I would take many posts to quote half of what I have.
In the year 1821 he first published ‘The Latter Rain,’ His main object in that paper was to prove from scripture the restoration of Israel, and the consequent glory in the land. His poem entitled, ‘Palingenesia,’ or ‘The World to Come,’ (Part of which is quoted below) appeared in 1824. Thoughts on the ‘Scriptural Expectations of the Church,’ by Basilicus, followed it in 1826.
In 1826, Lewis Way wrote:
“It will be readily admitted that a new aera commenced at the first appearance of Christ, and the promulgation of the Gospel, throughout the Roman Empire, the scriptural designation of which is ‘the fulness of time.’ This expression refers distinctly to the mission and personal office of our Lord himself: and the period which-thus commenced appears to be continued, without any marked interruption, to his second coming; the whole aera being spoken of in this way by himself, and characterized by his Apostles under the general title of ‘the last days,’ in distinction from sundry other times, as the Paradisaical, Patriarchal, or Mosaic dispensationa. But another aera seems to be expressly noticed, and it is specifically entitled ‘The dispensation (or Economy) of the fulness of times:’ under which, scattered parts will be gathered together; disjoined parts united in one great recapitulation of the whole mystery of God: when the detached and manifold gradations of the system hitherto in action will appear to have been working together towards one determinate issue, – the final scheme of man’s redemption in body and soul, as originally conceived and planned in the eternal counsels of Jehovah: when the whole creation, so long groaning and travailing in pain together under the corruption introduced by the Fall, shall be delivered by the power, and subjected to the dominion, of the Son of Man, the second Adam: when the earth, once cursed for the sake of man, shall be blessed again, renewed, and fitter for the habitation of the righteous: when the typical theocracy of the people shall be realized in the kingdom of Israel restored to the risen saints of the Most High: when ‘the Lord shall reign in Mount Zion, and before his ancients gloriously,’ during the time appointed of the Father.”
(“Thoughts on the Scriptural Expectations of the Christian Church,” by Lewis Way, London, 1826, pp. 30-31 in the 1828 ed.)
This, without a doubt, is the very essence of dispensationalism. But many insist that a doctrine is not true Dispensationalism unless it differentiates between Israel and the church. And some insist that it also requires a teaching that some will come to Christ after the end of the church period. So what did Lewis Way have to say about these things? First, as he tended to be rather wordy, it is necessary to make rather long quotations, just to actually see what he was saying.
Looking at what Way said in 1824, he clearly taught that the dead in Christ would arise and “the saints on earth” would be “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet their Lord in air” when Christ would descend “to judge the quick and dead.” He taught this as followed by a thousand year reign on earth by these saints, during which time the wicked would remain dead.
“The day of Christ’s appearance, and his reign
When with archangel voice, and with the trump
Of God, he shall Himself again descend
To judge the quick and dead. The dead in Christ,
Once quickened in their souls by faith in him,
Will then receive their bodies rais’d again,
And glorified, like that which he assum’d
When he appeared to Cleophas, made known
In breaking of the bread, and vanishing!
That white apparel, worn by those two men
Who spake of his return on Olivet,
Commission’d for the purpose; or the two
Transfigur’d with their Lord on tabor’s mount,
Who then appear’d in glory; having on
Not this vile body, seat of sin and shame,
But garments like their Lord, of purest white,
Such as no Fuller on earth could make,
Transparent as the light, – The saints on earth
Rapt in a whirlwind, as Elijah was,
In pledge of their translation; will ascend
Caught up together with them in the clouds
To meet their Lord in air. – The dead in sin
Dead, shall not live; deceased, shall not rise,
Until the thousand years are finished.
Blessed and holy they that shall have part
In that Anastasis! The second death
Hath lost all power over those elect
Made like the angels who maintain'd
Their first estate, and shine as sone of God,
Then manifested heirs by sitting down
As Priests of God, with Christ, upon his throne,
According to his promise unto them
Who overcame by faith. A thousand years,
Thus shall they reign with him, and thus on earth,
For temporal reign in heaven there is none,
And this will have an end; for end will come
When even Christ himself shall render up
This kingdom to the Father, and become
Subject to Him, and God be ALL IN ALL.”
(“Palingensia – the World to Come,” by Lewis Way, London, 1824, pp. 91-93)
But concerning the restoration of Israel, in that same work he spoke of those who “confin’d salvation to their own exclusive pale! Exemplifying thus their ignorance of other unaccomplished mystery.” He then went on to speak of the fact “That blindness, partial only, shall befall benighted Israel! – Till Gentile times draw to their end, and Gentile fullness come.” And then he added that “Then out of Zion will come forth again the Great Deliverer, and will turn again ungodliness from Jacob – written thus and sure as everlasting covenant concerning them, and sealed with that blood which cleanseth from all sin!” Thus, he was clearly teaching that the time when “the Great deliverer” would “turn again ungodliness from Jacob,” was after, not before, “out of Zion will come forth again the Great Deliverer.” That is after, not before the Lord comes in power and glory to punish the wicked. This makes the eventual conversion of “Jacob,” that is, Israel, after, not before, the time when the church will be gathered to Christ. For no interpretation of the timing of the rapture places it after the Lord has come in power and glory to punish the wicked.
The words he used to say this were:
“Great is that mystery, at sundry times
And divers manners manifest. The Word
Made flesh, and in the spirit justified,
Of angels seen, and unto Gentiles preach’d
And by the world believed on, receiv’d
Up into glory! Other part remains
Mysterious to the Gentile world at large
As once their first admission to the faith
And commonwealth of ancient Israel,
Was to the seed of Abrah’m; insomuch
That till the figurative sheet fell down
Full of all creatures – Peter scarce conceiv’d
A Gentile could receive the Holy Ghost!
How many that have stood in Peter’s place
And sat as they presume in Peter’s chair
Have held same partial doctrine! And confin’d
Salvation to their own exclusive pale!
Exemplifying thus their ignorance
Of other unaccomplished mystery
Which yet their true Apostle bids them know,
Lest self conceited wisdom puff them up,
That blindness, partial only, shall befall
Benighted Israel! – Till Gentile times
Draw to their end, and Gentile fullness come.
Then shall their fullness, as their fall before,
As their diminishing became, the riches
Of the Gentiles and the world.
Then out of Zion will come forth again
The Great Deliverer, and will turn again
Ungodliness from Jacob – written thus
And sure as everlasting covenant
Concerning them, and sealed with that blood
Which cleanseth from all sin! mysterious depth
Of wisdom! And of ways unsearchable
Past finding out! For who hath known the mind
Of God, or been his counsellor; save he,
The WONDERFUL, so call’d – the Prince of Peace?
Who saith ‘I will return unro my place
Till they acknowledge their iniquity
And seek me in affliction!’ They abide
As is written of them ‘Many days
Without a king, a prince, a sacrifice,
Without an image, ephod, terraphim.’
Is it not written also ‘Afterward
They shall return and seek the Lord their God
And their king David in their latter days?’”
(“Palingensia – the World to Come,” by Lewis Way, London, 1824, pp. 106-108)
