is the " sun of righteousness") in their hearts. Nor can it be the glory after the last judgement which he and they waited for ; but-"We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, &c."q

Now there are four notable things to be considered in the text. First that there is now, so long after Christ's ascension, a time of refreshing to come for the Jews (to whom these words were spoken) as well as for others; at which time their sins should be totally blotted out: for as regards the Church the state whereof we speak will be sinless. Second, that this time of refreshing shall be as arising from, or proceeding from, the presence (or face προσωπου) of the Lord, which evidently signifies a sight of Christ. Third, that God shall send Jesus which was before preached to them: he had sent him already by incarnation; notwithstanding, God will again send him. Fourth, it is said, Christ comes for the restitution of all things: not for the destitution, or destruction of all things. Restitution signifies restoring; restoring signifies an attainment of that perfection that was lost, either in men, or things. Now their spiritual condition was in part restored; but the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For the whole creation groaneth, &c. until now: and not only they, but we ourselves also, that have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the redemption of our bodies."r

Now lay all together, viz. that both men and things groan after this estate; that the creatures shall share in it; that it relates distinctly, with an emphasis, to the bodies of the saints and then meditate, whether it be likely that a supernal state of glory in the highest heavens be here meant ! No: the heavens above need no making new! nor have they any earth in them. The new Jerusalem, to which the kings shall bring their honor, comes down from heaven; so that it is a new state of glory below.

This also should be well weighed; that the restitution of all things must of necessity be before the ultimate end of the world. For according to the notion our opponents conceive of the end of the world, there shall be the dissolution of the earth, and no need

of the heavens. And if there shall be then a restitution of some men (namely the elect) to supernal glory; yet that will not amount to the phrase in the text, viz. the restitution of all things: for not only all the elect, but all the creation, expect a restitution.

Moreover it is said, that the heaven must contain Christ until the restitution of all things; which clearly infers, that Christ must come out of heaven when he shall restore all things. And how? even as it is expressed in Acts i, 11, spoken by angels, and attested by St. Luke: "This same Jesus which is "taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye " have seen him go into heaven.”

Matthew xxiii, 38, 39.

"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate ! for I say unto "you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is "He that cometh in the Name of the Lord."

This cannot be meant of Christ's coming immediately after his resurrection; for it is plain, that between the time of speaking this and his coming with that acclamation, "Blessed is he that cometh, &c." their house, or habitation, to whom he speaks, must be left desolate. The speech is directed point blank to the Jews, and more keenly to that portion of them inhabiting Jerusalem. So the connexion, -" O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou " that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto "thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together,

even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye "would not. Behold, (mark the connexion, or inference) your "house is left unto you desolate; for, I say unto you, Ye shall "not see me, &c." Luke inserts Christ's great asseveration, "VERILY I say unto you, Ye shall not see me;" and expresses it more fully, that this welcoming of Christ was not just at hand, in that he saith, "Ye shall not see me until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed, &c." And both Luke and Matthew state it with the emphasis of a double negative-ου μη με ιδητε : that is, ye shall by no means (or manner) see me till that time ;which was verified in the circumstance, that only the disciples or brethren saw him at his resurrection.

What this leaving their house desolate is, our Saviour ex

pounds presently; for having said in the last two verses of Matt. xxiii, "Your house is left desolate, &c." in the first verse of the next chapter he says of the city and building, " that "there shall not be left there one stone upon another that shall

not be thrown down;-and that they should see the abomina"tion of desolation set up in the holy place;" expounded by St. Luke to be the compassing about Jerusalem with the heathenish Roman armies.

Now the performance of this thing cannot be referred, either to the time between Christ's resurrection and ascension, or to the ultimate day of judgement. Not to the former period, because this is spoken (as we have demonstrated) to the generality of the Jews, who had killed the prophets, and stoned them that were sent unto them_(verse 37) whose house therefore is to be left desolate. Nor to the latter period; because that is no time of conversion of the Jews to cause the acclamation, Blessed is he that cometh, &c.; but of judging men according to the condition they are found in.*

I add, that this cannot be meant of the Jews seeing him only by faith. For it is opposed to their not seeing henceforward with bodily eyes, between this speech and that same 'until.' So that the result of the sense is the same with Acts i, 11.-"This

"

same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner, as ye have seen him go up into heaven.” Or with that of Rev. i, 7,-" Every eye shall see him." Clearly therefore the meaning must be, that as Christ thought it requisite to appear visibly in the clouds to convert so resolute an enemy to him as was Saul; so shall he think it meet to appear yet, before the ultimate judgement, to convert the Jews so long blinded. Just as it is said in Daniel xii, 1, "Michael shall "stand up, (that is, say some learned, shall visibly appear,) "which standeth for the children of thy people." The word על, rendered for, may be translated over; as much as to say, he should appear over them in the clouds;-which, according to the twelfth verse, is to be 1335 days, (that is years,) after the ceasing of the daily sacrifice; at which time Daniel shall stand in his lot upon earth. (v. 13.)

The result is, that the coming here mentioned respects a future period, and yet before the final judgement; which is also the opinion of the great critic Dan. Heinsius.*

"

Luke xix, 11-28.

"He added, and spake a parable, because he was nigh to "Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God " should immediately appear. A certain nobleman went into a "far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return ; "and he called his ten servants, and delivered to them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his "citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We " will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass " when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he "commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom "he gave the money, &c. Then came the first, saying, Lord,

thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, "Well, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a "little, have thou authority over ten cities, &c.-But those " mine enemies that would not Lave me reign over them, bring " them hither and slay them before me."

The preface to this parable is a golden key to open its meaning, that we may not rely upon a mere allegory. Christ spake this parable, "because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because

they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately "appear." It doth not deny the appearing of the kingdom;

Christ is for it: only he is against the immediate appearance of it. He must before that go away into a far country," viz. to heaven; and leave talents in trust with his servants, giving them time to employ them; and be so long absent, that his enemies grow bold enough to send after him with this high affront, "that they would not have him to reign over them:" that is, some seeming professors should, by his long absence, grow quite careless of improving the talents, or gifts of endowments, to his honor; and others by his delay (as they account it) should become professed enemies against him.

But whatever these mistakers dreamed, the truth was, that as the diligent talenters expected, and accordingly acted, Christ went away to heaven, -not to be ever absent, but to take to HIMSELF a kingdom; (which phrase must signify a kingdom peculiar to himself, as he is Christ ;) and being installed into it, he is to return. He had his kingdom of grace before he went away, which he oft refers to in his discourses; and he had the kingdom of glory as his triumph over his kingdom of grace, having finished his conquest on the cross: so he needed not to return to receive either of these kingdoms. It remains therefore, that it is the kingdom we speak of that he returns to receive.

Now Christ went to heaven to be installed into the kingdom of this earth; that being the imperiality, to which this is the tributary, or province; or that being the metropolis, and this the territories. Express enough it is at all events, that he went away into a far country; which can be no other but heaven, Christ having never travelled bodily out of his own country.

There are also several other pas ages in this parable for Christ's visible appearance, and setting up his visible kingdom of power on earth, yet before the ultimate day of judgement. First, his giving to the improvers of their talents, -to one the rule over ten cities, to another the rule over five cities. Secondly, the different dispensations of justice towards him that had not improved his talent, who is cast into outer darkness; and towards his enemies, whom he causes to be slain before his face. All this suits not to Christ's mere kingdom of grace, neither does it comport with the ultimate day of judgement; but they well agree with Christ's appearing to set up his visible kingdom.