in beleif of his love to us and for his love sake We love one another as he hath loved us 6. That we intend and seek the glorifying him in all these forementioned and not applause or satisfying to our selves in any self designs nor humoring men but this glory and the good of men seek in all we do 7. That in all we in patience possess our souls waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1. That we beleive his testimony and the sayings therein in their own plain import true good and concerning us as that by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all for that all have sinned And as by the offence of one unto all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one unto all men to justification of life Rom. 5. 12. 18. So that Iesus Christ by the grace of God hath tasted death for every man Heb. 2. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. dyed for our fins and rose for our justification Rom. 4. 25 1 Cor. 15. 34. And so gave himself a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2. 6. and is the Saviour of the world the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Iohn 4. 14. and 2. 2. And yet that such as know not God and obey not the Gospel of Christ shall perish c. 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. and such as do the works of the flesh Adultery Fornication Uncleaness Wantonness Idolatry Heresy Blasphemy Witchcrast Hatred Variance Emulation Wrath Strife Seditions Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revelling c. That they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Gall. 5. 19. 20. 21. Ephe. 5. 4. 5. 6 1 Cor. 6. 9. 19. And that Christ is exalted with and on Gods right hand a Prince and Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins Acts 5. 31. The true light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world The Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world the Saviour of all men of sinners Iohn 1. 9. 29. 1 Tim. 4. 10. and 1. 9. 15. being filled with spirit to send forth to the rebellious that God might dwell among them Psal 68. 18. and in sending forth his spirit in the testimony he convinceth men of sin of righteousness and of judgement Iohn 16. 7. 8. 9. 10. And such as turn at his reproof he will pour forth his spirit and make known his words to them and such as wilfully refuse he will reject c. Pro. 1. 23. to 29. and many like sayings all tending to one and the same end which if beleived with the heart it would be unto righteousness and it is his Commandment we should beleive them yea Christ himself saith Beleive me Iohn 4. 21. and 14. 1. 11. beleive the Gospel Mar. 1. 15. And by his spirit in the Prophets saith beleive God beleive his Prophets so shall yea prosper 2 Cron. 20. 20. Pro. 4. 10. Iohn 12. 36. yea unless we beleive we shall not be established Isa 7. 9. yea the not beleiving these sayings in the testimony is a giving God the lye 1 Iohn 5. 10. and this is the very work of the Devil to keep men from beleiving this Luke 8. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 4. for to this beleiving is the blessing promised Iohn 7. 38. and in it the saving and powerful efficacy of the spirit met with Rom. 1. 16. 1 Thes 2 13. That in this beleiving we may beleive in him according to his name which is the very end of the declaration of the Gospel Iohn 20 21 and for such as beleiving his sayings do beleive on him for his promises they are still to hold fast the minding and beleiving of the testimony and sayings therein that they may still beleive in him for his promises 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. 1 Iohn 2. 24 25. so that it is cleer to beleive his sayings true and good and concerning us is one of his Commandements 2. hat we receive his convincements and turn at his reproofs which in discovery of his grace he affordeth Pro. 1. 23. and 9. 4. 6. Isa 55. 1. 2. and so his commands report and beleive the Gospel Mar. 1. 15. true it is in discovery of his great love in suffering so great and cursed a death for us and in making it known to us in the Gospel extending them it grace to us that in beleiving we might receive it and so have peace and life in him he therein discovers the vileness of our sins needing such a ransome the vanity and emptiness of all wisdome righteousness and strength in us to help us our being so verily dead by desert and sentence of the Law And Gods hatred of and severity of Justice against our sinfulness that his own son the Holy one having undertaken for us he would not spare nor abate him one jot of all the curse done to us but judged him in the flesh for it all and inflicted it all on him and he suffered it for us without which we could not have had no escape Heb. 9. 22. Rom. 5. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Rom. 8. 3. Matt. 26. 38 39. Isa 53. 4. 5. 6. which is to be owned by us if we beleive in him Rom. 4. 25. and 3. 10. 21. besides in discovering this that we might live to him who hath power to take away our after sin he â—iscovereth the more abundant vileness of our sinnings against the light and grace extended by such a Redeemer and its desert of a greater curse then the former Iohn 1. 9. 9. 10. 11. 29. and 3. 19. 20. and 12. 48. And such manner sinning with our Pride and self considences and designs to be confessed and turned from owning our selves as ungodly if we will receive the pouring forth his spirit and making known his words to us and to beleive in him that justifieth the ungodly Pro. 1. 23. Mar. 1. 15. Rom. 4. 5. in which blessedness is received and for this end is Christ in the Gospel set forth unto us to bless us in turning every of us from our iniquities Acts 3 26. and 26. 18. and 20. 21. and so Christ is in the Gospel set forth for the fall and rising again of many which fall whoever refuseth he proves to such through their offence taking at his reproofs a stone of stumbling Luke 2. 14. Ier. 6. 15. Iohn 3. 19 20. 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and so the Apostle renders it Rom. 9. 3. 32. 33. and 10. 3. compared with Iohn 10. 38. 39. and 6. 41. 42 60. 66. and in this owning receiving and turning at his repâ—oofs the blessing is met with Pro. 1. 23. and 9. 6. and those that have in beleif of his sayings turned at his reproofs and met with the blessing in beleiving on him there is something needing reproof still found in them and in their wayes Rom. 7. 14. 24. Iam. 3. 2. Pro. 20. 9. Eccles 7. 20. so as it becomes them to be still receiving of and turning
affirmations plain and absolute and the third conditional And from all the exhortations or commands the affirmations are three 1. For every one that is every man one and other shall be salted with fire 2. And every Sacrifice shall be salted with salt 3. Salt is good that is if it retain its saltness but if the salt have lost its saltness wherewith shall it be seasoned And from these three affirmations and all foresaid he gives this twoâ—old exhortation and command namely 1. Have salt in your selves look to this at all times in all things with whomsoever you deal have salt in your selves 2. And have peace one with another or then and so you shall or else you cannâ—â— have peace one with another CHAP. II. The first affirmation 1. For every one shall be salted with Fire This affirmative is general and absolutely affirmed of all there is no escape for any every one shall be salted with fire and rightly to understand this the testimony of Christ will help us For as Jesus Christ susterd and dyed and rose again and gave himself a sacrifice to God for us and so in himself as the publick man compleately wrought Redemption for all mankind from perishing in the first death and yet did not this to such an end as wholly to free and exempt mankind or any of them from partaking at all of sufferings and death but to take out the sting and poyson out of both and make them beareable and sanâ—tiâ—y them for to be corrections and a passage to immortallity and so to redeem and bring them out of both the sufferings and Foretâ—â—ners of this death and to raise them out of this death it self so it s appointed to men once to dye Heb. 9. 27. And man is born to trouble as the sparks that fly upward and this from the ordering hand of God also Iob 5. 5 6 7. and 14. 1. 2. And trouble and afflictions are oft exprest by fire Psal 66. 11. 12. and 78. 63. Hos. 4. 11. 2. Even so also Jesus Christ in making known and dispensing of the grace and vertue of this Redemption and Salvation wrought by and in himself for men and in his means used to bring men to confess him Lord to the glory of God he doth also salt them with fire he assayes it here in the means he useth 1. By spiritual convincements and reproofs of their guiltiness and the vileness of their personal sins the folly of their wisdom the vanity of their own wrought righteousness and of their own desires designs and hopes c. 1 Ioh. 7. 7. and 16. 8. 9. 10. Eph. 5. 12. 3. And the spirit in the word in such convincements is as fire Psal 39. 3. Jer. 20. 9. And with this 2. Movings To strip deprive men of that which was pretious to them as Applause Honour Riches Ease Woâ—ldly friendship and that in near relations yea the natural life so as they must adventure yea part with and undergoe the loss of All any or every of them when and so far as they do not stand and suite with the approbation and good pleasure of God and their abiding and walking in the faith of Christ and love of him and the serviceâ— thereof Matt. 10. 37. 38 39. and 19. 27 29. And in both are such puâ—gations as in which the flesh feels smart and pain or punishment and the outward man suffers shame and damage Heb. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 4. 10. 16. And such sufferings likewise are as fire Psal 66. 11. 12. And thus also shall every one be salted with fire a fire that certainly burneth And so those that here receive his convincements and turn at his reproof and yield up to accept and endure this fire with the efficacies of it though it may heat and something pain the flesh yet it will burn up nothing but what would harm and destroy them nor deprive them of any thing but what would then be prejudicial to retain those that refuse to receive his convincements and to turn at his reproofs and so will not accept to endure this fire with the efficaâ—ies of it it shall certainly seize on them after they have persisted in refusal till the day of Grace be over in another day and burn both on soul and body so as it can neither be resisted nor quenched and our Saviour having so often spoken of a fire unquenchable and that cannot be quenched and here affirming that every one shall be salted with fire giveth us to understand that there is a fire that is quenchable with which it is good to be salted and there will be a fire unquenchable with which those that refuse to be salted with the formet in this day of grace shall certainly be salted with the latter after that day of grace is past And so as the wrath and judgement of the Lord in and according to that wâ—ath is oft called fire Even so 1. There was a fire that is quenched wrath that is appeased a judgement that is execuâ—ed a curse suffered and overcome And that was the wrath and displeasure of God against mankind as having sinned in the first publick man and being necessitated to sinning thereby destitute of any remedy and so to have perished for ever in this first death this wrath appeased this fire quenched by Jesus Christ the second publick man Rom. 3. 23. 24. and 5. 12 18. Gall. 3 13. Ezeck 11. 2. 3. 4. its the deceit of sin and Satan and his ministers that fright the Conscience with this 2. There is a fire that is quenchable wrath that is appeasable judgements and punishments that are healable and curable and so but for a moment or short time And this is the wrath and displeasure of God against and judgements and punishments inflicted on men for their willing and personal sinning against light and knowledge with grace extended in the means vouchsafed through Christ in not turning at his reproof but refusing his counsel hardning their hearts against that which leadeth to repentance and so refusing for his sake to deny sinful lusts that they may walk in the teachings of his grace and such yet abide under wrath though many insensible of it Pro. 1. 23 24 30 34 35. and 8 36. Ioh. 3. 19 20 36. Rom. 8. 13. Eph. 5. 5 6. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. And this the sin of the world which Christ is yet taking away so as he mediateth for them so as to procure patience forbearance and means still to them Ioh. 1. 9 10 29. Luk. 13 8. 9. and 23 34. He being the propitiation for their sins 1 Joh. 2. 2. and their Saviour And it by this means in this day of Grace they do repent and come into him they shall be forgiven and healed And so will his wrath be appeased and fire quenched Isa 55. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. But 3. There is a wrath to come that never can be appeased a fire that never can be quenched that is an everlasting
Christ whence all the Oracles And it is the first thing propounded and so in order as truth first to be beheld and received in all our learning of him as hath been hinted through the discourse 2. In beholding and beleif of this heed and beleive the discovering reproofs of it of the filth in us and the need we stand in of the salvation it discovers and so of the hainousness of the sin of neglect of disesteem and ill requital of so great salvation and the equity justness and terribleness of the second death for contemners of so great salvation and so receive these reproofs that our hearâ—s may be perswaded and alwaies retain those perswasions as true Of the odiousnesness of sin and its abominableness to God Of the wretchedness mysery and vileness of man as of himself and from Adam Of the helplesness in our selves to come in to receive this salvation Of the heinousness of the sin of neglect and ill requital of so great salvation Of the equity and justness of the terribleness of the lake of fire for such as rebel against so great grace as is shewn Chap. 4. 3. In receiving these reproofs effecting such perswasions let them abide and have their efficacy in us retaining the same in our selves so as we be thereby framed and continually kept in that frame Of loathing our selves as of our selves and from Adam Of sencibleness of our need of the salvation in Christ Of a base estimate of our selves of our own wisdome strength righteousness deeds and designs and of abhorrency of them Of an awful fear and jealousie of our selves least we should mix any thing with the grace and promise of Christ in our beleiving and confidence for life as foreshewn 4 and 5. and 3. And 4. In all and awful fear and dread of the great name of the Lord so as our hearts may tremble at his word and judgements and at the truth righteousness equity and severity of the terror against rebellious contemners of his saving word as shewn chap. 4. that so having the true testimony in these reproofs with their efficacies in us we may be seasoned therewith as shewn at large Chap. 4. 11. 5. Let us receive all his fatherly corrections as in love to us to sit us for receiving and right usefulness of his reproofs with their efficacies that we may gain by them and take sufferings for his name as a favour as foreshewn chap. 3 And so let us have salt in our selves as shewn at large chap. 6. And iâ— we thus heed and receive the reproof of wisdome so as we be thus humbled and kept low in our selves having salt in our selves light will shine forth to us from the testimonies and he will be a light to us when we sit in darkness And so humbling our selves under his mighty hand he will exalt us in due time wherefore let every of us know and confess his own sore and so humble our selves and looking up to his mercy and so receive correction and draw nigh to God and trust in him and so let us pray for his people for our governors for our selves and the nation yea be afflicted and mourn and weep for out sins and provoking him to lay miseâ—y on us and so draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to us and hear and heal us But I will proceed no farther in this comfort is to be extended to the afflicted which I assayed in the antidote but in this discourse to move to such a frame and path as in which we may in beleiving receive all the promises and our gracious God will comfort us And so I desire we may alwaies have salt in our selves with its saltness seasoning us to receive his consolations and to walk in his teachings and edify one another And the God of mercy and father of all consolations fill us with consolations and afford us helpfulness according to all our needs Amen Wittlesey June 8. 1670. Your weak unworthy brother Tho. Moore FINIS A Consideration of Revel 22. 14. TO THE READER I pray in Reading mind the Scripture and take all here written as no withdrawing from living by faith but as a Directory to exercise Faith it being a contracted some that spoken to a plain Auditory not so much to fill the notion as to stir up to motion not to please speculation but to stir up to spiritual Action so as I may say what you read to do in beleiving the testimony you will find motions in the testimony unto and I pray yeild up to do them Remember the sons of God called by the spirit of God And surely you will find that in this way he leadeth in whose leadings the Lord help us alwayes to walk as prayeth Your Unworthy Brother THO. MOORE Revel 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter through the Gates into the City CHAPTER I. THe Apostle had in the former Chapter declared what in vision he saw concerning the Holy City in verse 2. 3. 4. 5. and how the City was shewn him verse 10. 10 23. having on every of the four squares three gates ver 13. and that the saved nations should walk in the light of it and the Kings of the earth should bring their glory and honour to it ver 24. but no unclean thing shall enter into it ver 27. and that the nations far remote might be cleansed and healed and so come in to it he tels us in this Chapter of a River of water of Life and of a tree baring fruit whose leaves were for the healing of the nations c. and affirming the truth of these things and both certainly and speedily to be done in and at his coming the Apostle is commanded to publish and declare the same though some take offence thereat and so being filthy become more filthy yet that such as willingly hear and so are holy may become more holy and so this declaration is for our present usefulness For as the glory and manner of entring the Gates in that time which is yet to come it is though told yet not manifested 1 Cor. 13. 9. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 2 50. I will not presume to speak of the glory of those Gates and the manner of entring in thereat but as this 14. ver is not a part of the vision but in it a direction and encouragement to us for such demeanour now in the way appointed as that then we may have our part in that City like that said Chap. 20. 6. so it is recorded as all other Scriptures were for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. 4. I shall therefore consider this verse in such sence as is for our present usefulness that we may enjoy that future hope And so I shall consider these five observable in it viz. * 1. What true blessedness indeed is in having whereof the haver is
truly blessed * 2. The discovery of the beginning and way of receipt of this true blessedness in keeping his Commandements * 3. The affiâ—mation of those that walk in this way to be even now blessed * 4. The end required and to be aimed at in doing his Commandements Even that we may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter through the gates into the City which also is the issue * 5. That all that do enter the City are such as have right to the tree of life and must enter through the gates CHAP. II. * 1. Observable VVHat true blessedness indeed is in having whereof the haver is truly and indeed blessed that is in true happiness and welfare and this blessedness in respect of Adam and all that naturally come of him may be expressed and set forth in three branches in which and in all and each of them is true blessedness indeed viz. 1. In not having sin imputed to them but being accepted and accounted righteous in and for the righteousness of another even Christ 2. In having sin purged out of them and so wholly taken from them and being made conform to Christ in righteousness and healing 3. In being intressed in and possessed of all that happiness and durable riches which Christ hath procured for them and hath to bestow on them and promised to confer on them and so blessedness is 1. In not having sin imputed to them not accounted theirs but accepted for and counted righteous in the righteousness of another that hath satisfied for their sins payd their debt and overcome death and compleated righteousness for them in himself even Christ and this counted theirs and that this is true blessedness is expresly affirmed from Psal 32. 2. in the Apostles opening the mistery affirming included in it imputation of righteousness Rom. 4. 6. 7. 8. yea in the height and compleating of blessedness this also is affirmed to be in it Psal 85. 2. Isa 33. 24. Ier. 31. 34. yea surely this is the first and prime beginning of true blessedness without which there is no true blessedness for the time will come when all men shall be freed from the being of sin in them that they shall commit sin no more and yet the sins freedome by them not forgiven the guilt of sin remains on them and they shall suffer for it everlastingly Isa 33. 1. and 45. 23. 24. Phil. 2. 10. 15. so that in forgiveness of sins is true blessedness 2. In having with this forgiveness of sins sin by the grace of Christ purging and purged out of them and so they made conform to Christ in righteousness and holiness to have sin purged out of them by his power judgements and death will be to all men in the resurrection of the unjust who as they shall be raised in a kind of immortality so as they can never so dy again as to cause to be or to be sensible so they shall be destitute of such inclinations motions and actions of sin as sore in them but being unforgiven suffer everlastingly and destitute of likeness to Christ in righteousness and holiness but before that day in the day of grace to be by his grace to be purged from the lordly and dommanding power and so by degrees from the being of sin in us and so to be conformed to Christ in righteousness in disposition and doing righteousness is true blessedness Rom. 66. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 29. and 3. 9. 10. so as they are pronounced blessed that are undesiled perfect sincere in the ways who walk in the Law of the Lord that keep his testimonyes and seek him with the whole heart that do iniquiry but walk in his Lawes Psal 119. 1. 2. 3. and 106 3. and 15. and 24. 4. Isa 33. 16. 18. and 56. 1. 2. and with this righteousness in both branches said still blessed 3. In being interressed in and possessed of that happiness in those good things and durable riches and priviledges which Christ hath procured for them and hath to bestow on them and promised to conferr on them in receiving and enjoyment where of is true blessedness 2 Pet. 1. 1. 4. Ephes 1. 3. Luke 14. 15. Psal 89. 15. and 37. 22. Revel 20. 6. and 19. 9. And surely in this and so in each of these and so in them all is true blessedness indeed and so to have our sins forgiven and not imputed to us but to be accounted righteous in the righteousness of Christ To have him for righteousness and be made the righteousness of God in him 1 Cor. 1 30. 3 Cor. 5. 21. and to be made conâ—orme to him in righteousness and to be interressed in and possessed of so as to enjoy his priviledges and durable riches is true blessedness indeed only in this description of blessebness this is to be noted that the whole and full of this blessedness is not conferred on and received by any of us at once but by degrees to be increasing here and compleated in the resurrection of the just Psal 84. 10. 2 Pet. 3. 18 Phil. 2. 6. 10. and 3. 10. 14. CHAP. III. 2 Observable THe discovery of the beginning and way of receipt of this true blessedness I say not of the deserving and procuring cause of blessedness Christ himself and he only is that but of the beginning and way of receipt and that is the doing his Commandements it is expresly sayd Blessed are they that do his Commandements If the words were here expressed as to be limitted and appropriated to those that were formerly beleivers who in beleiving are blessed Rom. 4. 5. and so might be the same sence with they that are blessed do his Commandments and then the Commandments are as expresly comprehended in commands that is to beleive on the name of the Son of God and to love one another as he hath commanded us Joh. 14. 1. 1 Iohn 3. 23. Ioh. 13. 34. But the words are here exprest more largely and generally even as large as whosoever as vers 17. they that do his Commandments and so though formerly unbeleivers and did not yet if on hearing they beleive and do and so beleivers that have begun still do they shall receive and enjoy blessedness and so be blessed Jam. 1. 25. and so taken we may consider the Commandements in more particulars which also may be comprehended in these sev â—n branches That is to say 1. That we beleive the testimony of him and the sayings therein in their own plain import true and good and of great concernment to us 2. That we turn at his reproof in confessing our sins and turning from that he reproves in us our own wayes 3. That from his pouring forth his spirit making known his word to us we beleive on his name for all he promiseth 4. That for his goodness in that he hath suffered and done and doth and his instruction and example given we confess his name denying our selves and take up our cross to follow him 5. That