Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_400.lzh/D_469.TXT

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CHAP. VIII.             OF "I'HE MILLENNIUM, OR PERSONAL REIGN OF CHRIST.                                                           469

with which all the apostles seem, more or less, tinctur-
ed, until the Spirit was poured down upon them on the
day of Pentecost; yet ottr Lord does not deny, but
rather owns, there would bc a kingdom or' Iris, in which
distinctions of honour would be made, and peculiar
privileges, and marks of rcspect, bestoweel on some;
but that these would only be given to such for whom
they were prepared bv his Father: he blames them for
their pride and ambition, in affecting to have preemi-
hence above their brethren; and suggests, that their
petition was an unseasonable one; it was not a time to
think of, and expect honours and preferments, the3'
being now in a suffering-statc, and must expect suffer-
ings for Iris sake; yea, that he hitnself must drink of
a bitter cup, and be baptized with a bloody baptism,
before he entcred into Iris kingdom and glory; and
this would also be their case: this glorious kingdom of
Christ, and honours in it, are not to be expected in a
militant surfeiting state; the saints must suffer with
Christ first, before they reign and are glorified tog.ether
with him; the crown of righteousness will not be given,
till the good fight of faith is fought; and not before
the glorious appearing of Christ, and only to them that
love that: this cannot be understood of the kingdom
of heaven, or a kingdom there, because there i.s no sit-
ting at Christ's right-hand thcrc; he is set down indeed
in his Father's throne, and sits at his right-hand, where
no creatures, angels nor men, are admitted: but in the
kingdotn-statc, he will have a throne distinct from his
Father, in which his saints will sit with him, Rev. iii.
2l. on his right and left; and in which state will be
tlIrones, whereon some will sit, being distinguished
from others, with some matins of honour and esteem;
for such there will be in this kingdom of Christ, though
what they will be is not easy to say; they are signified
by one being a ruler over ten cities, and another a ruler
over live cities; which is not to be understood literally,
but of some posts of honour, and distinctive marks of
respect some will have; for as one star differs fi'om
another star in glory, so will be the resurrection of the
dead; or such a distinction be in the resurrection
state--in this glorious kingdom of Christ. In Mark x.
37. instead of, In thy kingdom, it is, In thy glory.----
3. From Luke i. 32, 33. The Lord God shallgive unto
him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign
over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end/These words were spoken by
the angel to the virgin, concerning her son, who should
be great, and be called, the Son of the Highest; and
which respects him, not in his incarnate state on earth,
for then he appeared; not great, but mean; and his
kingdom was not with observation: but hereafter, in
the latter-day, when his name should be great among
the Gentiles, from the rising of the sun to the going
down of the same, Mal. i. 11. and especially at his
second coming, which will be with power and great
glory; and he will appear, as the Son of the Highest,
as the great God, and our Saviour; and whereas he
was the Son of David, according to the flesh, it is
foretold, that he should have the throne of his father
David, not literally, but mystically; which will have
its accomplishment, in part, at the conversion of the
Jews in the last day, when they shall seek the Lord

their God, and I)avid their king, the true Messiah, and
yield subjection to him; but more fully when all the
elect of God are gathered in, both Jews and Gentiles,
over whom be will reign, even over the house of Jacob,
that Jacob, the Lord has chosen for himself; and this
his kingdom will be for ever; it will not give way to,
nor be succeeded by another; in the same sense as in
the prophecy of Daniel, it is said to be an everlasting
kingdom; there will be no end of it; for when Christ
has reigned with his people on earth a thousand years,
he will reign with them, and they with him, in heaven,
to all eternity; see Mic. iv. 7.----4. From Luke xxii.
29, 30. As my Father hath appointed unto me a king-
dom., &c. Here is a special and peculiar kingdom of
Chris% which he calls, my kingdom; and which he has
by the designation and appointment of his Father;
and which was yet to come, as well as that he appoint-
ed to his followers; in which kingdom there will be a
table, at which all ChrisCs people will sit, and eat and
drink; not torporally, but spiritually, and shall feed
upon a divine repast, suited to their resurrection state;
for at this table shall sit Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
and multitudes from divers parts, and who have lived
in the several periods of time; and here will be thrones
placed, on which the saints shall sit; for they will now
be kings and priests unto God, and shall reign as such,
and have judgment given them, and on some distinct
honours will be conferred. = 5. From Luke xxiii. 42,
43. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom ! The light and faith the
penitent thief had in the kingdom of Christ, and in his
future coming to it, were very great; tbr though Christ
appeared now very mean and despicable, suffering a
shameful death, and lying under the greatest reproach
and ignominy; yet he believed that he would come
again, and take possession of a kingdom that belonged
to him; and desires that he might be remembered by
him at his appearing and kingdom: to which an answer
is returned; And Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto
thee, to-day shall thou be with me in paradise: signify-
ing, that he should not stay sO long without partaking
of his fayours; for that day he should be with him in
the third heaven, and contiiiue with him till his second
coming; and then he, with all his saints, should come
with him, and share in the glories of his kingdom.------
6. From Acts i. 6. Lord, wilt thou at this time restore
the kingdom unto Israel ? The sceptre, according to
ancient prophecy, wits now departed fi'om Judah, and
Judea was become a province to the Roman empire;
now the Jews had a notion, that when the Messiah
came, he would restore the kingdom, and redeem them
from the Roman yoke, and make them a happy people,
as to temporal things; and with this notion, the dis-
ciples themselves were tinctured; and as they believed
that Jesus was the Messiah, they had raiseit expecta-
tions of this matter; but when he was dead, their hopes
seem to be almost quite gone, Luke xxiv. 21. but Christ
being raised from the dead, their hopes revived: and
it was a notion that prevailed with the Jews, and does
to this day, that the coming of the king Messiah, to
deliver them, and the resurrection of the dead, will be
at the same time: and, in.deed, Christ's personal reign
will take place after the resurrection of the just. And