the Saviour from sin both as to the imputation and as to the pollution of it And where sin is taken away or removed evil of Wrath and Punishment hath no place While sin was imputed to and laid upon Christ he was also obnoxious to the curse and wrath that was the Wages of it And while God imputes sin and it is not washed off a man punishment and evil of wrath may befal him but as in him there is forgiveness of and cleansing from sin so in him is deliverance from wrath too either as to misery inflicted on the Creature or as to the hiding of Gods face or withdrawing his favour from it being justified from his Blood how much more saved from wrath both Positive and Privative Positive of evil and Privative of good Rom. 5.9 and then as there is none hath power over him in the least so in him there is that infinite wisdome and power by which he is All sufficient to save us from them and order their enmities as he sees good so as he can suffer them to act forth their malice and yet secure those against whom it 's acted so as it shall have no evil influence upon them yea all enemies spiritual and corporal are at his beck and will to do to or with them as he pleases and he can let out or restrain their wrath inflict punishments by them or save from or deliver out of the troubles they occasion as he pleases Psal 76.10 2. In him also is all fulness of good wherewith he may do us good and content and satisfie us for all the fulness of the God-head dwells bodily in him and in him we are compleat Col. 2.9 10. It hath pleased all fulness to or it hath pleased the Father that all Fulness should dwell in him Col 1.19 the Father is in him with all the fulness of his love and favour He is enough to satisfie the Soul for ever and produce any good to it that he pleases In him is the fulness of the holy Spirit and of all his glorious Power Wisdom Love Sweetness and Comfort and with all its most enabling and enriching vertues so as he can baptise with it us and whom he pleaseth Isa 42.1 Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.33 and 7.37 38 39. His are all Riches and precious treasures all things in Heaven and Earth are his Riches and Honour are with him yea durable Riches and Righteousness his Fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and his revenue better then choice silver Prov. 8.18 19. Length of days are in his right hand even Immortality and Eternal Life and in his left hand Riches and Honour His ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace He is a tree of life to them that lay hold on him and happy therefore is every one that retains him Prov. 3.15 16 17 18. Happy indeed For 2. Whosoever comes into him is and abides in him is interested in all that is his and that is in him and comes to the participation of the benefit thereof they that are made in him through the grace of God to them he is made of God Wisdom Righteousness Holiness and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 They have him to be theirs 1 Joh. 5.12 yea and in him they have the Father also being and continuing in the Son they are in the Father also 1 Joh. 2 24. In God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 and as they are both in Father and Son so they have both 2 Joh. 9. And how can they that have such a portion and Inheritance but be happy 1. Privatively Happy so as to be exempted from all that is evil from sin the Root of all evil so it is not imputed to to them In him all that believe are justified from all things which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Acts 13.9 in him we have redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of sins Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 so as to be sanctified cleansed from sin so as it shall not have dominion over those that believe in and so are and abide in him Rom 6.14 He that abideth in him sinneth not 1 Joh. 3.6 and then there is no Condemnation to them that are in him that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 And so there is no evil in their Portion there shall no evil happen to the just as they are that are in and abide in Christ Prov. 12.21 All things work together for good to them Rom. 8.28 and so there is no Death to them nothing of misery or separation from God which is the death of the Soul nothing of destruction they shall not perish Joh. 3.16 True it is that they may have and actually have Enemies against them within and without but Christ is to them a place of sure Defence against them and preserves their Souls Their place of defence is on high a place of the munition of rocks Isa 33.16 and they dwell safely so as they may be also quiet from the fear of evil Prov. 1.33 being and dwelling in him who is the most High and in his secret place they dwell under the shadow and Protection of the Almighty saying of him Who is the Lord He is my rock and my fortress my God in whom I will trust surely He will deliver them from the snare of the Fowler and from the truly noisome Pestilence He will cover them with his feathers and under his wings shall they trust his truth shall be their shield and buckler so as they shall not be afraid of the terrour by night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day Yea dwelling in the Lord as in their refuge and having him the most High for their habitation there shall no evil befal them nor any Plague come nigh their dwelling Psal 91.1 2 3 4 5 9 10. 2. Positively happy in the enjoyment of and interest at least in all that 's good for as the Lord is a strong house or house of defence to them that are in him Psal 31.2 and 71.3 so he is also to them a house of feasting or sacrifices Prov. 9.1 2 3. and they that trust in him and under the shadow of his wings shall abundantly be satisfied with the fatness of his house and he will make them drink of the rivers of his pleasures Psal 36.7 8 9. He is to them a fountain of life and living waters both quickning purifying and satisfing them He is to them a sun and shield and will give them grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that are upright with him Psal 84.11 in him they have and from him derive that heavenly wisdom that brings with it to them Riches and Honour and Life in him they have and from him receive that holy Spirit whose fruit is Love Joy Peace and in a word all Goodness Righteousness and Truth Gal. 5.22 Joh 7.38 39. and 4.14 Ephs 5 8.
evidenced in the blood of Christ or also taken from the earth by Death Peculiar services sufferings and successes against Gods enemies have their peculiar joyes not common to others Then shewing 4. Vers 3. What ones these redeemed ones were he adds These are they that were not defiled with women with the Congregations and Assemblies of corrupt Teachers Idolaters and their corruptions in Doctrine and Worship compared to women or harlots Prov. 9.13 and 14.1 Rev. 17.5 for they are virgins chast and single to Christ his Faith and Worship these follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth that is they cleave in all things to Christ and his word and commands and are not moved therefrom by any false pretences of the false Prophet or two-horned Beast and his false and lying miracles nor by the greatness and dreadfulness of the seven headed and ten-horned Beast and their contrary commands for these were redeemed powerfully through the grace of God believed by them brought out unto Christ from among men from the idolatrous and wicked world to be holy to God being the first fruits most desirable and pleasing Mic. 7.1 to God and to the Lamb. 5. Vers 4. And in their mouth was found no guile they were upright and orthodox Christians not dissembling with men to avoid persecutions for they are without fault before the Throne of God Nathaniels or Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile believers in Christ and walkers after his Spirit and so in the light as God is in the light directing and strengthning them and therefore there is no condemnation to them but the blood of Christ cleansing them from all sin they have fellowship with God Rom. 8.1 1 John 1.7 The trusters in God and unmovable as mount Sion Psal 125.1 But let none imagine that Christ died onely for these and such like because called redeemed ones but mind that he adds 6. Vers 4. I saw another Angel flying in the midst of heaven most openly having the Everlasting Gospel to preach to them that dwell on not yet redeemed from the earth and to every nation kindred tongue and people As the Angels sometime appeared clothed in linen like the Priests in the Temple as in Dan. 10.5 Rev 15.6 So the holy Priesthood or Gospel Preachers may be here denoted by Angels and here is Gospel preached to others besides those redeemed ones even to all people but there is no Gospel for any for whom Christ died not and for whom in him no help or salvation therefore Christs death is not to be limited to or measured by such expressions as those in the foregoing verses or that in Chap. 5.9 The sum of the Gospel to be preached is that in 1 Tim. 2.4 5 6. that God wills that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth for there is one God and one Mediatour of God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all a testimony or this is the testimony in due times whereunto the Apostle saith He was ordained a Preacher and Apostle c. vers 7. the Everlasting Gospel and therefore Gospel in all ages as well as then Other expressions of the sum of the Gospel see in 1 Cor. 15.2 3 4. 1 Tim. 1.15 The being redeemed from the earth and from among men is a further business at least an effectual product of the grace of God believed in mens hearts and consciences as is fore-hinted but this Angel in Preaching the Gospel said with a loud voice what the whole Gospel loudly speaks to be the duty of all men viz. 7. Vers 7. Fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment is come not unlike that in Matth. 3.8 10. Acts 17.30 31. though it may here have some special eye at the ruine of Babylon presently predicted and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters expressions like those which the Apostle saith was the sum or end of their preaching in Acts 14.15 but after this follows 8. Vers 8. And another Angel followed saying Babylon is fallen is fallen the doubling expression implies its certainty and speediness and the joy of Gods holy ones at it Gen. 41.32 Rev. 18.20 that great city the opposite to Jerusalem the holy City or true Church of God because she made all nations drink of the wine of her fornications Babylon is the then ruling City over the kings of the earth Rev. 17.18 which was Rome and so denotes that idolatrous Church called the Whore for her being corrupted from Christ and the sincere Faith and worship of him forsaking her fidelity to him to follow after and prostitute her self to the Kings of the earth seeking and loving their favour riches gifts honour defence c. and yet as Harlots use to do with their Paramours Jud. 16.6 20. ordering and ruling them as she lists pretending that she is the Lady and Queen of Heaven that onely Catholick Church from whom they must receive all their Faith Worship and Religion and it may be noted that her downfal and so of all Idolatry Heresie and false worship either is and will be the effect not of Seditions and Rebellions but of the sincere and bold Preaching the Gospel of Christ with its instructions by holy living or Angel-like persons not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zech. 4.6 or will otherwise joyn and follow after it 9. Vers 9 10 11. After these Christ shewed him a third Angel that followed and warned of the danger of worshipping the Beast especially after the Gospel preached and the fall of Babylon denounced saying with a loud voice If any man worship the Beast or his Image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever And they have no rest day nor night who worship the Beast and his Image and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name A dreadful Sentence that might awaken all to enquire what this Beast and his Image Mark and Name are and what the worship thus threatened and carefully avoid all things thereof I shall onely here say it 's the preferring some other powers above Christ and so is the same in substance with that Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and his heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17.5 but that that time will be sad is signified in the following exclamation whether of the Angel or Evangelist which saith 10 Vers 12. Here is the patience of the Saints here at this time most eminently tried and exercised Here are they emphatically that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus and
the sense of the words here Thence note Note 1. That bodily Death and Blessedness may be consistent men that dye and are dead may be blessed Not onely those that are dead to the Law by the Body of Christ delivered from the curse of that and from being under it as the Covenant of Life or that are dead to sin or rather persons not onely dead in those considerations but also that are bodily dead may be happy in a very good safe and desirable condition so as that their state may worthily be commended as very excellent They may have their sins forgiven and blotted out and they that are in that condition are blessed Psal 32.12 They may have the favour of God and be accepted and beloved of him and they that are so are blessed Prov. 8.34 35. and which includes both the former they may have God to be their God and to own them as his people as it is said of Abraham Isaac and Jacob long after they were dead and buried I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod 3.6.15 And blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Psal 144.15 And forgiveness of sins and the favour of God are both implied to be the portion of those Souls seen in vision under the Altar even the Souls of those that had been slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony that they held in that there were white Robes given to every one of them as a token both of their free and full acquittance from sin and their being owned of God as righteous ones and also of their being highly honoured and favoured of God Rev. 6.9 10 11. And this not a little takes off the dreadfulness of this bodily Death that it may consist with Blessedness and that it is not of it self able to hinder and deprive us thereof Men may be happy notwithstanding its power and force That 's the dreadful Death that men cannot be happy in or under such as the death in Sin the spiritual death of the Soul under the guilt and power of sin committed and continued in and therefore that is threatened as a very sad evil to be shunned To be carnally minded or the minding of the flesh is death Rom. 8.6 a state not to be continued in where it is nor by any means to be run into where men are delivered therefrom As also The second Death the separation of the Soul or of the whole man rather from God in Soul and Body for ever the everlasting fire or lake burning with fire and brimstone the portion of the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 Rev. 20.14 This is a sad and dreadful state indeed namely this of the second Death While men are spiritually dead in sin their sins are imputed and they have no fellowship with God but yet while alive in the body they are in a possibility of being called and made alive to God to him that 's joyned to all the living there is hope Eccles 9.6 But in the second Death is nothing but misery without hope of remedy or redemption This this is the Death then with all diligence to be shunned and therefore care is to be taken to awake out of sin also by repentance for death in sin continued in brings the second Death inevitably upon men But as for this bodily Death that 's not so dreadful in it self men may do well for all that and the reason is because Christ hath died for us and is risen again This death indeed as it was in its first threatning and as upon our desert incurred by us in the Fall of our first Parents deprived us of all Blessedness and would inevitably have done so for ever had not God provided a deliverer and deliverance from it had not he graciously devised a device that his banished might not be expelled for ever from him 2 Sam. 14.14 But blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath raised up an Horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David that by him we might be saved from our enemies that hath given his onely begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sins that we might live through him Luk. 1.68 69 70. 1 Joh. 4.9.10 And blessed be the Son of God that willingly took upon himself in compliance with his Fathers will to suffer and die for us that we through his stripes might be healed of that deadly wound wherewith in our listning to the Serpent we were wounded by him he having givâ—n himself the ransome for all and tasted Death by the grace of God for every man hath abolished or taken away the destructive power of this Death and destroyed through his Death him that had the power of it that is the Devil and being raised again from the dead he hath obtained even all redemption of all mankind from out this Death so as none of them shall finally perish therein but be all raised out thereof for as by man Adam came death even by man even the man Christ Jesus comes the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Tim. 1.10 Heb. 9.2 1 Cor. 15.21 22. He is the resurrection and the life and through him there is an open passage now made through this death and all the precedents concomitants and consequences of it to life and immortality even to eternal life in which is and stands the onely true blessedness In Christ there is given us even 〈◊〉 mankind generally considered eternal life 1 Joh. 5.11 in him the righteousness of God is for or unto all Rom. 3.22 and the free gift unto all men for the justification of life Rom. 5 18. In him is forgiveness of sins and plenteousness of Redemption through his blood Psal 130.4.5 Coll. 1.14 and therefore by means of him men may be brought back to God and enjoy him his favour and Kingdom notwithstanding this death yea in the very state of it and while actually dead they may be blessed Bless we God for this gracious Device and doing of his for us in and by Christ and bless we Christ Jesus our Lord that he hath so acted and wrought through his Cross for us and imbrace we the glad tidings of it with all acceptation and thankfulness 2. But yet In that the Holy Spirit stopt not there at Blessed are the Dead but adds a restrictive distinctive qualification saying The Dead that die in the Lord. Learn we thence Note Secondly That though this bodily death blessedness may stand be together yet all that die this Death or are dead in it are not blessed No we cannot say so there be many that dye and are dead in the Body that shall never meet with blessedness though blessedness may be met with notwithstanding this death We read of two men that dyed this Death the one blessed and the other cursed the Rich man and