would have watched and not have suffered his house to have been broken through Luke 12.39 For as the Thief comes to destroy so the Lord will come to the destruction of them that profess they know him yet will not make preparation for him Chap. V. The Signs of the Times NOW as concerning the Time and the Signs of the Time that is that the time of the Signs and Wonders to the time of Christ's coming and afterwards till such time as the Wicked are taken off from the Earth it doth clearly appear will be forty five years according to which time Israel lay in the Wilderness and were Conquering their Enemies in the Land of Canaan before they were peaceably setled there for in numbers it is said According to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel what hath God wrought Numb 23.23 The like is said in Micah According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt I will shew unto him marvellous things the nations shall be confounded at all their might Mich 7.15 16. And it is said in Zechary 14.3 Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battel And in Daniel there is just forty five days difference in the number of the days and he is said to be blessed that comes to the last number Dan. 12.12 And that we are now far gone in this forty five days of years is certain by the Signs of the Times and if they began in 1663. when the great Blazing Star appeared which the Astronomers said was a Rod to whip the Earth withal And since we have had Signs in the Sun and in the Moon and oft repeated Blazing Stars according to the Word of the Lord Luke 21.25 or whether the beginning of the limited time was when the Evil Spirits mentioned in the Revelations Chap. 16. 13 14 came out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet which has gathered together the Kings of the earth to the battel of the great day of God Almighty And by these the World is now in an uproar as in 2 Esdras 9.3 4. and also the Lord saith in Luke Chap. 21.25 26 27. There shall be distress of nations with perplexity the sea and the waves thereof roaring mens hearts failing them for fear and looking after those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of heaven shall be shaken By which is meant the ruling powers of the earth which in Scripture is also called the Heavens And then it is the Lord will come as in ver 27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory And it is also given us as a Sign of the Lord 's coming the often breakin gs forth of fire out of the earth altho' History gives us an account that the Mountains were fired before Christ came The Romans being formerly the afflicters of the natural Seed of Jacob as since they have also been of the adopted Seed of Jacob for which with their other abominable sins the anger of the Lord has been kindled against them yet before the coming of the Lord it is declared by the Angel to Esdras There shall be confusion in many places and fire shall be oft sent out again 2 Esd 5.8 which hath lately in a wonderful manner been fulfilled Now all along in the Scripture the Afflictions of the Natural and of the Adopted Seed are joyned together so here in Isaiah 5. from the beginning to the 14. verse in a particular manner treats of the miscarriage and punishment of the natural Seed of Jacob. And beginning at the 14th verse to the 24th treats of the punishment of the adopted Seed of Jacob. For in the 16th verse he saith The Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in Judgment At which time the Lambs shall feed after their manner Therefore this is to be fulfilled when the Lord again comes Against which time it is said Isa 5.14 Hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth wide without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it This doth evidently appear that Hell hath enlarged her self by these often torrents and rivers of Fire Pitch and Bitumen which God hath lately sent out thence According to the Word of God in Deuteronomy Chap. 32. 22. For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn to the lowest Hell and shall consume the Earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the Mountains By these words we are to understand that the fire of Hell and the fire in the Foundations of these Mountains extendeth it self from the one to the other This is further treated of in a Book that is to come forth And it is also said in Isaiah 30. v. 30. For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it This Tophet here spoken of is Hell the King for whom it was prepared is the Devil but Man that is insnared by him does also fall into it For the Lord saith Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 But all Hell will not be fired till the last and final Judgment when all the dead will be judged Rev. 20.14 And whereas it is said The pile thereof is fire and much wood That is much combustible matter fit for fuel as Brimstone Pitch Sulpher Bitumen Coperas and the like These things the Lord hath so placed and by his breath and command he hath kindled it And it is said of the Beast and false Prophet that after the Lord comes they were both taken and cast alive into a Lake of fire burning with Brimstone Rev 19.20 which Lake is already kindled into which they shall be cast which reacheth to the lowest Hell Chap. VI. Whirlwinds from the Lord. NOW are the Whirlwinds of the Lord gone forth according to the Word of the Lord Behold the Whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury a continual Whirlwind it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he hath done it and until he have performed the intents of his heart in the latter days ye shall consider Jer. 30.23 24. These Whirlwinds are the continual afflictions wars and commotions which are upon the Earth which will not cease till the Lord hath performed the intents of his heart These things also are set down for them that have the Scripture to consider of that thereby they may know what the Lord is going about to do as to understand the time of their visitation And again it is said Come near ye Nations to hear and hearken
9 10. From which words we are to take notice the Lord here declareth the continuance of day and night as also in Psa 89.36 37. And after the Devil is cast into Hell we read of no other than a temporal punishment inflicted on them of the Nations that will not go up to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and keep the feast of Tabernacles Zec 14.16 17. And how many thousand years it will be after Satan is cast into the fire of Hell before the final judgment the Lord best knoweth But by the word it is clear it will be many thousand years For God hath said He will keep Covenant and mercy to a thousand Generations Deut. 7.9 And from Adam to this time we cannot well reckon above a hundred Generations For where St. Luke counts the Genealogy from Adam to Christ he reckons up but about three score Generations Luke 3. And this fore-mentioned Kingdom is the Kingdom of which the Angel told the blessed Virgin that Christ should Reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Luke 1.33 This ever chiefly includes the ever of the world to come in which time Christ will have his Reigning Power and at the time of the last Judgment when the Heavens and Earth are said to fly away Re. 20.11 The fore-mentioned Book explaineth the meaning thereof fully making it appear by the word there is two sorts of Heavens and Earth whereby it is clearly proved that the Kingdom of Christ will have no end according to the word of the Angel to the Blessed Virgin and according to the word of the Lord in Daniel But the Saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7.18 And God saith in Isaiah For as the New Heavens and the New Earth which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord so shall your Seed and your Name remain Isa 66.22 For then it is God will give Israel a place of their own so as they shall move no more 2 Sam. 7.10 But we not apprehending there is three Evers three Times three Generations and three Worlds spoken of in Scripture thereby we have been much in the dark concerning this world to come And this world to come being the time that is chiefly comprehended in Psal 89.2 For I have said mercy shall be built up for ever thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very Heavens I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have sworn to David my Servant Thy Seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all Generations Chap. X. The Meaning of the Feast of Tabernacles being again kept NOw in that the feast of Tabernacles is again to be kept when all the other great Feasts are laid aside Zech. 14.16 it doth thereby appear that when Israel and those of the Nations which are saved are first gathered they will then again for some time dwell in booths as Israel did when they came out of Aegypt And therefore this feast to be kept for a remembrance in the ever of the time to come But some may say How can the Nations come up yearly to Jerusalem the Journy being so far distant from some But none need Question but God will make them of ability to do what he requires of them And whereas it is said That every one that is left of all the Nations That is every one of the Nations that were left should go up yearly to Jerusalem but not that it is there meant that every individual person of the Nations will be required to go up year by year unto Jerusalem but some of the heads of the Nations And therefore said in the 18 verse If the Family of Aegypt go not up c. Then a National punishment is threatned Now what we find written in the old and new Testament and nothing therein to contradict the plain meaning thereof that will of certain be fulfilled in the plain and clear way as it is expressed But that is a figurative Speech and not to be taken in the letter of the word where we find other Scriptures in contradiction to it There God hath a secret vail'd in it which he reserves until such time as he will have it revealed But that God commands to be done And what God declares he will have done And what God hath sworn he delights not in And what God hath absolutely promised to do And what God hath sworn he will do These things are to be taken as they are exprest or we are apostatized from the truth And it is at the Restauration of Israel that the Everlasting Covenant will be established as to which time God has sworn to Israel That he will not be wroth with them nor rebuke them any more Isa 54.8 9 10 11 12. For then God will put his fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him Jer. 32.39 40 41. And concerning that time The Lord hath sworn by his right hand and by the arm of his Strength that he will no more give their Corn to be meat for their enemies neither shall the Sons of Strangers drink the Wine for which they have laboured Isa 62.8 This promise will be fulfilled when Jerusalem is made the praise of the earth as in the 7th ver Which is at the time of the Restitution of all things when the Lord again comes Acts 3.20 21 22 23 24. And then it is There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11.26 Isa 59.20 Then shall the Lord rore out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and Earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his People and the Strength of the Children of Israel Joel 3.16 This Zion or Jerusalem is meant of the glorious Tabernacles spoken of Heb. 8.2 But we all coming out of the Darkness of Popery have lost the right apprehension of this Kingdom or World to come whereby we are involved in great mistakes so as to think the promised everlasting Covenant is now established and that such as belong to it may fall foully but not finally but when that Covenant is established then it is that God will put his fear into their hearts so as they shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 But we not understanding aright this Kingdom or World to come which has been the causes of turning the plain word of God in the old Testament into figurative Speeches and thereby made the Oath and Promise of God to Israel void Of which St. Peter exhorts the Church to take heed to the sure Word of Prophecy as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2 Peter 1.19 Chap. XI Where the Great Glory of the Lord will be when he comes to deliver his people WHEN the Lord again comes to deliver his People his infinite glory will then again be in the Clouds
THE Near Aproach of CHRIST's KINGDOM Clearly proved by Scripture With a certain Account of the Signs of the present Times relating thereto As also That the Conversion and Restauration of Israel will be after the Lord's coming That after the Lord 's coming most of the great Plagues mentioned in the Revelations will be poured out upon the Earth and the Wicked That the Beast and the False Prophet will be then taken alive That all the Christians that came in by Christ of the Gentile Race were termed Heathens in the Old Testament And that the Law and Gospel speaks but to them that are under it That after the Fiery Tempest the Heavens and Earth will be renew'd and all things restored as in the beginning LONDON Printed for M. M. and are to be sold by Tho. Fabian at the lower end of Cheapside in Mercers Chapel And divers other Booksellers about London 1696. Advertisement The most material points that we are in controversie about are already answered which Books are to be sold at the same Booksellers and of a small price that thereby they may be the easier had by all There will other Books come forth in a short time so as by Gods assistance all the disputable places and most of the figurative speeches will be by the word it self fully and clearly explained ERRATA Page 48. l. 27. from the top r. 1 Pet. 4.12 TO THE KING AND Parliament THIS Treatise giving an Account of the Certain Signs of the Times and the near approach of the coming of the Lord is humbly presented That they may know what God is going about to do so as to prepare for the coming of Christ 'T is therefore most humbly hoped our most Gracious King with the Great Council of the Nation who have so wonderfully appeared for the Defence of the Protestant Religion may be further instrumental to the Glory of God in encouraging the knowledge of the Truths herein contained God grant His Majesty to be a Blessing to the Nations till the Lord comes TO THE READER Christian Reader WHEN I heard of those often repeated Earthquakes the like whereof the World never produced and that it is according to the Word of the Lord that there should be Earthquakes in divers places with distress of Nations c. when these things come to pass the Lord hath bidden such as have an Interest in him then to look up and to lift up their heads for their Redemption draweth nigh Luke 21 28. The thoughts of which set me on a fervent longing desire for the coming of the Lord and drew out my heart in more ardent desires after him whereupon I took to the Lord's direction resolving to search the Scriptures with more diligence than ever I had done the which I no sooner had performed but I found the certainty of the coming of the Lord and that it was very nigh at hand but still I was to seek how and in what manner for I could then no ways make the Old and New Testament agree neither did I then rightly understand any of the figurative speeches and finding it too hard for me I was much troubled thereat but as I had taken to the Lords direction in the search of the Scripture whereby I came to the assured knowledge of his coming so I also would according to the advice therein seek to the Lord for knowledge to understand the secrets therein contained as Prov. 2.3 4 5 6. for he is the wonderful Counsellor and the mighty God Isa 9.6 The which when I so did the Lord more and more inlightened my understanding in his Word So as I do wholly acknowledge the discovery of these great and hidden Mysteries was from the Lord and attained according to the way directed in his Word which is by prayer and diligence This small Treatise being an Essay containeth the plain Heads easie to the apprehension of any that thereby all these great things might the better be registred in their memory so as to sink down upon the heart The other Book being somewhat more difficult for them to understand that are not well vers'd in the Word and understand not the way of Scripture speaking For therein is most of the figurative speeches opened by the Key of the Word that is by joyning Scripture to Scripture and in not leaving any other Scriptures to contradict what is said whereby the true meaning of the Word is clearly explained But these great Mysteries were to remain a secret to the time of the end according to the Word of the Lord in Daniel chap. 12.4 And in Zech. 14.7 It is said It shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light And in that God has made choice of so weak an Instrument it is that his power might the more eminently appear therein and that the Infinite God hath now at this evening time caused the true meaning of his Word to be discovered it is an infallible Sign of the certain near approach of the coming of the Lord for whose coming if we prepare we shall be certainly happy but if you will put the day far off it will then come on you as a snare Luke ch 21. v. 34 35. in which you will be destroyed but if you will be as earnest with God for your selves and so continue as I have been earnest with the Almighty for the generality of you all I make no question but you will be for ever blessed for if we will not be wanting to our selves God will not be wanting to us Now that we and the generality of the Christian World would seek the Lord whilst he is to be found and that the Warnings he gives us to prepare for his coming might so awaken us as that we may be found with our Lamps trimmed and our Lights burning is the earnest prayer of Your Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus M. M. A certain Account of the Signs of the Last Times The Coming of the Lord. The Destruction of Babylon With the Christians that remain in their Wickedness Also the Calling in of the Jews And the Restoration of all things Chap. I. A necessity of being ready prepared for the Lord 's Coming lest that Day should come upon us unawares which is very near at hand NOW we not apprehending the dangerous condition that we stand in by reason we falsly imagine that the New Everlasting Covenant is made with us when now the Believers are but Heirs with Israel of the same Promise but because Christ said of them that were given him of his Father to be his standing Witnesses thro' the World that none should pluck them out of his hand And the Apostle speaking of the Churches that first trusted in Christ which had the abundant pourings forth of the Spirit upon them to secure their standing and thereby they generally stood which in Scripture the major part is reckoned for the whole And the Spirit was also given to confirm the Gospel to the World and the
all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And now is this Scripture ready to be fulfilled Chap. III. The Coming of the Lord. SAint Paul saith 1 Thes 4.16 17. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and rémain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Whereas the Apostle here saith we which are alive all know that in this we the wicked are not included neither in this we are all the righteous then living included but by this we he comprehends those that were to bear their testimony to the Gospel as the first Churches did and as the standing witness hath continued to do the which are those who are said to be clothed in Sackcloth and lie in the street of the Great City which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt c. Rev. 11.8 and these are those that are said will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and these are the Elect that cry day and night unto him Luke 18.7 but the other Believers will be gathered according as by the Lord is declared Luke 17.34 35. There shall be two men in one bed the one shall be taken and the other shall be left two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken and the other shalt be left And the Lord saith It will be as in the days of Lot Whereby it doth also appear that the other Believers will be lifted out of danger by the Angels as Lot was out of Sodom whilst the Wicked will be left to receive part of their punishment here And those that are thus to be taken and gathered are those that have the Gospel and live in obedience thereunto But as for Israel that now own not the Gospel they shall be called in according as the Lord by the Prophets hath declared to them whose testimony they have received and they likewise shall be brought to Jerusalem as it is written upon Horses and in Chariots and in Litters and upon Mules and swift Beasts Isa 60.6 7 9. Isa 66.20 And then it is that with weeping and supplications the Lord will lead them Jer. 31.9 For the Lord will keep to his usual way and method in bringing them home by a sense of their own miscarriage before he giveth them the Holy Ghost And tho' the Apostle saith of them that were chosen to bear their testimony to the truth that they should at the coming of the Lord be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an Eye Yet the others that are then saved will not then be so suddenly changed neither will their natural body then be changed into a spiritual body but their natural body will be then healed of all infirmities and their mind also 2 Esd 6.26 And when their time of returning will be then will others of the Heathens of all Languages of the Nations take hold of the skirt of a Jew saying we will go with you Zech. 8.23 For as there was a mixt multitude went out of Egypt with Israel so again when Israel which will then be his Elect Ro. 11.28 which will be gathered from the four winds into which the Lord hath scattered them then also there will a mixt multitude of the Heathen go with them according as it is said But the poor Christians that have lost their Day and Season of Grace will not be so permitted to do And tho' at first the Lord will lead Israel with weeping and supplications yet also their return to Sion will be with singing and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and mourning shall flee away Isa 58.11 And also it will be after the Lord comes that most of those great Plagues mentioned in the Revelations will be poured forth upon the wicked of the Earth so that according as it is said they shall gnash their teeth and melt away Psal 112.10 after which will come the storm mentioned in the Psalms of Hail Fire and Brimstone which will be the portion of their Cup Psal 11.6 and then as Isaiah saith The Hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies Isa 28.17 Now this is spoken to them that have the word for we are not permitted to judge them that are without 1 Cor. 5.12 Now whereas St. Peter saith The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.10 These words of the Apostle have a two-fold meaning first he hath an allusion to the figurative Heavens and Elements which by fire will be dissolved or burnt up secondly the Airy Heavens and Material Earth will be purged or purified by the tempest of fire so as the outward face of the Earth will be burnt up And then again God will make all things new at which time the raised Saints will be in the glorious Tabernacle and the Believers and Israel and all the promised Elect which the Lord will call in at his coming will be secured in the Holy Land and between Mount Olivet Zech. 14.4 5. This is further proved by Scripture and explained in the fore-mentioned Book Chap. IV. Be ready for the Coming of the Lord. WO to the Christians that shall be found in darkness at that day and tho' Christ said Of that day and hour knoweth no man Mark 13.32 But however he hath left upon record the certain Signs of the times which when they are seen he bids such as have an interest in him lift up their heads and look up for their Redemption draweth nigh Lu. 21.28 thereby shewing that all that expect to have an interest in him must prepare for him For it was those that would not take the warning both in the Old World and in the time of Lot that were destroyed And also the Lord said of the Jews that they were a wicked and adulterous generation which could discern the face of the sky but could not discern the signs of the times Matth. 16.3 The which became destructive to them but St. Paul saith Ye are not in darkness that that day should come upon you at unawares 1 Thes 5.4 And blessed will they be that upon the warning the Lord gives them will so prepare for him as to have their Lamps trimed and their lights burning For the Lord compareth himself to a man that took a long journey and gave to every man his work and commanded the Porter to watch And the Lord saith watch ye therefore lest coming suddenly I find you sleeping Mark 13.34 35 36 37. These places shew the dreadful condition those Christians will be in that will not take warning by the Signs given by him and the Lord also saith If the good man of the house had known what hour the Thief would have come he
was upon the Earth spake but in Parables as to his second coming and Kingdom Matth. 13.34 by reason Israel being sinful for which it was determined of God they should be left to blindness and that Christ should suffer by them for tho' in other things they sinned wilfully yet they ignorantly crucified the Lord of Life Acts 3.17 And the Lord again speaking of his second coming and of gathering the Nations and by the Parable of setting the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left He saith to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Matth. 25.34 Now from the foundation of the material Heavens and Earth there was no other Kingdom prepared but this World which will be again restored But the Law and Gospel speaking but to those that are under it Rom. 3.19 and chap. 2.12 14. The Lord might therefore have his reference to the foundation of the World that was laid in Israel for the World to come at which foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb And then was the Kingdom of Canaan prepared for Israel by their Enemies destruction And the Gentiles that Christ shall find in obedience amongst the Christian Nations at his coming will then be made the Inheritors with Israel of this Kingdom For they were not only to be Heirs with Israel of the promised Everlasting Covenant whereby Eternal Life is secured to the Soul but they were also to have a share with them in their Inheritance For of Japhet it was prophesied that he should dwell in the Tents of Shem and therefore this Kingdom may likewise be said to be prepared for them And also at the restoration of all things it is that Israel will be restored to their own Land Joel 3.16 And then will God make her Wilderness like Eden and her Desart like the Garden of the Lord Isa 51.3 And then it is Christ will have his peaceable Kingdom Isa 11.9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountain for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea Isa 65.23 24 25. And in that day God will make a Covenant for them with the Beast of the Field and with the Fowls of Heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and he will break the Bow and the Sword and the Battel out of the Earth and will make them lie down safely Hosea 2.18 19. And then will God betroth them unto him for ever in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies v. 19. And then this is the Peace the Lord hath declared shall be in the time of his Kingdom But when Christ first came he said he came not to send Peace on Earth but a Sword Matth. 10.34 For in this time them that are the true Followers of Christ the Devil will be still raising them up Enemies And Christ saith to his Disciples That in him they might have peace but in the World they should have tribulation John 16.33 And likewise St. Paul saith That after his departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among them not sparing the Flock And also of their own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Acts 20.29 30. which accordingly followed Now whereas it is said Prov. 16.7 When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh his Enemies to be at peace with him This King Solomon spake of the natural Seed of Israel which had they continued in the fear of the Lord they had then been the Emblem of that peaceable Kingdom that is now to come And they in this time should have been the Head and not the Tail and above only Deut. 28.13 But there never was any such promise made to the true Churches of Christ in this time but on the contrary they were foretold they should be afflicted persecuted and meet with fiery Tryals neither were they to adorn themselves 1 Pet. 3.3 Chap. XV. The Elect Church discovered And why God suffered the Beast to arise to deceive the Nations Also a twofold being in the Book of Life NOW Christ by his Word declareth that he would have an Elect Church or People throughout this World that should never be deceived by the Beast or false Prophet And that it was to his Disciples which came of the remnant of Israel unto whom Christ promised to be with to the end of the World Matth. 38.20 And that none should pluck them out of his hand And tho' the first Gentile Churches that received the Word from the mouth of the Disciples were likewise also Elected and fore-chosen of God and made partakers of the Holy Ghost yet their succeeding Generations were but raised to that from which Israel fell And God foreseeing that the Gentile Nations that embraced the Gospel would afterward fall away by having no love to the Truth but taking pleasure in unrighteousness as Israel and the People of Old had done Rom. 1.21 22. therefore it was determined of God they should be left to strong delusions to believe a Lye Because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. For which cause it was the determination of God that all that dwell upon the Earth should worship the Beast whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World Rev. 13.7 8. That is all the Kindreds and Tongues and Nations that dwell upon all the Earth that the Beast had dominion over should worship him except those whose Names were written in the Book of Life for the Word speaks to them that received it and it was those fell into the snare that had not a love to it but took pleasure in unrighteousness And Luther says that the Beast and false Prophet are generally comprehended under one head And the Lord saith Rev. 17.8 And they that dwell upon the Earth shall wonder whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the World when they behold the Beast Now I have already proved by the Word in a Treatise concerning Election that there was no Election through the first World of People nor till after the miscarriage of Israel in the Wilderness Then did the Lord secure a certain remnant of them to himself at which time Israel was laid for the foundation of the World to come for all that come in as Heirs to that World come in as the Seed of Abraham and from that foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb and from that foundation were the works of those unbelieving Jews finished that fell in the Wilderness when they refused to go to fight for the Land of Canaan And because of Israel's miscarriage the first Gentile Churches were chosen to partake of the Holy Ghost and to bear their Testimony to the Truth the which
are said to be chosen before the foundation of the World which foundation was Israel the which choice was not before them as to matter of time but as to matter of choice and liking in God rather to make choice of them that should ignorantly offend him â—han them that had wilfully disobeyed him And I also have proved that the Eternal Purpose has only a relation to the Eternity that lies before us that the being chosen from the beginning was no other than from the beginning of the Preaching of the Gospel And I have also proved that the Decree was made that the Entrances into Life should be made strait after Adam fell and how that straitness doth consist And what is meant by being of old ordained to this condemnation And also I have proved in the Book in which the Faith of Abraham is explained that them of the World embraced the Faith in the Apostles time and brought forth fruit as it did in the Elect Churches All these things I have made clear which hitherto we have not rightly understood which makes me the oftener recite them These things being proved it makes it evident that there was none Elected from the foundation but the remnant And also the first Gentile Churches that were afterward Elected were long departed this life before the Beast arose so as there was none of them then to be deceived by him Now there is also a twofold way of being in the Book of Life First They that have their names there Secondly Those that have a part therein and it is those that have their names there that are Elected and fore-chosen And after the first Gentile Churches were called in their Children were taken into Covenant and a Door of Mercy set open to all such as would take hold of the offer of Life according as it is tendered by Christ Now if these have not their names put into the Book of Life when they are taken into Covenant yet they have their part in the Book of Life in performing the conditions upon which Life is offered by Christ for those he will justifie by his Righteousness Heb. 5.9 The which name or part in the Book of Life may not only be lost through negligence and prophaneness but by adding or diminishing from the Word Rev. 22.19 Deut. 4.2 And there are others also that have a part in the Book of Life which will find Redemption in the World to come for they were such as received not the Truth in the love of it but took pleasure in unrighteousness that the Apostle saith should be damned 2 Thes 2.12 And they were such as heard the Truth and would not believe to obey it that the Lord gave Sentence against But those that have had a longing desire after the Truth and such as have not taken pleasure in unrighteousness such will find Redemption in the World to come And no young Children can take pleasure in iniquity Therefore when all come to be judged according to their works such will be cleared Rom. 2.14 15. Rev. 20.12 But I shall not here insist upon this Subject because I intend hereafter fully to prove it But by what the Lord saith it is of dangerous consequence to take from the Word as well as to add unto it Now the Gentile Christians when they came to have no love to the Truth whereby they might be saved but on the contrary took pleasure in iniquity God gave them up to worship the Beast for when they would not be bound with the Cords of his Laws and follow him in Love Patience and Humility in expectation of the reward of the Crown of Life when the Lord again shall come then it was God permitted the Prince of Darkness to set up his pretended Kingdom by which delusion they also lost the apprehension of the glorious Kingdom of Christ which is now to come and is very nigh at hand which Kingdom has been foretold by all the Prophets sworn to by God himself Psal 89.2 declared by the Apostles And because the Lord Christ spake but in dark Sentences and Parables when he was upon the Earth because that Israel being sinful thereby might be blinded Therefore he declared in Vision to St. John how he would come and of the glory of the New Jerusalem that should come down from Heaven and of his reigning Power here upon the Earth Also annexing those great threatnings mentioned Rev. 22.18 19. to any that should add or diminish to the words of this Prophecy Now all the Gentile Christians thus falling into delusion so as when any of them come out of that darkness by the knowledge of the Word it was evident to them they could not be of that remnant that should never be deceived by reason themselves knew that they or their Predecessors had been deceived by the Beast but as to that Remnant Church or People that the Word does thus bear witness to I shall not here speak further of but hereafter by God's assistance I shall declare who the Two Witnesses are and then I shall make appear who this Church and People and Remnant are to whom the Word doth thus bear witness to and they to the Word Whilst on the contrary the Apostate Church or great Harlot bear not witness to the Word nor the Word to her any otherwise than to her condemnation And our Predecessors being all involved in that darkness whereby we have lost the true sentiments of the Word and so mistakingly taking all that was said to the first Churches and to Israel at the restitution of all things as tho' they now belonged to us the which is of dangerous consequence and whereby many like Ephraim feed on wind And the Ordinances that were to be kept as they were delivered mentioned 2 Cor. 11.2 never came to our hands by reason of which every one hath placed their Faith and Church Government according to their several Opinions in which all rest confident that they are in the right the which begets in many a hatred one to the other And now we are in division as Israel was when the Lord first came and the Christians being raised to that from which Israel fell and falling into sin as Israel did whereby the second coming of the Lord has been as little understood by us as his first coming was by them For the Prince of this World coming which had no part in Christ and the Nations of the World which had embraced the Gospel again forsaking the Lord and following after the Prince of Darkness was therefore termed by the Lord The Prince of this World which Prince had no part in the Redemption purchased by the Lord but the People of the World had till they forfeited their Blessing by having no love to the Truth and by taking pleasure in unrighteousness and so lost the knowledge of the Word by the Beast ingrossing of it by reason of which the World again became over-spread with Darkness the Remnant Elected only retaining the