reward for their sins for shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged of such a people so that the great men and richmâ—n and chief Captains and mighty men shall hide themselves as prisoners in the Rocks and holes of the earth saying to the Rocks fall on us and hide us but yet for all this the Lord will bring them thence and visit them for their sins with the Rod or his wrath I could speak much to it but I studdy brevity and come to shew you that although I say there shall be a Restauration and the Sun shall be seven degrees lighter and the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and yet also say the earth shall be dark or the place of their punishment shall be utter darkness yet there is no contradiction in the words for I say that Christ shall Reign a thousand years before the last and general Resurrection and then shall all things be restored in which time of Christs Reign the Sun and Moon shall be restored into their primitive glory and brightness for all that was for mans use was cursed for mans sake but after this state of Christs Reign then shall the Saints have only the glory of God to be their light and so I pass to examine your examination of my Arguments of Original Sin and so to the first although it be laid down more fully in my Treatise Rev. 20 6 7 8. yet I shall take it for brevity sake as you have laid it down in yours which is That if Adam had decreed against him eternal death Argum. 1 and all in his Lines upon his disobedience and that not inflicted on them then is God changeable But God changeth not Therefore Your Answer is If God 's threatnings work not Repentance it breaks out into punishments God never decreed that Adam and his should eternally perish and yet you say that the death that God said they should dye for that sin committed in Paradice was eternal death now that death that God threatned to bring on Adam if he sinned he did decree to bring it on him and accordingly did being it on him and all his the which death was only the first death as I have already proved and I am very confident that all the opposites in the world can never prove that it was the second death but read my Syons Redemption and see your answer is no whit to the purpose I have also shewed what is meant in the Ephesians and were by nature the children of wrath as well as others and whereas you ask me whether Adams Fall was decreed I Answer God never did decree man should sin God did fore see man would but never did decree he should yet God did decree to send Christ seeing Adams Fall we agree in this that God did never intend or decree Adams eternal ruine but did decree him to the dust for that sin and when he had brought him there his Justice was satisfied and had God been onely Justice and not mercy there he must have hin for ever their Justice to him and their Mercy for him to bring some again from the dead and so saith the Scripture 2 Sam. 14.14 We must needs dye and be like water spilt upon the ground for God hath decreed it yet he hath used a means that his banished shell not be for ever expelled from him and whereas you say all School-men do allow of a concealed will and a revealed will the former is unchangeable not the latter that is his revealed will is changeable First Because God threatned Niniveh Adam and Hezekiah and yet did not punish them so as he threatned And secondly commanded Pharoah to let Israel go and Abraham to sacrifice his Son and herâ— God changeth his sentence To which I answer and first to the first that is that Gods revealed will is changeable the which if it be true as you say then although he have commanded us to obey the Gospel and in so doing promised salvation yet we know not whether he speak as he means or whether his mind will change yea or nay this and much of this nature I might say which is your opinion of God and how much less than bla sphemy it is I leave the Reader to judge of And Secondly as touching that of Hezekiah that when he told him that he should dye and not live and yet notwithstanding added unto his dayes fifteen years we know that God hath promised to turn away punishment from such as humble themselves before him hence he spared Ahab when he humbled himself and much more will he spare his own people when they humble themselves as Hezekiah did with tears yet Gods will altereth not though he do will to alter the dispensation of Mercy or Justice according to the Cretures obedience or disobedience as already proved Thirdly As touching Niniveh if God had destroyed them in forty dayes according as he said he would God had been changeable in his Decree considering their Repentance Gods will altereth not although he do will to change in dispensation of Mercy or Justice according to the creatures obedience or disobedience and Humiliation for before God sent Jonah to Niniveh to proclaim yet forty dales and Niniveh shall be destroyed he had decreed and declared it that in what instant he spake of a people to destroy thon if that people against whom he pronounced the judgement did repent he also would repent of the evil that he said he would bring upon them and Nineveh did repent of their evill and then if the Lord should not have repented of the evil of punishment that he said he would bring on them then he had been changeable that is he had said one thing and had done another but Gods revealed will changeth not although he do will to change as beforesaid And Fourthly God did bring the full summe of punishment upon Adam that he threatned and more than we find Recorded for all that was threatned was that he should dye or in dying he should dye the which is meant that he should be in a dying condition from the time of his sin till he fell into the dust from whence he was taken and so in the midst of lise to be in death or a dying condition till death never continuing in one stay but the earth being cursed for his sake we do not find there ended yet we see it was in the sentence and also the Womans conception to be in sorrow the which are as Pendicts or appurtenances to death Man is in a dying condition from the Womb till he falls into the dust and hat is meant by the Lords threatning him in dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2. all shewing Gods revealed will altereth not and so I come to the second Head which is Gods commands that is say you God doth command men to do that in his revealed will the which in his
the Devil was a lyer from the beginning and this Death say you was the second death and also you confess tâ—at Adam and all his Lines did not dye the second Death so that if your opinion be true the Devil spake true and not God see your self I tremble to write so of the worthy name of God as your ignorant blasphemous opinion leads me to write in reference to discover your absurdities but you say That although God threatned it yet he did not peremptorily resolve it but sent Christ To which I answer as beforesaid that is but to make the Devils words true for God had said and decreed they should dye but the Devil perswaded them to believe a lye that they should not dye that the Devil might be a true Prophet say you God sent Christ that they might not dye and as to the case of Nineveh and Hezekiah I have already answered And again whereas you would have me say Either Christ brought not justification of life by his obedience or else conclude Adam brought evernal condemnation by disobedience or say there is no sence in the Apostles arguing Rom. 5.18 To which I answer there is good reason in the Apostles reasoning and yet his words imply not that which you would infer from them for I have already proved that the condemnation there mentioned is but to the dust viz. the first death Adams sin caused God to judge and condemn him and his posterity to the dust but in a short word take this as the Apostles reasoning from Rom. 5 18. that as by the offence of the first Adam judged or condemned all to the dust and so brought them all under the power of the Grave to have lain there eternally had not mercy been provided so by the righteousness of the Second Adam the free gift came upon all men to deliver or justifie them from that power of Death viz. the sting thereof so that it might be said in the promise as in the person of Christ O Death I will be thy death and thus the free gift came upon all men to justification of life that as in or by Adam all dyed even so in or by Christ all are made alive viz. raised from the dead it being done in Gods account from the foundation of the world so then the first Adam by his sin made all men liable to the power of the first death so that the sting of death did as we may say attach them but mercy through the Righteousness of Christ stepped in and jus tified man from that attachment and destroyed the power of it and brought life and immortality to light for although God did peremptorily Decree that Adam should go to the dust for that sin Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return yet he did not decree either in his threatning or in his sentence that he should lye there eternally yet the sting of Death viz. the power of the Grave would have seized on or surprized him had not mercy in the Promise justified man from it and thus the free gift came upon all men to justification of life I might say much more to it but I pass to that of Jude where you say They were of old ordained to Condemnation To which I answer and say that it is true that God of old did in his Decree ordain and appoint some to condemnation It is not denied that God did of old ordain ungodly men to condemnation although it be denied that God of old did ordain men to be ungodly that thereby they might come to condemnation namely such as did refuse the grace of Salvation in the tenderness of it and put away eternal life and glory and turn the grace of God into wantonness and such were they that Jude speaks of there are certain men crept in saith he who of old were ordained to this condemnation and then tels us what disposed men they are and that is saith he ungodly men turning the grace of God mark that to wantonness I could shew you what is meant by the word this Condemnation but I pass And whereas you say That Children might be made liable in Adam to eternal Death Answer If you mean eternal Death as before promised that is to lye eternally in the Grave under the sting oâ— Death as beforesaid then we differ not but if by Eternal Death you mean â—he second Death they could not be liable to that by the sin in Paradice because the punishment of the second Death must pre-suppos a second Life that is a person must be said to be twice alive before he can be said to be twice dead or in danger to be twice dead and therefore the Lord sheweth that as there was a first Death that all mâ—n must taste of for that sin in Paradice so there is a lake of fire and brimstone the which God calls the second Death and where ever the word second is used it presupposeth a first otherwise there cannot be a second but the Death spoken in Genesis could not be the second unless there had been a Death proposed before it the which was not for by one man sin entred into the world and death mark that by sin so then sin brought death into the world and secondly in Christ is hid our second life the which we loose by loosing of him and Christ and that life in him which is opposed to the second death was never ours before the Fall and I could give many sound Reasons to prove both these but I pass it may be needless because no man upon due consideration can deny it and so pass But before I shall examine or try your lawful Ministry I shall through Gods assistance unfold unto you the mystery contained in the Ninth Chapter to the Romans partly because many poor Souls stand as it were amazed to know what God means in his Word for say they God sometimes saith He would have all men come to Repentance and swears he desires not the death of him that dyes but rather that they would return and live and therefore exhorted men to strive to enter in at the strait gate and to be diligent to make their calling and election sure and to beware lest any fail of the grace of God but so to run that they may obtain and the like and yet saith It is not in him that willeth or runneth but hated Esau before he was born as some say and makes persons vessels of dishonour from a Decree before they were born or had done good or evil in a word elect some and reprobate others before born and yet saith he would not their death but would have them turn and yet appoints them to run on in evill these and many more of this nature do persons conclude is in God and stâ—â—â— when they are brought in question as touching this their conceit they fly to the Ninth of the Romans as a refuge the which thorow Gods help I shall shew will
read the 14. Chapter and there you shall see he discovereth where the ten Tribes are and shall remain till the Lord shall dry up the River Euphrates and then shall be brought to Zion and Christ shall be their King and indeed the great reason why the Jews did not believe in Christ was because they understood not that he should come twice on earth first to suffer then to reign but at his first coming they supposed that he would restore all things and reign as King neither will they believe till they see him come in that manner in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory then shall they say lo this is our God we have waited for him and so I shall cease at present desiring thee also to be waiting for Christ that thou mayest be found worthy of the Kingdome and sit down therein with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the which is the desire of thy friend G. H. Curteous Reader I desire thee to mend some places in thy reading It being not so proper sense as the Authors desire is it should be by reason he could not be at the Presse to take a surveigh of it him self it also being sent up to the Presse at sevrral times in several parcels the which doub less exused some mistake but I have noted the most past in the Errata in the last page of the Book there is a mistake in the pages by marking of them twice with 55. therefore if I note any thing to be found in 55. If thou find it not there remember that 55. is in two places and in one of them thou shalt find it this I thought good to give thee to understand The Contents of the principal Matters contained in this Book A ARguments given to prove Sprinkling not to be Gods way in Baptism page 16 17 18. Adam proved to be dead in Gods account the same day that he sinned p. 44. Arguments given to prove that Infants ought not to be baptised page 36 37 38. A confutation of that which hath been said to my Argument about Original Sin from page 89. to page 96. Antiochus Epiphanes proved not to be the little Horn spoken of by Daniel in his 7th Chapter page 126. 127. B Baptism came not in the room or place of Circumcision page 14. 15. The Beast and false Prophet distinguished and proved to be two and neither of them to be the Romish Babylon page 163. to 168. C The two Covenants discoursed on and proved to be two individual Covenants not onely in administrations but in substance p. 19 20 21 E A discourse concerning Esaus rejection and of the selling of his birth-right page 59. to page 63. The Ninth Chapter to the Romans fully Expounded page 98. to 132. F The Fulfilling of the words of the Prophets concerning Christ in the letter of them as is proved page 190. G God proved to be the Father of our spirits or spiritual souls p. 42 44 45. Gods fore-knowledge not the cause of mens doing evill and rejection for the same page 52 53. God may love and hate one and the same creature or person and yet be unchangeable in his Decree as is proved page 54. to 59 God hath given every man power to repent and believe the Gospel with Objections of that nature answered page 66. to page 74. H The House of Judah and the House of Israel shall return out of their Captivity into their own Land that is Hierusalem proved by the Scriptures cited page 183 to page 109. I The Jews not to be converted by a Gospel-preaching page 157 to P 160. The new Jerusalem proved not to be the Saints but the habitation for the Saints as page 175. 176. K The Kingdome of Heaven mentioned in Mark 9 1. and Matth. 11 22 proved not to be the Gospel Church page 47 48 49. L The Long-suffering of God waiteth upon the world of ungodly and not peculiarly on the Elect as page 71 72 73. M The Moabites and the Ammonites proved to be the daughters of Sodom page 153 154 N The National Ministery Examined and disproved page 133. to p. 146. The National Church and Ministery proved not to have the true Christian Faith page 179 to 182. O Original Sin brought not the second death upon Adam or any of his lines as is proved by arguments and Objections of that nature answered page 38. to 50. P Gods Power guided by his other Attributes so that there is some things be it spoke in reverence to God which God cannot do as is proved page 78 79 80. R Some men given up unto a Reprobate sense so as they cannot repent and the cause wherefore discoursed on in page 65. to 69. The Saints Reign upon earth is not to be understood Allegoricaly but literally page 171. That Christ shall Reign in Ierusalem over the house of David is proved by the holy Scriptures cited in page 189. to 200 The Resurrection of the wicked at the end of the thousand years doth not contradict the thousand years Reign to be the TIMES of restauration as page 173. S The Objections against Dipping and the Sprinkling under the Law urged to prove Sprinkling in Baptism examined and answered page 1. to 16. Sodom not yet suffering in Hell page 81. to 85. Sodoms return to their former estate discoursed on and proved page 153. T Tythes or a Tenth not lanful to be paid or received by a Gospel people or Ministery as page 31 to 35. The Temple that Antichrist shall sit in is proved not to be the Church of Christ page 168. Of the glorious effects under the sound of the seventh Trumpet page 168. to 171 W Washing of Disciples proved to be an Ordinance of Christ as p. 10. Z Syons Redemption Redeemed wherein is not onely proved that the Captives of Samaria and Ierusalem shall return to their former estate but also the Objections of that nature answered page 147 to 155. SYONS REDEMPTION AND ORIGINAL SIN Vindicated SIR I Am come now to the examination of that which you are pleased to call Errour the which I doubt not but I shall prove it to be the truth of the Gospel of Christ and your self to be Erronious and a leader of blind ignorant men and women which have been a long time a learning yet are as ignorants as ever and no marvel for many times people perish for want of knowledg but if the blind lead the blind at last they will both fall into the ditch but I pass breefly to your discourse in the which you do affirm That Baptizo oftentimes is taken for dipping or sprinkling To the which I answer and say that to say Baptizo is frequently taken for dipping is true because it is the proper signification of the word Heb. 9.10 and sometimes it is taken for thorow washing according to that phrase in the Hebrews but that it is taken frequently for sprinkling as you say is very false No correspondency between
therefore I say that they are the onely wise men that drink not onely near but at the fountain head that is to take the practise of Christ and the Apostles to be their pattern and so I shall pass from this particular with some Arguments to prove that Insants are not the subjects that Christ and his Apostles Baptised or appointed to be Baptised and first to the first That which is practised in lieu of a Gospel Ordinance Arg. 1 which is not appointed by the Father nor the Son nor the Apostles nor hath been practised in the primitive Churches is mans tradition and will worship But Infants Baptism hath not a command from God nor Christ nor the Apostles nor practised in the primitive Churches Therefore mans tradition and will worship If those that are to be Baptised Arg. 2 are first to be taught and made disciples then a child of seven or eight dayes old which is not capable to be taught ought not to be Baptised But those that are to be Baptised are first to be taught and made disciples the which a child of seven or eight dayes old is not capable of Ergo Such are not to be Baptised And that such as are to be Baptised are first to be taught and made disciples you may see from the commission Mat. 28.19 Mark 16 15 16. John 4.1 2 3. If such as are to be Baptised Arg. 3 are to continue in the Apostles Doctrine in breaking of bread and prayers then children that are not capable so to do are not to be Baptised But they that are to be Baptised ought to continue in the Apostles Doctrine and in breaking of bread and prayer Ergo Children that are uncapable so to do are not fit to be Baptised and that such as are Baptised ought to be sted fast as before said I hope no sober man that knoweth the Scripture in the least will deny If those only are accounted fit to be members of a Gospel Arg. 4 Church that are able to show forth the prayses of him that hath called them then Infants of seven or eight dayes old who cannot show forth Gods prayses as aforesaid are not fit to be members of a Gospel Church But they only are fit to be members of a Gospel Church who are able to show forth the prayses of God in an upright conversation Ergo Infants who are not capable so to do are not fit members for a Gospel Church 1 Pet 2. If Faith Repentance Arg. 5 are the work of Gods Spirit manifested upon the Soul be that which onely admitteth the sons daughters of men to Baptism then Infants that have neither Faith nor Repentance nor the work of Gods Spirit manifested upon their Soul may not be Baptised but Faith and Repentance or the work of Gods Spirit is that only which admitteth to Baptism as before said Ergo Children that have not such qualifications as aforesaid may not be admitted to Baptism And that Repentance and Faith and the works of Gods Spirit manifested upon the Soul is that which fitteth and admitteth to Baptism read these Scriptures Act. 2.38 chap. 10 46 47. chap 8. If men and women were the persons onely Arg. 6 whom the Apostles Baptised and we commanded to follow their examples then men and women are the persons also that we ought to Baptise But men and women were the subjects that the Apostles Baptised and we commanded to follow their examples Ergo Men and women also ought to be the subjects that are Baptised by us This cannot be denied for they did Baptise such onely and we ought to follow their examples Acts 8 12. Mat. 3. Act. 19 1 2 3 4. much more might be said but I pass to the next particular the which is that of Original Sin the which you call your task having shewed you that you have neither a ground to use sprinkling in Baptism nor to Baptise children in their non-age the which neither of them is the minde of God revealed in the Holy Scripture but I shall now Examen what you say to Original Sin and thorow the assistance of God shall answer what you affirm and disprove it if it carry not truth with it That Adams sin brought more on him than temporal death say you with sorrow sickness and such like punishments I prove 1. Because Adam forfeited Eternal life which I thus prove what the second Adam restored the first lost But the second Adam restored Eternal life 2 Tim. 1 10. who brought life and immortality to light Answer There is several wayes I might reply to this Argument There was not a state of a second life or immorality in Pnradice and therefore it cannot properly be said to be restored but brought to light that which before was not and first That the Minor never can be proved that is that Christ restored Eternal life the text saith He abolished death and brought life and immortality to light the sum of that is no more but a state of Resurrection made known to the sons of men and in this you fight with your own shadow Again secondly the question that is between you and I is whether Adam lost a Heavenly Paradice and purchased a second death in the lake of fire and brimstone the which I say he did not neither had he an heavenly Paradice before the fall neither could he purchase a second death unless he had sinned against a second life the which he did not And thirdly I do affirm that had not Adam sinned he should not have dyed but lived in that earthly Paradise the which life in a sence had been Eternal if he had not dyed and when he had sinned then had not Christ brought life and immortality to light we had dyed and been like water spilt upon the ground and never come to a Resurrection and so in a sence it had been Eternal death but this is that you should have proved if you had intended to touch me that Adam had a promise of Heaven before his fall and that by his fall he lost it and purchised a second death the which your Argument toucheth not And whereas you tell me the opinion of Mr. Hall and I know not who it is nothing to me what their opinion is it is proof of Scripture for what you affirm that I look for and without it your words or theirs is nothing and further let me tell you that Eternal life and immortality dwelt in the second Adam and not in the first And whereas you say That Adam had an inclusive promise of Eternal life by eating of the free of life Answer That tree God did appoint him to eat of because there was life or preservation of life comprehended in it but was then that tree that which you call Adams Eternal life If so then it will be easily granted that he lost that for a time but that the tree of life was a type of Christ that will be denied because when the substance is come
flesh and the Father of the Spirits and when that which Adam begat which was dust even like himself Genes 3. did and shall return to dust then that which liveth or dwelleth in it returneuh to God the Father of Spirits who gave it but I pass to the next thing that which you say is David was conceived in sin and therefore there was Soul as well as body Answer And first you abuse the Text for it doth not read it as you have read it for it doth not say In sin was I conceived but I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me This far differeth one sense implyeth as if David lay the sin in the time of conception upon his mother in whom he was shapen in and your sense would imply thus much that is that David did acknowledge sin in himself in the time of conception but the Text it self will not emply it see it and read it distinctly Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Psal 51.5 The Text is thus to be understood as if David should have said O Lord it is true I have sinned against thee and dâ—ne that which is evil in thy sight but take notice or consider or behold this one thing even of the frailty and weakness and imperfection of the mould that I was shapen in meaning her which is the mother of all living and so Davids mother and therefore Lord cast away my sins from before thee David doth not confess sin in himself in the time of conception but rather doth desire God to behold the weakness of his nature from the mould in the which he was shapen and consider my frame and remember that I am but dust agreeing with the words of the Psalmist in the 103. 11 12 13 14 in these words For as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy towards them that fear him as far as the East is from the West so far he removeth our transgressions from us like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust So that David useth his mothers frailty and the imperfection of the mould in which he was shapen an Argument to prevaile with the Lord to have his sins removed out of his sight because he knew God was a God of righteousness weighing every thing as they are and considereth that we are but dust and therefore saith David that thou maiest in mercy pass by my faults that I have committed against thee remember my subjection unto sin for behold or take notice I was shapen in a lump of iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me take notice there is a difference in a person being sinful in the time of conception and being conceived a sinful lump or shapen in an imperfect mould But you will say Who can bring a clean thing out of unclean no not one Answer Object And where it is said who ean bring a clean thing out of unclean it speaketh of the subjection to mortality see Job 14.4 Jesus Christ was clean and yet was conceived in sinful flesh and in reference to what he was shapen or conceived in he was in a subjection not to be tempted onely but did fear death when he prayed that the cup of sufferings might pass from him if it was Gods Will although he came into the world for the same purpose and yet in respect of the matter of which Christs flesh was made of it could not be subject to the least imperfection in that nature it being the word which became flesh But my exposition of the 51 Psalm Will clear the matter more to you and by what is said there and here it standeth undenyably true and what you have said hath not so much as a good collour of an answer Again I pass to the Examination of what you say to my alledged Argument passing your other discourse that of Ezekiel which saith The Soul that sinneth shall die I have made a difference between Adams sin and ours as well as the punishment that is Adams sin as he was natural and not spiritual so his sin brought death upon the natural part but the son is not disabled in respect of the Soul by his Fathers sin but the Soul that sinneth shall die but the Argument that I did urge is this That no defiled creature is fit or can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven But children in their non-age are fit for the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore children not defiled To which you answer thus The Kingdom of Heaven say you is taken two wayes first the Kingdom of Heaven is taken for the Kingdom of Grace as Mark. 9.1 and Math. 11.12 There are some that stand here that shall not taste death till the Kingdom of God come in power till Christened Churches gathered Ordinances administred and children of beleeving Parents belong to this Kingdom though such as you barr them from the Ordinances of the Kingdom of Grace To which I answer and say in what you affirm there is these two things mainely to be considered the first is that the Kingdom mentioned Mark 9.1 in these words There be some that stand here that shall not taste of death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with power is the Kingdom of Grace to wit the Gospel Church and Ordinances And secondly children are fit for that Kingdom as you say but the question is whether we may beleeve you or not but upon Examination I shall prove it to be a false doctrine And first to the first That the Kingdom coming in power is not meant of the Gospel Church or Ordinances but of the power and glory of the Church triumphant agreeing with or being the same with the words of Matthew Mat. 16.22 the which are thus read Verily Verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not taste if death till they sie the Son of man coming in his Kingdom Now that this is not a Gospel Church or Ordinances which is called the Kingdom of God coming in power or the Son of man coming in his Kingdom is evident because it is no where so called Secondly if he had meant the Gospel Church or Ordinances he need not have said Some of them that stand here shall not taste of death till the Kingdom of God come in power or more properly the Son of man coming in his Kingdom because none of them that stood there did taste of death till they saw the Gospel Church and Ordinances unless Judas Iscariot but I shall shew most evidently that it is not meant of the Gospel Church and Ordinances coming but of Christs coming in Glory But by the way it is possible you will say What then is not all the Apostles dead I might say somewhat to it but admit they were all dead many hundred years ago yet there was some that did
not taste of death till they saw Christ come in his Glory But that neither Mark or Matthew will carry it to the Gospel Church read that which goeth before the Text and that which followeth the Text you will finde the Text it self meaneth not the Gospel Church and Ordinances as you say see Mat 16.27 28. compared with chap. 17.1 2 3 4. compared with 1 Pet. 1.16 17 in these words For the Son of man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Verily Verily I say unto you there be some standing here that shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom And after six dayes Jesus took Peter James and John his brother and bringeth them into a high mountain apart and was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the light And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him then answered Peter and said to Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here c. From whence we may see that it was not meant of a Gospel Church and Ordinauces coming in power and Glory when he speaketh of the Kingdom of God coming in power but the meaning ning of the place is that some of his disciples should see the manner of his coming in the Glory of his Father that you may see also more plainly manifested to be meant as before said of Christs Glory The Kingdom of God coming in power proved not to be the Gospel Church and Ordinances but to shew the manner of Christ coming in glory 〈◊〉 by transfiguration or the manner of Christs glorious coming in his Kingdom read 2 Pet. 1.11 comp with 16 17. verses In the 11 verse the Apostle exhorteth the Church to endeavour so to walk that an entrance might be administred unto them into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And that our Saviour hath such a glorious Kingdom as if Peter should say is very certain for as our Lord did say that some of us should not taste of death till We see him coming in his Kingdom he also did take us apart that we might see the glorious manner of his coming and Kingdom and this we are eye-witness for we have not followed cunning divised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye witnesses of his majesty for he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and this voice we heard when we where with him in the Holy mount From whence we may plainly see if we compare the Scriptures together that Christ coming in glory or the Kingdom of God coming in power was not meant the Gospel Church and Ordinances for that is but in word and form but the transfiguration of Christ and the appearence of his Saints in glory with him is meant the Kingdom of God coming in power or the Son of man coming in his Kingdom thus hath the Scriptures overthrown clearly what you have said as touching the Kingdom of God coming in power and because you have inferred nothing from your Text Mat. 11.12 I shall pass saying nothing to it onely the Text in it self is true although it be not for your purpose but I commend you in that you gave no interpretation because to besure you have not abused it as you did the Text the which you did interpret And again whereas you say That children of beleeving Parents be fit for his Kingdom according to your interpretation viz. the Church To which I answer I have already proved that such are not fit members for a Gospel Church which are not lively stones Children proved not fit members of the Gospel Church although they be the children of the Faithful showing forth the praises of him that hath called them unto that state because there is to be none in Christs vine-yard viz. Church but such as are labourers the which a child of seven or eight dayes old cannot do and therefore not fit to be members of Christs Church But if the Gospel Church did onely look for a fair shâ—w in the flash as membership in the Church under the Law then children might either be Circumcised or have their bodies washed according to the carnal washings and so might be clean but membership in a Gospel Church is of another nature that requireth cleanness within the heart to be purified by Faith and the tongue speaking forth Gods praises for as with the heart man beleeveth to righteousness so as to fit them for a Gospel Church so with the tongue confession is made to Salvation Rom. 10. And whereas you repeat again of our barring children of Church priviledges I say as I have already said that it is your selves that barr children from Church priviledges for Baptism is not so properly called a Church priviledge as the Lords Supper the which you barr children from But you may see your self answered more fully as in my former Treatise But by what I have said here I have clearly took off your seeming answer to my Argument whereby it standeth undenyable that as to what you have said And again whereas you ask the question Whether children were vessels of mercy yea or no and you say you are sure that I will answer yes and then first say you they Were lost in Adam and in misery for merâ—y presupposeth misery and secondly then they must be fitted for glory therefore not naturally fit To which I answer that I have already shewed how the sons of Adam were lost and how not lost and therefore I shall wave this and come to shew how they are fitted for glory and that is the seed of the woman brake the Serpents head viz. Christ by or thorow the grace of God tasted death for every man and woman not onely to bring them to a Resurrection but he had an Heavenly inheritance to bestow on the sons of Adam which became his by purchess for he bought them when they were lost or sold by their iniquities But you will ask me Object They that are lost and die the second death are such as put away Eternal life and deny the Lord that bought them and will not have the Lord to rule over them but bid him depart and desire not the knowledge of his wayes If Christ died for to buy the whole world how cometh it to pass that the Whole world are not saved Answer There are some that put away Eternal life and tread under foot the blood of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified but I know your old objection The blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified that is wherewith Christ was sanctified say you but if your eyes be in your head and open
Lord most high is terrible he is a King over all the earth he shall subdue the people under us and the Nations under our feet He shall choose our inheritance for us Psal 47. from 1 to 10 Psa 93.2 3 Ps 99.1 2 3 the excellency of Iacob Selah God is gone up with a shout the Lord with a sound of a trumpet sing praise to God sing praise sing praise unto oâ—r King sing praise For God is the King of all the earth God reigns over the heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his holinesse The Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham for the shields of the earth belongeth unto God Rev 19. from 5 to 12 he is greatly exalted And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings Rev 20.6 7 saying Allelujah For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready And to her was granted that she should be arayed in fine linnen 1 Cor 6.2 1 Tim 2.11 12 and he said unto me write Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lamb And he said unto me these are the true sayings of God And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jâ—sus and for the Word of God and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years John 1.51 Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world for is is a faithfull saying if we suffer with him Heb 1.14 we shall also reign with him Verily verliy I say unto you hereafter you shall see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Heb 2.5 6 7 For they are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation For not unto the Angels hath he put into subjection the world to come whereof we speak Rev 21.7 but in a certain place saith What is man that thou shouldst be mindfull of him for thou hast crowned him with glory and put all things under him although we yet see not all things put under him But he that overcometh shall inherit all things Dan 1.31 Verse 44 and I will be their God and they shall be my people For the stone that is cut out of the mounatin without hands shall smite the Image and make it like the chaff of the summer threshing floor and the stone shall become a great mountain and fill the whole earth And at that time the Saints shall possesse the Kingdom for ever Hosâ— 3.4 5 The children of Israel shall abide many dayes without a King and without a prince and without a sacrifice and afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Isa 11. from 1 to 13 And in that day there shall be a root of Iâ—sse which shall stand up an ensign to the people And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tong of the Aegyptian sea and with his mighty winds shall he shake his hand over the river and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dry-shod Isa 66 And there shall be an high way for the remnant of his peoâ—le which shall be left from Assyria like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt Ezek 39 28 29 And he shall bring them into their own land and feed them with judgement upon the mountains of Israel For he will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in his people Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God Isa 32.1 2 that caused them to be led into captivity amongst the heathen But I have gathered them into their own land Joel 2 32 and have left none of them any more there neither will I hide my face any more from them And a King shall reign in righteousnesse Rev. 11 15 and Prâ—nces decree judgement For in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance And there was a great voice in heaven saying the KING-DOMES of this WORLD are become the KINGDOMS of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever From these Scriptures it doth plainly appear that the Jews shall yet return to their town of unwalled villages and repair their former desolations And also that Christ shall have his Tabernacle with them and be their KING in the midst of them according to the Scriptures and reign over the house of David where his Saints shall be as Saviours upon Mount Zion and enjoy the Kingdom according to Gods good pleasure Wherefore seeing we receive a Kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for he that shall come will come and will not tarry even so Amen come Lord Jesus come quickly the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be multiplied unto all such as wait for his appearance and Kingdome in sinâ—erity and truth FINIS ERRATA PAge 3 l 3 read benevolous p 5 l 30 r City for eighty l 37 reither p 11 l 2 r prayers p 16 r Heb. 9.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 13. r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 21 l 27 r ask for affirm p 28 l 20 r Acts for Exod. p 29 l ul r new for communion p 35 l 8 r you draw p 36 l 10 r Poet p 38 mend the margin r there was not a state of Immortality in Paradice equivalent with that which was brought to light no more to be subject to corruption p 46 l 17 r to fear death for did fear death p 47 l 14 r Christ owned Church p 52 l ult r many made sinners p 58 mend the margin noter Mal. 1.11.12 p 55 l 1 r despised p 65 l 32 r no man to do p 76 l 13 r moulded for marred p 77 l 6 r tender p 78 l 2 r can for cannot p 80 l 15 r tender also in line ult r tender p 82 l 17 r condition for transgression p 83 men the margin note r preterperfectâ—n e for preterimperfâ—ctience p 86 l ult r be kin p 87 l 13 r visited for rejected p 88 l 3 r reach for wrath p 89 l 22 r there justice left him and there mercy found him to bring him again from the dead p 90 l 6 r threatened for here ended p 92 in the margin r Indifferently p 93 l 4 r threatened for there opened p 95 l 18 r tender l 2â— r premised p 96 l 10 r I suppâ—se for I passe p 99 l 11 r dolefull for doubtful p 100 l 12 r Abraham for Adam l 19 r gave for you In the same p r Eâ—omitâ—s for Adamics p 112 l 3 r to whom p 119 l 32 r translated for calculated p 123 l 20 r mared for made p 127 apply 26 v. of the 9th ch to the Romans to the remnant of Israel p 132 l 24 r bride for bridegrom p 133 l 2 r in a dispute l 11 r depend p 131 l 13 r not troubâ—ed p 137 l 15 r Diotrephes for Elias l 26 r Rulers for unless p 141 l 20 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 168 l 5 r stain for strain p 174 l 8 r Joshua for Hosea