The Privilege of the Saints on Earth, To the reader 2

The Privilege of the Saints on Earth · To the reader 2

COURTEOUS READER.

THou haſt added a brief Treatiſe of the nature of the Goſpel-Day in its Riſe, Progreſs, and Perfection. The Morning of which Day (beginning in the Apoſtles times) had much darkneſs mingled with a little light. You know what ſtiff and earneſt contentions there were for the Jewiſh Rites and Ceremonies; yea, the very Articles of Faith called in queſtion, the Spirit of Anti-chriſt working even then in the Evangelical Churches, which in after Ages grew to a greater height in the exaltation of the Man of Sin. But ſtill the Light and Purity of the Goſpel prevailed, though ſometimes the darkneſs was ſuch, as to threaten an utter extirpation: God raiſing up ſome faithful Witneſſes in all Ages to hold forth, and vindicate the Light againſt all that oppoſition made againſt it. The Truth had its Champions even then, when the whole World wondred after the Beaſt. And from them to us it is continued by an uninterrupted ſucceſſion, being ſtill of a growing and encreaſing Nature like the path of the Juſt ſhining more unto the perfect day. What cauſe have we to bleſs God that we ſee the Truth and Goſpel going on conquering and to conquer all Errour and Oppoſition? Well, the night is far ſpent, and the day is at hand, and go, let us caſt off the Works of Darkneſs, and put on the Armour of Light, and ſo much the more as we ſee the Day breaking, when Shadows ſhall flee away, & Light ſhall overſpread the face of the whole Earth. Peace, Truth, Holineſs, and Comfort ſhall then abound. In the mean time it is no wonder if Light and Darkneſs conflict together. Light of Peace with Trouble, of Truth with Errour; and go, let us not be ſecure, God may ſoon bring a Cloud over our Peace and Liberty. And let us alſo who are of the day be ſober, bearing with and forbearing one another, foraſmuch as yet we know but in part, and ſee through a Glaſs darkly; but when the Evening of this Goſpel-Day cometh, the Lord ſhall be one, and his Name one; Zech. 14. 7, 9.) one heart and one way, Jer. 32. 39. In the Faith and Hope hereof, Let all the Children of Zion rejoyce, and endeavour to be a People prepared for the Lord.

Reader, I ſhall detain thee no longer from this uſeful and ſeaſonable Diſcourſe. The bleſſing of God go with it, and make it fruitful, ſo prayes

Jan. 18^th 1673-4. Thy Servant in the Goſpel. H. J.

p. 121ZECH. 14. 6, 7.

And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, that the light ſhall not be clear nor dark.

But it ſhall be one day, which ſhall be known to the Lord, not day nor night; but it ſhall come to paſs that at evening time it ſhall be light.

THis Chapter begins with the revenge of God upon Judah and Jeruſalem for their crucifying the Lord of glory (Ch. 13. 7.) of which vengeance Chriſt himſelf foretold, Mat. 24.Matt 24and he calls them days of vengeance, Luke 21. 22.Luke 21:22where he amply fieth what the Prophet here ſpeaketh briefly.

Yet God threatneth to be avenged on p. 122the Nations that dealt thus with Jeruſalem and the Jews. They ſhould have no thanks for this their ſervice, as minding only the fulfilling of their own wills, and not Gods; (Ver. 3.) But though Jeruſalem ſhould be overthrown, and the Temple burnt, and the Temple-Worſhip aboliſhed; yet the Lord would have a care of his Church, and make way for the converſion of the Gentiles, and expoſe the Truth and Way of his Worſhip to the open view of the Jews and Gentiles from Eaſt to Weſt.

For the Truth and Way of God's Worſhip, and of Salvation was pent up before Chriſt's coming, in the narrow confines of Judea, and obſcured alſo, and darkned with ſhadows and Ceremonies,Pſa. 25. 2.Ps 25:2 as Jeruſalem (the Seat of God's Worſhip) was with Hills. But now all ſhould be laid open before all the world, from Eaſt to Weſt. And this here is ſignified by an Allegory of the cleaving of Mount Olivet (one famous Hill being put for the reſt) in the mid'ſt towards the Eaſt, Ver. 4.and towards the Weſt, whereby the City of God (which is the Church) ſhould no longer be obſcured, but patent, all Shadows and Ceremonies, and Partition-walls p. 123being removed. This, I ſuppoſe is the purport of Verſ. 4.

After this followeth a very great Commotion,Verſ. 5. compared to that great Earthquake in King Uzziah's dayes, which made Men to flee for their lives. But it is to be underſtood Spiritually (viz.) of Chriſt's voice in the Goſpel,Heb. 12. 26.Heb 12:26 ſhaking, not the Earth only, but alſo Heaven; whereby a great change is made even in the Church, by the ſhaking and removing of the Ceremonial-way of Worſhip, and the Partition-wall, and cauſing both Jew and Gentile (as many as would be ſaved) to flee to the Goſpel, and Goſpel-way of Worſhip, and Chriſt therein, from the wrath that is to come: This, I conceive is the meaning of Ver. 5.

Only, whereas it is ſaid, And the Lord my God ſhall come, and all the Saints with thee; This may be meant, Firſtly, Of the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt to ſet up his Goſpel-Kingdom, whither his Elect ſhould be gathered unto him their Head: But laſtly, and chiefly of Chriſt's ſecond coming, whereof Paul makes mention, ſpeaking of the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt with all his Saints.1 Theſ. 3. laſt.1 Thess 3 For this Chapter leads us ſo far, that nothing p. 124remaineth but this laſt and great coming of Chriſt, unto which the Prophet cannot forbear to look, and he looketh at it with much Faith and Joy.

1. In that he applyeth the Lord God to himſelf. The Lord my God ſhall come.

2. In that he turneth his ſpeech unto him. And all the Saints with thee.

Briefly as for the Chapter, it begins with the deſtruction of the Old Jeruſalem, and endeth with the erection of the New.

And whereas there is a Day ſpoken of, ſo and ſo deſcribed as in my Text, It is the day or the time, that lyeth between theſe two Jeruſalems, Old and New. It is not a Natural or Artificial day, for ſuch a day cannot ſuite with the ſcope of this Prophecy; Nor was there ever any ſuch day, wherein it was lighter in the Evening than in all the day before. And therefore by Day here, we muſt neceſſarily underſtand a large tract of time, for ſo Day is many times taken in the Scripture, particularly the time of the Goſpel is called the Day of Salvation. And it is called that Day, ſixteen times in this and the two preceding Chapters,2. Cor. 6. 2.2 Cor 6:2 which p. 125treat of the laſt times, wherein ſuch work is to be done, as will take up many hundred years, as you may ſee if you conſult the Chapters at leaſure.

And you ſee here when this day began, (viz.) when the Goſpel was firſt publiſhed, viz. about the time of the deſtruction of the Old Jeruſalem, or ſomewhat before it, and continueth to the ſetting up of the New.

Let me then put all the deſcription of this day together into one Point, and it is this.

Doctrine.

The Goſpel-times, unto the converſion of the Jews, are one day intermixed with Light and Darkneſs, known to God, in the evening whereof it ſhall be light.

Firſt, The Day here is plainly meant of 1the times of the Goſpel, till the dayes of the new Jeruſalem. For you find this Day again, Verſ. 8. and again, Verſ. 9. & ſo, till you are led to the converſion of the Jews, and the New Jeruſalem, Ver. 10, 11. to the end.

Secondly, This day is one day. 1. A 2Day. 2. One.

p. 126A Day. And that for theſe Reaſons.

1. In that it hath light in it all along. For Chriſt and the Goſpel run through it. And theſe carry light with them where ever they come. It is true, there is a mixture of darkneſs in it, yet it is not called night; but, becauſe it hath light in it, therefore is called Day; for the better part carries the denomination.

2. It is a Day in compariſon with the dark times under the Law, eſpecially the times immediately preceding the coming of Chriſt, when beſides the ſhadows of Ceremonies, there was great darkneſs of ignorance.

3. It is ſuch a Day, as is diſtinguiſhed with remarkable periods, (viz.) of Seals, Trumpets, Vials, even as the Natural day is with hours, and diſtinct diviſions. This we ſee at large in Johns Revelation.

4. It is a Day, in that it hath in it a bleſſed opportunity of working, Luke 19. 42. Joh. 9. 4. & 12. 35.

5. A Day, in that it hath a Morning, and an Evening. The Morning began with the riſing of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, when the day-ſpring from on high did viſit us, and the people that ſat in p. 127darkneſs ſaw great light. And the Evening lies in my Text, immediately before the Jews converſion. Thus it is a Day.

It is One day, i. e. one and the ſame from Morning to Evening. And 'tis ſo upon two accounts.

Firſt, In that every part of the day 1is mixt with light and darkneſs, though not equally mixt, for ſometimes it is more light, ſometimes more dark, but more or leſs light and dark always. And ſo the day is one and the ſame for conſtancy of light and darkneſs, though not for the equality of both.

Secondly, One and the ſame, and 2like to it ſelf, becauſe there is in it but one and the ſame Covenant, and way of Adminiſtration according to what God hath promiſed, ſaying, Yet once more I ſhake not the Earth only, Heb. 12. 26, 27.Heb 12:26Heb 12:27but alſo Heaven. And this word, Yet once more, ſignifyeth the removing of thoſe things that are made that thoſe things which cannot be ſhaken may remain. The Legal Adminiſtration was ſhaken and removed at the coming of this day, but the Evangelical ſhall remain to the very end of it. And hence it is, that the Church ſtill appears in all the Periods of this day, p. 128under the ſame form to the very laſt, viz. of four living Creatures and twenty four Elders.Rev. 4. 4. 11. 16. 14. 3. 19. 4.Rev 4:4Rev 4:11Rev 4:16Rev 4:14Rev 4:3Rev 4:19 And thus it is unus idemque dies, One and the ſame day from firſt to laſt. This is the Second Branch of the point, 'tis One day.

3Thirdly, It is ſuch a Day as is intermixed with Light and Darkneſs, ſo that it is neither Day nor Night, verſ. 7. But why then is it called a Day in the ſame Verſe? The meaning therefore is, that it is neither perfect Day, nor perfect Night; but yet ſuch, as may well be called a Day for the reaſons aforeſaid, onelyonly with intermixtures of Light and Darkneſs.

But what is the Light,Qu. and what the Darkneſs?

The Light is the light of Truth:Anſw. 1. for theſe two go together;Pſal. 43. 3.Ps 43:3 Send out thy Light and thy Truth. And the Darkneſs is the darkneſs of Ignorance, Error, Hereſy, Idolatry, and Superſtition. And ſuch a mixture there hath been in this Day, and will be to the very Evening of it.

The cleareſt part of this Day was in the Morning thereof, when the Apoſtles lived; yet even then there was a mixture of this Darkneſs. The Churches p. 129in Galatia were infected with the leaven of falſe Teachers, mingling Law and Goſpel in the point of Juſtification. And ſome in the Church at Corinth denied the Reſurrection of the Dead; and others held that it was already paſt,2 Tim. 2. 17.2 Tim 2:17 (as Hymeneus and Philetus) and their word did eat like a Gangrene. And ſome ſuch there were that turned the Grace of God into Laſciviouſneſ, &c. Both Peter and Jude give us a ſad character of them. And in John's time,1 John 2. 18, 191 John 2:181 John 2:19 there were many Antichriſts and Apoſtates from the Faith, and many falſe Prophets were then gone out into the World, who denied that Chriſt was come in the Fleſh. And Pride and Ambition began then to appear in Diotrephes. 1 Joh. 4. 1, 2.1 John 4:11 John 4:2And falſe Apoſtles we meet with ſeveral times;3 Joh. 10.3 John 1:10 and with Balaamites and Nicolaitans in the Church at Pergamus, Rev. 2.Rev 2and the woman Jezebel, a falſe Propheteſs, and a Seducer in the Church at Thyatira.

You ſee the Morning of this Day, red and lowring, preſaging foul weather throughout the remainder of it. In the times ſucceeding the Apoſtles, aroſe the Simonians, Menandrians, Carpocratians, Cerinthians, Ebionites, Marcionites, p. 130Apollinarians, &c. which did ſomewhat darken the Primitive Day, wherein yet there was a comfortable mixture of Light held forth by Ireneus, Lactantius, Tertullian, Juſtin Martyr, Cyprian, and others. Afterward aroſe the Arrians, (who denied the God-head of Chriſt) greatly obſcuring the Day, but were oppoſed by Athanaſius, Hilary, and ſeveral others, and condemned by the Nicene Council. Not long after, the Hereſy of Macedonius (who denied the Perſonality of the Holy Ghoſt) was condemned by a Council at Conſtantinople; And ſo was the Hereſy of Neſtorius, (who held that Chriſt had two Perſons, as well as two Natures) oppoſed and condemned by a Council at Epheſus, not long after the ſame time. Oppoſite to this Hereſy was that of the Eutychians, who held Chriſt to have but one Nature; confounding his Natures, as the Neſtorians had divided his Perſon. For thus we find moſt of the Primitive Hereſies to be about the Natures and Perſon of Chriſt, the great Light of the World, which the Prince of Darkneſs endeavoured to extinguiſh, that ſo he might turn this Day into p. 131Night. But ſtill you will find that there was Light in oppoſition to his Darkneſs. And when afterwards the Devil ſtirred up Pelagius to aſſert the Freedome of Mans Will, God raiſeth up Auguſtine to oppoſe him.

OnelyOnly what ſhall we ſay about the cloſe of the Sixth Century, when the bottomleſs Pit was opened, out of which there aroſe a ſmoak,Rev. 9. 2.Rev 9:2 as the ſmoak of a great Furnace, inſomuch that the Sun and Air were darkened by reaſon of the Smoak. Where now was the Light? and where was the One Day in my Text? Yea, and as the Centuries encreaſed, ſo did the Darkneſs, by a continual ſucceſſion and ſeries of Errors and Hereſies, for many Hundreds of years together. And you know what dark Lights the Schoolmen were in their Generations, who did rather obſcure than illuſtrate Theology.

Theſe things are true; And a man had need of a great deal of knowledg in Church-Hiſtory, and the Centuriators, to give particular ſatisfaction in this point, and it would alſo require a large Diſcourſe.

I ſhall therefore give you ſome general p. 132grounds of Proof, that ſtill the Light did run through the darkeſt Times.

1Firſt, Chriſt promiſed that the gates of Hell ſhould never prevail againſt his Church,Mat. 16. 18 28. laſt.Matt 16:18 and that he would be with it to the end of the World.

2Secondly, It is held by ſeveral Learned and Orthodox, That the Seven Churches of Aſia had their Antitypes, one after another, throughout the day of the Goſpel in my Text. And then, ſurely there was alwaies Light in the Candleſticks.

3Thirdly, When Chriſt began to ſhew John things to come, the Firſt thing that he ſhewed him, was God ſitting upon his Throne, with the Church round about Him, and ſo deſcribed, as you know, Revel. 4. For in ſhewing John things to come, at ſo great and vaſt a Proſpect, God muſt needs ſhew him great and dreadful things, as. He did under the Seals, Trumpets, and Vials. And therefore at the very entrance of this Diſcovery, God ſecureth to John the ſafe condition of the Church in all times, and let… him ſee that his Eye was ſtill upon that, as ſtanding round about his Throne encompaſſed with ten thouſand times ten thouſand of Angels, that p. 133ſo what ſights ſoever John ſhould afterwards ſee, he might be aſſured, that the Church was ſafe enough. For God is before, and his Angels behind the Church. And hence it is that ever and anon the Church puts up her head in ſuch and ſuch periodical times, and daies of danger and darkneſs in the Revelations.

Fourthly, When God intended great 4Mutations in the World, He made proviſion for his Church and People; ſo that the four Angels muſt not hurt the Earth, nor the Sea, nor the Trees, till the Servants of God were ſealed in their Foreheads;Rev. 7. 1, 2….Rev 7:1Rev 7:2 and the number of the ſealed was 144000.

And when the four firſt Trumpets ſounded, though there followed alwaies a ſore judgment,Rev. 7.Rev 7 yet ſtill a third part eſcaped under every one of them; And with this agreeth that of Zechary, Zech. 13. 8.Zech 13:8Two parts ſhall be cut off and die, but the third part ſhall be left therein.

And when again the fifth Trumpet ſounded, and the mouth of the bottomleſs Pit was opened,Rev 9. 4.Rev 9:4 out of which a dreadful ſmoak aſcended, and Locuſts out of the ſmoak, they had not power to hurt the graſs of the Earth, nor any p. 134green thing, nor any tree, but onelyonly thoſe men, which had not the Seal of God in their foreheads, Rev. 9. 4

5Fifthly, If we come to the Sixth Trumpet, which began to ſound about the Year 1300. when the Ottoman Power aroſe, which yet continueth to this day; it was a very dark and diſmal time, yet not void of Light. For the Waldenſes and their Followers were up long before that time, and Wickliffe aroſe ſomewhat about the ſame, and (as I take it) Bernard. Afterwards John Huſs and Hierome of Prague. But ſeeing the time was ſo doleful, and that it might well be admired, what was become of the Church, and where the Light was to be ſeen; our Lord Jeſus Chriſt cometh down from Heaven, in the form of a mighty Angel, clothed with a Cloud, and a Rainbow upon his Head, and his Face ſhining as it were the Sun. For this was in the dark times of the Sixth Trumpet, when although Chriſt was much clouded to the World, and little of him ſeen, yet the Sun did ſhine through the Cloud, even in thoſe times; for he was mindful of his Covenant,Rev. 10. 1, 2.Rev 10:1Rev 10:2 ſignified by the Rainbow. And moreover Chriſt had in his Hand a little p. 135Book open; ſo that there was ſome Light ſhining in thoſe very dark times.

Sixthly, When Antichriſt was at his greateſt height, a little before the Light ſo brake forth, that ſome Reformation began, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Lamb of God, appeareth ſtanding on Mount Zion, Rev. 14. 1.Rev 14:1and with him an Hundred and forty four Thouſand, having his Fathers name written on their Foreheads: ſhewing us, That Chriſt had his Church in the times of the greateſt Apoſtaſie, and that there was not wanting Light in Darkneſs. The ſealed Number (Rev. 7) ran through (about) a thouſand years, and at laſt lifted up their heads upon Mount Zion.

Seventhly, Suppoſe the riſe of Antichriſt 7ſhould commence (as it is apprehended) between the fourth and fifth Centuries, you know the riſe of the two Witneſſes contemporates therewith; after which they continue their propheſying, during One thouſand, two huudred and ſixty Daies, a day put for a year. And ſo too, upon this account, the darkeſt Daies did not want the Light of the bleſſed and everlaſting Goſpel; yea, ſo much Light, as to uphold the denomination of a Day.

p. 136But ſince the Second ſpring of the Goſpel, ariſing from the Light introduced by Luther, Melanchton, and the German Theologues, it is viſible to the eyes of Adverſaries, how the Darkneſs hath declined, and the Light ſhined more and more to this very day. And thus it will be light and dark, light as to Truth, and dark as to Ignorance, Error, Hereſy, Idolatry, and Superſtition more or leſs unto the very Evening of the Day.

2Secondly, In this day there is a mixture of Light and Darkneſs in another reſpect, viz. Trouble mingled with Tranquillity, and Perſecution with Liberty. You know the ſad times under the Seals, by the rage of the Roman power againſt Chriſtianity. Yet ſome liberty was now and then enjoyed, and ſilence in Heaven for half an Hour. You have heard alſo of the Arrian Perſecution under Conſtantius, Julian and Valens, yet all liberty was not deſtroyed. For though Perſecution and Liberty in their height are inconſiſtent, as light and darkneſs, the one in its height expels the other, yet there was an interchange by the ſucceſſion of one to the other ſometims, if not an intermixture p. 137of both as to a moderate degree. For though Perſecution and Liberty have not ſtood together in one and the ſame time and place in their height, yet as for the light of the Goſpel, and Truth thereof, that hath ſometimes ſhined in ſhowres of Perſecution, like as we have now and then ſeen the Sun to ſhine, and the Rain to fall at one and the ſame time.

And thus you ſee how the Day of the Goſpel hath all along hitherto been intermixed and interchanged with light and darkneſs. The light of Truth and the darkneſs of Errour, the light of Liberty, and the darkneſs of Perſecution. And thus much for the third Particular of the Point in hand.

Fourthly, This one day thus intermixed, 4is known to God. In ſome reſpects it is known to us, and hath been known to others before us, (viz.) that there is ſuch a day, and thus intermixed as aforeſaid. But it is known to God, ſo as it is not known to us.

Firſt, It is known to him as the Efficient 1of it. As it is ſaid of the Natural day,Pſal. 74. 16Ps 74:16 The day is his, the night alſo is his, he hath prepared the light of the Sun. And again, I form the Light, p. 138and create Darkneſs; Iia. 45. 7.I make Peace, and create Evil; I the Lord do all theſe things. Thus it is with this Goſpel-day; The Lord is the Former of it, who hath determined the times before appointed.

2Secondly, This day is known to God, as being wholly in his power to order all things in it after the Counſel of his own will. He knew the end from the beginning, and what lyeth in the Womb of this day, from the Morning to the Evening of it. He knew what light, and what darkneſs there would be in every period of the day, whereas we know not what a day may bring forth; and little did we think a year ago what Light of Liberty we ſhould now enjoy, nor do we know what darkneſs of trouble and confuſion may ariſe again ere long. We look ſometimes, for good, and lo, evil cometh, and we wait for Light, and there cometh darkneſs. For it is not for us to know the times and ſeaſons,Job. 30. 26Job 30:26 which the Father hath put in his own power.Acts. 1. 7.Acts 1:7 We cannot make a Divine Almanack, and define what day (in this great day) it ſhall be calm, & what day tempeſtuous, what day it ſhall ſhine, and what day rain. We know not the Ordinances of p. 139Heaven, nor can we ſet their Dominion in the Earth; we cannot lift up our voices to the Clouds, that abundance of Waters may cover us; neither do do we know the way where the Light dwelleth, and as for Darkneſs we know not the place thereof. Known unto God are all things.

Thirdly, This day is known to God, 3in the Hebrew Phraſe of knowing, Ejuſ modieſt quem curabit & conſervabit Deus.which includeth alſo the affections. And therefore this day is ſo known of the Lord,Jun. Trem. that it is regarded and cared for by him. His Eyes are upon it, that nothing falls out in it, but by his ſpecial Providence. And though darkneſs hath ſometimes increaſed, and far prevailed in this day, yet the Light was never extinguiſhed, nor ever ſhall: He hath ſtill preſerved a Lamp, as he did in the Kingdom of David, at the loweſt ebb thereof. About one hundred and fifty years ago, when darkneſs lay upon the face of the Earth, preſently God commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs, which hath continued and encreaſed unto this very day.

Fourthly, This day is known unto 4God, in reſpect of the termination of it, which we know not. For what great p. 140miſtakes have there been, about the time of Antichriſt's ruine, and the calling of the Jews?

We know in the general, that this Day ſhall have an Evening, and that in the Evening it ſhall be light: But when this Evening ſhall be, we know not; we cannot take the Light and the Darkneſs at the bound thereof. But God doth perfectly know the Epocha of the reign of the Beaſt, and his Number, 666. And thus this day is known to the Lord, and to the Lord only.

5Fifthly, In the evening of this day it ſhall be light.

1Firſt then, What is this Evening? It is the darkeſt part of this Day, throughout which there was ſtill more or leſs Darkneſs intermixed with Light, as you have heard, but now at the Evening-time there ſhall be more darkneſs than in any of the preceding parts of the Day: How elſe were it an Evening?

But how can it be,Obj. that the Evening ſhould be ſo dark, and yet that at Evening-time it ſhould be light?

p. 1411. In ſome reſpects it ſhall be the darkeſt part of the Day,Sol. 1. for it will be a time of very ſore Troubles, Wars, and rumors of Wars, and great Commotions. For I cannot tell where to fix this Evening, but under the Sixth Vial, which ſhal be poured out upon the great River Euphrates, Rev. 16. 12Rev 16:12That the waters thereof may be dried up, and the way of the Kings of the Eaſt prepared: In which words is held forth (as our beſt Interpreters hold) the converſion of the Jews.Revel. 16. 13, 14.Rev 16:13Rev 16:14 At what time The three unclean Spirits, like Frogs, ſhall go out of the mouth of the Dragon, and out of the mouth of the Beaſt, & out of the mouth of the falſe Prophet, which are the ſpirits of Devils, working Miracles, and going forth to the Kings of the Earth, and of the whole World, to gather them to the battel of the great Day of God Almighty. And that muſt needs be a very ſad Evening, eſpecially in reſpect of trouble, great oppoſitions and commotions. For there ſhall be as terrible Signs and Preſages fore-running the erection of the New-Jeruſalem, Luke 21. 9, 10, 11.Luke 21:9Luke 21:10Luke 21:11as there were before the Deſtruction of the Old. Hinc illae Tenebrae. But how then ſhall it be light at this Evening time.

p. 142Secondly, In ſome reſpect therefore, it ſhall be the moſt lightſom part of the Day hitherto. And indeed it will be the light of the Evening, that will very much occaſion the Darkneſs of it: I mean the Light of the Truth, that ſhall then ſhine forth, ſhall darken the Kingdom of the Beaſt, and cauſe his Followers to gnaw their very Tongues for pain.Rev. 16. 10Rev 16:10 For that is under the Fifth Vial; and if the Kingdom be full of Darkneſs, it muſt needs be that Chriſt's Kingdom will then be full of Light. For the Witneſſes will be …iſen long before the effuſion of the Fifth and Sixth Vials, and Antichriſt be greatly conſumed with the breath of Chriſts mouth, viz. in the Preaching of the Goſpel. And therefore in this reſpect, it muſt needs be a lightſome Evening, and a time of greater Light than ever ſhined ſince the daies of the Apoſtles.

Thus you ſee what a time the Evening ſhall be.

But ſhall this Evening then determine this Day,Queſt. ſo that the Converſion of the Jews ſhall become another Day?

No;Anſw. But as this Day is one and the ſame, and conſtant to it ſelf, as we have heard, ſo ſhall the Day of the Jews Converſion, p. 143and the time following be one and the ſame day with this. But how? Not in reſpect of Light and Darkneſs intermixed,1 Cor. 11. 26.1 Cor 11:26 ſo as in the Day before the Evening, but in reſpect of one and the ſame Covenant,2 Cor. 3. 11.2 Cor 3:11 and way of Holy Adminiſtration ſtill continued:Heb. 12. 28Heb 12:28 For the Ordinances now uſed ſhall be continued to the coming of Chriſt.

For it is obſervable;

Firſt, That this dark Time is not called, The Evening; but the Evening-time, Quo tempore adveſperaſcere, & Nox eſſe ſolet: At what time it begins to be Evening; or, to look like an Evening, and the Sun ſeems to be ſetting. And therefore

Se…ndly, Though it is called an 2Evening-time, yet there is no Night ſaid to follow it. Sol occubuit, Nox nulla ſecuta eſt. It is ſuch an Evening, wherein the Sun ſetteth, and no Night ſucceedeth. It is true, One would little expect light in the Evening, eſpecially more light than in the Day before. But ſuch an Evening-time is this, after which ſhineth the greateſt Light that ever was ſeen ſince the daies of Jeſus Chriſt.

You ſee then what this Evening is.

p. 1442Secondly; What is that Light, that ſhall ſhine ſo gloriouſly at the Evening-time, eſpecially at the end of it?

Anſw. It is the ſame in kind and quality with that which ſhined before this Evening-time, only it differeth in degrees. For now the Light ſhall excel, and that ſhall be fulfilled which was ſpoken by the Prophet; Iſai. 60. 1, 2, 4.Isa 60:1Isa 60:2Isa 60:4Ariſe, and ſhine, for thy Light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee, &c. Now (as I may ſay) the light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun; and the light of the Sun ſhall be ſevenfold, Iſai. 60. 19, 20.Isa 60:19Isa 60:20as the light of ſeven Daies: Yea, The Sun ſhall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightneſs ſhall the Moon give light unto thee: but the Lord ſhall be unto thee an everlaſting Light, and thy God thy glory. The Sun ſhall no more go down, neither the Moon withdraw it ſelf, for the Lord ſhall be thine everlaſting light.

But wherein ſhall this Light conſiſt?Queſt.

Firſt; Anſw.There ſhall be a great effuſion of the Spirit of God in thoſe times, whereof a Pledge was given in the Morning of this Goſpel-day. It ſhall come to paſs in the laſt daies, that I will p. 145pour out my Spirit upon all Fleſh. And the like we find in the words following my Text; And it ſhall be in that Day, that living Waters ſhall go out from Jeruſalem, Zech. 14. 8.Zech 14:8&c. And hereby is meant the Spirit of God with his Gifts and Graces,Joh. 4. 14. 3. 38, 39.John 4:14John 4:3John 4:38John 4:39 compared to living Waters.Ezek. 47. 1-6.Ezek 47:1–6 And theſe I take to be the ſame with Ezekiel's waters, which roſe at laſt to a very great depth.

Secondly, Hence it followeth, That 2there will be a very great light of Knowledg in this Day, ſo that there ſhall not be ſo much need, as now there is, for one to teach another; ſaying, Know the Lord, for they ſhall all know him from the leaſt to the greateſt. And that ſhall be the time eſpecially,Iſai. 11. 5Isa 11:5 when The Earth ſhall be full of the knowledg of God, as the Waters cover the Sea.

Thirdly, This Light of Knowledg 3ſhall have a great influence into the Hearts and Lives of Men, who ſhall ſhine eminently in Holineſs; inſomuch that the inſcription upon the Fore-head of the High-Prieſt ſhall then be put upon the bells of the Horſes, and the very Pots in Jeruſalem and Judah ſhall be Holineſs to the Lord; Even Carters, Cooks, and Kitchin-Maids ſhall then p. 146ſhine in purity of life, and there ſhall be no more the Canaanite in the Houſe of the Lord of Hoſts.Zech. 14. 20, 21.Zech 14:20Zech 14:21

4Fourthly, That Day ſhall ſhine with the Light of Peace, Tranquillity, and Joy, for theſe go together, Eſth. 8. 16. Swords ſhall then be turned into Plough-ſhares, and Spears into Pruning-hooks; Nation ſhall not lift up ſword againſt Nation, Mic. 4. 3.Mic 4:3neither ſhall they learn War any more.

5Fifthly, In that Day there ſhall be the Light of Comfort; for this will follow neceſſarily from all the former; and the Conſolation will be both External and Internal, viz. When the Spirit of God, the Comforter, ſhall be poured out ſo plentifully, and when the Spirit ſhall have his Day, as the Father and the Son had theirs. And when Knowledge, Holineſs, and Peace ſhall abound on the Earth; when Turk and Pope, and all that oppoſe the Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall be deſtroyed, and Satan bound and confined to the bottomleſs Pit, during the Thouſand years. I ſay, This muſt needs be a very comfortable time. Great then ſhall be the peace of Zions Children, when God ſhall make her an eternal Excellency, and a joy p. 147of many Generations, when violence ſhall no more be heard in her Land, waſting and deſtruction within her Borders; but men ſhall call her Walls, Salvation; and her Gates, Praiſe; and when they ſhall come and ſing in the height of Zion, and ſhall flow together to the goodneſs of the Lord, who ſhall turn the former Mourning of his People into Joy, and comfort them, and cauſe them to rejoice from their ſorrow, For they ſhall come to Zion with Songs, and everlaſting Joy upon their Heads, they ſhall obtain joy and gladneſs, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away.

And thus you ſee the Light that ſhall be at the Evening-time, and the Doctrine cleared in the ſeveral parts of it; the Uſes whereof now follow.