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Rev. i. 5, 6. And from Jefus Chrift, who is the faithful Witnefs; (who was, is, and ever will be faithful in all his Truft that was committed to him by the Father) the First Begotten of the Dead (the First that rofe from the Dead, to live a Life of Immortality) and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth (who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords). unto him that loved us, and then as a Fruit of his Love, washed us from our Sins (from that deep fearlet and crimson Die which was in Sin.) But how or by what means did he do this? It followeth, In bis own Blood. Love, te Love of the Father, Son, and Spirit, like a mighty Torrent, came flowing through the Blood of Chrift, to wafh us, who believe in him, from the Guilt and Filth of Sin. But this is not all; he does not only fave us out of the Depth of Mifery, but hath advanced us unto the Heighth of Dignity; as it is in the 6th Verfe; And hath made us Kings and Priefs, or Kings and Princes (as fome read it) unto God and his Father. To bim be the Glory and Dominion for ever and ever,

Amen.

Rev. xx. 6. Bleffed and holy is he that hath part in the First Refurrection: On fuch the Second Death fhall have no power. But they shall be Priefts of God and of Chrift, and fhall reign with him a Thousand Years. This fhews that all who have part in the firft Refurrection are made Kings and Priefs unto God; and on those who have part in this Refurrection the Second Death hath no power. It is certain that none of the Saints, not one of them, fhall be touched by the Second Death; and therefore all the Saints have part, or fhall have part in the First Refurrection (which is the Refurrection of the Body) and

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all are made Kings and Priefts unto God: And fo confequently all hall reign with him a Thousand Years; that is with Chrift in his Kingdom.

Thus I have briefly fhewn who they be that are made Kings and Priefts unto God, in a general Confideration Ifhall now come more particularly to enquire who they be that fpeak thus in the Text, And hathmade us unto our God Kings and Priefts, and we fhall reign on the Earth. Thefe Perfons were fuch as did then actually exift, as appears very plain in the 9th Verfe; And they fung a new Song. It does not fay they fhall fing, in the future, but in the prefent Tenfe, And they fung a new Song. And therefore they must be in being, they must be fuch as were actually exifting; otherwife it could not be faid they fung a new Song. Secondly, The fecond thing I fhall enquire into is where they were (in being) when they fung this new Song. All Places that we read of are comprehended in thefe Three, the Heavens, Earth, and Hell. Hell, or the Defarts of Hell, they were redeemed from; and therefore they were not there. The Earth they were not in at this time neither, because they fung this new Song as they ftood before the Throne. Then it appears that they were certainly in Heaven. This I fhall prove from the preceding Verfe, v. 6. And I bebeld, and lo in the midst of the Throne. This Throne was not upon Earth but in Heaven; for this was a Vifionary Sight that John had of thefe things) and of the Four Beafts; and in the midst of the Elders ftood a Lamb, as if it had been flain (this is Chrift, the Lamb of God, who by his Death did take away the Sins of the World, reprefented here upon a Throne in the midst of the Beast and the Elders;

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Elders, that is the Four Beafts and the Elders were round about the Lamb, and fo round about the Throne) baving Seven Horns and Seven Eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of God fent forth into all the Earth By which the Omnipotence and Omnifcience of Chrift is fignified, or the Perfection of his Wifdom, Knowledge, and Power. Sent forth in all the Earth does fignify that his Providence is extended over all, both in Heaven and in Earth. Verfe 7. And he came and took the Book out of the Right Hand of him that fat upon the Throne. That is the Lord Jefus Chrif, the Lion of the Tribe of Juda, who only was worthy to take the Book to open it, and loafe the Seals thereof; to open the Myfteries not only of Salvation, but the great Myfteries, of the Kingdom-Glory Verfe 8. And when he had taken the Book, the Four Beafts and the Four and Twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them Harps, and goldenVials full of Odours; which are the Prayers of Saints. Divers are the Opinions of good Men concerning the Four Beafts and the Twenty Four Elders, which I fhall not trouble my felf nor the Reader with at this time, it not being my prefent Subject, only, fo far as does concern the Matter in hand, and that is to fhew, whatever particular Degrees or Diftinction of Orders there may be in Heaven; which it is not for us too cnriously to pry into; yet by thefe Four Beafts and Twenty Four Elders I understand the People of God are meant, and fome fuch that were then in the poffefion of Glory: Which may be proved by their being round about the Throne, by their falling down before the Lamb, in giving honour uuto him, by having every one of them Harps of Triumph, to fhew their

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Victory over their Enemies, and their golden Vials in which are contained the Prayers of the Saints. As every one had Harps, fo every one had golden Vials; to fignifie that every one of the Prayers of all the Saints are preferved in fweet Veffels, or golden Vials, being perfumed with the Odour or Incenfe of Chrift's Merits; not one Prayer of Faith being poured out by the Affiftance of the Spirit, tho' never fo weak, as they come from us, fhall be loft: They are all fecured in Heaven, in these golden Vials, and will all be answered then in the greateft Extent, or the largest Defires of the Saints, in the Kingdom of Chrift. But it is the 9th Verfe which my Thoughts are chiefly upon, for the further proof that thefe Four Beafts and the Four and Twenty Elders must be the Saints and Children of God. And they fung a new Song (which goes in too high a Note for the Saints to fing, while in this mortal State) faying, Thou art worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof: For thou waft slain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy Blood, out of every Kindred and Tongue, and People and Nation. Thefe Four Beafts and Twenty-four Elders were fuch as were redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, out of all Kindred, Tongues, People, and Nations. This was in their Song, And baft redeemed us to God by thy Blood.

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is true the Saints do fing this Song of Redeeming Love in a meafure now; but they cannot fingit in that high Strain as they do who are actually in Heaven: And therefore it is called a New Song. Well then! We see first that those who fung this New Song were the Purchase of the Blood of Chrift. 2dly, That the four Beafts and the four and twenty Elders are the Saints, does further appear, because they

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they were redeemed to God by bis Blood, out of every Kindred, Tongues, People, and Nation. 3dly, That thefe four Beafts and four and twenty Elders who fung this New Song, were actually in Heaven, in the poffeffion of Glory, evidently appears alfo, as has been already expreffed, from their being round the Torone, from the Harps which they had in their Hands, from the New Song which was in their Mouths afcribing Salvation and Glory unto him that fits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb: Setting the Crown upon Chrift's Head; giving all the Glory that is due to him, for being redeemed out of the greatest of Miferies, and advanced to the greatest Dignity that Creatures could be advanced too, as to be made Kings and Priests uno God.

2dly, That there are none Kings and Priests unto God, but fuch as are made fo. This is plain in the Text; and hath made us unto our God Kings and Priefts. We are not born naturally Kings and Priests; for as fuch we were Children of Wrath by Nature, even as others, Eph. ii. 3. We are made Kings and Priests unto God in our Second Birth fpiritually, by Regeneration in effectual Calling: But this is all by free and abfolute Grace; it is be gun, maintained, and carry'd on by free Grace. This made the great Apoftle fay. By the Grace of God I am what I am: And fo muft every Believer fay, for it is Grace only that makes the difference. As we came into this World, we were as bad, as vile, as wretched, and miferable as other could be, confidered in our Nature-head, being funk in the fame Fall, plunged in the fame Apoftacy: And therefore by Grace it is that we are faved. Again in Rev. i. 6, which I mentioned before, we have the very fame Expreffion; And hath made us Kings and Priests unto

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