Concifion, or the Valley of threshing, fignifying the place of Punishment, or where the Wicked are to be punished: This time is faid to be near, which must be understood of the great and terrible Day of the Lord, from what followeth, v. 15. The Sun and Moon fhall be darkned, and the Stars fhall withdraw their fhining, and the Lord alfo fhall roar out of Zion, and utter bis Voice from Jerufalem, (that is the Church) and the Heavens and the Earth fhall Shake, (a dreadful time this will be unto all the Wicked and Ungodly!) but the Lord will be the hope of his People, and the ftrength of the Children of Ifrael, v. 16.

Again, in the firft Epiftle of Cor. x. v. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for Enfamples, and they are written for our Admonition, upon whom the Ends of the World are come. What happen'd unto Ifrael, in the time of their Temptation, or Trial, was written for our Enfample, that we might take Warning by their Fall, for our Enfample upon whom the Ends of the World are come. The Ends of the World were looked upon by the Apoftles and Primitive Saints, to be come upon them, which is now above 1720 Years fince, and therefore this time muft certainly be even at the Door. 1

Rom. xiii. v. 11. And knowing the times, that now it is high time to awake out of Sleep, for now is our Salvation nearer then when we believed This was writ to the Saints at Rome, in a way of Exhortation, to awake out of Drowfinefs and carnal Security, because it was high time for them to awake; for now was their Salvation nearer then when they firft believed, which muft mean the Salvation or Redemption of their Bodies; and in v. 12. The

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Night is far spent, the Day is at Hand, let us therefore caft off the Works of Darkness, and let us put on the Armour of Light. By the Night in this place, I understand to be the time allotted for this World to continue in its finful fallen State. By the Day that is at hand, must be understood of the Day of Redemption, or the Glory of Chrift's vifible Kingdom, the time in which the Saints then did, and in which we now do live, may be called a Night in comparison of that bleffed Day, or that glorious Light, which is, and will break forth upon the first Branch or Entrance of the Kingdom of Chrift. Well, this Night of Darkness is far spent, and the Day of our Deliverance is at hand.

Heb. i. v. 1, 2. God who at fundry times, and in divers manners fpake in time paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, bath in thefe laft Days Spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed Heir of all things, by whom alfo be made the Worlds. The laft Days we fee then was begun in the Apoftles time, the time from the firft unto the fecond Coming of Chrift, are called the laft Days It was looked upon by the Apoftles and the Saints then, to be the laft Days and the laft Times.

Heb. ix. v. 26. But now once in the End of the World, bath he appeared to put away Sin by the Sacrifice of himself. The time that Chrift fuffered, and offered up himself as a Sacrifice for Sin, was counted or looked upon and esteemed by the Spirit of God to be the End of the World, in comparison of the Time, which run out before from the Creation, unto the Death of Chrift.

1. Cor. vii. v. 29, 30, 31. But this I fay, Brethren, the Time is fort, it remaineth that both they that

have Wives, be as though they had nine; and they that weep, as though they wept not, and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy as though they possessed not; and they that use this World, as not abufing it; for the Fashion of this World paffeth away. The time allowed for the World to continue, is but fhort; how much more then must that little time of our Continuance in it be short alfo; therefore fhould we fit loofe to the things of this Life, because this World, and every thing in it is paffing away; every thing in this World is in a fleeting, paffing Pofture; a going off of the Stage as faft as Day and Night can carry them.

James v. 8. Be ye alfo patient ; establish your Hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. And in Verfe 9. Grudge not one against another, Brethren, left ye be condemned: behold the Judge Handeth before the Door; or the Judge ftandeth at the Door. Therefore fhould we wait with Patience, and yet with an earnest Expectation and defire for the coming of the Lord; as the Husbandman waiteth for the precious Fruits of the Earth; in which waiting there is both Patience, with an earnest defire in the Husbandman, made ufe of. Verse 7. How much more then fhould this be found in, and made ufe of by all the Saints! Seeing that the Judge, which is the Lord Jefus Chrift, was faid fo long ago to ftand at the Door.

1 Pet. iv. 5. Who fball (fpeaking of the Ungodly) give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. The Apoftle Peter fpeaketh here as if the time of the Judgment (wherein the quick and dead are to be judged) were just at hand ́: As

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a Perfon who is ready to do any Expedition, may be faid to be. And in Verfe 7. but the End of all things is at hand; be ye therefore fober, aud watch untoPrayer. By the Word All things refpecteth All things relating to this World, All things appertaining to this mortal Life. The end of all these Things was at hand in the Apoftles time, what then can we think of these things now? Whatsoever is faid to be at hand, muft certainly be very

near.

1 John ii. 18. Little Children, it is the last time; and as ye have beard that Antichrift fhall come, even now there are many Antichrifts, whereby we know that it is the last time. What did the Apostle fay it was the laft time in his Day? And not only fo, but draws a ftrong Argument from Antichrift being already come, there being many Antichrifts then in being, whereby we know (faith he) that it is the laft time: What can we think of thefe Words? That the Apoftle was miftaken? Surely no : The Spirit of God by which he fpake could not be miftaken, and therefore it was the laft time: And did the Apoftle think that it was the laft time then, and gives us a reason for it, why it must be fo? From the Signs of many Antichrifts that were then in theWorld to demonftrate it. How comes it about that we are fo hard to believe this to be the laft time in which we live? Surely if it were the last time then, it cannot but must be fo, much more now, who live in the very Dregs of the laft Days.

Rev. i. 3. Blefed is he that readeth, and they that bear the Word of this Prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at band. We may obferve from hence, that though this Book

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of the Revelation is very deep and myfterious; yet it is not only a Duty to read and meditate thereon, but a Bleffedness is faid to be on fuch that do read it, hear, and keep thofe things that are written therein; and that which is laid down as a Motive to encourage us in reading of it, is from what followeth, For the Time is at hand. The time was at hand then for many things to be fulfilled, viz. the Rife and Reign of Antichrift ;the Trials, Troubles, Affliction, and the Sufferings of the Saints, during the time of Antichrift's. Reign. The time of the other part of the Prophecy cannot now be far off, but muft certainly be at hand alfo, viz. the Fall and Ruin of Antichrift, and the Deliverance of the Church of God out of all her Troubles.

Rev. iii. 11. Behold I come quickly; bold that faft which thou haft, that no Man take thy Crown. This is a Promise of Chrift, behold I come quickly. This Promife was for the encouragement, not only of the Church of Philadelphia, but all the Saints, to hold faft and keep clean their holy Profeffion, that no Man might take their Crown. Because here will be particular Rewards given by the Lord Jefus, at the time of his coming, unto those who have been most faithful unto Chrift, as in Verfe 10. Because thou haft kept the Word of my Patience, I alfo will keep thee from the hour of Temptation which fhall come upon all the World, to try them that dwell upon the Earth. This fhews us that it will be a trying time, before Chrift comes to fet up his Kingdom, not only unto the World, but unto the People of God who fhall be then living in it, excepting thofe who have patiently and faithfully kept the Doctrine of Chrift, both in the Faith and Ooo

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