of Light and Holiness which shall be due to that state and shall perform the Service which shall be required of them in that station And these Churches without shall have gate holiness court-holiness court-attainments and Outer Temple perfection communion and comforts and the others shall have Inner Temple holiness perfection and consolations The like may be said of the City there is the beloved City New Jerusalem Rev. 26.9 and there is the camp of the Saints like the camp of Israel when the Tribes marched and pitched in order about the Tabernacle and is set forth by the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the Septuagint to set forth the camp of Israel This camp will consist of called Iews and converted Gentiles even the Nations of them which shall be saved and shall walk in the light of the New Ierusalem for New Ierusalem light shall fill the breadth of the Land of Immanuel and every little chamber of the gates hath a window to let in New Ierusalem light into it This camp of the Saints will be urbs mobilis castrensis a moveable and Tent City and the New Ierusalem urbs fixa The former will answer the Church of Israel dwelling in Tents and the later the state of that Church when Ierusalem was the City chosen of God to place his Name in So then there will be at that time when the Iews shall be called Saints in two different states that is glorified and not glorified That there will be glorified ones shall be after proved and that there shall be some not glorified I shall prove by this Argument There will be marrying and begetting of children in that time which cannot be among the raised Saints for they marry not neither are given in marriage therefore there must be Saints in an inferiour state among whom this will be And that some Saints shall beget children then is evident from chap. 47.22 Ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you which shall beget children among you and they shall be to you as born in the land among the children of Israel This likewise is manifest from Isa 59.20 21. The redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgression in Iacob As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever This Promise concerns the Iews when they shall be called for by this the Apostle proves their calling Rom. 11.26 Now after their calling they shall have Seed and Seeds Seed Isa 60.15 I will make thee the joy of many generations Isa 61.9 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their of-spring among the people 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 of-spring with them The Promise is to them and their of-spring who shall all be sanctified ones and the blessed of the Lord. The curse of Adam shall not then rest upon any of the Saints children but they shall have the blessing of Abraham Prop. 6. This Temple and City this Church and Common-wealth which was constituted and framed according to an Heavenly pattern Moses did all according to the pattern in the Mount and Solomon built the Temple after the form which was shewn to David by the Spirit 1 Chron. 28.12 So Christ shall build this Temple according to the heavenly pattern All shall be done by line and measure and every part shall have its due proportion so that it will be a Spiritual House fitly framed growing into an holy Temple chap. 40.3 Ezekiel saw a man whose appearance was as Brass with a line of Flax and a measuring Reed This is Christ who shall do his Work exactly and according to rule Prop. 7. There were some things commanded to the Jews of old which are not mentioned in the description of this Temple and City and the not mentioning of them with other Jewish Rites and Ordinances here spoken of doth argue the Perfection which the Church here described shall have above what it had under Moses or any time since Now to shew this consider 1. There was a Candlestick for Light both in the Tabernacle and Temple much is spoken of it as Exod. 25.31 and in other places this was a Type of Gospel-Churches which are called Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 and the two Witnesses are called two Candlesticks Rev. 11.4 A Candlestick is to hold forth light in a dark place And when Gospel-Churches are called Candlesticks it notes Churches which shall be in a time of darkness when a Candle is useful Thus in John's time there was much darkness upon the face of the earth John 1.5 The light shineth in darkness And the two prophesying Witnesses are Lights shining in Darkness Heathenish Mahometan and Antichristian darkness hath covered the greatest part of the World and the few Witnesses of Christ have been Candlesticks holding forth the true light in a dark time and place But in the description of this Temple and City we read nothing of a Candlestick or light of a Candle Whence may be concluded that the state of the Church here fore-told will be much more glorious in respect of Light and Knowledge than as yet it hath been Rev. 22.5 it 's said the New Jerusalem hath no need of a Candle And then even in the portions of the Tribes that will be made good Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun seven-fold That degree of Scripture-light which now shines in the World being compared with that which shall shine hereafter is but as the light of the Moon to the light of the Sun 't is but as the lesser Light ruling the Night but then it shall be as the greater Light ruling the Day And as now is a time of much darkness in the World so a great matter of comfort it is that we may say as the Apostle Rom. 13.12 The Night is far spent and the Day is at hand The Night in which Antichrist reigns and wild Beasts are abroad seeking their Prey is very far spent and the Day of the Son of Man is at hand And when this Day comes the Church shall be no longer a Candlestick but a glorious Light upon the top of a Mountain and all Heathenish Mahometan and Antichristian darkness shall pass away and the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea There shall be abundance of light and knowledge Idols shall be abolished and there shall not be Athism in the World As there is not Atheism in Hell but Devils and damned Spirits know that there
surely it may be expected that upon diligent search accompanied with prayer much may be understood of this so dark a Prophecy 'T is again prest chap. 44.5 Mark well and behold with thine eyes and hear all that I say unto thee See and set thine heart as in the former place it is commanded behold with thine eyes the Frame and set thine heart to know the signification of it behold with thine eyes the shadow and set thine heart upon the substance and if the heart be set upon these things it shall be given to know the Mystery of them This Prophecy then should not be lookt on as unprofitable or that which cannot be understood Surely if all Scripture be profitable then this also and if all things were written for our learning then these things likewise how dark soever they may seem to be Luke 2.20 Christ read out of Isaiah the Prophet and then closed the Book and expounded the place to the Hearers saying This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears And in this the Ministers of the Gospel should be like Christ they should read and give the meaning of Scripture But as to this Prophecy what do the most when they have read it but close the Book and lay it aside and are like those reproved by Christ Isa 29.11 The vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which men delivered unto one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed and the book is delivered to one that is not learned saying Read this and he saith I cannot for I am not learned The Preachers excuse is the book is sealed the Peoples we are not learned but God hath not sealed it therefore let not men seal it either to themselves or others God saith Behold with thine eyes and set thine heart to all that I shew thee Let not any then shut their eyes nor turn away their hearts from these so admirable and glorious Discoveries For as God hath not said to the Seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain so he doth not here say See in vain Prop. 2. What is in this Prophecy given forth as a Precept and as shewing what ought to be is to be taken under the notion of a Promise and as declaring what shall be in the glorious state of the Church here set forth as chap. 45.9 O Princes of Israel remove violence Now as Princes at all times ought so then the Princes of Israel shall remove violence according to that promise Isa 60.18 Violence shall be no more heard in the land Chap. 44.24 The Priests shall judge according to my judgments Though 't is their duty yet it hath not been always their practice but in the estate of the Church here foretold it shall be as their duty so their constant practice Plato gave an Idea of a Commonwealth not such as ever was in the world but such as ought to be now here we have an Idea of a Church and Commonwealth not onely which ought to be but also which shall be Prop. 3. In this Prophecy one and the same Church is set forth by these two representations of a Temple and City by the Temple is set forth a pure and glorious Church constituted according to the mind of God wherein he shall be purely worshipped In it shall be the true Worshippers who shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth The Father seeketh such to worship him and here they shall be found By City is meant the same Church as a spiritual and heavenly Commonwealth As the same people of Israel were a Church and Commonwealth so as that all that were of the Church were also of the Commonwealth of Israel and all of the Common-wealth were of the Church so will it be in this time and State here foretold In this Temple Christ is the High Priest and Priest upon a Throne ministring for men in things pertaining to God In this City he is a King in the Temple he is Head of Saints as a Church leading them in and out and being in the midst of them chap. 46.10 giveth counsel life grace strength and acceptance to all As the Heart is in the midst of the body the Fountain of Life as the Sun is in the midst of the Planets giving light to all so is Christ in the Church And in the City he is Head of the same Saints as a Commonwealth Prop. 4. The Church which is here set forth as a Temple and City is that glorious Church which shall be after the calling of the Jews even that Church whose Windows shall be of Agates and Gates of Carbuncles and all her borders of pleasant stones And as this is meant of the Church of the Jews when they shall be called so therefore it is described by a Temple like the Temple at Jerusalem and by Jewish Rites and Figures The Substance is given forth under the names of the Shadows and the Holy Spirit speaking of things which shall concern the Jews speaks to them in the Jews Language That the Church of the Jews when they shall be called is here meant appears because the Names of the Tribes of Israel are mentioned as having Portions in the Land and Gates in the City and the Strangers that is the Fulness of the Gentiles who shall be brought in shall have an Inheritance with them Prop. 5. There is an Outer and an Inner Temple mentioned in this Description the outer Temple with its Courts and Gates and the Chambers of the Courts and Gates are described chap. 40. and 41. and the building of the separate place chap. 41.13 which is there called the Inner House and Inner Temple verse 15. and 17. In this Inner Temple are North and South Chambers even many Mansions Here are Priests which approach to the Lord and eat the most holy things Without in the Outer Temple are Ordinances which are holy things but in the Inner Temple the most holy things are eaten that is Christ himself in a Beatifical Vision of him Here is also a City described with its Gates and without that Portions for the Tribes of Israel each Tribe having a Portion in the Land and a Gate in the City Now what doth this signifie but that there will be a Church 1. In the City New Jerusalem and in the Inner Temple that is the Church Triumphant consisting of Saints come up to the measure of the stature of the Fulness of Christ of Saints I say both raised and coming with Christ and also of those which shall be then changed 2. It shews that there will be Churches also without the City consisting of Saints which shall have Portions in the Land and Churches of the Outer Temple and Saints in the Chambers of the Courts and Gates as well as in the Inner Temple Those in the chambers of the Courts and Gates and Outer Temple shall have the Perfection there required and that measure
suddenly come and Babylon's hopes and Sion's fears shall not come to pass This Flood shall not cannot carry away the Woman but must be swallowed up in the Earth the Woman must have help and we see that rather than want it the Earth that hates shall help the Woman And that God which rides upon the Heaven in his People's help and in his Excellency on the Sky shall ride also upon the Earth for their help And what comfort is this for the threatned Woman that both Heaven and Earth will be against the design of this Flood and shall utterly make it void God hath said it and it must be done For verily till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from this and other Prophecies which the Lord requires his People to give heed to till all be fulfilled 3. The last sign is the Dragon 's making War with the Remnant of the Woman's Seed Rev. 12.17 Which keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ For this consider 1. The Woman is the Church of God in this European part of the World where the Beast hath his Seat and where he hath great Authority The Church in the Wilderness persecuted by the Dragon but protected and nourished there 2. The remnant of the Woman's Seed are some who were the Seed of that Church which the Dragon would carry away with the Flood having been begotten in it by the Word of Truth but when the Dragon makes this War with them they are removed from it into some other part of the World which appears by this 't is said the Dragon went to make war with this remnant in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abiit he went away He goes away from the Woman which must be the Protestant Churches which the Serpent would carry away with a Flood to make this War therefore this remnant must be elsewhere So he leaves his Work for afflicting this Woman to his invisible and visible Angels and goes away to afflict this remnant So that after the War against the Witnesses and besides the casting the Flood out of his mouth to carry away the Woman he makes War with this Remnant 3. This Remnant is known by these two Characters 1. They keep the Commandments of God and worship him according to his own Institutions 2. They have the Testimony of Jesus Christ They hold it yea and must maintain it and keep it up notwithstanding the War made against them Now when it shall be seen that the Dragon is gone to make War against such a Remnant of the Womans Seed this will be a great sign of a Day of Redemption from Antichristian Tyranny drawing nigh For the next thing which we read of concerning the followers of the Lamb is that the 144000 of the suffering and sealed Saints get out of the Wilderness and stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 and then it follows v. 6. I saw another Angel flie in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel to preach it to those that dwell upon the Earth Where observe that as the Earth did help the Woman so for a reward the everlasting Gospel shall be preached to those that dwell upon the Earth And then v. 8. we read Another Angel followed saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the Wine of the wrath of her Fornication Now as for this Remnant this one thing may be observed That whoever and wheresoever they shall appear to be thus much may with much certainty and comfort be concluded that as the Lord takes such care of the Woman that she shall not be carried away of the Flood so he will have the like care of this Remnant that they shall not be destroyed by this War of the Dragon For this is all that is said he went away to make War with them 'T is not said he shall overcome and destroy them whereas when the War against the Witnesses is foretold 't is said the Beast shall make War against them and overcome them and kill them and we may well suppose that if God had intended the like effect of this War it would have been foretold also but their comfort will be this the Dragon shall make War with them and afflict them for a time which will work for their good he shall not overcome and destroy them But when the Lord shall have chastised and humbled them and done his whole work upon them by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning he will then deliver them and create upon Mount Sion and her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all the Glory shall be a defence 6. Some Advantages by the Knowledge of these Truths If any shall ask as Paul in another case What advantage hath the Jew So what advantage hath he that knows these Mysteries What profit is there by speaking or writing of them I may answer much every way For 1. The knowledge of them may have a great Influence upon the Saints to make them better Saints and to promote Holiness and Godliness among them This is the use which Peter makes of this Doctrine 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness v. 14. Seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless What things The New Heavens and the New Earth wherein Righteousness shall dwell This World will pass away and a better will come What should you do then but pray that you may be accounted worthy of that World and the Resurrection from the Dead even of a part in the First Resurrection and may stand before the Son of Man God hath left us these Truths amongst his Oracles and the Oracles of God are to be reckoned amongst the chief advantages which now the Saints have Doth the Scripture speak in vain saith James Chap. 4. v. 5. Why but if these truths which the Scripture speaks so abundantly of are not to be read studied and searcht into then it must be said that the Scripture speaks much in vain Surely the Scriptures do not contain any superfluities of truths and if such as preach the Gospel would be able to say as Paul I have not shunned to declare the whole Counsel of God then they should study and preach these things 2. The knowledge of these truths will be Meat to the People inhabiting the Wilderness if mixt with Faith in the heart They are some of the hidden Manna and Honey out of the Rock and a Well in the Valley of Baca. Psa 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living David being once amongst the Idolatrous Philistims was then in the Land of the Dead even among such who were dead in sins
HEAVENS AND THE NEVV EARTH ALSO OF The Earnest Expectation of the Creature to be delivered from its Bondage into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God TOGETHER With some Hints wherein it will consist Gathered out of Holy Scriptures AS ALSO A Guess at the Time wherein it may probably be expected Together with the Profitable Uses to be made of it As in 2 Pet. 3.14 By WILLIAM ALLEINE Now with the Lord. LONDON Printed for Benjamin Harris 1679. Some Discovery OF THE NEVV HEAVENS AND THE NEVV EARTH IN the former TREATISE the passing away of the Old Heavens and Earth was handled and their perishing by Fire And now I shall adde somewhat concerning the New Heavens and the New Earth which are to succeed them as we read 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth c. And certainly 't is not a state of glory in the Heaven of Heavens where Christ is and where the Spirits of just Men made perfect are which is here meant For the New Heavens of which Peter speaks are not yet in Being but are Promised we according to his Promise look for New Heavens this Promise is in Isa 65.17 Behold I create New Heavens and a New Earth these are yet to be created Isa 66.22 As the New Heavens and the New Earth which I will make shall remain before me c. I have not made them already but I will make them And the time is hinted when they shall be created Isa 65.13 my Servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry my Servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty my Servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed c. And the former troubles shall not be remembred this Promise hath not been already fulfilled for the People of God have not been yet in such an estate as to leave all their troubles behind them and to forget them but such a time shall be for saith the Lord I creat New Heavens and a New Earth A New Earth as well as New Heavens which Intimates a great change here below Neither is it the Gospel-state of the Church which was to succeed the Legal state which is all here meant for this was in Being when Peter wrote but the New Heavens and Earth were lookt for And lastly These New Heavens and New Earth must be created when the World which now is shall perish by Fire and that will be at the day of Judgment 2 Pet. 4.12.13 Thus we see what we are to rest in as meant by the New Heavens and the New Earth In the next place to shew what they are consider in the general those words of Peter 2 Pet. 3.15.16 As our beloved brother Paul hath written unto you as also in all his Epistles speaking of these things What things Doubtless the New Heavens and Earth are these things for of these Peter last spake therefore when Paul speaks of the manifestation and glorious liberty of the sons of God and the creatures earnest expectation of it Rom. 8. and also of the Saints judging the World 1 Cor. 6.2 These are the same things of which Peter speaks but most plainly the New Heavens and New Earth are spoken of in the Epistle to the Hebrews and because Peter saith Paul had written of these things this is conceived to be one of the best Arguments to prove that Paul was the Author of that Epistle now Heb. 2.5 he speakes of a World to come the same with the New Heavens and the New Earth and Heb. 12.26 27. of a Kingdom which cannot be moved and of the removing of things which may be shaken and in relation to the purifying and consuming work of that day 't is said Our God is a consuming Fire And somewhat might be gathered out of every one of Pauls Epistles touching these things except that to Philemon Thus in the general Now to come to a more particular unfolding of this Mystery we are to consider that the Heavens and Earth may be taken these three ways First in a Natural secondly a Civil thirdly in an Ecclesiastical respect 1. In a Natural respect And thus we may conceive that all things below the Heaven of Heavens which is the Throne of God and Seat of the Blessed are to be in some respect made new Indeed the Heaven of Heavens is called the high and Holy place and no change was made in it by Mans sin it is so Glorious already that we have not ground to conclude it will be made better but as for the inferiour Heavens and Heavenly Bodies in them as Sun Moon and Stars there is this to be said concerning them As they sometimes send down some malignant and hurtful Influences upon this inferiour World which may be reckoned amongst the Fruits of Adams sin so in the times of Restitution these shall cease I shall mention some places of Scripture which afford us some ground thus to conclude it Psa 11.6 there is this promise The Sun shall not smite the by day nor the Moon by Night when 't is said The Sun and Moon shall not smite this doth intimate that sometimes they do smite Men and surely 't is Sin which hath been the cause of this smitting And if this promise of their not smitting shall be made good to any in the time of the Old Heavens and Old Earth then much more shall it be made good in the times of the New Heavens and the New Earth The Sun did once beat upon the Head of Jonah that he fainted and wisht in himself to die Jonah 4.8 Certainly it shall not be thus in the times of restitution and refreshing the Sun shall revive and strengthen and not cause fainting and make Men wish to die Deut. 3.3.28 His Heaven shall drop down Dew Whilst Israel did keep Covenant with God the Heavens were his Heavens much more when all Israel shall be called and saved the Heavens shall be their Heavens the Sun Moon and Stars shall be theirs so as that their influences shall not be hurting and smiting The Stars in their courses shall not fight against them as once they did against Sisera Their Heavens shall not be as many times now they are Brass over their Heads but shall drop down Dew and the former and the latter Raine that is Rain in season shall descend and there shall not be a Sweeping Rain which shall leave no Food behind it And 't is not at all to be doubted that when the Jews shall be all effectually called and enter into their rest Joseph's Blessing shall be the Blessing of all the Tribes of Israel and that in a more ample and eminent manner than when Joseph had his Lot in Canaan Deut. 33.13 c. of Joseph he said Blessed of the Lord be his land for the precious things of Heaven for the Dew and the deep that coucheth beneath and for the precious Fruits brought forth by the Sun and for the precious things put forth by the