attonement they expected to be accepted and so spiritually now Christ hath made all his servants in his true Church both the twenty four Elders and the four living wights Kings and Priests unto God and an excellent Kingdom by faith and grace they know they shall even upon earth injoy in due time as may appear in the next Chap. 5. Vers 10. We shall reign upon earth And so we have represented what is here said of Gods true Church under the Old Testament by the representatives thereof praising him as Creatour all which time it is to be observed that his holy Sabbath was kept in remembrance of God as creatour of Heaven and Earth and that he rested on the seventh day from his work of Creation which was by our Saviour in the New Testament changed to the first day of the week in remembrance of the work of our Redemption and for the honour of him our Redeemer who rose the first day of the week from the dead when he had finished that most glorious work c. A few things more I shall commend to your Christian consideration from the Old Testament before we come to speak of the fifth Chap. of the Revelation as to our forementioned purpose for whereas in the Vision concerning the Trinity of persons in the former Chap. the second person viz. God the Son to whom the great work of Mediatorship was committed being set forth as it seems by the Rainbow in sight like an Emerald which Rainbow plainly minds us both of the Flood and the Ark the Flood again holding out 1. Judgement to the Old World 2. Mercy to Noah and the new World Again the Ark both then and from Moses time evidencing Christs gracious presence with his people both in the Old and New world And the consideration of God the Sons execution of all the Mediatours great Offices as the great Prophet Priest and King of his true Church are so frequently set before Gods people in succession of times in the Church as the great thing to be eyed by them therefore besides the general respect of these three offices to the universal Church and the particular to every true beleiver in all times there seems a third respect to be much taken notice of in Holy Scripture of many special manifestations of the said three Offices of Christ in the several ages and conditions of his Church or rather of Christs so setting himself forth before his people in those several times in these three great Offices For as there hath been a most large time of his Prophetical Office under the Old Testament when Christ by a spirit of Wisdom and Revelation till his coming in the flesh revealed all his Fathers will And 2. According to his Priesty Office ever since And so 3. Will do in the third period under or after the seventh Trumpet in his Kingly office likewise as may happily be frequently observable in Scripture how by a remarkable divine hand there have been many shews hereof in many lesser periods First Even before the flood there were some shadowings of Christ in all his offices 1. Of Prophesie in that he revealed himself to the Holy Fathers of the first times by voyces visions dreams and the like what services would be acceptable to the Father 2. As a Priest in Enoch in that Enoch as Christ in the flesh came to do the Will of God in the body Heb. 5.10 Who as Christs type so walked with God he was translated as Christ when he had done his Fathers Will ascended into Heaven 3. As a King in Noah whom he fitted and inabled him so to preserve his Family and all them with him in the Ark when all his enemies were wonderfully and justly destroyed by the Flood Secondly Again after the Flood in Abrahams time Christ revealed his Fathers will to him as his Prophet calling him from his Fathers Idolatry teaching him to serve the true God as was agreeing to his will making him a King by subduing those Kings that had carried Lot captive and rescuing him and those that belonged to Lot yea in that he offered his Son Isaac he acted as a Priest and was blessed by Melchisedeck the Priest of the most high God who was likewise King of Salem of whose order of Priesthood Christ was to be who was without Father without Mother without beginning of days or end of life as the Apostle describes him Hebrews 7.3 But Thirdly more remarkably after God would have an instituted Church in the posterity of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom he had made and renewed his promise of Canaan and given them the Sacrament of Circumcision as a sign and seal of his free grace promised to them and had brought their posterity out of Egypt with an high hand and conducted them through the Red Sea to sacrifice to himself in the wilderness not as their Fathers had done formerly but as Moses told Pharoah as the Lord their God should afterwards teach them for they knew not how he would be served till they came into the Wilderness where he afterward appointed his instituted worship for till the making of that Covenant with Abraham and his seed the Sacrifices that had been used all along till then seemed as much to have had the nature of a Sacrament to strengthen and confirm the faith of the beleiving Antients in the Messiah to come for we read not of any other they had till Abraham as to typifie unto them that Christ was to dye for their sins But after Gods instituted Worship by Moses Ministry the said three great Offices of Christ seem to be frequently shadowed out Moses was his Prophet who is likewise said to be King in Jesurun and Aaron who was his mouth unto Pharaoh at first was afterwards actually the High-Priest the first type of Christ in that order and office but all along that Ministration till Sauls worldly Kingdom was set up in causeless discontent by the peoples corrupt will who would have a King instead of good Samuel and of God himself who told Samuel 1 Sam. 8. they had not cast off him but God likewise for they sought a King after their own corrupt will not seeking to know Gods pleasure therein which soon again fell when God had sought him a man even David whom God set up And when the Israelites were actually come out of Egypt and had miraculously passed through the Red Sea whereby was figured how by Baptism and spiritual Regeneration Gods people are brought out of the bondage of sin and Satan and so soon as they were come into the Wilderness which many ways shadows out the state of Gods people in the world c. then Moses as a Prophet makes known the Will of God to them Aaron as a Priest makes intercession to God for them and Christ himself as judicious Burgess proves as the great King gives his Laws in great Majesty and terrour for all things to be observed by his people though Moses was then
likewise his Deputy King in Jesurun and so all along in the Wilderness Moses was King and Prophet and Aaron and his Sons Priests So after that when they were to pass over Jordan to enter into the promised Land Joshua is then made Captain to fight Christs Battels under that great King that appeared to him Joshua 5. the Priests carrying the Ark dry-shod through the then overflowing waters of Jordan and Joshua again as a Prophet reveals the pleasure of God unto them not onely in civil affairs as to dividing the iâ—â—eritances but also in spiritual admonitions and instructions upon many occasions c. Again many times in the Judges days when Moses and Joshua's counsels were forgot and their predictions concerning that peoples revoltings were fulfilled yet even then Christ who was from the beginning the powerful great King of his Church ruled many times amongst them and their enemies too apparently as the Scriptures witness even then likewise he raised up his Deputies called Judges as Gedeon Jeptha Deborah Barack Sampson and others again to restore his instituted worship and Priesthood and be deliverers to his revolted and oppressed people as occasion did require instructing them by his prophetical spirit therein But from the beginning of Davids time as we noted these three great Offices were more remarkably and eminently set forth especially while things continued in any tolerable order in the good Kings raigns that followed wherein the glory of Christ the Mediator in his three said Offices as Prophet Priest and King was still set forth in their following times to shew that therein consisted the glory of Christs Mediatorship as much more might be observed in this kind Rev. Chap. 5. The further illustration of the former Doctrine from Rev. 5. chapter where after the summary consideration of that Chapter is briefly hinted the Doctrine of the New Testament therein comprized which first was set down largely before the giving of the Revelation in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles But secondly there more especially is Christs the Lambs Revelation and execution of the affairs of that book but so as to erect his Kingdom in the issue for which they so exuit vers 10. and we shall reign upon earth wherein the representative Church doth so eminently rejoyce v. 11. and the four living Wights add their fiduciall Amen after the praise of all creatures and the twenty four Elders fall down and worship v. 14. PRoceed we now to the fifth Chapter the Scene and the Chorus being so excellently set in the former Chapter as respecting God the Creatour worshipped on the seventh day Sabbath especially to glorifie him for his great and good work of Creation who as three in persons one in essence Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty so worshipped in the Old Testament untill the coming of Christ the Redeemer who having finished the work of Redemption as the Lord of the Sabbath changed it from the seventh to the first day of the week who in this fifth chapter is said to be a Lamb that was as it were slain who is therefore praised by men Angels and all creatures with him on the Throne for that most glorious work of Redemption and acknowledged in the great benefits that redounded to his Church thereby Where again consider First The Vision with the effect of it Secondly The Doctrine and Use of both 1. By Men. 2. By Angels 3. By all creatures The Vision for the greatest part is the same in substance the decyphering of the Father the Holy Spirit and the Church the same but God the Son who is represented as a Lamb that had been as it were slain whose glorious work of Redemption and Grace towards his true Church is the substance and drift of the Vision wherefore he is accordingly praised First Consider the Vision v. 1. to 8. and the effect on the four beasts v. 8. In Verse 1. A book was in the hand of him on the Throne In Ver. 2 3. A proclamation by a strong Angel for one to open the book Verse 3. None was found worthy in heaven or earth Verse 4. Is the great discouragement of St. John thereupon he wept much as without hope c. In Verse 5. One of the Elders comforts St. John that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the root of David had prevailed to do it In Verse 9. The former description of the true Church but with the Lamb in the midst of it Who is set forth first by his suffering he was slain Secondly By his victory 〈…〉 killed death and was thence but as it were slain and consequently by his dominion over all things in heaven and earth therefore set forth by seven horns denoting his perfect power Secondly by seven eyes denoting his perfect wisdom and providence in all the earth where by his holy Spirit he worketh as he pleaseth In Verse 7. The Lamb as was told St. John vers 5. takes the book out of the hand of him that sate upon the Throne whereupon follow the effects of the Vision in the Church First Worship by the Beast and Elders v. 8. Secondly Praise by a song Where I. The nature of it A new song for new Testament mercies II. The matter of it Thou art worthy v. 9 10. In the matter of the new song consider 1. An acknowledgement that the Lamb and onely he was worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof 2. The reason of the acknowledgement First from the greatness and extremity of his suffering thou wast slain Secondly By the efficacy and prevalency of his suffering Thou hast redeemed us unto God Where 1. The price by thy blood 2. The extent Out of every Nation Kindred and Language And thirdly the benefit redounding to the Church by such redemption vers 10. Thou hast made us to our God c. and we shall reign Where 1. Here is what all the faithful in the true Church spiritually here obtain They are made Kings and Priests unto God now in this life 2. For advantage and advancement which they shall have in that place where they have served Christ or suffered for his name there they shall reign with him We shall reign upon earth In Verse 11. A Vision of innumerable company of Angels about the Throne the Church In Verse 12. Their song of praise where first the Object i.e. the Lamb whose worthiness they likewise acknowledge for being slain Secondly The right and due belonging to him thereupon viz. That he receive power and riches and wisdom and strength In Verse 13. is the general concurrence of all creatures 1. In Heaven 2. In earth 3. Under the earth In the like acknowledgement and praise to be 1. To him that sits upon the Throne 2. To the Lamb for ever and ever In Verse 14. First The fiducial Amen of the four living Wights Secondly The assent and consent of the twenty four elders manifested 1. By their falling down 2. By worshipping him that lives for ever
powerful wonderful gracious and glorious to his Church upon earth as her great Prophet Priest and King Eleventhly Christs execution of the said three great Offices is two ways to be considered 1. More generaly for his universal Church in respect of the several seasons wherein in order he was to execute them severally most eminently until his work of Mediatorship should perfectly be accomplished and full reconciliation made between God and all his elect people his mystical body the true Church being compleat in all the members of it and perfect union and communion attained with himself as their mystical head together with the Father and the Holy Spirit as also with the glorious Angels and one with another in most happy enjoyment of all good to all eternity 2. It is again considerable particularly and specially in respect of every truely beleiving soul in the particular application of the efficacy of those three great Offices to them by his holy Spirit making good means and ordinances effiâ—acious to every faithful soul so exhibiting himself to them 1. As their great Prophet inwardly powerfully and savingly teaching them all necessary truth and doctrine 2. As their great High-Priest in the like way evidencing their peace and reconciliation with God through that expiation he should or hath made for their sins 3. In the like-way also to evidence to them at one time or other that he is their powerful King and Protector that hath and doth and will subdue all his and their enemies and keep them in a loyal and good condition by Faith and Grace unto salvation Twelfthly Consider that the general more eminent and glorious execution of those three great offices for his universal Church more remarkeable in the world is in those three great periods of his manifesting himself in the world according to all that his father had given him to do 1. As the great Prophet of his Church by his spirit of wisdom and revelation in all his immediate Messengers till his coming in the flesh and so Christ is said to preach in the time of Noah to the Spirits in prison as St. Peter speaketh 1 Pet. 3.19 20. 2. As the great High-Priest in the second Period after his coming in the flesh where putting an end to all the types and shadows of his Priesthood he actually undertook in his person and executed the work and office of Priesthood as the great High-Priest having made a full and perfect attonement and satisfaction for the sins of all his people he ascended into the holy of holies the highest Heavens there sitting at the right hand of God the Father powerfully and gloriously there to execute and improve that office by making intercession for his people till his coming again 3. In the third great period of the world under or after the seventh Trumpet Christ will appear most eminently in executing the great office of a King in this general confideration in respect of his universal Church subduing wonderfully and manifestly in the world his own and his Churches enemies powerfully and graciously enabling his Saints to walk in the obedience of his laws taking away in a great degree the evil of sin and suffering with the causes of both by binding Satan and destroying the wicked powers of the world c. I say in a great degree though not then totally nor finally Lastly Consider how Christ hath and doth and will work in these three great Periods of the world In the first he wrought by his Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation making known the Will of the Father in all things for substance respecting Faith and Obedience In the second by his Spirit of grace and truth powerfully sanctifying his people more eminently and largely then in the former In the last when he will take to himself his Kingly power Rev. 11.15 and 19. He will work by his Spirit of Power and Domination Now from the former Theses duly weighed and considered these particulars ensuing or the like may be inferred viz. That 1. If the design of the Trin-Une Diety was to be eminently glorified in Christ the Mediator his three great Offices of being the great Prophet Priest and King of his universal true Church then that greatest glory must needs shine forth in the most eminent way of executing of them But the general performance thereof in the said three great periods is the most eminent way of executing them Therefore That design hath and will be therein most accomplished 2. If the drift and end of the great works of Creation Support and Providence in all things ever since time was and until time shall cease to be was in reference unto Gods glorifying of himself in such general management of these Offices of Christ for his universal true Church then in that respect he is most glorified But their drift and end is so in reference thereunto Therefore God is most glorified in such management of them 3. If such general execution of them in reference to the universal true Church be the foundation and securing thereof to particular beleiving souls or secondly in respect of any more special times or special conditions of the Church as will hereafter appear then all the good of the other is procured and secured by that general execution of them But such Christs general execution of these Offices it he soundation and securing of both the other Therefore The good of both the other is secured and procured thereby 4. If the great works of Creation Support and Providence have been all along ordered in reference to Chrifts carrying on of his great work of Mediatorship cheifly in those three great periods forenamed then such consideration of them is of great concernment to the true universal Church But all those said great works have been ordered all along in reserence to Christs carrying on his great work of Mediatorship therein Therefore Such consideration of these three great periods fore-named for the general managing of all the Mediators Offices is of great concernment to the true Universal Church 5. If such Christs general prophetical Office in the first great period hath revealed the substance of the whole counsel of God in respect of all to be done successively in such Priestly and Kingly Offices so generally considered in the other two succeeding great periods it shall so be done But it hath so revealed and in a great part hath been so fulfilled accordingly by suitable dispensations at all times hitherto Therefore What is so revealed for the future shall accordingly be fulfilled also 6. If according to Scripture experience hath manifested the glory of the Mediators office most eminently for what is past in such general consideration and doth witness the like for the time to come then in due time will be like execution for the general in regard of what remains to be done But according to Scripture it hath been so accomplished in experience in what is past Therefore According to Scripture it shall be so in the time to
the dead observe the expressions so the Apostle to the Hebrews speaks of a world to come Heb. 2.5 which is applyed hither with Psal 8. as appears from the context And Act. 2.29 30. the Apostle applies the promise to the Patriark David Psal 130.11 of his Seeds sitting upon his throne to Christs resurrection who is the resurrection and life to all that are his which then will be fulfilled and 2 Sam. 7.16 his seed is said to be established before him And as for such as were wonderfully raised from the dead in the Old and New Testament being all raised by the power of Christ and by the vertue of his resurrection in its time to be accomplished were to strengthen the faith of Gods people in all times following that Christ in his due time which now is revealed would raise up from the dead all his believing Saints and faithful servants Yea that eminent manifestation of Christs kingly glory before his three disciples at his transfiguration having Moses and Elias then so talking with him of his decease which he was shortly after to accomplish at Jerusalem seems remarkably to set before us that we now speak of namely that when he will appear in the world to be the great King of his people on earth the said thousand years that then such as Moses and Elias shall appear with him and be greatly honoured by him c. It is an observation of godly and learned men upon the promises made in the Epistles to the seven Asian Churches that some of them signifie the state of the Church in the Primitive times as it were adumbrated and resembled in the two first Epistles in the five last the times of Antichrists date of 42. months but all the promises in those seven Epistles relate to the New Jerusalem As first as our Saviour told his Disciples that followed him that in the regeneration they should sit on Thrones judging the 12. Tribes of Israel answerable to that promise Rev. 3.21 where Christ saith He will grant to him that overcometh to sit with him on his Throne even as he also overcame and was set down with his father in his Throne and that will be fulfilled Rev. 20.4 And whereas it is said Rev. 1.6 Christ hath made them Kings and Priests unto God and his Father who is himself there stilled the Prince of the Kings of the Earth So in Christs kingdom upon earth that will be fulfilled Rev. 20.6 where it is said The Saints shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years So that promise Chap. 2.7 where promise is made To him that overcometh to eat of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of God by allusion to the tree in Paradise whereby eternal life should have been confirmed to Adam if he had stood that is applyed to such as shall have their part in the New Jerusalem Chap. 22.14 who shall have right to the tree of life so Chap. 3.4 5. promise is made to walk with Christ in white and white raiment So such as shall come into the New Jerusalem Rev. 7.9 13. and Chap. 19.8 Christs armies that followed him were cloathod in fine linnen white and clean So Chap. 3.12 promise is made to be a pillar in the house of God and go no more out c. and to have the name of God written on them c. Answerably again Chap. 22.3 4. His servants shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their fore-heads Again Chap. 2.11 They shall not be hurt of the second death Answerable to that Chap. 20.6 On such the second death shall have no power So it is promised to such Their name shall not be blotted out of the Book of Life but be confessed before the Father and before his Angels Rev. 3.5 So Chap. 21.27 They enter the New Jerusalem whose names are written in the Book of life All which and divers other promises the Saints to whom all along from Saint Johns time these promises have been made they cannot have fulfilled to them in the New Jerusalem upon earth in Christ raign if they be not raised then from the dead And that promise Of raising such up at the last day Joh. 6. To such as his Father hath given him vers 39. To such as see the Son and believe on him vers 40. To such as the Father draweth to come to him vers 44. To such as eat his flesh and drink his blood v. 54. four times repeated in that latter part of that Chap. is manifest to be under stood of that first matutina resurrectio called the last day in respect of the world at the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the finishing together of that age while evil men are mixed with good like tares in the field when as our Saviour speaks Rev. 10. the world time shall be no more when he will raise all his people that then sleep in the grave to raign on earth with him till the great multitude of their fellow-members be come in This Doctrine many of the ancient Fathers acknowledged in the first Primative times as Justine Martyr reckoned by Master Mede in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew Irenaeus in his 5. Book and 5. last Chap. Nepos B. of Egypt Tertullian in his 3. book against Marcion Lactanti in his 7. book of Instit chap. 23. c. even Augustine sometime held it though by the subtilty of Satan forgeing lyes to asperse the Millenary opinion and stirring men up to foyst in offensive errours in those times both Saint Augustine and others laid it down after him c. But Christ in these latter times hath again discovered it after so many hundred years of its lying hid for the most part in the Church to be a doctrine really to be imbraced by his faithful people who shall have the good of it and wherein he will appear wonderful in and toward his Saints in the said Kingdome Again it is observable in Heb. 3 and 4. Chapters after he had spoken of that rest of the people of Israels entring into the Land of Canaan and of Gods rest from the work of Creation and Christs resting from the work of Redemption he speaks of an other rest from Davids words To day after so long a time it is said to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts c. and then concludes there remains a rest or Sabbatisme for the people of God which they should have in this world and that seems to be in the New Jerusalem both Jews and Gentiles then living or raised from the dead c. And for that Text Dan. 12.2 Many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake here take notice it is said many not all shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt may be answered one of these three ways either as an abridgement of both resurrections the matutina and