andHiskingdomwasthepeopleofIsrael，whomHeruledbytheprophets，hislieutenants；firstMoses，andafterhimEleazar，andthesovereignpriests，tillinthedaysofSamueltheyrebelled，andwouldhaveamortalmanfortheirkingafterthemannerofothernations。
AndwhenourSaviourChristbythepreachingofhisministersshallhavepersuadedtheJewstoreturn，andcalledtheGentilestohisobedience，thenshalltherebeanewkingofheaven；becauseourKingshallthenbeGod，whosethroneisheaven，withoutanynecessityevidentintheScripturethatmanshallascendtohishappinessanyhigherthanGod’sfootstooltheearth。Onthecontrary，wefindwrittenthat“nomanhathascendedintoheaven，buthethatcamedownfromheaven，eventheSonofMan，thatisinheaven。“WhereIobserve，bytheway，thatthesewordsarenot，asthosewhichgoimmediatelybefore，thewordsofourSaviour，butofSt。Johnhimself；forChristwasthennotinheaven，butupontheearth。ThelikeissaidofDavidwhereSt。Peter，toprovetheAscensionofChrist，usingthewordsofthePsalmist，“Thouwiltnotleavemysoulinhell，norsufferthineHolyOnetoseecorruption，“
saiththeywerespoken，notofDavid，butofChrist，andtoproveit，addeththisreason，“ForDavidisnotascendedintoheaven。“Buttothisamanmayeasilyanswerandsaythat，thoughtheirbodieswerenottoascendtillthegeneraldayofjudgement，yettheirsoulswereinheavenassoonastheyweredepartedfromtheirbodies；
whichalsoseemethtobeconfirmedbythewordsofourSaviour，who，provingtheresurrectionoutofthewordsofMoses，saiththus，“Thatthedeadareraised，evenMosesshewedatthebush，whenhecalleththeLord，theGodofAbraham，andtheGodofIsaac，andtheGodofJacob。ForheisnotaGodofthedead，butoftheliving；
fortheyalllivetohim。“*3Butifthesewordsbetobeunderstoodonlyoftheimmortalityofthesoul，theyprovenotatallthatwhichourSaviourintendedtoprove，whichwastheresurrectionofthebody，thatistosay，theimmortalityoftheman。ThereforeourSaviourmeaneththatthosepatriarcheswereimmortal，notbyapropertyconsequenttotheessenceandnatureofmankind，butbythewillofGod，thatwaspleasedofHismeregracetobestoweternallifeuponthefaithful。Andthoughatthattimethepatriarchsandmanyotherfaithfulmenweredead，yetasitisinthetext，they“livedtoGod“；thatis，theywerewrittenintheBookofLifewiththemthatwereabsolvedoftheirsins，andordainedtolifeeternalattheresurrection。Thatthesoulofmanisinitsownnatureeternal，andalivingcreatureindependentonthebody；orthatanymeremanisimmortal，otherwisethanbytheresurrectioninthelastday，exceptEnosandElias，isadoctrinenotapparentinScripture。ThewholefourteenthChapterofJob，whichisthespeechnotofhisfriends，butofhimself，isacomplaintofthismortalityofnature；andyetnocontradictionoftheimmortalityattheresurrection。“Thereishopeofatree，“saithhe，“ifitbecastdown。Thoughtherootthereofwaxold，andthestockthereofdieintheground，yetwhenitscenteththewateritwillbud，andbringforthboughslikeaplant。Butmandieth，andwastethaway，yea，mangivethuptheghost，andwhereishe？“*4And，verse12，“manliethdown，risethnot，tilltheheavensbenomore。“
Butwhenisitthattheheavensshallbenomore？St。Petertellsusthatitisatthegeneralresurrection。ForinhissecondEpistle，thirdChapter，verse7，hesaiththat“theheavensandtheearththatarenow，arereserveduntofireagainstthedayofjudgement，andperditionofungodlymen，“and，verse12，“lookingforandhastingtothecomingofGod，whereintheheavensshallbeonfire，andshallbedissolved，andtheelementsshallmeltwithferventheat。
Nevertheless，weaccordingtothepromiselookfornewheavens，andanewearth，whereindwellethrighteousness。“ThereforewhereJobsaith，“manrisethnottilltheheavensbenomore“；itisallone，asifhehadsaidtheimmortallifeandsoulandlifeintheScripturedousuallysignifythesamethingbeginnethnotinmantilltheresurrectionanddayofjudgement；andhathforcause，nothisspecificalnatureandgeneration，butthepromise。ForSt。Petersaysnot，“Welookfornewheavens，andanewearth，“but“frompromise。“
Lastly，seeingithathbeenalreadyprovedoutofdiverseevidentplacesofScripture，inthethirty-fifthChapterofthisbook，thatthekingdomofGodisacivilCommonwealth，whereGodHimselfissovereign，byvirtuefirstoftheOld，andsinceoftheNew，Covenant，whereinHereignethbyHisvicarorlieutenant；thesameplacesdothereforealsoprovethatafterthecomingagainofourSaviourinhismajestyandglorytoreignactuallyandeternally，thekingdomofGodistobeonearth。Butbecausethisdoctrine，thoughprovedoutofplacesofScripturenotfewnorobscure，willappeartomostmenanovelty，Idobutpropoundit，maintainingnothinginthisoranyotherparadoxofreligion，butattendingtheendofthatdisputeofthesword，concerningtheauthoritynotyetamongstmycountrymendecided，bywhichallsortsofdoctrinearetobeapprovedorrejected；andwhosecommands，bothinspeechandwriting，whatsoeverbetheopinionsofprivatemen，mustbyallmen，thatmeantobeprotectedbytheirlaws，beobeyed。ForthepointsofdoctrineconcerningthekingdomofGodhavesogreatinfluenceonthekingdomofmanasnottobedeterminedbutbythemthatunderGodhavethesovereignpower。
AsthekingdomofGod，andeternallife，soalsoGod’senemies，andtheirtormentsafterjudgement，appearbytheScripturetohavetheirplaceonearth。Thenameoftheplacewhereallmenremaintilltheresurrection，thatwereeitherburiedorswallowedupoftheearth，isusuallycalledinScripturebywordsthatsignifyunderground；whichtheLatinsreadgenerallyinfernusandinferi，andtheGreeksades；thatistosay，aplacewheremencannotsee；andcontainethaswellthegraveasanyotherdeeperplace。Butfortheplaceofthedamnedaftertheresurrection，itisnotdetermined，neitherintheOldnorNewTestament，byanynoteofsituation，butonlybythecompany：asthatitshallbewheresuchwickedmenwere，asGodinformertimesinextraordinaryandmiraculousmannerhaddestroyedfromoffthefaceoftheearth：asforexample，thattheyareinInferno，inTartarus，orinthebottomlesspit；becauseCorah，Dathan，andAbiramwereswallowedupaliveintotheearth。
NotthatthewritersoftheScripturewouldhaveusbelievetherecouldbeintheglobeoftheearth，whichisnotonlyfinite，butalso，comparedtotheheightofthestars，ofnoconsiderablemagnitude，apitwithoutabottom；thatis，aholeofinfinitedepth，suchastheGreeksintheirdemonologythatistosayintheirdoctrineconcerningdemons，andafterthemtheRomans，calledTartarus；ofwhichVirgilsays，Bispatetinpraeceps，tantumtenditquesubumbras，QuantusadaethereumcoelisuspectusOlympum：
forthatisathingtheproportionofearthtoheavencannotbear：butthatweshouldbelievethemthere，indefinitely，wherethosemenare，onwhomGodinflictedthatexemplarypunishment。
Again，becausethosemightymenoftheearththatlivedinthetimeofNoah，beforethefloodwhichtheGreekscalledheroes，andtheScripturegiants，andbothsaywerebegottenbycopulationofthechildrenofGodwiththechildrenofmen，werefortheirwickedlifedestroyedbythegeneraldeluge，theplaceofthedamnedisthereforealsosometimesmarkedoutbythecompanyofthosedeceasedgiants；asProverbs，21。16，“Themanthatwanderethoutofthewayofunderstandingshallremaininthecongregationofthegiants，“andJob，26。5，“Beholdthegiantsgroanunderwater，andtheythatdwellwiththem。“Heretheplaceofthedamnedisunderthewater。AndIsaiah，14。9，“Hellistroubledhowtomeetthee“thatis，theKingofBabylon“andwilldisplacethegiantsforthee“：andhereagaintheplaceofthedamned，ifthesensebeliteral，istobeunderwater。
Thirdly，becausethecitiesofSodomandGomorrah，bytheextraordinarywrathofGod，wereconsumedfortheirwickednesswithfireandbrimstone，andtogetherwiththemthecountryaboutmadeastinkingbituminouslake，theplaceofthedamnedissometimesexpressedbyfire，andafierylake：asintheApocalypse，21。8，“Butthetimorous，incredulous，andabominable，andmurderers，andwhoremongers，andsorcerers，andidolaters，andallliars，shallhavetheirpartinthelakethatburnethwithfireandbrimstone；
whichistheseconddeath。“Sothatitismanifestthathellfire，whichishereexpressedbymetaphor，fromtherealfireofSodom，signifiethnotanycertainkindorplaceoftorment，butistobetakenindefinitelyfordestruction，asitisinRevelation，20，atthefourteenthverse，whereitissaidthat“Deathandhellwerecastintothelakeoffire“；thatistosay，wereabolishedanddestroyed；asifafterthedayofjudgementthereshallbenomoredying，nornomoregoingintohell；thatis，nomoregoingtoHadesfromwhichwordperhapsourwordhellisderived，whichisthesamewithnomoredying。
Fourthly，fromtheplagueofdarknessinflictedontheEgyptians，ofwhichitiswritten，“Theysawnotoneanother，neitherroseanymanfromhisplaceforthreedays；butallthechildrenofIsraelhadlightintheirdwellings“；*theplaceofthewickedafterjudgementiscalledutterdarkness，or，asitisintheoriginal，darknesswithout。
Andsoitisexpressedwherethekingcommandethhisservants，“tobindhandandfootthemanthathadnotonhisweddinggarmentandtocasthiminto，“eistoskotostoexoteron“externaldarkness，“*2or“darknesswithout“：which，thoughtranslated“utterdarkness，“doesnotsignifyhowgreat，butwherethatdarknessistobe；namely，withoutthehabitationofGod’select。
Lastly，whereastherewasaplacenearJerusalemcalledtheValleyoftheChildrenofHinnoninapartwhereofcalledTophettheJewshadcommittedmostgrievousidolatry，sacrificingtheirchildrentotheidolMoloch；andwhereinalsoGodhadafflictedHisenemieswithmostgrievouspunishments；andwhereinJosiahhadburntthepriestsofMolochupontheirownaltars，asappearethatlargeinIIKings，Chapter23；theplaceservedafterwardstoreceivethefilthandgarbagewhichwascarriedthitheroutofthecity；andthereusedtobefiresmade，fromtimetotime，topurifytheairandtakeawaythestenchofcarrion。Fromthisabominableplace，theJewsusedeveraftertocalltheplaceofthedamnedbythenameofGehenna，orValleyofHinnon。AndthisGehennaisthatwordwhichisusuallynowtranslatedhell；andfromthefiresfromtimetotimethereburning，wehavethenotionofeverlastingandunquenchablefire。
SeeingnowthereisnonethatsointerpretstheScriptureasthatafterthedayofjudgementthewickedarealleternallytobepunishedintheValleyofHinnon；orthattheyshallsoriseagainastobeeverafterundergroundorunderwater；orthataftertheresurrectiontheyshallnomoreseeoneanother，norstirfromoneplacetoanother；itfolloweth，methinks，verynecessarily，thatwhichisthussaidconcerninghellfireisspokenmetaphorically；andthatthereforethereisapropersensetobeenquiredafterforofallmetaphorsthereissomerealground，thatmaybeexpressedinproperwords，bothoftheplaceofhell，andthenatureofhellishtormentsandtormenters。
Andfirstforthetormenters，wehavetheirnatureandpropertiesexactlyandproperlydeliveredbythenamesoftheenemy，orSatan；
theAccuser，orDiabolus；theDestroyer，orAbaddon。Whichsignificantnames，Satan，Devil，Abaddon，setnotforthtousanyindividualperson，aspropernamesusetodo，butonlyanofficeorquality；
andarethereforeappellatives；whichoughtnottohavebeenleftuntranslated，astheyareintheLatinandmodernBibles，becausetherebytheyseemtobethepropernamesofdemons；andmenaremoreeasilyseducedtobelievethedoctrineofdevils，whichatthattimewasthereligionoftheGentiles，andcontrarytothatofMosesandofChrist。