will heal the Stroke of her Wound. Sin was the Cause of all Breaches either betwixt God and us, or the Creature and us; or betwixt our selves : All these Breaches the Lord will heal in that Day, fo as that no Breach will be found in Chrift's Kingdom. Sin is the Cause of all those Wounds that are in our selves, or in one another: These Wounds thall be all healed, at that time; as there will not be a Breach, so neither shall there be a Wound Seen more upon any of the Saints, forever: Therefore it is said our Sins shall be blotted out (speaking of this Day) when the Times of refreshing shall come, from the Prefence of the Lord. And he flall fend Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you; whom the Heaven must receive, until the Times of Reftitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his holy Prophets, fince the World began. Here we may observe that fomething of this Time was spoken of, by the Mouth of all the Prophets, from the Beginning of the World, Acts iii. 19. Well! Then it is that our Sins, yea all our Sins (who are interested in Cbrift) shall be blotted out, and so consequently all our Wounds and Breaches healed. But were not our Sins blotted out before this time (may some say?) Yea verily, they were all blotted out and fatisfy'd for, by that one expiatory Sacrifice of the Son of God: And our Faith, when in Exercise, does believe and see it so. But what then? Our Experience, yea and the Experience of all the Saints, does shew what a Return there is of Sin and Guilt, wounding of our Conscience daily, while in this imperfect State; and how low our Faith is many times, in the Pardon of them; 1 them; infomuch that we are attended with a thousand Fears, left they should not be pardoned. But when this Time of refreshing is come, then there will be such a perfect Blotting out of all Sins, as that there shall not one be found; Jer. 1. v. 20. In those Days. and in that Time, faith the Lord, the Iniquity of Ifrael fball be fought for; and there shall be none: And the Sirs of Judah ; and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them whom I rejerve. These Words are a Prophecy of the Latter Day's Glory, and therefore fhew us, that tho' there may be never such a narrow Scrutiny made for Sin, they shall not be found (fo as to be imputed to them, or charged against them) There shall be none : The Reafon is, because the Lord hath pardoned them whom he did reserve. He hath pardoned and blotted them out now: But then in that Day (when the Sun shall be fevenfold, as the Light of Seven Days) the Saints and Children of God, all of them, shall have a clear and perfect Sight of the free Pardon and Blotting out of Sin, as that there will not the least Danger or Fear arife in the Mind, to wound the Soul any more. Oh what a glorious Sight will the Saints have, of the Life, Death, Blood, Person, Righteousness and Satisfaction of Jesus Chrift; for the Binding up of their Breaches, for the Healing of their Wounds, for the Pardon of their Sins, for the Justification, Acceptation, and Salvation of their Persons; the Sight of which will fill their Hearts with fuch a Joy, so unspeakable, and full of Glory, as that no Tongue can express, nor Heart conceive, what the Lord hath laid up, and then wil beftow upon all them that love him. These Words then do appear as an undeniable Proof of the visible Glory of Chrift's Kingdom in this World; and that, both in the First and Second Branch of it. The First having respect unto the wonderful Pouring down of the mighty Spirit. Then it it that the Moon shall be for Brightness like the glorious Sun; our Light in this Gospel Day, being but as the Light of the Moon, in comparifon of that Light which is yet to break forth upon the Church, in her Spiritual Glory. But oh how glorious will the Saints appear to be, when her Spiritual Glory shall yet fo wonderfully increase, as to have her Sun fevenfold, like the Light of Seven Days; which can mean no other than a perfect State, when the Saints shall reign with Christ, in the Latter Part or Branch of his Personal Reign or Kingdom. CHAP. V. The Beginning of this Time will be a Time of Trouble to the Jews. 1. The Day of the Lord will be great; First, In refpect of the Greatness of the Trouble upon the People of God: Secondly, In refpect of their Deliverance out of those Troubles. 2. Chrift is the Antitype of David, who is to reign among the Saints. 3. Though the Jews, with the People of God among the Gentiles, have been carried away Captive, yet they shall return again to their own Land. 4. By the dry Bones, is meant the whole House of Ifrael, who will arife by the Spirit of Life entring into them. 5. Then there will be a Re-union of all the Tribes, as one People and Nation, together with the Gentiles. A GAIN, the Prophecy of Feremiah is full in many Places, as to this promised Glory. I shall take Notice but of one Chapter for the present, and that is the 30th; there are several Verses in it I shall give a short Paraphrafe upon. In ver.7.you read thus; Alas, for that Day is great! (it has a Respect to this Time we are now treating of; great it will be in Regard of the Troubles that will be upon Nations and Churches, with the People of the Jews, in the Beginning of that Lay; Great it will be in respect of the Greatness of their Deliverance out of those Troubles, at this time, as follows; It is even the Time of Jacob's Trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. I shall obferve that the Time when, and the Means by which God will deliver his People; will at the first look so dark and dismal unto them, as that it will be called a Time of Jacob's Trouble. Secondly, How dark and dismal foever the Providence of God may look at the first, yet the Lord will work the compleat Deliverance of his People thereby; but he shall be saved out of it. The Proof of this appears in the Eleventh Verse; For I am with thee, faith the Lord, to save thee; though I make a full end of all Nations whither I have Scattered thee, &c. In the Ninth Verse we have a Promise that they (that is those which are saved) Shall serve the Lord their God, and David their King, whom I will raise up unto them. This David, that is here promised, who shall reign over them, and whom they shall serve, is not literal David, who was dead many Years before this Promise was extant; neither can it be apply'd to any other Person that is a mere Creature; because it is said they Shall serve the Lord their God, and David their King. This Serving I look upon to be a spiritual Worship which is due to God only. And therefore by Lavid the Lord Jesus Christ must be meant, who is often called by that Name; of whom David was but a Type: It is Chrift who is the true and spiritual |