Matthew Poole and continuators on Hebrews 2:5

5 For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come , whereof we speak .

The Spirit having applied the Doctrine of the great Gospel-Ministry exceeding the Prophets of old, and having a more excellent Name and Office than Angels, in respect of his Deity, pursues to shew these Hebrews, that he is so likewise in respect of his Humanity, the other Nature in his Person. This he proves negatively in this Verse. The rational Particle introducing, shews it to be a Demonstration of his excelling Angels, having a World to come subjected to him, which they have not; for so none of these incorporeal, intellectual, spiritual Substances so often diminished before, have, because those Hebrews were more addicted to esteem of them, and the Law ministred by them, than of God the Son incarnate and his Gospel.

This God the Father, Son and Spirit, the Creator who formed all things, and had right of disposing all things under their proper Lord, hath not put under their ordering or Government; he never decreed, foretold, or promised that it should be under their Authority.

The World to come, must be interpreted by that Scripture, where it is asserted and proved that it was subjected to the great Gospel-Minister, and that is in Psal. 8.5, 6, 7, 8. It is a World that must consist of Heaven and Earth; comp. v. 3, 6, 7. It was a World not come, when Paul wrote this Epistle to the Hebrews, see v. 8. It is a World distinct from this present World, Ephes. 1.21. in which God-man must eminently reign. A World between this World and a heavenly one which is to come, in respect of us, Luke 18.30. 1 Tim. 4.8. A World to come, which the Angels have nothing to do with, as they have with this, which is greatly under their Administration; such as consists of a new Heaven and a new Earth in which dwelleth Righteousness, 2 Peter 3.13. For Peter asserts, that Paul according to the Revelation given him of it, had written to these Hebrews, and eminently in this Text. And unto this do the Prophets give witness, Isai. 65.17, 18. and 66.22. and of his day of Rest and Sabbath in it, as ch. 4.7, 9, 10. so Isa. 66.23. And for their Restitution in this World to come do the Creatures groan, Rom. 8.19 to 23. that they may be therein under the happy Administration of the second Adam, the Lord from Heaven. And of this the 8th Psalm doth assure us; for it is not, as some have imagined, a Representation of the State of the first Adam, but of God-Man, the second Adam and his World; for Christ applieth it to himself, and testifieth it was written of him, and is not compatible in it self to any other, Matth. 21.16. This World to come is an heavenly World begun by Christ to be created, when he commenced to preach the Gospel-Covenant, which Angels were not to meddle with, as they did the Law, but was only to be ministred by Men, Psalm 8.2. Through whose Ministry of the Word by the Spirit, is ingrafted into the sinful Nature of the Elect, a new Creature, whereby they are delivered from this present evil World, Gal. 1.4. and fitted for being Inhabitants of this new one, 2 Cor. 4.6. and 5.17. comp. Ephes. 4.22, 23, 24. which hath been preparing by Christ's casting down Heathenism and Iudaism by the Gospel, Luke 10.18. Heb. 12.26. and bringing them into a new World of Ordinances and Church-priviledges fitted for them, and called by the Spirit, the Kingdom of Heaven. It surpassing the Sinai Church-State as much as Heaven doth Earth; and he is now proceeding to cast down Papism, or Roman-Christian-Paganism, and Mahometism, Revel. 19.19, 20, 21. and to subdue the generality of Men, both Jews and Gentiles, to himself, Zech. 14.9. Rom. 11.25, 26. when this Christian heavenly Frame shall be advanced to an higher Degree by the descent of the new Ierusalem from God out of Heaven, Revel. 21, 1, 2. and 22. v. 1, to 6. In the which the Kingdom of Christ shall be most peaceable, glorious and prosperous. And to the rendring of it eminently so, Scripture seems to intimate, That the Bodies of the Martyrs of Jesus shall be raised, and their Souls united to them, and so be made conformable to Christ's glorified Person, Phil. 3.21. comp. Revel, 20.4, 5, 6. These will their Lord send down into this new World, and to have the same state in it, and to perform the same Offices to the Saints, as the Angels had, and did in the World past, Mark 12.25. there to be Kings, and reign as the Angelical Thrones and Principalities did before, Revel. 5.10. and 20.4. As Priests help on the Saints Duties, and instruct them in the matters of the Kingdom of God, and so answer in Conformity to their Head, as he was forty Days after his Resurrection; during whose reign in this new World the Devil shall be chained up, so as they shall not be infested, nor the Nations deceived, as formerly they were by him, Revel. 20.1, 2, 3. so as there shall be no need of good Angels to oppose or restrain him. At the close of which thousand Years the Devil will be loosed for a little while, as v. 3, 7, 8. and infest the World, when the great Lord and King of it shall in the greatest Solemnity descend into the Air with all his Hosts of Angels, and by the Trumpet of God sounded by the Arch-angel, the Dead in Christ shall first be raised, and the Living changed in the twinkling of an Eye; and being openly owned and acknowledg'd by the Supreme Judge, shall be Assessors with him, when the Judgment shall proceed by the Angels bringing Devils and all impenitent Mankind to the Bar of Christ, where the vast Accounts of them shall be cast up and audited, and on the Charge against them they shall be found speechless and convict, so as the great Judge shall solemnly sentence them, and it be assented to, and applauded by all the Saints, Revel. 20.2, 11, 12, 15. comp. 1 Cor. 6.2, 3. and be as gloriously executed by the ministring Angels, Matth. 13.41, 42, 43. And so this great King and Lord having thus shut up the Scene of this World, shall return in Triumph into the Heaven of Heavens, and there in the height of his Glory deliver up his Kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15.22, to 29.

We describe it further in the following Testimony, and in this Epistle, as to some part of it.