The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 26
SECT. XXVI.
THe ſeventeenth and laſt place in Iſaiah is Chapter 66. v. 5. &c. to the end of the Chapter.*This place of Iſa 66. from the fifth verſe, &c. Juſtin Martyr, in his Dialog. cum Tryph. p. 312. doth teſtifie, to belong to the Kingdome of Chriſt, that is to be at his ſecond coming: In which words (ſaith he, commending this place of Iſa.) is foreign the maſtery of our being againe generated, or made new at the Reſurrection, foreign and abſolutely of all, who expect Chriſt ſhall appear at Jeruſalem, and by well doing ſtudy to pleaſe him. Thus Juſt. Mart. with which Mr. Mead is much taken, and underſtands him in thoſe words foreign to mean the Reſurrection of the godly.
§. 1 The Prophet in the fifth verſe, directs his ſpeech to them that in an holy manner, trembled at Gods word. The effect of his ſpeech there is, that though their falſe brethren hated them, and caſt them out for Gods name ſake, ſaying, Let the Lord be glorified (that is, we have done well in caſting them out, or let God appeare in his glory to ſhew favour to you, if we have not done well in caſting you out) yet the Lord ſhould appear to their joy (that had been ſo hated and caſt out for his name ſake) and thoſe their falſe brethren ſhould bee aſhamed.
§. 2 In the ſeven and eight verſes moſt evidently the Prophet ſetteth forth the manner of the converſion of the Jews, I ſay, converſion (their ſettlement will coſt longer time, as it ſeems Dan. 12. the three laſt verſes) viz. their converſion ſhall bee as the birth of a child, before the mother is in pain; as the birth of a Nation at once, which well may bee, being to bee done by the appearance of Chriſt in the Clouds.
§. 3 In the 10. and 11. verſes: All Nations muſt rejoyce with Jeruſalem, becauſe they ſhall ſuck the breaſts of her conſolations; that is, ſhare in her comforts. ##
§. 4 In the twelfth verſe, The Lord will extend peace to Jeruſalem like a River, and the glory of the Gentiles, like a flowing ſtream. See a glorious conjunction of Jews and Gentiles.
§. 5 In the 13, and 14, 15, 16. verſes, is ſet forth the ſenſible comforts of the Church, and the corporall deſtruction of their enemies. As one whom his mother comforteth, ſo will I comfort you, and ye ſhall be comforted in Jeruſalem, and when ye ſee this, your heart ſhall rejoyce, and your bones ſhall flouriſh like an herb, and the hand of the Lord ſhall be known towards his ſervants, and his indignation towards his enemies. For behold the Lord will come with fire, &c. For by fire, and by his ſword will the Lord plead with all fleſh, and the ſlain of the Lord ſhall be many. Illuſtrated verſ. 24. They ſhall go forth, and look upon the carkaſſes that have tranſgreſſed againſt me; for their worm ſhall not dye, nor their fire be quenched, and they ſhall be an abhorring to all fleſh: Which in the generall to bee taken literally, is confeſſed both by Jews and Chriſtians. Conſult our new Annotationiſts upon the place. See Sect. 41. §. 5. ¶. 2.
§. 6 In the 18, 19, 20, and 21. verſes is held forth to us the congregating of all Nations both Jews and Gentiles into union of true religious worſhip, and beholding of the glory of God, and that (as the Jewiſh Doctors expound it) in his deſtruction of the enemies of the Church, in the dayes of the Meſsias.
In the 22. verſe, we have the height and length of this glorious eſtate of the univerſall Church of Jews and Gentiles on earth. It is no lower then a ſtate of a new Heaven and a new Earth: And it is to be perpetuated; It is to remain unalterable; continue (ſay our new Annotationiſts) for ever.
§. 7 Now theſe things were never yet fulfilled according to the phraſes and circumſtances of the place, as to the Gentiles, nor in the ſubſtance as to the Jews, who remaine totally unconverted to Chriſt, and are diſperſed and deſpiſed (to our ſorrow) throughout the world. But God muſt be true, therefore theſe muſt be fulfilled, and on earth before the ultimate judgement, as every verſe doth hint unto us. And therefore St. John in the Revelation Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, and Chapter 21. doth apply theſe in a way of Propheſie to the glorious ſtate of the Church on earth yet to come at the fall of Antichriſt. I ſhal give you them in ſumme and ſhort, becauſe I have before ſo often made particular applications of them. Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. How much ſhe hath glorified her ſelfe, ſo much ſorrow and torment ſhall be given her. Her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and ſhe ſhall be utterly burnt with fire. Rejoyce over her thou heaven, and ye holy Apoſtles and Prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. And after theſe things, I heard a great voyce of much people, &c. ſaying, Allelujah, ſalvation, and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God, for true, and righteous are thy judgementss, for he hath judged the great Whore that hath corrupted the earth, and hath avenged the blood of his Saints. And again, they ſaid Allelujah. And the foure and twenty Elders ſaid Amen, Allelujah. And I heard as it were the voyce of a great multitude, and as the voyce of many waters, and as the voyce of mighty thunderings, ſaying, Allelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. And the beaſt and the falſe Prophet were taken and caſt into the lake fire: And the reſt were ſlain with the ſword. But the Saints reigned with Chriſt a thouſand yeers, in the new Heavens, and new Earth, to whom the Kings of the earth, and Nations of the world bring their honour.
§. 8 Now let him that readeth underſtand, and conſider, whether he were beſt to beleeve his owne phantaſie, or the opinions of men, rather then St. Johns ſeries and ſyſtem of Viſions and Propheſies, ſo aptly in phraſe and matter expounding the Prophet Iſaiah, of a future glorious ſtate of the Church on earth yet to come.
Thus of the Prophet Iſaiah.