then we have this Hope, and this Confidence,

let us perfift in Piety and in Virtue unfhaken, Rom. viii. as knowing that our Labour will not be in vain 18,19,20, in the Lord.

21, 22,

CHAP. IX.

Of the first and laft Refurrection: Of the new Heavens, and the new Earth, and the Renovation of Nature: Of the Millennian Kingdom of Chrift, and the Confummation of all Things.

W

E have above taken Notice of a double Refurrection: The firft, which is to be particular: And the laft, which is to be univerfal. Which Diftinction, indeed, is rarely to be met with in the facred Writings, and only in the Revelations of St. John, exprefly, if I am not mistaken. Nor does this in the leaft hurt the Truth of the Thing, nor is it foreign from the Use and Manner of the holy Spirit. The Prophets in the Old Teftament did not foretel a double Coming of a Meffiah, at least, not explicitly, or in an Expreffion adapted to the Capacity of the Jews; to whom it neither was known formerly, nor does it yet feem to be known. And, therefore, no Body ought to wonder, at leaft, no Body ought to be offended, if Providence has been lefs frequent, or more

flow

flow in the Revelation of this double Refurrection; or at its referving the unfolding of that Mystery for the laft of its Prophets: For fince it was his Bufinefs to comprehend and explain in his Prophecy both the profperous and the adverse Fates of the Chriftian Church through every Age, to the Confummation of all Things; both the Occafion, the Time, and the Reafon of the Thing required, that he fhould not pafs by unmentioned or in Silence the Millennian Kingdom of Christ, or the first Refurrection of the Saints: Therefore in the twentieth Chapter of his Prophecy, he has difcover'd and explain'd this Secret, which had lain hid through fo many. Ages.

BESIDES, we are to obferve, that from this Error or Blindness of the Jews, concerning one only Coming of the Meffiah, many other Errors proceeded. From hence they expected that the Meffiah would be glorious, and illuftrious, and powerful, from his very first Appearance; the Glory of his fecond Coming being unhappily transferr'd to the first, or both being in one and the fame confounded. Then they referred several Things befides, which related entirely to the fecond Coming of the Meffiah, to the Days of the Meffiah promifcuoufly and without Distinction. And from thence they believed, that the Resurrection would happen without any Distinction in the Days of the Meffiah. From hence the Renovation

of

of Earth, and Heaven, and all the other Marks of those happy and glorious Times, which the Prophets foretold would be in the Days of the Meffiah; that then the Age would come, of which they place fo many, and fuch wonderous Things to the Days of the Meffiah. The Jews foretel that these and feveral Things befides, as Peace and Juftice, univerfal Plenty, and a Government entirely divine, would happen in those Days; and all these Things they foretel most truly, if they are referred to the fecond Coming of the Meffiah. Distinguish but the Times, and all Things will then agree. But from the not rightly diftinguishing those, no small Confufion formerly arofe in the Faith of the Jews, with regard to the foremention'd Heads, and no fmall Confufion to this very Day remains.

AFTER the fame Manner, there has arisen a Diffention and Obfcurity, concerning the Nature and State of the Bodies which we fhall have at the Refurrection, because the Christian Authors have not distinguished the first Resurrection, from the fecond; fome, for Example, contending for Flesh and Blood, and an organical Frame, and Bodies compounded and fhap'd like those which we have at prefent, while others are of Opinion, that our grofs Bodies will be chang'd into thin and ætherial ones. Each of thefe Opinions may be true, provided you diftinguish between the two Refurrections. Upon the

S

the first Resurrection, for Example, when we are to live under the new Heavens, and upon the new Earth, our Bodies will be terreftrial, and compounded and fhap'd like those which we now have: But at the End of the Millennium, when we afcend into Heaven, the fame will be chang'd into Celeftial and Ætherial Bodies, as the Nature of the Place and that Angelical Life will manifeftly require; which we obferv'd above.

BUT the Renovation of the World, and the Millennian Kingdom of Christ, which are Things of the greatest Weight, will precede this Afcenfion into Heaven, and fecond Refurrection, concerning which we speak: We are obliged, therefore, to fay a few Things beforehand concerning them. But a few Things will be fufficient, because we have treated more largely of each of them in the facred Theory of the Earth, 1. iv.

THE general Conflagration being over, and the Earth, by the extream Force of thofe Fires, being reduc'd to a fort of a Chaos; from that Chaos, by the Influence of divine Power and Wisdom, a new Earth is to be form'd, after the Image of the primitive and Paradifaick one, that is, without any Ocean, without Mountains or broken Rocks, or rugged Inequalities; to which will answer a new Heaven, ferene and mild, and without naufeous Vapours; and then will flourish a perpetual Spring, free from

1

the

the Viciffitudes of Seafons, or the Inconve niencies of Heat and Cold; concerning which new and at prefent unusual Phænomena's; in the forefaid Book, we have fufficiently Theor. treated:

Prædic.

c. 5. & g.

& lxvi.

I.

ALL Antiquity, as well facred as profane, has celebrated this future Renovation of the World, as we have fhewn in another Place: Among the ancient Prophets, Ifaiah twice declares, that there would be new Heavens, Chap. Ixv. and a new Earth; and adds, that the Marks of this Renovation of Nature would be the Longevity, or rather the Immortality of its Inhabitants, and a Race of harmlefs Animals. St. John, in his Vifions concerning Rev. xxl, the new Jerufalem, acquaints us, that he had beheld new Heavens and a new Earth; and adds, that the Characteristical Mark of that new Earth would be, that it would have no Sea: This Refurrection of the World, if I may use the Expreffion, is faid by Christ to be wahyysvoia; in which Term is in- Mat. xixi cluded the Pre-existence of the World, which is understood here, its Destruction, and its Regeneration. After the fame Manner St. Peter; in his Discourse to the Jews, Acts iii. makes ufe of ἀποκατάςασις, the Times of the 21. Reftitution of all Things: And both in one and the other Paffage, you have for a Characteristical Mark a Time of Reward and Recompence, and by confequence an Age to come. St. Paul, in feveral Places, hints Rom. viii. at this future Renovation of the World:

28.

20, 21.