Trees of Lignaloes which the Lord hath planted. Thele Trees of Lignaloes are, according to Hiftory, a Tree growing in Arabia and India, which for the fweet and odoriferous Smell that it had, the Spirit of God alludes to, to fet forth the fweet Perfume and odoriferous Smell of this Garden. Thefe Trees, for the Excellency of them, are faid to be of the Lord's Planting. O how fweet do these Plants fmell! What an Odour of fweet Perfume do they fend forth, from the Grace and Righteoufness of Chrift, which is both planted in them and put upon them, that makes them smell like a Field which the Lord bath bleffed. Here is another thing to be obferved in the Words, and that is, thefe Plants are faid to be as Cedar-Trees befide the Waters. The Excellency of Cedar-Trees are fet out by their Heighth, Strength, and the abundance of Sap that is in them, efpecially in fuch as grow by the Water Side. Sure here lies the Excellency of the Saints. who are planted in this Garden, when by Faith they are ftrong in the Grace that is in Chrift Jefus when they grow and increase in the Graces of the Spirit, and appear like tall Cedars in the Lord's Leba non; when they are helpt to live upon the Grace that is in Chrift, and to derive Light, Life, Sap, and Nourishment from the Fulness that is in him There is abundance of Plenitude of Sap in the Roct, which by virtue of Union in the Exercife of Faith we fhould draw out at all times, as the Woman drew Virtue out of Chrift, in touching the Hem of his Garments, that fo we may ap pear as tall Cedars by the Water-fide, in the Garden of the Lord,

But

..But oh what a Garden will this be in the time of Chrift's Kingdom, when every Believer shall appear as a fruitful Garden in the midst of a Garden! For thefe Words I look upon to have a prophetical relation to that Time: Then fhe fhall in a more excellent way be as the Valleys Spread forth, in refpect of the wonderful Flocking there will be of Jews and Gentiles unto Chrift, by Converting Grace; and as Gardens by the River's Side, in refpect of her extraordinary Fruitfulness. Then fhall the Church of God more eminently appear to be like the Trees of Lignaloes which the Lord hath planted; to fhew what a sweet Odour and fragrant Smell will abundantly ftream forth from the Grace of Chrift. And as Cedars befide the Waters: All the Saints, every Believer shall be as a tall Cedar in that day; not one weak in the Faith, but all ftrong in the Grace of Chrift: Tho' fome will be ftronger and taller than others, according to thofe Words in Zech. xii. 8. In that Day fhall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Ferufalem; and he that is feeble among ft them fhall be as David; and the House of David fhall be asGod, as the Angel of the Lord before them Here indeed will be a Difference, but the Weakeft will be as ftrong as David, and the House of David (by which I understand the Family of ftrong Believers, or thofe who have been more useful in the Work of the Lord, to be meant) fhall be as God, or as the Angel of the Lord. O how glorious will this Garden appear to be in that day (which is an Expreffion the Spirit of God often makes use of, when speaking of this Time, In that Day, and in that Day, it shall befo and fo; as may be feen in a multitude of Places) when the pure River of the Water of Life (proceeding

ceeding from the Throne of God and the Lamb) fhall run through the midft of it, as was typically hadowed out by the River in Eden's Garden, Gen. if. 10. And a River went out of Eden to water the Gar den, and from thence it was parted, and became into four Heads, anfwering to the Four Quarters of the World: So will this River in the Antitipe fpread it felf into all Parts and Places, to water the Garden, which is faid to run thro' the midft of the City. Again, here is not only a River, but the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden, as there was in the Garden of Eden: So will there be in this. A Tree, which in respect of the Variety of the Fruit, will bear twelve manner of Fruits; and for the Fruitfulness, it is faid to yield her Fruit se every Month: And for the healing Nature that was in it, the Leaves of the Trees are for the Healing of the Nations, Rev. xxii. 2. If the Garden of Eden was fo pleasant and delightful as to be called a Paradife, for the multitude of Pleasures that it abounded $ with, how much more will this Garden be so called, which will abound with all the Delights that the Hearts of the Saints can wifh for or defire, according to thofe Words in Ifa. li. 3. For the Lord fhall comfort Sion (then the Saints fhall be comforted indeed, when all her Sorrows fhall be fwallow'd up in inexpreffible Joy) he will comfort all her Waste Places (to fhew that every deftitute and afflicted Child of God fhall be filled with Comfort) and he will make her Wilderness like Eden, and her Defart like the Garden of the Lord. Tho' Sion has been many a time, in her own Apprehenfion, like a Wildernefs or Defart, in refpect of the Troubles and Difconfolations which he hath found in her Soul; yet

now

A

now in the glorious Kingdom of Jefus Chrift the fhall be fo no more; but will appear like Eden, or like the Garden of God. Then it is that Foy and Gladness fall be found in her, Thanksgiving and the Voice of Melody, when this bleffed River of Divine Pleasure, like an overflowing Stream, will run thro' the midst of them. Here will be no forbidden Fruit, nor Devil to tempt the Saints. But this will not be until the latter Part or Branch of the Kingdom of Chrift: For the Saints will not be perfectly free from all Trouble and Temptation while they be in this mortal State; but when they come to be glorify'd with Chrift, at the Refurre&tion and Changing of their Bodies, they fhall. We fee then what a Garden the Church of God now is, and in the Day of Zion's Glory more eminently will appear to be. Oh what a Flocking and Gathering in of poor Sinners unto Jefus Chrift then, when the Spirit fhall thus be poured down, as Water out of his Bucket.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVII.

1. There will be a Spiritual Glory firft, or Chrift will reign by the great Effufion of his Spirit in the Saints. 2. That the Kingdom of Chrift in the Firl Part or Branch of it, will be fpiritual, you have in this Chapter feveral Scriptures taken out of many Prophefies, with fome Jhort Remarks upon each one of them, for Proof.

TH

;

THAT there will be a Spiritual Glory of Chrifl's Kingdom firft, and can under no Shew of Reafon be referred unto a Perfect Perfonal Reign (befides what hath been already faid) thefe following Scriptures will further teftifie, Pfalm xxii. 15. And he hall live, and to him fhall be given the Gold of Sheba Prayer alfo fhall be made for him, and daily fall he be praised. This certainly must be underftood of Chrift: It is he that now doth, and in that Day will more eminently live, by his Spirit, among his People; and to him it is that the Gold of Sheba fhall be given; that is, to Chrift in his Members, which is his Body Myftical. It cannot be meant of Chrift in his Perfon, because he will have no need (nor the Saints neither) of Gold, or the good things of this Life, at the time of his perfonal Coming, and therefore this muft relate unto the Spiritual Glory of Chrift, in the First Branch of his Kingdom. Prayer hall be, and is made for bim, by the Saints, that his Glory might appear vifible in the World: And then it is that he ball da

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