chosen from among Israel John 10.27,28,29 Of which Remnant were the Elect that should never be deceived by the Beast nor false Prophet And they are the Foundation which standeth sure But the forementioned which were the Elect among the Gentiles were cleared from their past Sins Rom. 3.25 by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and therefore he saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 But after they were thus cleared from their past Sins they were to walk in newness of Life and so are all And therefore when he found the Elect to walk disorderly and were guilty of Sin he 〈◊〉 not sparing to charge them with it and reprove them for it like as he did others Gal. 3.1 But he saith vers 35 36 37 38 39. He was perswaded that neither tribulation nor distress nor death nor life nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus But in the forementioned Verses he mentions not Sin knowing that wilful Sin will seperate them from God therefore the Apostle saith vers 11. And if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the Dead dwell in you that is continue or remain in them And accordingly he saith to the Elect Church of Corinth chap. 11.3 Fearing lest the Serpent should beguile them as he beguiled Eve And then their mortal Bodies will not be quickned again 〈◊〉 his Spirit being in them but if they did not â—…ve the Holy Ghost Ephes 4.13 thereby to cause him to withdraw then the same Spirit would raise up their mortal Bodies to have a part in the first Resurrection and to partake of the glory â—hen the Lord again comes Rev. 20.4,5 Ephes 2.7 〈◊〉 it is also by the same Spirit and Power of God that all that has done either good or bad shall be raised up at the last Judgment For Christ saith All that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Dannation John 5.28,29 But all that remain faithful to the Lord Jesus longing for his appearing Though they have not the Holy Ghost in them but with them they shall likewise have their part in the first Resurrection and receive the Crown of Righteousness in that day 2 Tim. 4. ver 8. But the Lord speaking of the first Resurrection mentions it very darkly John 5.25 because he spake to the Jews that were to be left to blindness so as seeing they might see and not perceive and hearing they might hear and not understand Isa 6.9,10 And likewise it is said the Lord spake to them in Parables and without a Parable spake he not unto them Mat. 13.34 And therefore the Lord also speaks to them darkly about the first Resurrection vers 25. Verily verily I say unto you the Hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live These words may have a twofold tendency in having some reference to the first Churches which had the peculiar calling and thereby brought in which was the Hour that then was but whereas the Lord saith the Hour is coming that of certain is the time when he again should come at which time the dead Bodies of the Saints shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live And also then dead Israel 〈◊〉 both see him and hear his Voice and live And 〈◊〉 these words had their chief reference to the time 〈◊〉 Judgment Power and Honour is given to the Son is evident by the 22 23. Verses But according as the Evangelist saith So spake the Lord to them in Parable that they did not understand it Mat. 13.34 And thâ—… it is the Saints that rise in the first Resurrection 〈◊〉 all that have done good shall afterwards arise to the Resurrection of Life And Israel when judged will not be condemned for that they ignorantly committed against Christ for he prayed for them Luke 23.24 Blessed be the great and glorious God who hath enabled a weak Worm to vindicate his Justice to the praise of his Name and the comfort of his Creatures In that it is now made clearly appear the Judge of all the World will do right who publisheth his Praise by the weak things of this World that thereby all the Glory may be attributed to himself who is God blessed for ever and ever V. Concerning Election ELection doth not always secure the Elect from falling off but by God's electing some it was thereby to accomplish the Counsel of the Will of God as to what he had before determined And therefore accordingly he gave to one five Talents to the other two and to the other but one but every Man had given him according to his ability Matth. 25.15 And each having given them according to their ability that they might according to their day be capable to stand But them that was of the Remnant of Israel of whom the Disciples were they did not only stand by their Election but by a Promise from the Lord That none should â—…ck them out of his Hand John 10.28,29 But â—ikewise both the Disciples and first Churches received 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost to be in them whereby they were â—…ed to God by one Spirit and so beame a Light to the World and thereby the Prayer of Christ was fulfilled in that the World through them might believe that God had sent him John 17.21 Which accordingly â—…llowed for the Nations embraced the Faith and so â—…came the Seed of Abraham But the Elect were to Withstand all the Fury of the Adversaries and therefore had the more Talents given them for on them was shed forth the Holy Ghost abundantly Tit. 3.6 But if they did grieve the Holy Spirit of God whereby they were Sealed to the Day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 For if they sinned wilfully after they had received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation Heb. 10.26 27. But all that have a true Heart separate from an evil Conscience may draw nigh to God in full assurance of Faith that they shall find acceptance through the Blood of the Lord Jesus and they in a more special manner who were fore-chosen to it vers 22. Now these having the greater Light if they fell away fell under the greater Condemnation And that some of the Elect did fall away that was not secured by a Promise from Christ is certain by what St. John saith That if they had been of them they would have continued with them 1 John 2.19 Therefore they were not of that Remnant but it is clear they were of the Elect because the Elect then were known by their Speaking with Tongues and by the Gifts that were given them by which God made them
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