V

X

Church shall be fulfilled; as that she is the Lord's portion,t his pleasant portion, his inheritance, the dearly beloved of his soul,w his love, his dove, his undefiled, his treasure, and peculiar treasure,y the Lord's house of glory,z yea his glory, and the throne and crown of his glory,a the ornament of God, the beauty of his ornaments, also the beauty of his ornament in majesty.b Yea the Church is called Christ's body, and Christ's fulness, presented without spot !c

2. The second privilege is, a superabundant out-pouring of the Spirit. The saints, ever since they believed, have had the Spirit in some measure, (as the Spirit of adoption, and sanctification, &c;) but now they shall have it in a more exceeding abounding manner and measure, both for gifts and graces. Thus Joel ii, 28; "Afterwards I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the hand"maids, in those days, will I pour out my Spirit." And in Dan. xii, 2-4 it is prophesied of this time, "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, &c. and they that "be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars, for ever and "ever; and knowledge shall be increased."

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3. The third privilege is a wonderful return of prayers. It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."'d That these words are within the body of a main prophecy of the visible glory of the Church in the time we speak of, we have abundantly proved before. Mr. Archer also urges this text to the same purpose, (in his book of Christ's reign on earth, page 31,) saying, “ That at this time there shall be a full and present answer to all their prayers. At this time, the reversion of all the prayers of all former ages will come into the Church's hands; the effect of all those will flow in upon the Church unto a sea of happiness. And if this Church at present makes any prayers, they shall have a present answer." Before they call.-So that before

u Jer. xii, 10. v Isa. xix, 25. w Jer. xii, 7. x Can

t Deut. xxxii, 9. ticles passim. y Ex. xix, 5. b Ezek. vii, 20. c Eph. i,

с

v.

z Isa. lx, 7. a Isa. xlvi, 13; Jer iii, 17; xiv, 21. d Isa. lxv, 24.

they pray as men in extremity, or distress, God will answer; which is plain by that which follows: for while they are speaking, even in their hearts, while they are but thinking prayer, their desires shall be fulfilled. Mr. Bolton saith, Mr. Bolton saith, "that while the saints are but thinking-entertaining for example, the desire of moving from one place to another, from one company of saints and angels to another-they shall move thither immediately, even in an imperceptible time." Further, the word prayer in Scripture comprehends praises; as does praise, prayers. Thus David calls his Psalms Thillim, (or Praises,) though they contain many prayers. That in this state the Church shall abound with praises the Revelation often intimates; and as Christ lays not down his mediatorship till the end of the thousand years, so perhaps the saints may make some kind of prayers: viz. for the exercise of their communion with God, the use of their graces, and for the finishing their present state to the utmost supernal eternal glory.—I tenderly propose these things, for herein my light is dim. Yet most probably Adam in innocency spoke to God in some way of prayer; and even the angel made a request to Christ. But I cease.

4. Upon the former privileges follows this, that the ordinances of the Church shall be in a higher key, both in quality and degree. For Christ, as the great ordinance of ordinances, shall, by special communion with the Church, manifest to it the mind of God. So that, as God spake to Adam in paradise, and gave him as an ordinance the tree of life; so in this second paradisian state of the Church, there shall be a special manifestation and communication, through Christ, who is the main Tree of Life.g The saints shall have such manifestations of the presence of God, that now mainly is that fulfilled—“ they shall be all taught of God." They shall have the high ordinance, (that high angelical ́ordinance, already noticed) of praise to God; whilst their meditation and contemplation of God shall be as a vision of God, or sight of his face. In the midst of the street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, yielding fruit, (the participation whereof comes not in without meditation ;) and there shall be no curse there, but the throne of God, and the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face."i e Rev. xi, xiv, xix, f Dan. xii, 6. 8 Rev. xxii. h Rev. xxii, 2-4.

And they shall have the word for inspection, and admiration, to see all revealed and all fulfilled. They shall be taught of God to know the full mind of that word; and they themselves shall see with their eyes that fulfilled, which out of the word they had heard with their ears: so that their Joshua shall say to them, according to their experience, "Nothing hath failed of all that God hath spoken." They shall have the effect of sublime purity and glory of discipline, viz. angelic order,— gates, and three angels at every gate. So that though the gate be never shut, yet, no unclean thing shall enter in; which is the cream and quintessence of the effect of all discipline.1 Finally, as the labor of the body in moving shall then be more excellent, and without fatigue; so the worship of the mind shall be without irksomeness.

5. The fifth privilege is a union of saints throughout the world: union of heads, and union of hearts; viz. unity in judgement, and unity in affection. "The Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day there shall be one Lord, and his name one."m Is he not King now? Yes, but not so visibly and absolutely before the eyes of all, as he shall be then; for many great wicked onės still domineer. Is not his Name now one?

Yes, in itself, he is the God of truth; but by mens' pretences, that he favours their peculiar way, they make for him several names, as Papist, Lutheran, Calvinist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Independent. But then it shall be clear, which is the only way of truth; and so God shall have one name: because, "they shall serve the Lord with one consent, all being of a pure language."n So that their judgements being one, and consequently their practices one, great will be the oneness of affections "the envy of Ephraim shall depart; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, nor Judah vex Ephraim."o If so great was the

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union of saints in the first fruits,P how much more when the whole lump is fully perfected! The history of dissension is now grievous to saints: therefore, on the contrary, sweet will the mystery be in the enjoyment of union.

6. The last privilege I notice is, that honor shall be given to all holy things, viz. to religion, and religious men. God hath in

m Zech. xiv, 9.

k Rev. xxii, 14, 19.
n Zeph. iii, 9.

1 Rev xxi, 4, 12, 25.
o Isaiah xi, 13.

P Acts iv, 52,

several passages, already quoted, promised to take away the reproach of his people. This is Gilgal the great, “to roll away the reproach from Israel." In the day when the Jews shall be converted, "ten men shall take hold of one Jew;"a therefore it is said divers times in the Revelation, that "the saints shall have the name of their father in their foreheads." Yea "kings shall be thy nurses;"'s and "the glory of Lebanon, &c. shall come to beautify my sanctuary, and I will make the place of my feet glorious." "The Church shall be as the stones of a crown lifted up.”u "The governors of Judah shall say in their hearts, The inhabitants of Jerusalem, my strength in the Lord of Hosts." We know that of late days, governors have put reproachful names upon the saints and churches of the purest judgement and profession; (as faction, schism, puritans, &c ;) but the time is at hand when they shall be convinced, and shall know that saints are the best men, the interest and the stay of kingdoms.

Let the consideration of these privileges make us walk like them that shall see these times! Let the dawning be upon us, now the sun is about to rise; cleaving to Christ in ordinances, and to one another in love; honouring them most, that have most holiness! Yea, let this comfort us, that all the glorious promises, and prophecies shall then be fulfilled!

q Zech. viii, 23:
t Isa. lx, 13.

r Chap. xiv, 1; xxii, 4. s Isa. xlix, 23.
u Zech. ix, 16. y Zech xii, 5.

FINIS.

APPENDIX.

The object of the following Exercitations is to reply to some queries; and to remove some difficulties and obscurities, experienced by the observant Reader, in the course of this Treatise and further to rectify certain misapprehensions, which some well minded and godly persons have fallen into, to the great prejudice of this glorious truth.

No. I.

THE CONFLAGRATION OF THE WORLD,

2 PETER III. 10-14.