the manner how he was created or formed, viz. out of the Duft of the Ground, v. 7. See again in Rev. i. 4 and 5. Grace be unto you and Peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the Seven Spirits which is before the Throne. And from Jefus Chrift who is the faithful Witness, the firft begotten of the Dead, &c. Moft certain it is, that the Trinity of Perfons is held forth unto us, in thefe two Verfes, and from whom it is that Grace and Peace does flow. And yet we fee that the third Perfon is here mentioned in the fecond, and the second Perfon in the third Place. Wherein I humbly conceive that God in his infinite Wifdom, is pleafed fome times to run crofs, and thwart the Wifdom of Men. Who forfooth muft not have a Word out of Order, which Wisdom (as high Value as they have of it) is but Foolishness with God.

Well then, this tenth Verfe, though expreffed before the time of the Judgment, is but a Defcription or a Declaration of the difmal, dreadful State and Condition of the Gog and Magog, with the Beaft, falfe Prophets, and the Devils which de ceived them (who are mentioned in particular) as being caft (after the Fudgment is ended) into the Lake of Fire and Brimftone; where they fhall be tormented Day and Night for ever and ever. Pray let us mind that Expreflion Day and Night. Will there be both Day and Night in Hell? (For moft certain, by the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, no other than Hell can be understood) I anfwer no, there will be no Day, no Light, nor Comfort in Hell for ever. And therefore this is only to fignify the Continuation or Endlefnefs of their Tor

ments;

ments; which is faid to be for ever and ever. But now we come to the laft Judgment.

Verfe 11. And I saw a great white Throne, and bim that fat on it, from whofe Face the Earth and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no Place for them.

John had a vifionary Sight of these Things, a great White Throne, together with him that fat upon it; which was the Lord Jefus Chrift. This great Throne can be no other than the Throne or Seat of Judgment. It is call'd a great Throne, to fhew the Greatness, Power, and Authority of the Judge. Secondly, A white Throne, to fignify or reprefent the Juftice, Purity, Uprightnefs and Integrity of the Judge, or the righteous Proceeding of the Lord in judging. Here will be no Bribes, nor taking of Gifts for to blind the Eyes of this Fudge, as there may be in earthly Judges: No, for the Lord will proceed in a way of pure Juftice with all his Creatures; infomuch, that every Mouth fhall be stopped, and not one Soul will have a Word to fay against Jefus Chrift in the Day of Fudg ment. Then all thofe Cavils and Objections which are now made by Men againft the Works, Councels, Decrees, and Providence of God, shall be filenced for ever. Because the Lord Jefus Chrift will in that Day anfwer each of them, and clear up all thofe Difficult Apprehenfions which now, arife in the Minds of many: So that every poor Sinner fhall

fee

fee, and be forced to acknowledge, that his Condemnation is juft, and altogether of himself.

By that other Expreffion in thefe Words, and from whofe Face the Earth and Heaven fled away, that no Place was found for them. I do understand, that fuch will be the awful and dreadful Terribleness (as well as the Glory) of this Judge, to be intended: So as that the Earth and vifible Heavens, which have been defiled with Sin, will not be able to bear the Sight or Prefence of this Judge, when he fhall appear in his Glory; but will flee away, and go off of the Stage, when Chrift fhall fit upon bis great white Throne: And if fo, how then fhall the Sinner, or Ungodly, ftand in the Judgment.

By the Earth and Heaven fleeing away, we are not to underftand it of the Subftance (as before) but of the Fashion, Form, and Figure of these that now are. Which will indeed flee away, and wholly go. off, fo as that no Place in this World fhall any more be found for them; when the Lord Jefus Chrift defcends from Heaven, to take Poffeffion of his Kingdom, For then it is, that the Earth and Heavens fhall flee away, (though not fo expreffed as here until the Entrance of the laft Judgment) to make room and give Place, that the row Heaven and Earth may fucceed them, in the time of the Kingdom of Chrift. And the Reafon of thefe my Thoughts is, because the Bodies of all the Ungodly, muft lie buried in the Bowels of the Earth, as well as at the bottom of the Sea; who are not to rife or live again until the End of the thousand Tears.

And when the time is come, that they muft arife and stand before the Judgment Seat of Jefus Chrift, they shall not enter into this glorious City,

where

where Chrift and the Saints fhall fit upon their Thrones to judge them; but muft ftand at fome Diftance, upon the Account that nothing which finneth or defileth fhall enter into it. Yet they muft appear each one in their Order, as they fhall be called before the Lord Jefus and his People; that they may give an Account of what fhall be found written in the Books. As for the reftored Earth where they fhall ftand, they will receive no Benefit from that, but rather an Increafe of their Punishment, because they will carry a Hell about with them all this time in their very Confcience. And then when the Judgment is over, I do not think that they fhall continue here on Earth to be punished; or that the Earth when restored to its Paradifical Excellency, fhall afterwards be turned into a Hell, according to the Judgment of fome. No, we have no Warrant

thing. But that the restore to believe any fuch

Earth, with Imperial Heaven (according to my Thoughts) fhall be the Place of Habitation for the glorified Saints and Angels for ever. And that there will be a continual Egrets a Regrefs, or an afcending and and defcending from each to other, at their Pleafure, during an endless Eternity. And that after the Sentence is paft on the Ungodly, upon the clofing up of the Judgment, they must go away into everlasting Punishment, where Hell now is, and was from the beginning. This I apprehend to be fo, (though I do defire to fubmit to those who are Men of better Underftanding) because we do not find, in any Part of God's Word, that when these new Heaven and Earth are once erected, that they hall flee away or be destroyed: Upon the Account

that

that they will never be tainted or defiled with Sin as the former was.

Verse 12. And I faw the Dead, Small and great, ftand before God, and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books, according to their Works.

This undoubtedly muft be the laft Judgment of all the Wicked and Ungodly; because here we read of the Dead both fmall and great, ftanding before God, the Books opened, &c. which is to begin upon the ending of the thousand Years; and may both be called but as one Day of Judgment, upon the Account that this long Duration of time, which will be taken up in the judging of the Godly and and the Ungodly, is with the Lord but as one Day. By the Dead in this Place, must be understood of the rest of the Dead. ; or the whole Number of all the Wicked, mentioned in Verfe five, who are now to rife and live again, in order to their being judged. The Judgment of the Saints, being in the time of the thousand Years Reign, is now ended, upon which the laft and general Judgment of all the ungodly doth begin. For moft certain it is, according to the Expreffion of the Holy Ghoft, that the Saints fhall judge the World, each one by bearing Witnefs against the Wicked, in each of their particular Generations; and joining with or approving of the righteous Sentence, which by the Lord Jefus Chrift fhall in that Day be pronounced against them. And if fo then the Judg