The world to come. Or, The kingdom of Christ asserted. In two expository lectures…The vvorld to come. Or, The kingdome of Christ asserted. In two expository lectures…

But the great objection is, That the souls of men that are now in heaven, and see the face of God, for them to come down and reign on earth, and do such service here below, it would be a disadvantage to them, or changing a better estate for a worse, which seems to be a great absurdity.

But the great objection is, That the soules of men that are now in heaven, and see the face of God, for them to come downe and reign on earth, and do such service here below, it would be a disadvantage to them, or changing a better estate for a worse, which seemes to be a great absurdity.

For answer, consider to take off the absurdity that even this State I speak of will be a better State then what their souls are now possessed of, for otherwise our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST when his body and soul was united again at his resurrection, was not in a better state then his soul was in after death, when it was separated from his body. Certainly his state after his resurrection, whilst upon earth, was better then his state before his resurrection: but you will say, they ⟨p. 36⟩are now in heaven, where they behold the face of God as the Angels do, which they may loose by coming here upon earth; that doth not follow, for the Angels came down here below, and yet Christ saith, they always behold the face of their father, so may these Saints on earth behold the face of God. Stephen, though a mortal man, yet the heavens were opened to him: He saw the glory of God, and Jesus sitting at the right hand of his Father. My brethren, God hath eternity of time to reveal himself to his people in: and he doth advance his Favourites by degrees. First, he glorifies their souls apart; after when soul and body is united, it's in a better condition, simply considered, then the soul had before, how many ways God hath to manifest himself to his Saints, & how many degrees they shall pass through, and how many worlds he will have to do it in, that is known to himself, however the more the better. If God shall lead you by degrees through this and that glory, from one to another, it will be to your advantage. As in a Masque there are several shows, which adds to the excellency of it, God hath eternity of time to make all these shows and representations of himself to his children: And let me add this, that the will that he fulfilled, which is prayed for in that we call the Lords prayer, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. There is a time when the will of God shall be done on earth, as completely as in heaven, which is in that time of the first resurrection: My brethren, I have spoken these things, as that which hath a great show of truth in it, and as that which is exceeding probable: I have told you my grounds for it, which I could never answer my self.