sixth Seal and lo there was a great Earthquake and the Sun became black and the Moon as Blood and the Stars of Heaven fell and the Hevens departed as a scrole when it is rolled together By Heaven is meant the Roman Empire as heathenish and under the Power of Heathen Emperours 'T is well observed by Mede that Vniversitas Romana hic à spiritu sancto assimilatur systemati mundi c. That great and large Empire of Rome is likned to the frame of the World Heaven Earth and Air are the parts of the World in the Heaven are Sun Moon and Stars and here below Sea and Rivers Now the Roman Empire had its Political Heaven of Power and Sovereignty and Sun and Stars in it and all these were rolled together as a scroll the Heathenish Power did pass away And that Empire which at first was Heathenish is now Antichristian and must pass away as the former did This World must Perish by Fire For 't is observable that the Roman Empire both as Heathenish and Antichristian is called the World in Scripture Luke 2.1 There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should be taxed that is the people of the Roman Empire Rev. 13.3 All the World wondered after the Beast Here 's an Antichristian World And this World even the fourth Kingdom as now under Antichrist must pass away The Sun Moon and Stars all the Host of this Heaven must perish by Fire and all the Elements thereof must melt with fervent heat For the Plagues of the Vials shall be poured out upon the Antichristian Earth Sea and Rivers and Fountains of Waters and upon the Sun so that the World wondering after this Beast shall perish And the last Vial being poured into the Air shews the utter destruction of Satan's Kingdom who is Prince of the Power of the Air. And then the great City Babylon falls and with it the Cities of the Nations and every Island must flee away and the Mountains shall be no where found neither Mountains of Pride nor Mountains of Prey Thus we see it manifest that there are Heavens and Elements both Civil and Ecclesiastical which must perish Heavens the Sovereign part of the Antichristian World Earth the Subjected part all are to be burnt up In the next place it is to be considered by what Fire For there is as Natural so Fire in an Analogical sense Now. 1. It 's not to be doubted but that Fire in a proper sense will be made use of to help forward the Judgment of that great day For as the old World perished by Water so the World which now is must by Fire Babylon which is the Seat of the Beast must be utterly burnt with Fire Rev. 18.6 Reward her as she haâ—h rewarded you Giue her blood to drink for she is worthy give her burning for she is worthy Give her blood for blood burning for burning For as she hath destroyed many of the Saints by Fire so therefore let her perish by Fire as she is spiritually called Sodom so let her be consumed by Fire like Sodom And as Elijah called for Fire from Heaven so Fire will be called for from Heaven to destroy those that destroyed the Earth And thus as Analogical Heavens perished by Water so may Heavens and Earth both Political and Ecclesiastical perish by Fire 2. Analogical Fire will be made use of for destroying the Heavens and Earth which are now And so the Fire of the Word and Spirit and judicial Fire First the Fire of the Word and Spirit Of which we read 1 Cor. 3.13 The day shall declare every Mans work of what sort it is and it shall be revealed by Fire The Gold and Silver and precious Stones shall be revealed by Fire and the Wood and Hay and Stubble shall be burnt up Antichristian Doctrine Discipline Ordinances Traditions and Forms of Worship shall be all burnt up The Tares shall be known Hypocrites shall be discovered and gathered out of the Kingdom of God and there shall be neither persons nor things in it any way offensive to any of the sincere Servants of God Secondly Judicial Fire The great Judgments of that day will be a consuming fire to the Enemies of Christ the Light of Israel shall be for a fire and his Holy one for a flame and shall consume the Bryers and Thorns fury and fiery Indignation shall then devour the Adversaries Heb. 12.29 Our God is a consuming fire In that great Day of Judgment he will so appear And then Angels as Instruments in executing Wrath will be as fire to burn up the wicked Psa 104.4 He maketh his Angels Spirits his Ministers a flame of Fire These flames of fire will be at work to burn up as the wicked ones of the Earth so their works in the Earth at that day Thus Fire in each of these kinds will help to dissolve the Heavens which are now and to burn up the works of the Earth So that we are not to restrain or limit the Fire here mentioned to any one sort but to take it in the largest and most comprehensive sense For as there will be work for Fire in each of these kinds so all will be at work in that Day of Perdition of ungodly Men. And when the Heavens and Earth which now are shall be dissolved then will new be created wherein pure Religion and Righteousness shall dwell which will constitute that World to come which is ordained for Christ to reign in And what shall be done with these Material Heavens and Earth after the thousand years and the finishing of Christ's Judging-work none is able to determine I shall conclude this particular of the Worlds perishing by Fire with some thoughts which I have had upon Rev. 15.2 3. I saw as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with Fire and them that had gotten the Victory over the Beast c. stand upon the Sea of Glass having the Harps of God and they sing the Song of Moses c. As the Plagues of the Vials are foretold in the general verse 1. So in the next place is shewn what great Joy will be amongst the People of God because of the great and marvellous works of God in destroying their Enemies by these Plagues and delivering them from the greatest trouble and danger that ever they were in And then follows a particular description of the Plagues of the Vials and the order in which they are to be poured out Now the second and third Verses shew that the Saints were represented to John in this Vision as being in the like condition with the Israelites when they beheld the Egyptians dead upon the Sea-shore and rejoyced over them For when the conquering Saints are said to stand upon the Sea of Glass and to sing the Song of Moses what doth this singing the Song of Moses intimate but that such a wonderful deliverance will be wrought at last for the People of God as that of the Israelites
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
The Mystery OF THE TEMPLE and CITY DESCRIBED In the NINE last Chapters of EZEKIEL UNFOLDED Also these following Particulars are briefly handled I. The Calling of the Jews II. The Restitution of all Things III. The Description of the Two Beasts Rev. 13. IV. The Day of Iudgment and the World perishing by Fire V. Some Signs of the Times when the Fall of BABYLON is near VI. Some Advantages which the Knowledge of these Truths will afford VII The Conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions By WILLIAM ALLEINE Minister of the Gospel Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God PSAL. lxxxvii 3 Blessed are they that keep his Commandments that they may have right to eat of the Tree of Life and may enter in thorow the Gates into the City REV. xxii 14 LONDON Printed for B. Harris and are to be sold at the Stationers Arms in Sweetings-Alley near the Royal Exchange and by T. Wall near the To sey in Bristol 1679. Some Discovery OF THE NEVV 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. TO THE READER Reader IT will be a good recompence of much Labour in bringing forth that which here follows for the opening of a dark Prophecy if it shall make thee resolve as Moses did concerning the burning Bush I 'le turn aside to see this great Sight even that City the Frame whereof was shewn to the Prophet and whose Name shall be JEHOVAH SHAMMAH The Lord is there In this Prophecy there are as in Paul ' s Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things hard to be understood yet to be in some measure understood if He shall lead into these Mysteries whose work it is to lead into all Truth When I first applyed my self to a more serious and fixed search into the Matters contained in this Prophecy I was little better than blind unto them but now I seem to be able to say as the Man that was brought blind to Christ after the Lord had put his Hands upon his Eyes I see Men like Trees walking And if others shall be like the Angels in desiring to look into these things it is to be hoped they may see and discover them more clearly and distinctly The Glorious Truths which here lie hid under a Vail of Legal Shadows and Figures do in other parts of Scripture appear with open Face and the Holy Spirit speaking by Ezekiel in Parables doth by other holy Men of God speak more plainly And the way of teaching by Parables is very grateful and convincing when the Parable is understood The words of the Wise thus given forth do better sink down into the Heart and will not be so easily let slip August lib. 2. de Civ Dei Cap. 56. saith well Nemo ambigit per similitudines liberius quaeque cognosci cum aliqua difficultate quaesita multo gratius inveniri Qui enim prorsus non inveniunt quod quaerunt fame laborant Qui autem non quaerunt quia in promptu habent fastidio saepe marcescunt In utroque autem languor cavendus est Magnifice igitur salubriter Spiritus Sanctus ita Scripturam modificavit ut locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus fastidia detergerit Nihil enim fere de illis difficultatibus eruitur quod non planissime alibi reperiatur He that by the guidance of the Holy Spirit brings the light Scripture to that which is more dark and the plain Scripture to the Parable is an Interpreter one of a thousand And if it shall be the Endeavour of any to do thus in relation to this and other Prophecies then let them take these two Instances for their Encouragement The first is that of the Eunuch who came to Jerusalem to worship and in his return as he sate in his Chariot read Esaias the Prophet and when he read God hearkened and heard for the Spirit said to Philip Go near and joyn thy self to this Chariot As if he had said Here 's one reading a Prophecy which he doth not but would understand go thou therefore and make him to understand it and Philip began at that Scripture and preached unto him Jesus So read and set your Hearts upon all that is here shown and see whether the Spirit will not joyn himself to your Hearts and Preach much of Jesus to you in and from this Prophecy The other Instance is that of Daniel Chap. 9.2 Who understood by Books the Number of the Years of Jerusalem's desolations and then Verse 3. sets himself to seek the Lord and whilest he was speaking the Man Gabriel being caused to flie swiftly said to him O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee Skill and Understanding If Daniel had not read the Prophecy of Jeremiah he had not understood the time of the Jew's Deliverance from their Captivity neither had that Great Discovery been made to him upon his Prayer of the coming of the Messiah Now go and do thou likewise and then may the Lord give thee Skill and Understanding also in this dark Prophecy whereby abundant Matter for Prayer and Ground of Hope will appear which may be an Anchor of the Soul in Troublous and tempestuous Times When you shall be in the Contemplation of this and other Prophecies you will be as Moses on the top of Pisgah taking a View of the Promised Land And thus may you come to be like the Men of Issachar who had Understanding of the Times to know what Israel ought to do As for the ensuing Discourse the Thoughts of Men may be various about it Some may judge that too little is said and that Things should be more particularly spoken to Others may think that too much is said and may scoff as the Athenians Thou bringest certain strange things to our Ears If any shall complain that too little is said I will confess it For every thing in the Description of this TEMPLE and CITY hath its proper Signification But I must say not for want of Time but for want of better Skill and Understanding of all these Things I cannot now speak particularly yet I find that of Hosea verified Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord. If any say 't is too much let them enter into the Sanctuary of God and weigh the Scriptures well on which the Things which may seem strange are grounded before they reject them for the Aim hath been not to utter any thing from Fancy and Conceit but all from Scripture and not from a private Interpretation of Scripture but an Interpretation justified by other Scriptures And
all did meet in him So then his Sin-offering might be for himself as made Sin but in the benefit of it for the People of the Land Christ gave himself for himself in this respect even to discharge himself from that guilt which he had taken upon him that so he might save the People of the Lord from their sins Thus much concerning the Temple Concerning the Frame of the City represented in this Vision Consid 1. THis City is the same with that which was shewn to John Rev. 21. even the Holy City New Jerusalem of which such glorious things are spoken by the Prophets This will appear by comparing Ezekiel and John Ezek. 36.27 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Chap. 37. There is a promise that Judah and Israel shall be one Nation and one King shall be to them all even David who is Christ And observe how Ezek. 37. agrees with John My Tabernacle also shall be with them Rev. 21.3 The tabernacle of God is with men The Gates of Ezekiels City chap. 45.31 have the Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel upon them so also John's Rev. 21.12 And the Vision of the Waters is alike in both as is to be seen by comparing chap. 47.12 with Rev. 22. In Ezekiel 't is said Vpon the bank of the river grow all trees the fruit being for meat the leaves for medicine Rev. 22.2 On either side of the river was the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and that every moneth and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations Observe Ezekiel saith all trees John the tree of life the Tree of Life is indeed all Trees Consid 2. There is a City of God partly on Earth and partly in Heaven Partly on Earth Heb. 12.22 Ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God Mount Sion is the Church on Earth said to be the Joy of the whole Earth the best part of it the Saints therein being the excellent ones of the Earth and partly in Heaven Ye are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem 'T is said that Jerusalem in the letter was distinguished into the higher and lower City this is Mystical Jerusalem and as Eph. 3.15 we read of the whole Family in Heaven and Earth a part of it being on Earth and a part in Heaven which make one whole Family so the Church in Heaven and the Church on Earth make one whole City And upon this account the Saints on Earth are said to be come to the Heavenly City because the Church on Earth and in Heaven make one City Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above and the mother of us all Heb. 11.16 He hath prepared for them a city that is for those that died in Faith verse 13. Those that die in Faith who had here peace by Believing enter into the City prepared for them which is the Ierusalem above and there they have the Vision of Peace In the Ierusalem above is Jesus the Mediator and an innumerable company of Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect with those that have been raised and changed all these being associated make one body mystically and an heavenly City and this is the Mother of us all 1. Of particular Saints in that they are born from above for as this City is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above so are Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above born of the Spirit which is given forth from this City 2. This is the Mother of Churches on Earth the Metropolis or Mother City and Churches on Earth are her Daughters Rome would be the Mother Church which is a Mother indeed but of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Jerusalem above is truly the Mother Church out of it came Laws and Ordinances to be observed on Earth The baptism of John was it from heaven or of men Ordinances from Heaven coming out of this City from Jesus the Mediator who hath all power in Heaven and in Earth are to be received and observed Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Hence is the Power of the Keys and what is done in Churches on Earth is examined in Heaven and there ratified when there is a due execution of that Power which is from above Consid 3. That Ierusalem which is now above shall come down out of Heaven and so the whole City and Family of God shall be on Earth Rev. 21.9 10. 't is twice affirmed to shew the certainty of it I saw the holy city new Ierusalem coming down from God out of heaven Which we may understand thus 1. Those that are mentioned Heb. 12. as making up this City shall come down for Christ shall come down Zech. 14.5 The Lord thy God shall come down then the innumerable company of Angels shall come down with him Matth. 24.31 He shall send his Angels and they shall gather the elect Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands ministred to him c. And lastly all the Saints shall come with Christ The Spirits of just men shall be united to their raised Bodies for them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 2. These shall descend as a City I saw the City descending They shall come as a Body Politick The whole Heavenly City shall come together Christ the holy Angels and all the Saints with him and so shall be on Earth For the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour into it and the Nations of them which shall be saved shall walk in the Light of it and Gog and Magog shall gather against it to their own utter ruine and not to the least hurt of the Saints Like the Men of Sodom who compassed the House round where the Lord was who first smote them with blindness and after rained Fire and Brimstone upon them from the Lord out of Heaven Even so will these compass the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City and then shall be destroyed by Fire from Heaven which evidently shews that the New Jerusalem shall be then on Earth And Saints coming down from Heaven lose no Glory thereby because Christ will be with them and they with him to behold his Glory Yea there will be rather an addition to than a diminution of their Glory For 1. They shall have opportunity of doing some Works on Earth which they have not in Heaven They shall be as the Angels ministring Spirits for the good of Saints And as Christ after his Resurrection spake of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God so may the raised Saints 2. They shall reign upon the Earth exercise such a kind of Dominion which they do not in Heaven 3. The Saints of the New Jerusalem shall know and acknowledge the Saints in their Portions in the Land and those of the saved Nations which cannot be said of the Saints in Heaven Isa 63.16 Thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us c. But when Abraham shall be
be his to the year of Liberty after it shall return to the Prince But his Inheritance shall be his Sons for ever Observe 1. The Servant hath but a Gift of Christ's Inheritance the Sons have his Inheritance 2. The Sons shall have an eternal the Servants a temporal Reward even but till the year of Liberty Two things are to be taken notice of for the better understanding of this 1. During the One thousand Years Reign of Christ and of the Saints with him the Servants shall peaceably and quietly enjoy their Gifts As they shall at this time submit to Christ's Government so shall they enjoy their Reward without disturbance Which we may conceive to be hinted Chap. 46.18 The Prince shall not take of the Peoples Inheritance by oppression to thrust them out of their possession By People the Servants are meant because they are set up in opposition to the Sons Now neither the Prince nor the Sons of the Prince shall take away the Peoples Inheritance that is those Gifts of Christ's Inheritance which he shall give them As the Servants in this time shall not rise up against the Sons or disquiet them so the Sons shall not disquiet the Servants nor thrust them out of their possessions 2. When the one thousand years shall be expired Satan shall be loosed out of his Prison and shall go out to deceive the Nations in the Four Quarters of the Earth and gather them together in Battel c. So then the Servants will rebel against the Prince and rise up against the Sons and hereby shall forfeit and lose all before given them And those of them thus gathered shall be destroyed by Fire from Heaven And now will the Year of Liberty come and the Nations out of which Gog and Magog shall arise ceasing at this time to keep the Feast of Tabernacles shall be smitten with the Plagues which are mentioned Zach. 14.17 18. Consid 6. The Saints shall reign with Christ the Saints glorified and not glorified 1. The glorified Saints of the New Jerusalem Matth. 19.28 Ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel saith Christ to his Apostles This shall be in the Generation when he that sits upon the Throne shall make all things new Q. Shall some Saints rule over other Saints in the New Jerusalem A. We do not find any ground to judge thus But the glorified Saints shall have rule over not glorified Ones and also over the unconverted Nations 1. They shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel If any will say that this is meant of Saints sitting with Christ in Judgment over the Dead raised to Life Let it be considered First it 's said They shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel And if this be meant of their sitting with Christ to judge them then some Saints must be Judges of other Saints against which may be urged that of Paul Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou judge thy Brother we shall all stand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ All the raised Saints and Brethren shall stand together to be judged There seems little force in the Apostle's Argument if some Saints shall then be Judges of other Saints nay some ground would be from hence for judging now if they shall judge them then So that somewhat else must be meant hereby And for this Secondly consider some other places of Scripture as Luke 19.17 Have thou Authority over ten Cities So the Apostles shall judge that is Have Authority over the Tribes of Israel in the Land Luke 22.29 30. I appoint to you a Kingdom So by Judging is meant Reigning 2. They shall Reign upon the Earth amongst the Unconverted 1 Cor. 6.1 2. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World That is such as are not Saints and this not onely by approving and justifying the Sentence of Christ against them Go ye cursed c. But the Saints shall order and regulate the great Affairs of the World and therefore might well be judged fit to determine small matters of difference then among Brethren Rev. 2.26 To him that overcometh will I give power over the Nations and he shall rule them So by Saints judging is meant Ruling the Nations The Saints in John's time had this Promise which must be made good to them Q. But in what manner shall the raised Saints reign A. This is not so easie to determine I shall onely mention one place and leave it to consideration whether it may not afford some hints as to this thing Heb. 2.5 Vnto the Angels hath he not put into subjection the World to come But what is man c. By the World to come we are to understand The New Earth or the State of the Earth which is to come wherein Righteousness shall dwell For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a Participle of the Feminine Gender understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the inhabited Earth Matth. 24.14 The Gospel shall be preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the whole World And the Septuagint hath the same word for the habitable parts of the Earth Prov. 8.31 This then is not meant of a state of Glory in Heaven but of a new state of the Earth to come Q. And to whom is it to be put in subjection A. 1. Negatively 'T is not put in subjection to Angels There is now an Invisible Government which Angels have over this World There are Principalities and Powers to whom are made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God Ephes 3.10 And they are Ministring Spirits for the good of the Heirs of salvation But it seems by this place that when the New Heavens and New Earth shall be created this their Ministration shall cease and being then Friends of the Bridegroom and Attendants on him they shall joyn in singing that Song Rev. 5.12 Worthy is the Lamb c. And as when God was perfecting the Work of the First Creation so when he shall make all things new these Morning Stars shall sing together and these Sons of God shall shout for joy Job 38.7 And we may not think the Angels will lose glory by this for their Ministry to the Saints being fulfilled they shall have a full Reward yea their glory will be the greater for their Ministry before was immediately to the Saints but then it will be immediately to the Person of Christ himself Even as some persons who are Servants to a great King are called home from negotiating abroad to wait on their Kings person in his Royal Court. So that what the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon's Servants may much more be said of the Angels then 2 Chron. 9.7 Happy are thy Men and happy are these thy Servants which stand continually before thee c. And Christ himself shall deliver the Kingdom to the Father but shall lose no glory thereby And we may conceive some reason of the ceasing of this Dispensation of Angels Government the evil Angels
Woman of Samaria did the Samaritans Come see the man which told me all things that ever I did is not this the Christ But they may then teach as Aquila and Priscilla did Apollo who instructed him in the way of God more perfectly This second Calling appears Zach. 13.9 Two parts shall be cut off and dye and I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine and try them I will say it is my People they shall say the Lord is my God And we may conceive that this second Calling will be by means of the personal appearing of Christ Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn Rev. 1.7 Every eye shall see him they also which pierced him Not only Judah which pierced Christ but also the ten Tribes Thus as Paul was converted by seeing Christ so shall the Jews And after this Joseph and Judah shall become one and one King shall be to them all And then every Tribe shall be in its portion in the Land and the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Saints coming with Christ shall stand in their Lot in the City 2. The Restitution of all things We read of a twofold Restitution of all things The first by Elias the second by Christ 1. By Elias Mat. 17.12 Elias shall first come and restore all things but I say Elias is come already The occasion of what was spoken of Elias was Christ's transfiguration which did prefigure his coming in glory And the Disciples from hence seem to conclude that Christ should then reign in glory But this lay in the way the Scribes say that Elias must first come To which Christ gives an answer in which two things are to be considered First Elias shall come and restore all things Here 's a plain assertion Elias shall come Which was spoken after John Baptist was come and gone And then this was a truth Elias shall come Secondly Christ answers Elias is come already So both are true Elias is come and Elias shall come As there is then a twofold coming of Christ so a twofold coming of Elias for an Elias is a forerunner of Christ at both his comings The first coming of Elias was foretold Isa 40.3 The voice of one crying in the Wilderness Mat. 3.1.3 this was fulfilled in John Baptist This is he that was spoken of by Isaias the Prophet And Mat. 17.12 Christ said that John was the Elias which was to precede his first coming The second coming of Elias is foretold Mal. 3.1 Behold I send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple c. Mal. 4.1 The day cometh that shall burn as an Oven v. 5. Behold I send you Elijah the Prophet Though these Prophecies had some degree of accomplishment in John Baptist yet certainly the full accomplishment is yet to come For an Elias shall be 〈◊〉 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Now this dreadful day must certainly be chiefly meant of the day of his second coming For first all here foretold cannot be said to be fulfilled at his first coming For did this day burn as an Oven so that all the proud and such as did wickedly were burnt up and had not root or branch left them This threat had not its accomplishment at the destruction of Jerusalem for this happened several years after the first coming of Christ 't is promised that at that time those that fear the name of God should go forth that is out of their bondage and afflicted state and should tread down the wicked so as that they shall be as ashes under the soles of their feet But no such thing was done then the Saints did not tread down the wicked Jerusalem was trodden down by the Romans This Prediction doth well agree with other Prophecies of the great destruction of Christ's and the Churches Enemies and very much with Peter's Prophecy of the world's perishing by fire The time of Christ's first coming is called The acceptable year of the Lord and of proclaiming liberty to sinners to get forth from their spiritual Captivity So 't is expounded by Christ This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears Luk. 4.21 Now how can that so sweet a day spoken of by Esaias be the dreadful day spoken of by Malachi In this dreadful day the Sons of Levi shall be purified and the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant as in the days of old This was not fulfilled at Christ's first coming for then the Sons of Levi were the great Enemies of Christ and had the chief hand in crucifying him And then Judah and Jerusalem killed the Prince of Life so far were their Offerings from being pleasant as in the days of old By this it appears that an Elias is yet to come who shall restore all things and that to the Church in general and to the Jews in particular First To the Church in general The Apostles first preached the Gospel and were Witnesses to Christ they laid the Foundation which is Crist and built upon that Foundation Gold Silver and precious Stones Their Doctrine was pure and the Truths they preached very precious They laid no Commands upon the Disciples but what they received from the Lord They planted and watered and God gave an Increase Doctrine was found and saving Discipline was good Ordinances were rightly administred and they were the true Worshippers who worshipped the Father in Spirit and in Truth They had the guidance of an infallible Spirit in what they did as Apostles and Ministers of Christ But false Teachers quickly arose the Evil One sowed Tares the Mystery of Iniquity began to work and there were those who did build Wood Hay and Stubble Damnable Heresies were brought in and at last the Man of Sin was revealed with whom came in Idolatry Superstition and all kind of Abominations But in the time of this departure from the Faith Christ hath his faithful Witnesses bearing a testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus They prophesie when the Beast reigns but in Sackcloth and at last the Beast slays them But after three days and half the Spirit of Life enters into them and they stand upon their Feet and as they were sown in weakness so shall they be raised in power and be the Angel flying in the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel Now these raised Witnesses and this revived Ministry will come in the spirit and power of Elias And by the spirit of Christ's Mouth will the Man of Sin now be consuming And as Elijah did by Fire from Heaven convince the People that the Lord was God and Baal was no God and by this occasioned the destruction of the Priests of Baal Even so shall the Elias which is to come preach the everlasting Gospel and by him Apostolical Doctrine Ordinances and Discipline shall be restored And this Day shall declare Men's Works