c. as in many other instances of the Old and New Testament which hereafter we may set down Answer 4. God in his own institutions and determinations is sole judge of what is necessary for the accomplishment of the whole work of redemption by Christ and as to that the holy Scriptures onely can resolve us and for what is alleadged in the fourth Reason concerning the Old Testament may be answered that such things then which were mystical though wonderful were more suitable to the Old Testament in that regard Christ had not then actually taken upon himself his humane nature and since his ascention I think none can considerately deny but be spake personally to Saul why persecutest thou me and was personally seen of Steven at his death if the Text be duly weighed and why not afterward when the Scripture is so evident yea Mr. Mede makes his appearance and speaking unto Saul at his conversion to be a type of the way and means of the conversion of the Jews in time to come And for that of the Armageddon battel it is to be considered as a prophetical Vision and revelation of what will be really performed hereafter Fifthly Christs bodily presence upon earth was onely so far forth necessary as made for the accomplishment of what his Prophetical Spirit did foreshew in the Old Testament wâ— aâ— hereby done as to his Priestly Office till the day of judgement inputting an end to all the typicall Sacrifices by the once offering up of himself for the sins of his people and to bring in an everlasting righteousness as the Prophet Daniel speaks until he come as the great Judge of quick and dead Answer 5. The Prophet Daniel doth as clearly speak of Christs personal coming at the destruction of Antichrist and Zachary of his being seen by every eye then as other Scriptures of the Old Testament spake of his coming to take our nature of the blessed Virgin and seed of David And for the day of Judgement this appearing will be the beginning of it as Mr. Mede aboundantly proves and then coming to be personally and gloriously as a King in the world will so continue while the world endures though how at all times in any place saving in the new Jerusalem we cannot so fully according to Scripture resolve Sixthly Ever since his ascention into Heaven he hath and will improve his perfect oblation of himself for the sins of his people at the right hand of God his Heavenly Father by making intercession for his people personally in his humane nature till the work of his mediation be fully perfected Answer 6. The improving of his Office of Priesthood at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven seems limited to the time of his appearing when he will begin eminently and visibly to make his foes his footstool as Psal 110. and if in another way by a presential intercession for his people when his Kingly glory shall more eminently shine forth he may then do what God hath appointed and in what concerns his Priestly Office accordingly what shall remain for the accomplishment of his work of Mediation and as God hath determined it shall most certainly be done but the holy Scriptures seems to limit his sitting at Gods right hand to that time Seventhly By his so remaining there to that purpose is really fulfilled in him the Antitype what was typified by the High-Priest in the Old Testament as the Apostle expounds it Heb. 9.26 27 28. As the High-Priest went once a year into the Holy of Holies to offer so he was once offered in the end of the world but not to appear bodily again till the Judgement having put away sin by that once offering up of himself which the High-Priest under the Law by offering the blood of beasts every year could not do as the Apostle shews Answer 7. What is there held out doth nothing contradict the former answer being considered in the Scripture sence for so he doth it till the time spoken of the day of judgement as was before said Eighthly While there is sin in the Saints upon earth there will be need of Christs personal mediation and intercession for them at Gods right hand for as this was done typically from Adams fall in Sacrifices and Oblations by Gods direction and more especially under the Ceremonial Law according to his special appointment in all particulars until his once offering himself in the flesh so it is by him alone who is able to save his people to the uttermost really and perfectly performed in the said Office of mediation and intercession and will be so till his mystical body shall be made perfect in all the members of it Answer 8. That it will be done for place and continuance whatsoever shall be needful for the accomplishment of Christs Priestly Office it is not to be questioned But in every thing how after his great and glorious appearing formerly spoken of that Office shall be executed happily we cannot yet fully determâ—ne But for the place of doing it at Gods right hand in heaven as before was said the Scripture seems to limit to that period of the eminent manifestation of his Kingly Office in the world Ninethly Because he promised when he was ascended he would draw all his Elect to him Joh. 12.32 which promise seems will not be fulfilled while any of them remain upon the earth or till the end of the world Answer 9. That he hath spiritually and evidently drawn all sorts of the Saints to him hath in all ages according to Scripture been abundantly manifest many ways to beleiving souls and that he will hereafter powerfully not onely draw but authoritatively and efficâ—â—iously command his people to be obedient to him their heavenly King by a more eminent manifestation of his Divine grace to them and more powerful conferring his spiritual grace upon them in that time of his glorious Kingdom in the world the Scripture is abundant in giving Testimony thereto as in many Promises and Prophesies in this Tract may appear Tenthly He is gone to prepare a place for all his Elect now the Apostle shews that none shall prevent one another so that the mystical body of Christ must be compreaâ— and perfect that an the members thereof may ascend into glory together at once with Christ Jesus their mystical head Answer 10. The Doctrine of Christs Kingdom the thousand years doth nothing gainsay what is therein alleadged neither shall the Saints prevent one another in the sence there intended but joyntly at the sounding of that last Trumpet at the end of the world shall be changed in a moment at the twinkling of an eye as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 15. and be rapt up to meet Christ in the air at once together and thenceforth ever be with the Lord. Eleventhly The glory of Christ in heaven is such as men in a mortal condition are not able to behold as the Apostle shews 1 Tim 6.15 16. Who saith he onely hath
should not enter into that rest Yea Moses himself was so provoked by them that he spake unadvisedly with his lips and they so tempted Aaron the Saint of Lord as Psal 106.16 that neither of them came into the land of Canaan nor any other of the people save Josua and Caleb of all that generation above the age of 20. years that had been delivered out of the hands of Pharaoh yet in Gods own time he accomplished his promise in giving that people possession of that land Josh 23.14 When faithful and holy David was anointed to be the Captain of Gods people even he in fighting the Lords battels found the sheild of his faith so shattered that despondently once he said I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul and thereupon ran himself upon dangerous rocks of temptation amongst Gods enemies from which notwithstanding God graciously delivered him and at last brought him into full possession of the Kingdom over all the tribes of Israel and Judah When Judahs 70. years Captivity in Babylon was almost expired they despise the day of small things and say the time is not yet come to build the house of the Lord Haggai 2.2 by whom God yet foreshewed that the great Mountain of strong opposition that stood before Zerobabel should become a plain and so it came to pass Yea when Christ himself the long expected Messiah came at the time in the place manner condition and in every respect as had been foretold he should come in the flesh how few even in Jerusalem or in Judaea acknowledged or regarded his wonderful birth his holy and wise demeavour and heavenly manner of life after all those divine witnesses of Simeon Zachary Anna Elizabeth c. or the very Angels before and at his birth or any thing afterward that set him forth to be wonderful before the time came wherein he openly manifested himself in the world and after that how was his person despised his doctrine and miracles though such as never man taught or wrought in the world before not only not regarded but even blasphemed by the great ones of those times and by their means likewise not owned by inferiours lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue and though some of the Preists believed in him they durst not confess him If Nicodemus a Mr. in Israel acknowledge and own him it must be in the night when he may not be seen and all the strange wonders before and at his death and resurrection and afterwards for the most part neglected and buried in silence So strangely in the worlds view and even in good mens too many times Gods greatest predictions and promises use to take place And have not since Christ the six first Seals of the Primitive times when Michael and the Dragon fought hand to hand as 't were whose worship should be set up and some of the Trumpets after wards been mystically sulfilled and passed according to the series of their several times which Mr. Mede on the Revelations very appositly applies How have those many Synchronisms of Antichrists tyranny 42. months with the two witnesses prophesie in sackcloth 1260. days of years Rev. 11. The Beast out of the Sea having seven heads and ten horns according to his Politick capacity the other out of the Earth with two horns like a Lamb according to the Ecclesiastical capacity Rev. 13. lyen hidden from most mens eyes And hath not the woman the true Church though gloriously at first adorned Rev. 12. yet since as long been forced into the wilderness Rev. 14. where her place was prepared and all that while the Scarlet Whore the Antichristian or false Church sits as a Queen and not only bewitcheth the Christian World with her Sorceries but also with the Cup of her Spiritual Fornications makes drunk the Kings of the Earth till the will of God shall be fulfilled when they shall hate her and make her desolate and naked and eat her fiesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17.16 17. And how few take notice that the time of her recompence is near Rev. 18.6 7. How many of Gods Vials are already poured out upon her How far she hath done her utmost in killing Christs witnesses even few do seriously ponder And when the second Woe is past how soon may sound the Trumpet of the seventh Angel such who can delare And thence forth many other excellent contemporaries are reveased from Jesus Christ the faithful and true witness and set before us under and after the said Trumpet who as he is about wonderfully to glorifie himself in taking his Kingly power Rev. 19. When the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Kingdomes of our God and of his Christ Rev. 11.15 in a far different manner then they have been formerly So likewise how long the earth shall be blessed with that happy Dominion he as clearly sets before his people Rev. 20.4 namely for the space of a thousand years even near or until the last judgement Vers 7 11 12. c. And after the Chronology of the time and after the time of the said seventh Trumpet in the 20. Chap. vers 7. where first having set down Vers 1 2. the contemporary binding of Satan and casting him into the bottomless pit and sealing him up there during that time having also subdued before the powers of the wicked world while he himself with his Saints vers 4.6 will wonderfully gloriously and graciously more then before manifest his Kingly power in the world the said thousand years wherein in the said following Chapters he evidently and strongly informes his people in the substance of many other contemporaries As first of the new Heavens and the new Earth for the thousand years chap. 21.1 and the New Jerusalem descending down from Heaven vers 10. and the Tabernacle of God being with men for the same time vers 3. again chap. 22. there is set forth the pure river of water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb vers 1. and the tree of life bearing twelve manner of fruits the leaves whereof are for the healing of the Nations through the same period Vers 2. for in all the Book of Revelations where things are not said to succeed one another as the Seals Trumpets and Vials but one Table of Chronoligie is assigned to them all such distinct visions are contemporaries as all that concerned the true and false Church in Antichrists time have the same measure though diverslly computed by Moneths Days and a times time and an half So all these Visions under and after the seventh Trumpet have one Chronological Table to compute their time viz. a thousand years all which particulars being by Christs special order so strongly asserted by the Angel and the antient and latter Prophets as earnestly called in for evidence hereunto as we shall endeavour by Gods assistance to point out afterward yet so Providence hath over-ruled and ordered that though the substance of all these
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
further considering what is said Rev. 21.22 c. to this purpose of of the same time I observed Rev. 21. at the new heavens and the new earth the Tabernacle of God is said to be with men which may denote a near communion in a more unusual manner then formerly and in the new Jerusalem that came down from heaven the Lord God Almighty the Lamb are said both to be the light and the Temple thereof chap. 21 22 23. which may import some excellency both of worship and discovery then to be in the Church Again c. 22. the pure river of water of life out of the Throne of God and the Lamb which may note the abundant and constant overflowings of the graces of the Holy Ghost with power in that time proceeding from the Father the Son and so the tree of life by that river c. to note Christ will be gloriously and graciously present with his Church then to preserve it in that excellent condition as in Paradise if man had eaten of that tree and like to those in Ezekiels Visions in the nine last Chapters of the Temple the New Hierusalem the waters flowing thence and the trees there c. all which Texts seriously weighed occasioned me to apprehend some wonderful new dispensation of grace under the reign of Christ upon the earth which whether it may be some only mystical appearance of Christ glory and Majesty shining from Heaven upon earth either spiritually wrought or visibly apparent as the lighten-from one end of the earth to the other Mat. 24.27 or in what manner or how long that time only may manifest yet Master Brightman who is large upon a flourishing state of the Church of the Jews hath a learned and large exposition of the precious stones in the new Hierusalem applies them spiritually to such a Church to come in earth wherein Paraeus dissenteth from him upon the ground fore-hinted And that Text Psa 110.1 Sit thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool which in the New Testament seems sundry times to have reference to the ruine of Antichrist and his complices seems to limit Christs sitting there to that season And St. Pauls five parts of the mystery of Godliness makes the last to be his taking up into glory as if in that was the finishing of that mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 as the Angel Christ Rev. 10.7 likewise speaks Antichrists time shall be no more But some Scriptures speaking of the end of the World Lo I am with you to the end of the World Mat. 28. ult and so the parable of the Tares the Harvest is the end of the world seemed to oppose any new way of dispensation but setting against those Texts the Angels viz. Christs swearing time should be no more Rev. 10. which some learned Divines expound of wicked Dominion at the end of the fourth Monarchy by the Popes perdition which agrees with a like vision Dan. 12.7 where likewise he swear for a time times and a half when he that is Antichrist figured before in Antiochus Epiphanes and here again spoken of shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all those things should be finished i. e. the Kingdom should be given to the Saints of the most high as before and Michael the great Prince stand up for Daniels people vers 1. which evidently agree with the times of the seventh Trumpet But for further resolution I considered Mat. 28. ult and Mat. 13. where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the finishing together while the Tares and the Wheat grow together till all that offend be gathered out of Christs Kingdom of the age as Gods finishing his mystery Rev. 10. and in both those places appeared to be remarkably the same in sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used for the present state of things till evil Dominion end as may be seen in many places of the new Testament as first for worldly men Luk. 16.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hujus seculi the Children of this world are wise in their generation so of the Devil 2 Cor. 4.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bujus seculi in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that beleive not So Ephes 6.12 The Rulers of the darkness of this world So Joh. 12.3 Stan is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince of this world So also John 14.30 which is onely until the same time and so in that sense those phrases seem to be taken till the end of the prevalency of evil men and Devils when Gods mystery shall be finished at the seventh Trumpet when glorious light of grace and truth will shine in the Church of God and for the Parable of the Tares where the Harvest is expounded to be the end of the world it seems manifestly to be meant of such a coming wonderfully at the setting up of his Kingdom where it is said he will then send his Angels to gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and the order of proceeding seems contrary to the last destruction for here the Angels must first gather the Tares and bind them in bundles and burn them before the Wheat be gathered into the Barn the true Church but at the last judgement when Heaven and Earth and all the works in them shall be burnt which is called then the destruction of the ungodly men Christ by a change before in an instant delivers the faithful then alive from that temporal destruction and the ruine of Antichrist seems agreeing with that of the Tares burning first in order by taking of that hurtful brood out of the way c. And in Luk. 17. The examples of the Flood in Noahs time and the destruction of Sodâ—â—m and Gomorrah in Lots time are instance in which were the taking away of ungodly men but not the destruction of the Universe so here 't is said all that offend and work wickedness shall be taken out of Christs Kingdome But as we hinted before of Christs giving the Kingdom to the Saints that it must be his certain gift to them not any mens daring attempts will carry it so if any new dispensations shall be which we but darkly guess at Gods present Institutions must necessarily be observed and prized till in such regard his will is clearly made known to his people for all such affairs are the flowers or jewels belonging onely to his celestial crown that none other may order but himself and in his own appointed time onely and it is a snare of Satan to concieve otherwise thereof and in case Satan know any such truth his malice of late is the more remarkable in his seduced followers who to their own and others mischeif have cryed down and rejected Gods sacred Ordinances in the times when they are most useful and needful for them and others Or by any other ways or means then to make them unprofitable or ineffectual If some Ordinances shall not continue in
other Scriptures and instances both in the old and new Testament pertinent to that purpose And that the Doctrine of the resurrection which was all along in Scripture taught gradually before is most fully cleared by the two last Apostles St. Paul in his Epistles and St. John in the book of the Revelation NOw because that Matutina resurrectio which Mr. Mede speaks of called the first resurrection Rev. 20.4 5. By way of Antithesis to the last more general resurrection of the good and bad before not raised is of great concernment to the then living godly and Saints departed before let us confider what the Scriptures set before us concerning the same And because Christ hath more fully revealed to his Church Rev. 20. the pleasure of his father therein more then formerly was made known in the word for the Doctrine of the resurrection in diverse things in the Old and New Testament was revealed by degrees and St. Paul shews some mysteries of it and our Saviour there more Let us therefore in the first place consider the context of what is there said thereof Rev. 20. and then come to the verses wherein it is contained Vers 1 2. The Angel Christ lays hold on Satan and binds him a thousand years which thousand years by the most learned on all hands is agreed to be literally taken for many reasons Vide Parae on Rev. 20.2 besides the emphatical expressions after several times the mention of a thousand years the Spirit of God sets them out with an Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three times vers 3 5 7. as if he should say these thousand years before-mentioned indefinitely are now so often spoken of demonstratively punctually setting down what was done before what in and after them in all which the word clears the literal sence Verse 3. He shuts him up in the bottomless pit and seals or secures him there during that time but shews he must after the thousand years be loosed for a little season And the fulfilling of that his loosing is set down as this matutina or first resurrection is decyphered vers 4 5 6. For Vers 7. Shews when Satan is accordingly loosed out of Prison Vers 8. Shews how he prevails to gather his hosts of Gog and Magog in great numbers in all the four quarters of the earth Vers 9. Sets down their design to compass the camp of the Saints and their disappointment by fire from heaven that devours them Vers 10. Shews the judgement of Satan in the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and false Prophet were cast before the thousand years Vers 11. And so forward to the end is described the ensuing last judgement where the judge is set down in this 11. verse and his Throne he sat on Vers 12. the persons judged all sorts small and great the ways of their tryal by opening the books and according to their works Verse 13. How they came to the judgement The Sea and Death and the Grave gave up all the dead Vers 14 15. Shews who were cast into the lake of fire at the last namely Death the last enemy 1 Cor. 15. and Hell or the grave with all whose names were not written in the Book of life Now concerning this first resurrection it is largely described in many particulars Verse 4. In the first place are thrones and they that sate on them and judgement was given unto them which seems to be such eminent holy persons as the Apostles or great Prophets assessors with Christ then that as our Saviour promised should sit and judge on thrones at his Kingdom Luke 22.29 30. Secondly All other faithful Saints that lived and reigned with Christ the thousand years Vers 5. declares the different conditions of all others there called the rest of the dead that had not part in that first resurrection Vers 6. Contains the condition quality and priviledges of all the then raised Saints First they are blessed Secondly they are holy and therefore blessed Thirdly They are thereupon secured the second death shall have no power on them they are most safe from the judgement of the wicked that will come Fourthly the excellency of their promotion First to be Priests of God and Christ to offer praise c. continually Secondly Kings to reign with him the thousand years And this the Parallel Text Rev. 11.15 and so forward at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet doth likewise confirm where verse 15. is set down the beginning of Christs reign upon earth and the continuance for ever while the earth continues Secondly the praise of the Church thereupon namely the twenty four elders now without mention of the four beasts as formerly vers 16. Vers 17. There is the object of their praise Lord God Almighty which is and was and is to come and then reigned Secondly The ground of that their praysing him for taking his great power and reigning Verse 18. The occasion opportunity and advantage that Christ took then to take his great power and to reign First of evil unto the evil the Nations were provoked to anger and rage by the Devil against the Saints as also he will do to compass the Camp of the Saints when Satan is loosed Chap. 20.9 and here Gods wrath came upon them in devouring fire and destroyed them that destroyed the earth in the end of the 18. vers Secondly in the middle part of the same verse we have the advantage or opportunity Christ takes of good to the good First of the dead before that They should then be raised and they are of two degrees First Gods eminent servants the Prophets that should have suitable reward to their great service or sufferings or both And Secondly less eminent Saints Again good to the good then alive on earth such as fear Gods name small and great for the blessed and holy dead raised then will be above sear there perfect love as Saint John speaks hath cast out fear Lastly Vers 19. There is described the spiritual glory of the grace of God discovered in Christ above what was before so as peculiar to Jerusalem that comes down from heaven The temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in his temple the Ark of his Testament and on the other hand is set forth the terrour of Gods wrath manifest then against ungodly men to be horribly destroyed from the earth as is set down at this time So Psal 50 1 2 3 4 5 c. Dan. 12.1 which likewise referres both to the good and the wicked Now for the condition or state of the raised Saints it is probable to be like or suitable to what was in Christ before he ascended to his Father that appeared and disappeared as he saw good for his Disciples and sometime eat and drank with them as both the Gospel manifests Vide Mat. 26.29 compared with Luk. 22.18 19. one verse speak of the Passover the other of the Lords Supper and the Apostle Peter saith