30.5 6 7. Deut. 32.43 Jer. 32.39 40 41. But as to the Blessing with which Isaac Blessed Esau and his Seed in which he had therein his reference to the time of this World and not to the time of that which is to come Gen. 27.39 40. For Isaac his Father said behold thy dwelling shâ—ll be the fatness of the Earth and the dew of Heaven from above And by thy Sword shalt thou live and shalt serve thy Brother and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion that thou shalt break his Yoke from off thy Neck The which Yoke was to be broken off in this time according as we see it has been But in time to come it cannot be For then the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve Israel shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted Isa 60.12 For then no Weapon formed against Israel shall prosper Isa 54.17 And God sayeth to them vers 7.8 For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great Mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For as God hath sworn that the Waters of Noah should no more go over the Earth so hath he sworn that he would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee vers 9. The which is when again reconciled But Esau weeping so bitterly for the loss of the Blessing that Isaac said nothing to him concerning the time to come but rather chose to comfort him concerning this time in which he should break his Brother's Yoke from off him But all in this time that come in Heirs with Israel by Abraham's Faith become the Seed of Abraham And so the unbelievers through their unbelief become the Seed of Esau or Edom For now all being reckoned as Esau or Edom that know the Will of God and will not live in obedience to it through unbelief of the promises and so such part with the Glory promised for this Worlds morsel like Esau for which he was termed prophane Heb. 12.16 17. But the belief of the promised reward carried the worthies of Old through all difficulties Heb. 11.12 So as they hoped against hope as Abraham did for his promised Son Rom. 4.18 So the Christians should have continued hoping for the return of the Lord according to the promises in the Old and New Testament both being given as Ground to Build our Faith upon But when the Gentile Christians thought the Lord delayed his coming then they began to grow weary of waiting for the return of the Lord and the performance of the promises that will be made good by him in time to come The which when they believed not they resolved to make as much advantage of the present time as they could And so all such part with the promised reward for this Worlds morsel And therefore are termed Edom Mount Seir and all Idumea Ezek. 35.12 13 14 15. And the Roman and Turkish Esau or Edom hath been more cruel inveterate to the Saints and People of God and especially the evil Servant that beat his Fellow Servants than ever the Esau that came of the Loyns of Jacob was or could be And it was against this Esau which the Lord declares his hatred to in Malachy That being a Prophesie that related to the time to come And therefore the Lord speaking of things that are to come as tho' they were already done saith Chap. 1.3 And I hated Esau and laid his Mountains and his Heritage wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness This is the same Edom Prophesied of Ezek. 35.15 And Isa 34.4 5 6. And it is the same People spoke of Joel 3.13 14 15 16. And in several other places which will be then Judged and these People of Esau will be destroyed when the Lord comes again and then their Mountains will be laid wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness And some part of it will remain as burning Lakes as a remark of God's sore displeasure against Sin For which they are termed the People of God's curse Isa 34.5.10 Isa 24.5 6. But again concerning this Edom spoken of Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith we are impoverished but we will return and build the desolate Places Thus saith the Lord of Hosts they shall build but I will throw down and they shall call them the border of Wickedness and the People against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever This is a Prophesie spoken of the ever of the time to come And then as in the 5 vers Israel's Eyes shall see and they shall say the Lord will be magnified from the Borders of Israel But some may say how can the Edomites after they are destroyed and their Mountains laid wast say they will return and Build their desolate places if this in the 4th vers be spoken for the time to come This is spoken of the Children of this Esau or Edom which when the Lord comes will be spared when their Parents for their unbelief and disobedience will be cut off for the Lord saith Jer. 49.10 There speaking of Esau and of the Lord 's making of him bare saith in the 11 vers Leave thy Fatherless Children I will preserve them alive and let thy Widows trust in me These Widows do plainly appear to be those that are deceived by false Teachers but not otherwise wilfully Wicked For when the Rams and He-Goats are Judged that have one Pasture to partake of 'T is the He-Goats for treading down the good Pastures and fouling of the deep Waters will then be Condemned Ezek. 34.10 17 18. And therefore then their Widows are spared And these Children which the Lord saith he will preserve alive God declares how he will dispose of them Joel 3.8 Which is that they shall be sold to the Sabeans from whence when they are again multiplyed they may return to Build their disolate Places But God having declared they should lie wast therefore they disobey in their returning to Build them and they proving disobedient as well as their Predecessors are called the Border of Wickedness And as God loved Israel for Abraham's sake because he obeyed the voice of God and kept his charge his Commandments his Statutes and his Laws Gen. 26.4 5. Therefore God made to Abraham and his Seed those great and Blessed promises for the time to come And for the wickedness of this Esau-Generation God hath more disregard to their Offspring in time to come than to all the rest of the Nations For Christ in this time having broken down the partion-wall between Jew and Gentile Ephes 2.14 So as these might have come in to the everlasting inheritance in time to come until they came to have no love to the Truth 2 Thes 10 11. And the first Christians embraced the true Faith but some Hundred Years after they fell from the Truth and trausgressed the Laws changed the Ordinances and broke the everlasting
Lord will hasten it in his time Isa 60.21 22. And this is the World to come that will be put in Subjection unto Christ Heb. 2.5 The which will be when the Old Heavens and Earth shall Perish which have now the ruling power And the new Heavens and Earth take place And then the Children of God's Servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before him Psal 102.25 26 27 28. And this is the World to come of which the Apostle saith we speak Heb. 2.5 8. For that which is called a Nation or Generation in the Old Testament where it is said a Seed shall serve him and it shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation Psal 22.30 31. Psal 24.6 7. The same in the New Testament is termed the World to come and the World without end And the Christians since the Apostacy from the truth of God's Word have never rightly understood this World to come nor the Foundation thereof Whereby great part of the Fundamental Doctrine of the Gospel hath been overturned And in the New Testament the last Day is spoken of because they that are under the Gospel will then be Judged and the Gospel institution will then cease and the ruling Power taken out of the Hand of the People of this World and therefore it is termed their last Day But in the Old Testament we never read of a last Day because when Israel is again restored then the Land is given them for an Everlasting inheritance Gen. 17.7 8. And then as the New Heavens and the New Earth shall remain so shall their Seed and their Name remain Isa 66.22 and then 't is that Mount Sion shall be made an Eternal Excellency But more of this hereafter Now whereas St. Paul saith Thes 5.4 5. But ye Brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief ye are all the Children of the Light and the Children of the Day ye are not of the Night nor of darkness This he speaks of them that were of the first Churches which had received the Holy Ghost and thereby he knew they were chosen in a more peculiar manner for that Day which is still to come as his foregoing words make clearly appear in that he saith That Day should not overtake them as a Thief And if we now in this gloomy and dark day walk as Children of the Light in a holy and upright Conversation and with love to the Truth we shall belong to that Day also But when the Apostle wrote this Epistle and the first of the Corinthians he did expect the coming of the Lord in their day but afterwards he did declare to the contrary for in 2 Thes 2.2 he lets them understand that the Day of Christ was not then at hand but that there would be a falling away first but nothing of a New Election afterwards to be called in under the Gospel that being a new received notion and Scriptureless And concerning this Day which is to come the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.9 10. That they knew but in part and they prophesied but in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away Now then what gross Darkness must we lie under that came out of Popery by which was altogether lost the right apprehension of that Day for by the Pope it was condemned for a Heresie But St. Peter said to the Church to whom he wrote Ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 But we having lost the right knowledge of that day are thereby stumbling on the dark Mountains Every Sect sticking to that Opinion they first took up with when they came out of that darkness All thinking themselves so right that they need not make any further enquiry or search into the knowledge of the truth of the Scriptures But now is the time the Lord is beginning to fulfil his Promise in Dan. 12.4 By revealing the true meaning of his Word that thereby knowledge might be increased so as preparation may be made for the Coming of the Lord. And also it is said That at Evening time it shall he light Zech. 14.7 And that the Vision shall speak and not lie Hab. 2.3 By which it doth clearly appear that the Word of the Lord will be better understood than hitherto it hath been for these many hundred years But our mistakes concerning Election in that we have thought our selves the Elect and so they say can never fall from Grace And others wholly believing in the Righteousness of Christ for Salvation not considering the Conditions on which it is tendred All these think they stand so secure that it is no concern of theirs to know whether Christ is coming or not They not apprehending there are a certain Remnant of the Jeros given to Christ by his Father to be his standing witness through the World And that likewise the first Churches were elected and received the Holy Ghost to be in them that the World through them might know that God had sent Christ as thereby they might have ground to believe And upon the publication of the common Salvation was given a day of Grace by the Call of the Word with the assistance of the good motions of the Spirit of God the which Israel had till they resisted in their not obeying the Commands of the Lord Act. 7.51 For they did then strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Mat. 23.24 And so the Gentiles till they came to have no love to the Truth 2 Thes 2.10 Now the Mistakes in these things if we do not well awaken will prove of most dangerous consequence 1 Thes 5.3 For when they say peace and Safety then sudden Destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a Woman with Child And then it is that such Christians will be found in Darkness who have not prepared for the coming of the Lord. God's Love to the World JOHN 3.16 God so loved the VVorld that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life That is every individual Person that believeth in Christ hath a promise of everlasting Life from which words we are to take notice that of this World or People there are some that will believe and some that will not but that the love of Christ was such as to dye for all for St. Paul saith Hâ—b 2.9 That Christ did tast Death for every Man And St. John saith Christ is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole VVorld 1 John 2.2 From which Scriptures we may plainly see that by Christ all will be cleared from original Sin so as when all come to be Judged they will be Judged according to their Works Rev. 20.12 1 Pet. 1.17 Cor. 5.10 John 5.28 29. Rom. 2.12 13 14. And therefore in the Time or World to come there will be a Redemption for Children and such as are not
Faith when they are so far out as to these Heads All as to some of these Heads and some to all of them yet think like them of Laodicea That they stand in need of nothing not knowing that they are Poor Blind and Naked Rev. 3.17 And if they do not with an humble Heart ask of the Lord Eye-Salve that they may see the great Truth in his Word which he hath now discovered and made plain according to his promise and at his own time Dan. 12.4 The shame of their Nakedness will quickly appear And then all the imaginary Faith of Man's forging will be like so many Fig leaves And all their imagin'd Elections will then stand them in no Stead And others that trust to their Baptismal Covenant tho' they perform not the Conditions of it yet think they shall be saved by it Whereby they do but highten their Condemnation and by which means the Nations are involved in false Oaths both the party Baptized and their Sureties they promising that which they do not neither can perform And the Papist believe in their Priest's Pardons so that most have lost the Grounds of a true Faith by false imaginary fictions And so the Gentile Christians are most of them in a deplorable condition I desire none to be offended because I speak thus plain it is by reason their Souls lye at Stake for when the Lord comes we cannot stand upon a Sandy Foundation but it is he that has done the will of God shall be Rewarded Matt. 7.21 Rev. 22.12 St. Paul's Reference to Sarah and Rebeckah NOw St. Paul in Rom. 9. He having there in his Allusion to Sarah and Rebeckah hath therein his reference to Christ's first and second coming and to the several Elections that were and are to be called in at those times according to the Promise For he saith in vers 6. They are not all Israel which are Israel and in vers 7. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called and Isaac came of the Loins of his Father Abraham according to the Flesh yet his Son according to promise And whereas the Apostle saith vers 8 They which are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are accounted for the Seed And all that live not according to the will of the Flesh but according to the Spirit are Heirs according to promise Psal 15. For it is such shall live in his Holy Hill and unto such as obey Christ he will be the Author of Eternal Salvation to them Heb. 5.9 But St. Paul hath here his peculiar reference to them that were and are to be call'd in according to promise at the set time appointed And therefore he first alludeth to Sarah in vers 9. In which he hath a reference to Christ ' first coming which was according to promise at which set time there was some call'd in both of Jew and Gentile by a peculiar calling and that according to promise Joel 2.28 Isa 32.15 Acts 15.14 And that not for any works of Righteousness which they had then done but according to his Mercy he saved them For they were brought out of Idolatry and Heathenism and therefore could not be saved for the works of Righteousness that they had then done But whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 For they were not only to believe but to suffer for his Sake And to be examples to all that would lay hold of the offered Mercy and by Faith and Patience in continuance in well doing they might inherit the Promises But the Apostle foreseeing that the Gentiles that came in upon the common Salvation would not long retain this Faith as so to tread in the steps of Abraham as thereby to remain the Children of Abraham And therefore he goes on and saith in the 10 vers Not only this but when Rebeckah had conceived by one even our Father Isaac For the Children being not then Born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger Here the Apostle hath his whole reference to the time or World to come unto which God hath determined the Glory that the Elder People should serve the Younger that the purpose according to the Election might stand That according to promise at the appointed time when the Lord again comes to Sion he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom 11.25 26 27 28. Joel 3.21 Acts 15.16 And it is then the Elder People Nation or World shall serve the Younger The which the foresaid two Brothers were made the Representatives of But St. Paul makes no exposition on the Servitude because it hath it's reference to the Heathen in time to come and it is in the time to come that Israel will inherit the promises though not the Seed according to the Flesh altho they come of the Loyns of their Fathers For then the Lord will circumcise their Hearts and the Heart of their Seed Deut. 30.6 8. So as then they will love and obey the Lord which in this time through the Corruption of the Flesh and Sinful inclinations of the mind they did not obey him But in this time to come then it is their Righteousness is of the Lord when they are made thus perfectly Righteous Isa 54.13 14 17. And whereas the Apostle saith Rom 9.22 As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Now the Apostle here having his allusion to the Seed of Jacob in time to come has likewise here his reference to the Seed of Esau in time to come And whereas he saith as it is written therein he includes the Esau or Edom whose Mountains and Heritage will then be laid wast in time to come for the Sins of their Parents for whose disobedience God will have less regard to them than to any other For tho' the Children in time to come are alike Guiltless yet the Lord then will make great difference among them according as he hath declared in his Word Isa 60.12 Joel 3.8 And it is the Mountains of this latter Esau that will then be laid wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness And then it is that God shews more dislike or hatred to their Seed than to any other For then it is God gives their Young off-spring to be Servants to them that are Servants to Israel Joel 3.8 And in time to come because they were the Offspring of the Wicked and for their returning to Build their desolate Places they are callet the Borders of Wickedness And the People against whom the Lord hath indignaiton for ever Mal. 1.4 Which ever is the ever of the time to come This time being reckoned one ever and the time to come another ever And God hath declared that the Wicked