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further opening of the Text, I do grant, that it is a great Truth if we fay, Bleffed and Holy is he that hath a Part or Intereft in Jefus Chrift, he bes ing the Refurrection; the firft that rofe from the dead, the first Fruits of them that fleep. Secondly, It it is a Truth alfo, if we fay, bleffed and holy is he that is fpiritually rifen with Chrift, in receiving a Principal of Life from him in Regeneration. But this is not all the Truth, nor yet what the Spirit of God principally intended, by the fir Refurrection: Becaufe, tho' this be a Truth in a fpiritual myftical Senfe, yet this cannot be fo, in a proper Confideration, upon the Account that a Refurrection properly fignifies a raifing up again of the Self fame body out of the Grave. And there fore in this Place, it is not to be understood of a metaphorical, but a proper Resurrection. For if we, or any other, put a myftical metaphorical Interpretation upon a Scripture, when there is no Ne ceffity for it, is but a wronging of that Scripture, by turning of it about (like Wax) which way our Fancies pleafe. Now, here appearing no Neceffity for a myfical, but a proper Interpretation, I fhall ftick clofe to the literal Signification, as it is in the Text expreffed; which is looked upon by moft Expofitors, to be the fafeft Expofition of Scripture. Well, then the Refurrection fpoke of in this fixth Verfe, must be taken in a proper Senfe, for the Refurrection of the Body, and bleffed are they who fhall have part in it. For on fuch the fecond Death fhall have no Power, but they fhall be Priefs of God and Chrift, and hall reign with him thoufand Tears. Yet becaufe fome godly Perfons have no Light in the Refurrection of the Saints to

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be before the Wicked; but think that they fhall both arife at one and the fame time, I fhall further offer to them, the Confideration of thefe following Particulars.

First then, the Resurrection spoke of in this Place, which all the Saints are to have a part in, is not to be until the time of Satan's binding, and the beginning of the thousand Years. And if fo, then this cannot be applied to a spiritual, but muft be understood, a proper Refurrection. Yet if fome will thus understand it, I would fain know of fuch, how they can prove a Work of Grace upon the Heart (which many of the Children of God did partake of, fome thousands of Tears, before the time that Satan is to be bound, or the thousand Years Reign of the Saints is to begin) can be called a firft Refurrection? Whereas that is not to be until the beginning of the thousand Years, when they fhall live and reign with Chrift in the Glory of his vifible Kingdom; as we fee with great Plainnefs expreffed in the firft Part of this Chapter.

Secondly, Moft certain it is, as appears very full in the fixth Verfe, and what was before hinted, that this first Refurrection is not to be, until the beginning of the thousand Tears; at the time of the perfonal coming of the Lord Jefus Chrift from Heaven; becaufe then it is, that the Dead in Chrift are to rife firft, the dead Saints raifed, and the living changed, fhall both be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air, that fo they may come along with him to reign in his Kingdom. 1 Theff. iv. 16, and if fo, then this cannot be meant of a fpiritual, but must be understood of a proper Refur rection.

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Thirdly, We read in Rev. xx. 4. that after the binding of Satan, John faw Thrones, and they fat upon them, and Fudgment was given unto them: Moreover faith he, and I faw the Souls of them which were beheaded for the Witnefs of Jefus, for the Word of God, &c. and they lived, and reigned with Chrift a thousand Tears. Then certainly they muft be rifen again in their Bodies, that they might live and reign with him; otherwife how could they be faid to live and reign with Chrift, any more than Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, or all the Faithful Reigned fo in Refpect of their Souls, long before the thousand Years began? Which is no where in Scripture called a living and reigning with Chrift a thoufand Years. And therefore this' firft Refurrection, muft be a Refurrection of the Body.

Fourthly, Doth the Apoftle John fay, he faw the Souls of them which were beheaded for the Word of God, and the Teftimony of Jefus, and that they lived and reigned with Chrift a thousand Tears? Then here is an Argument of great Weight to me, (for to prove) that this first Refurrection must be a real and proper Refurrection of the Bodies of all the Saints;because by the Souls in this Place, doth certainly take in the whole Perfon; the Perfon taking its Denomination from the nobler Part, viz. the Soul, as it is in Gen. xlvi. 27. All the Souls of the Haufe of Jacob, which came out of Egypt, were threefcore and ten. There is none will fay, that thefe were Souls without their Bodies, but that thefe Souls which came out of Egypt takes in the whole Perfon; and therefore the Souls of thefe Martyrs, which John faw live and reign with

Chrift upon their Thrones; must be underftood of Souls in Union with their Bodies, as they fhall be at the time of the firft Refurrection.

Fifthly, Here is another thing, that I would take Notice of from this fourth Verfe, and I fam the Souls of them that were beheaded for the Witness of Jefus, &c. and they lived and reigned with Chrift a thousand Years. Did the Apoftle fee the Souls of thofe that were beheaded for the fake of Chrift fit and reign with him upon their Thrones? Had John a vifionary Sight of these things? Then this cannot be a myftical, fpiritual, but a real and proper Refurrection; as will further appear, if we do but a little more confider upon the Words. First, by the Souls that were beheaded for the Teftimony of Jefus, muft certainly be fuch Souls that were in Union with their Bodies, when they were beheaded; because, in a proper Senfe, the Soul cannot be beheaded; and therefore thefe Souls, when they fhall live and reign with Chrift, muft be confider'd in Union with their Bodies alfo, when they fhall reign with him a thoufand Years. Secondly, By thefe Souls that were beheaded, does undoubtedly take in all thofe Martyrs, which have fuffered for the Caufe of Chrift and the Gospel : And if fo, then they were fpiritually Rifen with Chrift, before they fuffered for him, and therefore they cannot be faid to rife to fuch a Life again, at the beginning of the thousand Years, becaufe they never loft that Life, when their Bodies died; then this firft Refurrection must be a Refurrection of the Body,

Sixthly,

Sixthly, The living again of the rest of the Dead, (by which the Wicked must be meant) at the end of the thousand Tears, refpects the Refurrection of the Body, as before proved; then, of undeniable Confequence, the firft Refurrection of the Saints, at the beginning of the thousand Years, muft be the Refurrection of their Bodies alfo. For there can be no fhew in Reafon, that the Refurrection of the one fhould be taken properly, and the other metaphorically, both being treated upon in one and the fame Difcourfe.

Seventhly, This firft Refurrection at the beginning of the thousand Years, must be the Refurretion of the Body, because we read of no other Refurrection with refpect unto the Saints and Children of God throughout this whole Chapter, but what is to be among the Wicked the reft of the Dead, when the thousand Years are finished. And therefore feeing the Saints muft live and reign with Chrift in the Glory of his Kingdom; it is certain that they muft rife in their Bodies, that they may live and reign with him, which in this Place is called the firft Refurrection.

Eighthly, Befides what hath been faid from this 20th Chapter, for the Proof of the Refurrection of the Saints, before the wicked; we have other Texts of Scriptures, agreeing to the Confirmation of this Truth. As Pfal. xlix. 14. Like Sheep they are laid in the Grave, Death fhall feed on them; and the Upright fhall have Dominion over them in the Morning, and their Beauty hall confume in the Grave from their Dwelling. In this Text we have a plain Diftinction made between the Godly and the Ungodiy, not only here but at the Refurrecti

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