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COnsider three things from these words.
First, The Temple of God opened. The time was it was shut up, as once the
Temple of Jerusalem was under Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. 24. So this spirituall Tem∣ple was shut up, when it was measured in vers. 1. When the outward Court, or visible face of things were in the hands of the Gentiles, vers. 2. The Church was driven into the Wilder∣nesse, for many yeares into desert pla∣ces, there to be nourished for a time, from the face of the Serpent, that sought to devoure her. But now the Temple is set open, as of old it was by Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 29. 3. Thus it's said of the new Jerusalem, that the gates should not be shut, Revel. 21. 25. And the reason is, because there shall be no night, nor danger, the gates shall stand open continually. This noteth the free accesse for multitudes of Saints to en∣ter in to the new Jerusalem, without impediment or stop. Not as in times of persecution, when they sought to wor∣ship the Lord in corners; but they shall come and enter freely and boldly, and that without let or molestation. So that the woman shall no more be dri∣ven into the Wildernesse, and shut up there, but the Temple of God shall be set open, and there shall be a free and great accesse unto it.
Secondly, That which appeared in the Temple was the Arke of his Testa∣ment. As the Temple was opened, so the Arke was made visible, which was shut from the eyes of men, under the old Testament, 1 King. 6. 19. It was ve∣ry seldome seen, and that by the high-Priest onely: the Arke was a pledge of Gods presence with his people, and denotes unto us, the mysteries of truth, which formerly lay hid, but now are made manifest. The great high-Priest hath opened the Temple, and made vi∣sible the Arke, by making knowne the mysteries of truth. In former time the Church was in the Wildernesse, the Gentiles possessed the outward Court, lets of truth were discovered, onely something was hinted out by a few choise instruments: but now the Saints have a Temple opened, a full and free accesse: and now they have an Arke made visible, or the hidden mysteries of God revealed; not onely to a few called Clergie men, but generally to all Saints the knowledge of the truth is revealed.
Thirdly, The close of all, And there were lightnings, and voyces, and thunder∣ings,
and an earth-quake, and great hail. Earth-quake, hail, and lightning, set forth Gods judgements most terrible and irresistible, Esa. 30. 30. Of an earth∣quake wee have spoken before from vers. 13 of this Chapter: Hail-stones was one of the plagues of Aegypt, that destroyed their trees, Exod. 9. 25. And by which the Amorites were destroyed in Canaan, Josh. 10. 11. By these judge∣ments wee have the finall destruction of Antichrist. This is the third woe, that shall accompany the seventh Trumpet, and is agreeable to the plagues of the seventh Viall, by which Antichrist shall be wholly destroyed; and should blaspheme God, because of the plague of the hail, that was exceeding great. By this last and great judgement, the mysterie of iniquitie is discovered, and the power of Antichrist wholly bro∣ken, at which his partie shall vex and fret, gnaw their tongues, and blas∣pheme God for all their paines & sores, whereby they shall be utterly ruined and consumed.
Thus we have the Effects of Christs kingdome and reigne layd open: wee see for what it is, that the Elders doe
so exceedingly praise the Lord, for that he takes to himselfe his great power, and doth reigne, by which he doth of∣fend the Nations, and reward his ser∣vants. The Temple is no more shut up under restraint, but free accesse is gi∣ven; the Arke is no more hidden, but the mysteries of salvation made evi∣dent. And the Lord by his sweeping judgements will wholly consume An∣tichrist, both in his policy and power. Hence it is, that the Saints shall thus triumph and rejoyce; How can the daughter of Sion, but rejoyce when he•• King cometh? the redeemed of the Lord must needs triumph: And besides the whole world shall rejoyce, when the oppressor shall cease, when violence shall be no more heard in the Land, when our Exactors shall be righteous∣nesse: then I say, the world will sing and rejoyce, because the who•••• ••••••th shall be at peace, and be quiet, Esa. 14. 4. 7. When Christ shall come to reigne in his appearance in his Saints, b•• shall judge the Nations with righteousnesse, and governe the people with truth. Psal. 67. 4. 7. Therefore when the Lord shall come to reigne, to set all things in order,
to governe and give settlement to the Nations: well may Antichrist vex and fret, and all oppressing powers be an∣gry; but the Saints shall rejoyce and sing; and all the world besides shall be glad, because of his righteous judge∣ments. So much to be spoken of the Effects of Christ's reigne, and so I end this whole Discourse.