and the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron that they should put an Homer of this Manna which they did eat into a Pot and lay it up before the Lord to be kept for the Generations ver 33 And the Children of Israel did eat Manna forty years until they came to the borders of the Land of Canaan and all the Congregation of the Children of Israel journied from the Wilderness of Sin after their journey according to the command of the Lord and pitched in Rephidim there was no water for the people to drink and the people did chide with Moses and the people thirsted there for water and Moses cryed unto the Lord saying what shall I do unto this people they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord said unto Moses go on before the people and take with thee the Elders of Israel and thy Rod wherewith thou smotest the River take in thy hand and go and behold I stand before thee there upon the Rock in Horeb and thou shalt 〈◊〉 the Rock and Water shall come out of it that the people may drink and Moses did so in the sight of all the Children of Israel and the Lord gave them his Laws and his Statutes and sent Moses unto them and said thus shalt thou say unto the House of Jacob and tell the Children of Israel ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagle wings and brought you unto my self now therefore if yoâ— will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then shall ye be a 〈◊〉 treasure unto me above all the people of the earth And the Lord said unto Moses loâ— come unto thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak â—nto thee and believe thee for over tâ— be readlly therefore on one third day for thâ— Lord will come down unto Mount Sina in the sight of all the people and it came to pass in the morning of the third day that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the Mount and the voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people that was in the Camp trembled and Moseâ— brought forth the people out of the Camp to meet with the Lord and they stood at the nether part of the Mount and Mount 〈◊〉 was altogether of a smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a Furnace and the whole Mount quaked greatly and when the voice of the Trumpet sounded long and waxed douder and 〈◊〉 Mosâ—s spake and God answered him by a vâ—iue and the 〈◊〉 Mosâ—s up to the top of the Mount and Moses went up as you may read at large Exod. 19. And the Lord gave his Law unto Moses from his own mouth and God spake all these words and said I am the Lord thy God thou shalt have none other Gods but me c. Exod. 20. And after the Lord had given his Law and his ten Commandments to them when the people saw the thundrings and the lightnings and the noise of the Trumpet and the Mountain smoking they removed and stood afar off and said unto Moses speak thou unto us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die And Moses said unto the people fear not for God is come to prove you that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was and the Lord said unto Moses say unto the Children of Israel you have seen that I have talked with you from Heavenâ— ye shall not make with me Gods of Silver neither shall ye make ye Gods of Gold ver 23. And God commanded Moses to make an Ark the Ark of his Covenant with a Candlestick and all the holy Vessels of the Sanctuary as you may read at large Exod. 25. Moreover he commanded Moses to make the Tabernacle with all its Curtains Coverings and Vails Chap. 26. Also he commanded him to make an Altar on which the Offerings were to be offered as you may read from Chap. 27. to Chap. 30. and so to the end of the Book of Exodus And after this the Lord made Moses write his Law in Tables of Stone and Moses hewed two Tables of Stone and went up early in the morning as the Lord commanded him unto Mount Sinai and took in his hands the two Tables of Stone and the Lord descended in the Cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth and keeping mercy for thousands pardoning iniquity transgression and Sin Exod. 34. So all the precious works of Moses and Aaron and all their faithfulness and their care and their diligence and how the Lord honoured them with his presence and how they taught and governed and prophesied unto the Children of Israel why they led them through the Wilderness 40 years together ye may read in the four Books of Moses viz. Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Deuteronomy THE Lord promised the Children of Israel and said unto Moses I will raise them up from among their brethren a Prophet like unto thee and I will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I command him Deut. 18.18 here Moses was a Prophet for Christ witnesses that Moses writ of him and Philip said we have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Jâ—â— 1.45 and Chap. 5.45 do not think that I will accuse your to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses for 〈◊〉 you believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words And the Apostle saith and Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant forth testimony of those things which were to be spoken after Heb. 3.5 And this was the Commandment which Moses laid before the Children of Israel a little before his departure from them saith he for this Commandment which I command you this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it afar off it is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for 〈◊〉 to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it but the word is very nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it I have sâ—t before thee this day life and death and good and evil Deuteronemy 30.11 to the 15. and Rom. 10.5 6 7 8 9 10. So after his Exhortations he blessed them with large blessings as you may read in the 31 3â— and 33 Chapters at large And he said I am 120 years old I can no more go out and come in and the Lord
but I would not hearken unto Baalam therefore he blessed you still so I delivered you out of his hand Iosh 24. to the 10. verse Thus Ioshua goes on rehearsing the mercies of the Lord to them and exhorting them to serve the Lord God and to fear the Lord in sincerity and in truth and not to serve other Gods for the Lord God saith he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions and sins if you forsake the Lord then will he turn and do you hurt and consume you And the People said unto Ioshua nay but we will serve the Lord and Ioshua said unto the people ye are witnesses against your selves that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him and they said we are witnesses And Ioshua made a Covenant with the people that day and set them a Statute and an Ordinance and thus Ioshua bound them by Covenant to serve the Lord and set up a great stone under an Oak by the Sanctuary of the Lord to be a witness unto them lest they should deny God and so Ioshua sent the people away And it came to pass that Ioshua the Son of Nun the servant of the Lord died being 110 years old and they buried him in the borders of his inheritance in Mount Ephraim And Israel served the Lord all the days of Ioshua and all the days of the Elders that outlived Ioshua which had known the works of the Lord that he had done for Israel Judges NOW after the death of Ioshua the Children of Israel asked the Lord saying who shall go up for us against the Canaanites and the Lord said Iudah shall go up behold I have delivered the Land into his hands and Iudah said unto Simeon his brother come up with me that we may go fight against the Canaanites So Simeon went with him and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hands and they slew them ten thousand men as you may read in the first of Iudges throughout and likewise in the second Chapter you may see what command the Lord laid on them But Ioshua being dead and all that Generation that knew the works and wonders of the Lord being gathered to their Fathers and there arose another Generation after them that knew not the Lord nor yet the works which the Lord had done for Israel then the Children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim and they forsook the Lord God of their Fathers and served Baal and provoked the Lord to anger and it was hot against Israel as you may read the most part of Iudges After this Deborah the Prophetess judged Israel and they came up to her for judgment and Sisera came up against Israel and Deborah said unto Barak this day he is delivered into thy hands and so Barak pursued Sisera and Iâ—el slew him as you may read in the 4. and 5. Chapters of Iudges After this Gideon was called to Rule over Israel and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him Chap. 6. And the Lord made him victorious over his Enemies Chap. 7.8 And it came to pass as soon as Gideon was dead that the Children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baal-Peor their God while Abimelech the Son of Gideon ruled over them Chap. 9. And after Abimelech there arose a man of the Tribe of Issachar and he judged Israel 23 years and he died and Jephtah judged Israel Chap. 11. and 12. And there was a man of Zorah of the Family of the Danites whose name was Manoah and his Wife was barren and bare not and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto her and said unto her behold thou shalt conceive and bear a Son and this Son was Sampson and he was amongst them for several years and judged Israel twenty years Chap. 14 15 16 c. Then there was no King in Israel and the Danites sought for an inheritance and they came to Zorah and said to their Brethren arise we have seen the Land that it is good and they gathered six hundred men together appointed with Weapons of War And they took a City named Laish and called it Dan. Chap. 18. And thus the Children of Israel fell away from the Lord and the Lord was grieved and provoked with them as you may read throughout the Book of Iudges insomuch that the Tribe of Benjamin had like to have been cut off from the rest of the Tribes because of a wicked action that they wrought as you may read from Chap. 18. to the end of the Book of Judges Ruth AND it came to pass in the days when the Judges ruled Israel that there was a Famine in the Land and a certain man of Bethlehem-Iudah went to sojourn in the Country of Mâ—ab as you may read in the Book of Ruth and the name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his Wife was Naomi and the names of his two Sons was Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites of Bethlehâ—m-Iudah and they stayed in Moab and they took them Wives of the Moabites till Elimelech was dead and his two Sons and his Wife Naomi returned back to her own Country and her Daughter-in-Law Ruth would not leave her until they came to Bethlehem-Iudah as you may read in the first Chapter And Naomi had a Kinsman of her Husbands a mighty man of wealth of the Family of Elimelech whose name was Beaz and it came to pass that this Boaz took to Wife Ruth as you may read in the 2.3 and 4. Chapters of Ruth so Boaz took Ruth and she was his Wife and he went in unto her and the Lord gave her conception and she called his name Obed he is the Fathen of Iesse the Father of David of whom Christ sprang I Samuel THere was a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim of mount Ephraim and his name was Elkanah the Son of Ieroham the Son of Elihu the Son of Tohu the Son of Zuph an Ephrathite and he had two Wives the name of the one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnab and Peninnah had children but Hannah had no children and this man went up out of his City yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh and the two Sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas the Priests of the Lord were there and Hannah was in much bitterness and prayed unto the Lord in her heart but her voice was not heard and Eli reproved her but the Lord heard her and granted her petition wherefore when the time was come after Hannah had conceived that she bare a Son for the Lord remembred her and she called his name Samuel saying because I asked him of the Lord as you may read 1 Sam. 1. And she exalted and praised the Lord for his mercy as you may read Ch. 2. and Samuel ministred before the Lord being a Child girded with a Linnen Ephod according to the Order of Aaron and this Child Samuel ministred unto the Lord before
The Standard of the Lord REVEALED By which He hath led and guided and preserved his people since Adam to this day as is manifested through the Scriptures and is shewed forth in this following Abstract AS ALSO A clear manifestation by the Scriptures of the Recovering and Redeeming his Spiritual Seed and Body which is his Church out of thraldom and Captivity which day is begun Then he remembred the days of old Moses and his people saying where is he that brought them up out of the Sea with the Shepherds of his flock where is he that put his holy Spirit within them that led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm that led them through the deep as a Horse in the Wilderness that they should not stumble Isa 63.11 12 13. Neither said they where is the Lord that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt and led us through the Wilderness c. Jer. 2.6 But fear not thou O my servant Jacob and be not dismaied O Israel for behold I will save thee from the land of their Captivity and Jacob shall return and be in rest and at ease and none shall make them afraid Jer. 46.27 Isa 41.13.14 And I will bring again the Captivity of my people Israel and they shall build the waste Cities and inhabit them and they shall plant Vinyards and they shall drink of the Wine thereof and shall make Gardens and eat of the fruit thereof Amos 9.14 The Redeemer is come to Sion Jacob doth rejoice and Israel is glad Psal 53.6 Given forth at Lancaster Castle 11. month 1665 6 By M. F. a Prisoner of the Lord. Printed in the Year MDCLXVII The Epistle to the Reader Diligent Reader IF thou seriously consider that we are fallen into the last days and ages of the World in which the Lord of Heaven and Earth will come and plead with his Enemies and to recompence them according to their works Rev. 20.12 2 Cor. 5.10 Mat. 16.27 and that the terrible day of the Lord is coming with burns as an Oven and all his Enemies are before him as stubble and he will call all men high and low rich and poor to an account for their deeds done and reward every one according to their works whether they be good or whether they be bad The serious consideration of these things should put thee to a stand to search and to see how it stands between thee and the Lord. And if thou desires the knowledge of the living God and of his eternal Truth and desires to know the dealings of the Lord with his people and his seed here upon the earth since he made man and created him and gave him a being upon the earth look into this following Extract which is taken out of the Scriptures and thou mayst thereby see how the Lord hath led his seed and people from the beginning of the World until this present day As also his tender care and love that he hath exercised unto them all along as thou thy self will judge in the reading of this Treatise through which will be for thy own advantage and the building of thee up in the knowledge of the Lord and his Truth and also in the knowledge of the Scriptures which too many are and have been ignorant of and therefore have they dyed in their sins according as Christ saith if you do not believe that I am he ye shall dye in your sins Joh. 8.24 And none do believe that Jesus is Christ but who believes in his light and in his holy Spirit for that is the unction of the holy one the anointing which is the Christ which is the truth and is no lie and which leads into all truth which Christ Jesus promised he would send when he went to his Father in John 16. It is expedient for you saith he that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come he shall guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you all things that the Father hath are mine therefore I said unto you he shall take of mine and shew it unto you thou mayst read of this at large in this Chapter So this is the very life of our knowledge of the truth to mind the light of the Lord Jesus Christ which is in thy heart and his Spirit that he hath put in thy inward parts and with that eye read this following Treatise in sobriety gentleness and meekness of Spirit without partiality or prejudice and thereby thou mayst gain knowledge and understanding into the truth of God and also into the Scriptures which it may be thou didst not know before Thou mayst also read in this following Book of the Redemption and bringing back of the Captivity of the Church of Christ whose day of redemption and deliverance comes as is shewed therein by the Scriptures and so as I said before being the time is short and the Lord cometh as a thief in the night â—nd the servant knoweth not at what hour his Lord cometh Therefore Christ saith it is good for you to be ready for in such an hour as you think not of the Son of man cometh blessed is the Servant whom the Lord when he cometh findeth watching watch therefore for you know not at what hour the Lord cometh Mat. 24. so in this time and day all people had need to be found watching lest they say peace when sudden destruction cometh upon them So in love to the Souls of all people upon the whole earth is this written and that it might be of advantage to all people is the end of the writing of this following book And the Lord that hath opened and moved by the power of his holy Spirit in writing of it make it also effectual and of use and service for the salvation of the Souls of all the Readers of it M. F. Genesis IN the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Joh. 1. This is the testimony and the record of John the beloved Disciple that leaned on Jesus breast this agreeing with the first of Genesis In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was void and without form and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said let there be light and there was light 1 Joh. 5.7 So here is the record which is in heaven God the Spirit and the Word that was in the beginning with God by which all things were made and created the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and the firmament and all things that are therein and every living creature
for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judab it is also evident that after the Order of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life for being that the Priesthood is changed there must of necessity be a change of the Law Heb. 7. for he testifieth thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec which Order is not of a carnal commandment neither is this Priest a mortal man subject to fall and infirmities More might be said concerning this Melchisedec which met Abraham and blessed him but the Apostle is very laâ—ge in the demonstration of him for he saith Heb. 5.11 that he had many things to say of him hard to be uttered because they were dull of hearing After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a Vision saying Fear not Abram I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward and Abram said Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless and one that is born in mine house must be mine heir the Lord said this shall not be thine heir but one that comes out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir and the Lord said look up towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou beest able to number them and he said so shall thy seed be and Abram believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness And when Abram was 99 years old the Lord appeared unto him and said walk before me and be thou perfect and my Covenant shall be with thee and thou shalt be the Father of many Nations and thy name shall be called no more Abram but Abraham shall be thy name a Father of many Nations have I made thee and as for Sarai thy Wife thou shalt not call her name Sarai but Sarah shall her name be and I will bless her and she shall be the Mother of Nations then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart shall a child be born unto him that is 100 years old and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear and Abraham said unto God Oh that Ishmael might live before the Lord and God said Sarah thy Wife shall bear thee a Son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my Covenant with him for an everlasting Covenant and with his seed after him and as for Ishmael I have heard thee behold I have blest him but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year And according to this the Lod sent his Angels unto Abraham and Sarah to confirm unto them that at the time appointed she should bring forth a child and the Lord said unto Abraham wherefore did Sarah laugh saying shall I have a child is any thing too hard for the Lord at the time appointed will I return unto thee according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a Son so at the same time the Lord discovered unto Abraham what he intended against Sodom And the men turned their faces towards Sodom and Abraham set them on their way and the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do seeing that Abraham shall be surely great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him for I know that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord and do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him And the Lord said because of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sins are very grievous I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know and the men turned their faces from thence and went towards Sodom but Abraham stood before the Lord and drew near and prayed unto the Lord for the righteous in Sodom and the Lord heard him as you may read Gen. 18. And so the two Angels came into Lot's house and Lot received them kindly and so he and all his house were preserved the men said unto Lot hast thou any here besides thy Son-in-law and thy Sons and thy Daughters and whatever thou hast in the City bring it out for we will destroy this place because that the cry of it is waxen great before the Lord and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it So the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of Heaven from the Lord but just Lot was preserved in the little City called Zoar and was permitted to escape thither that his Soul might live he his Sons and his Daughters and all the Cities round about were destroyed all the Cities of the plain And God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow where Lot dwelt in the plain And Abraham got up early in the morning and he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and the smoke of the Country rose up as the smoke of a Furnace Gen. 19.28 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said for Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a Son in his old age and Abraham called the name of his Son that was born unto him Isaac and he circumcised him the eight day as God had commanded him and Abraham was a hundred years old when his Son Isaac was born And it came to pass after these things that God called Abrabam and said unto him take now â—hy Son thine only Son whom thou lovest and get thee into the Land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his Ass and took two of the young men with him and Isaac his Son and clave the wood for a burnt-offeâ—â—g then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off and Abraham said unto the young men abide you here with the Asses and I and the Lad will go yonder and worship and come again unto you And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it upon Isaac his Son and he took fire in his hand and a knife and they went both of them together And Isaac spake unto Abraham his Father and said my Father and he said here am I my Son and he said here is the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering and he answered my Son the Lord will provide one So they went both of them together and they came to the place which God had told him of and Abraham built an Altar and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his Son and laid him upon the wood and Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his Son and the Angel of the Lord called
shall be there and I will put a Division between my people and thy people and the Lord did so and on the morrow there came grievous swarms of Flies into the House of Pharaoh and into all the Houses of the Egyptians nevertheless Pharaohs heart was hardened again as the Lord said 6. The Lord said unto Moses go unto Pharaoh and say thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews let my people go that they may serve me if thou wilt not behold the hand of the Lord is upon thy Cattel upon thy Horses upon thy Asses upon thy Camels upon thy Oxen and upon thy Sheep there shall be a very grievous murrain And the Lord did sever between the Cattel of Israel and the Cattel of the Egyptians so that nothing did die of all the Childrens of Israel Chap. 9. 7. And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron take a handful of Ashes of the Furnace and let Moses sprinkle it towards Heaven in the sight of Pharaoh and it shall become a Boil breaking forth with Blains upon man and upon beast and Moses and Aaron did so And Boils came throughout all the Land of Egypt so that the Magitians could not stand before Moses because of the Boils but the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh that he would not hearken 8. And the Lord said unto Moses rise up early his the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me for I will at this time send all my Plagues upon thy heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou mayest know there is none like me in all the earth for now I will stretch out mine hand that I may smite thee and thy people with Pestilence and thou shalt be cut off from the earth in very deed for this very cause have I raised thee up for to shew on thee my power that my name may be declared throughout all the earth behold to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof send therefore and gather thy Cattel and those that feared the word of the Lord among Pharaohs servants sent and gathered their Cattel but those that did not regard let them abide in the fields And the Lord said unto Moses stretch forth thine hand and Moses stretched forth his hand towards Heaven and the Lord sent Thunder and Hail and the fire ran along upon the ground and the Lord rained hail upon the Land of Egypt and fire mingled with hail very grievous such as there was none like it in all the Land of Egypt since it became a Nation and the hail smote man and beast all that was in the field and every herb in the field and brake down all the trees in the field only in the Land of Goshen where the Children of Israel were there was no hail 9. And the Lord said unto Moses go unto Pharaoh for I have hardned his heart and Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh and said thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews how long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me let my people go that they may serve me else behold to morrow I will bring the Locusts in thy Coasts and they shall cover the face of the earth that one cannot be able to see the earth and they shall eat the residue of that which remaineth from the hail and they shall fill all the houses of thee and thy servants and all the Egyptians and they did so So that Pharaohs servants said how long shall this man be a snare unto us Let the men go that they may serve the Lord their God knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed So Moses stretched forth his Rod over the Land of Egypt and the Lord brought an East-wind which brought in the Locusts so that they covered the face of the whole earth and the Land was darkned and they eat every herb of the Land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left and there remained not any green thing on the trees throughout all the Land of Egypt Then Pharaoh called for Aaron and Moses in haste and he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you and now therefore forgive I pray you my sin this once and entreat the Lord your God that he may take from me this death only and Moses went and entreated the Lord and the Lord sent a strong West-wind and took away the Locusts yet the heart of Pharaoh was hardened that he would not let Israel go 10. And the Lord said unto Moses stretch forth thy hands towards Heaven that there may be darkness over the Land of Egypt even darkness that may be felt and Moses stretched forth his hands towards Heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the Land of Egypt for three days they saw not one another neither any rose from his place for three days but all the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings but the Lord yet hardened Pharaohs heart that he would not let them go and Pharaoh said unto Moses get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die and Moses said unto him thou hast said well I will see thy face no more 11. And the Lord said unto Moses I will yet bring one Plague more upon Pharaoh afterwards he will let you go hence about midnight will I go into the midst of Egypt and all the first-born in the Land of Egypt shall die from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon the Throne even to the first of the Maid-servant that is behind the Miâ—l and all the first-born of the beasts and there shall be a great cry through the Land of Egypt such as there hath been none like it neither shall be like it any more but against any of the Children of Israel shall not a Dog move his tongue that ye may know the Lord hath put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel Chap. 11. Then the Lord commanded the Children of Israel to keep the Passover and to offer a Lamb without blemish a male of the first year and to take the blood of it and strike the Posts of the Houses of the Children of Israel as you may read Chap. 12. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the Houses where you are saith the Lord and when I see the bloud I will pass over you and the Plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the Land of Egypt ver 13 And at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born of the Land of Egypt from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on the Throne to the first-born of the Captive that sat in the Dungeon and all the first-born of the Cattel And Pharaoh rose up in the night he and all his
of them and burnt them upon the Altar according to the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed who cryed the same words then said he what title is this that I see and the men of the City said it is the Sepulchre of the man of God which came from Iudah and told these things which thou hast done to the Altar of Bethel 1 Kings 13.2 then said he let him alone let none remove his bones 2 Chron. 34.35 Chap. And this King Iosiah caused the Law of the Lord to be read and when he heard the words of it he rent his Cloaths because that his fore-Fathers had forsaken the Lord and burnt incense unto Baal and he sent to Huldah the Prophetess that dwelt in the Colledge in Ierusalem to enquire of the Lord concerning the people of Iudah and she said unto them thus saith the Lord God tell the man that sent you thus saith the Lord I will bring evil upon this place and upon the Inhabitants thereof even the words of the Book which the King of Iudah hath read because they have forsaken me and burnt incense unto other Gods that they might provoke me to anger therefore my wrath is kindled against this place and shall not be quenched Chap. 22. And the King sent and gathered unto him all the Elders of Iudah and Ierusalem and read the Law before them in the house of the Lord and the King stood by a Pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord and before all his people to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments as you may read Chap. 23. In his days Pharaoh Neehoh King of Egypt went up against the King of Assyria to the River Euphrates and King Iosiah went up against him whom when Pharaoh saw he slew him at Megiddo and the people of the Land took Jehoahaz Son of Josiah and annointed him King in his Fathers stead And Iehoahaz was thirty and three years old when he began to reign and he reigned three months in Ierusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and the King of Egypt put him down at Ierusalem and made Eliakim his Brother King over Iudah and Ierusalem and turned his name to Iehojakim And Iehojakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned eleven years in Ierusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and in his days the King of Babylon came up and the Lord sent against him the Bands of the Chaldees and Bands of the Syrians and Bands of the Moabites and Bands of the Children of Ammon and sent them against Iudah to destroy it according to the word of the Lord which he spake by his Servants the Prophets surely at the Commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh according to all that he did and also for the innocent blood that he shed for he filled Ierusalem with innocent blood Chap. 24. At that time Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came up against the City of Ierusalem and he and his Servants besieged it and Iehojachim King of Iudah he and his Mother and his Princes and his Servants and his Officers went out to meet him and the King of Babylon took them and he carried out thence all the Treasures of the House of the Lord and the Treasures of the Kings House and cut in pieces all the Vessels of Gold which Solomon the King of Israel had made in the Temple of the Lord and he carried away all Ierusalem and all the Princes and the mighty men of valour even ten thousand Captives and all the Crastsmen and the Smiths and there remained none save the poorest sort of the people And he carried away Iehoiachim into Babylon and the Kings Mother Judah and Jerusalem going into Babylon and the Kings Wives and his Officers he carried away captive from Ierusalem the mighty men of the Land even seven thousand and Craftsmen and Smiths a thousand all that were strong and apt to War them the King of Babylon brought captive to Babylon and he made his Fathers Brother King of Ierusalem and he reigned seven years until he rebelled against the King of Babylon and then the King of Babylon came against him and took him and then the havock and the spoil that was made at Ierusalem you may read in the twenty firth Chapter 2 Chr. 36. And thus the sins and abominations that the Children of Israel wrought against the Lord with their Kings that reigned over them and how the Lord by his Prophets would have turned them unto himself and how he sent precept upon precept and line upon line as you may read at large in the Prophesie of Isaiah and in the Prophesie of Ieremiah and Hosea prophesied in that time in the days of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah and in the days of Ieroboam the Son of Ioash King of Israel The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea the Lord said unto Hosea go take thee a Wife of Whoredoms and the Children of Whoredoms for the Land hath committed great Whoredoms departing from the Lord. So he went and took Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim which conceived and bare a Son and the Lord said unto him call his name Iezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Iezreel upon the House of Iehu and it shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Iezreel Hos 1. to 5. my people ask Counsel at their stocks and their staff declareth unto them for the spirit of Whoredoms have caused them to erre and they have gone a whoring from under their God they have dealt treacherously against the Lord the Princes of Iudah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will pour out my sury upon them like water saith the Lord Hos Chap. 4.5 and so on throughout that Book you may read how the Lord by his Prophet complains of their Idolatry The words of Amos who was amongst the Herdsmen which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Vzziah King of Iudah and in the daies of Ieroboam King of Israel two years before the earthquake and he said the Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the inhabitants of the Shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel Amos 1. Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O Children of Israel against the whole Family which I brought up from the Land of Egypt saying ye only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore will I punish you for your iniquities Amos 3.1 2. And the Prophet Ezekiel saith now it came to pass in the thirtieth year in the fourth month on the first day of the month as I was among the Captives that I saw the Visions of God here the Lord did not only prophesie before they went into
seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head mark that the womans seed shall bruise the Serpents head the Lord hath said it and thou shall bruise his heel Gen. 3.15 and this hath been and is fulfilled the heel of the precious seed hath been bruised ever since the day that Adam fell the Lamb hath been flain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 The descending part of the Lamb hath been bruised and slain since the world had a foundation in the heart of man for the Devil got into Evahs heart and Adams heart by his temptation when they obeyed the voice of the Serpent and disobeyed his voice that made them he told them they should be as Gods but he became the God of that world of sin and of transgression and this world is set in the hearts of all men in the fall that they cannot find the beginning or the end of the work of God Eccl. 3.11 And the God of this world hath blinded the minds of all them which believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 through the disobedience that did enter into their hearts and so their foolish hearts were darkened and he the Prince of darkness hath ruled ever since this world had a foundation in the heart of man and to this very day doth rule in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.5 6. And so that precious part of the Lamb that descending part that God hath placed in mans heart hath been and is slain in all the children of disobedience who are not risen with Christ unto righteousness and true holiness Now he that ascended saith the Apostle is the same that descended first into the nethermost parts of the earth and he that descended is the same also that ascended far above all heavens that he might sill all things Eph. 4.8.9 So there hath he suffered and been oppressed as a Cart hath been with sheaves and born the iniquities of all above 5600 years But the Lord of his infinite mercy and love reserved a remedy and redemption at that very instant who decreed and said that the precious seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head and break his power And so as it is already manifested and fulfilled the Word which the Lord spake that he should bruise his heel so as certainly and assuredly as the word of the Lord endureth for ever and that not one jot or tittle of it shall fail till all be fulfill'd so certainly will he fulfill this part also that the seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head and break his power and to this purpose hath he redoubled his promise again and again as we shall shew more fully hereafter And so Adam and Eve stood under the sentence that the Lord pronounced upon them unto woman that he would greatly multiply her sorrow in her conception and in bringing forth Children And unto Adam he said cursed is the ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all thy days so in this miserable state they continued and in this darkness transgression and disobedience Adam knew his Wife and she brought forth a Son and called his name Cain and Adam called his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living and this Cain was the fruits of the Spirit of the Devil who was a lyar and a murderer And again she bare his brother Abel and Cain was a tiller of the ground but Abel was a keeper of Sheep and in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord and Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering for the Apostle saith Heb. 11.4 by faith Abel offered unto God but unto Cain and his offering he had no respect And Cain was wroth and his countenance fell and the Lord said unto Cain why art thou wroth and why is thy countenance fallen if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sin lyeth at thy door And unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Gen. 4.7 But the Apostle saith that Abel offered a more excellent offering than Cain by which he obtained a witness that he was righteous God testifying of his guifts and by faith he being dead yet his bloud speaketh Heb. 11.4 and also Cain manifested what seed he sprang from unto which God said I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed which seed was a lyar and a murderer from the beginning and Cain talked with his brother and it came to pass that when they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 And this Cains Spirit hath remained amongst men to this very day for he slew his brother about offering unto God and the worship of God and so this Cains spirit hath been slaying and killing and persecuting ever since about Offerings and Sacrifices and Worships righteous Abel and that spirit which God accepts hath been persecuted and slain and is to this day But God will fulfill the words of Christ upon them Mat. 23.35 that upon you might come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of rightous Abel but the Lord knew when Abel was slain and he knows and sees and hath seen all the righteous blood that hath been shed since Abel and the Lord said unto Cain what hast thou done the voice of thy brothers blood hath cryed to me from the ground and now thou art cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothets blood from thy hand Gen. 4.10 11. And under this curse all Cains spirit and off spring remains a fugitive and vagabond from the Lord for Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the Land of Nod. ver 16. And Adam knew Eve his Wife again and she bare a Son and called his name Seth for God saith she hath appointed me another Son instead of Ahel whom Cain slew So here is another Son brought forth of Abel's seed which the Lord accepted and to which the promise of the Lord remained and to Seth to him also there was born a Son and he called his name Enos then began men to call upon the name of the Lord here was the right seed again which set up the worship of God as you may read in the fifth of Genesis the Generations of them that worshipped God in that day from Adam some of which the Apostle bore witness of in Heb. 11.5 By Faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death Enoch translated and was not found because God had translated him for before his translating he had this testimony that he pleased God By faith Nâ—ah being warned of God of things not seen as yet
commanded them but saved the Children alive and the more they afflicted them the more they grew and multiplied Thus you see how kindly the Lord hath dealt with the seed of his promise and Covenant and how often he hath renewed his Promises and his Blessings and Mercies unto them hereafter you may see also how he took care all along of his seed that his Promise remained upon and how he committed them afterwards to the hand of Moses whom he preserved by his power who was nursed up by Pharaohs Daughter as you may read at large in Exod. 2. And when this cruel King of Egypt died the Children of Israel sighed and groaned under their bondage and the Lord heard their cry and God heard their groaning and God remembred his Covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob and God looked upon the Children of Israel and God had respect unto them and the Lord sent his Angel unto Moses to the Mount of God even to Horeb and he appeared to him in a flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the bush burnt with fire and the bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burned And when God saw he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the bush and said Moses Moses and he said here am I and he said draw not nigh hither put off thy shoes from thy feet for the place where thou standest is holy ground Moreover he said I am the God of thy Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Task-Masters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that Land into a good Land come now therefore I will send thee unto Pharaoh that thou mayest bring my people the Children of Israel out of Egypt for I have heard their cries and seen their oppressions Here the Lord committed his seed into the hand of Moses a faithful Servant who came of Lavi both by Father and Mother which was Jacobs third Son So how Moses went unto Pharaoh with the Elders of Israel and wrought the Wonders of the Lord and his miracles before him and how Moses and Aaron brought them from under the Egyptian Bondage and the many Plagues that the Lord brought upon Pharaoh we shall shew hereafter And Moses said unto God who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh and the Lord said certainly I will be with thee and this shall be a token unto thee that when thou hast brought the people out of Egypt ye shall serve God in this Mount c. as you may read in Exod. Chap. 4.5 And thou shalt say unto Pharaph thus saith the Lord Israel is my Son even my first-born I say unto thee Let my Son go that he may serve me if thou refuse to let him go behold I will smite thy Son even thy first-born ver 23. Thus Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh saying thus saith the Lord God of Israel let my people go that they may hold a Feast unto me in the Wilderness And Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Chap. 5. So he caused the greater Tasks to be laid upon them that they should make their tale of Bricks without straw as you may read and the Lord said unto Moses Now thou shalt see what I will do unto Pharaoh And God spake unto Moses and said I am the Lord and I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Iehovah was I not known to them and have also established my Covenant with them to give them the Land of Canaan the Land of their Pilgrimage wherein they were strangers and I have also heard the groaning of the Children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I remember my Covenant wherefore say unto the Children of Israel I am the Lord and I will bring you from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great Judgments and I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you for a God and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God which bringeth you out from under the bondage of the Egyptians and I will bring you into the Land concerning the which I sware to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and I will give it to you for an heritage I am the Lord Chap. 6.8 So Moses spake to the Children of Israel as you may read to the end of the Chapter And the Lord said unto Moses see I have made thee a God unto Pharaoh and Aaron thy brother a Prophet and thou shalt speak all that I command and Aaron thy Brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of his Land and I will harden Pharaohs heart c. Chap. 7. And so the Lord wrought his 12 miracles upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians as you may read from the 7. Chapter to the 14. where Pharaoh and his Hoste were overwhelmed in the red Sea 1. The first of his wonders was Aarons Rod that became a Serpent and swallowed up all the Egyptians Serpents 2. Moses smote the Waters with his Rod and they became blood and all the Fish in the River died Chap. 7.20.21 and the Magitians did so 3. He smote all the borders with Frogs and Aaron stretched forth his hand over the Waters and Frogs came up and covered the Land of Egypt and the Egyptians did so Chap. 8.6 7. 4. And again the Lord said unto Moses stretch forth thy Rod and smite the dust of the Land that it may become Lice and Aaron did so So that the dust of the Land became Lice throughout all the Land of Egypt and the Magitians would have done so but they could not then the Magitians said unto Pharaoh this is the finger of God but Pharaohs heart was hardned that he would not hear them as the Lord had said 5. The Lord said unto Moses rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him thus saith the Lord let my people go and serve me else I will send swarms of Flies upon thee and upon thy Servants and upon thy people so that all the Houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of Flies and also the ground and I will sever in that day the Land of Goshen in the which my people dwell so that none of the swarms of Flies
servants and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not a house in which there was not one dead And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said arise and get ye forth from among my people both you and all the Children of Israel go serve the Lord as ye have said and bless me also And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people that they might send them out of the Land in haste for they said we be all dead men So the Children of Israel journied from Rameses to Succoth about six hundred thousand on foot that were men besides Children as you may read in this 12. Chapter And it came to pass at the end of 430 years even the self same day that all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt it is a night much to be observed unto the Lord for bringing them up from the Land of Egypt this is that night to the Lord to be observed by all the Children of Israel ver 42. And they went up harnessed out of the Land of Egypt And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him for the Children of Israel had strictly sworn unto him and he said God will surely visit you and ye shall carry my bones away from hence ver 18 19. And the Lord said unto Moses sanctifie unto me all the first-born whatsoever openeth the Womb of man or beast among the Children of Israel it is mine as you may read at large Chap. 13. And it came to pass when Pharaoh let the People go that God led them not through the Land of the Philistines although that was neer but God led them about through the wilderness of the Red Sea and the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak unto the Children of Israel that they turn and encamp before Pi-habiroth between Migdol and the Sea over against Baal-Zephon for Pharaoh will say of the Children of Israel they are entangled in the Land the Wilderness hath shut them in and I will harden Pharaohs heart and he shall follow after them And it was told Pharaoh that the People were fled and his heart was hardned and the hearts of his Servants and they said why have we done this that we should let the People go from serving us And the King made ready his Chariots and he took 600 chosen Charlots of all the Chariots of Egypt and made Captains over every one of them And the Lord hardned the heart of the King of Egypt and he pursued after the Children of Israel but the Lord carried them out with a high hand but the Egyptians pursued after them all the Horses and Charlots of Pharaoh and his Horsemen and his Army and overtook them encamped by the Sea and when Pharaoh drew nigh the Children of Israel lift up their eyes and behold the Egyptians marched after them and they were sore afraid and the Children of Israel cryed unto the Lord and Moses said unto them fear ye not stand stil and see the salvation of the Lord which he will shew you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day ye shall see them no more for ever the Lord shall fight for you and hold your peace And the Lord said unto Moses speak unto the Children of Israel that they go forward but lift up thy Rod and stretch forth thy hand over the Sea and divide it and the Children of Israel shall go on dry ground in the midst of the Sea and I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians and they shall follow them And the Angel of God which went before the Camp of Israel removed and went behind them and the Pillar of a cloud which went before their face stood behind them and it came between the Camp of the Egyptians and the Camp of Israel and it was a cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to the Children of Israel so that one came not neer the other all the night and Moses stretched out his hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East-wind all that night and the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon dry ground and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left 12. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them to the midst of the Sea all Pharaohs Chariots his Horses and his Horsemen and in the morning watch the Lord looked on the Host of the Egyptians through the Pillar of fire and the Cloud and troubled their Host and took off their Chariot-Wheels that they drove heavily so that the Egyptians said let us fly from the face of Israel for the Lord sighteth for them and against us and the Lord said unto Moses stretch out thy hand over the Sea that the waters may come upon the Egyptians upon their Chariots and upon their Horsemen and Moses stretched forth his hand over the Sea and the Sea returned to its strength and when the morning appeared the Egyptians fled against it and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the Sea and the waters returned and covered their Chariots and their Horsemen and all the Host of Pharaoh that came into the Sea after them there remained not so much as one of them thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hands of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the Sea shore Then sang Moses and the Children of Israel this Song unto the Lord c. Exod. 15. Thus the Lord wrought these 12 wonders upon Pharaâ—h and the Egyptians all which made them harder and harder notwithstanding they could not with hold the Israelites when the Lord would deliver them for he brought them forth with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and led them through the Wilderness where they met with many tryals and hardships it being a place not affording outward necessaries and they wanted Faith to trust in the arm and power of the Almighty which had so graciously and mercifully heard their cryes under their oppression and seen their sorrows and had delivered them out of their heavy bondage and darkness that they were in under the Egyptians and though he had shewed his mighty and wonderful works upon Pharaoh and his Host yet when they came to want what they desired they murmured exceedingly against the Lord and the Children of Israel said would to God we had dyed by the hand of the Lord in the Land of Egypt when we sat by the flesh-pots and when we did eat bread to the full for ye have brought us forth into this Wilderness to kill this whole Assembly with hunger then the Lord rained Manna from Heaven And it grieved the Lord that they murmured against him and the Lord said I have heard your murmurings at even ye shall eat flesh and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God Exod. 16.12
Eli the Priest And the word of the Lord was precious in those days for there was no open vision in those days and when the Lord called unto Samuel he answered and went unto Eli and Eli sent him back again and the Lord called again and Samuel went to Eli again and said here am I for thou didst call and Eli said I called not my Son lie down again Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him And the Lord called Samuel again and he went to Eli the third time and Eli perceived the Lord had called the child Eli said unto Samuel go lie down and if the Lord call thee thou shalt say speak Lord for thy servant heareth so Samuel went and lay down in his place and the Lord came and stood and called as at other times Samuel Samuel then Samuel answered speak for thy servant heareth and the Lord said to Samuel behold I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth shall tingle and this word was against Eli and his house as you may read in the 3. Chapter Eli called Samuel and 〈◊〉 what is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee I pray thâ—â— hide it not from me and Samuel told him every whit and aâ—â— Israel even from Dan unto Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a Prophet of the Lord. And when Samuel grew old he made his Sons Judges over Israel and before that he judged and ruled over Israel for the Lord was with him but the Elders of Israel were not pleased with Samuels Sons to judge over them and so they desired a King as you may read in the 8. Chapter but the thing displeased Samuel when they asked a King and Samuel prayed unto the Lord and the Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto the voice of the people in what they say for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them and according as they have dealt with me so shall they have a King and Samuel told the mind of the Lord unto the People as you may read in Chap. 8. to ver 18. Nevertheless the people refused to hear the voice of Samuel and they said nay but there shall be a King over us that we may be like all the Nations and that our King may judge us and go before us and sight our battels and Samuel rehearsed the words of the people in the ears of the Lord and the Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto their voice and make them a King Now there was a man of Benjamins Tribe whose name was Kish and he had a Son whose name was Saul a choise young man and goodly higher from the shoulders upward than any of the People as you may read in the 9. Chapter Then Samuel took a Vyal of Oyl and poured it upon his head and kissed him Chap. 10. and Samuel said unto all the people behold I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me and have made a King over you and behold now the King walketh before you and I am old and grey-headed and my Sons are with you and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day Now therefore behold the King whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired whom the Lord hath set over you if ye will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the Commandments of the Lord then shall both ye and your King all follow the Lord your God but if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord but rebel against the Commandment of the Lord then shall the hand of the Lord be against you as it was against your Fathers So this Saul ruled over Israel and judged Israel from Chap. 12. to 15. in which the Lord sent Samuel unto him that he might hearken to the voice of the words of the Lord Chap. 15. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts I remember that which Amaleck did to Israel Exod. 17.8 9 10 11. how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Now go and smite Amaleck and utterly destroy that they have and spare them not but slay both man and woman infant and suckling Camel and Ass but Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the Sheep and the Oxen and the Fatlings of the Lambs and all that was good they spared Then came the word of the Lord to Samuel saying it repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King for he is turned back from following me and hath not performed my Commandments and it grieved Samuel and he cryed to the Lord all night and Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul and Saul said unto him blessed be thou of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the Lord and Samuel said what meaneth this bleating of the Sheep and lowing of the Oxen in mine ears and Saul said the people have saved the best of the Sheep and of the Oxen to sacrifice to the Lord thy God and the rest we have utterly destroyed And Samuel said hath the Lord greater delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices than in obeying the voice of the Lord to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hacken than the fat of Rams for Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubborness is as Iniquity and Idolatry because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King and Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned 1 Sam. 15.23.24 And the Lord said unto Samuel how long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel fill thine Horn with Oyl and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me a King amongst his Sons and Samuel said how can I go if Saul hear he will kill me and the Lord said take an heifer with thee and say I am come to Sacrifice to the Lord and call Jesse to the Sacrifice and I will shew thee what thou shalt do and thou shalt annoint him whom I name unto thee c. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake and came unto Bethlehem and the Elders of the Town trembled at his coming and said comest thou peaceably and he said peaceably I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord sanctifie your selves and come to the sacrifice with me and he sanctified Jesse and his Sons and called them to the Sacrifice and Samuel looked on Jesses Sons and Jesse made seven of his Sons to pass before Samuel and Samuel said unto Jesse the Lord hath not chosen these and he said are here all thy children and he said there remaineth yet the youngest and behold he keepeth the Sheep and Samuel said unto Jesse send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither and he sent and brought him in David Now he was ruddy
Iehosaphat King of Iudah with joy to Ierusalem for that the Lord had made them to rejoice over their Enemies But after this did Iehosaphat King of Iudah join himself with Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly to make Ships to go to Tarshish then Eliezer prophesied against Iehosaphat saying because thou hast joined with Ahaziah the Lord hath broken thy Works so the Ships were not able to go to Tarshish So Iehosaphat slept with his Fathers and Iehoram reigned in his stead and Michaiah and Elisha and Eliezer were the Prophets that prophesied in his daies And Iehoram reigned eight years in Ierusalem and did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel as did the House of Ahab for the Daughter of Ahab was his Wise yet the Lord would not destroy Iudah for David his servants sake as he promised to give him alwaies a light to his Children in his days Edom revolted 2 Kings 8. 2 Chron. 21. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Iudah and caused the Inhabitants of Ierusalem to commit Fornication and compelled them thereto and there came a Writing from Elisha the Prophet saying thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father because thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iehosaphat but hast walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Iudah and Ierusalem go a whoring after Whoredoms behold with a great Plague will the Lord smite thee and thy people and thy Wives and thy Children and after the Lord smote him in his bowels that at the end of two years his bowels fell out so that he died of sore Diseases and the Inhabitants of Ierusalem made Ahaziah his youngest Son King in his stead And the Lord sent his Prophet to annoint Iehu the Son of Iehosaphat the Son of Nimshi to be King over Israel 2 Kings 9. and he arose and went into the House and poured Oyl on his head and said thus saith the Lord God of Israel I have annointed thee King over the people of the Lord and thou shalt smite the House of Ahab thy Master that I may avenge the blood of my Servants the Prophets and the blood of all the servants of the Lord at the hands of Jezebel for the whole House of Ahab shall perish and I will make the House of Ahab like the House of Jeroboam and the Dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel Twenty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign and he reigned one year in Jerusalem also he walked in the ways of Ahab for his Mother was his Counsellour to do wickedly wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord and the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to see Jehoram for when he was come he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the Son of Nimshi whom the Lord had annointed to cut off the house of Ahab as you may read in 2 Chr. 22. and they caught Ahaziah where he was hid in Samaria and when they had slain him they buried him because they said he is the Son of Jehoshaphat who sought the Lord. But Jehosheba the Daughter of King Jehoram took Joash the Son of Ahaziah and put him and his Nurse in a Bed-chamber for she was the Wife of Jehojada the Priest and he was with them hid in the House of God six years then Athaliah reigned six years and in the seventh year Jehoiadah called all the Captains of the hundreds together and the Priests and the Levites and all the Congregation together with the King in the House of God and he said unto them the Kings Son shall reign as the Lord hath said of the Sons of David 2 Chr. 23. And Joash began to reign in the seventh year of Jehu King of Israel and he was seven years old when he began to reign and he reigned over Jerusalem forty years and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord as Jehojada the Priest instructed him But Jehojada waxed old and was full of days and when he died he was 130 years old and after his death the Princes of Judah left the House of the Lord and served Idols in Groves and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah the Son of Jehojada the Priest which stood above the People and said thus saith God why trespass ye against the Commandment of the Lord and they conspired against him and stoned him with Stones at the Commandment of the King thus Joash remembred not the kindness that Jehojada had done unto him but slew his Son The Army of the Syrians came against them because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers so they executed judgment against Joash and his own servants slew him in his bed and Amaziah his Son reigned in his stead 2 Chr. 22. 2 King 9.27 In the twenty third year of Joash Jehoahaz Son of Iehu began to reign over Israel and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord 2 King 13. and followed the sins of Jeroboam and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he delivered them into the hand of the King of Syria and Jehoahaz besought the Lord and the Lord harkened unto him for he saw the oppressions of Israel because the King of Syria oppressed them and the Lord gave Israel a Saviour so they went out from under the hand of the Syrians and the Children of Israel dwelt in their Tents nevertheless they departed not from the sins of Iereboam Chap. 13.6 and Iehoahaz slept with his Fathers and Jehoash his Son reigned in his stead In the thirty seventh year of the reign of Joash King of Iudah began Iehoash Son of Iehoahaz to reign over Israel and reigned sixteen years he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and departed not from the Sins of Ieroboam who made Israel to sin and Iehoash slept with his Fathers and Ieroboam sat upon his Throne In the second year of Iehoash Son of Iehoahaz King of Israel reigned Amaziah the Son of Ioash King of Iudah he was 25 years old when he began to reign and he reigned 29 years in Ierusalem and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not like unto David nor Joash his Father When his Kingdom was confirmed in his hands he slew all his servants that had slain his Father and he sent messengers to the King of Israel that they might come up to look one another in the face He slew also of the Children of Edom in the Valley of Salt ten thousand and the King of Israel sent unto him and said thou hast indeed smitten Edom and thine heart is lifted up tarry at home but Amaziah King of Judah would not therefore Jehoash King of Israel went up and met Amaziah King of Judah and looked him in the face at Bethshemish which belongs to Iudah and Judah was put to
the worst and fled every man before Israel and the King of Israel took all the Gold and Silver and all the Vessels that were found in the House of the Lord and Jehoash King of Israel slept with his Fathers and Iereboam his Son reigned in his stead And Amaziah King of Judah lived after his death fifteen years and they made a conspiration against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish but they sent after him and slew him there and all the people of Judah took Azaziah and made him King instead of Amaziah his Father In the twenty seventh year of the reign of Jeroboam King of Israel began Azaziah alias Vzziah Son of Amaziah King of Judah to reign sixteen years old was he when he began to reign and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem and did that which was right in the sight of the Lord Chap. 15. but the high places were not removed but the people sacrificed and burnt Incense still thereon and the Lord smote Amaziah King of Judah that he was a Leper to the day of his death In the thirty eighth year of Azaziah King of Judah did Zachariah Son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat that made Israel to sin and Shallum the Son of Jabesh conspired against him and smote him and slew him and reigned in his stead This was the word of the Lord that he spoke unto Jehu saying thy Sons shall sit on the Throne of Israel to the fourth Generation and so it came to pass And Shallum the Son of Jabesh began to reign in the 39. year of Vzziah King of Judah and he reigned but one month in Samaria and Menahem the Son of Gadi went up to Samaria and slew him and reigned in his stead and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord 2 Kings 15. And in the thirty ninth year of Azaziah King of Judah began Menahem the Son of Gadi to reign and he reigned ten years in Samaria he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and slept with his Fathers and Pekahiah his Son reigned in his stead in Samaria two years and he did evil in the sight of the Lord like Jeroboam the Son of Nebat that made Israel to sin but Pekah the Son of Remaliah a Captain of his conspired against him and killed him and reigned in his stead And in the fiftieth year of Azaziah King of Judah Pekah the Son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria and reigned twenty years he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam In his days came the King of Syria and took Jion and Abel-beth-maachah and Janoah and Kedish and Hazor and Gilead and Galilee and all the Land of Naphtali and carried them captive to Syria and Hoshea Son of Elah made a Conspiracy against Peâ—ah the Son of Remaliah and smote him and slew him and reigned in his stead in the days of these Kings the Prophet Isaiah and the Prophet Hosea prophesied as you may read in Isa 1.6.7 Chap. and Hos 1. In the second year of Pekah the Son of Remaliah King of Israel began Jotham the Son of Vzziah King of Judah to reign 2 Chron. 27.1 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but the high places were not taken aways in those days did the Lord begin to send against Iudah Rezin King of Assyria 2 Kings 15.39 and Pekah the Son of Remaliah and Iotham slept with his Fathers and Ahaz his Son reigned in his stead In the seventeenth year of Pekah Son of Remaliah Ahaz the Son of Iotham King of Iudah began to reign twenty years old was he when he began to reign and he reigned sixteen years and he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord The Prophets that prophesied in these Kings days were Isaiah Hosea and Micah and how they came to war against Ahaz and Ahaz took the Silver and Gold that was found in the House of the Lord and sent it to the King of Asyria and the King of Assyria carryed the people away Captive and slew Resin and King Ahaz went to meet the King of Assyria at Damascus and made Vrijah the Priest make an Altar and offer thereon after the manner of the Assyrians as you may read in 2 Kings 16. and he turned the Kings entry from the House of the Lord for the King of Assyria 2 Chr. 28. he made his Sons pass through the fire according to the abominations of the Heathen and Ahaz slept with his Fathers In the twelfth year of Ahaz King of Iudah began Hoshea the Son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel and he reigned nine years he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord against him came Shalmaneser King of Assyria and Hoshea became his servant and the King of Assyria found a Conspiracy amongst them as you may read 2 Kings 17. They walked in the Statutes of the Heathen whom the Lord cast out and they served their Idols and they wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Iudah by all the Prophets and by all the Seers saying turn ye from your evil ways and keep my Commandments and Statutes according to all the Laws I commanded your Fathers which I sent to you by my servants the Prophets notwithstanding they would not hear but hardened their necks ver 13.14 and this did Moses prophesie of them Deut. 30.17 In the ninth year of Hoshea the King of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria for so it was that Israel had sinned against the Lord their God which brought them up from under the hand of Pharaoh and the Children of Israel did secretly that which was not right against the Lord their God they build them high places and set up Images they burnt Incense they made two Calves and made a Grove and worshipped all the Host of Heaven and served Baal and caused their Sons and their Daughters to pass through the sire and they used Divination and Inchantments and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight and there was none lest but the Tribe of Iudah only for the Children of Israel walked in all the sins of Ieroboam which he did until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he had said by his Prophets 10 Tribes carried into Captivity so Israel was carried out of their own Land unto Assyria unto this day Now in the third year of Hoshea King of Israel Hezekiah the Son of Ahaz King of Iudah began to reign and he did that which was right in the sight
of the Lord according to all that David his Father did he removed the high places and broke the Images and cut down the Groves and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent for the Children of Israel burnt incense to it He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that were before him and the Lord was with him and he prospered whithersoever he went as you may read in the 18.19 and 20 Chapters of the second of the Kings for when the Prophet Isaiah brought him tidings of their carrying into Babylon all that was in his house all that his Fathers had laid up in store and the carrying of his Sons and his Issue That they should be carryed into Babylon and that his Sons should be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon Chapter twenty Second of Chronicles 29.30.31.32 Chapters then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken and he said is it not good if peace and mercy be in my days ver 18 19. And Hezekiah slept with his Fathers and Manasseh his Son reigned in his stead Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign and he reigned fifty five years in Jerusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abominations of the Heathens 2 Chron. 33. for he built again the high places that Hezekiah his Father had cast down and reared Altars for Baal and worshipped the host of Heaven as you may read in Chap. 21. After this the Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people but they would not regard wherefore the Lord brought upon him the host of the King of Assyria which took Manasseh and bound him with Fetters and carryed him to Babylon and when he was in tribulation he prayed unto the Lord and the Lord was entreated of him and brought him again to his Kingdom in Jerusalem as you may read in the 2 Kings 21. and 2 Chron. 33. and Manasseh slept with his Fathers and Amon his Son reigned in his stead Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign and reigned two years in Jerusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord as did Manasseh his Father he sacrificed to all the Images that Manasseh had made and he humbled not himself before the Lord as Manasseh his Father did and the servants of Hamon conspired against him and slew him in his own house 2 Chron. 33. And the people of the Land made Josiah his Son King in his stead And Josiah was 8 years old when he began to reign and he reigned thirty one years in Jerusalem and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord like unto David his Father as you may read in the 22 and 23. Chapters 2 Chron. 34.35 Chapters and like unto him there was no King before him that turned unto the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to all the Law of Moses notwithstanding the Lord turned not away from the fierceness of his wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah because of all the provocations that Manâ—sseh had provoked him withall and the Lord said I will remove Judah our of my sight as I have removed Israel for the Lord had given the ten Tribes of Israel into the hands of the King of Assyria for the Children of Israel walked in the sins of Jereboam which he did they departed not from them until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight as he said by his servants the Prophets so was Israel carried away out of their own Land to Assyria so the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hands of spoilers to cast them out of his sight Chap. 18. So as the Lord out off Israel so also he cut off the City of Ierusalem which he had chosen and the House which he had said my Name shall be there Chap. 23.27 And of all these things did the Prophet Isaiah prophesie of in the days of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah the Daughter of Sion is left as a Cottage saith the Prophet in a Vineyard as a Lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers as a besieged City and in the 5. of Isaiah you may read at large what the Lord speaks there by his Prophet except the Lord had lestus a very small remnant we had been as Sodom and we had been like unto Gomorrah as you may read in the first Chapter and so throughout the Book of Isaiah And Ieremiah the Prophet the word of the Lord came to him in the days of Iosiah Son of Amon King of Iudah he prophesied of the carrying away of Ierusalem Captive as you may read Ier. 1. I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness who have forsaken me and have burnt incense unto other Gods and worshipped the works of their own hands therefore gird up thy loins and arise against this whole Land and against the Kings of Iudah against the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people thereof for I have made thee as a defenced City and as an Iron Pillar they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee The Lord said unto me in the days of Iosiah the King hast thou seen what this rebellious Israel hath done for she hath gone up upon every high Mountain and under every green Tree and there played the harlot and I said when she had done all this turn thou unto me but she returned not and her rebellious Sister Judah saw it and when I saw that by all occasions rebellious Israel had played the harlot I cast her away and gave her a Bill of divorcement yet her rebellious Sister Iudah was not afraid but went also and played the harlot so that the lightness of her Whoredoms hath defiled the Land as you may read at large in the third Chapter of the Prophesie of Ieremiah so on throughout the Book And this Iosiah put down the idolatrous Priests that burnt incense unto Baal according as the man of God did foretel 1 King 13. a Child shall be born unto the house of David Iosiah by name and upon thee shall he offer the Priests and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee viz. the Altar he put down also the horses that the Kings of Iudah had given to the Sun at the entring of the House of the Lord and the Altars that were on the top of the Chamber of Ahaz which the Kings of Iudah had made and he broke the Images in pieces and cut down the Groves Furthermore the Altar that was at Bethel and the high places made by Ieroboam the Son of Nebat and as Iosiah turned himself he spied the Graves that were in the Mount and sent and took the bones out
Captivity but even when they were in the Captivity the Lord sent his Prophets unto them as you may see hereafter The word of the Lord came expresly to Ezekiel the Priest the Son of Buzi in the Land of the Caldeans by the River Chebar and the hand of the Lord was there upon him as he was amongst the Captives Ezek. 1.3 and the Spirit entred into me and when he spake unto me and set me on my feet he said unto me Son of man I sent thee to the Children of Israel a rebellious Nation that have rebelled against me they and their Fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day for they are impudent Children and stiff necked I do send thee unto them and thou shalt say thus saith the Lord God Chap. 2. and so on as you may read throughout the Prophesie of Ezekiel And Jeremiah in his Lamentations saith how doth the City sit solitary that was full of people how is she become as a Widdow Judah is gone into Captivity because of affliction and because of her great servitude she dwelleth amongst the Heathen she findeth no rest all her Persecutors overtook her as you may read on through the Lamentation of Jeremiah Daniel the first Chap. in the third year of Jehojakim King of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon unto Jerusalem and besieged it Judah and Jerusalem in Captivity and the Lord gave Iehojakim King of Iudah into his hands with pâ—rt of the Vessels of the House of God which he carried into the Land of Shinar and he brought the Vessels into the Treasury of the House of his God ver 1.2 Now this King Nebuchadnezzar spake to the Master of the Eunuchs that he should bring certain of the Children of Israel and of the Kings seed and of the Princes now amongst these were the Children of Iudah amongst which Daniel was one as you may read Dan. 1. and so on to Chap. 9. In the first year of Darius in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by Books the number of years whereof the word of the Lord came to Ieremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the Desolations of Ierusalem Dan. 9.1.2 And so Daniel set his heart unto the Lord and prayed and he was answered in the 24. ver seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness and to seal up the Vision and the Prophesie and to annoint the most holy as you may read to the end of the Chapter and it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon that Nation saith the Lord for their iniquities And the Prophet Malachy he saith that Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath marryed the Daughter of a strange God the Lord will cut off the man that doth this for the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away for one covereth violence with his Garment therefore take heed that ye deal not treacherously saith the Lord Mal. 2. And as these holy Prophets prophesied of their going into Captivity so likewise they prophesied of their returning back again as you may read in Isaiah 45. and Ieremiah 24. and 25. Chapters Thus saith the Lord to his annointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have holden to subdue Nations before him Isa 45.1 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jghojakim Son of Iosiah King of Iudah that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon the which Ieremiah the Prophet spake unto all the People of Iudah and all the Inhabitants of Ierusalem saying this whole Land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years and it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon and that Nation saith the Lord for their iniquity and I will make the Caldeans a perpetual desolation Jer. 25.11 12. In the first year of Cyrus King of Persia that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremiah and Isaiah might be fulfilled the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus King of Persia that he made a Proclamation throughout the Kingdom and put it in writing saying thus saith Cyrus King over Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth and hath charged me to build him an House at Ierusalem which is in Iudah who is there amongst you of all his people his God be with him and let him go up to Ierusalem which is in Iudah and build the House of the Lord God of Israel for the House of God is in Ierusalem Then rose up the chief of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the House of the Lord which is in Ierusalem also Cyrus the King brought forth the Vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Ierusalem and had put them in the House of his Gods and this confirmeth the Prophesie of Isaiah who prophesied long before they went into Captivity and said to Ierusalem thou shalt be inhabited and saith to the Cities of Iudah ye shall be built that saith of Cyrus he is my Shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure even saying to Ierusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy Foundations shall be laid Isaiah 44.28 And in Ieremiah Chap. 29. thus saith the Lord that after seventy years are accomplished in Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord are thoughts of peace and not of evil ver 11 12. hear ye therefore the word of the Lord all ye of the Captivity whom I have sent from Ierusalem to Babylon turn ye again every one from his evil way and dwell in the Land that the Lord hath given you ver 28. and Ier. Chap. 31. Thus saith the Lord a voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her Children and refused to be comforted for her Children because they were not Thus saith the Lord refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy and there is hope in thine end saith the Lord that thy Children shall come again to their own border ver 15 16 17. And Amos the 4. I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as a Firebrand plucked out of the burning yet have ye not returned unto
and cryed and the people wept and the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation said would God we had died in the Land of Egypt would God that we had died in the Wilderness and wherefore hath the Lord brought us up to this Land our Wives and our Children to be a Prey were it not better for us to return into Egypt let us make us a Captain and let us return into Egypt Here you may see how they requited the Lord and how evilly they dealt with him for all his mercies and his wonders which he wrought for them and many a time did they murmur and rebel against the Lord while Moses led them through the Wilderness even forty years long was the Lord grieved with them and tempted with them till he even swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest and all along ever since you may see how ill they dealt with the Lord and continually provoked him to anger by their abominations and worshipping of other Gods insomuch that he complains by his Prophet Isaiah hear O Heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me the Oxe knows his owner c. as you may read through the first Chapter of Isaiah And again in Jer. 2. Be astonish'd O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for they have forgotten me the Fountain of living 〈…〉 and hewed And again the Apostle when he was speaking of his Kinsmen the Jews according to the flesh saith I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsâ—en according to the flesh who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.3 4 5. And in the first of John when the Disciples were seeking for Christ Jesus turned and saith unto them what seek ye they said unto him Rabbi which being interpreted Master and one of them findeth his Brother and saith unto him we have found the Messiah which being interpreted is the Christ Jesus saw Nathaniel and saith of him behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile ver 47. And Jesus himself saith to the woman of Samaria we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews the woman saith I know that when the Messâ—â—h cometh which is called Christ he will tell us all things Jesus saith unto her I am he Joh. 4.22 to the 26. ver Thus the Lord performed his faithful Covenant and promise unto Abraham and to his seed of whom according to the flesh Christ came So that you see he is a God that keepeth Covenant with his people though they broke his Commandments and his Laws and his Ordinances and his Statutes yet he fulfilled his Promises and Covenant to them concerning Christ coming in the flesh So now as the Law was given forth by Moses grace and truth cometh by Jesus Christ And so as the Children of Israel and all their Laws and the Ark of the Covenant and their Priests and their Offerings and their Sacrifices and their Sabbaths and their Temple the Apostle saith was but a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience they could not make the Priests perfect as you may read at large in the 9. and 10. Chapters of the Hebrews Therefore the Lord had a further thing in his determination and Decree in the manifesting his Son Christ Jesus in the flesh of which we shall speak more hereafter And the Apostle saith Col. 2. let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or a new Moon or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And this is that seed which the Apostle saith the promise was made unto Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which seed is Christ Gal. 3.16 And so notwithstanding that they broke their Covenant with the Lord which stood in outward performances yet the Lord performed his promise and Covenant unto Abraham which is the seed Christ which the Lord calls a new and everlasting Covenant Heb. 8.10 Jer. 31.33 For saith the Apostle it is written that Abraham had two Sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman he who was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh and he of the free-woman was by promise which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth unto Jerusalem which now is and is in â—ondage with her Children Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. These are they we have treated on all along Jerusalem according to the flesh which were the visible people that the Lord owned in their day upon the Earth which had their Laws outward written in Tables of stone their Covenant outward which was an Ark their Priests whose lips were to preserve their knowledg were outward Priests which was the Tribe of Levi their Offerings and their Sacrifices outward their Sabbath every seventh day their Temple an outward Temple buâ—lded at Jerusalem which they were all to go to worship at once a year as you may read in the Law of Moses and all these they did not perform according to the command of the Lord but broke Covenant on their parts with him So now this other seed which the Lord promised unto Abraham which all the Prophets bare witness of he changeth this first Covenant and this first Priesthood and the Law also as you may read Heb. 7. Now we saith the Apostle as Isaac was are the children of the promise for Jerusalem which now is free which is the mother of us all So then brethren we are not Children of the Bond-woman but of the free Gal. 4. So this seed Christ hath put an end to all that went before him he is the fulfilling and the substance of those that went before that were figures and types for he hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which is established upon better promises For if the first Covenant had been fruitless then should no place have been sought for the second but finding fault with the first he promised the second Heb. 8.6 7. as you may read in the most of the Prophesies of the Prophets who have not only relation to the first Covenant which we have treated on before but also to this second and New
Covenant that the Lord made with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah as you may read in Isa 42. I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light to the Gentiles ver 6. And in Isa 49. he said it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayst be my salvation to the end of the earth ver 6. And in Jer. 31. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they broke although I was an Husband unto them saith the Lord but this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and also Chap. 24. And Ezckiel 36. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your silthiness and from all your Idoâ—â— I will cleanse you a new heart will I give you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh ver 25 26. also Chap. 11. 19. This is the Covenant which God is establishing and Christ Jesus is the seed which was promised unto Abrsham Christ Jesus is the Elected seed which God hath chosen which he prophesied of by his Prophet Esaiah Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I will put my Spirit upon him and he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles this is he that is the true and right seed and with this agrees the Apostle when he was speaking of Jacob and Esau for the children being yet unhorn neither having done good nor evil but that the purpose of God according to Election might stand and again the Apostle saith Israel hath not obtained that which he secketh for but the Election hath obtained it and the rest are blinded Rom. 11. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isâ—â—c shall thy seed be called that is they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed and therefore the Apostle told them that blindness in part hath happened unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles come in and so all Israel shall be saved both of the Jews and also of the Gentiles but the Apostle tells you in another place that all are not Israel that are of Israel but there shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away â—ugodliness from Iacob this is my Covenant with them when I take away their sins Rom. 11.26 27. And the Redeemer shall come to Sion 〈◊〉 unto them that turn from transgression in Iacob saith the 〈◊〉 as for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the 〈◊〉 of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceâ— forth and for ever Isa 59.20 21. This is the seed which the Lord is gathering in this day both in Jews and Gentiles even to the ends of the Earth even such as turn away from iniquity and sin for Christ Jesus is manifest to take away sin and in him is no sin and the gathering is unto him for he is the head of his body which is his Church and the Apostle saith that the body is Christ and the seed is Christ so the head and the body is united together and of this body and Church all the holy Prophets of the Lord have prophesied of all along as you may read in the Scriptures David of whom the Lord said I have found David my Servant with my holy Oyl have I anointed him with whom my hand shall be established for ever he prophesied of the Mystery of Christ and his Church as you may read in Psal 45. and Solomon in his Song you read how largely he treated there of the Mystery of Christ and his Church and the Prophet Isaiah in the 54. Chap. saith Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing c. for thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name and the Redeemer the holy One of Israel the God of the whole Earth shall he be called as you may read in the 54. of Isaiah and Chap. 62.11 at large with many more places of Scripture Also Zachariah he prophesies of Christs coming to his Church Zach. 9.9 Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Zion shout O Daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just having Salvation lowly riding upon an Ass and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass and this was fulfilled Math. 21. as you may read there when Jesus came nigh unto Ierusalem for there was the place that this might be fulfilled in he sent his Disciples to a Village and told them they should find an Ass tyed and a Colt with her and he bad them loose them and bring them unto him and the Disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them as you may read in that Chapter Mark saith that he was tyed at the door without where two ways met Mark 11. And they brought the Colt to Jesus and cast their garments upon him and set Jesus upon him Luke saith that they were to find a Colt tyed that yet never man sat thereon and they brought him to Jesus and cast their garments upon him and set Jesus thereon Luke 19.36 And John saith and Jesus when he found a young Ass sat thereon as it is written Fear not Daughter of Sion behold thy King cometh sitting on an Asses Colt Iohn 12.14 15. And this perfectly fulfills old Iacoby Prophesie of his Son Iudah where he saith Indah is a Lions Whelp from the prey â—oy Son thou art gone up Iudah was thâ— Whelp of this â—ion which was before Abraham Ioh. 8. â—8 and this is hâ— which Iohn saw in the Rev. 6. open the Bock that was sealed this â—â—on stooped down and crouched down as an old Dion when he stooped to Iudah who shall rouze him up saith old Iacobâ— the Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor the Lâ—â—â— giver from between his feet until Sâ—ilch come and unto him 〈◊〉 the gethering of the people be bâ—inding his Foall unto the Vine and his Astes Colt unâ—o the choice Vined
Volumn of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God he taketh away the first saith the Apostle that he might establish the second he took away the first Offerings and the first Sacrisices which he delighteth not in neither had he pleasure therein and he established the second and everlasting Offering Christ Jesus who hath a body prepared to do thy will O God by the which will saith the Apostle we are sanctified through offering up the body of Iesus Christ once for all Heb. 10. to the 10. ver And this is the Offering and Sacrifice in which God is well pleased this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith the Lord hear ye him for he hath given himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blâ—mish Eph. 5.25 26 27. And so this pure Church and Body of Christ is he coming now to redeem and to bring out of Captivity as he brought his former Israel out of Captivity of which you have heard which was but a Figure of this true and pure and holy Church which hath been a long time in the Wildernesâ— as you may read in Revel 12. And for this end is Christ Jesus come a light into the world not only to the Jews but to the whole world for he came unto his own even unto his Tribe of Judah which was at Jerusalem but his own received him not but as many of them as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God not only of them but the whole world for to that end is he come that whosoever believes on him they should not perish but have everlasting life For he is come a light and hath enlightned the whole world and every man that comes into the world Joh. 1. So every one that comes into the world that turns his mind unto the light of our Lord Jesus Christ turns his mind to the elected seed which the Lord hath chosen which he hath laid in Sion for a foundation And therefore thus saith the Lord behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner-stone a sure foundation that lays judgment to the Line and righteousness to the Plummet Isaiah 28.16 And the Apostle Peter saith wherefore it is contained in the Scripture behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone elect and precious he that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore who believe he is precious but unto them who are disobedient he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of Câ—fence to them that stumble at the word 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. So this is the foundation that the Lord hath laid in Sion Christ Jesus the light he hath sown in every mans heart and this new Covenant of which we have mentioned which cannot he broken he hath written in every mans heart and who keeps in this Covenant and obeys this light and the Spirit of the Lord that is in his heart which shews him his thoughts and reproveth him for his sin who believes in this light of the Lord Jesus believes in the Elect of God chosen of God and precious to all that believes he is precious but to the disobedient a stone of stumbling So here is the difference and distinction between the holy Nation the royal Priesthood the peculiar people and the whole world those that believe and obey and follow him that is precious they become precious they that obey Christ Jesus and follow him in whom there is no sin but takes away the sins of the whole world of those that obey him all that continue and abide in him are cleansed and purged from sin and washed and made nigh by his blood but to the disobedient that hates the light to them he is a stone of stumbling to them he is a rock of Offence whereunto the Apostle saith they were appointed So this is the main substance of all that can be said Christ Jesus that is Gods everlasting Covenant not only to the Jews but also Gentiles and all people even to the ends of the earth his light hath reached and shined into every man and every womans heart and conscience that is come into the whole world so that every one that will turn to that measure of the light of our Lord Jesus Christ which they have received they turn to the Elect of God they turn to that which God hath chosen in which his Soul delighteth whether they are Barbarian or Scythian whether they are Jew or Gentile whether they are bond or free whether they are male or female if they come to the light of Christ in their heart they are all one in Christ Jesus and so by this pure and glorious shining light which shines in the hearts and consâ—â—ences of people doth the Lord redeem his Church and purge it and purifie it and gives liberty to that precious seed that hath long laid in Captivity The Lamb hath been slain from the foundation of the world which world entred into mans heart at the fall of Adam and into mans heart is Christ Jesus come a light the new Covenant and everlasting Covenant of God which he hath written in every mans heart and his spirit he hath put in the inward parts by which the Prince of the power of the air cometh to be removed by the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming will he slay that wicked one that man of sin and Son of perdition that hath sitten in the Temple of God exalted above all that is called God Now is the Judgment of this world how shall the Prince of this world be cast out and if I be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all men unto me saith Christ John 12.31 32. chap. 8.28.35 So Jesus having tasted death for every man Heb. 2. the vertue of his death hath reached unto every man so that every man hath partaken of that infinite mercy and bounty for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell whose fulness of grace and mercy hath reached unto all men and women for saith the Apostle he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 Jesus cryed and said he that believeth on me believeth not on me only but on him that sent me and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness and if any hear my word and believe not I judge him not for I am come not to judge the world but to save the world Joh. 12. this was the end for which the Father sent his Son into the world God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Sor into the world that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world 〈◊〉 that was not his end in sending of him but that the world through him might be saved God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself Jeh 3.16 17. 2 Cor. 5.19 So that here is free love and fâ—â—e geace and free mercy that every one that thirsteth may come freely and buy Wine and milk without money and without price without any respect of persons all may come every one that thirsteâ—â— may come he said unto the Jews ye sold your selves for â—ought but ye shall be redeemed without money tuâ—â— again turn again thou backâ—â—iding Israel but here is the sum of all he that believeth on hun is not condemned whoshaver he be but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God and this also is without respect of any person and oh in thing Chapter of Iohn and with the light of Christ Jesus in thee thou mayst search thy heart and see how thou stands unto the Lord God And so this is the main and only truth that we have to hold forth to the whole world as also all the Scriptures bear witness to the same wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and death hath passed over all men for all have sinned for until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law while there was no Law to transgress against sin could not be so easily known among them before Moses had the Law given unto him who had directions from the Lord in Mount Sinai what they should do and how they should walk before the Lord Nevertheless death reigned over them from Adam until Moses and over them that had not sinned according to Adams transgression that is to say had not broken any express command of the Lord but was the right seed in the Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. Wherefore the Apostle saith the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ for there is neither Jew nor Greek neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise now the heir so long as he is a child is under Tutors and Governours and differs nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all so even we who are of the precious seed while we are Children are in bondage under the Elements of the world but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem the seed that was under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father wherefore thou art no more a servant but a Son then an heir of God through Christ So by this Spirit of his Son which he hath sent into the Hearts of his people by this doth he gather this is the ensign that is set up for the gathering of all Nations this is the Shiloh that is come and the gathering is unto him Isa 11. to the â—nd of the Chapter and by this doth he gather his elect from the â—ourâ— winds of the Heavens and from the four corners of the earth and by this doth he redeem Sion through Judgment our of every Kindred Nation Tongue and People and by this will the Lord sift the Nations as with a sive and purge the chaff from the wheat and gather the wheat into his Garner And all they that do not obey the light and spirit which he hath sent into their hearts by this will he judge the whole world in righteousness because the whole world had received a measure of this light and spirit for as the Apostle saith What shall we say is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speak as a man God forbid for then how should he judge the world in righteousness but that his truth hath abounded so far and his mercy and his love hath reached to the whole world for at the times of Ignorance God winked but now he commandeth all men every where to repentâ— for this is the day wherein he judges the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ by the light of his glorious Gospel and this is the day which he hath appointed in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17.31 For the love of Christ saith the Apostle constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again So by his Resurrection he judgeth all those that live to themselves and not unto him that dyed for them and rose again So also by his Resurrection he judgeth all those that live unto themselves This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin he that hateth me hateth my Father also Joh. 5.21 for as the Father raiseth up the dead even so the Son quickeneth whomsoever he will for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that sent him Verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Verily I say unto you that the hour is coming and now is that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of Man John 15. from the 15. to the 28. Here Christ Jesus hath spoken himself the very sum and substance of truth and there is not another Now this is the same Christ as was promised of the Father to Abraham and this is the same Christ whereof all the Prophets bore witness and he is the same way the truth and the life and there is none comes to the Father but by him as he himself saith Joh. 14. And there is no other way nor name under Heaven by which any man can be saved the Apostle
saith but by Jesus Christ and he is the foundation of all the Prophets and all the Apostles The Church of Christ upon the earth in the Apostles days when he spoke by them by his Spirit and poured it upon them in the power of his Resurrection and the corner-stone that upholds all the building of his Church he is the Lion of Judah's Tribe and Davids Root Rev. 5. and he only was found worthy to open that Book which John saw written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals and his Spirit and Power is the same as all the Apostles were redeemed by and this same Spirit was poured upon the Apostles and they were endowed and enriched with it and lived in it and obeyed it according to its motion and working and operation and said another foundation could no man lay than that which is already laid but let every one take heed how he builds thereupon So this is the main care that every one is to take to take heed how they build upon this true foundation for every ones work must be tryed by the fire and he whose work is burned suffers loss for there will nothing abide but that which will dwell in the fire for God is a consuming fire and his Spirit burns up the chaff but gathers up the wheat So who abides in the fellowship and in the unity of this eternal Spirit they abide in Gods Elect which he hath chosen and they abide in that which joyns to the Lord where the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin and here is the Mystery of the fellowship and here is the unity of the precious faith which is held in a pure Conscience and who abides here will grow up to a perfect man and these will sight the good sight of faith and contend for it and for them there will be laid up a Crown of righteousness for they that abide and continue to the end in the faith of Gods Elect they will obtain the price of the mark of the high calling but contrariwise they that fall away and shrink back and set up a feigned and a false deceitful Spirit and in that professeth the truth and appears outwardly like other Saints but when the time of tryal comes then they fall flat and draws back from the good word of God from the light and spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ which is the Elect of God where all the Saints in light meet together and joyn and unite and knit together in the unity of the Spirit of life and is baptized by one Spirit into one body and all drinks into one Spirit Let all such as draw from this and deserts from this read their portion in the 10. of the Hebrews and they shall be sure of it for the Lord is not slack concerning his coming neither will alter the word that is gone out of his mouth And all who are not of the right seed and spirit and life which is in Christ Jesus all such will be judged by him and condemned by him for if those that despised Moses Law dyed under the hand of two or three witnesses how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall they be thought worthy of who have trodden under foot and counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despight to the Spirit of Grace but vengeance belongeth unto me saith the Lord and I will recompense But in the Apostles days there were many false Christs and false spirits which he saw were entering into the Church so that he feared that which came to pass for darkness and Apostacy came over all and the Church of Christ that was then amongst the Saints in the Apostles days went into the Wilderness as John saw in the Revelations and of this the Apostles foretold before it came as it is Acts 20. where he saith Now behold I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdom of God shall see my face no more wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of Christ which he hath purchased with his own blood The Apostle prophesies of the Church going into the Wilderness for I know this that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them This is that Spirit which ever did betray and oppose the truth which was sound among them that professed Christ as Judas was found amongst the twelve for the Apostle saith such are false Apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ and the Apostle complains of the perils he went through among false Brethren as you may read 2 Cor. 11.2 Pet. 2.1 also Christ prophesied of false Christs coming in his name Mat. 24. and this Spirit is contrary to the right and true seed of God as the Apostle testifies 1 Joh. 3. whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God in this are the Children of God manifest and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother for this is the message that ye heard from the beginning that ye love one another not as Cain who was of that wicked one and slow his Brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous ver 9.10 11 12. But the Apostle saith Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some should depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and speaking lies in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.1 and of these times did Christ himself foretel in Mat. 24.25 chap. as you may read at large when the Disciples were shewing him the goodly buildings of the Temple and he told them that one stone should not be left upon another but all should be thrown down and as he sat upon the Mount of Oliâ—es the Disciples came unto him privately saying tell us when shall these things be or what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world and Iesus answered and rehearsed unto them as you may read at large in those Chapters which had relation to this night of Apostacy which was coming on and he told them that false Christs and false Prophets should arise and he tells them that immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkened and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken ver
all the works of his hands and gave him dominion and power over them and here is the glory of the first man and the glory of the first body the visible glory of the Creation all things that God had made in the Heaven and in the Earth and when he looked upon them behold they were very good Adam was crowned with the glory of them all and had the Dominion over them but this Dominion he lost and this glory he stained through his disobedience and transgression and so fell and became servant and in a state of servitude and not only so but painful and miserable with a sentence upon him that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread So after this as hath been shewed the Lord of his infinite mercy confirmed his eternal love and Election of Grace in his promise unto his seed and Covenant unto Abraham that of him he would bring forth a seed in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed which he hath faithfully and perfectly performed as hath been shewed And so he chose a people from amongst all the families of the earth that he did owne for himself as you may read Deut. 7.6 which he knew and had regard and love unto above all the families of the earth as hath been shewed and manifested Yet according as Adam did there rebell and transgress against him though he had a continual care and an eye over them and a continual regard unto them and watched over them by his holy Angels as you may read in the Scriptures for man was at that time lower than the Angels The Lord spake unto Abraham and Sarah by Angels and unto Jacob and the Lord spake unto Moses by his Angel Exod. 3.2 and Acts 7.3 where Stephen saith And God sent Moses to be a Ruler and a Deliverer by the hand of the Angel which appeared to him in the Bush God also sent his Ange unto David after he had numbred the people as you may read 1 Chron. 21. God sent an Angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it and when David â—ift up his eyes and saw the Angel of the Lord stand between the Earth and the Heaven having a drawn sword in his hand stretched over Jerusalem then David and the Elders of Israel humbled themselves as you may read after then the Lord commanded the Angel and he put up his sword into its sheath The Angel also was sent unto Zacharias and Elisabeth before the Birth of John and unto Mary before the Birth of Christ as you know and the Angel came unto the Shepherds after the Birth of Christ Luke 2.9 And the Angels came and ministred unto him Math. 4.11 So the revelation of Jesus Christ was signified by his Angel Rev. 1. with many more that might be brought Cornelius was warned of God by an Angel Acts 10. and Stephen when he was bearing his testimony before the High-Priest when he said Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted and slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just one of whom ye have been betrayers and murtherers who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it Acts 7.53 and Gal. 3.19 The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator So the Prophets and such as the Lord made Overseers and Leaders of his people the Lord spoke to them by his Angels and the Law they received by the Angels but as the Apostle saith in the fulness of time God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.3 for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us read on in Rom. 8. So they that walk after the Spirit they are those that fulfill the righteousness of the Law for the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus makes free from the Law of sin and death and this renews into the right and into the perfect Image which is not lower than the Angels but into the Image of the Son unto which all the Angels are subject according to the Apostles words Heb. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins for that was the work he was to do when as the Apostle saith he became lower than the Angels for the suffering of death and so took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and there he hath tasted death for every man that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to Bondage and when he had finished this work he is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by an inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they for to which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again when he bringeth in his first begotten into the world he said Let all the Angels worship him and to his Angels he saith Who hath made his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire but unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom And so on So here you may see as the first man was made a little lower than the Angels so the second man the Lord from Heaven the quickening spirit is made higher than the Angels the brightness of the Fathers glory and his express image And so this is the seed and body and image which the Lord God is raising and restoring and preparing to do his will which far exceeds the glory of the first body for the glory of the first body was a visible glory but the glory of the second man the second body is an invisible glory and known and seen by the invisible eye and manifested by the invisible power and spirit of our Lord Jesus in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins who is the image of the invisible God and the first born of every creature by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for
Caldees to go into the Land of Canaan Gen. 11.31 And the Lord said unto Abram get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house into a Land that I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him and Abram took Sarai his Wife and Lot his Brother's Son and all their substance that they had gathered and the Souls that they had got in Haran and they went forth to go into the Land of Canaan and into the Land of Canaan they came and Abram passed through the Land to Scchem unto the plain of Morch and the Canaanite was then in the Land this Canaanite was of Ham's stock and seed which afterward the Lord drove out to bring in his own seed of his Promise And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said unto thy feed will I give this Land and there Abram built an Altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him there in the Land though the Canaâ—nite was there and Abram removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his Tent and there he builded an Altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. And so journied towards the South and there was a grievous Famine in the Land and Abram and his Wife and Lot went down into Egypt to sojourn there because the Famine was great and there they stayed in Egypt till they were grown very rich in Cattel in Silver and in Gold And Abram came back again out of Egypt and his Wife and Lot and all that they had and he went on his journey from the South even to Bethel unto the place where his Tent had been in the beginning and unto the place of the Altar which he had made there at first there Abram called on the name of the Lord even in the Land which the Lord had given unto him he came back unto it from Egypt he and his Wife and Lot and all their substance and Cattel but their Servants and Herdsmen could not agree and Abram desired that there might be peace betwixt Lâ—â— and him because they were brethren and Abram said the whole Land is before thee separate thy self from me and take the one hand and I will take the other and Lot chose the plain of Jordan because it was well watâ—red and as the Garden of the Lord and Abram dwelt in the Land of Canaan and Lot dwelt in the Cities of the plain and pitched his Tents towards Sodom but the men of Sodom were wicked and sinned before the Lord exceedingly for they were of Ham's stock and of that cursed seed for he was the Father of Canaan and the Lord said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him list up now thine eâ—es and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the Land which thou seest to the will I give and to thy seed for ever and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth so that if thou canst number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed be numbred Abram removed his Tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is in Hebron and builded there an Altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord Then there was a great battel fought about Sodom and Comorrah four Kings against five made War and they took Lot Abraham's brothers Son a Prisoner and all his goods And when Abram heard they had taken his Brother's Son captive he armed his servants that were born in his house and pursued them unto Dan and pursued them unto Hobah and he brought back all the Goods and he also brought again his brother Lot And when Abram returned back from the slauther of the Kings Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and Wine and he was the Priest of the most high God and he blessed him and said blessed be Abram of the most high God possessor of Heaven and earth and blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand and Abram gave him Tyths of all Now the Scripture saith that Christ the everlasting high Priest is after the Order of Melchisedec Psal 110.4 David saith the Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec and the Apostle saith Heb. 6.20 whither the forerunner is entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec this cannot be of mortal man nor according to mans Order that Christ Jesus is made a Priest after the Apostle saith this Melchisedec King of Salem Priest of the most high God who met Abram returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom Abraham also gave a tenth part of all The Apostle gives the signification of his name first being by interpretation King of Righteousness after that King of Salem which is King of peace without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually This is the interpretation the Apostle gives of him now consider saith the Apostle how great he is unto whom the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth Now they that are of the Sons of Levi who receive the Office of Priesthood have a commandment to take Tythes according to the Law but he whose descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promise and without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better for if he had not been above Abraham he could not have blessed him for here men that die saith the Apostle receive Tythes but there he received them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth Heb. 7.8 What will it advantage the Priests of this age when they cannot prove by the Levetical Law Tythes to be lawful in these days because they profess themselves to be Ministers of the Gospel and their Order should be Gospel-Order and they bring Melchisedec that he took Tythes and they bring Abraham who is the seed that God hath blessed that had the promises of God unto him that paid them and they themselves are mortal sinful men that takes the Tythes and people that are loaden with sin and iniquity pays the Tythes what example have these from Melchisedec's Order after whose Order Christ Jesus the everlasting high Priest is made for Levi that took Tythes paid Tythes in Abraham unto Melchisedec for he was in the loins of his Father when Abraham met him if there were perfection in the Levitical Priesthood which is after the Order of Aaron what needed there another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec