The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

A SERMON Preached upon.

REVELAIONS XX. 5.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first Resurrection.

WHAT is meant by the first Resurrection here, is to be discerned by the verses preceding. They tell you of Christ, the Great Angel, binding the De∣vil in a great chain, and casting him into the bottomless pit a thousand years, 1, 2, 3 verses, and of thrones set, and some sitting on them, and judgment given to them; and those that were martyred for the profession of Christ living and reigning with him a thousand years, vers. 4. But the rest of the dead lived not again, &c.

The end, for which Christ thus bound the Devil being considered, will help to clear and unfold the whole matter, and that you have vers. 3. That he should deceive the Na∣tions no more: i. e. that he should not delude the Heathen or Gentiles, as he had done. From the casting off the Gentiles at Babel, the Devil had kept all the world under a perpetual cheat, to worship Idols, to sacrifice to Devils, to live and walk in all the ways of the Devil, till Christ sent his Gospel among them to teach them better. This then was the Chain, whereby the Great Angel of the Covenant, Christ, tyed up the Devil, that he should not cheat the world as he had before done, viz. sending the Gospel among them, by the preaching and power of which he restrained and quelled that power and deluding of the Devil. The Heathen by the instruction of the Gospel come to know and worship and fear the true God, to cast away their Idols, to defy the Devil and his works, and to laugh his Oracles and delusions to scorn. Dagon is now fallen before the Ark of God, and his head, and hands broken off, and now Dagon is left but a meer stump. Je∣richo's walls are fallen flat with no other Engin but only the sound of Trumpets made of rams-horns; the strong hold of Satan cast down with the only sound of the great trump of the Gospel: and he himself tyed up that he shall no more cheat and cousin the world, till a thousand years be expired; and then he is loosed again, and cousins the world by Popery now, as he had done by Heathenism then.

The poor Heathen thus recovered out of the power of Satan by the coming in of the Gospel among them, did creep out of their graves of Ignorance, Idolatry and Sinfulnss, in which they had layn stinking and rotting so many ages together, had life put into them, to live to God: they are awaked out of their dust and long sleep, to see and act and live as the children of God. And this is that, which is here called, The first Resurrection.

And the very same title doth our Saviour give to the very same thing, John V. 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. That he speaks of the first re∣surrection: and of the last, at vers. 28, 29. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice; And shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation. And do but consider, how great and near a parallel there is twixt this first, and that last resurrection. That last shall raise men from the death of the body; this raised the Heathen from the death of the Soul. That shall be by the powerful sound of the Trump of God; this was by the powerful sound of the Trumpet of the Gospel. That

will be acted by an infinite power raising men dead in the grave: this was acted by an in∣finite power raising men dead in sins.

But the rest of the dead lived not again, till the thousand years were finished. And did they live then? The Millenary will tell you, Yes. For his conceit about these thou∣sand years is this. That at the begining of the thousand years, those that suffered mar∣tyrdom for Christs sake shall be raised out of their graves, and reign with Christ a thou∣sand years, and when the thousand years are finished there shall be the general resur∣rection. And accordingly they construe: the words before us to this sence. The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years were finished. And then lived

An opinion, as like the opinion of the Jews, as one egg is like another. They think, Christ shall reign among them on earth a thousand years pompous reign: So do these. They think that at the beginning of his reign the holy Prophets and Patriarchs shall be rai∣sed from death, and reign with him: So these. They think, that at the end of his thou∣sand years reign, there shall be the general resurrection, and world of Eternity: so do these. So that the Millenary doth Judaize, and he knows it not, he is fallen into the Jews opinion, and is not aware of it.

This book of Revelations is exceeding full of expressions that allude to the Jewish customs and opinions. I say, again, is exceeding full; but it were ridiculous to think, that such passages are to be construed in the same literal sense, that the Jews took them in. Only those common and well known things, as being familiar to the Nation, are used to signifie or illustrate some spiritual sence or matter. Expressions are used in this place, that are agreeable in sound to the opinion of the Jews; but not agreeable in sence, but signifying something else. They conceit a personal pompous reign of Christ on earth a thousand years in all earthly state and gallantry. These words speak of a reign of Christ a thousand years, but they mean his reign and ruling by his Word and Spirit; and of his subduing and bringing the Nations into subjection and obedience, but by the Ministry of the Gospel. They speak of those that had been martyred reigning with him, but the meaning only is to intimate, that the children of his kingdom must suffer persecu∣tion, and that they shall lose nothing by their persecution; but as the Apostle speaks, If they suffer with him, they shall also reign with him. Let us read the verse before, I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God: And which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

But the rest of the dead lived not again, till the thousand years were finished. And did they live then? That is not imaginable, the time of reviving being then past and over. For at the end of the thousand years Satan is let loose again, brings in Popery and Ma∣humetism, and the World grows as Heathenish as it had been before Satans binding and imprisoning. So that they had lost the opportunity of reviving, which was in the thou∣sand years.

The word Until signifies doubly, either concluding or else excluding, you may see my meaning by these examples. The Master in the Parable gives Talents to his servants, and bids them, Occupy till I come. Here the word until concludes that he would come again. This iniquity shall not be purged from you till you dye, Es. XXII. 14. Here the word till excludes them from ever having their iniquity purged. The word until in the text is of this latter construction, and means, that they let slip and embraced not the opportunity of reviving all the thousand years, when was the time of reviving, and so they lived not again at all.

And if we well observe the Histories both of the Heathen and of the Church, we shall find, that all along this time that the Gospel was dispersing through the World, there were multitudes of Heathens that would not forsake their Heathenism; and mul∣titudes in the Church in a little time fell to superstition and worshiping of Images; and so even turned to Heathenism also. Therefore God suffers Satan to be let loose again, to go about in the world again with his delusions: he brings in Popery in the West, and Mahumetism in the East; and so the whole World is returned to blindness and darkness again; because when the light shone they would none of the light. They would not embrace the offer of reviving, when the time and opportunity of reviving was: there∣fore they lived not again, till those thousand years were finished, and then the time of li∣ving again was over.

So that in the words before us we observe three things.

• I. That the raising of the Gentiles from the Death of Sin is called the first Resur∣rection.
• II. That in that time of raising some lost the opportunity, and would not be raised.
• ...

• III. That they losing the opportunity of rising and living missed always of rising and living.

I. As to the first thing named, That the raising of the Gentiles from the death of sin is called the first Resurrection. It gives us occasion to consider, how a mans getting out of the state of sin into the state of grace is a Resurrection or a rising from the dead. And with all to compare this first and last resurrection together, and to see what connexion there is between them.

I. To Sadduces and Atheists that deny the resurrection at the last day, because they can see no reason for it, I should propose this question, Whether there hath not been a raising of dead souls from the death of sin? Abraham once an Idolater; was not his soul dead then? Yet afterwards he was the great Father of the faithful. Was there not then a Resurrection of that dead soul? Manasseh the King, an Idolater, a Conjurer, a Sacrificer of his Sons to Molech, was not this man dead in trespasses and sins? and yet this man afterwards was a Penitent, a Convert, a Promoter of piety, and the true wor∣ship of God. Was not here a Resurrection of a dead Soul? Is God less able to raise a dead body out of the grave, than to raise a dead soul out of its sins? Nay, is not this as great a work of God, as that will be? Christ, that can make such vile souls, that they may be like unto his most glorious soul, cannot he make these vile bodies, that may be like his most glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to sub∣due all things to himself?

II. But let us look upon this first resurrection a little, and blessed and holy is he that hath part in it, over such an one shall the second death have no power. In some things it is not parallel or like to the second resurrection, in more it is.

First, The Second Resurrection shall be of all bodies, this First is not of all souls. And if we come to seek for the reason of the difference, where shall we find it? Can∣not the same power, that shall raise all bodies also raise all souls? The reason of the difference lies not in the difference of that power. Were it not as much for the glory of God to raise all souls, as to raise all bodies? The reason of the difference lyes not there neither. For God chooseth freely the ways of glorifying himself, and is not tyed to this or that way by any necessity. But the reason of the difference lyeth.

First, In his own Will, as the Apostle resolves it. He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardneth. But

Secondly, As in reference to the persons raised, he raiseth what souls he raiseth by vir∣tue of his Covenant of grace; but he raiseth not all the bodies he raiseth by the same virtue. It is said concerning Christ himself, that God brought him from the dead by the bloud of the everlasting Covenant, Heb. XIII. 20. So doth he by the blood and virtue of the same Covenant, bring from the dead every soul that he brings from the dead; but he doth not so every body that he brings from the dead. Now the tenor of the Co∣venant is, Hearken to my voice and live. Es. LV. 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear and your soul shall live. And to the very same tenor are those word of our Savi∣our mentioned before, Joh. V. 25. The hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God, and they that hear shall live, What kind of language is this? The Dead shall hear? All the Dead shall hear, and yet only they that hear shall live? What needed more to have been said, than that the Dead shall hear his voice and live. But his meaning is, all the dead Heathen shall have the Gospel, and hear the word of it brought among them, and they that hear it, that is, obey it and follow it, shall live.

Let me repeat that which I alledged from Esay, LV. 3. and add what follows there, Hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David. Now that by sure mercies of David is meant the resurrection of Christ, the Apostle teacheth us in Act. XIII. 34. And as concerning that he raised him from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. The resurrection of Christ therefore are the sure mercies of Christ. For that by David is meant Christ it were easy to shew, and it is so confessed by the Jews themselves in their expositions of that place. It was the sure mercy that God gave to Christ himself, of which he so rejoyceth, Psal. XVI. 9. My heart is glad, my glory rejoyceth, and my flesh also shall rest in hope. Because thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, &c. And it is the sure mercy of Christ, that God gave to the members of Christ, that he raised him from the dead, and imparts to them the benefit of his Resurrection. And this is called there an Everlasting Covenant that he makes with them. That as he gave Christ a resurrection, so he will give them a resurrection. The first and the latter rain, the first and the latter resurrection. First to raise their Souls by the virtue of his Covenant from the death of sin in his good time, and to raise their bodies by virtue of the same Covenant at the last day. Of which last our Saviour speaks three times over, Joh. VI. ver. 39. This is my Fathers will which hath sent me, that of all that he

hath given, I should lose none, but raise him up at the last day, ver. 40. And this is the Will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up the last day. And ver. 44. None can come to me except the Father, which sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. Will Christ raise up all persons in the world at the last day upon these terms? Ye see, No, but only those that comply with his Covenant, to come to him, see him, believe in him. His power and justice will raise all others, the virtue of his Covenant will raise these.

Now I suppose you easily see how to distinguish twixt the Tenor of his Covenant, and the Virtue of his Covenant. The Tenor of his Covenant is, Hear and obey my voice and live. The Virtue of his Covenant is his unfailing truth, power, goodness, that will give life to them that hear his voice and obey him. Thus you see one reason of the dif∣ference, why he raiseth but some souls here from the death of sin, but will raise all bodies from the death of the grave.

Thirdly, Another reason of difference may be given, for that at the last day he will raise all the persons in the world from their graves, that he may glorifie himself, but he raiseth only some few from their sins, that they may glorify him. And there is a great deal of difference twixt Gods glorifying himself upon men, as he did upon Pharaoh, and the Egyptians, and bringing men heartily and laboriously to glorifie him, and to live to his glory. But

Secondly, a main difference in these two resurrections, the soul from sin, and the body from the grave, is that the first resurrection is with the desire of him that is raised, the latter will be in despite of thousands, that will have no mind of it. God will bring thee to jugement. Eccles. XI. 9. is a cutting saying, but all the World shall never be able to take the edge of it off. But let wicked men struggle and strive and tug never so hard against the resurrection, God will bring them to it, and no resisting. But the first resurrection, or the raising a soul from the death of sin, how sweet, how welcome, how comfortable is it to every one to whom it comes? Thy people will be willing in the day of thy power, and help forward their own rising as much as they can: and the Spirit and Bride say come, and the soul and heart say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, and let me see this resurrection.

And thus have we seen some circumstances, in which the first and second resurrecti∣on differ, and are at distance let us now consider, wherein they; agree and shake hands one with another.

Observe, that the Scripture speaks in some places of the Resurrection, as if it were to be no Resurrection, but of just and holy ones only; as you may take notice in 1 Cor. XV. and 1 Thes. IV. That there shall be a Resurrection of the unjust as well as of the just, the Scripture assures us over and over again; but it more especially calls that a Resurrection, that is a Resurrection indeed, and and not a raising to be cast down again. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, as the Apostle tells us, Death hath no more dominion over him. And the Scripture doth more especially call that a Resurrection, that is written after his Copy, for a man to rise from the dead to die no more. That man is but little helped which we read of in the Prophet, that in the way met a Lyon, and flying from him into the house, a Scorpion bit him. And can you call that a Resur∣rection cheerfully and favourly, when a man is raised from one death to die another?

Blessed and holy is he, saith this our Apocaliptic, that hath part in the first Resurrection, over such an one the second death shall have no power. But if he have no share in the first Resurrection, at the second Resurrection, his rising is but to remove out of one death into another, out of one deadly room in the prison into a worse. Therefore the Scripture in the places mentioned speaks of the Resurrection, as if belonging only to the holy and righteous, speaking of it as it is in its proper definition, arising again from death, and not flitting from one death to another; it speaks of the second Resur∣rection, as it is akin and related to the first, that being an arising from one death, this from another.

And this is the first Parallel that we may make between them, they are both a rising* 1.1 from death, that neither in the one nor in the other death hath any more dominion: not the death of sin in the first Resurrection, nor death in the grave in the second.

Shall we dispute whether the first or second Resurrection be the greater work, the greater business? They are as it were brethren, and to whether belongs the priviledg of birthright? It hath been said of old, that sleep is the elder brother of death; and cer∣tainly with as much right we may call rising from the death of sin elder brother to rising from death in the grave. May we not call sin the elder brother of Damnation, and on the contrary, Grace the elder brother of Glory, and the rising of the Soul elder brother to the rising of the body? What is the first formulation or corner stone that is laid for the

building up of a happy and blessed Resurrection at the last day? Will you lay it in the Power of God? That can raise men to damnation, as well as salvation. Will you lay it in the Will of God? That will raise up some to damnation, as well as some to salvation. But you must lay it in the first Resurrection, or the rising of the soul out of the grave of sin.

Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption. The word is so written in Hebrew, that it may be read Holy one, or Holy ones. We know the Holy one of God did not, could not see corruption, and the reason was because he was so holy an one: and it must be holiness that must be the beginning, the great promoter of our incor∣ruption. And get but the soul happily raised and cleared of her corruption, the hap∣py raising and clearing from the corruption of the body will certainly follow.

You remember the expression of the Apostle, If you be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. Col. III. 1. We risen with Christ? It is well worth considering how that is done. There were some that arose with him indeed out of their graves at his Resurrection. Mat. XXVII. Of these it might well be said, you are risen with Christ: but how of others? The meaning is, Not only you are risen as Christ is risen, but you are ingrafted into Christs Resurrection, and risen united to his risings. The Apostle warrants the expression of ungrafted, Rom. VI. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death, we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection. So that in the instant of the first Resurrection, that any man attains to rising from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that man is ingrafted, implanted into Christ; and as sure of a happy Resurrection, as that Christ is risen.

A Second Parallel of the first and second Resurrection is in regard of the instrumen∣tal* 1.2 cause of both. The second Resurrection will be effectuated by the all powerful voice of Christ, calling all out of their graves. Joh. V. 28. All that are in the graves shall hear his Voice, and shall come forth. This the Apostle calls the Voice of the Archan∣gel, and Trump of God. 1 Thes. IV. 16. And in 1 Cor. XV. The trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised. Let us by the way pause a little, and take up some thoughts of this Trump or Trumpet.

The Father of old said, That whether he were eating or drinking, or whatsoever he did, he still thought he heard this Trumpet sounding this alarm, Arise ye dead and come to judgment. Suppose you heard it now, would it not startle you? We have been startled many a time with a dreadful clap of thunder; what amazement and dread would you be in, if you heard this alarm? the voice of the Trumpet, that will make Heaven and earth to quake, and to vanish away: the Voice of the Archangel and his Trumpet, that will rouze and awake all the world, and whosoever hath slept the longest in the dust: The alarm of the Trumpet, that will not only force all to awake, but to rise and to come, and appear at the Judgment.

Now what parallel doth the first Resurrection bear to this? Why, that is an alarm also of the Trumpet of the Gospel. How oft is the Ministry of the word of God com∣pared to a Trumpet? Esay XXVII. 13. The great Trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come, that were ready to perish in Assyria, and the out casts in the land of Egypt, and they shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem. That is, the sound of the Gospel shall gather them, and bring them to worship the true God. Mat. XXIV. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, That is, he shall send his Ministers with the sound of the Gospel. Think of the sound of the Trumpet at Sinai, and think of the Trumpet at the last day: at Sinai, to cause a first Resurrection, or to bring Israel out of their sinful condition to rise and live to God: and at the last day, to call to account about the keeping of that Law, that was then given.

So that would you know, Whether you shall have a happy Resurrection at the last day, consider with your self, whether you have come to the first Resurrection even to this day. And if you would know whether you have attained that, consider, whether you have been raised by the Trump of the Gospel. It is to thy first Resurrection thou must look, to judge of thy speeding at the second. These two are linked together, and have relation one to another, as the Feast of Pentecost, when barly harvest was now got in, had relation to the second day in Passover week, when barly harvest first begun. The Resurrection will be a fit harvest for every man to reap according as he hath sowed. There is none but would willingly have a Resurrection at the last day to life, and not to damnation; begin thy Resurrection here; and as thy soul is risen from the death of sin, so mayest thou expect thy bodies rising from death in the grave.

The Jews speak of a little bone in some part of a mans body, they call it Luz, which they say will never be consumed in the grave, but will be as it were a seed sown in the ground, out of which will spring the Resurrection of the whole bo∣dy. I may say, graciousness in the soul is rather the seed of the Resurrection of the bo∣dy, that will cause it to rise to life and happiness. And thus much concerning the first Observation.

II. That in the time of the first Resurrection, that is, the raising the Gentiles from the Death of sin, some lost the opportunity and would not be raised. The rest of the dead lived not again, because they were not raised by a first Resurrection, when season and op∣portunity of living again was in date, that is for the thousand years mentioned in the Text.

Whether you take the thousand years for a certain determinate time of exactly so many years, or that a certain number is used for an uncertain, and this number the rather because it is used by the Jews: whether the one or the other, you are to begin to count from the time the Gospel was first sent among the Gentiles. And count such a space of time forward, and you will find in story, that though the Gospel had gone through the world, in that time, and made the world Christian, and vast numbers were converted to Christianity: yet there was still a struggling to have kept the World Heathen, and multitudes were unwilling to come off from their old Heathen and Idolatrous Religion.

For three hundred years the Emperors, and all the Magistrates were enemies to the Gospel, and if any of them did not persecute the Christians, as but few but did, yet they maintained their Heathen Religion might and main. And the great wise men of the World, (as they were esteemed) the Philosophes and learned ones; were the greatest sticklers for the maintaining of the worshiping of their many false and idol Gods all along, when the Emperours were become Christians. Which may very well make us to remember the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. I. 26. Not many wise men af∣ter the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foo∣lish things of the world to confound the wise. I cannot omit two remarkable passages.

The one of Julian the Emperor, who was brought up a Christian, but turned Heathen; nay, who, as stories relate of him, had been a Lecturer in a Christian con∣gregation, but became the bitter enemy to Christianity. He, when the Emperors had been Christian for two successions, viz. Constantine and Constantius; and the Chri∣stian Religion had flourished in their times well towards forty years, and the Hea∣then Idolatrous Temples shut up, and Christian Churches opened: He opens the Hea∣then Temples, shuts up the Christian, promotes Idolatry again, and the worship of the Heathen Gods; and hath many Heathen Philosophers, Jamblichus, Maximus, Ecebo∣lus, Libanius, and I know not how many more, to spur him on to it.

And the other passage I have, is a clause in a letter of Adrian the Emperor to one of his Nobles; in which he tells him, I have been in Egypt, and there I observed the Christians worshiping Christ and Idols; yea, the Christian Bishops worshiping Christ and Serapis. Which Serapis was the great God and Idol of the Egyptians.

By all which we may see the truth of what is asserted in the Text, That the rest of the dead lived not again, but continued still in their dead condition of blindness and Heathenism. And may also see the reason why they lived not again, viz. because they would not, but chose death before life, to continue in their dead condition of being Heathens, rather than to become Christians, and live. And from this we may see, how just it was with God, to let Popery and Mahumetism invade the world, and to reduce it to its heathenish ignorance, blindness and superstition again, because it was so un∣willing to part with its ignorance, blindness and superstition. Because they would not receive truth in the love of it, as the Apostle sayes, it was just with God to give them up to strong delusions, to believe a ly.

And by that sad example we may observe, how men lose and let slip the opportunities that God affords them for their own good, and so losing them they lose themselves. Jerusalem knows not the time of her Visitation, and the things of her peace, and so poor Jerusalem is lost, and her opportunity gone for ever. There is a critical time, when there is a season opportune for the good of the Souls, and the clock strikes Time is; but foo∣lish men too commonly take so little notice of it, that the brazen head cryes Time is past, and breaks to pieces.

If we should take up the Dispute, whether God do not set his time and stint, how long he will let men have opportunity of rising from the death of sin, are there not many evidences for the affirmative, that he doth? He sets his stint and date, how long he will afford a man the opportunity that his body may live; and doth he not the like for the living of the Soul? Doth not God shut the gates of mercy against sin∣ful Souls even in this life, and doth he not shut the gates of Repentance? These in

the Text that lived not again, was not all possibility of living again taken again from them, because they had let the time and opportunity of reviving let slip, and go, and neglected it? Esau lost his opportunity, and having lost that, he found no place of recovery, though he sought it with tears. And Joh. XII. 39, 40. They could not believe, because Esaias had said, he hath blinded their eyes, &c. Why? were Esaias words a charm to them that they could not believe? No, they could not believe, because those words of Esaias were verified upon them. And they had so long wilfully blinded their own eyes, and hardned their hearts, that God had put to his Seal; and blinded and hardned them, that they were now past all possibility of believing.

In that great dispute and iniquiry, how God hardneth mens hearts, of which there is so frequent mention and intimitation in Scripture: the first crisis toward the deter∣mination of it is, that God hath set such men a time, how long they may be in a possi∣bility of repenting and believing, which when it is come, and they are still impertinent, and unbelieving, and will not repent and believe, he shuts the door against them that they shall not repent and believe.

Upon the consideration of all which, we have advertisement what we have to do; viz. to strive after this first Resurrection, while the Lord affords time and opportunity; and when God offers the advantage of our living again, not to be enemies of our own reviving.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I
• * 1.2

  II.