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the accomplishing of the Scripture, and know that his ends which he hath held forth therein cannot be fruftrate, it would ferve to filence all our complaints, with wondering at God's way, and triumphing in the works of his hands; we fhould not then be afraid of evil tidings, a ftormy time would not out-wit us, being perfuaded that though the earth should be overturned, it shall be furely well with the righteous; the church muft flourish, and all her enemies be found liars, because he is faithful that hath promised, whose word will as furely come to pafs as the fun doth return after a dark night.

VII. It doth now more fpecially concern the godly in thefe latter times, to study this great truth of the accomplishment of the Scripture, and fet about a ferious enquiry, and fearch therein, as a truth that fhall yet be in a further meafure discovered and opened up, the nearer the church is to the end of time, which may thus appear:

1. Herein is the word exprefs, that one piece of the Scripture, which from former ages was fealed up, fhould in the latter days be clear and easy to understand, Dan. last chap. ver. 9. The feal is there put on, but go thy way Daniel, for thefe words are clofed, and fealed to the time of the end; but Rev. laft chap. ver. 10. we have that bar taken off, Seal not the fayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand; because then the time did draw near, to which a more full difcovery, and opening up of the Scripture was referved, and a more large manifestation of the Spirit beyond former ages. Now by the laft days, we are not only to understand, the whole time of the gofpel, though it is thus termed in the Scripture, but the latter part of these last times, which is more especially pointed at, even the clofe and evening of time, that laft epocha, and period of prophetic chronology, to which a greater accomplishment of Scripture prophecies is referved.

2. This alfo is exprefly promifed, that in the latter days the church fhall have a more full difcovery of this truth, how the Scripture is verified, Dan. last chap. ver. 4. Many

fall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased: which increase, as it clearly pointeth at the laft times, and that bright day the church fhall have, when Ifrael fhall be brought into Chrift, it doth also point at, and promise fome greater light, and a more full opening up of the mysteries of the word, and fulfilling thereof; for the former part of the chapter fheweth, that increase of knowledge doth relate to these things which were before fealed: we wait and believe the further accomplishment of this promife to the church, beyond all we have yet feen, that many Scripture truths now dark and abftruse, shall be made fo clear as fhall even cause us to wonder at the grofs mistakes we once had thereof; yea, that after-generations fhall have a discovery and uptaking of fome prophecies now obfcure, which fhall as far exceed us, as this time doth go beyond former ages, which comparatively we must say were very dark. O! when that promise of the in-calling of the Jews fhall once take place, what a wonder will they be to themselves, that their undertanding fhould have been under fuch a veil, when the truth fhall be clear and evident to them in that day? Will it not be a sweet and easy work for the godly, to fort together the predictions of the word, and the events? And truely there is much now wrapt up in Scripture prophecies, not yet fulfilled, which we may fay in after times, when the events shall unveil their meaning, will exceed, yea, confound all thefe comments, many have had upon them,

3. Is it not alfo clear, that thefe prophecies, which of all the Scripture were moft obfcure, and overclouded with dark figures and allegories, concerning which there had been fuch mistake and hesitation by the church, fo many perplexing queries have a peculiar respect to the laft times? and that then they fhall be made plain and eafy, when fo notable a key as the event doth open them up; fuch as these of the witneffes taking life and rifing again, Babylon's fall and ruin, Chrift's reigning with his faints a thousand years, which now are in fome measure cleared, from their begun accomplishment, beyond former times, but we wait

for a more full commentary, that time fhall give upon the fame.

4. It is in the latter times that the glory of God in his truth and faithfulness, fhall most eminently shine forth, that is a part of the folemn congratulation of the church upon Babylon's fall, Rev. xv. 3. not only great and marvellous are thy works, but juft and true are thy ways; for truely in this ftroke of the judgment of God, and these remarkable providences concurring therewith, the fulfilling of the Scripture will be fo plain and undeniable, that we may fay, it will then dazzle the eyes of men, even greatest Atheists, alarm the world; yea, very effectually contribute (we have ground fo to judge) to that promised increase of the church, and incoming of the Jews, when in Antichrist's fall and ruin, they fhall fee fo convincing a seal put to one of the most consider-` able prophecies of the word, in the accomplishment whereof, much of the prophetic part of the New Testament, relating to the church's ftate, and her long trial under Antichrift's reign, may be feen clearly verified.

5. The Lord hath reserved his greatest works to the latter days, wherein his judgments shall be manifeft, and the word confirmed by fuch folemn convincing providences, that men will not get them paffed without a remark: we are this day witneffes to many fuch, and are looking what these times fhall yet bring forth, that the great and remarkable acts of the Lord, muft force the world to fee a divine power, and fay, Lo there is an undoubted accomplishment of the Scrip

ture.

6. The church in these last times hath peculiar advantages, for understanding this truth of the Scripture's accomplishment, which former ages had not: (1.) A great part thereof, that men may fee with their eyes, if they but know how to lay the word and work of God together, the Chrif tian church had in former times but dark glances at these great things, which we have this day visibly transcribed in providence; the promises were then travailling in birth of that which is now brought forth. (2.) Are we not mount

ed, as it were, on the fhoulders of that experience and obfervation of former times? which hath been tranfmitted to us, and we must fay upon that account, the church hath now a greater feal and confirmation of the truth, than what it had in the days of the prophets and the apoftles, even when Chrift was in the flesh. (3.) The temple of God, and ark of his teftament, is now opened in heaven, light more fully abounding, and the means of knowledge; and, O! should not this be much our study, who have a greater talent than former ages; certainly this will be a fin of a deeper dye, than in times of ignorance, fince we can be no ftrangers to the truth, without fhutting our eyes, blinding the confcience, doing violence to our light, when the Lord doth give his people fuch folemn confirmations.

7. I fhall add, is it not clearly foretold in that Dan. xii. 4. that in the last times this will be one of the special exercifes of the faints, to enquire and make a diligent fearch concerning the Scripture's accomplishment? For its there faid, Many fhall run to and fro, and knowledge fhall be increased; importing, that this fhall be much their study, and cause a diligent fearch, whereunto the great works of God in these times fhall invite them: And what fhould be the pofture of the godly in thefe days? (on whom the end of the world is come) Should it not be like the watchman in the last watch of the night, who looketh oft what appearance there is from the east of the day breaking? A ferious enquiry what of the Scripture is fulfilled, whereby we may know on very clear grounds, if the night be far spent, the day at hand, and that the coming of the Lord to judgment draweth near.

VIII. This is a great and concerning duty, for Chriftians to ftudy this truth, that they may have fomething more than report, how the Scripture hath a fure accomplishment, and doth take place in the providences of the time wherein we live. I must think ftrange that there is fuch a great help as this so near, and yet we fee it not, nor do seriously ponder the fame, when the command is fo exprefs to obferve the. works of the Lord, which for that end are fhewed forth,

that men may enquire, and read the faithfulness of God therein; yea, that fo great a truth, which would bide the fearch of all the critics of the world, a truth wherein our bleffedness through time and eternity lieth, fhould offer itfelf to our trial, and yet is fo little known; O! who can difpenfe with the neglect of this duty? by which we answer that folemn call and invitation of the works of God, do honour him, ferve our generation, are helpers to our own faith, are thereby helped to strengthen others; yea, are brought to fee with our eyes, and from experience, what before was a ftrange thing unto us.

Now to clear how much this is a Chriftian's duty, to fudy a practical converfe with the word, and to be ferious obfervers of its accomplishment, let us confider,

1. We are thus helped to declare the works of the Lord, and to give him the glory of his faithfulness; and is not that a grave duty? which at all times, in every ftation and condition of life, fhould engage men to this ftudy; thus every Chriftian may become a witnefs to the truth, and put his feal thereto, for which he fhould think his life truely defir." able, and doth in no fmall meafure, attain the true end thereof, though he had no other opportunity for his master's fervice; we may fay, This truth of the Scripture's accomplifhment like a great roll hath been tranfmitted from hand to hand, from one age to another, attefled, and as it were fubfcribed by fo many witneffes, it doth thus come to our time, and to every man's door, and require their perfonal witneffing and fealing of the fame.

2. This fhould make it an eafy work, to truft the word, and to adventure thereon in the ordinary occurrences of their life, they may well truft God in a strait, who have fo ftrong an argument to make use of, that oft they have tried him, and the truth of his word, by many, many experiences; will not thefe that know his name truft in him? which was a notable testimoney from a ferious Chriftian in a very fharp trial, Oft have I tried God, and shall I not learn to trust him once?

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