A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

(4) This shall put an end to the church's suffering state, and shall be attended with their glorious and joyful praises. The church's afflicted state is long, being continued, excepting some short intermissions, from the resurrection of Christ to this time. But now shall a final end be put to her suffering state. Indeed after this near the end of the world, the church shall be greatly threatened; but it is said, it shall be but for a little season, Rev. xx.3.: for at the times of the church's rest are but short, before the long day o• her afflictions are at an end: so whatever affliction she may suffer after this, it will be very short; but otherwise the day of the church's affliction and persecution shall now come to a final end. The scriptures, in many places, speak of this time as the end of the suffering state of the church. So Is li.22. God says to his church with respect to this time, "Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury, thou shalt no more drink it again▪" Then shall that be proclaimed to the church, Is. xl.1.2. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." Also that in Is. liv.8.9 belongs to this time. And so that in Is. lx.20. "The Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended." And so Zeph iii.15. "The Lord hath taken away thy judgements, and hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of▪ thee: thou shalt not see evil any more."

The time which had been before this, had been the church's sowing time▪ wherein she sowed in tears and in blood; but now is her harvest, wherein she will come again rejoicing, bringing her sheaves with her. Now the time of the travail of the woman clothed with the sun is at an end: now she hath brought forth her son; for this glorious setting up of the kingdom of Christ through the world, is what the church had been in travail for, with such terrible pangs for so many ages: Is. xxvi.17. "Like as a woman with child draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord" See Is. lx 20 and lxi.10.11. — And now the church shall forget her sorrow, since a manchild is born into the world: now succeed her joyful praise and triumph. Her praises shall then go up to God