4 e.-In ExPOSITION 4~--------~~~~~~~~~---~ undertlood, as anfwering in States amongfl Men. in nearefl refemblance unto the P A R T I. Sea, Earth, &c. in the great World. And this is the Key, as of this Vifion, fo ~of the Trumpets, and the Vials that follow. And fometimes the Scripture expre[eth the Alterations of Kingdoms themfelves, and of all places of Rank and of Government, by this dark,sning the Heavens, the S11n, &c. So Haggai 2. 2 r, 22. Spea4_ to Zerubbabel Governor of Judah, f"Ying, I will Jbak,s the Heavens and the Earth; And I will overthrow the Throne of Kingdoms, and I will de.flroy tbe Jlrength of the Kingdoms of the Heathen, a11d will overthrow the Chariots, and thofe that ride in tbem, and the Horfes, and the 1(jders Jba/1 come down, every one by the Sword of hi< Brother. And !ometimes only the depofing of Perfons from thofe Places and Dignities, the Place• flanding flill. Now in the Trumpets, the cafl– ing down the Sun, Stars, &c. is fpoken of in the Abftract, even the altering the very State, (together with depofing the Perfons) Power, and Dignity of the Empire: But here it is to be underflood of depofing the Perfons only (in the Concrete) who had that Power, but were put down from it. And fo, it im– ports the throwing down the Chieftains of Heathen Emperors, and the depo– fing them from their Places, not yet medling with the Places themfelves in the Empire. The fecond thing that thefe Expre!lions hold forth, is not fimply the over– throwing of Kingdoms and States, or of Governours, &c. and fo to be under· ftood of Political Mutations only; but they are ufed to fet forth a Change and Mutation of Worfhip and of Religion in a State. F'or as Bodies Politick are compared to a World, (as was faid) fo Religious Bodies, and States confidered in refpeCt to their Worfhip or Religion, are thus compared alfo. So Jefus Chrifl: is fi1id to have His World, Pfal. 8. 3· [Tby Heavens, tby Moon and Stars, &c.] where the Sun is not mentioned, becaufe Chrifl himfelf (who is the Sun of Rigbteoufotfl) is the Sun therein. Now, Heb. 2. 5, 6. that Pfalm is interpreted of Chrift's World, tbe World to come; as it is called, verf. 5· both this of the Go– fpel, in oppofition to Adam's World, and Chrift's Kingdom hereafter. More– over, for the prefenr, the State ofChrifi's Worfhip and Worfhippers under the Gofpel, and his Ordinances, are compared to a World, wherein are Heavens, and Moon, and Stars. Thus Pfal. 19. 1. [Tbe Hea11ens declare the Glory of God] which is interpreted of the preaching of the Gofpel, Rom. 10.18. But I fay, Have tbey not beard? Yes verily, their Sound went into all the Eartb, and tbeir Words 1mto the Ends of the World. The Apofiles and their Doctrine are the Heavens, the Lights in this Heaven of Chrill, to declare his Glory to the World. And therefore the words of the 41/J Verfe of that 19th Pfolnt, are there in the lotb to the Romans, applyed to their Preaching. And (you know) Minillers are calledStars, in the firfl: Chapter of this Book of the Revelation. So likewife Churches are called Heavmly Lights !hining in the World, Phi/. 2. r 5· [ q;w,;;p<s] [Ligbt-bearers J the fame word that is given by the Septuagint to the Stars, Gen. I. 14. And it appears by that place, ,that they irradiate the World; not an Houfe, as a Candle or Torch does, but the World, as Stars do. And the Apollles Mini– flry is compared to twelve Stars; which the Primitive Church was crowned with, Rev. 12. r. And fo Heb.12 .27. it is one part of the meaning of jbahjng Heavens, that is the Ordinances ofthe Gofpel which are called tbe Heavens. That Frame of Worfhip which Chrill bath erected, and inllituted to be under the Gofpel, is interpreted to be meant by the Heavens, (for as they ore the Ordi– nances of Day and Night, (o are thefe ofthe Church) as op_pofite_ly ; the legal Worlhlptstherecalled the Earth. Yea, the Temple-Worfhtp, wtth the Priells and Elders of that Religion, are fo called. Therefore Dan. 8. 9, 1 o, An– trochm his caufing that WorJbif. to ceafe, and putting down thofe. Priells, is ex- .pre[ed to us, by hts prevarlmg over the Hoft of Heaveu, and hts cajling down forne of tbe Hojl and Stars uvto the Ground. Yea, verf. 11. be is C1id to magnify himftlf againU the Prince of that Hoft; that is, again(} God, and Chrifi, the Stm in this Firmament, as the Sun is Prince of the Stars. Now then as Chrifl: thus bath his World, [o Antichrill alfo bath his Heavens, and Sun, and Earth, -&c. which are to be interpreted Spiritually, as well as Politically. And thus Satan's Heathenifh Religion and Worfhip in the Roman Empire, is in like manner here exprdfed
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