, There ſhall yet old men and old women dwell in the ſtreets of Jeruſalem, and every man with his ſtaff in his hand for multitude of days: and the ſtreets of the city ſhall be full of boys and girls playing in the ſtreets thereof. Thus ſhall the Saints in thoſe days enjoy thoſe deſirable bleſſings of children, and of long life: they ſhall have a numerous iſſue; The ſtreets ſhall be full of boys and girls; and old men and old women ſhall live till they come to a good old age, till they walk with a ſtaff in their hand for age.
But me thinks as I am ſpeaking of theſe outward bleſſings, I cannot too often inſert this as a caution by the way: That, to a holy heart, theſe things are but ſecondary comforts, under-comforts: their chief comfort conſiſts in ſpirituals.
But I proceed.
In Jer. 33. the Lord ſpeaks of the great things he will do for his people in that day; and verſ. 9. he ſays, They ſhall be for a name of joy, and praiſe, and honour before the nations; which ſhall hear of the good that he will do unto them. And verſ. 11. There ſhall be heard among them the voice of joy, and the voice of gladneſs, and the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, and the voice of them that ſhall ſay, Praiſe the Lord of hoſts, &c. Thus ſhall they comfortably enjoy children, and all relations, and praiſe the Lord. Nay, and to make their children which they ſhall enjoy a complete bleſſing and mercy to them indeed, it is ſaid that they ſhall be all holy unto God, Iſa. 65. 23. They ſhall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble: for they are the ſeed of the bleſſed of the Lord, and their off-ſpring with them. Their children being thus bleſſed with them ſhall be a joy unto them; whereas otherwiſe they might be a grief and trouble to them. Again, to the ſame purpoſe is that, Iſa. 54. 13. and Iſa. 61. 9. And all thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord; and great ſhall be the peace of thy children. — And their ſeed ſhall be known among the Gentiles, and their off-ſpring among the people. All that ſee them, ſhall acknowledge them, that they are the ſeed which the Lord hath bleſſed.
Again, ſecondly, *The noyſomneſs and hurtfulneſs of wilde beaſts, and hurtful creatures, ſhall be then taken away.Is deliverance from the noyſomneſs of deſtroying and hurtful wilde creatures, a deſirable mercy? Is it a thing which may tend to the outward comfort of the people of God, to have the offenſiveneſs of offenſive creatures taken away? This alſo hath God promiſed, and ſhall be granted in this time to his people. And this is the meaning of Paul, Rom. 8. 21. where ſpeaking of this glorious time, of the glorious liberty of the children of God, he ſays, that the creature ſhall alſo be delivered from the bondage of corruption. And this is that which is clearly alſo laid down, Iſa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9. The wolf alſo ſhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard ſhall lie down with the kid; and the calf, and the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little childe ſhall lead them: and the cow and the bear ſhall feed, their young ones ſhall lie down to gether: and the lion ſhall eat ſtraw like the ox; and the ſucking childe ſhall play on the hole of the aſp, and the weaned childe ſhall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountain. And Iſa. 65. 25. The wolf and the lamb ſhall feed together, and the lion ſhall eat ſtraw like the bullock, and duſt ſhall be the ſerpents meat. They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountain, ſaith the Lord. Thus do theſe Scriptures declare, how the creatures ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. For what put an enmity between ſome of theſe creatures and Man, but Mans corruption? Before man fell, he was Lord of them all, and they were all in ſubjection to him, and offered him no violence: But now are theſe creatures in enmity againſt Mankinde, and many times they prove hurtful and deſtructive to men, women, and children, by reaſon of that corruption that is upon Mankinde: but when men ſhall be cleanſed from corruption, then this bondage ſhall be taken away, and the creatures ſhall appear in their primitive beauty and goodneſs wherein they were created, being all in ſubjection, and uſeful to man, and they ſhall be in no caſe hurtful, neither one to another, or to mankinde: the wolf ſhall not deſtroy the lamb, nor the leopard the kid, nor the lion the calf, nor the fatling; but they ſhall all feed together: and all theſe ſhall be ſo far ſubjected to Mankinde, as that a little childe ſhall lead them. And though the ſucking childe do play upon the hole of the aſp, and the weaned childe put his hand upon the adders den, which are wont to ſting and hurt them; yet they ſhall then do them no hurt at all.
But if it be objected, What, ſhall not the lion deſtroy nor hurt any? How can that be, ſince the lion uſes to feed upon the prey that he gets, and not upon the graſs, as other beaſts do? This is anſwered in theſe words, The lion ſhal eat ſtraw like the oxe. Thus none of the creatures ſhall be offenſive any more to mankinde. And for this cauſe is it ſaid, Ezek. 34. 25. That evil beaſts ſhall ceaſe out of the land; becauſe there ſhall be then no evil or deſtroying beaſt. So that it follows in that place, They ſhall then dwell ſafely in the wilderneſs, and ſleep in the woods.
But again, thirdly, **Saints ſhall then have a plentiful injoyment of all the fruits of the earth.Is it an outward mercy which conduces to our comfortable living, to have ſeaſonable weather, for the bringing forth of the fruits of the earth? And doth it conduce to our outward comfort, to have a plentiful injoyment of all the fruits of the earth? All theſe things alſo will God grant unto his people in that day: as appears in theſe Scriptures; Iſa. 30. 23. Then ſhall he give the rain of thy ſeed, that thou ſhalt ſow thy ground withal, and the bread of the increaſe of the earth; and it ſhall be fat, and plenteous. And Joel 2. 23, 24. Be glad, ye children of Sion, and rejoyce in the Lord your God; for he hath given the former rain moderately, and he will cauſe to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the firſt month. And the floors ſhall be full of wheat, and the fats ſhall overflow with wine and oyl. And Iſa. 62. 8, 9. I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies, and the ſons of the ſtranger ſhall not drink thy wine, for which thou haſt laboured: but they that have gathered it, ſhall eat it, and praiſe the Lord; and they that have brought it together, ſhall drink it in the courts of my holineſs. And Amos 9. 13, 14. Behold, the days come, ſaith the Lord, that the plow-men ſhall overtake the reapers, and the treader of grapes him that ſoweth ſeed; and the mountains ſhall drop ſweet wine, and all the hills ſhall melt. — And they ſhall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; and they ſhall make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And Mic. 4. 4. They ſhall ſit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none ſhall make them afraid. And Jer. 31. 12. They ſhall come and ſing in the height of Sion, and ſhall flow together to the goodneſs of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oyl, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd, &c. And Ezek. 36. 30. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increaſe of the field, &c. And Iſa. 41. 18, 19. I will open rivers in the high places, and fountains in the midſt of the valleys; I will make the wilderneſs a pool of water, and the dry land ſprings of water. I will plant in the wilderneſs, the Cedar, the Shittah-tree, and the Oyl-tree. I will ſet in the deſart, the Firtree, and the Pine, and the Box-tree together. And Zech. 8. 12. For the ſeed ſhall be proſperous; the vine ſhall give her fruit, and the ground ſhall give her increaſe, and the heavens ſhall give their dew: and I will cauſe the remnant of this people to poſſeſs all theſe things.
Thus plentifully do the Scriptures declare, how that in that time the Saints ſhall comfortably enjoy all the fruit of their labours, in the fields, and in their gardens, and their vineyards. And that to that end, they ſhall have always ſeaſonable ſhowers of rain, and profitable ſprings of water, in all places, to water and refreſh the ground, and make it fertile, in bringing forth of corn, and trees of all ſorts, and all deſirable fruit. They ſhall have no more dry and barren yeers, yeers of famine, which have proved very uncomfortable; but ſo abundantly, and ſo plentifully ſhall they have all theſe things, as that the floors ſhall be full of Wheat, and the fats ſhall overflow with Wine and Oyl, and the mountains ſhall drop down ſweet Wine, and the hills abound with all deſirable fruits, and trees; and in ſtead of the thorn, ſhall come up the fir-tree; and in ſtead of the bryer, ſhall come up the Mirtletree, Iſa. 55. 13. What can be more deſired, as to theſe things? Well, but
Fourthly, *They ſhall then have alſo flocks & herds in abundance.Is it a comfortable mercy, to have a plentiful increaſe of flocks, and of herds, and to enjoy them in abundance it being the bleſſing wherewith God bleſſed Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob of old? Why theſe outward enjoyments will God graciouſly give to his people in theſe times alſo; as appears, Jer. 33. where the Lord ſpeaking of this time, when the Jews ſhall enjoy theſe glorious times, v. 12, 13. the Lord ſays, that In all the places which were deſolate, without man, and without beaſt; there ſhall be an habitation of ſhepherds, cauſing their flocks to lie down; and the flocks ſhall again paſs under the hand of him that telleth them. And Iſa. 60. 6, 7. The forces of the Gentiles ſhall come unto thee, the multitudes of camels ſhall cover thee; the dromedaries of Midian and Epha; — all the flocks of Kedar ſhall be gathered together unto thee. And Iſa. 30. 23, 24. In that day ſhall the cattel feed in large paſtures; the oxen likewiſe, and the young aſſes that ear the ground, ſhall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the ſhovel, and with the fan. And Iſa. 43. 20. The beaſts of the field ſhall honour me, the dragons and the oſtriches, becauſe I give waters in the wilderneſs, &c. And Ezek. 36. 11. I will multiply upon you man and beaſt. And Iſa. 61. 5. The ſtrangers ſhall ſtand and feed your flocks, and the ſons of the alien ſhall be your plow-men, and vinedreſſers. And Iſa. 66. 20. They ſhall bring your brethren out of all nations, upon horſes and chariots, and litters, and upon ſwift beaſts, unto my holy mountain Jeruſalem. And Jer. 31. 12. it is ſaid, They ſhall come and ſing in the height of Sion, and ſhall flow together to the goodneſs of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oyl, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd.
Thus ſhall they plentifully enjoy theſe outward comforts of flocks and herds; and thoſe flocks and herds ſhall have large paſtures, and be fed with clean provender: and there ſhall be ſuch plentiful ſhowers, and ſprings, for the bringing forth of paſture, and for the refreſhing of beaſts and cattle, as that the Dragons and the Oſtriches ſhall finde enough in the wilderneſs to ſatisfie them; for which they ſhall honour God, according to their capacity: and ſuch plenty of theſe creatures ſhall there then be had, as they ſhall be ſatisfied with the young of the flock, and of the herd.
Again, fifthly, *They ſhall then have convement accommodations of houſes and gardens.Is it a comfortable outward mercy, to have houſes to inhabit, and to have comfortable and conveent dwelling places, it being an uncomfortable thing to be deſtitute of a habitation? This alſo the Lord will grant unto his people at that time; As appears, Iſa. 65. 21, 22. And they ſhall build houſes, and inhabit them; and they ſhall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They ſhall not build, and another inhabit; they ſhall not plant, and another eat the fruit: but mine elect ſhall enjoy the work of their hands, And Mic. 4. 4. They ſhall every man ſit under his own vine, and under his own figtree, and none ſhall make them afraid.
Thus ſhall the Saints then enjoy their Houſes and Gardens which they ſhall build and plant for themſelves; living comfortably, and peaceably in them. And again, Iſa. 61. 4. They ſhall build the old waſtes, and raiſe up the former deſolations, and they ſhall repair the waſte cities, the deſolations of many generations. And Iſa. 60. 10. And the ſons of ſtrangers ſhall build thy walls. And Amos 9. 14. And my people ſhall build the waſte cities, and inhabit them; and they ſhall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; and they ſhall make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And Ezek. 36. 10. And men ſhall be multiplyed upon the mountains of Iſrael, and the cities ſhall be inhabited, and the waſtes ſhall be builded.
Thus in theſe glorious times, ſhall Saints enjoy this outward mercy mercy alſo. They ſhall have commodious Houſes and Gardens which they ſhall build and make for themſelves; which they ſhall peaceably and comfortably enjoy; building up thoſe Cities and places that have been laid waſte and deſolate, and making of them convenient and comfortable habitations to be inhabited.
But ſixthly, *They ſhall alſo have abundance of gold, and ſilver, and braſs, and iron, and wood, in thoſe times.Is there any outward thing which may be uſeful and neceſſary for man and which may conduce to his outward comfortable being, beſides thoſe things which we have already mentioned? It may be replied, Yes, there are other outward things which are uſeful and neceſſary, & which conduce to the outward comfortable being of man; as apparel, and ſilver, and gold, and other ſorts of metals, which are for covering and outward ornament for the body, and for neceſſary furniture and utenſils for houſhold-affairs; and theſe being wanting, they cannot be ſo outwardly comfortable as with them, but the enjoyment of them tends to a comfortable outward ſubſiſtence. Well, it being ſo God hath promiſed to give his people plentifully to enjoy all theſe alſo: (for they ſhall want nothing that tends either to their inward or outward comfort:) and that appears, Iſai. 60. 9. They ſhall bring thy ſons from far, (it is ſpoken of the time when theſe glorious times ſhall be) and their ſilver and their gold with them. And verſ. 19. For braſs, I will bring gold; and for iron, I will bring ſilver; and for wood, braſs; and for ſtones, iron. And Zech. 14. 14. And the wealth of all the heathen round about, ſhall be gathered together; gold, and ſilver, and apparel in great abundance. Thoſe that ſhall be converted to the Church, ſhall be many; and they ſhall have great wealth which ſhall adde to the outward glory of this New Jeruſalem. And therefore is it ſaid of the New Jeruſalem, Rev. 21. 24. That the nations of them which are ſaved ſhall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. Which muſt needs be ſpoken of this external glory, their outward riches: for the Gentiles cannot be ſaid to bring other glory into the New Jeruſalem.
Thus we ſee, that they ſhall then alſo have a plentiful enjoyment of ſilver, and gold, and braſs, and iron, and apparel in great abundance; and of all the other outward mercies which we have ſpoken of. So that there is no creature-comfort, no outward bleſſing, which Saints ſhall then want: but as the earth, which is *Pſal. 24. 1.the Lords, ſhall be then given to them; ſo alſo all the fulneſs thereof; all that which may conduce to the making of them fully outwardly comfortable, as well as thoſe inward comforts already ſpoken of. So that in all reſpects, the *Pſal. 118. 15voice of rejoycing and ſalvation ſhall be heard in the tabernacles of the righteous.