for the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her felf ready. Wherefore this muft certainly have a refpect unto the time when the Lord Jefus fhall come, and all the Saints with him, in a perfect glorified State at the Refurrection; and when there fhall be an open and vifible Solemnization of that bleffed Marriage betwixt himfelf and his Spoufe; which takes in the whole myftical Body of Chrift. They all of them being brought in by effectual Calling in Regeneration; and not only fo, but changed into a glorious perfect State; the Dead being raifed, and the Living changed into the Likeness of Chrift's glorious Body, she may be faid now to have made her felf ready: And to her was granted, (to fhew that her being ready, is all of pure, free, and abfolute Grace) that fhe fhould be arrayed in fine Linnen, clean and white; for the fine Linnen is the Righteoufness of the Saints, v. 8. by which their exceeding Purity, Glory, and Excellency is fignified; and he faid unto me (that is the Lord) right Bleffed are they which are called nnto the Marriage Supper of the I amb. (that is unto a Fruition and Enjoyment of this Marriage Feaft) moreover he faid unto me these are the true Sayings of God. v. 9. who then will dare to gainfay, or to contradict the Truth held forth in thefe Expreffions? For here we read of a glorious Marriage Feaft, called in the Text, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb: To fhew that this is not to be until the Evening of the World, or the beginning of the thousand Years; when the whole Election are compleated, and his Wife, or every true Believer, (they all making up but one Wife, Bride, and Spouse of Chrift) is made ready; by having all of

them

them put their Garments or Bodies of Glory and Immortality on. This will be the time wherein this wonderful Feaft is to be celebrated, or held with the Lord and his People, in the glorious Mountain of Chrift's Kingdom: And blefled will they appear to be, who fhall be called to a Participation of this Nuptial Supper; when they fhall enter in with Chrift to the Enjoyment of this glorious Solemnity. But who are they that shall partake of that wonderful Glory? All those who have clofed in with, and embraced the Lord Jefus. For the great End of the Gospel Miniftration now is, to convert and efpouse poor Sinners by Faith unto Jefus Chrift, against the time when this bleffed Marriage fhall be folemnized betwixt hisSpouse and himself. This Nuptial Feaft that fhall then be held unto, or with Jehovah upon the Marriage Day, will be a Feaft of Joy and Gladnefs of Heart, when the Fountains of the Eternal Deep Jhall be broke open, and all the Springs of Joy running with an overflowing Stream upon the Saints.

Well, thus we fee, that when Chrift comes, it will be the time of the 'Marriage; and fo confer quently a glorious Marriage Feaft to be held with the Lord and his People, in the open View of Earth, and Heaven. Upon this Account we have the Lord Jefus Chrift (at the time of his coming) compared unto a Bridegroom, Matt. XXV. 10. and while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage, and the Door was shut. Thefe Words do fhew, that the Lord Jefus, when he comes in his perfonal Glory, will come unto his Church and People as a Bridegroom: Then they that were ready, who had

Oyl

Oyl in their Veffels, (the Truth and reality of Grace) went in with him to the Marriage; that is, they fhall go in with Chrift to the Participation of the Marriage Feaft, or the Nuptial Supper of the Lamb.

Again thofe Words in Luke xii. 36. are of the fame Signification, And ye your felves like unto Men that wait for their Lord, when he shall return from be Wedding. So we read it, but the Greek, as we are informed, renders it, when he fhall return becaufe of the Wedding. Wherefore the coming of Christ will be, because, or upon the Account of the Wedding, or this will be one great End of his coming; upon the Account of the great Solemnity, Glory, and Splendor of the Marriage Feaft.

Well then, if this be fo, moft certain it is, that the Bride must be ready againft that time: This Marriage Nuptial cannot be held, or celebrated, until the Wife, the Bride and Spouse of Chrift bath made herself ready. And it is certain alfo, that fhe cannot be ready, until all the Elect are converted: She will not be ready until every Member of Chrift's myftical Body is compleated; which will not be until Chrift defcends from Heaven, and the Refurrection of the Saints; when Soul and Body fhall be re-united into a perfect glorified State, with the Living changed into the Likeness of Chrift's glorious Body. Then it will be, upon the coming of the Lord Jefus, with Power and great Glory, that the Spoufe fhall come along with him; adorned with her beautiful Garments, made meet for the Embraces of Chrift, her living Head and Husband; as it is in Rev xxi. 2. And I John faw the Holy City new Jerusalem, (that is the Spouse and

Bride of Chrift) coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared, and as a Bride adorned for the Marriage Day. Her coming down from God out of Heaven, adorn'd with the Robes of Glory and Immortality, does fhew that this great Feaft, or the Nuptial Supper of the Lamb, is to be folemnized not in, but under the whole Heaven.

Well, thus we see what a Feaft here is to be among the Saints; beld with Jehovah upon the Solemnization of the Marriage, in the glorious Mountain of Chrift's Kingdom; the Glory of which Feafts was typically fhadowed out unto the Old Teftament Saints under the Law, as may be seen in Levit. xxiii. First there was the Seven Day Sabbath, which, according to the Judgment of fome great and learned Men, is looked upon to be typical of that glorious Reft, or Sabbatifm which remains for the People of God; and that as the Lord was fix Days in creating of the World, and refted on the Seventh, fo he will be fix Days or fix thoufand Years, (adding a thousand Tears to a Day) in ruling and governing of it; and at the end of these fix Days he will reft, and the Saints too, from all their Labour, which will be the beginning of the Seventh thousand Year, wherein this Nuptial Feaft is to be held unto the Lord.

Secondly, There was the feventh Year, to be as a Sabbatical Tear unto them, in which they and the Land was to reft; all which did, in a wonderful manner, prefigure and type out this bleffed Sabbath, or Reft, which is yet to come (in Chrift's Kingdom) unto the Saints.

Thirdly, After this there was to run out feven s of Tears, which makes forty nine, and then

came

came the Fiftieth, which was a Tear of Jubilee, and holy to the Lord. In this fiftieth Year there was to be a Jubilee Feaft, a time of great Reft, and fetting free; a time of Redemption and great Liberty, both of Men and Women, Perfons and Eftates: For fo you read, Levit. xxv. 9. Then fhalt thou caufe the Trumpet of the Jubilee to found on the tenth Day of the Seventh Month; in the Day of Atonement, hall ye make the Trumpet found throughout all the Land: And ye shall hallow the Fiftieth Tear, and proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land, unto all the Inhabitants thereof: It shall be a Fubilee unto you, and ye shall return every Man unto his Poffeffion, and ye shall return every Man unto his Family. v. 10. Sure then this must be typical of that glorious Reft, which yet remains for the People of God, in the thousand Years Glory, or the vifible Kingdom of Chrift; which will be a time of Jubilee unto all the Saints; a time of Redemption, a time of Freedom, and fetting at Liberty, a time of Returning each one to his Inheritance: And as the Trumpet was to found at the beginning of this Jubilee, fo fhall it be at the beginning, or first breaking forth of Chrift's fpiritual Kingdom; for the Seventh Angel fhall found, and loud Proclamations will be made, thoughout the Heaven and Earth (to give all the Saints Notice, that the Kingdom of this World is become (openly, actually and vifibly) the Kingdoms of our I ord and his Chrift; which will be the time wherein this Jubilee Feaft, or the Marriage Supper, is to be celebrated betwixt Chrift and his Spoufe.

Fourthly, Befides this, there was the Feast of the Paffover to be yearly kept, as the Lord had ap

pointed;