Maker 〈◊〉 Heaven and Earth and all things â—…rein contained whether visible or inâ—…ble and that out of the Gen. 2.7 dust of the â—…und God created Man and breathed inâ—… him the breath of life and thereby â—…n became a Gen. 28. living Soul and was plac'd 〈◊〉 God in Gen. 1.26,27 Eden the Garden of God in â—…oly happy blessed State and God â—…ve them Power over the Fish of the 〈◊〉 the Fowl of the Air and the Beast 〈◊〉 the Field and over all the Earth and over every thing that creepeth on the Earth And Man should have so continued in this blessed and happy State Gen. 2.17 never to have known decay sickness forrow or death had he not there sinned against his great Creator and his most liberal Benefactor Gen. 3.4,5 in that they did adhere to the Enemy of God which is the Devil and believed what he said and did not believe the God of Truth for which they were turn'd out of Paradise Gen. 3.23 and became more vile and miserable than all Creatures that have their Being upon Earth and so 't would have succeeded to his unborn Posterity Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 Job 4.8 for now their Natures became corrupt so as Righteousness and Holiness and Wisdom which was the Image of God stampt upon them now had left thâ—m and was quite defaced in them and they became 〈◊〉 like the Prince of Darkness which is â—…e Devil who for his Pride and Rebelâ—â—n against God he and his Adherents were cast out of Heaven and from glorious Angels became Devils in Hell and are kept in Chains of Darkness unto the Judgment of the Great Day of God who are to be punished eternally in Hell-fire Joh. 3.44 Joh. 3.8 Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 But God looking on Mankind in their forlorn and miserable Condition with an eye of pity and compassion gave them a word of Comfort which was That the Gen. 3.15 Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpent's head which is the Devil and God said that he would put enmity between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent And in that God had compassion on Mankind rather than upon the fallen Angels so as to send them a Saviour Luk. 2.11 Mat. 1.21 There was this reason the fallen Angels were the principal and alone Causes of their own Rebellion but Mankind was stirr'd up to it through the subtil Insinuations and Lyes of the Devil Gen. 3.1 and therefore Mankind had a Tender of Grace offered them if we receive it according to the condition as it is offered us which is with Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ with Love and Obedience to him to whom all the Prophets bear witness â—…aring he should be born of a Virgin 〈◊〉 speaking of his Sufferings and of his Death and of his Rising again Act. 20.21 Act. 4.12 Act. 3.23,26 Isa 7.14 Isa 53. Ps 16.10 Act. 2.24 13.34 I believe in this Lord Jesus Christ â—hat he is the onely begotten Son of God who gave himself to satisfie Divine Justice and to make Reconciliation for poor â—ost and undone Creatures which were dead in Trespasses and Sins through that â—f Adam's Transgression Joh. 1.14 Joh. 10.15,18 Eph. 2.1 Heb. 9.14 2 Cor. 3.5 Gen. 6.5 Rev. 3.17 Rom. 7.15 Job 4.20 Isa 30.33 2 Pet. 2.4,5 whereby our Nature became so corrupt that we have â—est us neither Strength to stand 〈◊〉 Willâ—… striâ—… nor 〈…〉 〈…〉 in which woful condition we should have spent some few Days here and after which been plunged into Hell it self for ever and there to have been tormented with the Devil and damned Spirits Luk. 16.32 Jud. 7. Isa 5.15 Deut. 32.22 Joh. 1.1,2,3 without any redress had not the Son of God the second Person in the Trinity who to fulfil his Fathers promise and for the wonderful Love he bare to his Creatures he left the Throne of his Fathers Glory where he had been from all Eternity and did vouchsafe to take upon him the means of our Flesh and therein was conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary Matt. 1.20,21 Luk. 1.30,31,32 but born of her without sin and when he came into the World he then suffered the Miseries of this Life the Wrath of God and the cursed Death of the Cross that through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death which is the Devil and deliver them who through the fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to bondage Luk. 23.35,36 Luk. 23.33 and 44 45 46. Heb. 2.14,15 and the Lord of Life was buried descended into Hell and continued under the Power of Death till the third Day Luk. 24.6,7 in which he rose again from the Dead as a triumphant Victor over Sin Death and Hell and after his Resurrection he was seen oâ— all his Apostles 1 Cor. 15.5,6 and of above 500 Brethreâ— at once and remained upon the Earth for the space of forty Days and then he went to Mount Olivet with his Disciples and more Witnesses Act. 1.3.9,10,11,12 and from thence he ascended up into Heaven and now sitteth at the Right-hand of God the Father and there maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Mind of God Heb. 1.3 Joh. 12.41 Rom. 8.34 Heb. 6.7.25 I believe also that assuredly there is Life and Salvation to be had through our Lord Jesus Christ if we come to him by faith and repentance so as to confess and forsake our sins and believe in him and his word so that we unfeignedly love and fear to offend him we shall be beloved of him and made eternally blessed by him through his perfect Righteousness which shall be imputed to us who is able to preserve us in time and in Eternity I believe in the Holy Ghost that he is the Sanctifier of our Natures whereby our Wills are renewed so as to desire to serve the living God in truth and in sincerity and also in time of trouble he doth often administer comfort and consolation to the Saints Acts 20.21 and 3.19 John 14.21 Joh. 8.31 Jer. 23.6 Rom. 8.14 1 Cor. 3.15 Gal. 5.16 1 Cor. 1.22 Joh. 5.26 I believe there is a Holy Catholick Church a member of which is every sincere hearted Christian throughout the World that worships the Lord in spirit and truth for our blessed Lord saith John 4.23,24 that the Father seeketh such to worship him I believe there will be the Resurrection of the Body and Life everlasting for the Righteous and eternal Damnation for them that go on in their wicked Ways I believe also that the Lord will come in the last Day in the Clouds of Heaven to render vengeance to his Adversaries and those that know not God and will not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15.21,22 Joh. 5.28,29 Col. 1.18 Matt. 25.46 John 11.24 Acts 1.11 2 Thess
that ye walk not in the ignorance of Youthfulness and Fornication wherein I over shot my self and defiled the Bed of my Father Jacob. For I assure you that the Lord did therefore strke me with a sore Plague in my Flanks the space of seven Months and I had perished if my Father Jacob had not Prayed to the Lord for me because he was minded to have slain me I was thirty years old when I did this evil in the Sight of the Lord and seven Months was I sick to Death and with a free heart did I afflict my self seven years before the Lord I drank no Wine nor Strong Drink no Flesh came within my Mouth I tasted not any fine Bread but I mourned fot my Sin for it was great and there shall none such be done in Israel And my Sons hear me that I may shew you what I saw concerning the seven Spirits of Error in my Repentance Belial giveth seven Spirits against a Man which are the Well-Springs of Youthful Works seven Spirits are given a Man in his Creation whereby all his Works are dore the first is the Spirit of Life wherewith is Created his Being The second Is the Spirit of Seeing wherewith cometh Lusting The third The Spirit of Hearing wherewith cometh Learning The fourth The Spirit of Smelling wherewith cometh delight by drawing of the Air and breathing it out again The fifth I the Spirit of Speech wherewith Knowledg is made The sixth Is the Spirit of Tasting whereof comes the feeding upon things that are to be Eat and Drank and through them is ingendred strength The seventh Is the Spirit of Seed and Generation wherewith entereth in the Lust of Pleasute Fot this cause it is the last of Creation and the first of Youth because it is full of Ignorance and Ignorance leadeth the younger sott as a blind body into the Ditch and as an Ox to the Stall Amongst all these is the Eight which is of Sleep with whom is Created the wasting away of Nature and the Image of Death With these Spirits are mingled the Spirit of Error whereof the first is the Spirit of Lechery who lieth within the Nature and Senses of a man The Second Spirit of unsatiableness lieth in the belly The Third Spirit of Strife lieth in the Liver and in Choler The Fourth Syirit is of Bravery and Gallantness that the party may seem comely by Excess The Fifth is the Spirit of Pride which maketh a man to mind over-great things or to think well of himself And the sixth is the Spirit of Lying or vain-gloriousness in boasting a man's self and in desire to fill his Talk concerning his own Kindred and Acquaintance The Seventh is the Spirit of Unrighreousness which stirreth up the Affections that a man should perform the lustful pleasures of his heart for Unrighteousness worketh with all the other Spirits by taking Guile unto him Unto all these Spirits is matched the Eighth Spirit which is the Spirit of sleep or sluggishness in Error and Imagination and so the Souls of Young Folks perish because their minds are darkned and hidden from the Truth and udderstand not the Law of the Lord neither obey the Doctrine of their Fathers as befell me in my Youth But now my Children love the Truth and that shall preseve you For Fornication is the destruction of the Soul separating it from God because it leadeth the mind and understanding into Error For Whoredom hath undone many men And although a man be Ancient or Noble yet doth this make him a Laughing Stock But Joseph because he kept himself from all Women and cleansed his Thoughts from all Fornication found Favour both before the Lord and Men. Therefore my Sons fly Fornication charge your Wives and Daughters that they trim not their Heads and will them to chasten their Looks for every woman that dealeth deceitfully in these things is reserved to the punishment of the World to come That is to the Sentence of Judgment which will be in the World to come Now since it was Woman that was first in the Transgression therefore Women and Gentlewomen imploy all your Diligence to escape the near approaching Judgment of the World to come Now whereas Kuben saith had not his Fathers Prayers prevailed with God that God would have killed him Yhe which had the Lord then taken him off where would then have been the Twelve Tribes To which I answer God could raise up Two Tribes out of One Stock as there was of Joseph or God could have given Jacob another Son in his stead For Ruben did at time lose his birthright And Eve said when she had born Seth that God had given her another Seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew Gen. 4.25 And God said unto Cain before he committed that Murder Gon. 4.7 If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door And also the rest of the Patriarchs that was guilty of that sin against Joseph they at their Death declared what terrible Afflictions they fell under for that sin of theirs and the great Repentance they had for it And Judah likewise gives an account of his Affliction and Repentance for the sin that he was overtaken in And where the Old World is spoken of Gen. 6.3 The Lord said my Spirit shall not always strive with man The which words argue the striving of the Spirit of God with Man that had not Man been wanting to himself but had used his utmost endeavour he might have obtained salvation For although after the Fall of Adam the Entrances into Life were made strait yet not so strait but with Labour and Diligence thro' the promised Messiah it was and is attainable But it is said in the fifth verse God saw the wickedness of Man was great in the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart And the Lord said I will destroy man whom I have created from the Face of the Earth both Man and Beast and the creeping things and the Fowls of the Air for it repenteth me that I have made them But Noah found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord. Noah was a just man Now whereas the Lord doth express that it repented him that he had made man and that it grieved him at his heart the which shews a concern in God that man had not then lived up to his Decree whereby his Mercy was attainable Numb 23.19,20 Now whereas it is said That God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of Man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good I have received Commandment to bless and he hath blessed and I cannot reverse it Now whereas it is said that God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of
themselves without fear Clouds they are without water That is for any to feed themselves without fear the Apostle terms them Clouds without water But for Believers to be timerously fearful of themselves because of their own weakness lest they should offend that fear is pleasing in the sight of God because it keeps them in a diligent watchfulness And were there not great cause of fear the Apostle would not have so forewarned the Saints of that roaring Lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 And of such as fear it is said The Lord will deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Here we see there is comfort for them that so fear But as for such as are mistrustfully fearful of the faithfulness and power of God that he will not perform his promise according to his word and therefore they will not venture the loss of the delights and advantages of this World so as to obey his Commands and Precepts of such fearful and unbelieving it is of whom the Lord saith They shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21.8 Therefore St. Paul saith to the Saints Heb. 10.35 Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompence of reward That is confidence in the power and faithfulness of God for as we believe that God is so we must believe that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11. v. 6. And that the Crown of Life according to the promise of the Lord will be given to them that continue faithful to the death Rev. 2.10 Therefore St. Paul saith For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Heb. 10.36 For whosoever doeth the will of God comes in as Heirs to the promise And accordingly St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly so sight I not as one that beateth the Air. This being the Apostle's faith his confidence in the faithfulness of the promiser which made him thus run and fight for in so doing he knew that he was not at an uncertainty And this is the faith or belief which is to the saving of the Soul For verily there is a reward for the righteous Psal 58.11 For God doth never justifie the ungodly by the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ but when they turn from sin unto God for God will no otherwise clear the guilty 1 John 4.18 He saith Perfect love casteth out fear That is where perfect love is it casteth out all slavish fear but not a filial Child-like fear but it is not every sincere-hearted Christian can be thus assured they are made perfect in love and those that are so are not thereby assured that their love will so remain For the Lord saith of the Church of Ephesus That she was fallen from her first love for which she was threatned to be removed out of his favour if she did not repent and do her first works Rev. 2.4,5 Chap. X. Christ the Author of Faith HEB. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Author and finisher of Faith For had not God promised Christ and by him everlasting Life to all them that should keep his Covenant there had been no ground for Faith or hope of Salvation Therefore of this Faith Christ is the Author the which faith or hope caused all those Worthies of old to undergo all those difficulties mentioned in the foregoing chapter which are as a Cloud of Witnesses to incourage us to suffer and to follow the Lord Jesus thro' all difficulties Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God ch 12. v. 2. The which if we accordingly deny our selves in obedience to him Christ will then compleatly finish our faith in giving the Crown of Life to them who have continued faithful to the death Chap. XI What it is to be born of God and to overcome the World 1 JOHN 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Now we must always look to the words that go before and to those that follow after if we would come to a right understanding of the word For in that he saith They that love God they likewise love Christ that is begotten of him or else they cannot be born of God For if they or we are not by our believing that Christ is the Son of God brought off from the delights of this World we cannot be born of God For it is such a belief in us that Christ is the Son of God which draws out our heart to love and obey him as God or else our belief in him is not such as makes us to be born of God Therefore he saith in verse 2. By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God keep his Commandments For by the Commandments of God we are commanded to love the Children of God and by keeping the commands of God it is we know that we love God therefore the Apostle saith in v. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous By which we see our love to God and Christ is in keeping their Commands And he saith in verse 4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World and this is the victory that overcometh the World even our faith What meaneth the Apostle here in saying that by faith they overcame the World He meaneth all the vain fleshly and covetous desires of any thing relating to the World which by their faith they overcame Which faith set them on work looking for the reward promised which is the Crown of Life But notwithstanding some have again been overcome by the World and so made shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 and others as in 2 Pet. 2.18,19 They allure thro' the lust of the flesh thro' much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in errour While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage By which nothing can be more plain than that those that have had the New Birth wrought in them and have overcome the World may again be overcome by the World and brought into bondage and so the latter end is worse with them than the beginning as in ver 20,21 Now the man that is born of God is brought off from the World and whilst he so continues new-born or brought off from the World he sinneth not because he doth not wilfully commit sin For the sins that are not wilfully committed will not be imputed for Christ remains their Advocate John 5.16 If any man see his
Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death Now were there none but those that were so absolutely chosen of God that they could not fall away it could not then be so properly said of them that prayers should give them life that never were in danger of death And so on the contrary if others by the determinate Counsel of God were left under a necessity of damnation then prayers for such would be altogether unavailable it being impossible that the offender should receive life by them neither would the Apostle have given orders for them to have been so prayed for Chap. XII How it is that he that is born of God sinneth not and keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not THE Apostle saith 1 John c. 5. v. 18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not These words admit of a two-fold meaning First That there was a remnant of Israel so secured in Christ as they could not be deceived Secondly They have a reference to all that that are born of God so as to be brought off from the ways of sin And whilst they are thus born or brought off from sin so as to maintain a continual combat with the World the Flesh and the Devil Such an one theâ— cannot wilfully commit sin because their wills and inclinations are set against sin And if they in their wills and inclinations remain thus stedfast it keeps them in a continual resistance so as the evil one cannot touch them Now we are to take notice that by their improving their season of grace or the Talents which God had given them the Apostle saith They kept themselves so as the evil one toucheth them not For they which had the five Talents were to improve them as well as they which had the two and one But whosoever is again brought off from the ways of God to the World as to yield themselves again servants to sin the grace of God was by them received in vain Rom. 6.16 Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness And St. John saith chap. 2. v. 3,4 And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him This is so plain that it needs no explanation to shew that it is the practical knowledge of God that is required Chap XIII The meaning of being born again explained JOHN 3.1,2,3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jews the same came to Jesus by night and said unto him Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no man can do these Miracles that thou doest except God be with him Jesus answered and said unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This the Lord said to a man that was a Pharisee and a Ruler in Israel and to a man that had a desire after the knowledge of the Lord but was ashamed to come to him in the sight of the World and so came to Jesus by night and therefore the Lord said unto him as in the foregoing words in which the Lord had only his reference to such as were ashamed to own him before men and such as live after the flesh Now Nicodemus wondering at the answer of the Lord in verse 4. said unto him How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his Mothers womb and be born ver 5,6 Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit These words of the Lord here has no reference to Children as to their thus being born again nor to those persons that have always lived in a holy in and upright conversation For first the Believers Children are in Covenant and if they die in their Infancy are accepted in and thro' Christ And John Baptist was moved by the Spirit of God with joy in his Mothers womb upon the salutation of the blessed Virgin And Christ saith Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 Therefore what is here spoken by the Lord of being born after the flesh hath not its reference to the natural birth But as the Lord had a figurative meaning in saying they must be born after the Spirit or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God So the Lord hath here a figurative meaning as to these here spoken of which are born of the flesh That is those that embraced the desires of the flesh and the world and thereby begotten or born of it from which they must be again new born that is brought off by forsaking that which before they delighted in and their wills and affections brought into a complying frame to the Spirit of God or they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.8 The Lord saith The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit By these words the Lord doth seem to have a reference in the first place to them that were in a peculiar manner chosen and appointed to partake of the Holy Ghost and also these words have a reference in general to all to whom the Word of the Gospel should come accompanied with the good motions of the Spirit of God as thereby to be brought off from sin And also it did signifie the Lord 's then withdrawing his Spirit from Israel the which was for their sinfulness for which cause also it was the twice fallen Children of Ham became more estranged from God And tho' the Spirit compared to the Wind bloweth where it listeth yet the Spirit listeth not to blow on them by whom it is grieved Therefore it is said grieve not the holy Spirit of God Ephes 4.30 Accordingly it is said concerning them that were sanctified That if they did sin wilfully they then did despight to the Spirit of grace and to such the Lord will recompence vengeance Heb. 10.26,29,30 For tho' the Disciples or standing Witnesses could not be ensnared nor drawn off by the Devil yet the others of the first Churches did not so securely stand Chap. XIV Of being in the Faith or turning Reprobate SAInt Paul saith 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves how
Light of the Heaven as the Sun and Moon And as for the Elements we know that man's body is made up of the Four Elements Now St. Peter in his way of speaking doth make it a figurative Speech as to the burning the Heavens and Earth And when we can bring several places out of holy Writ to prove it to be so and places of Scripture to prove our assertion then we go upon good grounds but when we make figurative Speeches or Allegories where there is none and where there is for them to make an Assertion of that which they cannot bring good Proof for out of the Word is of very dangerous consequence and as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 3.16 wrest the Scripture to their own destruction But this of St. Peter is easily proved a figurative Speech not only by his own manner of speaking but also by the Three Evangelists wherein our Lord makes no mention of the burning of the Heavens and Earth when he comes to judge the World Nor St. John in Rev. 6.14 mentions not any such thing as to the burning of them Neither in any of the Epistles of St. Paul is there any mention made of their being destroy'd at the coming of the Lord Nor doth any other place of the Bible speak of their being burnt but St. Peter And whereas the Apostle Peter makes mention of fire it is to set forth the fierce Anger of the Lord against sinners For as there is nothing so terrible to our Natures as fire so there can be nothing so insupportable as the Anger of the Almighty Lord and therefore he is said in 2 Thes 1.8 to come in flaming fire to take Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The weight of Whose Anger being more intolerable than we are able to imagine it Therefore God saith Jer. 23.29 Is not my Word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a Hammer that breaketh the Rocks in peices And therefore it is a usual Phrase in Scripture to express the Anger of the Almighty God by Fire Zeph. 1.18 where God himself saith with the Fire of my Jealousie And it is said of God Deut. 4.24 That he is a consuming Fire That is he is an unresistable Power Heb. 12.23 And as the Thorns cannot resist the Powerful Flames neither can we his ireful Judgments when he doth inflict them on the sinner And here had St. Peter in the plain Letter of the Word pronounc'd those Judgments against the Powers and People the then present Age could not have born it neither indeed the succeeding Generations And as for the Beast or Pope he found so much in the Scriptures against himself and his Crew that he made it Death for the Laity to read them that thereby his Falshood and Villany might remain undiscovered to the people Now the Pope did not rise till several hundred years after the Apostles And St. Paul in 2 Thes 2,3 Declareth that the day of the Lord shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition v. 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he is as God sitting in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God v. 9,10,11,12 Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonder v. 10. And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lit 12. That they all might be damned who believe not the truth but have pleasure in Vnrighteousness By which we may plainly see that God never leaves a people till such time as they forsake him by taking pleasure in Unrighteousness And therefore as to what hath been said of the Beast and the seven hill'd City and of the Reign of the Beast has been in a figurative way For the Pope's Design with his Crew being wholly to deceive the Will of God is that they might be deceived And it is said in Rev. 13.2 when the Beast arose The Dragon gave him his power and his Seat and great Authority And now as the Apostle saith 2 Thes 2.4 he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped So that he is as God sitting in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God And now he sitting in the Temple of God and takes the Power of a God to him in that he saith the revealed will of God is no farther to be accounted of than to what he approves of in it And also he with his pretended Keys le ts into Heaven those whom God by his Word shuts out and them out of Heaven whom God by his Word permits in Thus they are filling up their Iniquity that they may come to their deserved end And little better success must no Sect or Church expect that has used the Word of God deceitfully nor their hypocritical Hearers As for this Babylon and Countries adjoyning to it is figured our to us in the former Idumea or Edom For Esau looking on himself as the Elder brother therefore his Envy was always towards Israel although he sinfully and foolishly did sell his Birthright unto shis Brother in the time he was distressed being faint for want of Food he then said if I die for hunger what good then will this birth right do me And so not regarding the promises of God and therefore in the day of tryal parted with his birthright for a mess of pottage And almost all this world being like unto him that in the day of tryal either for some lust or some profit or to deliver themselves out of some trouble they part with the blessing which God in Christ has promis'd which is eternal salvation if they walk according to the rule God has set before them And so for these uncertain momentary injoyments like Esau embrace this present world And when the time comes for the righteous to inherit the blessing these worldlings will then like Esau be rejected although they may then seek the blessing earnestly with tears as he did yet was rejected But as it is in our days the more emptiness and want of knowledge the more pride and malice So was it with the seed of Esau for it is said of him in Obed. 1. v. 3.4,8,10 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the Rock whose habitation is high that saith in his heart who shall bring me down to the ground 4. Tho thou exalt thy self as the Eagle and the thou set thy nest among the Stats thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. Verse 8. Shall I not in that day saith the Lord even destroy the wise men out of Edom and understanding out
a Month according to the Egyptian Account it doth just amount to one thousand two hundred and sixty days of years at which time the Lord will come and then the Beast shall be taken and cast alive into a Lake burning with Fire and Brimstone and the Devil bound up and then will be the first Resurrection of which St. John speaks in Rev. 20.4 And I saw Thrones and they that sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshiped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years 5. But the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished this is the first Resurrection V. 6. Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years It is said in Isa 1.26 where God telleth them I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness the Faithful City Pray mark the Words Here the Lord doth not tell them that they should have such Judges as they had at the first and such Counsellors as they had at the beginning but that the Lord would restore them Judges that they had at the first and those Counsellors which were at the beginning Therefore the Lord said unto Daniel in Chap. 12.13 But go thou thy way till the end be for thou shalt rest and stand in thy Lot at the end of the days Now the Lord in the fore part of the Chapter tells him of the end of the world and what shall then happen and also tells him that he shall rest and stand in his Lot at the End of the Days Here the Lord doth not tell him that he shall stand in his Lot at the End of his Days but at the End of the Days after he has rested which is at the Resurrection By this of Daniel it doth further clear to us the first Resurrection on whom the second Death shall have no Power but that they shall be Priests of God and Christ and reign with him a thousand years And Isaiah saith Chap. 24.23 Then the Moon shall be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously Not that Christ and his Saints shall reign no longer than the Thousand Years but that the Visible Glory may not so eminently appear among them after Satan is loosed that thereby he may accomplish his final Overthrow when he has deceived his Gog and Magog of which I shall speak more to in another place Whereas the Angel saith Rev. 10.6 That there should be time no longer That is no longer time for this wicked World to have Power and time of Repentance for their time should be no longer But there will be a glorious Time for the People of God in the renewed Heavens and Earrh when the Lord reigneth And as there will be another World so another Generation and another Time Of which times the Lord saith in Esdras 9.6 The Times also of the Highest have plain beginnings in wonders and powerful workings and endings in Effects and Signs The Lord grant that we may be awakened by the Signs of the End which End is now approaching And in John Martha said to the Lord concerning her brother chap. 11.24 Martha said unto him I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day The which last Day is the last day of this wicked World and when this World shall be judged For the Saints are raised before the Wicked are condemned Therefore by this last day must be meant the last day of their Time For to take it otherwise it cannot be for it is said when this World is past that Day and Night lasteth for ever and for ever as in Revelations where the Devil receives his Last Judgment he is there said to be cast into Hell to be tormented day and night for ever and for ever The same is said of God That he liveth for ever and for ever Rev. 4.9 And as to what St. Paul saith in 1 Thess 1.5 VVhich is a manifest Token of the Righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer Verse 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence Tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels 8. In flaming fire taking Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 9. VVho shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his Power 10. VVhen he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Now whereas he saith counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which they did also suffer In answer to which it is said in Rev. 11.15 The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Verse 17. Saying we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come because thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned Verse 18. And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come and the time of the dead that they should be judged and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy Name small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the Earth Now it is at this time when the Lord cometh that the Kingdoms of this World will become the Kingdoms of God and Christ And it is then God will give Rewards to his Servants at which time the wicked Worldlings that are dead in sin will be judged and then shall they be destroyed which destroyed the Earth which Earth is their fellow brethren upon the Earth And also by the words of St. Paul before mentioned it is when the Lord shall be revealed that then to the wicked will be recompensed Tribulation and to the Saints Rest and Consolation And when God and Christ have taken possession of the Kingdom then shall the Saints reign on the Earth as in Rev. 5.10 And hast made us unto God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the Earth And according to this it is said in Ephes 2.7 And also in 1 Pet. 2.9 Where he mentions those things which are to come as if they were present which way of speaking is often used in