the Scriptures and if thou find in this Treatise any thing that seems strange unto thee be not over hasty to condemn it or the Author but know assuredly that he is one that aimeth and strives after Truth as much as thy self who ever thou art and know that the things that are disapproved of by men are the things that are chosen of God and precious and that in all Ages as I have formerly said the Truth of God hath been accounted Heresie and the assertors thereof Hereticks and turners of the world upside down therefore it much concerns thee to be earnest with God in prayer and supplication to give thee a discerning spirit that thou mayest discern between Truth and Error I have in the following Treatise shewed in a methodical order what Baptism is and that it is not Sprinkling or scattering a little water in the face of the Subject no but a Dipping or Plunging or a thorow washing of the person Baptised and also that the Subjects to be Baptised are not Infants as such but such as have first believed in the Lord Jesus or at least such as do make a visible profession of faith such were those that John the Baptist Baptised for they came and confessed their sins and was Baptised of him in Jordan and also when the Eunuch said to Plilip See here is water What hindreth me that I may not be Baptised and he said If thou believeth with all thy heart thou mayest and the Samaritans when they did believe the things concerning the Kingdome of God and the name of Jesus they were Baptised both men and women So that the Scripture is plain that testifieth what Subject should be Baptised And that conceit or more properly great deceit about Original Sin in saying That Infants dying in their Infancy without being Baptised are damned and so bring in Infants Baptism to purge away Original Sin I have shewed is no such thing but a dream of mens own brains and that there is not one Text of Scripture from Genesis to the Revelation which saith that any shall die the second Death for Original Sin nay the second Death was not so much as threatned in any one Text of Scripture either upon Adam or any of his posterity for that sin but the Death of the Body was threatned and also executed for saith the Lord Dust thou art and unto Dust thou shalt return And as touching Mans Mortality it is a general received Opinion That the Soul of Man is Immortal and dyeth not although the Scripture saith that Christ poured out his Soul to death and made his Soul an offering for sin but it is supposed that when men die their Souls if they have done evil go immediately to Hell and in the Resurrection come again from thence to be judged to see whether they deserve it yea or nay as though Souls should be put into their torments before they are tryed and judged to see whether they have deserved it yea or nay for although some mens sins go before to Judgment so as that they are convicted before death yet some mens sins come after them that there is not the sense of their sins at the time of death but they come after them unto Judgment these things I have shewed my opinion upon also the which amongst men is strangely looked upon as a gross Error however peruse it for there is no dangerous consequence in it for he that believeth it or he that believeth it not may both meet with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God if they walk uprightly according to their several measures although if it be a Truth as it appears to me to be it is very necessary that every godly man know it for several reasons that I could give But as touching the Resurrection of the Body which I also have spoken to that is of such weight that without believing it and being stedfast in the same it makes Preaching voyd and Faith voyd and whosoever doth deny it their words eat as doth a Canker and indeed I do not see as yet how such men as deny it can be saved I have also shewed the great and universal love of God to all men which is the ground of Faith and Salvation to all that do believe and be saved which is a very comfortable Doctrine to all men and I think that none can have cause to be offended at it but such as have their eyes evil because Gods eye is good And as touching the Personal Reign of Christ upon Earth viz. on the Throne of his Father David in Zion in Jerusalem is that which causeth the godly to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory and it is that which Christ hath commanded us to pray for though we understand it not as we should do when we pray Thy Kingdome come thy will be done in Earth as it is done in Heaven but that he is to receive a Kindome and Reign upon Earth I have proved in its particular order although briefly I have also added a second Part entituled The good ancient Laws and Statutes of King Jesus Vindicated wherein I have proved the continuance of all the Laws and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus given forth in his last Will and Testament with many Objections answered And also have shewed who is the travelling Woman spoken of in Revellations 12. and who is her Man-child and who is the Remnant of her Seed and to what Wilderness she is to flea into and for how long and who are the two Witnesses and the time and place of their Prophesie and many such like things which I have shewed my opinion upon in the following Treatise and therefore I desire thee courteous Reader to peruse these things seriously and desire the Lord to give thee an understanding heart to receive it so far forth as thou findeth it agreeable to the Word of the Lord and sound Reason It should have been published long before this time if extraordinary occasions had not hindred me therefore it is my desire that they that have long waited for it may excuse the matter because many are sensible of my great occasions taking me off from finishing of it sooner So desiring the Lord to make it to be a word in season unto thee and to fill thy heart with joy thorow believing and also with the fruits of righteousness that having thy fruit in holiness the end may be everlasting life which is the desire of Thy Friend and Brother in the Faith and Profession of the Gospel of Christ GEORGE HAMMON THE CONTENTS OF THE Principal Matters Contained in this BOOK B BAptism to be Dispenced to such as are of ripe years and of understanding Page 5. to page 12. Baptism may not be Dispenced to Infants for several Reasons page 13. to page 25. Of the Battel of the great Day and the Destruction of Gogg and his Company page 89. to page 92. G Of Gods universal Love unto all men and how far
namely Mans Mortality A DISCOURSE Touching the Mortality of the Soul IN order to the clearing up of this Subject of Dicourse I shall lay down this Position which is That man by sin made himself wholly mortal So that when God shall take away his breath which is from the time of death till the time of Resurrection he is no more then what he was before God breathed into him the breath of life which was but dust and also to dust he doth return and the word Soul is used for illustration sake and very large in its acceptation in Scripture sometimes to be understood one thing sometimes another that no man living can say of any one thing this is the soul and this is not but the whole individual man is taken for the soul and where there is spoken of soul and body there is no more difference than there is between Spirit and breath only it is spoken by way of illustration and the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie several things as the Mind Will Soul Delight Pleasure Affection Disposition Phantasie Life Breath Wind Blast Wrath Anger Memory Thought Stomack Courage Advice Opinion Heart Witt Stoutness Willingness Promptness or Readiness of Mind also Sleep and also Man these many significations and more is derived from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we read in our Translation Soul But leaving these things I shall come suddenly to the Reasons and then answer some Objections but first see some Scriptures which proveth that Man is wholly mortal and first see the words of the Wise man Eccles 3.19 20. in these words For what befalleth the sons of men befalleth Beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they have all one breath so that man hath no preheminence above a beast for all is vanity all go to one place all are of the dust and return to dust again Agreeable to the Word of the Lord Gen. 3. Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return and this is also further amplified by John 4.7 8 9 10 11 12. in these words For there is hope of a tree if he be cut down that it will sprout again and the tender branches thereof will not cease though the root thereof wax old in the ground and the stock thereof die in the earth yet thorow the descent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant but man dyeth and wasteth away ye man giveth up the Ghost and where is he as the waters fall from the Sea and the floods decay and dry up so man lyeth down for we must needs die and be as water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered neither doth God respect the person of any man yet he hath used a means that his banished shall not be for ever expelled from him From whence we may see that the estate of man is compared to the floods that are dryed up that is become as it were nothing and is so to remain until the resurrection for by sin and death we are banished from the Lord yet he hath used a means namely to bring us forth again at the Resurrection that his banished should not be for ever kept from him but if the righteous go to heaven so soon as they die how are they banished from him and become as water spilt upon the ground For what man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Selah Psal 89.48 2 Sam. 14.14 No he cannot deliver his soul from the hand of the grave when God sets his heart to look upon man as you may see Job 34.14 15. in these words If he set his heart upon man if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath all flesh shall perish together and man shall again return unto dust From these words we see all flesh is to perish and man is flesh yea the whole man for that which is born of flesh is flesh now the soul of man is born of flesh and if it be not spirit it must die and the Apostle saith that the first man meaning the whole man was earth earthy and as is the earthy so are they that are earthy howbeit it was not first that which was spiritual but that which was natural and then that which was spiritual speaking there of the man Adam and the man Christ affirming that the first Adam was an earthly natural man and the second Adam viz. Christ was a heavenly spiritual man so then the first man thorow his sin made himself mortal even the whole man there is a multitude of Scriptures that proveth this thing but time being very pretious with me I cannot at this time set them in order before thee but shall pass to some few Reasons to prove man wholly mortal and the first is Reas 1. First because Christ dyed soul and body to purchase our souls and bodies from the grave and if Christs soul dyed it was really to that end that our souls might not lie in the grave and if we had dyed only in body then Christ had dyed only in body but the whole man being mortal and returned to dust Christ also poured out his soul to death and made his soul an offering for sin as saith the Prophet Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed mark that he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand 12. Because he hath poured out his soul to death and he was numbred with the strangers and he bore the sins of many c. From hence we see that Christs SOVL dyed that ours might live again and not be left in the grave which proveth that our souls are mortal and die and so I pass to the second reason to prove That the whole man is mortal which is Reas 2. Secondly because if mans body be mortal and that die and his soul immortal that live then man hath two lives two distinct Beings which is not for if there be two distinct lives and two distinct Beings then Adam was two distinct Creatures and then it cannot be said that as by the offence of ONE Judgment came upon all men to condemnation for Adam upon that account was TWO distinct beings having two distinct lives but man having but one life the whole man must be mortal or the whole man immortal and that the whole man is mortal the Scriptures and our experience doth witness Reas 3. Again Thirdly Because otherwise Christ had done Lazarus wrong by raising him from the dead for if his Soul had been in Heaven four dayes and then Christ fetched it from thence it was so far from an act of love to him whom Christ so well loved that it was great prejudice and also I strange that Lazarus did not mention one tittle of the glory of Heaven if he had been
must not be meddled with The sum of all is this First That there is many things used amongst the Sons of Men pretending Worship to God which is abomination unto the Lord and yet no text of Scripture forbidding in so many words saying Thou shalt not do so And Secondly Whereas it hath been affirmed That there is no Example or Command for Women to Eat the Lords Supper It 's false for there is a plain Precept 1 Cor. 11.28 in these words Let a man examine himself and so let him eat which is Preceptory that is He must examine himself and so he must eat The word LET is preceptory Object But if it be Objected that the Text saith Let a Man Examine himself and let a Man eat Answ I Answer It is read in the Greek Let a Man or Woman examine themselves See 1 Cor. 11.28 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Woman as well as a Man and thus the Woman is to be understood implyed in many places although not mentioned in our Translation as well as the man And so it is said Gen. 5.2 That God made them Male and Female and blessed them and called THEIR name Adam And thus you may see that God hath not left us to be guided by blind Consequences but hath left us a plain Rule And as many as walk according to it Peace be unto them and Mercy upon all the Israel of God So then there being many things practised pretending Worshipping of God and are vain and yet not forbidden in so many words Thou shalt not do it So that these may see themselves Answered which hopes that Infants Baptism may be lawful because the Scripture no where saith Thou shalt not Baptize thy Children neither is it any where Thou shalt not Baptize thy Books and Bells and yet to do it is to practise a Tradition of Man in the Service of God and unlawful And thus I pass from this Objection and also from this Subject of Discourse and come to the next which is that of Original Sin Some Objections ANSWERED TOUCHING Original Sinne. AS touching Original Sin there hath been a great Controversie Whether it made Adam and his Posterity guilty and liable to the Second Death or to the First only or to both And it being the main Controversie between me and my Antagonist I thought good to give my Opinion further upon it and to Answer such Objections as are offered by my Adversary and possibly some others as time will admit of and my Way or Method to make the Matter plain shall be by laying down this Position which is Position 1. That the Sin which Adam committed in Paradice did not make him and his guilty of and liable to the Second Death Which I shall prove by several plain and evident Reasons drawn from the Scriptures but before I speak unto it be informed what I mean by the second Death and that is the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which the Scripture calls the second Death Revel 20.14 for I do beleeve that the Wages of Sin is Death but as there is a twofold Covenant so there is a twofold death viz. a first and second Death And that sin in Paradice made Adam and his guilty of the first Death but sin against God manifest in Christ makes man guilty and liable to the second death And so I come to the Reasons to prove That Adams sin in Paradice did not make him and his guilty of and liable to the second Death And so to the First Reason which is Reas 1. Because God did neither threaten the second death neither did he pronounce a second death or any thing of that nature in the Sentence but the first death only with sorrow labor and such like things as the punishment due to that sin And first we may read the threatning Gen. 2.17 in these words But of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die or in dying thou shalt die Well for all this threatning Adam did eat and thereby did transgress Gods Law whereupon God goeth on to pass sentence upon Adam according to what he threatned to bring upon him if he did eat and transgress his Law and his sentence sheweth what death it was that he threatned which was the first death only and not so much as one tittle intimated of the second death in the sentence as you may read Chap. 3.17 18. in these words And unto Adam he said Because thou hast hearkned unto the voice of thy Wife and hast eat of the Tree whereof I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it Cursed is the ground for thy sake Thorns and Thistles shall it bring forth unto thee in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground for out of it was thou taken Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return From whence we may see that there is not so much as a tittle of a second death but only the first death Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return that was to be the end of all Object But it is Objected and said That the death mentioned in the threatning must be understood a death of the Soul for ever or a second death because Adam died not in his body or the bodily death that day which he sinned but lived many dayes afterwards Answ In Answer to this Objection Consider these two things The First is That one day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 And Adam lived not a thousand years nor no man ever did and therefore Adam upon Gods account died the same day which day in Gods account is a thousand years which no man as before said ever attained to and so died according to what God threatned within the compass or time of the Day In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And Secondly God that seeth all things at once and calls things that shall be as if they were saw Adam dead the same hour that he sinned and he was as really dead in Gods account as Christ was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world or as Abrabam Isaac and Jacob living in a state of Resurrection when God appeared to Moses in the bush Matth. 22.30 31 32. And thus much briefly to the first Objection the second is Object 2. What is meant by the Hebrew word saith my Antagonist in dying thou shalt die Answ To which I Answer and say That so soon as Adam had sinned he was mortalized and in a dying condition never continuing in one stay but in the midst of life subject to drop into the dust and so in being in a dying condition till he did return to dust it was said in dying he should die that is he should be dying till he was dead and this is meant by the word
said so then there was a sort of men then even as there is now which did deny the Resurrection of the bodies of the dead which are in the dust but Christ opposeth them and proveth That there is to be a Resurrection And Secondly the Spirit of God in his people have caused them earnestly to hope and wait for it as you may read Heb. 11.35 36. in these words Others had tryals of cruel mocking and scourgings yea moreover of bands and imprisonments and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection From these things which have been written you may see that both Christ have proved and the Saints earnestly hoped and waited for the Resurrection and indeed and in truth it was never questioned by the godly for when Christ tels Martha that her brother Lazarus should rise again I know saith she that my brother shall arise again in the Resurrection at the last day she never once questioned but that her brother even the same man Lazarus should arise again at the last day which sheweth that both Christ and the Saints doth prove and acknowledg that those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise even the same bodies only incorruptible and come to Judgment And so I pass to the ninth Reason to prove that those which are asleep in the dust of the earth shall arise which is Reas 9. Ninthly Because otherwise were the Saints in a worse condition then the wicked for they bear about in their bodies the dying of the Lord Jesus and suffer deeply and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and the wicked they eat and drink and take their pleasure now if there be no Resurrection then the wicked were in the best condition for if there were no Resurrection then there would be no judgment and then the word remember for all this God will bring thee to judgment were of no force and I never yet read of a day of judgment since Adams being cast out of Paradise to be till after the Resurrection and then no Resurrection no Judgment then I may say with Saint Paul Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die but that there is to be a Resurrection and that it will go ill with the wicked read John 5.28 Dan. 12.2 and the like But if there were no Resurrection then the righteous were in the worst condition as you may read 1 Cor. 15.16 17 18 19. in these words For if the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your faith is vain and ye are yet in your sins Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable From whence we see were it not for a Resurrection the wicked were in the best condition and the Saints of all men the most miserable because of their sufferings but it is not so for they are in the most happiest condition And thus I pass to the tenth Reason to prove that the dead as before said shall arise which is Reas 10. Because the Scripture saith that our vile bodies shall be fashioned and made like unto Christs glorious body as saith the Apostle Phil. 3.20 21. in these words For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who will change our vile bodies OR RENEW OR REFORM OR PVT IT INTO A BETTER ESTATE AS THE WORD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Qui reformabit corpus WILL BEAR IT that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body From whence we may see that the dead shall arise and have their vile bodies renewed or reformed even changed into another estate and condition yet the same body and made in fashion like to Christs glorious body so then it is not another body but these our vile bodies fashioned and made like to Christs glorious body which proveth that the same body which dyeth the same body shall rise again only corruption and imperfection taken away and this agreeth with the whole current of Scripture And thus I pass to the Eleventh Reason to prove that such as are returned to dust shall again awake and come forth out of their graves unto judgment which is Reas 11. Eleventhly Because the Scriptures saith That all things even the whole Creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption and restored into its primitive estate only those excepted who have voluntarily made themselves miserable for ever yet even they shall arise with such a body as shall not die any more the greater will be their misery And that there is to be such a Resurrection read these Scriptures Acts. 3.19 20.21 Rem 8.20 21. in these wordes Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord And he will send Jesus which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him viz. Adam who hath subjected the same in hope for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God for even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the Redemption of our bodies From these Scriptures and more that might be added of this nature it doth appear that the bodies of the sons of men shall be raised again from the dead and he restored into that estate wherein they were created and also into the glorious estate that the body of Jesus Christ himself is in for when he shall appear we shall be made like him and he hath a body of flesh and bones which proves the Resurrection for if it be not the same body that goeth to the dust which is raised again but another body then it is a new Creation and not a Redemption by a Resurrection and then is not the Scriptures true which saith O Death I will be thy Death and Death shall deliver up her dead but God and the Scriptures is true and all them that do deny that the dead bodies shall again live and arise out of the dust of the earth are lyers And so I pass to the Twelfth and last reason although I might add many more if time would permit to prove That the dead which sleep in the dust both good and bad shall arise and come to Judgment which is Reas 12. Because the Scripture saith that although we must needs die and be as water spilt upon the ground yet God hath used a means that those that are thus banished should not be for ever expelled
not a fit Subject for Baptism for Baptism represents a Death and Burial of the old Man and a rising to Life in the new Man which cannot be represented by an Infants being sprinckled but by a Beleevers being baptized So then for as much as Baptism is a visible demonstration of a Covenant made between God and the Soul wherein the Soul promises to put on Christ and walk in him and God promising to give him his holy Spirit to assist him in his so walking which shews That the person thus Covenanting in Baptism must be a Beleever And so I pass to the 10. and last Reason that at present I shall represent unto you to prove that Beleevers are the only fit Subjects of Baptism which is Reas 10. Because without Faith it is unprofitable for any to appear before God in any Gospel Ordinance for without Faith they cannot please him in their so appearing before him Heb. 11.6 For he that cometh so to God must beleeve that he is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him Hence the three thousand beleeving and gladly received the Word were baptized The Samaritans beleeving also were baptized Simon beleeving was baptized Act. 8. and the Eunuch also with the Jaylors houshould And without Faith or profession of Faith at the least none were admitted to Baptism although that they were in the first Covenant being Abrahams seed to whom was the Promise yet they came not to Johns Baptism without confession of sins and being instructed in the Messiah which was to come as you may read Mat. 3. and Luk. 3. at larg and thus of old was the practise of the Ministers of the Gospel to prepare a Temple for the Lord of sanctified stones built up a spiritual house a peculiar people to offer spiritual sacrifice to God 1 Pet. 1.9 Which clearly proveth That if the building of God in Gospel-times be a building through the Spirit Eph. 2.19.12 then spiritual Beleeving Men and Women are the persons which ought to be the subjects baptized and being such fit matter and so fitly joyned together groweth to be a holy Temple for the Lord for as the stones that Solomons Temple was built of were hewn in Hieroms Country before they were brought to Jerusalem and compacted as a Temple for God figuratively to dwell in even so now must the stones of the spiritual building be hewed and fitted before they be laid in that building Hence our blessed Saviour commanded his Disciples to go preach the Gospel so as to make Disciples by instructing of them and then to baptize them and such as did gladly receive the word were baptized and so the Lord added to his Church daily such as should be saved And this was the way of God of old and is the way and will for ever be found to be the right way of Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for ever therefore be not carried away with the inventions of men but walk as you have had Christ and the Apostles for an example doing all things according to the Primitive patern in the worship of God and as many as walk according to that rule peace shall be unto them and mercy upon all the Israel of God And so I leave this Subject and come to handle the second Position which is Position 2. That Infants as such are not fit Subjects of Baptism IN the Discourse of which I shall Answer my Antagonist in his aleaged Texts of Scripture with several more Objections of that nature which is not aleaged in his Book and now briefly to the Reasons which sheweth That Infants are not fit Subjects for to be Baptized And so to the first Reason which is Reas 1. Because God hath no where in Scripture appointed Infants to be Baptized either by Precept or by the Example of the Apostles whole steps we are to follow and therefore it 's an unlawful practise for whosoever adds to the Word of the Lord God will add the Plagues which are written And the Prophet that shall presume to speak a word in the Name of the Lord which he hath not commanded the same Prophet must die Deut. 18.20 Revel 22.18 Therefore add thou not unto his word lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar Prov. 30.6 But as for Gods wayes as in the time of the Law it was very plain and perfect as witness that Ordinance of Circumcision there was the manner of Circumcision and the Person which was to be Circumcised plainly discovered as the foreskin of the flesh and the Children of Abraham and the time when even at eight dayes old nay his Servants and Slaves were to be Circumcised and in a word no uncircumcised person must abide in that Land nor be accounted of Abrahams Family which sheweth That in a spiritual sense none can be accounted Abrahams seed but such as are Circumcised in heart viz. those that have the vayl of Ignorance and Unbelief taken away from off their hearts which causeth the Apostle to say That Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted unto him for Righteousness Know ye therefore saith he that they which are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham So then Infants not having the vail of Ignorance and Unbelief taken from off their hearts cannot be accounted of Abrahams Family for he received Circumcision as a Seal of the righteousness of that Faith which he received before Circumcision that he might be the Father of all them which do beleeve Gal. 3.7 Rom. 4.11 So then Circumcision was a Seal of the Father-hood of the Faithful unto Abraham therefore the Faithful only are Abrahams seed which cannot be Infants because they have not Faith and that they have not Faith is clear because the Apostle saith That there is but one Faith and that one Faith is wrought in the Soul by Hearing the Word Preached the which Infants are not capable of as will be granted by all men as I think One word or two more about Abrahams Circumcision and so pass to the next Reason which is Abraham received it as a seal of the righteousness of Faith but none of his seed did receive it as a seal neither could do because they could not have the Father-hood of the Faithful sealed up unto them it was only Abrahams prerogative neither was it ever called a seal to any of Abrahams seed and much more I might say But I pass briefly to the second Reason to prove Children not fit subjects to be Baptized which is Reas 2. Because all that are Baptized may and ought to receive the Lords Supper unless they be scandalous in their Conversation after Baptism and that hinder them but Children may not receive the Lords Supper Ergo Reas 3. Thirdly Because Children are not in Gospel-Covenant because all that are in Gospel-Covenant need not to be taught to know the Lord for they all know him from the greatest to the least but children of seven or eight dayes old knows not the Lord
5.12 13 14. in which time lived Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Noah and Lot and several others over whom the second death had no power and yet that death which Adam purchased by his sin passed upon all men and also reigned over them which sheweth That the wages of Adams sin in Paradise was but the first death for that death Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the rest tasted of and so it reigned from Adam to Moses over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is against a prescript Law upon penalty of death which proveth That it was Adams sin and we in him which brought that first death upon us but as for the second death it reigned not over those holy men that lived between Adam and Moses neither doth it pass or reign over any till after the Resurrection and the eternal Judgement for THEN shall the Wicked be cast into the Lake of Fire which is the second Death Rev. 20.12 13 14. So then that Death which entered into the World for Adams sin the which all tasted of from Adam to Moses is seen to be no other death but what God threatned and pronounced in the sentence namely Dust thou art and to Dust thou shalt return even the first death And thus I pass to the Answer of some few Objections offered by my Antagonist And the first is a Quotation Romans 5.16 with Chap. 8.1 Object 1. The offence of one sin came upon all to Condemnation i.e. Damnation compared with Rom. 8.1 Answ This Quotation hath been already Answered yet I shall speak a few words to it in this place which is That the word Condemnation is used for the first death as well as for the second as in Luke 23.40 And it is used indefinitely in Rom. 8.1 There is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus it may be read there is therefore no death to them that are in Christ Jesus But you will say Yea the Righteous do die the first death But if you take notice Paul is shewing in that place that Christ delivereth from that body of death and in Christ we have victory and shall conquer the grave and so in that sense there is no death to the Righteous for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being an adverb is undeclined but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same only it being declined may be read Judgement or Punishment or Death and you do only say the words differ but give no Reason worth a figg to prove it only you say that one sin was against Man and the other against God your meaning is The Malefactors sin was only against Man and Adams against God But I pray be serious do you not think that the Malefactor sinned against God Or is not Murder or Stealing or the like a sin against God What means this Discourse if it argue not gross ignorance I am very much mistaken in my Judgement But looking a little forth I find you citing an old Argument of Mr. Perkins's which is That sin that is committed against an infinite God deserveth an infinite punishment but Adams sin was such Ergo Where art thou Hammon saith my Antagonist To which I Answer and say That it is not our Question what Adams sin deserved but what the punishment was which God was pleased to inflict upon Adam for that transgression the which I before have proved to be but the first death and such like punishment And also I do say and have said That Adams sin was so great that it caused him to lose all that God gave him and to lay his honor in the dust and yet notwithstanding it made him no more guilty of the second death than the Beasts which touched the Mountain and therein offended God and must be thrust thorow with a Dart and yet lost no more than what it had to lose Heb. 12.20 And if I should deny your Major Proposition you would be troubled to prove it because Mr. Perkins hath not done it already for you And whereas you ask by way of a jear Where I am I could tell you That I may be found through Mercy at my Native place although as for your part if I should ask where you are as in reference to either your Judgement or Habitation men know not and it is possible you care not they should know where you are to be found but this by degression I pass and come to the Third Objection which is say you Object 3. If Adam brought but a temporal death on men then Christ died but a temporal death to satisfie God Answ That Christ did not die the second death that is to say Christ did not suffer in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone is clear for if he had he had been irrecoverable Take notice that there is a great gulph fixed so that those that once come into that place take heed cannot go thence any more Fie fie what did Christ suffer in Hell with the Devil and Damned spirits No surely although your Creed have taught you so to beleeve And whereas you say That Christ was made a Curse for us it is acknowledged that he was hanged upon a Tree and cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree But I hope that it is but a temporal curse for otherwise there be many of the Saints that have so suffered and then are in a cursed estate and condition if your opinion be true but it is not And whereas you say That my Opinion makes Children but a little beholding to Christ for if he had not come they had died but a temporal death and so they do still To which I Answer and say It is true that if Christ had not come they had died but a temporal death for that sin committed in Paradice and also that they do die a temporal death notwithstanding and yet your Conclusion false for Christ is very beneficial to them notwithstanding so that if I had the tongue of men and Angels I could not express it as I should do Time is pretious take this in short That Christ brings them to a resurrection and brings all the glory that is spoken of in the Scripture to be there portion at the other side of the grave I could be very large but I must speak now by figures as we say and not by words at length and leave you and the Reader to enlarge it in your understanding And for as much as you desire me to inform you what should have become of the soul of man I shall shew you my opinion about it and the grounds and reasons from the Scripture and if I be mistaken in it I hope some sympathyzing tender heart will be as ready to inform me better in it as the captious Spirit will be to cavil at it and I hope I shall receive such information with humility of mind and thankfulness of heart and so I pass to the Subject of Discourse
they did die the same day for men may lie a whole day nay they may lie dayes with their legs broken before they die and I do dare presume to say that they were both alive very neer the end of that day and had nothing inflicted upon them to shorten their lives but being nailed thorow their hands and feet and their legs broken and I dare presume that many lie longer then they had to lie of that day that have been far more desperately wounded Furthermore I dare presume to say that no man living can prove that the Malefactors were dead the same day and if it cannot be proved that they were dead that day it cannot be proved that the soul of the penitent Thief was that day in heaven moreover consider Christ did not tell the Thief that his SOVL should be with him in Paradise but saith thou shalt be with me not thy SOVL but thou viz. thou Thief or thou Man shalt be with me in Paradise which was not so then you see that Christ was not ascended himself but he poured out his soul to death and that lay in the grave although God left it not there Secondly it cannot be proved that the Thief was dead that day if there were such a thing as the soul ascending into Heaven at the time of death And thirdly the text doth not say the SOVL shall be with Christ but thou i. e. thou Man or Thief as before said shall be with me These things considered what may we understand of the text which saith verily I say unto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise To which I answer and say as I before have said that whereas Christ saith to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise is but to give the Thief assurance of his salvation for his petition or request is that the Lord would remember him when he came into his Kingdome and Christ to put him out of doubt and to administer comfort and assurance unto him saith I say unto thee to day thou shalt be with me in Paradise as if he should have said to him thou desired me to remember thee when I come into my Kingdome but to put thee out of doubt I will tell thee at present or to day to thy comfort that thou shalt be with me in Paradise Doth it follow therefore because Christ giveth him a promise that day of heaven that therefore he must be in heaven the same day it was well for him that he had a promise of it that day that thereby he may enjoy it when David who is not ascended into heaven shall enjoy it with the rest of the godly at that day before spoken of so then that day was but the day of promise but the day of enjoyment is yet to come namely when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed and till that time we are to wait for it because all the Saints shall be made perfect and enjoy their inheritance together And thus I pass from this Obsection and hasten to the conclusion of this Subject of discourse Object 5. But if it be objected that the souls of them that are slain cry under rhe Alter Table Rev. 6.10 Answ If they cry then they are not in heaven as is plain because when they come there all crying and trouble shall vanish away Secondly by Alter Table we are to understand a place of Sacrifice and by Souls crying we are to understand the blood of the Saints crying for vengeance for it is blood that cries for vengeance and that the soul is in some places to be understood blood is clear because the life or blood is to be understood all one in many places and so it is said that Christ made his soul an offering for sin and that is to be understood his life or more properly his blood for without blood there is no remission of sins And also I have before shewed that the Greek word Soul bears such a signification as blood and if so it is very proper for the souls viz. blood to cry for vengeance for so did Abels blood cry for vengeance against Cain and also Christs blood doth cry for vengeance against such as are guilty of it by trampling it under foot although it doth speak for the penitent better things then the blood of Abel And thus we are to understand that sixt chapter of the Revelations that after the red Horse and he that sate upon him with the great Sword had took peace from the earth then John saw the blood of the just ones lying under the Alter Table that is the place where they were made a sacrifice or where they offered up their blood or lives a sacrifice for Christs sake and the testimony of a good conscience and that viz. blood cryed for vengeance and this is that which John saw and declared when he saith I saw the souls which were slain for the word of God and the Testimony which they held And so I pass to the next and last objection which is drawn from the 1 Pet. 3.18 19. in these words Object 6. By which he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison therefore there is an immortal soul Answ To which I answer and say that the meaning of this place is no other but that the spirit of Christ did preach to the old world in Noahs dayes or Christ by the same spirit wherewith he was quickned preached in the dayes of Noah to those that are now dead or in Prison for the word Prison is to be understood a place of security to secure persons for the day of Judgment to be either acquitted and justfied or condemned and executed and this agrees with Revel 20.13 where it is said as at a Goal delivery That the Sea and death and the grave delivered up the dead which were in them and they were all judged according to their works And whereas it is read Hell in our Translations it is meant the grave for so it should be read the which if you question it you may read the margent note and see it so read there The like expression there is in John 31.8 speaking of death saith There the prisoners rest together the smal and great are there and the servant is free from his Master verse 19. So then it was the same spirit that which raised Christ from the dead that preached in the dayes of Noah observe this and I pass to the conclusion That it was not the quickned that preached to the Spirits who were disobedient in the dayes of Noah and now in prison but it was the quickner there is the mystery of the text mark well I have a few words more and so I shall leave this Subject of Discourse which is First a few words in particular to my Antagonist who saith That the soul is immortal because it was created after Gods Image Although he hath contradicted himself sadly in what he holds if he own what he hath written in the 13
lump of man-kind in using a means to bring them to a Resurrection of life and Glory and I shall handle them in two particular Subjects The first will be the Resurrection and the second Gods love to man in point of Salvation and glory and so to the first Subject namely That although man must dye and be like water spilt upon the ground yet the Lord will bring him up again from the dead to live for ever in glory or misery according as they have received his grace and walked worthy of it or as they have slighted and abused grace and mercy and not walked worthy of it THE Resurrection of the Body PROVED AS touching this Subject of the Resurrection I shall be brief yet full enough to prove it to be the truth of God and the foundation of the godly mans faith and hope and my method to prove it shall be by laying down this Position which is That the dead bodies of those that return to the dust shall live again and arise and come to Judgment to receive according to what they have done whether it be good or evil For so saith our blessed Saviour John 5.28 in these words Marvel not at this for the hour or time as the word will bear it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hora is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of Condemnation for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 1 Cor. 15.52 And that this is true weigh the following Reasons which will confirm the truth of the Position and the first Reason is Reas 1. Because Christ himself did both die and rise again to be the first fruits of them that sleep that he might bear a sure Testimony to prove the Resurrection of the dead as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.20 21. in these words But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep for since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead for as in or by Adam all die even so in or by Christ shall all men be made alive but every one in his own order vers 22.23 Reas 2. Secondly because the Scripture saith that our bodies shall be redeemed from the Grave and cloathed with immortality and indeed it was the very thing that Saint Paul waited for and comforted himself in Rom. 8.19 20 21 22 33. in these words For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God for the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope because the creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God for we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together until now and not only they but ourselves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our bodies From whence we may see that the Apostle did look and wait in his mind for the Resurrection of the BODY which is to be understood the Resurrection and thus we see that our BODIES shall be redeemed from the dust and all kind of Corruption which proveth the Resurrection And so I pass to the third reason which is Reas 3. Thirdly because the Scripture saith the dead bodies of such as are in the dust shall arise again and live as saith the Prophet Isa 26.19 in these words Thy dead men shall live together with my dead bodie shall they arise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of Hearbs and the earth shall cast out the dead that is in it The which agreeth with the words of the Prophet Ezek. which saith And as I prophesied there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together bone to his bone and when I beheld loe the sinews and the flesh came upon them and the skin covered them about and there was no breath in them Then I Prophesied as he commanded me and the breath came upon them and they lived and stood up upon their feet an exceeding great Army From whence we may see that there is to be a Resurrection of the body out of the dust of the earth to life again that all may come to Judgment to give an account of what they have done in the body whether it be good or evil And so I come to the fourth Reason to prove the Resurrection of the body which is Reas 4. Fourthly because the same IT which is sown in corruption the same IT riseth in incorruption and every seed shall have its own body as saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15.42 So also is the Resurrection IT is sown in corruption IT IS raised in incorruption for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality so when this corruptible hath put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written death is swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory Which clearly proveth that the same that goeth to the dust the same riseth again out of the dust only the corruption putting on incorruption and the mortal putting on immortality which cannot be understood another body but the same body neither can it be true which is said Death is swallowed up in victory no for if the dead bodies rise not out of the Graves then the Grave hath victory and is not conquered so as to be said O Grave where is thy victory but the victory of the Grave is destroyed by Christs death and Resurrection that we should not be holden therein All which proveth there is to be a Resurrection of the dead bodies out of the Graves And so I come to the fifth Reason to prove the Resurrection of the dead which is Reas 5. Fifthly Because Job also confirms this truth saying O that my words were now written O that they were now printed in a book that they were graven with an Iron Pen and laid in the rock for ever for I know that my redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms devour this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another although my reins be consumed Job 19.23 24 25 26 27. From hence we may see that although Job were in great afflictions yet the consideration of the Resurrection comforted him and that he means the very same body is plain because he saith that although worms did devour his body yet in
his flesh with his eyes and not others should he see Christ his Redeemer in the latter day stand upon the earth whom he should behold for himself and not another So then the very same Job that then was in misery the very same Job was afterwards to see the Lord to which add that the very same body that suffereth with Christ the very same body shall raign with Christ for it is against pure justice that one body should suffer with Christ or for Christs sake and then another body glorified and that body which suffered to perish for ever this cannot be in justice which also proves that the same body shall arise out of the dust And so I pass to the sixth Reason further to prove that the dead bodies of men which now are asleep in the dust of the earth shall awake live and be raised again from the dead which is Reas 6. Sixtly Because Daniel further confirms the truth of this saying Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Dan. 12.2 In this text there is these two things considerable the first is that such as sleep shall awake and Secondly the place where that they sleep and that is in the dust and Thirdly that it is not meant spiritually that is to say to awake out of a state of a sleep of sin to Righteousness because some of those that awake do awake to everlasting shame and contempt which cannot be taken in a spiritual fence for I hope no man is so void of understanding as to think that such as awake out of sin and stand up from a spiritual death that they awake to everlasting shame and contempt but some of those that do awake Daniel saith do awake to everlasting shame and contempt which sheweth that those that die and sleep in the dust that the very same shall arise again even that which sleeps both of good and bad some to everlasting Joy and some to shame and everlasting contempt which clearly proveth that the dead bodies of such as sleep in the earth shall even they themselves and not another arise And thus I pass to the seventh reason to prove the Resurrection which is Reas 7. Seventhly Because Saint Paul saith That the dead in Christ shall rise first Now this cannot be meant spiritually first because those that be in Christ cannot be spiritually dead that is to say dead in trespasses and sins and secondly if it should be Objected that there may be dead branches in the Vine John 15. then I answer that such shall forthwith be cut out and have no priviledge by Christ but the dead in Christ spoken of both by Saint Paul and Saint John have priviledge by being dead in Christ which means the death of the body and the Resurrection of the body from the dead that is to say the godly even such as live and die in Christ shall arise a thousand years before the wicked as you may see 1 Thes 4.14 15 16. compared with Revel 20.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. And that this is no spiritual Resurrection but a Resurrection of the body is plain because it is that which the Apostle is a speaking of in that place as you may read 1 Thes 4.13 14 15 16. In these words I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them that are a sleep that ye sorrow not even at others that have no hope For if we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again EVEN SO mark that them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we that are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voyce of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall be ever with the Lord. From whence we may see clearly that the Apostle is speaking of the Resurrection of the body for saith he If we beleeve that Jesus dyed and rose again EVEN SO them ALSO that sleep the even so implyeth that as Jesus slept and rose again even so shall we sleep and rise again and we may know that the same body that was crucified unto death and was buryed even the same body rose again for so saith Christ to Thomas after his Resurrection Come feel the Print of the nails in my hands and reach hither thy hand and feel my side that is piersed so that we may see it was the same body which was crucified dead and buryed which also rose again even so shall our bodies even the self-same body arise out of the dust of the earth and come to Judgment And so I pass to the eight Reason to prove that those that are now asleep in the dust of the earth shall arise from the dead which is Reas 8. Eightly Because Christ hath proved it from the Scripture and the Spirit of God in his People have caused them earnestly to hope and wait for it and first that Christ hath proved it read Mat. 22.31 32. in these words As touching the Resurrection saith Christ of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living In these words Christ is proving the Resurrection in opposition to the opinion of the Saduces which held that there was no Resurrection but Christ tels them that they did err no knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God as much as if he should have said if you had known the Scriptures you would have believed and acknowledged the Resurrection for they bare their Testimony to the truth thereof or if you had been well instructed about the power and omnipotency of God it would not have seemed to be a thing so incredilous unto you that God should raise the dead for saith he God did tell Moses that he was the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob and God is not the God of the dead but of the living but now Abraham Isaac and Jacob is dead as if Christ should say therefore God is not their God upon your account O ye Saduces but God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob for they live to him that is in his account for God seeth all things past present and to come and calls things that shall be as if they were Rom. 4. And so he seeth all men risen from the dead and stand before him alive in a Resurrection and thus all live to him viz. in his account and this is to be understood in this text as I before have
from him for Christ hath destroyed him that had power over death which is the Devil and hath delivered us by Resurrection who by the reason of the fear of death were kept in slavery all our life long For nothing would be so troublesome to the godly as the thought of death were it not for a Resurrection but saith the Lord I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeem them from death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy destruction He will swallow up death in victory and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces Hosea 13.14 Isa 25.8 2 Sam. 14.14 Heb. 2.14 From these Reasons and Scriptures and many more which might be added we may clearly see That the dead namely such as do now and shall sleep in the dust shall arise both good and bad and come to Judgment And now courteous Reader seeing it is so that the dead as before said must arise and come to Judgment be exhorted to take up that good resolution with the holy man Job 14.14 which saith If a man die shall he live again then all the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come giving thanks alwayes to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away Therefore gird up the lines of thy mind waiting for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ who will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto his glorious body according to his promise and mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light To whom be praise and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Pet. 1.3 Phil. 3.20 21. 2 Tim. 1.10 Secondly take this word of advice by way of Caution which is take heed and beware of giving heed to such as do deny the Resurrection of whom there is two sorts now in our dayes as there was in the Apostles dayes the one sort is like unto the Saduces Mat. 22.23 which deny that there is any Resurrection Angels or Spirits viz. God or Devil Heaven or Hell of that sort is the Ranter and his adherents and such like Athiestical Spirits And the other are like unto HYMENEVS and PHILETVS 2 Tim. 2.17 18. who say that the Resurrection is already past whose words eat as doth a canker and of this sort is the Quakers who doth affirm that he is already risen from the dead and in the Resurrection and so the Resurrection is past to him who denyeth iniquity in words in the history and yet heaps up iniquity upon iniquity in the mystery And these are the two sorts which may fitly be compared unto the Sect of the Saduces and to Hymeneus and Phyletus and I do not report the things whereof I write by hear-say but from their own mouths the more is the pitty and to be lamented These two sorts differ in manners or conversation but very little in Judgment in point of doctrine unless it be in that of conversation as before said the which if they had the conversation of Angels and yet so corrupt in principle the Scripture declares them to be in a cursed and miserable condition Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. Col. 2.18 19. Acts. 3.23 24. And indeed the conversation of many of them is bad enough although they disfigure their faces and seem unto men to fast from sin and to be more righteous then others yet they have been seen to want that special duty of prayer in their families and giving thanks in the presence of their Families for their food which God hath bestowed on them although Christ and the Apostle did not neglect to do their duty in that case to lead us an example but no more as to this I shall leave it until the day in the which God will try the wayes of the sons of men and discover all deceit and falsehood of what nature soever it be But as touching the opinion about Gods holy Ordinances by which he hath appointed to be worshipped in is sleighted and rejected by them as water-Baptisme and eating of Bread and drinking of Wine solemnly celebrated to set forth Christs death and a participation of the benefit thereof with the slightings of forms as they call them although God delight in nothing which is out of form and order as the host of Heaven and earth doth declare who when God found them without form and void did by his word put them in form and order and gave decrees to the Sea and ordinances unto the Sun Moon and Stars and they keep them so that God delights in form and order and also is a God of order in all the Churches of the Saints hence Saint Paul commended form Rom. 6.17 18. in these words But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered unto you being therefore made free from sin ye became the servants of Righteousness c. From whence you may see That those men which do slight and deny forms in our dayes have not received that Spirit which was in the Apostle but another Spirit even the Spirit of error although it strive to transform it self into an Angel of light that thereby it may deceive the hearts of the simple for men are got to this height of wickedness in the mystery as to think that they comprehend all things and so consequently are Gods but they shall die like men for their breath is in their nostrils yet talk of what you will almost it is in them as they say as the first Adam and the second and God and also the Serpent slain within them the tree of life and the tree of knowledg the judgment seat Heaven and Hell Mount Zion and the new Jerusalem the two witnesses and what not they have comprehended all these things as they say but alass they die and in the very same time their thoughts perish and they are chased and gone like a vision of the night Mark one peece of horrible pride of Spirit which is in them they will not allow the holy Scriptures to be called the word of the Lord neither do they exhort and press men to be diligent to read and keep the things contained therein but their fraughty books must some of them bear the Title of the word of the Lord to the world and earthly men and the like so that he that seeth but very little may see them to be the men before spoken of which shall deny all that is worshipped as God shewing themselves that they are God O horrible pride and yet pretended humility this is ungodliness in a mystery I shall not enter upon the particulars of their bottomless opinion first because it is not my task at this time and
come to the next particular which is the seventh and eighth thing which I shall put together and make the seventh compleat with it to shew who are the two Prophets or Witnesses and where they are to prophesie and to whom Seventhly The two Prophets I understand to be two men appointed and set apart by the Lord for that work to prophesie before Nations and Kings to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the hearts of the Children to the Fathers that the Lord may be one and his Name one upon the Mountains of Israel and these two persons or men as I understand them to be the one I understand to be Elijah or Elias which is one and the other John the Apostle and that Elijah is one read Mal. 4.5 which saith Behold I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the Great and DREADFVL DAY of the Lord and he shall turn the hearts of the Fathers unto the Children and the hearts of the Children unto their Fathers left I come and smite the earth with a Curse From this Text we find that Elijah or Elias is to come before the GREAT and DREADFVL DAY of the Lord and Christs coming in the flesh when he was born of the Virgin was not the Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord for he came in such a mean way in that day that he was not dreadful to his enemies but they were bitter unto him as to whip him and smite him with their hands and crucifie him and indeed that day of his coming was so far from being the dreadful day or the notable day of the Lord that his coming in that day was prophesied on this wise Who hath believed our report or to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed for he is despised and rejected of men he was numbred with the transgressors and bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgessors Isa 53.1 3 12. even so saith the Prophet Zachariah Chap. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem the King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the foal of an Asse All which sheweth with many more that might be added that the coming of the Lord in the day when he was born of the Virgin was not that notable or dreadful day of the Lord but a day little noted so as but few to believe his report And Secondly where it is said that the hearts of the Fathers in that day should be turned to the Children and the hearts of the Children unto the Fathers is clearly seen not to be meant the coming of the Lord in his first day of whom John the Baptist was a forerunner to prepare his way for in that day as was prophesied of him he came to set a man at variance against his Father Micah 7.6 Mat. 10.34 35 36. Luke 12.49 50 51 52. in these words Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against her Mother and the daughter in law aguinst her Mother in law and a mans foes shall be they of his own houshold compared with Luke 12.53 which saith That the Father shall be divided against the Son and the Son against the Father the Mother against the Daughter and the Daughter against the Mother All which clearly sheweth that the coming of the Lord Jesus in his first day when hew was born of the Virgin was not that notable or dreadful day of the Lord of which Elias was to be a forerunner of but relates to another day in order to the reconciling of that great difference between the Parents and Children which difference and division was begat between the Parents and their Children by Christs first coming who came not as he saith himself to send peace upon the earth but a sword namely a house divided the Father against the Son the Son against the Father c. but because I shall hasten to the Conclusion I shall wave all long circumlocutions and in short say as beforesaid that Elijah or Elias is yet to come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children who is to be one of the two Prophets or Witnesses to establish the remnant of the Womans seed namely the Children of Israel which remain in the City after the Womans flight into the Wilderness Object But against this is objected from the words of Christ that Elias is already come which was John the Baptist Mat. 11.14 Mark 9.11 12 13. Luke 1.16 17. Answ That John the Baptist was a fore-runner of Christ in his first day is not denied and that he came in the power and spirit of Elias is as clear for as Elias shall and did bear witness to and for the Lord even so did John the Baptist and so was a lively type of the Elias which is to come for the type or figure of the thing is often called by the name of the thing it self and so we must understand Christs words here where he saith That Elias is already come meaning John the Baptist or otherwise we set Christs words and Johns words one to contradict another for the Scripture saith That John did no Miracle and yet all that he spake of him was true John 10.41 and John himself when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him saying Who art thou art thou Elias he said I am not Elias John 1.19 20 21 22. But him of whom the Prophet Isaiah spake of saying I am the voyce of one crying in the Wilderness c. So then from hence we may see that John was a true Prophet and spake the truth and yet when it was demanded of him whether he was the Elias which was to come he said I am not Elias From whence I conclude that although John came in the spirit of Elias and was a type or figure of him and so might be called by the Lord Elias he calling the figure of the thing by the name of the thing figured yet no more the Elias which was to come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord than the Bread and the Cup of the holy Supper of the Lord is the real Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and yet Christ himself saith Take EAT THIS IS MY BODY which is broken for you and yet it was but a figure of his Body to shew forth his death to keep us in remembrance thereof and also we see that there was pictures made with Gold out of the Mercy seat with wings to cover the Mercy seat and they were called Cherubims and yet were not real Cherubims but were a figure of the Cherubims or did only represent them So that we may see that the thing representing is called by the name of the