for them it was fore-ordained by him that in good works they should walk before him Now these places are not fitly appliable to us for it is evident that we are not now in that gross darkness neither are we strangers to the Covenant of Promise as they were neither are we made partakers of the Holy Ghost as they were The like he saith of the Church in Titus chap. 3. v. 4,5,6,7 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life Now by these places it is clear that he spake this concerning them of the Then Times For it is known to all that there has been no such abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon the Chuches since the Apostles Times And these are they of whom the Apostle saith Called of God according to his purpose For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.28,29 According to which he saith Ephes 1.12 That they should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. And St. Paul saith Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed This he also speaks of the Then Times and of the Churches that first trusted in Christ who were afore chosen of God according to his purpose which was to confirm the Truth of the Gospel to the following Generations and God gave to them more abundantly of his Spirit to secure their standing as well as to confirm the Truth of the Gospel so as if they did not disinherit themselves by wilful sinning they could no ways miss of Salvation for they were ordained chosen and appointed to it of God as Israel was for the Land of Canaan but neither of them was to have the fruition of that which was promised without their own endeavour Therefore St. Peter saith Save your selves from this untoward Generation Acts 2.40 And make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And by the abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon the first Churches they generally stood and the major part in Scripture is always reckoned as the whole whereas the Apostle saith As many as were ordained to eternal life believed This plainly shews that this Ordination was to the first Churches for if all that were ordained to eternal life then believed it makes it clear that to us that follow after there remains no such Ordination According to this St. James saith Acts 15.14 Simon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his Name How a people for his Name That is for the greater graces here and for the greater glory hereafter As in Ephes 1.12 That they should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ Ephes 2.7 That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards them through Christ Jesus Now at that time when God called in the Gentiles was the time when God made his Promise good to Christ and Abraham in that the Gentiles were taken into Covenant they then being justified by the Righteousness of Christ without the deeds of the Law and so by Christ they became the Seed of Abraham and were thereby brought into subjection to the Commands of God and the Moral Law Matth. 29.17 Matth. 20.28 Rom. 2.13 and so with Israel become Heirs to the Covenant of Promise which Covenant of Promise they were before strangers unto Eph. 2.12 and at the publication of the Gospel was the acceptable time and the great day of Salvation to the Gentiles when the Lord then thus took them into Covenant with himself and justified them freely by his grace without the deeds of the Law that thereby he might bring them and their Children in as Heirs with Israel to whom the promise belonged And also to shew that the Apostle had his chief reference to those times he saith 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation And he saith in chap. 6. verse 1,2 We then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee Behold now is the accepted time Behold now is the day of salvation For then was the accepted time that free grace was freely administred only by the change of their wills and affections and that done by the power of God but he beseeches them that they receive not the grace of God in vain for if they wilfully again were intangled in sin the grace of God was received in vain by them And whereas he saith Rom 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past Here he fully declareth that in the acceptable day it was their past sins were then pardoned and afterward they were to walk in newness of life And accordingly he saith in verse 26. To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Thereby clearly shewing that this Justification had in it a chief reference to those times at which time the Apostle did conclude as in verse 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the Law But when they were brought in as Heirs to the Covenant of Promise the case was altered with them for then there was required their sincere obedience to all God's Commands and Precepts and therein to remain faithful to the death if they would have the Crown of Life by the Everlasting Covenant secured to them for then they and their Children were to retain that Doctrine which was at first so powerfully delivered Heb 2.1,2,3,4 Therefore we ought to give the more diligent heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip For if the Words spoken by Angels were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to the will of God Thus it was the will of God so powerfully to confirm the Doctrine of the Gospel For as the outward glory was
had brought down his will into subjection to Christ in hopes to obtain eternal salvation by him and his love a full satisfaction Therefore he saith after he had spoken of the righteousness of Abraham Gal. 3.7,8 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the Children of Abraham And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying in thee shall all the nations be blessed This is as I before told you was upon the publication of the Gospel that all that were converted thereby so as to be brought into the fold of Christ they no sooner so believed but that all original and actual sins that they had aforetime committed were done away and they accepted as perfectly righteous in and through the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith in him And so they were excluded from the curse oâ— the law for all their past sins before conversion done by them Gal. 3.9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham That is if they continue faithful as he did And St. Paul farther saith Gal. 3.13,14 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for 〈◊〉 is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith That is if we have not our spirits brought over into a conformity and suitableness to the spirit of Christ then are we not of this faith and so not delivered from the curse of the law And it is further said Rom. 8.6 For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace And St. Paul also saith Rom. 3.20,21,22 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin That is we cannot fulfill the law to that perfection as to become justified thereby But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets That is by the law with the paschal Lamb and the bloody Sacrifices by the Prophets in that they did all along Prophesie of him Rom. 3.23,24,25 Even the righteousness of God which is by â—aith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all â—hem that believe for there is no difference 〈◊〉 all have sinned and come short of the â—…ry of God Being justified freely by his â—ace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Whom God hath set forth to â—e a propitiation through faith in his blood 〈◊〉 declare his righteousness for the remission 〈◊〉 sins that are past through the forbearance 〈◊〉 God Here he tells them when their â—ns are to be forgiven that it was their â—ast sins before they were brought into â—e faith of Christ that upon their conâ—ersion were all forgiven them As the â—postle saith Rom. 3.26 To declare I say at this â—ne his righteousness that he might be â—ct and the justifier of him which belieâ—…th in Jesus Whereas he saith that â—e might be just which was in that he â—…t the Son of his love according to his â—…omise and so justified them that belieâ—ed in Jesus which belief is as I beâ—…e proved to you for we are no sooner 〈◊〉 Christ but we must become new Creaâ—…res 2 Cor. 5.17 And he saith Rom. 3.27,28 Where is boasting â—en it is excluded by what law of works â—y but by the law of faith Therefore we â—nclude that a man is justified by faith â—ithout the deeds of the law Here Paul â—akes this conclusion that a man is juâ—…fied by faith without the deeds of the law For he here wrot to the Gentiles that had been given to all sin and idolatry to let them understand how they became justified that it was by faith which faith has as large an extent as I have before shewed you and that it must be a faith like Abrahams And in the 25. v. before-mentioned He there tells them when their sins are forgiven so as they become justified without the works of the law Rom. 3.25 that it is upon their conversion that then their forepast sins shall be forgiven them and that they are then justified by faith without the deeds of the law so that iâ— they are suddenly after taken away by death they shall be accepted through the righteousness of Christ And St. Paul saith Rom. 3.29,30 Is he the God of the Jews only is he not also of the Gentiles Yes of the Gentiles also Seeing it is one God which shaâ—… justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith Now Stepheâ— saith to the Jews Acts 7.51 they were uncircumcifed in heart and ears although they were circumcised in the flesh Now the Gentiles were not circumcised yet they aâ—… said to be circumcised by faith then thaâ— must be in heart and ear by which wâ— may also see that this justifying faith 〈◊〉 such as doth produce a holy life Anâ— the Apostle saith Rom. 3.31 Do we then make voâ—… the law through faith God forbid ye 〈◊〉 establish the law That is none can obey the law with that sincerity delight and desire as those that are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands And St. Paul saith of the outward circumcision Gal. 5.6,7,8 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Ye did run well who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you We also here see that saving faith worketh by love and there is no such obedience as that wherein the heart is engaged And he here tells the Galatians that they did run well who did hinder them that they should not obey the truth And before he told them that they had begun in the Spirit by which it was certainly sure they were in the right And he farther lets them understand that it was not of him that called them that this delusion or perswasion came therefore it was by the wiles of Satan and his Instruments that they foolishly were insnared But St. Paul saith Rom. 2.7,8,9,10,11,12,13 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile For there is no respect of Persons with God For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without the law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law For not
Lord is my Helper Now Moses rehearsed the Covenant of the Lord to Israel before his Death Where he saith in Deut. 30.10 If thou shalt hearken unto the Voice of the Lord thy God to keep his Commandments and his Statutes which are written in the Book of the Law and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine Heart and with all thy Soul V. 11. For this Commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off V. 12. It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say who shall go up for us into Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it V. 13. Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it V. 14. But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy Mouth and thy Heart that thou maist do it This you see was spoken to the Church that was Elected Called and Chosen out of the whole World and so far Renewed and Inlightned as to be put into a Capacity of Obedience so as they might have done it as Moses saith If they had used their Diligence therein and with Prayer sought to God for his Assistance then the Lord according to his Promise would not have fail'd them nor forsake them Now the Heathen had neither the word in their Mouth nor in their Heart and some of them must have crossed the Seas if they would have had it Now Moses saith in the 15th v. See I have set before thee this day Life and Good Death and Evil. V. 16. In that I command thee this Day to Love the Lord thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his Commandments and his Statutes and his Judgments that thou mayest live and multiply and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the Land whether thou goest to possess it V. 17. But if thine Heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear but shalt be drawn away and Worship other Gods and serve them V. 18. I denounce unto you this day that ye shall surely perish and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the Land whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it V. 19. I call Heaven and Earth to record this day against you that I have set before you Life and Death a blessing and a Cursing therefore choose Life that both thou and thy Seed may live Now this was said to the whole Jewish Church that God had brought out of Darkness and given them the knowledg of himself and his Law Upon which Moses absolutely saith that he hath set Life and Death before them which he could not have said had their Destruction been absolutely decreed before the foundation of the Material World was I do not deny a fore-knowledg in God that Man mightmiscarry but I absolutely deny that God made a Decree for Mans Damnation before ever man was Created or the World in which they Transgressed but that the Decree was passed according to the saying of the Angel after Man had offended Neither do I deny but that some particular persons are so chosen or their Election to be such so as they shall not be cast off But that which I deny is That the Jewish Church was not so chosen or Elected but that by their sinning they might be cast off For it was but a conditional Covenant that then God made with them But as to that New Covenant the which God hath promised to make with them to give them a New Heart and a New Spirit that they should not sin against him and that they should be all taught of God from the least of them to the greatest of them and that he would never leave them nor forsake them nor leave them so as to forsake him but then he will rain down Righteousness and shower down blessings upon them Hos 10.12 Isa 65.22 Ezek. 24.34 Jer. 31.33,34 Jer. 32.40,41 Isa 60.21 But this Promised Covenant still remains to be made with them which God has Promised by his Oath shall be made with them and confirm'd unto them the which Promise will be made good to them at the Restitution of all things which will not be till Christ again comes to which St. Paul's Epistles do most of them drive at wherein he speaks of Election And as to that of Esau and Jacob whom God hath set as the Figure of both Worlds Esau being the Figure of this World and Jacob of that which is to come therefore it is said I have loved Jacob and hated Esau because the Glory was intended for the other World which is Jacob and that they of this World that are of Esau will part with their Birth-right rather than withstand a Temptation or wrestle with Affliction in the day of Tryal which Birth-right is the Promise of Salvation if they hold out to the end for which we must all Pray Wrestle and Run or else we shall not receive the Prize For now the Body of the Christian Church stands on no other Conditions than Israel then did as to their Calling and Election That is they are so far renewed as to be brought into the knowledge of God and put into a capacity of Obedience in which as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.10,11 We are to use all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure For if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And St. Paul to the Philippians saith Phil. 2.12,13,15,16 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling And in the next Verse it is said For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure That is it is so far the good will and pleasure of God as to call us renew us and enlighten us in the knowledg of himself whereby he hath put us into a capacity of working out our own Salvation with Fear and Trembling And he saith in the 15th Verse That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in she midst of a crocked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as Lights in the world Verse 16. Holding forth the word of Life that I may rejoyce in the Day of Christ that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain Now he knew there was a possibility of their miscarriage by the Admonition that he gave them which if they did it would take away his rejoycing in the Day of Christ in that he had laboured for them in vain And the same Apostle to the Hebrews saith Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and your bodies washed with pure water And here the Apostle tells us what is required of us if we are made partakers of
for a shadow to them in the day time from the heat and for a covert from the storm and from the rain Of which Tabernacle I shall speak more to hereafter Now whereas it is in some places of Scripture set down the first coming of the Lord with his second coming whereby it hath made those Scriptures appear more dark to the Reader but it is no other than as the Kingdom of Christ is intermixt in several places of the Psalms and elsewhere with the Kingdom of David and Solomon and whilst some lie poring on these places they leave Twenty nay many more clear Texts of Scripture unregarded whereas they should look in all places to the Scriptures way of speaking But I must needs own that a false receiv'd Opinion does mightily blind the Understanding And also in that it is the ordinary way of Scripture speaking both in the Old and New Testament of things that are decreed shall be done to mention them as though they were already done the which does something darken the meaning of it to the Reader But the Omnipotent God looking on all things that he has determined to be done in time to be as though it were already done But when we find it hath not been done it remains sure and certain to us that it will be done being promised by that God and Lord that cannot lie Neither will he perform his promise unto us by the halves But when I consider the Strong Promises of God to Israel even to both the Houses of Jacob which are scattered through the Face of the whole Earth that he will again restore them and that all these wonderful Blessings shall be then made good unto them in their own Land and to their Children after them and that they should have all the good things of this Life and that in such a wonderful manner And also God having promised an Everlasting Covenant with them that he will never depart from them nor leave them to depart from him and that the City shall be built upon her own Heap and that they should continue a Nation upon the Earth as long as the Sun and Moon endureth And in that these things are set down in so many places of Scripture when they should be made good to Israel as at the day of the great slaughter when the Towers fall when a Nation shall be born at once and at the End of this World And when there is a New Heaven and Earth all which will be when the Lord comes to judge the World in the Valley of Jehoshaphat Having these plain places of Scripture it strikes me with Astonishment to think with what Darkness we have read them But whereas St. Paul saith in 1 Cor. 15.50 That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth corruption inherit incorruption It is true Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom which is in the Heaven of Heavens Neither as it is here said can Corruption inherit Incorruption which is Flesh and Blood with its corrupt Affections and Lust cannot inherit the Kingdom of Christ which then will be made like to Eden the Garden of God as it is said in Isa 31.3 no more than Adam could enjoy Paradice after he had sinned But as for Flesh and Blood we know he had it in the first Creation but it was his sin made him obnoxious to God for which he was cast out of Paradice But Israel when again restored will be past that danger through the Everlasting Covenant that God will then make with them when they are made partakers of the Glory that shall be revealed And St. Paul speaking of the Resurrection of the Dead saith in 1 Cor. 15.42,43,44 So also is the Resurrection of the Dead It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power 44. It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body Now the Apostle tells us that this great Change in Verse 52. will be in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed 53. For this corruption must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on Immortality 54. So when this corruptible shall have 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 45. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory 56. The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law 57. But thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ We see there is no other raised here but them that truly sing O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Now whereas St. Paul saith in 1 Thes 4.13,14,15,16 I would not have you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 15. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout with the Voice of the Archangel and the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 17. 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 we be ever with the Lord. Now whereas St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.51,52 We shall not sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed Here he saith we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye at the last Trump Now in these words the wicked are not included for they are never numbered with the righteous And it is said When Christ cometh the wicked shall be slain by the Sword that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord and that all Fowls were filled with their Flesh as in Rev. 19.21 Therefore not changed because they then knew a temporal Death as well as a spiritual Therefore by this word we all the Apostle doth only include those that were to bear their Testimony to the Truth as the first Churches did and as the Vaudois have remained a continual Standing Witness to the Truth If by this Change here spoken of he doth include also at that moment an Immortal Change then it doth appear to be none but the Witnesses that are said to lie in the Street
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
having slighted his mercy Therefore this is no incouragement to us that live under the call of the Gospel to deferr repentance For the day of grace and the day of life have not one and the same date For if we will go on frowardly in the ways of our own hearts God will leave us to blindness of mind and hardness of heart Now God said that David was a Man after his own heart and why because his heart immediatly answered the call of God by his Word or Messengers as the Psalmist saith Psal 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart answered unto thee thy face Lord will I seek This is the voice which God requires of us The which he found not in Israel As saith St. Paul Rom. 10.21 To Israel he saith all the day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying People And also in Proverbs Prov. 1.24,26 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh By this we may plainly see God complain'd of them because they were wanting to themselves in not improving the season of grace which he had put into their hands Therefore God saith in the 32. v. Prov. 1.32,33 The turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them But whosoever shall hearken unto me shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil What is here spoken is to the foolish and wise Christians and of the near approaching time to come Now the Epistle to the Romans St. Paul sent presently after their conversion when as dayly there were new converts brought over to the Church for their comfort to let them understand that if they should immediatly after their conversion be taken away by a natural death or a violent one upon the account of their faith that they should no ways be startled or dismayed because they had not time after their conversion to do any good action even so much time as to be baptized but only believed as the Thief did and thereupon called upon the Lord for mercy and so departed this life yet they should be saved upon which occasion they were baptized for the dead as the ancients say and of which St. Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 15.29 What shall they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead Now that they that call upon God so as to have salvation his following words make out where the Apostle saith Rom. 10.14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed By which we see their calling is insignificant without believing and if they savingly believe it must be according to the tenor of the Gospel Which requires of us repentance from dead works and love to and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and if we live amendment of life for he that is in Christ must become a new Creature and walk as he himself walked 1 Joh. 2.6 And as St. Paul to the Romans saith Rom. 8.1,8 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit 6. v. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace By which we may plainly see St. Paul's meaning was not that they might remain in their own natural state and so call upon God and be saved but that his meaning was as I before shewed you for what is set down here and what is set down in the 10. Ch. was writ at one and the same time being one and the same Epistle And the Jews wisely tell us that we must look to the words which go before and the words that follow after if we intend to come to a right understanding of the Scripture Now God by the Prophet Jeremiah makes mention of the miscarriage of Judah and how she did but feignedly call upon him as in the 10. v. Jer. 3.10 And yet for all this her treacherous Sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord. And the Apostle saith Rom. 6.16,17,18 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 obedience unto righteousness But God be thanked that you were the servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you Being then made free from sin ye became the Servants of righteousness The which is an evident token that we have no share in Christ's righteousness if we our selves walk not in the ways of righteousness And also we sin our sins over again if we do but delightfully think on them And the Apostle relates to Titus what they were before they were converted Titus 3.3,4,5,6,7,8 For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour That being justified by his grace should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life This is a faithful saying and these things I will that you affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works The Apostle having here set down what they were before the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared And whereas he said Not by the works of righteousness which they had done but according to his mercy he saved them by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Here we see was an inward change wrought in them from whence did arise their hopes of salvation And whereas he said that the Spirit was shed on them abundantly it was for the establishing the Gospel And as to what he saith as to their being justified by his grace they should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life That is as I before told you upon their first conversion and resigning themselves up to Christ to be wholly guided and governed by him according to the rule of his word then it is the righteousness of Christ is imputed to them whereby they become justified in sight of God And whereas he saith I will that they affirm constantly that they that have believed in God might be carefull to maintain good works The which he said to let them understand that if they did not persevere in a holy life they might be cast off According to what the Lord saith Joh. 15.2.6,8,9,10,14 Every
decreed their Works and so concluded them as finisht from the Foundation of the World To which I answer It was from the Foundation of thar World that then was a laying in Israel which the Twelve Tribes were then the Foundation of And not that their Works were finished or they condemned from the foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth For in Esdras 3.17 And it came to pass that when thou leddest his Seed out of Egypt thou broughtest them to Mount Sinai Verse 18. And bowing the Heavens thou didst set fast the Earth and movedst the whole World and madest the Deeps to tremble and troubledst the men of that age That is the world that is to come was establisht in the twelve Tribes which in the Hebrews is mention'd as the foundation Which people now being scattered throughout the face of the Earth when they are again gathered at the coming of the Lord with the Glory that shall then be revealed with the dead that shall be raised will be the world that is to come of which the Apostle speaks And of which he saith they were chosen before the foundation of the world was which world is yet to come as I have show'd you And the Angel further telleth 2 Fsdras 7.11,12,13,14 Which Angel by the word appears to be Christ He saith because for their sakes I made the world And when Adam transgressed my statutes then was decreed that now is done V. 12. Then were the entrances of this world made narrow full of sorrow and travel They are but few and Evil full of Perils and very painful V. 13. For the entrances of the Elder World were wide and sure and brought immortal fruit V. 14. If then they that live labour not to enter these strait and vain things they can never receive those that are laid up for them We see here that the Angel does absolutely declare to Esdras when the decree was past in which the entrance into blessedness was made strait or hard to be attain'd that it was after the fall of Adam and that now we must labour or else we cannot receive the good that is laid up for us which saying is like that of the Lords in Rev. 3.10 because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of Temptation which shall come upon all the World to try them that dwell upon the Earth V. 11. Behold I come quickly Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown V. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out We here plainly see by the words of the Lord both to Esdras and St. John that there is a part required of us the which is to be performed by us that no man take thy Crown That is as much as to say if thou perform not the condition another shall take thy Crown which was prepared for thee for I can raise me a People another way Of which God hath left us several Examples As first when Israel sinned God would have destroyed them and made of Moses a great Nation Where then would their absolute Election have been for in Exod. 32. where God saith unto Moses in the 7th verse Go get thee down for thy People which thou broughtest out of the Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves V. 8. They turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them They have made them a Molten Calf and have Worshiped it and have Sacrificed thereunto and said these be thy Gods O Israel which have brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt V. 9. And the Lord said to Moses I have seen this People and behold it is a stiff-necked People V. 10. Now therefore let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation But by Moses's earnest Prayer the fierce Anger of the Lord was asswaged And therefore in the 14th v. it is said The Lord repented of the Evil which he thought to do unto his People Now these are the Elect and chosen People of God whom he had Called Enlightned and put them into a capacity of Obedience and made them sensible what his Will and Pleasure was But they continued not in their Obedience but were quickly turn'd aside and therefore the Lord said they have corrupted themselves Of which also St. James saith chap. 1.13,14,15 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man Verse 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Verse 15. Then when lust hath conceived is bringeth forth fin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death By which we may plainly see that all Evil proceeds from our own hearts and the inbred corruption that is within them being stirr'd up thereunto by the subtil Instigations of the Devil and by the Traps and Gins and Snares that he still lays in our way and the World heedlesly are taken in them And how many after they know the Ways of God yer how few of them do industriously lay forth themselves to serve him as they do the World the Flesh and the Devil Rom. 6.16 But we are his Servants to whom we obey whether of sin unto death or of Obedience unto Righteousness And in Heb. 4.16 it is said Let us come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need The which if we do and so continue to do God hath promised that he will never leave us nor sorsake us as Heb. 13. wherein he instructs us how to order our Conversation aright thereby to become partakers of the promise In Heb. 13.1,2,3,4,5,6 Let brotherly love continue Verse 2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares Verse 3. Remember them that are in Bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being your selves also in the body Verse 4. Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge V. 5. Let your Conversation be without Coveteousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee In this latter part of the Verse he speaks of singular Persons whereas he saith the Lord will never leave thee that is we must each of us search our own Hearts to know whether we walk in a Resignation of our wills to his will and also to go out of our selves to fetch strength from him And then it is he hath promised That he will never leave us nor forsake us V. 6. So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me That is every one that doth so walk may say particularly for himself That the
him also freely give us all things That is God will freely give us all things if we will receive it according to the tender of his Grace in his Word and with patience wait for it as these did And whereas he saith in 33. v. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that Justifieth 33. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right hand of God who also maketh interessione for us That is as I elsewhere said that we are no sooner converted and brought into an holy Resignation of our selves unto God but we are accepted of God through the satisfaction made by the Death of Christ who now lives to make intercession for such And as to what we were before we were Converted those sins will not be laid to our charge But this is no incouragement to us to sin and defer Repentance for those Romans never had the knowledg of the truth before But we are born Children of the visible Church and if we defer Repentance and check the good motions of the Spirit and refuse to be obedient to the word thinking it will be time enough hereafter to look after Heaven In so doing we tempt God to leave us to hardness of Heart and blindness of mind therefore the Apostle doth so earnestly exhort the Hebrews To day whilst it is called to day not to harden their Hearts That is not to put off Repentance till to morrow And when we are brought home to Christ by Repentance and resigning up our selves to him we are then no sooner in him but we must walk in newness of Life Of which St. Jude puts in remembrance Jude 6.7 Of the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitations he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Even as Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange Flesh are set forth for an Example suffering the vengeance of eternal Fire By which we see if we give our selves a liberty to sin God does with hold his restraining Grace from us and so through sin we become subjects of God's wrath And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword 36. As it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter 37. Nay in all these things we are more than Conquerers through him that lovedus 38. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. By these words we see that St. Paul was of this perswasion That they being once in Christ that it was not any nor all of these forementioned things should be able to separate them from the Love of God through Christ By which we see there is nothing but wilful sin that can separate the Soul from the Love of God in Christ if once accepted And whereas St. Paul saith 2 Thes 2.13.14 We are bound to give thanks alway to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation thro' Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the gloey of our Lord Jesus Christ Now whereas St. Paul saith That God from the beginning chose the Thessalonians to Salvation Now were these words to be taken as hitherto we have done there is a contradiction in the Apostles own words For in the Ephesians he there saith that they were chosen in Christ before the Foundation of the World And here in the Thessalonians he saith from the beginning Now were they chosen from the beginning of the material Heavens and Earth or from the beginning of the first world of People which was in the seed of Cain and Seth. Then were they not chosen before the foundation of the World but at the foundation of the World therefore these words admit of a contradiction And from the beginning here spoken of could not reach to God and Eternity for there is neither beginning nor end therefore his words here and in the Ephesians admit of two meanings The first is as I before proved to you That the Churches that first trusted in Christ was made choice of for the glorious Tabernacle and so will appear to the praise of his Glory as being approv'd of of God as to matter of choice or liking in God for the glorious Tabernacle sooner then Israel or before Israel which is the foundation of the world here spoken of as I have already clearly proved Now whereas he saith that the Thessalonians were chosen from the begining to Salvation is no other then from the begining of the preaching of the Gospel The which begining I shall make clear to you by the words of our blessed Lord and St. John First what the Lord saith to his Disciples in John 15.27 And ye shall also bear witness because ye have been with me from the begining And St. John saith 1 John 2.24 Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the begining If that which ye have heard from the begining shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father By what is here said it is evident that the Apostle had no other meaning then from the begining of the publishing of the Gospel by reason Christ and the Apostles did express themselves so And the Apostles own words are to the like effect in Phil. 1.5 For your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now which is no other then from the first day they heard the word Now the Thessalonians their being chosen to salvation was not so absolute but that they might through their own neglect fall short of salvation as St. Pauls own words make appear Because he saith in the 2 Thes 1.11 Wherefore also we pray alwaies for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power By what is here said it doth appear that the Thessalonians being chosen to salvation was like that of the children of Israel who was chosen of the Lord for the Land of Canan for God brought them out of the Land of Egypt That was God by his own out stretched arm brought them out of Egypt and through the red Sea This being that which lay not in their power to do But when he brought them into the Wilderness they were to fight for the Land of Canan or else they were never to
but forbids his Prophets to pray for them as in Jer. 7.16 the Lord said Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up Cry nor Prayer for them neither make intercession unto me for I will not hear thee And God also saith in Jer. 11.14 Therefore pray not thou for this people neither lift up Cry nor prayer for them for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble By which we see that Repentance will not be accepted at all times For the Lord also saith Jer. 14.12 When they fast I will not hear their cry and when they offer burnt-offerings and an oblation I will not accept them but I will consume them by the Sword and by the Famine and by the Pestilence And it is said Jer. 14.10 Thus saith the Lord unto this people thus have they loved to wander they have not refrained their Feet therefore the Lord doth not accept of them he will now remember their Iniquity and visit their sins We see here that the Lord doth not require of them that which they could not do but that which they could do for they might have refrained their Feet and laid a restraint upon themselves Therefore the Lord saith Isa 50.1 Thus saith the Lord where is the Bill of your Mothers Divorce whom I have put away or to which of my Creditors is it to whom I have Sold you behold for your iniquities have you sold your selves and for your Transgressions is your Mother put away Here the Lord declareth that he was Married to Israel but because of their Sins they were put away And here the Lord speaketh in derision to them Wherein he saith Unto which of my Creditors have I sold you As much as to say I have kept Covenant with you but you for your Iniquities have sold your selves Now had God Reprobated these before the Foundation of the Material Heavens and Earth to Sin Death and Damnation there is no deceit can be like it seeing God has thus here declared against it and in Ezekiel by his Oath and word avouched it But whilst we were too much poring on the sayings of St. Paul since we no better understood them and too slightly passing over the Oath and Word of God and not weighing the dangerous consequence that doth attend a mistake herein But our usual saying is fore-warn'd fore-arm'd but we were not so wise as to take the warning for St. Peter cautions us that in St. Paul's Epistles there are some things hard to be understood which some wrest to their own destruction And this St. Peter saith where he speaketh of the New Heavens and Earth of which St. Paul saith in some places before the World began and also he saith from the foundation of the World and again he saith the World to come Now the words of St. Peter are these in the 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for New Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 14. v. Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace without spot and blameless 15. v. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is Salvation even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you 16. v. As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Now St. Peter doth make it clear that in all St. Paul's Epistles he did speak to them of these things that is of the World to come and of their Election and Choice for that World before that World began the which St. Peter here terms the New Heavens and Earth Now whereas he saith That it is they that are unlearned and are unstable that did wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction And now tho we have men of Learning and stable in these our days amongst us Yet those that first brought in this darkness were neither learned nor stable in the school of Christ And whereas St. Paul saith Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Now what were the Worlds that were made To which I Answer First The Material Heavens and Earth Secondly The world of People that did proceed from Adam the which is generally called the old World Thirdly The world of People which did proceed from Noah of whom we sprang And also the World to come the Foundation of which is Israel as I have already proved for the Earth is said to be set fast in them And St. Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an Holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us iâ— Christ Jesus before the World began That is at the first Establishing of the Gospel there was a general call not of their works but according to a purpose in God which was given in Christ before the World began which is the World to come for in Heb. 2.5 he tells It is the World to come of which he speaks Now whereas he saith in 2 Tim. 1.10 But now is made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath Abolished Death and brough life and immortality to light through the Gospel Now here he speaks in the Scripture way of speaking In that he saith hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to Light At which time Death was not Abolished therefore spoken for time to come which then at the appearing of Christ all the Dead Bodies of the Saints will be raised and his Living Saints so chang'd that there shall be no more fear of their falling off so as to tast Eternal Death And he tells us how this Life and Immortallity comes to light That the knowledg of it is through the Gospel of which he saith He was made a Minister Now seeing Life and immortality comes to light through the Gospel we should in all things labour to walk in Obedience thereunto which Gospel includes the whole Moral Law The which is if we perform the Conditions we shall be made partakers of the Promises which is Immortality and Eternal Life For now God expecteth Fruit from â—s as he did from Israel But if there is no other found with us than was with them that is in shew only we must ook to be hewen down and cast into the Fire at his coming Now whereas St. Paul saith in Titus 1.2 In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Now this Promise without doubt was all along as to Adam and before the World which sprang from him and so to Noah Before this World was that sprang from him But I believe
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