Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A71078
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The parable of the ten virgin's opened, or, Christ's coming as a bridegroom cleared up and improved from Matthew XXV, ver. 1,2,3 &c. / by Benjamin Stonham.
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Stonham, Benjamin.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing S5738; ESTC R1037
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294,921
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322
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Men Mat. 23. 13. because they kept them from the knowledge of such Truths Luke 11. 52. The Publication whereof is also called by that Name as when the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a Net Mat. 13. 47. which is most fitly applicable unto Preaching Mat. 4. 9. And as these things lead unto the Kingdom of Heaven so is there a Kingly and Heavenly Authority stampt upon them when duly managed which maketh this to be their proper Name 4. Thereby is sometimes meant a visible gospel-Gospel-Church as when Christ gave to Peter in the Name of others the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 16. 19. Or all Church-Power as it is explained Mat. 18. 17 18. And into which Kingdom of Heaven none have a right to enter but they whose Righteousness is more than Pharisaical Mat. 5. 20. And well may Gospel-Churches have this Name where Christ himself is present Mat. 18. 20. And whose Inhabitants are onely Saints 1 Cor. 1 2. and Angels Rev. 1. 20. 5. Thereby is sometimes meant the Dispensation of the Gospel or state of things and Persons especially among Professors in Gospel-times and as in the General from first to last so with Respect to such a particular part thereof viz. The Bridegroom 's Coming Thus is that Phrase most frequently to be Interpreted as when the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a Sower Mat. 13. 24. And when John bids Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mat. 3. 2. And when Christ saith of John That the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he Mat. 11. 11. Since though John's Ministration was in some sence above that of Moses yet was it not properly Evangelical And in this last sence I shall pursue these words as being the plain meaning of them Quest 2. Why is the Dispensation of the Gospel called a Kingdom Answ 1. Because it is Governed by a King as Christ is called Mat. 2. 2. whose Ministration that of the Gospel is Heb. 8. 6. Christ's Spiritual Government is Monarchical which doth admit of no Companions and therefore there is but one Law giver James 4. 12. Nor will true Saints make mention of any other Isa 26. 13. And therefore Saints as such owe no Obedience unto Man in Gospel-matters save as this King's Authority is produced What an Arch-Traitor is the Man of sin who dareth to Prohibit or Impose in such a Case without Christ's leave The Nations are for a Kingly Form among themselves who yet therein Oppose the Sons of Sion but all in vain and to their own Destruction Psal 2. 5 6. 2. Because this Kingdom is Distinct from any other as in all Constitutions of that Nature Moses hath no Command in Christ's own House and therefore his bare Authority in Gospel-times is no sufficient Plea The Kings of Judah were Types of Chriâ—t and therefore in their days the Temple was within the City or Temporal and Spiritual Jurisdiction were then confounded But in Ezekiel's last Vision relating to the Second Temple in Gospel-times the Temple or Sanctuary is without the City Ezek. 45. 1 2. compared with Ezek. 48. 15. To hint the difference of those Dominions which then will be made visible Men may Create their Civil Rulers at least till such a time but cannot thereby make them to have Power in another's Kingdom which all confess save in Relation to the Right of Christ 3. Because it is made up of divers Spirits as every Kingdom is wherein some Men are Righteous and others Wicked A Family may be more pure than can be expected in a Kingdom And therefore this more Refined Kingdom here is distributed into Wise and Foolish Virgins Subjection unto Christ doth not sufficiently evince a sameness of Disposition and the Children of this Kingdom may be cast out of that which is to come Mat. 8. 11 12. There are a sort of base Professors who yet may carry it fairly untill a Temptation cometh and then they shew themselves They who are counted the best and upright may yet prove very bad upon a Tryal Mic. 7. 4 5. 4. Because the same Laws do bind all sorts of Persons within the Compass of such a Jurisdiction There is not one Law for Great Ones and another for others in this no more than in any other Kingdom If this were duly weighed some would not dare to give themselves a Dispensation whilst they are opening the Law to others Nor would some others fondly think that such a Duty is not incumbent upon them unless they know it and have it set upon their Hearts The Foolish Virgins are not excused though wanting Oyl or Light because they and the Wise Live in one Kingdom whose common Laws do equally Oblige them both 5. Because it is not easily shaken or Removed which holdeth true with reference unto any Kingdom but eminently here as Paul informs us Heb. 12. 28. Churches may fail and many Revolutions may occurr but yet the Dispensation of the Gospel is abiding This Kingdom subverted that of Old Heb. 12. 27. but never will be subverted by it And therefore the Restauration of Moses his Law upon the Jews Conversion and of an Adamitical State or Legal Ministration in John's New Jerusalem are but some Men's un-Scriptural Fancies None will be ever saveable but by a Gospel Faith and Duty or through an Interest in the Everlasting Covenant Quest 3. Why is this Dispensation called the Kingdom of Heaven Answ 1. Because it is not of this World but of a more sublimated or Heavenly Rise Moses his Ministration is called worldly Heb. 9. 1. because it was the same for kind with Adam's whose Make was Earthly 1 Cor. 15. 47. But Christ's Ministration is like himself who is the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. How sad is their mistake by whom the Dispensations of Grace and Nature are Confounded The good of Nature will never prove Gospel-Holiness nor is the difference between them onely Gradual but also in point of Kind as in Relation to God's thoughts and ours Isa 55. 9. else Earthly and Heavenly Priviledges may also be as well Confounded 2. Because what is contained under it is at the present mostly of a more Spiritual and invisible Nature as Heavenly things yet are 2 Cor. 4. 18. He must have more than an Eye of Flesh who can distinguish between the Wise and Foolish Virgins Moses Transgressors were easily to be Convicted but proper Gospel-sins are of a more Mysterious Nature The Weapons of Paul's warfare were wholly Spiritual 2 Cor. 10. 4. which under the Law were mostly Carnal consisting of Man's coercive power in Religious Matters Legal Rewards and Threats were save in shadows altogether Temporal but Gospel-Threats and Promises are chiefly Spiritual and Eternal 3. Because it leadeth unto Heaven strictly taken which never was nor will be done by any other Dispensation Moses did onely undertake for Earthly Blessings but doth not speak one word of Heaven save in a way of Type and Figure Heb. 9. 24. And
had gone out Before who yet are bid to go oâ— Now which therefore intimates The Repetition of their formeâ— Practice with fresh Amendments He doth not check them for whaâ— they had done nor is he yet fully satisfied with it who else would noâ— have Vain or Needless Repetitions Mat. 6. 7. Their First going out was Warrantable but not faultless else should no place have beeâ— sought for the Second as in Relation to that first Covenant Heb. 8. 7. Thaâ— first was from John Baptist's Cry the Influence whereof must first Decrease before the Bridegroom's Voice is heard Yea that at first was mostly upon the first Adam's Motion whose weakness must first appear then comes the Son himself as in Relation to the Law and Gospel Rom. 8. 3. Indeed that first going out was very Mercenary therefore he putteth upon this Second to try the Nobleness of their Principle However Christ is for a Second Edition which usually is Corrected and his best Wine is kept by him untill the last John 2. 10. 3. The Virgins at their first going out did verily Expect the Bridegroom's Coming then as their Design to Meet him signified who Now are bid go out again together with an Additional Notification of his Coming which therefore intimateth The Re-assuming of their former Expectation upon a fresh and surer Ground They took John Baptist to be the Bridegroom wherein he checks their over haâ—tiness by telling them that his Own Coming was not till now to be Expected Their former Hope was meerly grounded upon Providence he therefore now more plainly expounds the Scriptures unto the Revival of their Dying Expectations as Luke 24. 27. He taketh pleasure in his Peoples Hope Psal 147. 11. whos 's very Expectation shall not Perish Psal 9. 18. therefore he catcheth at sinking Peter though his first Confidence was not a grounded Faith Mat. 14. 28 29 30 31. They were now Tossing to and fro or Nodding by Reason of the Bridegroom 's Tarrying therefore he giveth them at last this stedfast Anchor 4. One's going out to Meet another is both a Token of Respect Gen. 9. 1. and a sign of Longing to behold him with the first Numb 23. 15. which therefore intimateth his present Expectations of that Nature from them with reference unto himself He then expecteth to be Worshipped by all the gods both Men and Angels Psal 97. 7. and Saints will Honour him at such a time Rev. 19 7. which Time is therefore hinted by this Cry But chiefly is this desired by him as going out to Meet him is a signal of their Longing to behold him with the first and therefore he that Heareth is bid say Come Rev. 22. 17. and to evince â—t by this Going Which cannot but be readily performed by the Saints with reference unto their Lord and Friend their Brother Husband and Blessed Saviour Nor may it irk them to go forth a little since he is pleased to come the greater part of the way by far onely requiring their meeting him in the Air who comes to them from Heaven out of Respect and Love 5. These words import their going out of something in Order to their Meeting of the Bridegroom Which things then to be gone out of are as followeth 1. They are to go Out of all their sinful Desilements of a Common Nature which hath been their Duty alway 2 Cor. 7. 1. but Now is so by way of Eminency And if the Name of Christ obligeth hereunto 2 Tim. 2. 17. much more the Notice of his Coming as a Bridegroom and as a Judge His Day will be upon the Losty Isa 2. 12. therefore Go Out of Pride The Meek will then moâ—t probably be hidden Zeph. 2. 3. therefore Go Out of Passion The Time will Now be very short Rev. 10. 16. therefore Go Out of Earthly-mindedness 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30 31. The Face of the Covering will be Destroyed Isa 29. 7. therefore Go Out of Formality The Lord alone will be Exalted Isa 2. 17. therefore Go Out of Slavish Fear and Fleshly Confidence v. 22. A sin of meer Omission will send some then to Hell Mat. 25. 41 42. therefore Go Out of Negative Christianity Preachers and others will then be termed Workers of Iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. therefore Go Out of bare Material Duty into its Life and Power and Spirituality 2. They are to Go Out of Babylon as far as may be from the Beast especially from the Whore or Antichrist in his more Spiritual appearances This Latter was a Duty alway the neglect whereof was never so severely punished as Now it will be Now Temporal Judgments will be entailed upon Spiritual Sins and it is then High Time to Go Out thence Rev. 18. 4. Yea every one that is then found in Babylon shall be thrust through Isa 13. 15. therefore let none stand still but let Jerusalem come into their Remembrance Jer. 51. 50. And though the Beast's Name as that of Priests may falsly be continued unto some yea though some still retain the Number of his Name yet may both these escape that Brand of visible Reprobates which then will be the Portion of his Worshippers and such as do receive his Mark or more down-right and Manifest Compliers with that Interest Rev. 14. 9 10 11. Were these things rightly understood as to their Sence and Time enquiries of that Nature would not be though unuseful 3. They are to Go Out of Privacy into an Open Testimony as they had done before at their first going forth This also was an Ancient Duty the Neglecters whereof in times of utmost Danger are threatned by Christ himself to be Denyed by him as being the Deniers of him Mat. 10. 27 28. 33. Upon the first Rise of the Man of Sin the Woman then fled into the Wilderness Rev. 12. 14. as that denoted her want of former Outward Glory but not from fear of Bloody Cruelty as Brightman well Observes upon the place onely to shew that such Apostates did falsly call themselves Christ's visible Churches Which also followeth upon the Privacy of Church-worship which is a Worshipping of the Beast unto the Clouding of Professors Saint-ship and the destroying of a proper Accident viz. Visibility which is inseparable from a Churches Essence And though Repentance may recover Saint-ship yet such a failing layeth Churches wast till New Erected and which may prove to their Advantage 4. They are to Go Out of those Old Heavens which then must Pass away at least be changed together with the Earth of Civil Constitutions This Going out of Churches is Warrantable in the fore-named case yea and a Duty but at this time there will be no visible Churches to continue in although Church-state may still remain Thus was it with the Jewish Church at Christ's first Coming Thus will it be with Temple-state at his next Personal Coming Rev. 21. 22. Yea thus it was with present Constitutions a little before his Coming in Constatine's Time Rev. 6. 13 14. and as the sixth Seal