be laid for the Foundation of the World to come at which Foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb. But was fore-ordained to be slain before the Foundation of the World Which Foundation is that before mentioned and therefore God proved and tryed Abraham to see whether he would offer his only Son as a Sacrifice to him before he made him that Promise that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be Blessed Gen. 22.16,17,18 Rev. 11.15 Which Promise will be made good in time to come and then will be put in Subjection to Christ the World to come Heb. 2.1 Dan. 7.13,14.26,27 At which Foundation the Works of those unbelieving Jews were finished when they refused to go to fight for the Land of Canaan And from that Foundation after that miscarriage God elected a Remnant And they are those of whom it is said they were chosen from the Foundation And the peculiar People chosen from among the Gentiles which likewise had the peculiar calling and also were to receive the Holy Ghost to be in them which was the anointing of the Spirit whereby they spake with Tongues and wrought Miracle that thereby they might be also a light to the World these were they of whom it is said they were chosen before the Foundation of the World which Foundation is Israel And God chose them as to matter of choice and liking before the Body of Israel which were the Foundation because they had wilfully disobeyed him but as to the matter of Time long after Whereas the Apostle saith They were chosen in Christ before the World was That is before the World was which is now to come in which they are to receive the promised Blessing And as to what God said concerning Jocob and Esau before they had done Good or Evil was only that the Elder should Serve the Younger and not that God did ever hate his Creature until such time as they wilfully disobeyed him But these words concerning Jacob and Esau have a far other meaning then what we have hitherto apprehended But this and the other mistaken places of Scripture by which the World has been cast into a mist of Darkness I have now by Gods assistance by laying the Scriptures together made the true meaning of the word appear as may be found in my Book lately Published But St. Peter fairly warns us That in St. Paul's Epistles are things hard to be understood Which those that were unlearned in the Scriptures did wrest as they also did some other Scriptures to their own destruction 2. Pet. 3.16 But the Scriptures rightly understood and believed are able to make us wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Whereas St. James saith Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the World Acts. 15.18 From which words it is clear that all Gods works were not known to him before the beginning of the World And that is was then the works that properly belong to God that were known to him And that the beginning of the World the Apostle here speaks of must have its chief reference to the beginning or Foundation of the World that was laid in the Seed of Abraham when God brought them out of the Land of Egypt to place them in the Heart of the Earth for the beginning or Foundation of the World to come as by his forementioned words doth appear and not that he had his reference to the beginning of the Creation of the World or the beginning of the World in Adam after the Fall For the Apostle speaking how God did at first visit the Gentiles to take out of them a People for his Name Acts. 15.14 Which were them to whom the Holy Ghost was given to be in them vers 8. And they to whom the Holy Ghost was given were to be a light to the World that the world might believe that God had sent Christ John 17.21 After which 't is said he will return and Build again the Tabernacle of David which is Fallen down Acts. 15.16 The which will be when the Lord returns Whom the Heavens must receive until the times of the Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his Prophets since the World began Acts. 3.21 And then in his following words he tells us who the beginning of this forementioned world were That it was the Fathers in the Wilderness vers 22. For Moses truly said unto the Fathers a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Bretheren him shall ye hear in all things the which will be when the Lord again comes And then will be Israel's Glory and then the World that is to come will be in Subjection unto Christ Heb. 2.5 And these are the works St. James had his chief reference to when he said known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the World Acts 15.18 Which beginning of the World was as is aforesaid And the Eternal purpose spoken of Eph. 3.11 Only reacheth forward to the Eternity that lies before us As Christ in time became the Author of Eternal Salvation And as in time he promised Eternal Life And whereas St. Paul saith God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will He here had his reference as St. James had to the great works which properly belong to God As the gift of his Son and in electing some setting a door of Mercy open to others And in determining the great Glory should be for the heirs of the World to come For the word All in Scripture doth not include the whole And as for the works of the Devil and the evil works of Man they do not belong to God therefore he ordained Punishments for them after they fell as I have elsewhere proved And whereas St. Paul saith Eph. 3.8.9 That I should preach among the Gentises the unsearchable riches of Christ and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God That is at the beginning of the World which was laid in the Twelve Tribes who were laid for the beginning or Foundation of the World to come They did not see how the Gentiles should be called in as to become heirs with them This great Mystery was all a long hid in God from them so as they as little understood it as the Old World did And tho' God told Abraham he should be Father of many Nations and the Prophets declared the Gentiles should be called in yet it is no where declared they should be brought in by preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ through the Gospel I have here made so long a digression altho I have something more to the former Subject to say the which I could not go on with till I had given some light to the true meaning of these mistaken places That thereby I might make plain the way for what I have yet further to say 3. That is we are
the Prince of Darkness drew off part of the Angels and Man so likewise he drew off part of the Stars also by which he doth influence Man to Iniquity for by his drawing the Stars is not only meant the Ministers of the Word which he hath drawn after him Rev. 12.4 Jude vers 13. but the real Stars also but with care and Prayer their evil Influences may and is to be withstood Likewise the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was of God made good but by the knowledge of Evil and liking it he became a Devil For the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was the Devil or the representative of the Devil as the Tree of Life was the representative of Christ as by the Word I have clearly proved in my Book of the Explanation of the New Testament and the Three Worlds but God forewarned them of this evil Root and had they first taken of the Tree of Life they might have eaten and lived for ever but this evil root in time to come will be sealed up and then will the evil Stars fall down into Blackness and Darkness for ever Jude vers 13. And the Elect that will be gathered in from the Four Winds after the Lord comes they will be Israel as I have fully proved in my forementioned Book But their standing will not be secured from their Election but by God's then establishing the promised New Everlasting Covenant with them in which the Saints and true Believers will then be included as Heirs with them to the same Promise And there is of the Heathen fore-appointed then to be called in but not being secured by the Everlasting Covenant part of their Posterity will afterward be insnared again as I have made appear in the foresaid Book As for those that talk of a Covenant of Grace from all Eternity therein they know not what they say nor what they affirm But the forementioned mistaken places treated in the 6 7 8 and 9 pages has occasioned these so great and dangerous Errors for the Covenant that will make the Inheritors of it eternally blessed is still but the Covenant of Promise Gal. 3.29 And if ye are Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise which Promise was the establishing of the New Everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his Seed together Gen. 17.7,8,9 The which the Remnant and first Churches were chosen to be Heirs to and a Door of Mercy set open to others that now they might freely come by the Call of the Gospel And whereas the Apostle after he had rehearsed the promised Covenant Heb. 8. The which they were fore-chosen to be Heirs to saith of the Old Covenant That it was ready to vanish away vers 13. And in the 9th Chap. expostulating about the Ceremonial Law shewing they were but Shadows of good things to come ver 11. And therefore saith That they which are called might receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance ver 16. The which was the Promise of the forementioned Covenant And in ver 27. he saith It is appointed for Men once to die and after this to come to Judgment For they must rise again and come to Judgment before this Covenant will be established And then to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9.28 2 Tim. 4.8 For they are to have their part in the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 the which will be at the time of Restitution for then will the Lord redeem Israel from all their Sins and establish his Everlasting Covenant and then it is Israel will be all Righteous and inherit the Land for ever Isa 60.21 For there is to be another time according to the former time in which it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel What hath God wrought Num. 23.23 And then it is God will behold no Iniquity in Jacob when he hath purged all Iniquity from them for then he will for ever perfect them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 For God and Christ the Prophets and Apostles mention things which are to come as if they were already past or present These things were easie to be understood by them that had been well instructed therein as all they were to whom the Apostles writ their Epistels but unto us that come so many Generations after the knowledge of these things were lost by the Nations falling into Popery by which they were deprived of the Scriptures for several hundred Years and so they lost the true meaning of them but in that any of us have been so mistaken as to think the everlasting Covenant is now made with us is most amazing seeing by that Covenant they were all to be taught of God so as they should no more teach every Man his Neighbour and his Brother when we all know in this time the Gospel was establisht to be taught and that all since have been taught either right or wrong but had we only thought this Covenant had been made with them who were the first Publishers of the Gospel and were then taught of God and had the evident witness of the Holy Ghost in them and the mighty power of God going along with them this would have been of no great damage to us but to think that we are now in the possession of this promised Covenant is a strange delusion and of most dangerous consequence for thereby some have thought they might fall foully but not finally and thereby some have made themselves eternally miserable which had they not known those notions they might have been blessed but when this Covenant is established they will not Sin but in this time Whosoever says he is without sin is a Lyer and the Truth is not in him 1 Joh. 1.8 VII Concerning the Light that lighteth every Man WHereas it is said John 1.9 That Christ is the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Now in that Christ is said to lighten every Man is because Christ is said to be Wisdom Pro. 8.22.23.30,31 In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2.3 And so far as Men retain right Reason and Conscience to all such Christ is a Light for right Reason and Conscience is the Light which God hath set up in the Soul which if followed God will never leave such to eternal Death tho' it is only the Believer is promised eternal Life and to have their part in the first Resurrection for St. Paul saith Those that know not the Law yet do by Nature the things contained in the Law their Conscience will excuse them Rom. 2.14,15 According to which Christ saith If thine Eye be single thy whole Body is full of Light but if thy Eye be evil then the whole Body is full of Darkness That is if our Eye be single we are then impartial to our selves and judge our selves according to right Reason and Conscience such have Light but if thine Eye be evil that is
many others by trusting to an Election that to themselves they have Framed and others by expecting to be saved by the Righteousness of Christ contrary to the words of Christ which is in the way of their sincere Obedience whereby Millions of poor Christians being thus deluded are asleep in security by which miserable mistaken Notions the generality of the Christians are become worse than Heathens Which if they are not well awakened and brought off of their sandy Foundation the generality of the Protestant Christians as well as the Papist will cry out of their Leanness the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously Isaiah 24.16 when they find themselves wanting both of sound Knowledge and good Fruit when their Destruction cometh And let all that have pretended to be God's peculiar and elect People when they are not consider what it is to Exalt themselves into that Station or Place into which God hath not put them by the Example of them that so did and were destroyed for so doing Numb 16. For did either God or Christ ever threaten Damnation to any that did not think themselves Elected Or did they only promise Salvation to them that were Elected Sure we find no such thing in the Word of God but the promised eternal Salvation both in the Old and New Testament is to them that obey him fear before him walk uprightly and fervently love him and believe his Word and cannot think that he will be false or a Deceiver but that God will perform his Promise to all according to his Word and according to his Word it will be that the Transgressors under the Law and Gospel will fall under the threatned Condemnation For the Gentiles as well as the Jews when their Prophets and Rulers which are their Seers became weary of the Ways or Laws of the Lord one was left to Blindness the other to Delusion by which we may see the Word of God made good in both and in the New Testament the Teachers are likewise called Prophets 2 Cor. 11.4 And it is said Isaiah 29.10 The Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed your eyes the Prophets and your Rulers the Seers hath he covered and the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed Now in that this Vision is termed the Vision of all therefore it hath its chief Reference to Christ's second coming the which is set down to be a Vision and that at the end it should speak Hab. 2.3 The which both Jews and Christians were commanded to wait for But because the Rulers and Teachers of both were the first occasion of laying the World in Darkness therefore God hath declared he hath covered them so as this Vision they were not to be the first discoverers of And though doubtless when Christ first came there were some good Rulers and good Priests among them so I hope there are many more amongst us Christians now But God by bringing out the Truth in an unexpected way doth thereby carry on the Counsel of his own Will which is never without a Reason and God saith he knoweth the proud afar off And therefore that such may be snared he brings to light the Knowledge of his Truth by an unexpected Hand by reason of which some had rather go without the Knowledge of the Truth than so receive it But let the Wise in Heart consider it that the Ignorant by their Example may come out of their Mistakes now God has made the Vision clear that the thinking Soul may not be taken in the Snare For this Vision in Isaiah 29.7 hath its reference to the time to come when all that have distrest Ariel shall be but as a Dream of a Night Vision they shall so pass away And this sealed Vision spoken of in the 11 verse is the Vision in the Revelations which has been Sealed unto us for we have not understood it and this Vision which God by the Prophet saith is become Sealed gives us to understand that it was not always so for when the Gospel was first Established this Gospel of the Kingdom was one of the fundamental Doctrins who when the Apostles had first fed their Converts with Milk they afterward fed them with strong Meat in declaring to them all the Counsel of God Acts 20.26 But afterward the Christians did Apostatize from the Truth and did set up their own Imaginations and would have in this time a temporal Kingdom of Christ And when they thus grew weary of the Truth of God's Word then God Vail'd or covered their Understanding so as they could not apprehend the glorious Kingdom of Christ which will be here in time to come And after this the Vision again became Sealed and then neither the Learned nor Unlearned could Read it But God often chuses to shew forth his Power through the weakness of the Instrument and on that side by whom this Offence was not committed And those that refuse the Truth because it comes forth by a Woman may as well refuse to be saved by Christ because he came by a Woman For God carries on his Works in one and the same Method for as when Israel was brought out of Aegypt to go into the promised Land the Glory of the Lord was then in the Clouds so it will be again when the Lord comes and much more abundantly and also as Christ first came by a Woman so again after the Lord arose he ' then appeared first to a Women and likewise when Christ was first brought in to the Temple to be Offered to the Lord then of all them that had their Abode in the Temple it was a Woman among them that did there first acknowledge him to be the Redeemer to such that look for redemption in Israel Luke 2.38 But that God that carries on his Works in a way of Method that the thinking Soul may consider it will not now contradict himself by leaving the Method that he formerly took And now the Vision is made so plain to any that has a Rational Understanding that according to the Word he that runs may Read it and therefore we are to wait for at the end it will speak and not lie Hab. 2.3 And now likewise the Old and New Testament are made to agree and all the occasions of the Mistakes are removed that thereby knowledge might be increased at the time of the end Dan. 12.4 And this now the Lord having made good according to his Word at the time of the end the which is a greater Evidence than if Angels had come from Heaven and declared it if they had not from the Word made it plain because we are not to receive any other Doctrin than what was first taught from the Testimony of Prophets and Apostles so as had not this been made plain from the Word it would have appeared another Doctrin and so not to have been believed because the evil Angels can Transform themselves into