The Little Horns Downfall, Treatise 2 · Discourse · Part 3 · Description 4 · Part 9
I ſhould now proceed to ſpeak of other things: but before I do, there will be one Objection, and three Queries, to be anſwered.
An Objection. And firſt, ſome may ſay, It is true, they do expect that God will do great things for his people; but they expected not theſe outward things that have been ſpoken of: For how can it be a mercy to the Saints to enjoy theſe, ſeeing the world, and worldly enjoyments, uſually prove a ſnare unco them? And therefore the Apoſtle ſays, 1 Tim. 6. 9. That they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtful luſts, which drown men in deſtruction and perdition. And it is too evident, how the world hath choaked the growing of grace in thoſe hearts where eminently it ſhined before they did poſſeſs ſo much of the world: and ſince they have had much of the world, they ſeem to be more proud, and are not in that humble poſture as before; and they appear to be more cold and formal, and can ſwallow thoſe things which before they condemned in others. And it being ſo, though the Lord will do great things for his people, yet it is doubtful (ſay ſome) whether it ſhall be in outward reſpects, which do thus uſually prove ſnares to Saints, and did prove ſo in Conſtantine the Great his time, and afterward, when the godly Emperours beſtowed great outward poſſeſſions upon the godly Biſhops; then they began to decay, and grow cold, and corrupt and looſe in their lives; which made S. Auguſtine utter this expreſſion: Religio peperit divitias, & filia devoravit matrem: that is, Religion brought forth riches, and the daughter hath devoured the mother: whereby he imports, that riches had proved a great ſnare to religious people, and eaten out the power of godlineſs: And how then ſhall we expect theſe outward enjoyments, (which have proved and do prove ſuch ſnares) in theſe glorious times we are looking for?
The Anſwer to the Objection. To which I anſwer, firſt, That God will do great things for his people in outwards, as well as in ſpirituals, is very clear, the Scripture being ſo plentiful and full in the declaring of it.
And ſince it is his pleaſure, in theſe later days, to deliver the creature from the bondage of corruption, and to reſtore all theſe outward things to their primitive goodneſs and glory, that his people may ſee how good theſe lefthand-mercies (if I may ſo term them) are, which for their uſe were appointed, that ſo they may be fully ſenſible of his goodneſs therein: I ſay, ſince he hath thus appointed, and the Scripture fully declares he will do it; why ſhould it be doubted?
But ſecondly, Whereas it is ſaid that theſe outward enjoyments do prove, and have proved ſnares; let that be conſidered which I have already ſaid, how that it ſhall not be with the Saints in theſe times, as it hath been formerly; but that the Spirit ſhall be more abundantly poured out upon Saints then it hath been: and if thou that ſo objecteſt conſidereſt that, then thou wilt ſee, that the Spirit, being ſo gloriouſly enjoyed, will preſerve Saints from being ſo ſnared & overtaken with the temptations of the world, as too many formerly have been.
And thirdly, Whereas thou ſayſt that many now are ſnared with the world; I deſire thee to conſider, firſt, Whether ſuch as are ſo ſnared, and carried away with the world from their firſt love, had ever any love to the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity; whether they were not as the thorny ground, or the ſtony ground, that never had good rooting, never had indeed the Spirit of the Son in them; but ſeemed to receive the Word, but it was but with outward flaſhes of joy. Or ſecondly, If they truely had the Spirit of Jeſus, whether it were not in a weak and a lowe degree: for thou ſhalt finde, that thoſe that have a higher meaſure of the Spirit, they, though they are great in the world, are as full of life and vigour, and of fervent love to Chriſt, as thoſe that are mean; and walk as humbly as any of them: nay, ſome of thoſe that God hath given great outward preferment unto, and have much of the world in their poſſeſſion, do far exceed many of thoſe Saints that are of more inferiour rank in the world, and go beyond them in zeal and fervencie of ſpirit, and being exemplary in a holy humble, and unſpotted converſation. Therefore, if ſome be corrupt; and cold; and carnal, that have much of theſe outward things, impute it not to thoſe outward things, (which, ſimply conſidered in themſelves, have no evil in them) but impute it to that corrupt heart that ſo abuſes theſe enjoyments.
Again, fourthly, Conſider what I have already ſaid, viz. that the chiefeſt of the Saints comforts, in theſe times, will conſiſt in their inward enjoyments: and thoſe that are truely ſpiritual, and ſhall indeed be accounted worthy to ſtand before the Lord Jeſus in that day, ſhall be ſuch whoſe hearts are ſet upon deſiring the ſpiritual enjoyments of this Kingdom, above all things elſe; and to ſuch, theſe things ſhall be added. But let ſuch who more deſire outward comforts then ſpiritual enjoyments, (and manifeſt it by their preſent unjuſt ſcraping of theſe outward things together) know, that they ſhall in that day enjoy neither the one nor the other comfortably; as appears, Iſai. 65. 13, 14, 20. And ſo much in anſwer to this Objection.
A Querie. But ſecondly, It may be queried, Whether, when the Saints ſhall enjoy all theſe things, they ſhall not follow their ſeveral employments and vocations as now they do?
An Anſwer to the Querie. To which I anſwer, Yes: it is clear they ſhall follow ſeveral employments as now they do; but doubtleſs in a more regular, and more excellent and comfortable way then many now do; i. e. ſome ſhall not labour and toyl day and night, (ſcarce allowing themſelves any time to ſpend in the performance of holy duties, or for lawful and convenient recreations) to maintain others that live vitiouſly, in idleneſs, drunkenneſs, and other evil practices: I ſay, It ſhall not be thus then; ſuch idle and profane creatures ſhall then have no allowance or ſufferance to live ſuch lives as now they do.
But to the Queſtion. That men ſhall then follow their ſeveral employments and callings, is clear in theſe Scriptures: Amos 9. 13. Behold, in that day, ſaith the Lord, the plowman ſhall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that ſoweth ſeed &c. Here is mention of four ſeveral employments, for ſeveral men: 1. the Plow-man, 2. the Reapers, 3. the treader of grapes, 4. the Sower of ſeed. And Jer. 33. 12, 13. In that day, in the place where it had been deſolate, there ſhall be habitations of ſhepherds, cauſing their flocks to lie down; and the flock ſhall again paſs under the hand of him that telleth them. And Iſa. 61. 5. And ſtrangers ſhall ſtand and feed your flocks, and the ſons of the alien ſhall be your plow-men and vinedreſſers. Thus in theſe words is it clear, that men ſhall then follow ſeveral employments. Again, Iſa. 62. 8, 9. I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies, and the ſons of the ſtranger ſhall no more 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 gathered it together, ſhall drink it in the courts of my holineſs. Here it is clear, that labour they ſhall, and each man ſhall enjoy the fruit of his own labours: they ſhall not be unjuſtly deprived of it, as now many be. And ſo again, Iſa. 65. 21, 22. They ſhall build houſes, and plant vineyards; — and mine elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands. Mark this; They ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands. By the work of their hands, they ſhall purchaſe eſtates, and they ſhall be long enjoyed by them and their children: no ſtrangers ſhall deprive them of them. But now by theſe ſeveral Scriptures it is clear, that ſeveral employments men ſhall follow; as plowing, ſowing, and planting, and reaping, and treading the vines, keeping and feeding flocks and herds, and building houſes, &c. But now, though the Scripture mention not expreſly the following other employments; as Handy-craft-employments, working in gold, and ſilver, and braſs, and iron, and ſilk, and linen, and woollen, &c. yet is it clearly implied, that they ſhall uſe ſuch employments, in thoſe Scriptures that ſpeak of their building houſes in thoſe times, and of having gold, and ſilver, and apparel in great abundance, &c. So that it is clear, that Saints ſhall labour in ſeveral employments in thoſe times. But whatever the lawful employments be in which they labour, whether in Husbandry, or Handy-craft-employments; ſtrangers ſhall not drink the wine, nor eat the food, nor inhabit the houſes, nor wear the apparel, for which they have laboured: but they and their children ſhall comfortably enjoy the work of their hands. So that all of them, by their labours and employments; not toylſom and burdenſome employments, but by their employments which ſhall be as recreation to them, as ſome employments are to ingenious men now; for it is irkſome to them to be always idle: I ſay, All of them, by their pleaſant, eaſie, and well-regulated employments, ſhall get a plentiful *If the diligent hand, by the bleſſing of the Lord, do now make rich, much more ſhall it then.ſtore of all thoſe outward things which ſhall tend to the comfortable ſubſiſtence of them and theirs, with which they ſhall have no grief nor vexation at all, but ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away, and everlaſting joy ſhall be unto them. And ſo much for anſwer to this Querie.
A Querie. But thirdly, Another Querie may be, How the raiſed Saints, that ſhall come to reign with Chriſt on earth, ſhall walk and act here in the world?
An Anſwer to the Query. To which I have no other anſwer to make but this; (having already ſhown that they ſhall be raiſed ſpiritual bodies) that they ſhall not act with reſpect to their bodies, as thoſe other Saints that ſhall live and ſhall be born in thoſe times; who have not laid down their mortal bodies, and been raiſed again: for as our Saviour ſpeaks expreſly, that in the Reſurrection They ſhall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but they ſhall be as the Angels of God: ſo it ſhall be with them: So that the actings and walkings, of the raiſed Saints here on earth, may be much like the actings of the Angels of God. But to declare how they ſhall act more particularly, and how and in what manner they ſhall reign on earth with Chriſt; I dare not undertake to deſcribe any further; the Scripture being ſilent as to particulars; and I think that enough for us to know in theſe matters, which the Spirit of God thinks enough to declare of them in Scripture. But ſo much as the Scripture declares, we may (not onelyonly ſafely, but) as our *Deut. 29. 29.duty, ſearch into. Rom. 15. 4.Therefore, ſo much as I finde the Scriptures declaring, thereof, do I here exhibit, and ſhall no more.
A Query. But fourthly, Some may be apt to enquire, Whether all creatures ſhall be made uſe of by us then; the ſenſitive creatures, as well as the vegetive?
This Querie is occaſioned by that ſaying of the Apoſtle, which we have, Rom. 8. 21. which hath been already mentioned, where the Apoſtle ſays, that in that day of the manifeſtation of the ſons of God, that then the creature ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption. Now will ſome ſay, Is it not a bondage to the ſenſitive creatures to be killed for the uſe of man? And we do not finde that Adam in innocency made uſe of any of the ſenſitive creatures, but of herbs, and fruits of the trees and of the ground for food. And is it not therefore probable, that the Saints ſhall do ſo in the new Jeruſalem-times?
An Anſwer to the Query. To all which I anſwer, firſt, It is cleer by what I have already ſaid, that the Saints ſhall then be bleſſed, with the enjoyment of all ſorts of creatures in abundance, as with corn, and Wine, and Oyl, and all the fruits of the earth; ſo alſo with flocks and herds, and Camels, and Aſſes: from whence alſo it is cleer, that they ſhall make uſe of theſe ſenſitive creatures, as well as the vegetive; for why elſe ſhould they be promiſed as outward bleſſings to them, if they ſhould not make uſe of them? And what ſhould they keep flocks and herds for, if they did not uſe them for food? But it is not to be doubted, but their flocks and herds are to be for food unto them, and ſo likewiſe are their Camels and Aſſes, and other creatures of that kinde, to be for other uſes to man kind; as for labouring in the ground, and carrying burthens, and journying, and all other things wherein men have occaſion to make uſe of them; As appears, Iſa. 30. 23. Thine oxen likewiſe, and the young aſſes that ear the ground, ſhall eat clean provender, &c. And Iſa. 66. 20. And they ſhall bring your brethren out of all Nations, upon Horſes, and in Chariots, and in Litters, and upon ſwift beaſts, &c. And by this, in mans making uſe of all theſe creatures, it will be manifeſted that man is Lord of them all; in that they ſhall be all ſubject to him, and be uſeful for him.
But ſecondly, To anſwer the ground of the Objection, thus: I ſee no reaſon why any ſhould conclude, that mans making uſe of the creatures in a reaſonable and a moderate manner, is that bondage of corruption that Paul ſpeaks of: For it is cleer, that …t is no burthen to the creatures to be in ſubjection to man, and to ſerve man, (when men are not unmerciful to them) as we may ſee by the readineſs of ſome creatures, (as it were by a natural inſtinct) to ſerve man willingly. But if any thing (in or about mans uſing the creatures) may be ſaid to be a part of the bondage of corruption, it is in regard of mens unmerciful dealing with many creatures, in laying more burthen upon them then they can well bear, and putting of them to do more then they can well do; but this bondage will then be removed from them.
But thirdly, What moſt properly may be ſaid to be the bondage of corruption that now is upon the creatures, I have already ſpoken of; and that is that enmity which is in many creatures each to other, and to mankinde; or that hurtfulneſs that is in them: and this they ſhall be delivered from in that day. And that this is the genuine ſenſe and meaning of the Apoſtle, when he ſays that the creatures ſhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, in that glorious time of the manifeſtation of the ſons of God, is cleer: my ground is this, Becauſe I finde the Scripture declaring that in that day this enmity and hurtfulneſs ſhall be removed from them; as appears in thoſe places I have already quoted, viz. Iſa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9. And Iſa. 65. 25. And this is the main (if not the onelyonly) thing in which (the Scripture declares that) the changed condition of the creatures in that day ſhall appear; and nowhere it is ſaid, that the creature ſhall not then be for the uſe and ſervice of man; but the contrary is cleer.
But fourthly, That ſome creatures are killed for the uſe of man, what bondage is it for them? For what other burthen is it for one creature to be killed, then for another creature to die a natural death? Is it not a ſilly thing to conceive, that a violent death ſhould be worſe to them then another death is, becauſe it is ſo to man? ſeeing theſe creatures that are not reaſonable, the thoughts of death are not terrible to them, as to man they be; for they fear it not, nor know not what it is, in regard they are not rational? Doubtleſs it were a weak thing to conceive, that this kinde of death ſhould be more burdenſome to them then a natural death, and conſequently to think this to be the bondage of corruption ſpoken of by the Apoſtle.
But fifthly, As to that of Adam's eating fruit in Innocencie, Who can ſay that Adam in Innocencie did eat onelyonly herbs and fruit? For though there be no mention of his eating fleſh, yet might he not eat fleſh, though the Scripture be ſilent in the mentioning of it? But if it ſhould be granted, that Adam, continuing but a little while in innocencie, did not feed upon fleſh, but upon herbs and fruits at that time; Doth it therefore follow, that if he had continued longer in innocencie, that he would not have eaten fleſh at any time? Was he at all forbidden to eat fleſh? Would it have been a ſin to eat fleſh? We know that all creatures were made for his uſe, and put in ſubjection to him: and we know, that of his two eldeſt ſons, the one was a tiller of the ground, and the other was a keeper of ſheep. And why was Abel a keeper of ſheep, if they were not of uſe unto them for food, as well as the fruit of the ground? But doubtleſs the ſheep which Abel kept, were of uſe for food unto them.
Thus is there nothing of force in that ſuppoſition that Adam did eat no fleſh in Innocencie: Neither may it at all be argued, that theſe creatures ſhall not be made uſe of in this time of the reſtitution of all things. But it remains clear, as the Scripture declares it, that in that time the Saints ſhall have a comfortable uſe of all creatures, in a more pure mannder then ever. And thus much in anſwer to this Querie.