xxiv. 21, 22. The Lord, in this chapter, is speaking of the consummation of the age, by which is signified the end of the present church; wherefore by shortening those days is signified to put a period to this church, and to lay the foundation of a new one. Who doth not know that except the Lord had come into the world, and accomplished the work of redemption, no flesh could have been saved? And to accomplish the work of redemption is to establish a new heaven, and a new church. That the Lord will come again into the world, he himself hath prophetically declared in the Evangelists, Matt. xxiv. 30, 31. Mark xiii. 26. Luke xii. 40 Chap. xxi. 27, and in the Revelation, particularly in the last chapter. That he is also at this day accomplishing a redemption, by establishing a new heaven, and laying the foundation of a new church, with a view to make salvation possible to mankind, was shewn above in the lemma concerning redemption. The great arcanum respecting the impossibility of any flesh being saved, except a new church be founded by the Lord, is this, that as long as the dragon, with his diabolical crew, continueth in the world of spirits, into which he was cast, so long it is impossible for any divine truth, united with divine good, to pass through unto men on earth, but it is either perverted, or falsified, or destroyed; this is what is signified in the Revelation by these words, The dragon was cast down upon the earth, and his angels were cast out with him; wo to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, Rev. Chap. xii. 9, 12, 13. But when the dragon was cast into hell, Chap, xx. 10, then John saw the new heaven, and new earth, and the new Jerusalem descending from God out of heaven, Chap. xxi. 1, 2. By the dragon are signified
