9, 10. Who bath faved us, and called us with an holy Calling, not according to our Works (either before or fince) but according to his own Purpofe and Grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World began. This Salvation is not only one and the fame Salvation, whereby all are faved that ever were, are, or fhall be faved; but it is an ancient Salvation, older than Adam, or any Created Being. This Grace of Salvation was given us, and laid up in Chrift, the great Covenant-Head, for us, before we or any Creature was created; but is now made manifeft by the Appearing of our Saviour FefusChrift, who hath abolished Death (and conquered or deftroyed him that had the Power of it, which is the Devil) and bath brought Life (Eternal Life) and Immortality to light, through the Gospel. Thefe great Myfteries, in Election, Redemption, Juftification, Salvation, and Glorification, were not known but darkly by the Old Teftament Saints; they had not fuch clear, bright Views of this Doctrine of Grace and Salvation alone by Chrift, as is made known unto us by the Gofpel Miniftration. Well! Thus we fee again, how this glorious Change, in the Difpenfation upon the Church by the Gospel, ftill rifeth higher and higher, as it will yet do more more, until it fhall break forth into a perfectState, according to thofe Words in Prov. iv. 18. But the Path of the fut is as the lining Light, that fineth more and more unto the perfect Day.

Fifthly, The Church of Cod will yet come under another Change, in refpect of her Difpenfation: For that is the thing which I am upon, to fhew how the Lord changes the Difpenfation that his People are under, from oneDifcovery of Light unto

another,

another, until at laft he brings them unto the Golden Age, which this Prophecy under Confideration hath a relation too. The Change that is to be made upon the Church, and that which we are waiting for, is, when fhe fhall be brought into fuch a State of Light and Glory, as to have all Clouds of Darkness which are ftill upon her, to be blownoff; and the great Myfteries of the Gospel in the unfolding or revealing the unfearchable Riches of Chrift, to be made known unto her, in a far brighter and clearer Discovery of Light than ever they have yet been: When the Saints fhall be led by the Spirit into all the Mysteries of the Kingdom. Alas! Notwithstanding the Difpenfation of the Gofpel be fo glorious, as has been fomewhat briefly hinted, to what it was to the Saints under the Law; yet there remain many Myfteries contained in the Word of God, which we are ignorant of, and much in the dark about: Neither can we nor fhall we underftand them, until the Church comes under another more glorious Change. What is the reafon of thofe Differences and Divifions which have been and ftill are among the Children of God, about many precious Truths of the Gofpel? Does it not arife from that Darkness and Ignorance which is upon us? Certainly it does. Again, notwithstanding this glorious Difpenfation, do we not find (and that by woful Experience) a great Deadness. Lifelefnefs, Lukewarmnefs, and Indifferency in our Souls? Sure we do. But now the Change which we are, or at leaft we fhould be waiting for, is that all thefe Clouds, Darkness, Ignorance, Deadness, Lifelefrefs, and Indifferency, may be removed from us That thefe Differences, Divifions, and Animo

fities among the Saints, may be ended: And that the Time may come, when we fhall fee Eye to Eye, and lift up our Voices together: When we fhall be of one Heart, and of one Mind: When Judah fhall not vex Ephraim, nor Ephraim envy Judab any more When we fhall fee and admire the glorious Light of Divine Grace, which will fhine forth not only in our felves, but in one another. Then it is that our Iron will be changed into Silver, and our Brafs into Gold. Some there be that have divided the World into four States or Ages: Firft, The Golden; Secondly, The Silver; Thirdly, The Brafs; Four bly, The Iron Age: Which I fuppofe is gathered from Nebuchadnezzar's Image, whereby the four Monarchies are reprefented: And according to this Account not only the Golden and Silver Age is paft, but we are got, and have a long time been in the Iron Age. Now this may be true with refpect to the World, or the Men of the World; yet it is not fo with refpect to the People of God, because their Silver and Golden Age is hill to come.The Silver Age of the Saints I look upon will be in the Spiritual Glory of Chrift's Kingdom; when all the Prophecies relating to that Time fhall be fulfilled, which for the Glory of it may be faid to be a Silver Age (to the Church) in comparifon of what fhe was before. But the Golden Age will not be until the perfonal Coming, Reign, and Kingdom of Chrift; when they hall live and reign with him (upon the Earth) a thousand Years, in a perfect State of Incorruptibility and Immortality. This fhews us that there will be another Change pafs upon Zion, after her spiritual Glory has had its fulfilment, but fhall fill be for the better: Though fhe was glorious be

fore,

doth fufficiently appear in the Book of Martyrs: And when he has had a little Reft from thefe, what difmal Work hath Sin and our own Corruption made amongst our felves, is too obvious unto all fenfible Perfons. Well, but here we have a gracious Promife, that Violence fhall no more be beard of: She fhall be fo far from being troubled with Violence, as that it fhall not once come near her any more. Let that Word be minded, (any more) though Violence hath been in the Land, and a mongft the Saints too, yet now it fhall be fo no more. I cannot but much wonder at the Generality of Expofitors in this Point; who refer thefe Texts only to the Jews Return out of Babylon's Captivity; but how they do or can reconcile their Expofition of the Jews coming out of Babylon with the Glory that is held forth in this Chapter, I am at a Lofs to know? Sure I am this will be very difficult for them to do, if they did but ferioufly confider it: Was the Jews then free from Trouble and Sorrow? Did they never hear of Vio lence any more in their Lard? Was there never any more Wafting, nor Deftruction within their Borders after their Return? Sure there is none that dare fay fo. Did they not meet with Sorrow and Trouble after this in a higher Degree than ever? Had they not an Experience of fuch à Violence in the Land? Such Wafting and Deftructions within their Borders, by the Armies of Titus Vefpafian, as neither they nor their Ancestors heard of, either before or fince? Then their Expofition cannot be the meaning of what is intended in this Prophecy: Befides, here are fuch wonderful Expreffions in relation to the latter Day Glory, as evident

ly

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ly appears has never yet been fulfilled: And therefore the Glory which is here principally in tended, muft have a peculiar Refpect to the King dom of Chrift, both in the firft and fecond Branch of it: Then indeed, and only then, can it properly be faid, that Violence hall no more be heard of in her Land; no Deftruction within her Borders, no Wafting of her Glory: And then it is that they fhall call her Walls Salvation and her Gates Praife; to fhew the wonderful Safety and Security, both of Zion and her Glory, because the Walls of her Security will be Salvation it felf: Salvation bath the Lord appointed for Walls and Bulwarks: The Lord Jehovah in that Day will more imminently appear, to be as a Wall of Salvation round about his People: So that Zion cannot be hurt by any Enemy within, nor her Glory deftroyed by any Power without.

The laft thing in the Text is, and herGates Praise z The meaning of which I do apprehend to be, the Multitude of Converts, who fhall come flocking in unto Zion at this time, through thefe Gates, which shall then be opened unto them, and which will caufe them to fing Songs of Praifes and Adoration unto him that fits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever. So that by her Gates Praife, we fee it is to be understood of that great Company, or the Ranfomed of the Lord, who hall (upon the Spirit's pouring down) Return and come to Zion (through thefe Gates) with Songs, and everlafting Foy upon their Heads: for they hall obtain. Foy and Gladness, and Sorrow and Sighing hall flee away. Ifa. 35. 10.

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