through heaven, ("Let all the angels of God worship him"), and through all the earth in the gofpel, with the Holy Ghoft fent down from heaven, and acknowledged in the joyful acclamations of worshipping angels and fpirits of just men in heaven, and of his people on the earth? There must have been a very great alteration in heaven, when the Mediator of the new covenant prepared the throne of his kingdom there, and fat down on the throne of his holinefs to rule the nations from thence, Pfal. xlvii. 5.-8. and ciii 19.-22. This appearance of Jefus Chrift in heaven, as it was, fo to speak, the filling up of a place there that was empty before, fo it made a vast alteration in the whole state of things there. For, 2. The Old-Teftament faints that died in the faith, and were in heaven before Jefus entered there, were hereby per fected; that is, they came to the enjoyment of that which they believed and hoped for on earth, and which they were expecting in heaven; even the accomplishment of the great Old-Teftament promises of Chrift, and the good things to be brought in by him They now fee the promifed feed in whom all the nations of the earth are bleffed, and their happinefs is enlarged in becoming members of this glorious general affembly and church now erected, and in receiving of the fpirit from Jefus Chrift, as it was given to him in an inconceivably-glorious manner, after he afcended to the right hand of God, that he might fill the things in heaven as well as on earth, Acts ii. 33. Eph. iv. 10. This was David's faith and hope now he fees the throne of his kingdom eftablished before him for ever. And this is what he fets forth as the faith, hope, earneft defire, and prayer of the OldTeftament faints, Pfal. lxv. 4. 5.; where we see they expected to be abundantly satisfied with the good things of this houfe of God, which is a house of prayer for all flesh, to which they have accefs, according to an election of grace. And the Old-Teftament faints have the answer of their prayers for the accomplishment of the promise of the Messiah, in those terrible things in righteoufnefs which befell the Jewish nation when the Lord demolished that earthly church, and in his becoming the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and "of them afar off upon the fea, or in the isles.” And now David, that fat in the Lord's throne in the typical kingdom, which is removed, has all his defire, in beholding his Son and Lord fitting on his throne, and in being a fellow-subject with New-Teftament believers of all nations. Mofes, who was faithful faithful as a fervant in all the old earthly house, which is de molished, is now farther advanced, in being a part of his heavenly house, a ftone of this glorious building of God over which is Jefus Chrift, the Son of God; yea, that great prophet and lawgiver is now more happy, in hearing this prophet, and receiving the law from his mouth. And Abraham, the father of the faithful, that rejoiced to fee his day afar off, is now bleffed among his brethren of all nations, in beholding his glorious promised feed. Thus the Lord Jefus, our King, reigns in Mount Zion, and before his ancients gloriously, If. xxiv. 23. and they are come to the full enjoyment of what they were till now expecting: so being perfected, according to Heb. xi. 9. 10. 13. 14. 15. 16. 39. 40. and xii. 2 3. "received not the promise God having provided fome "better thing for us, that they without us fhould not be "made perfect. And we are come to the fpirits of just men "made perfect." they 3. The innumerable company of angels are likewise brought into a new order, in subjection to the man Jefus Chrift, who is the Son of God, Pet. iii. 22. Col. ii. 10. They have received a great addition to their knowledge, and their happiness is much enlarged now beyond what it was be fore, by being admitted to behold the glory of Chrift in the New-Teftament church, Tim iii 16. Pet. i. 12. Eph. iii. 10. and by their having a part in this glorious fociety whereof Chrift is the head. For though he took not on him their nature, and though they were not redeemed by his blood, and be not fo near to him as his brethren the redeemed are; yet they owe their prefervation from falling to him, accor ding to their election unto this his kingdom: therefore they are called the elect-angels, 1 Tim. v. 21. They are com prehended in the things in heaven that are now gathered together in one in Chrift, with the things on earth, and reconciled by him, Eph. i. 10. Col. i. 20. And we are said to be come to the innumerable company of angels, Heb. xii. 22. They bear fome part in the church's worship, Heb. i. Rev. v. TI. 12. They are now fellow-fervants with us unto the man Chrift Jefus, Rev. xix. 10. and xxii. 9. And this is one excellency of the New-Teftament church above the Old, that it is not fubjected to angels, as that was; but they are now fubjected to him that was made lower than they for the fuffering of death, and are fellow fubjects with his fervants, Heb. i. & ii. Confider Chap. ii. 2. 3. 5. "They are all miniftring spirits, "fent forth to minifter unto them who fhall be heirs of fal"vation," H 2 “vation," and are present in gospel-churches; and they will appear with the head of the church miniftering to him and his members, when the church fhall be fully feparated from all other focieties, Matth. xiii and xxv. 31. Something of this kind feems to be pointed out by our Lord, in his faying to Nathanael, when he profeffed his faith in him as the King of Ifrael," Because I said unto thee, I faw thee under the "fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt fee greater things than thefe. And he faith unto him, Verily verily I fay unto 66 you, Hereafter you fhall fee heaven open, and the angels "of God afcending and defcending upon the Son of man." This new order among the angels miniftering unto David's Son in his kingdom, according to Pfal. ciii. toward the close, is a notable alteration in heaven; and it may be also noticed, that the angels feem to have received fomething of his fpirit, for ferving him in his church, Rev. xix. 10. Thus he that afcended above all heavens, that he might fill all things, has filled the Old-Teftament faints, and his angels, and now they are the angels of the Son of man, Matth. xxiv. 30. 31. 4. There is a notable alteration in the worship of heaven, by Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant his entering there, and appearing as the flain Lamb alive again in the midst of the throne. Of this we may have fome view in comparing the 4th and 5th chapters of the Revelation, and confidering the difference betwixt the worship described in the one and the other. Yea, and now heaven is opened as the fanctuary for finners of all nations on earth, and a house of prayer for all people, that they may join in the worship of the Lamb, and of him that fits on the throne, with that glo. rious company above, as one worshipping affembly, Heb. ix. and x. This was not while the firft tabernacle was standing; for then the way into "the holieft of all" was not thus manifeft. But more of this afterward. Only we may notice to this purpose, Rev. v. 13. and xiv. 2. 3. where the worship of the company of heaven is reprefented, and the company of the redeemed on earth joining with them in it, and none but they. But this leads unto another obfervation, which is not alien from the words, according to the view I have of them; and it is thus. SECT. Obf. 4." IN this fecond 'fhaking, heaven and earth are joined together." For this we may confider And how this is, Eph. i. 1o. Col. i. 20. and this context. we may confider under these two heads. 1. They in heaven, and believers on earth, are one fociety, one city of God, one building and houfe of God, one kingdom and one family, whereof the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift is the father, and he the Firft-born, the antitype of the firft-born in the family ftate of the church, Eph. iii. 15. The children of this family upon earth, who are but as babes in the cradle, or upon the breafts, in comparison of those above, are yet children of the family, as well as they who fit at their Father's table there. It is one whole family. They in heaven, and they on earth, are not two churches, but one: the fpoufe of Chrift is but one. It is one kingdom of God; and they who were laft, in refpect of the Jews, who inhe rited the old earthly kingdom of God, do now come from the east, weft, north, and fouth, and fit down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, and the prophets, in the kingdom of God. Thus the apoftle fays of the believing Gentiles on earth, that they were "fellow-citizens with the faints, and of the "houfhold of God;" and that they were fellow-heirs, and of the fame body, and partakers of his promife in Chrift by the gofpel, Eph. ii. 19. and iii. 5. 6. The apofle calls this the mystery of Chrift now revealed by the Spirit, even as Eph. i. 9. 10. he calls this the mystery of his will made known to them; his gathering together in one, in the fulness of time, all things in Chrift which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. The church in heaven and on earth is the body of Chrift, his fulness, the fulness of him that filleth all in all, and one whole building, which, being all fitly framed together in him, the foundation and cornerftone, groweth unto an holy temple in him. 2. There is a new communication between heaven and carth opened by this shaking of the heaven and earth together. The faints on earth have access unto that holiest of all by faith, in the new and living way confecrated for them through the vail of Chrift's flesh, and join with them above. in the New-Teftament worship: and from the Lamb in the midst of the throne, that fame Spirit of his that fills them above, comes down upon all the redeemed upon earth; so that that they have a bleffed communion together in Chrift, in whom they are one. And heaven being now opened by Jefus's entering there, the angels of God are afcending and descending upon the Son of man, the antitype of Jacob's ladder; which is the great thing that our Lord called Na thanael and the difciples to look after. Obf. દ 5. By means of this shaking, not the earth only, "but also heaven, the state of the church is now become "heavenly," Gal. iv. 26. Phil. iii. 20. Eph. i. 3. and ii. 6. and iii. 1o. Col. iii 1 and the context. On this account, it is called the heavenly Jerufalem. This alfo is the reafon of that common defignation of the church in the New Testament, the kingdom of heaven. And that the ftate of the church is now heavenly, may appear, if we confider these things. 1. The fanctuary, or holy place of the church's worship, is now heaven itself, where Jefus is entered. The New-Te ftament fanctuary is not a worldly fanctuary, as that of the Old Teftament. It is no more in any place of this earth, John iv. 21." Ye fhall neither in this mountain, nor yet "at Jerufalem, worfhip the Father" Heb. ix. 11. "being come an high priest of good things to come, by "Chrift a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with "hands, that is to fay, not of this building" Yet this church has a fanctuary as well as the Old Teftament church. It has fomething instead of that worldly fanctuary, which is done away. And the Apostle plainly tells us, that this is heaven itself, Heb.ix. 12. 24. "By his own blood he entered "in once into that holy place. -For Chrift is not entered "into the holy places made with bands, which are the figures "of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the "prefence of God for us. The way into this holiest of all was not yet made manifeft, while the firft tabernacle was "yet ftanding," Heb. ix. 8. I ut now by Jesus's entering heaven, as the high-prieft of the church, heaven is become. the fanctuary for us; and we have "boldness to enter into "this holieft by his blood, by a new and living way that he "hath confecrated for us, through the vail, that is to fay, "his flesh," Heb. x. 19. 20. It was the appearance of the Son of God forefhewing his incarnation, and fome way manifefting himself. prefent, that made the places where he fo manifefted himself holy. And when he was actually incarnate, his prefence in the fecond temple made it more glorious than the firft, though it wanted the |