he did deliver them although he had said he would deliver them no more as you may read in the 32. and 33. verse of the 12. Chapter And thus for want of knowledge not ignorance in the Scriptures you may see how the eyes of your understanding are darkened so as you cannot see as it were at noon day Moreover take notice that the same Prophet Hosea whom you would if you could have proved your matter namely that Israel shall not return again fully proveth what I have affirmed as you may read in his Prophecy in these words Hos 13.9 ch 14.1 2 3 4 5 6. O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help O Israel return to the Lord thy God for thou hast faln by thine iniquities I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him I will be as the Jew to Israel he shall grow as the lillie and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon From whence we may see that the very same Prophet doth prophecy of Gods love to Israel and their prosperous estate after their return although you say he will love them no more But whether we may believe you or the Prophet I leave the Reader to judge because your speech is opposite one to another and so passe to the second thing which is to prove that the Lord is so far from retaining wrath and hating Israel for ever that he loveth them with an everlasting love viz. that people that came from the loins of Abraham Isaac and Jacob as will appear from the words of the Prophet Jeremiah saying The Lord hath appeared unto me of old Jer 31.3 4. saying Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness will I draw thee again I will build thee and thou shalt be built O Virgin of Israel thou shalt again be adorned with thy Taâ—rets and go forth in the dance of them that make merry c. Thus we see the Lords love to Israel proved to be everlasting so that what you say is found lighter than vanity And I so shall pasle to the third thing which is that Israel shall return out of their captivity into their own Land and also shall answer your grand Objection or beat down your strong hold cited by you Ezek. 16.55 in these words When thy sister Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former Page 30. estate and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate which is supposed not to be But first to prove that Israel shall return into their own land as aforesaid and that you may see it clear see what is spoken by the moâ—â—hes of the holy Prophets Jer. 33.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. saying I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return and I will build them as at the first I wil cleanse them of all their iniquitiâ—â— and thus saith the Lord again there shall be heard in this place which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beâ—st even in the Cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalâ—m which are desolate the voice of joy and the voice of gladnesss the voice of the BRIDEGROOM and the voice of the BRIDE the voice of them that shall say praise ye the Lord of host for the Lord is good for his mercy endureth for ever and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise unto the house of the Lord for I will cause to return the captives of the Land as at the first saith the Lord Behold the day cometh saith the Lord that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of ISRAEL and to house of JVDAH in those daies and at that time will I cause the BRANCHES OF RIGHTEOVSNES to grow up unto DAVID and he shall EXECVTE JVDGEMENT AND RIGHTEOVSNES in the Land in those dayes shall JVDAH be saved and JERVSALEM There is a glorious return of Israel to their own Land proved at large from those Scriptures with several oâ—kers which are also mentioned dwell safely and this is his Name by which he shall be called the LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNES for this saith the LORD DAVID shall never want A MAN to sit upon the THRONE of the HOVSE OF ISRAEL moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying Considerest thou not what this people have spoken saying the two FAMILIES which the LORD hath CHOSEN he hath even cast them off thus they have despised my people that they should be no more a Nation before me thus saith the Lord if my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of heaven and earth then will I cast away the seed of Jacob for I will cause them to return and have mercy upon them And that this respects the last return is very plain First because it speaks of both Families returning namely Israel meaning the ten Tribes and Judah meaning the Zionnites or the daughters of Zion And secondly because it speaks of Christ executing judgement in the Land as doth appear from the word the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNES and that the place is mean Jerusalem in the letter Jer. 3 25 is plain from the thirteenth verse of the three and twentieth Chapâ—er of Jeremiah which saith That the places about Jerusalem and in the Cities of Judah shâ—ll the flocks passe again and at that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the LORD and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it to the name of the LORD to JERVSALEM neither shall they walk any more after the imigâ—nation of their evill hearts the which yet now they do mark that in those daies the house of Iudah shall walk with the house of Israel but yet they have not mark that and they shall come together out of the Land of the north to the Land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers Ezek. 37 21. and I will make them a Nation in the Land upon the mountains of Israel and one King shall be unto them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they divide into two Kingdomes any more at all neither shall they defile themselves with their Idols any more at all and David viz. Christ my Servant shall be King over them according to the words of the Angel to Mary which saith For he shall be great and be called the Son of the most highest Luke 1.31 38 and the Lord God shall give unto HIM THE THRONE of his FATHER DAVID and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall be no end for behold in those daies and in that time will I bring the captives of Judah and Jerusalem
for the Mâ—untains shall depart and the Hâ—llâ— be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart 〈…〉 â—hee neither shall the Covenant 〈◊〉 Jer 〈◊〉 22 23 24 2â— peace be removed saith the Lord that hath me cyon th 〈◊〉 turn again O Virgin Israel turn again 〈…〉 Corts and I will cause the Captivity of 〈…〉 Captivity of Israel to return and I will build them 〈…〉 first Jer◠〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 set mine eyes upon them for good and will 〈◊〉 theâ— again to this Land and I 〈…〉 do 〈◊〉 and I will plant then 〈…〉 nor throw them doâ—nany 〈…〉 〈…〉 of Israel ye shall shoot 〈…〉 your fruit to say people Israel 〈…〉 For behold I am for 〈…〉 be alled and sown 〈…〉 the jouse of Isreal 〈…〉 be inhibited and the 〈…〉 upon you man 〈…〉 and bring fruit and I will 〈…〉 and I will do better unto you than at your beginning and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Thus faith the Lord of Hosts in those dayes it shall come to passe Zach. 8.22 23 that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the Nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you And it shall come to passe in the last daies Isa 2.2 3 4 5 that the Mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the monntains and many people shall go and say come ye and let us go up to the Mountian of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob Mich. 4.1 2 3 4. and he will teach us of his wayes for the Law shall go forth of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem For Zions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake will I not rest untill the righteousnesse thereof go forth as brightnesse and the salvation as a lamp that burneth Is 62.1 2 3 4 The Gentiles shall see thy righteousnesse and all Kings thy glory and thou shalt be called a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God Thou shalt be no more termed forsaken Isa 51.3 neither shall thy Land be termed desolate any more but thou shalt be called Hephzibah and thy Land Beulah Isa 35.10 Chap. 51.11 for the Lord delighteth in thee For the Lord will comfort Zion and he will comfort all her wast places and he will make her wildernesse like Eden and her desâ—rt like the garden of the Lord joy and gladnesse shall be found therein thanksgiving and the voice of melody For the Ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads They shall obtain joy and gladdesse and sighing and sorrow shall flee away Zeph. 3.19 For he will gather them out of all places where they have been driven and get them fame in every place where they have been put to shame and for their shame they shall have double and for their confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion Isa 61.7 For in their Land double everlasting joy shall be upon them and they shall be put into a place of their own and move no more neither shall the wicked afflict them as aforetime But the sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet and shall call thee the City of the Lord the Zion of the holy one of Israel Isa 60.14 Ver. 18 21. Violence shall no more be heard in thy Land wasting nor destruction within thy borders but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise thy people also shall be all righteous they shall inherit the Land for ever and thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a peaceable habitation Isa 66.10 11 12 13. rejoyce you with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoice for joy with her all ye that mourn for her that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breast of her consolation that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory for thus saith the Lord behold I will extend peace to her like a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream then shall ye suck ye shall be born upon her sides and dandled upon her knees as one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you Chap. 65.18 Isa 30.19 and you shall be comforted in Ierusalem For behold I create Ierusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy for the people shall dwell in Zion at Ierusalem thou shalt weep no more He will be very gratious to thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee Psal 102.13 14 15 16. For the Lord shall arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come so the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory When the Lord shall build up Zion Ver. 21 22. he shall appear in his glory when the people are gathered together and the Kingdomes to serve the Lord to declare the name of the Lord in Zion and his praises in Ierusalem Look upon Zion the City of our solemnity thine eyes shall see Ierusalem a peaceable habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down Isa 33.20 21 22 24. But there the glorious Lord will be to them a place of broad rivers And the inhabitants shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquities the Lord hath sworn by his right hand and by the arm of his strength surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies and the sons of strangers shall no more drink thy wine for which thou hast laboured but they that have gathered it shall eat it and praise the Lord and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the Courts of my holinesse Isa 62.8 9 10 11 12. Go through go through the gates prepare ye the way of the Lord cast up cast up the high-way gather out the stones lift up a standard for the people Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world say ye to the daughter of Zion behold thy salvation cometh behold his reward is with him and his work before him And they shall call them the holy people Ezek. 34.12 13 28. the redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be called sought out a City not forsaken As the Shepheard seeketh out his flock in the day when he is amongst his sheep that are scattered so will I seek out my sheep and deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day and I
simply in it self as a hand-maid as I may say to a Minister but I ever spake against it so as to deny it to be the efficient or suparlative cause of a Minister and do say that Christ ascending up on high and leading captivity captive and giving gifts to men is that which makes a Minister although learning may not be denyed to be a useful hand-maid neither may such be denyed to be Ministers whom Christ hath gifted to preach the Gospel to edification exhortation and comfort although they be altogether ignorant of that humane edification of Oxford and Cambridge and let me tell you without offence that I know none more ignorant in the mysteries of the Gospel than those of your stamp for the greatest part of them but I suppose the reason is because they ascribe preheminence to that which should be subordinate Finally Sir this is my advice to you and despise it not be more frequent in reading the Scriptures and compare them together trust not too much to this or the other mans opinion for if they were zealous yet they lived but as it were in the twilight and know that near the time of the end 1. 12.14 * men are to run to and fro and knowledge to encrease Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord and that you may partake of the benefit of an understanding heart search after it as for hidden treasure and then shall ye finde it and have the closet of your heart filled with all precious and pleasant riches the which is the desire of him that desireth the welfare of your soul and all mens who am your and their servant for Christs sake George Hammon The Epistle to the Reader CHristian Brethren and friends and to whom soever feareth the Lord and especially you the Inhabitants of Sutton-valence and Boughton Munchalse and Maidstone together with the places there abouts the Authors desire is that grace and peace might be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ My dear friends the knowledge of the truth is of such great worth that it calls for our earnest endeavour after it to seek it and not silver and to search after it rather than fine gold and therefore for thy further understanding in the mysteries of God I have added this small pains of mine contained in the following Treatise in bringing to a publick view such objections as stand like a cloud to ecclipse or hinder the light of Christs doctrine from shining into the understandings of the sons of men and have answered them although I should have been more at large upon it if time would have given leave in reference to other occasions that daily called me from it when it was in hand the which also was the cause that it was brought to a publick view no sooner and therefore excuse its long absence I pray you and now my desire is that thou wouldst read it diligently and weigh what is written with an unbyassed affection and in so doing thou mayest come to see those things that happily thou hast not yet seen and know those things that yet now thou hast not known for how ready have we been to receive mens doctrine without tryall especially when they have had a name to be great learned men never considering the words of the Lord which saith Not many wise or learned men hath he chosen to reveal his hidden wisdome to but hath hid it from them and revealed it to Babes and sucklings and was it not Gods way to chuse Heardsmen to be his Prophets and Fishermen to be his Apostles and in a word such as were accounted ignorant men such as knew little of the law even such God did chuse to reveal his Son in that none might glory in men therefore take heed of being deceived upon such account but now prove thy self to be like the men of Berea the which were more noble than the men of Thessalonica because they searched the Scriptures to see whether those things that was preached to them were truth yea or nay therefore be exhorted for the time to come to give all diligence in cases of weight to try it by the Scriptures and seek to the Lord to give thee understanding therein and then doubtless thou shalt do well I have opened the ninth Chapter to the Romans and when thou readest it consider that it is a discourse touching the house of Israel that God was just in casting them off for their sins although they were the seed of Abraham shewing that Israel was also of Abrahams lines and Esau of the lines of Isaac and yet for their wickedness were rejected and also Pharaoh that hardened himself against the Lord and his people as Israel did the Lord chose his delusion by giving him up to hardness of heart to make his Name known throughout all the earth that all men might take warning by him And as to that which is spoken concerning the return of the house of Israel and the house of Judah out of their captivity and the Reign of Christ in Jerusalem I desire thee to weigh seriously because if thou understand it aright it will help thee much in the understanding of all the Scriptures in a great measure as Daniel Zachary and the Book of the Revelations when others will be found to turn the Scriptures into allegories not knowing what they say nor whereof they do affirm being never able to keep the Scriptures in a harmony it will also strengthen thee to stand fast in these times when the mystery of iniquity is geting up apace where there is no other Mount Zion taught up as Christs seat but what is in us and ere long in giving heed thereunto we shall not think our selves onely Mount Zion viz. Christs seat but will also think that we are the Christ to wit God manifest in our flesh for the mother of Harlots and her daughters viz. Rome and the rest of the Nations which have been upon her sides and suck of her breast have taught up such a kind of doctrine as a spiritual Reign of Christ to be understood in such Scriptures as speak of Christs Reign on earth the which is as a footing for the mystery of iniquity to work but thanks be given to our good God that hath given some to understand the mystery of the kingdome who will travel to bring forth the man child as I comparatively may say that shall rule all Nations with a rod of iron namely Christ upon his holy hill of Zion therefore read the Prophets diligently the which I have cited thou mayest also at thy leasure peruse Esdras which I have not cited in my discourse because some doubt whether it be Canonicall yea or nay the which I shall not trouble my self to prove it holy writ because there be Prophets enough that prove the same thing besides Esdras although he speak very fully to it as in many Chapters
read the 14. Chapter and there you shall see he discovereth where the ten Tribes are and shall remain till the Lord shall dry up the River Euphrates and then shall be brought to Zion and Christ shall be their King and indeed the great reason why the Jews did not believe in Christ was because they understood not that he should come twice on earth first to suffer then to reign but at his first coming they supposed that he would restore all things and reign as King neither will they believe till they see him come in that manner in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory then shall they say lo this is our God we have waited for him and so I shall cease at present desiring thee also to be waiting for Christ that thou mayest be found worthy of the Kingdome and sit down therein with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the which is the desire of thy friend G. H. Curteous Reader I desire thee to mend some places in thy reading It being not so proper sense as the Authors desire is it should be by reason he could not be at the Presse to take a surveigh of it him self it also being sent up to the Presse at sevrral times in several parcels the which doub less exused some mistake but I have noted the most past in the Errata in the last page of the Book there is a mistake in the pages by marking of them twice with 55. therefore if I note any thing to be found in 55. If thou find it not there remember that 55. is in two places and in one of them thou shalt find it this I thought good to give thee to understand The Contents of the principal Matters contained in this Book A ARguments given to prove Sprinkling not to be Gods way in Baptism page 16 17 18. Adam proved to be dead in Gods account the same day that he sinned p. 44. Arguments given to prove that Infants ought not to be baptised page 36 37 38. A confutation of that which hath been said to my Argument about Original Sin from page 89. to page 96. Antiochus Epiphanes proved not to be the little Horn spoken of by Daniel in his 7th Chapter page 126. 127. B Baptism came not in the room or place of Circumcision page 14. 15. The Beast and false Prophet distinguished and proved to be two and neither of them to be the Romish Babylon page 163. to 168. C The two Covenants discoursed on and proved to be two individual Covenants not onely in administrations but in substance p. 19 20 21 E A discourse concerning Esaus rejection and of the selling of his birth-right page 59. to page 63. The Ninth Chapter to the Romans fully Expounded page 98. to 132. F The Fulfilling of the words of the Prophets concerning Christ in the letter of them as is proved page 190. G God proved to be the Father of our spirits or spiritual souls p. 42 44 45. Gods fore-knowledge not the cause of mens doing evill and rejection for the same page 52 53. God may love and hate one and the same creature or person and yet be unchangeable in his Decree as is proved page 54. to 59 God hath given every man power to repent and believe the Gospel with Objections of that nature answered page 66. to page 74. H The House of Judah and the House of Israel shall return out of their Captivity into their own Land that is Hierusalem proved by the Scriptures cited page 183 to page 109. I The Jews not to be converted by a Gospel-preaching page 157 to P 160. The new Jerusalem proved not to be the Saints but the habitation for the Saints as page 175. 176. K The Kingdome of Heaven mentioned in Mark 9 1. and Matth. 11 22 proved not to be the Gospel Church page 47 48 49. L The Long-suffering of God waiteth upon the world of ungodly and not peculiarly on the Elect as page 71 72 73. M The Moabites and the Ammonites proved to be the daughters of Sodom page 153 154 N The National Ministery Examined and disproved page 133. to p. 146. The National Church and Ministery proved not to have the true Christian Faith page 179 to 182. O Original Sin brought not the second death upon Adam or any of his lines as is proved by arguments and Objections of that nature answered page 38. to 50. P Gods Power guided by his other Attributes so that there is some things be it spoke in reverence to God which God cannot do as is proved page 78 79 80. R Some men given up unto a Reprobate sense so as they cannot repent and the cause wherefore discoursed on in page 65. to 69. The Saints Reign upon earth is not to be understood Allegoricaly but literally page 171. That Christ shall Reign in Ierusalem over the house of David is proved by the holy Scriptures cited in page 189. to 200 The Resurrection of the wicked at the end of the thousand years doth not contradict the thousand years Reign to be the TIMES of restauration as page 173. S The Objections against Dipping and the Sprinkling under the Law urged to prove Sprinkling in Baptism examined and answered page 1. to 16. Sodom not yet suffering in Hell page 81. to 85. Sodoms return to their former estate discoursed on and proved page 153. T Tythes or a Tenth not lanful to be paid or received by a Gospel people or Ministery as page 31 to 35. The Temple that Antichrist shall sit in is proved not to be the Church of Christ page 168. Of the glorious effects under the sound of the seventh Trumpet page 168. to 171 W Washing of Disciples proved to be an Ordinance of Christ as p. 10. Z Syons Redemption Redeemed wherein is not onely proved that the Captives of Samaria and Ierusalem shall return to their former estate but also the Objections of that nature answered page 147 to 155. SYONS REDEMPTION AND ORIGINAL SIN Vindicated SIR I Am come now to the examination of that which you are pleased to call Errour the which I doubt not but I shall prove it to be the truth of the Gospel of Christ and your self to be Erronious and a leader of blind ignorant men and women which have been a long time a learning yet are as ignorants as ever and no marvel for many times people perish for want of knowledg but if the blind lead the blind at last they will both fall into the ditch but I pass breefly to your discourse in the which you do affirm That Baptizo oftentimes is taken for dipping or sprinkling To the which I answer and say that to say Baptizo is frequently taken for dipping is true because it is the proper signification of the word Heb. 9.10 and sometimes it is taken for thorow washing according to that phrase in the Hebrews but that it is taken frequently for sprinkling as you say is very false No correspondency between
subject which is Whether children be the subjects that Christ appointed to be Baptised yea or nay and that they are is affirmed by you First because you say there was but out Covenant since the fall which in the substance was Christ although in respect of several administrations called Covenants as bâ—ing several waies administred as under the Law by Circumcision under the Gospel by Beptism To which I answer and say that such as do affirm there is but one Covenant know not what they say nor whereof they do affirm but I shall shew that the Scriptures do reach us that there is two Covenants two kinds of blood to confirm their administrations and the first Covenant as in respect of enjoyment was God gave a temporal land viz Canaan to Abraham as you may see Genes 17.8 the which he and his seed should have enjoyed for ever had they not sinned as you may see in these words and I will give to thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God and that Canaan was that which was called and accounted the Covenant although Circumcision was called the Covenant as in respect of the administration of it so was the Law from mount Sinai called the Covenant but you shall see that the land of Canaan and the blessings therein was that which was the Covenant it self Exod. 6.4 5. And I have also established my Covenant with them viz. Israel to give them the land of Canaan the land of their Pilgrimage wherein they were strangers and I have heard the groaning also of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and have remembred my Covenant and I will bring you into the land concerning which I did swear to give it to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it to you for an heritage Levit 26.9 I am the Lord. Hence you may see that Canaan was the Covenant together with such like blessings as namely multiplying of them not onely in the increase of their bodies but also of the fruits of the earth and he gave also unto them his Laws and Statutes Levit. 18.5 that if they kept them they should live long in the land yet these things did but appertain to the flesh and if they did see a future enjoyment it was by Faith in another viz. the new Covenant Gal. 3.12 for the Law was not of Faith but the man that kept it should live in it that is in such enjoyments as it brought the which was no other but that of the fleshly blessings Gal. 3.19 20. and this Covenant had a mediator the which was Moses and it had administration and the blood of Bulls Heb. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13. and Goats to dedicate it of which I shall not speak in particular at present and thus I have found one Covenant namely an earthly blessing And now I shall pass to look out a second Covenant I doubt not but I shall finde out a far better Covenant than that which hath been spoken of although that Covenant was such a Covenant that no people had the like blessings namely to have a land flowing with Milk and Honey and great increase that it was the praise of the whole earth But to shew what is that better Covenant established upon better promises and as the first Covenant was an earthly one even the earthly land of Canaan with the blessings appertaining thereunto so the new or better Covenant is the Heavenly land of Canaan that is established on better promises so that although Israel brake that Covenant or the conditions of that Covenant so that they were cast out yet it will not be so in the time when we are put into the possession of this New-Covenant or the thing Covenanted we do already enjoy it by Faith although we have not a foots breadth in the present possession of it as the Land of Canaan was given to Abraham for his Seed when he or they had not one foots breadth in it in present possession but after they diâ—enjoy it they were cast out of it again but this Covenant is established on better promises that is when we come to the enjoyment of the thing covenanted Revel 3.12 namely the heavenly Canaan or inheritance we shall go no more out but shall have the Name of God written in our fore-heads and that there is a New Covenant and that it is a Covenant of Heaven and an Eternal Inheritance and that the blood of Christ dedicateth it and that he also is the Mediator of it and that it hath spiritual administrations as the first had carnal and that there is two Covenants not called so in respect of the administrations of them but in respect of the Covenants themselves read these Scriptures in the room of many more that may be cited Heb 8.6 chap 9.11 14.15 1 Pet. 1.3 4.2 Cor 4.8.9 Heb 9.23 chap. 12.17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Col. 1.5 Heb. 10.34 Gal. 4.24 compared with Heb. 12.22 and Revel 3.12 and chap. 21.2 There is two Covenants proved one of an earthly land of Canaan for a floshly seed and the other of an Heavenly land of Canaan for a spiritual seed For these Scriptures you may see that there is two Covenants as before said and the one an earthly Covenant or a Covenant of earthly enjoyments and the other is a Covenant of Heavenly enjoyments and both these made with Abraham as you may read Gen. 12.3 compared with Gal. 3.8 with Heb. 11.8 9 10. comp wit 16. and that Covenant of Canaan was made Gen. 15.18 and established Gen. 17 7. and called to remembrance Exod 6 4 5. and put them in possession as you may see in the book of Joshua And having proved that there is two Covenants I have answered all as touching that which is written in your fifth page to the 13 line But because you affirm whether our children shall be debarred from the priviledge which the children of the Jewes did enjoy in Circumcision and whether Circumcision yea or nay was a priviledge To which I answer and first I say That Circumcision was a priviledge that without it the children of Israel might not be admitted to live in Canaan nor enjoy those earthly priviledges for no uncircumcised person must come there and this priviledge also they had thereby to be taught the fear of God by their being in such a plice where the fear of God was to be learned the which beleevers children now do enjoy without the heavy yoak of Circumcision or without being Baptised you may see this clearly discoursed if you read my book entituled Dagons Down-fall and so I shall pass to that federate holiness which you speak of 1 Cor. 7. Beleevers children are federately Holy say you and therefore are to be received by Baptism into Christs
Eccles 3.18 19 in these words I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men that God might manifest them and that they might see that they themselves are beasts for that which befalleth the sons of men-befalleth beasts even one thing befalleth them as the one dyeth so dyeth the other yea they have all one breath so that a man hath no preheminency above a beast for all is vanity all go to one place all are of the dust and shall return to dust again From whence we may see that man considered as of himself there is no difference between him and the beast onely there is something that is in man which is not of or from man the which maketh him to differ allthough the Soul in Scripture is frequently taken for the mortal part as in the book of Joshua and so Christ is said to pour out his Soul to death and made his Soul an offering for sins But when you write again show what it is that is the Soul and what it consisteth of And whereas you tell me a story of Levi paying of Tithes in Abraham Answer it was imputed to Levi because the matter that Levies body did consist of Job 31.15 Zach. 12.1 sprang from the loins of Abraham but it is the Lord that formeth and fashioneth us in the womb and createth the Spirit or Soul in us that which Abraham did was imputed to Levi because it might teach us that there was a time that Tithes was to be taken from Levi and given to Christ or that of proper right Tithes doth belong to Christ as I have already hinted at Again You charge me with one errour worse then Pilagius that is because I deny as you say that children were lost or indangered to be Eternally lost in Adam To which I answer Adam and all his posterity was in danger to be lost in the dust had not Christ saved them in delivering from the power of the grave and say in your sense I do deny that children were lost or in danger to be lost in Adam that is to say to be lost as men now shall be lost that die in their sins namely to die the second death in the lake of fire and brimstone but I do beleeve that children were in danger to be lost as in the first death that is if Christ had not come and saved us and them from the sting of death which is the power of the grave we had been kept there and for ever had been deprived from the presnce of God and the Holy Angels and been like water spilt upon the ground and thus they were in danger to be lost from whence Christ hath saved all men for he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that beleeve and thus we all were in danger to be lost by Adams sin in Paradice but to be lost in your sense by Adams sin that I positively deny and I know or am fully perswaded there is not a man under the Sun that can prove it from the Scriptures Again in your fourteenth page you seem to hint at this That Adam had the promise of Eternal life upon his obedience That natural life that God gave to Adam in Paradice was a free gift and not upon condition To which I answer that the life which God gave to Adam in paradice was free without condition in respect of the gift of it for God breathed him the breath of life and put him into his inheritance freely and afterwards telleth him what he should do there and also sheweth him that if he did sin and transgress his Law that then he must die the death God never told Adam that if he would obey him that there was a further life and happiness in future to be enjoyed but sheweth that the life that then he did enjoy the which was but a natural life should be taken from him and the like But if it be Objected and said Object That the Lord told Adam that in the day that he eat of that tree he should surely die or in dying he should die the which he did not in body the same day To this I answer God calleth things that shall be as if they were and say that according to Gods decree and in Gods account who calls things that shall be as if they were in being as saith the Apostle save Adam and all his prosperity dead they were dead in Gods account that same day and so soon as Christ was promised God therow him looked upon all alive again in a state of Resurrection as you may see when God appeared to Moses in the bush Exod. 3.6 Mat. 22.31 32. he saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and our blessed Saviour maketh use of it to prove the Resurrection shewing that in Gods account Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were alive in a state of a Resurrection to God And again the word will bear it from the Hebrew as in our English margen note in dying thou shalt die Job 14.1 2. that is Adam and all the sons of men are dying from the womb till they be dead never continuing in one stay but in the midst of life we are in death and so go from the womb to the grave and so in dying we do die or we be in a dying estate and condition till we fall into the dust Again in answer to what you say of our Souls being in Adam in essense and not in substance I say that then it is clear that Adam is the Father of our Spirits and not God for if it be so that our Spiritual Souls essentially be in and of Adam and not distinct then Adam must bear the name not onely of being the Father of our flesh but also of our spirit But if it should be Objected and said Object That God may bear the name of the Father of Spirits because he created or formed the Spirit in Adam Then we may as well say that God is the Father of flesh because he created and formed that but you say God may be called the Father of Spirits because he is Father of regeneration and sanctification The which is no answer There is three that bear witness in Heaven and three that bear witness in earth as I conceive at all for as much as there is not such a thing in Scripture to assist the answer as God is distinguished in three as in respect of his diversity of his operation the Spirit is that which begetteth newness of disposition so may be called the Father of regeneration and sanctification because the Spirit is that which sanctifieth and reneweth the Soul yet but one God and Father although thus distinguished and this hath more Scripture to countenance it and yet but a consequence But however there is in man or of man two parts viz. the flesh and Spirit and there is two Fathers the Father of the
we shall stand before the Tribunal of the Lord Jesus Christ Esa 55.6 7. we shall assuredly know to our everlasting woe and misery if we look not to it in time that our condemnation is not because the Lord never gave us means of grace and ability to make use of it but because we have not made use of what means of grace and ability that God hath bestowed on us and thereby our mouthes shall be stopped The Lord wil not condemn men because they have wanted ability to do what he commanded them to do but because they have not improved their ability that God hath given them and we become guilty before God Therefore Christian Reader be carefull to seek the Lord while he may be found call upon God while he is near lit the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and turn unto the Lord before the decree passe and he will have mercy on you and to our God for he is abundant in pardon but if your refuse and rebell ye shall be destroyed the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And having shewed when the soul is hardened that is after it suffereth not grace to take place in it and the cause why it is thus hardened because it will not entertain the motions of Gods Spirit as you may see Iâ—b 21 13. Cant. 5.2 3. Rev. 3.20 I come now to take notice of the reason why such as do not or cannot believe the Gospell have it preached unto them and that is say you because they may believe without excuse Answ I do understand your minde in it which is that although God in his secret will never intendeth to save Israel or any that are lost but say you he calleth them or offereth means to them that there by they might be without excuse at the last day it s a very pretty assertion as though a man should appoint his servant to labour in his Viâ—yard God doth not command men to do that which he hath not given them power to do and then punisheth them for not doing of it and yet locks him out and never means that he should come there and yet at night beats his servant because he did not as he bad him and yet his servant must be left without excuse such a kind of modell is your discourse concerning God and the Creature that is God commandeth men to labour in his Vinyard and saith if they will not he will punish them and yet never means they shall come there but hath appointed them for damnation before they were born and yet he would hare the creatures think themselves in a fault because they do not do that which God never gave them ability to do nor never meant they should do so that upon your account God commands men upon pain of damnation to do that which they are altogether unable to do and also what he never meant they should do But happily you may say Object That God doth command men to do that which he never meaneth they should do for he commanded Abraham to offer up Isaac for a burnt offering and yet never meant he should slay him Answ This is not to your purpose and first because the Lord did declare it was but to try Abraham the case is not ours in this our contreversie for if it were said that God did command men to repent and believe onely to try them as it was said he did bid Abraham offer his Son up to try him then there were some colour for what you say but one is a publick command to all men generally and indefinitely Gen. 22.1 and the other a particular command to one person and that to try him as saith the Spirit of God in the Scriptures I might say more to this Objection but it reacheth not our case for as we say although a generall includeth or comprehendeth particulars The thing representing is sometimes called by the name of the thing represented yet every particular doth not include a general Therefore this instance not worth speaking to and yet I may say that in Cods account he was really offered up in a burnt offering for God gave some what in his room to be a sacrifice when he saw Abrahams willingnesse to obey his voyce and it might be as well called Isaac as the Bread and Wine is called Christs Body and blood because God sometimes calls the thing that representeth by the name of the thing represented but the Lamb did represent Isaac sacrificed and so might bear the name there is several instances that might be further to the answer of this but as I studdy brevity so it s not worth my paines and therefore I pass to the next thing which is You say That all though God would have all men to be saved the which you conclude is but all sorts and so pass only with a small glance to it I answer and say that you are as much mistaken in that as in the rest of what you have said and therefore I shall briefly prove that it is every person that God would have saved The Argument is If God would not have his Ministers preach a lye in his Name to any man and yet must preach Remission of sins and Gods love to all men thorow Christ then God would have every man to be saved God would not have his Ministers preach a lye to any man yet he would have them preach love and remission of sins to all men But God would not have his Ministers preach a Lye to no man and yet must preach Remission of sins and Gods love to every man thorow Christ Ergo God would have every man to be saved To prove this Argument first that he would have his Ministers preach truth and not a lye I suppose none will deny and secondly it is plain that the Gospel must be preached to every Creature namely the Creature Man and I also am perswaded that no man will deny the Gospel to be Remission of sins and Gods love in Christ to wit God reconciled to sinners not imputing their sins now if God did not intend to save all men then in commanding the Gospel to be preached to every man commandeth a lye to be preached to the greatest part of men the which were blasphemy to say if God would have all saved that Christ dyed for and Christ dyed for every man then God would have every man to be saved But God would have all saved that Christ dyed for and Christ dyed for every man Ergo God would have every man to be saved and that God would have all that Christ dyed for to be saved you will not deny and that Christ dyed for every man I prove these two wayes First by a plain Text without controversie which saith that he by the grace of God tasted death for every Man and Woman Secondly I shall urge this argument If Christ dyed for such is are saved and such as perish then
subtilty should have caused all the Workmanship of God the which he was about six dayes to have sunk and have been buried in the Grave of Oblivion Secondly If God who is no respecter of persons should have seen all men fallen alike by one and the same guilt of transgression and have saved some and left others in misery how had his mercy been above all his works it would have been a very great dishonour to almost if not all the Attributes of God to have redeemed but part first it would have argued weakness or diâ—ability in God in leaving part of the Creation at the will of the Devill or otherwise it would have destroyed the Attribute of his Mercy so that his Mercy had not been over all his Works Thirdly It would have destroyed his unsadomable and universal goodness to the Sons of men and made him a respecter of persons the which he hath declared against for consider if when God saw all men in misery and all created and fashioned alike by him and all fell equal in one and the same guilt of transgression if God should save some out of it and leave others in it when all were made alike and all had sinned alike would not God be a respecter of persons the which the Scripture plainly declareth against Finally it would preach such a Doctrine as this that although God did command the Gospel of Grace to be offered unto all ministerially yet it never was intended to the greatest part of men but to be a Gospel of misery for if it be only preached to leave men without excuse and that to take advantage of the most part of men and to communicate no good at all then the Angels did not preach truth to the Shepheards when they said It was glad tidings of great joy to all men but if your opinion be true the Gospel was so far from being glad tidings of great joy to all men that it was the worst tidings that ever came or was declared to the greatest part of men the truth hereof no rational man can deny for if God never did intend in the tenderness of the Gospel any good to those that reject it only intended it to leave them without excuse then these absurdities must follow First that God did not deal faithfully with the greatest part of men in offering that unto them that he never intended to give but I say God forbid we should be of so base an opinion yea let God be true and every man a lyar and let every Christian man say with Abraham shall the God of the whole earth do unrighteously surely such things cannot be found in him and in saying so of the Lord you make him like to hypocrites and dissemblers the which abomination is abâ—orred of the Lord I could speak much to it but I pass to the second which is If God never intended salvation to all men in the derness of the Gospel then it is impossible for men in the slighting of the Gospel to neglect their own Salvation for if God never intended Salvation thorow the Gospel to such as reject it as well as to those that receive it then those that reject it reject nothing for there was nothing intended them in it if your opinion be true and therefore could reject nothing neither could they neglect their own Salvation for if Salvation was not intended in the Gospel to such as sleep away their time in security then they could not neglect it by their security because if they had been never so much industrious yet it had added nothing unto them because Salvation was never intended them and thus you excuse men in their disobedience and resisting the Gospel and neglecting means of Grace and Salvation although in charity I judge you do it ignorantly I could say much more but I am necessitated to hasten and come to the next thing which is about Sodoms fire The which say you it will suffer much upon examination because I say it is not meant that lake of Fire and Brimstone the which is called the Second death but it is called eternal in opposition to such fire as is called temporal or may be so called because as it is kindled by man so it is put out by man the which that fire that destroyed Sodom was of another nature it was not kindled by man neither could it be extinguished by man and yet was no more hell fire than that which fell on the Captains and their Fifties for their sins I could speak much to it but it s not worth my time only this question resolve when you Write again I pray you where you learned such a Doctrine and what Reason you can give to prove it that is that after persons are sent to Hell they must be brought back again to judgement to be judged and tryed whether they deserve it yea or nay Is it legal for the Magistrates of a free Corporation to take a man and hang him and then afterward to set down and determine the case whether he have deserved it yea or nay Is this and such like dealing Gods merhod O ye blind guides did God cast Adam out of Paradice into the curse and afterwards brought him to Judgement to convince him that he deserved it It is not the way of God to cast men into Hell and afterwards â—o bring them to judgement to see whether they deserve it yea or nay or did the Lord first bring him to judgement and afterwards when the sentence was past cast him forth of the Garden but I pass you tell me I almost deny or give the Scripture the lye by saying that the Inhabitants are not now suffering in Hell-fire But before I come further to examine what you say touching Sodoms fire I take leave to inform the curteous Reader the occasion of this Discourse concerning Sodoms fire the which is My former Antagonist Mr. Rutton was pleased to say in a private conference although I made it publick at the last that there was some reprobated before they were born and that for Adams sin instanced in those of Sodom saying that there were many Children in Sodom which cannot be denyed and that they were now in Hell and yet never committed actual sin therefore were damned for Original sin and although my Antagonist hath no more charity of poor innocent Babes as in respect of their eternal Transgression to say they were all damned and are in Hell I did endeavour to prove that Sodoms suffering of eternal fire was not that lake of fire and brimstone which is called the second death and also that none are in that lake untill after Judgement The Devills time of torments are not yet come but are reserved for him till the day of judgement and then shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 20.12 13. that the Devill is not yet in it but faith to Christ why art thou come to torment us
be my Kinsmen and such as I dearly love yet I must needs cast the guilt on them and clear God in the dispensation of Justice towards them and also shew them that it was but a fond conceit of them to think that their being the Seed of Abraham would do them any right if they lived in sin because although Ishmael was of Abraham and Esau were from our Father Isaac in whom the Seed was to be called yet Esau being prophane and careless so as to sell his birth-right and work wickedness in the sight of the Lord as you O Israel have done the Lord hated him and cast him away and yet a child of Isaac c. but to pass to the next verse Vers 5. Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Annot. In this Verse the Apostle speaketh further of Israels priviledges according to the flesh as if he should have said I do acknowledge that your priviledges as touching outward administrations have been very great Ps 147. in that the Lord hath given unto you his Laws and statutes he hath not dealt so with every Nation as for his judgements they have not known them yet henceforth we know no man after the flesh for although we have known Christ after the flesh viz. coming from the lines of Abraham yet henceforth we know him so no more old things are done away all things are become new that is as if the Apostle should have said Membership into Gospel-priviledges and your title of being Gods people is upon a new account namely upon account of faith by which all men Jews and Gentiles have their t◠viz Sons of God the which some of you are partakers of as appeareth in the next verse Vers 6. Not as though the word of God hath taken none affect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel Annot. From whence we may learn thus much that although the greatest part of the Jews had resisted their salvation yet the word took place on some of them even like the gleaning of the Vintage and also 〈◊〉 notice of this that the whole scope of the Apostles discourse tends to the convincing of the Jews that their being Abrahams Seed according to the flesh could do them no right as tonching the enjoyment of Heaven or Gospel administrations as saith John the Baptist when the Pharisees Sadduces came to his Baptisme upon the account barely as they were Abrahams Seed sayes O generation of vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come Mar. 3. Luke 3. bring forth fruit to amendment of life and do not begin to say in your hearts ye have Abraham to your Father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham and now is the ax laid to the roots of the trees mark that every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is bewn down and so forth and thus the Apostle in this Chapter and in many more endeavoureth to take off the Jews from looking in the least upon their birth-priviledges as in reference to inright them to Evangelical blessing and also saith to the Philipians as touching himself on this wise Although I might have confidence in the flesh if any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh Phil. 3.3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. I more circumcised the eight day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness of the Law blameless but those things such the Apostle are dung in comparison to Christ and the Gospel and thus the Apostle would as beforesaid take them from trusting in being children of Believers as will appear in the next verse Vers 7. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Annot. From this verse I shall draw this conclusion that Gospel-priviledges are not to be enjoyed upon an account of generation but of regeneration that is not upon account of being the children of Believers but being children of the same Faith of Abraham whereunto for confirmation I shall add some few Reasons grounded from holy Scripture First because it is by or of Faith that it might be by or of grace because if we be heirs upon an account of generation that is because we are children of believers then it is not according to the choice of Gods grace but saith the Apostle it is of Faith that it might be by grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4. 13 14 and 16. but if they that be of the law be heirs Faith is made void and the promise of none effect so that if Israel or we Gentiles be innishuated into evangelical priviledges by being the children of believing Parents then there is no use for Faith as in reference to that work whereas we see it is attributed onely to Faith through Grace as beforesaid Secondly there is no coming to God in a Gospel way so as will be acceptable to him but by Faith as saith the Apostle Without faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh Heb. 11.6 to him must believe c. Thirdly Because it is Faith only that innishuates us into Gods grace as in reference to Evangelical blessings as saith the Apostle Rom. 5.1 2. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have excess by Faith in to this grace wherein we stand And Fourthly and lastly because I hasten there is none that seek Evangelical blessings and shall find them whether Jew or Gentile but such as seek it by Faith the other will come far short of their expectation as saith the Apostle Israel that followed after the law of righteousness attained not unto the Law of righteousness Rom. 9.31 wherefore because they sought it not by faith but by the works of the law and so stumbled c and so I shall leave this verse with this Text Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the true children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 and heirs according to promise Vers 8. That is they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed In this verse there are these two things that are in chief treated to the first is Who it is that are not the children of God and who that are and first to the first that is who they are that are not the children of God and that is the children of the flesh they are not the children of God as saith the Apostle from whence it is clear without controversie that the children of believers considered only as from their fleshly descent
the younger as in respect of Adam and therefore be contented and do not hate your brethren for you also may have salvation if you fâ—ll it not by your sins the which if you do by hating and casting out your brethren know it was written for your admonition that for Esaus violence against his Brother Jacob the Lord haâ—ed him at the last Deut. 2.5 although he loved him at first when he was courteous to Jacob and you Mount Seir unto him so that Israel must not meddle with it but when Esaus cruelty began against his Brother then the Lord hated him and at last laid his mountains and heritage the which he gave him waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness and this was the Apostles reasoning to Israel to admon sh them from their murmuring and cruelty and the like against the Gentiles but God hated not Esau before borne and yet afterwards did hate him for his wickedness and that God may love and hate one and the same creature and not change in his Decree I have already proved by Gods loving and hating the Angels and I have also shewed how the execution of his Decree depends on his two Attributes viz. Mercy and Justice and where the Apostle speaks of children he means the Nation as aforesaid or otherwise saith nothing to the matter to wit of the controversie between Jew and Gentile which is the sum of his discourse in Romans 9. and that you may see that which is spoke in Scripture as of Esau means the Nation of the Adamites read Gen. 36 8. in these words Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir Esauis Edom from whence we may learn that when the Lord speaks of hating of Esau he means Edom because Esau is Edom. Objection But you will say that Esau could not repent and therefore reprobated before he was born Answ To which I answer Heb. 12 27. the meaning of the Text is this that when Esau had sold his birth-right and neglected the time and opportunity of his blessing by his being abroad a hunting in the field that then there was no seasorable time neither was there room or plice for repentance so as to be accepted in reference to the obtaining of that which he before had despised â—ould and neglected although be might repent or cry or tear his heart for it is a true maxime that the last of time is without recovery and therefore saith Christ to Jerusalem If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day but now is it hid from thine eyes and so forth Luke 19.42 But take this in short that Esau having despised his birth right and sold it that then there was no reason that he should enjoy the blessing which depended on the birth-right and was to be given as a consequence of this and much more I might say but I pass and leave you to examine what I have said as to this in my former discourse and by the way take notice that this was but an external blessing and also that he had sold it and therefore no room or place for him to regain it again after he had despised it although he might seek it with tears and this is set out for our warning that we might not despise or neglect or ell for this Worlds enjoyment our inheritance which is not the mount that might not be touched but mount Zion the City of the living God and the heavenly Ierusalem and the innumerable company of Angels and so forth and so I pass to the fourteenth verse Verse 14. What shall we say then Is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid Annot. This verse we may see implies an objection in these words Is there unrighteousnese with God to which the Apostle answereth nay God forbid as if he should have said there is no injustice with God for he doth every thing very justly for he might hate Esau or Edom for their wickedness although they were from Isaacs loins and also the elder people too were of right external blessings did belong by vertue of the fleshly line but Gods choice and blessing depends not on Nations or Generations upon a fleshly account but every Nation that feareth him and worketh righteousness shall be accepted of him and this the Apostle further clears in the fifteenth verse which is the reason that the Apostle urges from Gods words to Moses Vers 15. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Annot. In this verse we may see Paul clears up Gods Justice in casting off the people of Israel for their sins in shewing that God is not so ingaged to any people upon a fleshly account or upon an account of choosing them to bear his name so as if they rebel against him not to punish them and cast them out of his sight and therefore repeateth what the discourse was between Moses and the Lord as touching Israel and saith the Lord said to Moses that he would have mercy on whom he would have mercy that is as if the Lord should have said to Moses trouble not thy self so much about this people as to wish thy self blotted out of my Book that I may have mercy on this people for they are a rebellious stiff necked people therefore pray not nor intercede for them for I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy thou shalt not appoint me whom I shall have mercy on for I will have mercy on whom I please that is I will have mercy on humble obedient souls and such as sin will I blot out of my book and this is meant by the words of the Apostles saying He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and that you may more clearly know what is meant by these words premised consider these two things First the occasion of Gods saying to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and that was Israel had grievously sinned against the Lord by making them gods to go before them Moses undertook to intercede for them to the Lord and in his intercession useth many motives to move God to have mercy on them Exod. 32.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. as first he beseecheth the Lord to spare them because saith he the Egyptians will speak and say for mischief did he bring them out that he might slay them in the mountains Secondly Moses desires the Lord to remember Abraham Isaac and Israel viz Jacob thy servant to whom thou swarest by thy own self and saidst unto them I will multiply your seed as the starrs of Heaven these and such like motives Moses useth to prevail with the Lord to turn away his anger but the Lords answer is that Israel was a stiff-necked people and therefore saith he Let me alone that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation Nevertheless Moses was not satisfied but did go on to
intercede with great importunity as if he should have said Lord if it will not be that thy anger turn away from this people have mercy on them although thou blot me out of thy Book the Lords answer is God will noe do injustice to punish the innocent and let the guâ—lty go free Moses may not appoint God whom he shall have mercy on for God knew better han Moses who were fit subjects for mercy and therefore he would have mercy on whom he pleased and not whom Moses pleased as if he should have said Moses what hast thou to do to appoint me whom I shall have mercy on and whom I shall blot out of my Book I tell thee that I am a God of Justice Righteousness and Faithfulness so that I cannot punâ—sh the innocent and let the guilty go free and therefore provoke me not to pardon Israel and blot thee out of my Book for I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and such as sin will I blot out of my book and as for this people I have found them a rebellious and a stâ—ff-necked people but as for thee I have known by name viz. obedient meek lowly and humble before me and I will make all my goodness passe before THEE and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before THEE and I will be gratious unto whom I will be gratious with out thy appointment and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy so then from hence we may see that the Lord tells Moses that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy to take off Moses from moving him to spare Israel that was a Rebellious people and to blot out Moses that walked humbly before him so that God will not as aforesaid punish the innocent and let the guilty go free and so I am come to the second thing considerable the which is Whom it is that God will have mercy on and whom he will not because the Text saith That he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy that is briefly thus Gods wil and pleasure is to have mercy and compassion on such as fear him Isal 1.19 Deut. 13.17 ch 30.2 3 4. Exod. 3.4 6 7. Num 14.18 much more might be added and keep his Commandements and to destroy such as are disobedient and harden themselves in their sins against him and this the Scripture will largely prove who so doubts of it let him peruse the Scriptures in the margent and thus God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and so I pass to the next Verse but by the way take notice that the house of Israel are the people of whom and to whom the Apostle speaks and saith he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy that is although Moses did intercede for Israel and desire the Lord to remember that they were the Seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet for all this the Lord would not bear with them in their sins but saith as it were on this wise what although they are the seed of Abraham yet that enjoyns me not to bear with them in their sins for I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and therefore let not Israel trust to their birth-priviledges because they are the seed of Abraham c. Vers 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Annot. In this Verse the Apostle takes off the Jews from willing and running in the way of the Righteousness of the Law to obtain Evangelical blessings or otherwise destroyeth what he did visibly build for he did press men to run and tells them that in so doing they might attain as you may see in these words 1 Cor. 9.24 They that run in a race run all but one receives the prize sorun that ye may obtain these two places seem to oppose one another the one saith it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth the other saith run that ye may obtain implying that it is to be obtained through running so run that ye may obtain but that you may see these two places reconciled consider first that when the Apostle saith it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth he means of such as run in a wrong way and when he saith so run that ye may obtain he means such as run in the right way for illustration admit of this comparison suppose two men had a great journey to go in a day that they intend to accomplish by night they both set forth in the morning intheir journey the one keeps his strait Road that leads to his journyes end in the which way he hasteneth and cometh to the end at even the other peradventure goeth as fast as he but he goeth the contrary way that the further he goeth the further he hath to his journyes end now the one thorow willing and running in the right way attains his journyes end the other although he will and run yet it being the clear contrary way is the further from his journyes end so that it is not in his running to obtain his journyes end because he is in a wrong way this was the very case in this Verse it was not of him that did will or run by the works of the Law to attain Heaven but to run in the way of Faith and Evangelical obedience the end whereof is everlasting life and now I shall give you the summe of it in short that is whereas it saith It is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth the meaning is that all the striving and running of Israel according to the Law would not help them in point of justification it being only Faith thorow the grace of God in the Gospel that justifieth and that this is the meaning of the Text the Apostle fully clears in these words vers 31. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law so then it is plain why it was not of or in him that willed or runned because they did not run in a right way they sought it not by Faith but by the works of the Law and so I pass to the next which is Vers 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I may show my power in thee that my Name may be declared thorowout all the earth Annot. From this Verse we may take notice that the Lord brings Pharaoh as a President of his Power and Justice his Power in that he could top the tallest Cedar that is he could bring down the haughty and lay them low Secondly his Justice that all the world might take notice that there should none exalt themselves against him and prosper But now to the Exposition of the Verse in its
the knowledge of his wayes and so I passe to the next verse which is Vers 24. Even us whom he hath called nâ—t of the Jews onely but also of the Gentiles Annot. In this verse we learn who it is that God fits for glory and they are the called ones even us whom he hath called saith the Apostle not onely of the Jews but also of the Gentiles Now the question will be whether God call all or but some and if God call all then who they are that we may conclude to be the true called ones and that according to his purpose and first I shall shew that God calls all men as well those that perish as those that are saved And secondly I shall shew who may be accounted the true called ones according to Gods purpose and this I shall make plain as the Lord shall assist me And first to the first To shew that God calls all men under one administration or another and that this may appear to be truth I shall prove that God calls such as reject him and so perish for the sâ—me as saith the Scriptures ' Pro. 1.21 Iob 21 13. Jer. 18.12 13. Isa 3.10 Mat. 22 3 4 5 6. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would have none of my reproof saying depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies for there is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will do every one according to the imagination of our evil hearts behold saith the Lord therefore I also I will chuse their delusion so as that they may eat the fruit of their own doings From whence we may see although very much more might be said that God calls such as do not obey his voyce and therefore perish for the same And secondly having shewed that God calls such as do perish and therefore consequently all for it is his will to have all men every where to repent Rom. 8.27 28 29. I come to the second thing which is to shew who they are that are accounted the true called ones of God even such as are the called according to his purpose the which are such as do obey the voyce of God in his call because when God calls men Such as obey Gods voyce when he calls hem and do what God purposed they should do are the called according to his purpose because they do what he purposed they should do his purpose is that they should hear and obey him because he never calls men to do that upon penalty of the losse of their souls but what he purposed they should do So then if Gods purpose be that men should do what he calls them for to do then such as do hear and obey in doing what God calls them for to do are the called according to Gods purpose for God did purpose when he called them that they should hear and obey him Therefore they in hearing and obeying do answer Gods purpose that is do what God purposed they should do and such as so do are the called according to his purpose according to the words of the Apostle Paul to the Romans which saith even us whom he hath called not out of the Jews onely but also out of the Gentiles and such vessels God hath power according to the attribute of his Justice and Mercy to make vessels unto honour and the other even such as reject him to dishonour and this is Gods way and power to separate the precious from the vile although they consist of one and the same family and this is the meaning of the Text that saith hath not the Petter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel to honor viz. such as hear obey the word of hâ—scal and the other to dishonour Jer. 12.7 Isa 65 12 13 14 15. Gal. 3.26 namely such as refuse to hear and obey the call of God but chuse their owne waie and thus having unfoulded the meaning of the 24. verse with its dependance I passe to the next which is Vers 25 As he saith also in Hosea I will call them my people which were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved Annot. This verse is a repetition of I prophecy of the call and choyce of the Gentiles through saith as if the Apostle should have said ye house of Israel think it not strange that the Gentiles should be heirs of the grace of life neither murmure at them for God hath shown and that by his Prophet Hosea that they were to be a loved people as will appear from the next verse which is as followeth Vers 26. And it shall come to passe that in the place where it was said unto them ye are not my people there shall they be called the children of the living God Annot. From whence we may see that the whole scope of the Apostles discourse in this Chapter is to prove that although the Jews were the elder people according to the denomination of God in reference to the Gentiles which was the younger or Prodigal son and for a time without God in the world yet God had an appointed time to call them through his grace in the Gospel unto sonship and also to cast off the Jews for their rebellion the which were accounted the elder Brother which alwaies did abide in their Fathers house the which will appear more plainly in the next verse which is thus read Vers 27. Isaiah also cryeth concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand on the sea a Remnant of them shall be saved Annot. From this verse we may learn that God is righteous in all his waies and will by no means clear the guilty although his mercies are extended to thousands that love him and keep his Commandements but if they forsake him although they be the dearly beloved of his soul he will give them into the hands of their enemies and call his servants by another name Hence it came to passe that God cast off the rebellious sons of the house of â—srael and chose the humble amongst them together with the penitent believing Gentiles and calls them by another name viz. the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus and this was Gods determination that in Isaac the seed should be called And thus in his wisdom and power he made some of the seed of Abraham vessels to honour even such as were obedient to the voice of his cal through Christ others of the seed of Abraham he made vessels to dishonour even such as did reject his call and say we will not come * Mat. 22.3 but we will walk every one in the imagination of our hearts and were stubborn before the Lord so then as the Potter had power to chuse out of his lump of clay that which was flexble and yielding to be
so as to come in the forme of a servant Christ and his waies was ever so mean and low and base in carnal mens account that they in all ages stumbled at it in a low mean way he became an offence to many or a stone that many stumbled at and so is called a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence not that he is so in himself as I have said but he is become so being in a mean low estate as to outward appearance that men which look for honour and greatnesse in this would stumble at him saying is not this the Carpenters Son We will not have this man to reign over us but we will reject him and his doctrine and yet saith the Lord I will set my King upon my holy hill of Zion and thus Christ is laid a chief corner stone in Zion at which stone men stumble for the cause as a foresaid and yet he is such a precious tryed corner stone and such a sure foundation that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it so that whosoever believeth on him shall never be ashamed or confounded he being the rock of their salvation But peradventure some will object and say Obj. That the eyes of the people were to be made dim and their ears dull and their hearts grosse lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn and he healed Answ To which I answer and say That it is just with God to give such men up to hardnesse of heart who will chuse their own wayes and reject the counsel of God against themselves as this people did as I have at large before proved unto you and whereas Christ saith Obj. Unto you is given to understand the mystery of the kingdome but to other in parables that seeing they might see and not perceive c. Answ The answer is thus Such as seek to know the mysteries of the kingdome and follow him that is able to make it known as Christs Disciples did to such it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome for then shall we know him if we follow on to know him for his secrets are with them that fear him but such as seek not after him nor fear his name his counsel is far from them and as for his judgements they know them not but their feet shall stumble upon the dark mountains and thus having given you the meaning or mystery contained in this ninth Chapter to the Romans I shall passe to the examination of your lawful Ministery but by the way curteous Reader take this use of information exhortation and comfort and first be informed that God hath not appointed any souls to be damned before they are born but from preconsideration of sin committed in time neither doth God harden men or give them up to hardness of heart but for their personall sin committed in time Secondly be exhorted then to seek the Lord while he may be found and neglect not the precious time and opportunity of grace but seek him and he will be found of thee because he hath sworn that he desireth not the death of him that dieth Thirdly for comfort with God there is mercy and forgivenesse our God will abundantly pardon insomuch that the Spirit and Bridegroom saith come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is a thirst come and who ever will let him take of the water of life freely and in so doing they shall finde rest to their souls even so be it The lawful Ministery falsely so called examined and disproved IN this subject of discourse I shall be very brief Read Sam. Fisher p. 553. to 588. first because it is but as it were to strip a naked man that is your Ordination hath been very largely disproved already and you shewn that your calling is from Rome by one which once was one of your own tribe and therefore the better able to discover you also once made dispute in my hearing when one of your tribe was tryed as in respect of his Ordination to the Ministerial function At a dipute at Headcorn in Kont Mr. Gotheredge did so affirm and shewn that his Ordination was from his Grandmother although father in God Pope Joan his answer was what though they did come through Rome yet they might be true Ministers for saith he Christ came through the liner of whores and yet was the true Christ but I suppose he was made ashamed so as to blush at the reply thereof but however I dwell not or dedend not on what this man or the other Author saith but do say that every man ought to walk in his own line or measure And secondly I shall be brief because I suppose that there be but few men but do or may know if they search the Scriptures that your kinde of Election and ordination is not of God First in respect of your Presbytery Secondly in respect of your charge or Office which is to absolve or remit sins like your Grandfather the Pope and so there came to be a pope in every Parish And thirdly in respect of your qualifications These I shall speak to briefly and also shew what the true Presbyters are and secondly the qualifications of such as are to be Ordained and thirdly what their work or Office is to do These in order but first I shall examine what you say and give a brief answer unto it And in the first place you tell me It would be too great an honour for you to answer me at large in this particular No great honour to prove the ministry of the Nation false because there by very few but know it already or may know it if they search the Scriptures and also that It would have argued some guilt in your call To which I answer and say It would not have conduced much to my honour before men to prove your Calling and Ordination not to be of God because there be very few but know it or may know it if they search the Scriptures and therefore no great piece of work so as to be admired at when all men may easily see it if they shut not their eyes against the light But I passe this and say I find that in this particular viz. the Characters of the false Ministery the burden lyeth very heavy upon you and pincheth very sorely and that causeth you to use such kicking expressions as followeth which is say you A fools bolt is soon shot and if an asse kick us we must not put him in the Court. To which I answer and say I do not envy the expression for these three reasons the first is because sometimes a patient beast will kick when his burden pincheth And secondly it troubleth me not to be called a fool because he that will be wise must become a fool that he may be wise and also we have a Proverb which in this is verified that children and fools
and I will gather all Nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat and will please there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered amongst the Nations behold I will raise them out of the place whether ye have sold them so shall ye know that I am the Lord dwelling in Zion my holy mountain then shall Jerusalem be holy The return of Judah and Israels captivity proved and there shall no stranger passe through her anymore mark that but Judah shall dwell for ever and Jerusalem from generation to generation for I will cleanse their bloud that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth in Zion therefore shall the redeemed of the Lord return and come with singing to Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and mourning shal flee away Thus we may see that Jerusalem is yet to be the praise of the whole earth and that Judah and Israel shall return and be glorious as in former time nay more glorious for the Kingdome shall be restored unto Israel and Christ shall be King over them not allegorically as some ignorantly conceit for there be multitudes of objections as to that opinion that cannot be answered but it shall be fulfilled in the letter of it But because I cannot inlarge my self upon this subject my desire is that the curteous Reader would peruse these ensuing Scriptures and do heartily desire the Lord to apply the right understanding of them to thy soul Read Ezekiel chap 37 38. 39. and Isa 11.12 and 65. and 66. read the 68. Psalm and Psal 102. and 122. read Jer. 30. and 31. read Joel chap. 2. and 3. read Zeph. 3. read Zach. 12. and 14. Mal. 3. these and many more Scriptures doth shew plainly that the people of Israel and Judah shall turn from their captivity into their own Land and also take notice that these Scriptures speak not of Judahs captivity viz. that of the seventy years and the like from which they have returned and yet for their sins are gone to captivity again but this is the return not onely of Judah but also of Israel viz. the ten Tribes the which never more shall go into captivity 2 Sâ—m 7.10 Isa 61. But In their own Land DOVBLE EVERLASTING FOR shall be upon them so shall they dwell in a place of their own and move no more neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them as beforetime for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Thus you see that Judah and Israel shall yet return to their own Land But say you It cannot be for Ezekiel plainly saith when I shall bring their captivity the captivity of Sodom and her daughters and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them when thy sister Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former estate and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate then thou and thy daughters viz Judah shall return to your former estate From which Text you conclude that Sodom and her daughters shall never return and so consequently Judah and her daughters shall never return To which I answer and say that this Text seems to be your strong hold yet you shall see this Text will fight against you and therefore in the first place I shall shew who they are that are called the daughters of Sodom And secondly I shall prove that Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former estate and if so then you may blush for shame to say that Judah shall never return And so to the first which is to shew what people are called the daughters of Sodom the which we finde to be the Moabites and the Ammonites Gen. 19. for when the Lord overthrew the Cities of the plain there was none did escape save Lot and his wife and two daughters and as for his wife she was turned into a pillar of Salt so that of all the Cities of the plain which is Sodom primely and the adjacent Cities there was none left to bear the name of the daughters of Sodom but Lot and his two daughters And therefore Lots daughters consulted to make their father drunk that they might bear seed by him Gen. 19.31 for say they Our Father is old and there is no man in the earth to come into us after the manner of all the earth implying that the Lord had appointed in order to distinguish the Nations one from another that they should propagate onely with their own Nation therefore saith Lots daughters There is no man in the earth to come into us c. upon which we finde they made their father drunk with wine It is proved that Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former estate and they lay with him and the first born conceived and brought forth a son and called his name Moab the same is the father of the Moabites to this day and the younger bare a son also and called his name Ben-ammi the same is the father of the children of Amon to this day So that the Moabites and the Ammonites spring from the people of Sodom viz Lot and his daughters and are called the daughters of Sodom now the circumstance of the reasons of their captivity would be too large to discourse of onely we may take notice that the Prophet Amoâ— in short sheweth us the reason for you may mind the Lord did forbid Israel from doing Moab and Ammon any wrong when they passed by to destroy the Nations for as Ezekiel saith Ezek. 16. Deut. 29 19. they were brethren to Israel and therefore the Lord suffered Israel as aforesaid to do them no hurt yet notwithstanding the Lord gave them captive into the hands of their enemies from whence also they shall return Amos 1 13. as I shall shew you and the reason that Amos rendreth why God did give them into the hands of their enemies is because saith he For three transgressions of the children of Ammon Chp. 1.2 and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have ript up the women with child of Gilead that they might enlarge their borders thus saith the Lord 2 King 3.26 27. for three transgressions and for four of Moab I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime The which cruel act is recorded in the second Book of Kings and also the reason of their captivity the Prophet Ieremiah speaks largely of But I shal come now in the second place to prove that they viz. the daughters of Sodom shall return out of captivity and that also the earth viz. the place of Sodom shall be restored and then I have fully proved the matter and that the place of Sodom shall be restored is clear because the whole Creation that was made subject to
vanity not of its own will shall be restored into its primitive state as is plain both in Scripture and reason But because this is not my main businesse to prove Rom. 8.21 22 23 24 Act. 3.23 Isa 55.11 12. ch 65.17 Ezek. 34.27 that the place of Sodom shall be restored but that the daughters of Sodom shall be restored and therefore as to further satisfaction as to this I shall refer thee to the marginal note and passe to the next thing Jer. 49.5.6 that is to prove that the daughters of Sodom viz. Moab and Ammon shall return out of their captivity and first see what the Prophet saith as touching the children of Ammon and afterwards I will bring again the captivity of the children of Ammon ch 48.42 and v. 46 and 47. saith the Lord and as touching Moab the Prophet saith thus And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people because he hath magnified himself against the Lord wo unto thee O Moab the people of Chemosh perisheth for thy sons are taken captives yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab mark that in the latter daies saith the Lord. Thus we may see that the daughters or Sodom shall return out of their captivity therefore be ashamed to say that Israel and Judah shall not return out of their captivity time would fail me to shew you how Israel and Iudah shall return and how Moab is to be a hiding place and how they shall come into the wildernesse of Moab and also with Moab even in the midst thereof but it is sufficient for me to porve that they shall return the which is done sufficiently to satisfie any reasonable man Exek 41.12 and so I shall passe to the next thing which is say you Ezekiels Prophecy is spiritual and therefore there is to be no Temple litterally to be understood but Saints now the Temple of God for say you that miraculous fruit and strange waters their spoken of proves it to be spiritually to be understood To which I answer and say to call the fruit there miraculous considering it is to grow upon the earth as it was in Adams innocency discovereth much ignorance in you and that there was or is to be trees whose leaf fadeth not is plain because the godly man is compared to such a tree and when did you ever know the Lord compare the godly man to a lye Psal 1.2 3 4. that is to a thing that ever was so but if your opinion be true God compares the godly to a thing that is not and that in a sense is to compare them to a lye but there was and shall be trees whose leaves fade not and so the godly may fitly be compared to it I could speak largely to this but I passe and in the second place I say that the Saints may be called a Temple by way of allusion because as God did shadow out himself in the Mercy-seat in the Temple of old and now by his spiritual presence in us by the which we may comparatively be called Gods Temple yet this doth not destroy that which before I have said that there shall be a Temple at Jerusalem for if it should be objected said That God dwels not in Temples made with hands I answer and say that it doth not therefore follow that God never will for now the Lord hath left his house and heritage in so much as it is become a ruinated heap yet I have proved that it shall be built again and inhabited and that the Lord will dwell in Mount Zion in Hierusalem and that also his dwelling there figuratively of old did type out his excellent presence in the fulness thereof in time to come as his dwelling with us by the manifestation of his spiritual presence now doth hold forth that he will for ever hereafter have his Tabernacle with men and dwell with them when they shall see him face to face and know him as they are known by him So then although we are called Gods Temple as aforesaid yet it doth no more follow that there shall not be a Temple hereafter than there shall not be a material tree of life hereafter because wisdome is called a tree of life and if there shall not be a material tree of life hereafter as there was in Adams innocency then the second Adam hath not made good or restored what the first Adam lost and so not a restorer of all things but Christ is a perfect restorer of all things as saith the Scriptures and hence it comes to passe that when we shall enjoy the presence of our GREAT KING we have the promise more than once to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of Paradise or that fruitfull and pleasant * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Garden but that there shall be a Temple is plain for as yet what I have formerly written lyeth unanswered there being nothing at all of weight offered against it read my Sions Redemption p. 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100. And whereas you say that Jerusalem is meant the Church and cite Gal. 4.26 thus read But Hierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all To which I answer and say if we read the text in your sense it must be read thus But the Church which is ABOVE IS the mother of us all Gal 4.26 27. Jerusalem in the letter in the time of her glory is called the mother of us Gentiles read Isa 66. and what sense there is in it so read I shall leave the Reader to judge but what is meant in the next verse which saith Rejoyce thou barren that didst not bear c. doth that mean the state of a Gospel-church or doth it mean the Iews glorious return when the Gentiles shall be born upon her side viz. live in Jerusalem with her and be dandled upon her knees viz. comforted in Jerusalem and suck the breast of her consolation and milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory Read the 54 chapter of Isaiah from whence the Apostle Paul saith to the Galatians As it is written rejoyce thou barren that didst not bear c. and then you may see that it s meant the glorious estate of the Iews as I before have proved but I never yet read that a Gospel-Church considered before Iews and Gentiles enjoy Hierusalem together was called by the name of Hierusalem but that Hierusalem which Paul speaks of in Gal. 4.1 I own to be that Hierusalem prophecied of in Isaiah 54. and chap. 61.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. and chap. 65.17 18 19. and ch 66.10 11 12 13 14 but I passe to the next thing which is say you The Iews shall be converted by a Gospel-preaching Page 31. and also say you it is errour to deny it for it will appear that the Iews are to be converted by a Gospel preaching first because that the Gospel
the Lord Jesus THE GREAT KING shal take the KINGDOMS of the whol WORLD into his hands and 〈…〉 KINGS in his wrath and break them like a Potters vessell when he shall sit KING upon his holy hill of SYON and so I passe to a conclusion as briefly as may be not taking notice of every truffle yet I shall not let any thing that hath a colour of reason or strength go unexamined and unanswered as the Lord shall assist me But again whereas in your 34. page you say The Pope is Antichrist because he is against Christ and prayes to Saints To which I answer briefly and say that if all those may be fitly called Antichrist which sin against Christ or break his laws then he that goes to the Ale house and is drunk or he that covets that which is his neighbours is an Antichrist which if so I fear there is few of your tribe will misse that title Antichrist it s well if you do I could shew you your vain reasoning at large but I spare you but you tell me the Pope prayes to Saints The Pope praying to Saints proves him not to be the Antichrist but rather proves that he is not and therefore is Antichrist pray did you ever dream that such as pray to Saints are the Antichrist I am certain you never read it in the Scriptures but rather that proves him not to be Antichrist because he that is the Antichrist will be so far from praying to Saints that he will neither acknowledge God nor Saints but will oppose himself above God or Saints as I already have proved As for your other two reasons are triflles for in your second reason you tell me how The Latteran Council applauded the Pope saying That he was another God on earth To which I answer If you had added such a Letter as was sent from the Samaritanes to Antiochus Epiphanes Read Josephus p. 303. yet it would not have helpt you to prove the Pope to be Antichrist for what and if the Latteran Council did applaud the Pope and call him a God on earth will it therefore follow that either Council or Pope did affirm that they were above the God of heaven or spake as the Man of sin did marvelous things against the God of Gods 1 Cor. 8.5 We know there are gods many as saith the Apostle and so they might peradventure call him a God on earth but this proves him not to be the Antichrist so your second reason falls to the ground And thirdly you say The seven hills are the seat of Antichrist Rev. 17.9 and the Popes sits there and therefore the Pope is Antichrist Answer The text doth say Rev. 17.9 The seven heads are seven mountains on which the WOMAN mark that sitteth But I have shewed that the WOMAN there spoken of is the same WOMAN that is spoken of in the 18. verse which is to be destroyed by the Antichrist and therefore not Antichrist but the seven hills was never called the seat of Antichrist Dan. 11 45. neither shall it ever be his seat but his seat shall be in the glorious holy mountain Jâ—rusalem as I before have shewed And thus all your three reasons to prove the Pope to be Antichrist is chased and vanished away as a vision of the night and so I passe to the next thing considerable which is the examination of what you say to the Reign of Christ after the destructâ—on of the great Antichrist because the other intervening discourse of yours is but a story of the family of Gog and Magog the which peradventure I know near so well as your self what Historians say of the family of Gog and Gomâ—r and Tubal and Togamâ—r and the like and also possibly I might prove that some of all these families will be of that multitude that shall cover the mountains of Israel like a cloud but I have said enough to prove that the Pope is not THE Antichrist and so I come to examin your examinitâ—on of Christs reign on earth the which upon examinition I do marvel you would strain your reputation if you ever had any in bringing into a publick view that which hath so little reason or strength of argument in it but I pass briefly to the matter which is Page 36. Christ shall not reign upon earth say you because Christ tells Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world To which I answer and say when Christ tells Pilate his KINGDOME was not of this world at that time it was not of this world considered as it stands in the state of corruption and the government upon many mens shoulders for upon this account Christ speaks to Pilate but there is a time coming that the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of the LORD CHRIST The time is coming that Christ will have and hold a Kingdome on earth and the GOVERNMENT shall be upon his shoulders and he shall reign for ever and ever that is so long as there are KING-DOMES to reign over for this saith the Lord in several places of Scripture as I shall hint at some few of them and also shew you when the time will begin and that will be at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet that shall accomplish these three excellent things or these three excellent things shall be accomplished at that time first the dead Saints raised and secondly the Jews called home and thirdly the KINGDOMS of this world at that time shall become the KINGDOMS of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign and govern it in righteousness These three things I shall prove in order as God shall assist through whose strength I could be very large in this matter A discovery of the excellent effects of the 7th trumpet in the time of his sounding 1 Thes 4.16 but I shall be brief And first to the first What is the first thing that will be effected by the sound of the seventh Trumpet which is the dead Saints raised as will appear from the holy Scripture which saith For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first and that this is the seventh or last Trumpet is more plainly discovered by Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 15.51 52. which saith Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye at the LAST TRVMP for the TRVMPET shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptable and we shall be changed From whence we may see that this will be effected in the sounding of the seventh TRUMPET namely that the dead Saints shall be raised and the living Saints changed and so I passe to hint at the second thing that will be effected in that time which is The drying up of the River Euphrates that the children of Israel may
and his Disciples should be for signs and wonders in Israel it was so and as it was prophesied that the Jews should smite him on the cheek it was so and as it was prophesied that they would give him vineger to drink it was so and as it was prophesied that one should betray him for thirty pieces of silver by which the Potters field should be bought it was so and as it was prophesied that they should cast lots for his vesture it was so and that a bone of him should not be broken but that he should be peirced it was so done to him These and many such like things as touching Christ and also concerning Israels Captivity by the Bibylonians which was foretold by the Prophets was fulfilled in the letter multitudes of such like things as I could speak of but the time fails me which was fulfilled in the very letter Therefore let us believe that what the Prophets as touching Christs glorified condition in Jerusalem and Peter knew well what he said when he speaks of Christs Kingdome saying We have not followed cunning devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus but we were eye-witnesses of his glory and we have a more sure word of prophesie to which you do well if you give heed mark that knowing first that no prophesie of Scripture was of any private interpretation neither came it by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Hence we see the Prophets words are of great weight and also take notice that all the Prophets bare witnesse to the truth of what I have asserted and this intervening discourse I thought good to adde to that end that the courteous Reader might take notice that what the Prophets had foretold was and is to be fulfilled in the letter of the Scriptures unlesse they are proverbs or parables or the like and therefore I shall desire thee to read them the more diligently and distinctly they want not an interpretor but are very plain to him that hath any discerning spirit onely take notice of this that whereas the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of David he means the Son of David viz. Christ which is to sit upon his Throne for ever as the discourse of the Chapter will clearly shew as possibly I may give an hint of it in the marginal â—oat and these few things premised I come to the second part of the assertion which is That Christ shall Reign in Jerusalem And in order to the making of it appear to be truth I shall shew you that the Prophets have foretold it viz. that the Lord shall make Ierusalem or Zion at or in Jerusalem his seat and reign there before whom Kings shall fall down and shall worship before him therefore mark well the words of the Lord spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets Psal 2.6 Zach. 2.10 11 12 13. which saith Yet have I set my King upon his holy hill of Zion Sing and rejoyce O Daughter of Zion for lo I will come and dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord And many Nations shall be joyned unto the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee Isa 31.4,5 6. and thou shalt know that the Lord of Host hath sent me unto thee And the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land Jer. 13.7 and shall chuse Jerusalem again Be silent O all flesh before the Lord Isa 24.23 for he is raised up out of his holy habitation So will the Lord of Hosts defend Jerusalem and in defending of it he will deliver it Ezek. 34.23 24. Then shall the Sun be ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord of Hosts shall Reign in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem David being prophesied to be a Shepherd and Prince in Jerusalem and so to remain for ever is to be understood Christ before his Ancients gloriously At that time they shall call Jerusalem the THRONE of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it to the name of the Lord to Jerusalem neither shall they walk any more after the imaginations of their evill heart And I will set up one Shepheard over them and he shall feed them even my Servant David he shall feed them and he shall be their Shepheard And I the Lord will be their God and my Servant David viz. Christ a Prince a-amongst them I the Lord have spoken it Behold I will take the children of Israel from amongst the heathen whither they be gone Ezek. 37.21 10 29. and I will gather them on every side and will bring them into their own Land And I will make them a Nation in the Land upon the mountains of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither shall they be devided into two Kingdomes any more at all Neither shall they defile themselves with any of their transgressions but I will cleanse them so shall they be my people and I will be their God And David my servant viz. Christ shall be King over them It cannot be meant that David in the letter shall be their Prince for ever but Christ that is called the Son of David and is to sit upon his Throne for ever and they shall have one Shepheard and they also shall walk in my judgements and observe my statutes and do them And they shall dwell in the Land that I gave to Jacob my servant and they shall dwell therein even they and their children and their childrens children for ever and my servant David viz. Christ shall be their Prince for ever Moreover I will make a Covenant of peace with them and it shall be an everlasting Covenant and I will place them and multiply them and will set my Sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore My Tabernacle also shall be with them and I will be their God and they shall be my people The heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctifie Israel when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore Rev. 21.3 4. And I heard a great voice from heaven saying the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself will be their God And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 5.9 10. And they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the Book and lose the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kindred tongue and Nation And hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall reign on the earth Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will perform that good thing that I promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah In those daies and at that time will I cause a
Branch of righteousnesse to grow unto David and he shall execute judgement and righteousnesse in the Land Jer. 33.14 15 16 17. In those daies shall Iudah be saved and Israel dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse For thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel For the Lord shall roar oâ—t of Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the children of Israel So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy moutain then shall Ierusalem be holy Joel 3.16 17 18 19 20 21 and there shall no stranger passe through it any more But Iudah shall dwell forever and Ierusalem from generation to generâ—tion For I will cleanse their bloud which I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth in Zion For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly blesse her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread I will cloath her Priests with salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy Psal 132.13 14 15 16 17 18. There will I make the horn of David to bud I will ordain a lamb for mine anointed His enemies shall be cloathed with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish in that day it shall be said to Ierusalem fear not and unto Zion let not thy hands be slack the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy Zeph 3.14 15 16 17 18 19. Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart O daughter of Ierusalem The Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thine enemies the King of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evill any more But the captives of the host of the children of Israel shall possesse that of the Canaanites even to Zarephath and the captivity of Ierusalem which is in Sepharad shall possesse the Cities of the South And Saviours shall come upon Mount Zion Obed 18.19 20 21 to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdomes shall be the Lords Again the word or the Lord of Host came unto me saying Thus saith the Lord of Hosts I am jealous for Zion with a great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury Zach. 8.1 2 3 4. thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a City of truth and the mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy mountain And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is bâ—fore Ierusalem and the Lord thy God shall come and all his Saints with him for Enoch also the seventh from Adam Enoch prophecied of Christ kingdom Judg 14 Zach 14.4 5 9. prophecied of these things saying behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the TIMES of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord for he will send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you whom the heavens must receive untill the TIMES of restitution of all things which God Acts 3.19 Rom. 2.16 Acts 17.31 2 Tim. 4.1 hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began For he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man Christ Iesus at his appearance and Kingdome Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tydings that publisheth peace O Judah keep thy solemn Feasts perform thy vows Nah. 1.15 for the wicked shall no more passe through thee he is utterly cut off For thus saith the Lord of Hosts yet once is it a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry-land And I will shake all Nations Hag. 2.6 7 8 9. Isa 61.1 2 3 Rev. 15.8.29 to 35. Psal 48.8 9. Psal 68. from Isa 66.6 Ezek. 41.14.15.20 21 23 25. and the desire of all Nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of Hosts And the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former saith the Lord of Hosts and in this place will I give peace saith the Lord of Hosts Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me And the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Behold he shall come saith the Lord of Hosts But who may abide the day of his coming and who shall stand when he appears For he is like a refiners fire and like fullers soap And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purge the sons of Levi Mal 3.1 2 3 4. and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousnesâ—e Then shall the offerings of Iudah and Ierusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the dayes of old and as in former years and I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon They that dwell under his shadow shall return Hos 14.5 6 7 8. they shall revive as the corn and grow as the vine the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols Isa 55.11 12. who is wise and he shall understand these things For they shall be led forth with joy and the mountains shall break forth before them into singing And at that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David Amos 9. from 11. to 16. that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof And I will raise up his ruines and will build it as in the dayes of old Balaams prophecy to Balack as touching the estate of Israel in the latter dayes Numb 24. from 14 to 20. That they may possesse the remnant of Edom. And I will plant them upon their own Land And there shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Srepter shall rise out of Israel and shall smite the corners of Moab and destroy the children of Seth and Edom shall be a possession Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies and Israel shall do valiantly Out of Iacob shall come he that shall have dominion
and shall destroy him that remaineth of the City For unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Councellour the mighty God the everlasting Father the prince of Peace Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement Isa 9. 6 7 8. and with justice from hence forth even for ever the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this For he shall come down like the rain upon the new mown grasse as showers that water the earth In this day shall the righteous flourish and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the rivers to the ends of the earth Psal 72.5 10 12. they that dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust The Kings of Tarshish A promise of Moses as touching Christ in â—n Alâ—gory Deut. 33.13 14 15 16 Isa 53 12. Christ was delivered to death and so was for a time separated from his brethren Isa 45. and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Sheba and Sebâ— shall offer gifts Yea all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him And for the chief things of the ancient mountains and for the precious things of the â—asting hills And for the precoâ—us things of the earth and fuâ—nâ—sse hereof and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush let the blessing come down upno the head of Ioseph and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren Therefore will I devide him a spoil amongst the great because he poured out his soul to death Therefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name that every knee should bow before him They shall come before thee in chains they shall come over and they shall fall down unto thee As saith the Angels to Mary Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son Luke 1.31 32 33. and shalt call his name Iesus and he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall be no end And I saw in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they brought him near before him And there was given to him dominion Dan. 7.13 14 and 27. and glory and a kingdome that all people Nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his kingdome that which shall not be destroyed And the kingdom and dominion and greatness of the kingdome under the whole heaven 3 John 3.2 shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high whose kingdome is an everlasting kingdome and all dominions shall serve and obey him Now are we the sons of God but it doth not appear what we shall be Luke 22 28. but when he shall appear we shall be made like him for ye are they saith Christ that have continued with me in my temptations I appoint unto you a kingdome and I will give you power over the Nations Rev. 2.26 and you shall rule them with a rod of iron and break them like a Potters vessel Psal 149.9 even as I have received of my Father this honour haâ—h all the Saints praise ye the Lord Thou shalt bring them in and place them in the mountain of thine inheritance Eph. 15.17 18 in the place O Lord which thou hast made for thee to duell in in the Sanctuary O Lord which thy hands have established The Lord shall reign for ever and ever Much might be said by way of allusion concerning Jonahs prayer Jâ—nah 2.4 Jâ—m 5 7. 8 Chap. 2.5 I said that I was cast out of thy sight yet will I look towards thy holy temple Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the husband man waitâ—th for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain Be ye also patient establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth near Heaâ—ken my beloved brethren God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdome For we have not followed cunning devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Petâ— 1 from 16 to 22. For he shall come in the clouds and every eye shall see him and they that peirced him shall mourn And then they shall say lo this is our God we have waited for him blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord For thou Bethlehem in the Land of Judeah Isa 25.9 Mat. 23.27 28 Chap. 25.31 Mat. 2 6. Mark 13.34 Rev 22 12 art not the least of the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall rule my people Israel For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey who lest his house and gave authority to his servants and to every man his work and commanded the Porter to watch Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the master of the house cometh Watch ye therefore for he will come and give to every one according to his works blessed is that servant when his Lord cometh finds so doing he wâ—l give them a crown of life and a place in the Paradice of God in that new heaven and new earth Luke 12.37 1 Pet 5.4 Rev 2.7 Mat 5. 5 Jer 23 5 for the meek shall inherit the earth For behold the day cometh saith the Lord that I will raise up unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth in his day Judah shall be saved and Israel dwell safely and this is his name where by he shall be called Mich 4.7 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNES And I will make her that halteth Psal 146.10 a remnant and her that was cast out a strong Nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zâ—on from henceforth and for ever Psal 67. from 1 to 8 Thy Lord shall reign for ever even thy God O Zion to all generations O let the Nations be glad and sing for joy for thou shalt judge the people tighteously and govern the Nations upon the earth Selah God shall blesse us and all the ends of the earth shall fear him Psal 49.14 1 Thes 4 Psal 149.2 Clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of tryumph For the