Go forth of the Ark thou and thy Wife and thy Sons and thy Sons Wives with thee and bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee c. and Noah went forth and every living thing that was with him after his kind went forth out of the Ark. And Noah builded an Altar unto the Lord and took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl and offered burnt-offerings on the Altar and the Lord smelled a sweet savour and the Lord said in his heart I will not again curse the earth any more for mans sake for the imaginations of his heart are evil from his youth neither will I again smite any more every thing living as I have done while the earth remaineth seed time and harvest cold and heat Summer and Winter day and night shall not cease Gen. 8.20 21 22. And God blessed Noah and his Sons and said unto them be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and the fear of them and the dread of them shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every fowl of the air the power of all living the living creatures the Lord delivered into the hands of Noah and his Sons and the Lord said every thing that liveth shall be meat for you even as the green Herb I have given you all things but flesh with the life thereof which is the blood thereof you shall not eat And surely your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it and at the hand of man and at the hand of every mans brother will I require the life of man Gen. 9.4 5. So here the Lord warned them before hand not to kill one another as Cain had done his brother no nor the beasts to kill them who so shedeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he man ver 10. And to Noah and to his Sons he said be fruitful and multiply and bring forth abundance in the earth and multiply therein and behold I will establish my Covenant with you and with your seed after you neither shall all flesh be cut off any more neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth and God said this is a token of the Covenant that I will make between me and you I do set my Bow in the Cloud and it shall be seen in the Cloud and I will remember my Covenant and I will look upon it that I may remember the everlasting Covenant between me and every living Creature of all flesh upon the earth And the Sons of Noah that went forth of the Ark were Shem Ham and Japhet Ham is the Father of Canaan these are the three Sons of Noah and of them was the whole earth spread And Noah began to be a Husbandman and he planted a Vinyard and drank of the Wine and was drunk and he was uncovered within his Tent and Ham the Father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his Father and told his two Brethren without and Shem and Japhet took a Garment and laid it upon both their Shoulders and went backward and covered the nakedness of their Father and their Faces were backward and they saw not their Fathers nakedness ver 23. So this cursed Ham he could look upon his Fathers nakedness and lay it open to his Brethren but his Brethren covered his nakedness and could not look upon him And Noah when he awoke from his Wine he knew what his younger Son Ham had done unto him and he said cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren and he said blessed be the Lord God of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant and God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant Here Noah had the inspiration of the Almighty and was a true Prophet concerning his three Sons and they which he blessed is blest and he whom he cursed is curstâ— and according to his Prophesie the Lord hath enlarged Japhet for of Japhet's stock is the Isles of the Gentiles as you may read Chap. 10. ver 5. And of Shem's stock came Abraham the Father of all the faithful to which the promise of the Lord is and Christ Jesus the seed of the promise is not only given a Covenant unto Abraham and his seed the Jews but he is also given a light to the Gentiles that he may be Gods salvation to the ends of the earth And so here is Noah's Prophesle fulfill'd upon Shem and Japhet that as they joined together in covering their Father's nakedness so Christ Jesus the everlasting Covenant hath joined them together in one and will be their salvation to the ends of the earth and so Japhet dwells in the Tents of Shem in God's Covenant of light And so Haâ—'s stock is of the cursed seed he begat Cush and Cush begat Nimrod and he was a mighty hunter and a great man in the earth and the beginning of his Kingdom was Babel in the Land of Shinar as ye may read in Gen. 10. The whole earth at that time was of one Language and this Nimrod began to build a City in the plain of Shinar and this Ham's stock and Nimrod's stock they would go make brick and they would go build a City and a Tower whose top may reach to Heaven lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth say they and the Lord God came down to see the City which the Children of men builded and the Lord said let us go down and confound their language that they may not understand one anothers speech so the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth and they left off to build the City therefore is the name of it called Babel because that there the Lord did confound the Language of all the earth and the cause of this was the pride of cursed Ham's stock and Nimrod that would be so great that he would build a Tower to Heaven that he might not be scattered but his Kingdom is Babel and from thence they were all sâ—attered and this was the beginning of many Languages even a curse from God upon Ham's stock for before the earth was all of one Language for Ham's stock is of the cursed seed and for their sakes the Language was confounded and they scattered over the earth Now the Generations of Shem you may read of in Gen. 11.10 to the end And Terah lived 70 years and begat Abram Nahor and Haran ver 26. and Haran begat Lot and Haran died before his Father Terah in the Land of his Nativity Hor of the Caldees and Abram and Nahor took them Wives the name of Abram's Wife was Sarai and the name of Nahor's Wife was Milcah and Terah took Ahram his Son and Lot the Son of Haran his Son's Son and Sarai his daughter-in-law his Son Abram's Wife and they went forth with him into Vz of the
for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judab it is also evident that after the Order of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest who is made not after the Law of a carnal commandment but after the power of an endless life for being that the Priesthood is changed there must of necessity be a change of the Law Heb. 7. for he testifieth thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec which Order is not of a carnal commandment neither is this Priest a mortal man subject to fall and infirmities More might be said concerning this Melchisedec which met Abraham and blessed him but the Apostle is very laâ—ge in the demonstration of him for he saith Heb. 5.11 that he had many things to say of him hard to be uttered because they were dull of hearing After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a Vision saying Fear not Abram I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward and Abram said Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless and one that is born in mine house must be mine heir the Lord said this shall not be thine heir but one that comes out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir and the Lord said look up towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou beest able to number them and he said so shall thy seed be and Abram believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness And when Abram was 99 years old the Lord appeared unto him and said walk before me and be thou perfect and my Covenant shall be with thee and thou shalt be the Father of many Nations and thy name shall be called no more Abram but Abraham shall be thy name a Father of many Nations have I made thee and as for Sarai thy Wife thou shalt not call her name Sarai but Sarah shall her name be and I will bless her and she shall be the Mother of Nations then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart shall a child be born unto him that is 100 years old and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear and Abraham said unto God Oh that Ishmael might live before the Lord and God said Sarah thy Wife shall bear thee a Son indeed and thou shalt call his name Isaac and I will establish my Covenant with him for an everlasting Covenant and with his seed after him and as for Ishmael I have heard thee behold I have blest him but my Covenant will I establish with Isaac which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year And according to this the Lod sent his Angels unto Abraham and Sarah to confirm unto them that at the time appointed she should bring forth a child and the Lord said unto Abraham wherefore did Sarah laugh saying shall I have a child is any thing too hard for the Lord at the time appointed will I return unto thee according to the time of life and Sarah shall have a Son so at the same time the Lord discovered unto Abraham what he intended against Sodom And the men turned their faces towards Sodom and Abraham set them on their way and the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do seeing that Abraham shall be surely great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed in him for I know that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord and do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him And the Lord said because of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sins are very grievous I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know and the men turned their faces from thence and went towards Sodom but Abraham stood before the Lord and drew near and prayed unto the Lord for the righteous in Sodom and the Lord heard him as you may read Gen. 18. And so the two Angels came into Lot's house and Lot received them kindly and so he and all his house were preserved the men said unto Lot hast thou any here besides thy Son-in-law and thy Sons and thy Daughters and whatever thou hast in the City bring it out for we will destroy this place because that the cry of it is waxen great before the Lord and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it So the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of Heaven from the Lord but just Lot was preserved in the little City called Zoar and was permitted to escape thither that his Soul might live he his Sons and his Daughters and all the Cities round about were destroyed all the Cities of the plain And God remembred Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow where Lot dwelt in the plain And Abraham got up early in the morning and he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and the smoke of the Country rose up as the smoke of a Furnace Gen. 19.28 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said for Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a Son in his old age and Abraham called the name of his Son that was born unto him Isaac and he circumcised him the eight day as God had commanded him and Abraham was a hundred years old when his Son Isaac was born And it came to pass after these things that God called Abrabam and said unto him take now â—hy Son thine only Son whom thou lovest and get thee into the Land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his Ass and took two of the young men with him and Isaac his Son and clave the wood for a burnt-offeâ—â—g then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off and Abraham said unto the young men abide you here with the Asses and I and the Lad will go yonder and worship and come again unto you And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it upon Isaac his Son and he took fire in his hand and a knife and they went both of them together And Isaac spake unto Abraham his Father and said my Father and he said here am I my Son and he said here is the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for a burnt-offering and he answered my Son the Lord will provide one So they went both of them together and they came to the place which God had told him of and Abraham built an Altar and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his Son and laid him upon the wood and Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his Son and the Angel of the Lord called
unto him out of Heaven and said Abraham Abraham and he said here am I and he said lay not thine hand upon the Lad neither do thou any thing unto him for now I know thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me and Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold behind him a Ram caught in a thicket by his horns and Abraham went and took the Ram and offered him up for a burnt-offering instead of his Son and Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh as it is to this day in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham the second time and said by my self I have sworn saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not with-held thy Son thine only Son that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the sand upon the Sea shore and thy seed shall possess the Gates of thine enemies and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice Heb. 6.23 34 So Abraham and his Son returned unto his young men and they rose up and went to Beershebu together where Abraham dwelt And Sarah being 127 years old she died in Kiriath-arba the same is Hebron in the Land of Canaan and Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept for her and Abraham bought a burying place of the Sons of Heth to bury his dead in out of his sight Gen. 23. So when Abraham grew old and stricken in age he caused his eldest servant of his House to put his hand under his thigh and made him swear by the God of Heaven and the God of the earth and said thou shalt not take a Wife unto my Son of the Canaanites amongst whom I dwell but thou shalt go into my Country and unto my kindred and take a Wife unto my Son Isaac and the servant said peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me and Abraham said the Lord God of Heaven which took me from my Fathers house and from the Land of my kindred and which spake unto me and sware unto me saying unto thy seed will If give this Land he shall send his Angel before thee and thou shalt take a Wife for my Son from thence and if the woman will not be willing to follow thee then thou shalt be clear from this mine Oath And the Servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his Master and sware to him concerning the matter So the Servant believed in Abraham's words and made ready for his journey and took with him Camels and Goods of his Masters and set forward on his journey to Mesopotamia and at a well before he came to the City he met with Rebekah Bethuâ—l's daughter whose Mother's name was Milcah the Wife of Nahor Abraham's Brother and shelentreated him kindly and carried him home to her Fathers house and her Father and Mother and brother Laban received him kindly into their house and said unto him thou blessed of the Lord come in and they set meat before him and the servant declared unto him whose servant he was and how his Master had sent him and declared what his message was unto them as the whole passage you may read in Gen. 24. Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said the thing proceedeth from the Lord we cannot speak unto thee good or bad behold Rebekah is before thee take her and go and let her be thy Master's Son's Wife as the Lord hath spoken at which words the Servant worshipped the Lord and bowed himself to the earth and the servant brought forth Jewels of Silver and Gold and gave them to Rebekah and gave precious things to her Mother and Brother and when they had eat and drunk they set forwards towards his Master and as they were returning home Isaac met them by the way and she said unto the servant what man is this and he said it is my Master therefore she took a vail and covered her self and the servant told Isaac all that he had done and Isaac brought her into his Mother Sarah's Tent and took Rebekah and she became his Wife and he loved her and Isaac was comforted after his Motherâ— death These are the Generations of Isaac Abraham's Son Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah to Wife the Daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-Aram the Sister to Laban the Syrian and Isaac entreated the Lord for his Wife because she was barren and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebekah his Wife conceived and the children struggled within her and she said why am I thus and she went to enquire of the Lord and the Lord said unto her two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy Bowels the one people shall be stronger than the other and the elder shall serve the younger And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled behold there were twins in her Womb and the first came out red all over like an hairy Garment and they called his name Esau and after that came his brother out and his hand took hold of Esau's heel and his name was called Jacob Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them Here was the two Nations and the two seeds comprehended and brought forth of one Womb the Lord foreknowing and foreseeing this thing as he spoke unto Rebekah as the Apostle testifies that when the Children were yet in the Womb unborn having done neither good nor evil that the purpose of God according to the election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Rom. 9.11 12 13. of this Esau's stock came the Edomites of which we shall say more hereafter But the word of the Lord by his Prophet Malachi I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us was not Esau saith the Lord Jacob's Brother yet I loved Iacob and I hated Esau and laid his mountains and his herritage waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness Mal. 1.2 3. And again Hos 12. Ephraim feedeth on wind he daily increaseth in lies and they do make a Covenant with the Assyrians and carrieth Oyl into Egypt and not only the stock of Esau but also Jacob and Iudah had grieved the Lord at this time this Prophesie was after Iudah and Israel had sinned against the Lord and commited abominations as you may read in the 2 Kings 25. and Hos 12.2 The Lord hath also a controversie with Iudah and will punish Iacob according to his waies according to his doings will be recompense him he took his brother by the heel in the Womb and by his strength he had power with God he had power over the Angel he wept and
unto Rachel his Daughter Billah to be her Handmaid and he gave unto Leah Zilpah to be her Handmaid and Iacob went in unto Rachel and he loved Rachel more than Leah and when the Lord saw that Leah was hated he opened her Womb but Rachel was barren and Leah conceived and bare a Son and she called his name Reuben for she said the Lord surely hath looked upon mine affliction now therefore my Husband will love me And she conceived again and bare a Son and said because the Lord hath heard that I was hated he hath therefore given me this Son also and she called his name Simeon And she conceived again and bare a Son and said now this time my Husband will be joined unto me because I have born him three Sons therefore was his name called Levi. And she conceived again and bare a Son and she said now will I praise the Lord therefore she called his name Iudah And when Rachel saw that she bare Iacob no Children she envied her Sister and said unto Iacob give me Children or else I die and Iacob's anger was kindled against Rachel and said am Iâ—in Gods stead who hath with-holden from thee the fruit of the Womb and she gave him Billah her Handmaid to Wife and Iacob went in unto her and Billah conceived and bare Iacob a Son and Rachel said God hath judged me and heard my voice and hath given me a Son and she called his name Dan. And Billah Rachels Handmaid conceived again and bare Iacob a second Son and Rachel said with great wrestlings I have wrestled with my Sister and have prevailed and she called his name Naphtali When Leah saw she had left bearing she took Zilpah her Handmaid and gave her Iacob to Wife and Zilpah Leah's maid bare Iacob a Son and Leah said a Troop cometh and she called his name Gad. And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Iacob a second Son and Leah said happy am I for the Daughters will call me blessed and she called his name Asher And in the time of Wheat-Harvest Reuben found Mandrakes and brought them to his Mother Leah then Rachel desired them but Leah said unto her is it a small thing that thou takes away my Husband and wouldest thou take away my Sons Mandrakes also and Rachel said therefore he shall lie with thee this night for them And Iacob came out of the field in the evening and Leah met him and said thou must lie with me for surely I have hired thee with my Sons Mandrakes and he lay with her that night and God hearkened unto Leah and she conceived and bare Iacob a fifth Son and Leah said God hath given me mine hire because I have given my maiden to my Husband and she called his name Issachar And Leah conceived again and bare Iacob the sixth Son and Leah said God hath endowed me with a good Dowry now will my Husband dwell with me because I have born him six Sons and she called his name Zebulun And afterward she bare a Daughter and called her name Dinah And God remembred Rachel and hearkened unto her and opened her Womb and she conceived and bare a Son and said God hath taken away my reproach and she called his name Joseph and said the Lord shall add to me another Son And it came to pass when Rachel had born Joseph Jacob said unto Laban send me away that I may go unto my own place and to my Country give me my Wives and my Children for whom I have served thee and let me go for thou knowest my service which I have done thee And Laban said I pray thee carry for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake and Jacob said thou knowest the Lord hath blessed thee and encreased thee and now when shall I provide for mine house also but Laban not being willing to part with Iacob they agreed that he should stay with him again and feed his flocks and he desired but the spotted and speckled Cattel and the spotted and speckled among the Sheep and Goats and the Flocks encreased of that sort of Cattel so fast that he heard the words of Laban's Sons saying Jacob hath taken away all that was our Fathers and he hath gotten all this glory and Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban and it was not towards him as it was before And the Lord said unto Jacob return unto the Land of thy Fathers and to thy Kindred and I will be with thee And Iacob called Rachel and Leah and said unto them I see your Father's countenance that it is not towards me as it was before but the God of my Fathers hath-been with me and ye know that with all my power I have served your Father and your Father hath deceived me and changed my wages ten times but God suffered him not to hurt me so Iacob rose up and set his Sons and his Wives upon Camels and he carryed away all his Cattel and all his goods which he had gotten in Padan-Aram to go to Isaac his Father in the Land of Canaan so he went with all that he had and rose up â—nd passed over the River and passed towards mount Gilead and Iacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him and when Iacob saw them he said this is God's Host and he called the name of that place Mahanaim And he was to pass through the Country of Edom and through the Land of Seir which was his Brother Esau's Country and Iacob sent messengers before him to his Brother Esau he had been twenty years that he had not seen him so he did not know whether he would forget his old intention and purpose to kill him therefore he commanded the Messengers that he sent saying thus shall ye speak to my Lord Esau thy servant Iacob saith thus I have so journed with Laban and stayed there until now and I have Oxen Asses Flocks Men-servants and Women servants and I have sent to tell my Lord Esau that I may find grace in thy sight and the Messengers returned unto Iacob saying we came to thy Brother Esau and he cometh to meet thee and four hundred men with him Then Iacob was greatly afraid and distressed and he divided the people that was with him and the Flocks and the Herds and the Camels into two Bands and said if Esau come to the one company and smite it the other may escape And Jacob said O God of my Father Abraham and God of my Father Isaac the Lord which said unto me return into thy Country and to thy Kindred and I will deal well with thee I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant for with my Staff I passed over this Jondan and now I am become two Bands deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother Esau for I fear him lest he should come and smite me and the Mother with the Children
commanded them but saved the Children alive and the more they afflicted them the more they grew and multiplied Thus you see how kindly the Lord hath dealt with the seed of his promise and Covenant and how often he hath renewed his Promises and his Blessings and Mercies unto them hereafter you may see also how he took care all along of his seed that his Promise remained upon and how he committed them afterwards to the hand of Moses whom he preserved by his power who was nursed up by Pharaohs Daughter as you may read at large in Exod. 2. And when this cruel King of Egypt died the Children of Israel sighed and groaned under their bondage and the Lord heard their cry and God heard their groaning and God remembred his Covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob and God looked upon the Children of Israel and God had respect unto them and the Lord sent his Angel unto Moses to the Mount of God even to Horeb and he appeared to him in a flame of Fire out of the midst of a Bush and he looked and behold the bush burnt with fire and the bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burned And when God saw he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the bush and said Moses Moses and he said here am I and he said draw not nigh hither put off thy shoes from thy feet for the place where thou standest is holy ground Moreover he said I am the God of thy Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Task-Masters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that Land into a good Land come now therefore I will send thee unto Pharaoh that thou mayest bring my people the Children of Israel out of Egypt for I have heard their cries and seen their oppressions Here the Lord committed his seed into the hand of Moses a faithful Servant who came of Lavi both by Father and Mother which was Jacobs third Son So how Moses went unto Pharaoh with the Elders of Israel and wrought the Wonders of the Lord and his miracles before him and how Moses and Aaron brought them from under the Egyptian Bondage and the many Plagues that the Lord brought upon Pharaoh we shall shew hereafter And Moses said unto God who am I that I should go unto Pharaoh and the Lord said certainly I will be with thee and this shall be a token unto thee that when thou hast brought the people out of Egypt ye shall serve God in this Mount c. as you may read in Exod. Chap. 4.5 And thou shalt say unto Pharaph thus saith the Lord Israel is my Son even my first-born I say unto thee Let my Son go that he may serve me if thou refuse to let him go behold I will smite thy Son even thy first-born ver 23. Thus Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh saying thus saith the Lord God of Israel let my people go that they may hold a Feast unto me in the Wilderness And Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Chap. 5. So he caused the greater Tasks to be laid upon them that they should make their tale of Bricks without straw as you may read and the Lord said unto Moses Now thou shalt see what I will do unto Pharaoh And God spake unto Moses and said I am the Lord and I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name Iehovah was I not known to them and have also established my Covenant with them to give them the Land of Canaan the Land of their Pilgrimage wherein they were strangers and I have also heard the groaning of the Children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and I remember my Covenant wherefore say unto the Children of Israel I am the Lord and I will bring you from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will rid you out of their bondage and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great Judgments and I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you for a God and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God which bringeth you out from under the bondage of the Egyptians and I will bring you into the Land concerning the which I sware to give it to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and I will give it to you for an heritage I am the Lord Chap. 6.8 So Moses spake to the Children of Israel as you may read to the end of the Chapter And the Lord said unto Moses see I have made thee a God unto Pharaoh and Aaron thy brother a Prophet and thou shalt speak all that I command and Aaron thy Brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of his Land and I will harden Pharaohs heart c. Chap. 7. And so the Lord wrought his 12 miracles upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians as you may read from the 7. Chapter to the 14. where Pharaoh and his Hoste were overwhelmed in the red Sea 1. The first of his wonders was Aarons Rod that became a Serpent and swallowed up all the Egyptians Serpents 2. Moses smote the Waters with his Rod and they became blood and all the Fish in the River died Chap. 7.20.21 and the Magitians did so 3. He smote all the borders with Frogs and Aaron stretched forth his hand over the Waters and Frogs came up and covered the Land of Egypt and the Egyptians did so Chap. 8.6 7. 4. And again the Lord said unto Moses stretch forth thy Rod and smite the dust of the Land that it may become Lice and Aaron did so So that the dust of the Land became Lice throughout all the Land of Egypt and the Magitians would have done so but they could not then the Magitians said unto Pharaoh this is the finger of God but Pharaohs heart was hardned that he would not hear them as the Lord had said 5. The Lord said unto Moses rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say unto him thus saith the Lord let my people go and serve me else I will send swarms of Flies upon thee and upon thy Servants and upon thy people so that all the Houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of Flies and also the ground and I will sever in that day the Land of Goshen in the which my people dwell so that none of the swarms of Flies
Caldees to go into the Land of Canaan Gen. 11.31 And the Lord said unto Abram get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred and from thy Fathers house into a Land that I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great Nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee and in thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him and Abram took Sarai his Wife and Lot his Brother's Son and all their substance that they had gathered and the Souls that they had got in Haran and they went forth to go into the Land of Canaan and into the Land of Canaan they came and Abram passed through the Land to Scchem unto the plain of Morch and the Canaanite was then in the Land this Canaanite was of Ham's stock and seed which afterward the Lord drove out to bring in his own seed of his Promise And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said unto thy feed will I give this Land and there Abram built an Altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him there in the Land though the Canaâ—nite was there and Abram removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his Tent and there he builded an Altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. And so journied towards the South and there was a grievous Famine in the Land and Abram and his Wife and Lot went down into Egypt to sojourn there because the Famine was great and there they stayed in Egypt till they were grown very rich in Cattel in Silver and in Gold And Abram came back again out of Egypt and his Wife and Lot and all that they had and he went on his journey from the South even to Bethel unto the place where his Tent had been in the beginning and unto the place of the Altar which he had made there at first there Abram called on the name of the Lord even in the Land which the Lord had given unto him he came back unto it from Egypt he and his Wife and Lot and all their substance and Cattel but their Servants and Herdsmen could not agree and Abram desired that there might be peace betwixt Lâ—â— and him because they were brethren and Abram said the whole Land is before thee separate thy self from me and take the one hand and I will take the other and Lot chose the plain of Jordan because it was well watâ—red and as the Garden of the Lord and Abram dwelt in the Land of Canaan and Lot dwelt in the Cities of the plain and pitched his Tents towards Sodom but the men of Sodom were wicked and sinned before the Lord exceedingly for they were of Ham's stock and of that cursed seed for he was the Father of Canaan and the Lord said unto Abram after that Lot was separated from him list up now thine eâ—es and look from the place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the Land which thou seest to the will I give and to thy seed for ever and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth so that if thou canst number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed be numbred Abram removed his Tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre which is in Hebron and builded there an Altar unto the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord Then there was a great battel fought about Sodom and Comorrah four Kings against five made War and they took Lot Abraham's brothers Son a Prisoner and all his goods And when Abram heard they had taken his Brother's Son captive he armed his servants that were born in his house and pursued them unto Dan and pursued them unto Hobah and he brought back all the Goods and he also brought again his brother Lot And when Abram returned back from the slauther of the Kings Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and Wine and he was the Priest of the most high God and he blessed him and said blessed be Abram of the most high God possessor of Heaven and earth and blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand and Abram gave him Tyths of all Now the Scripture saith that Christ the everlasting high Priest is after the Order of Melchisedec Psal 110.4 David saith the Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec and the Apostle saith Heb. 6.20 whither the forerunner is entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec this cannot be of mortal man nor according to mans Order that Christ Jesus is made a Priest after the Apostle saith this Melchisedec King of Salem Priest of the most high God who met Abram returning from the slaughter of the Kings and blessed him to whom Abraham also gave a tenth part of all The Apostle gives the signification of his name first being by interpretation King of Righteousness after that King of Salem which is King of peace without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually This is the interpretation the Apostle gives of him now consider saith the Apostle how great he is unto whom the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth Now they that are of the Sons of Levi who receive the Office of Priesthood have a commandment to take Tythes according to the Law but he whose descent is not counted from them received Tythes of Abraham and blessed him that had the promise and without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better for if he had not been above Abraham he could not have blessed him for here men that die saith the Apostle receive Tythes but there he received them of whom it is witnessed that he liveth Heb. 7.8 What will it advantage the Priests of this age when they cannot prove by the Levetical Law Tythes to be lawful in these days because they profess themselves to be Ministers of the Gospel and their Order should be Gospel-Order and they bring Melchisedec that he took Tythes and they bring Abraham who is the seed that God hath blessed that had the promises of God unto him that paid them and they themselves are mortal sinful men that takes the Tythes and people that are loaden with sin and iniquity pays the Tythes what example have these from Melchisedec's Order after whose Order Christ Jesus the everlasting high Priest is made for Levi that took Tythes paid Tythes in Abraham unto Melchisedec for he was in the loins of his Father when Abraham met him if there were perfection in the Levitical Priesthood which is after the Order of Aaron what needed there another Priest after the Order of Melchisedec
made supplication unto him and prevailed he sound him in Bethel even the Lord the God of Hosts the Lord his memorial ver 5 Esau was a cunning hunter and Iacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents and Isaac loved Esau but Rebekah loved Iacob And Iacob sod pottage and Esau came from the field and he was faint and Esau said to Iacob feed me I pray thee with that same red pottage for I am faint therefore was his name called Edom and Iacob said sell me this day thy birthright and Esau said I am at the point to die and what shall this birthright do to me And he sware to him and he sold his birthright unto Iacob then Iacob gave Esau bread and pottage of Lentals and he did eat and drink and rose up and went his way thus Esau despised his Birth-right Gen. 25 26. to the end according to that of the Apostle Heb. 12.16 17. who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right And there was a Famine in the Land and Isaac went unto Abimelech King of the Philistines and the Lord appeared unto him and said go not down into Egypt dwell in the Land which I shall tell thee of so journ in this Land and I will be with thee and I will bless thee for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give all these Countries and I will perform the Oath which I sware unto thy Father Abraham and I will make thy seed to multiply as the Stars of Heaven and will give unto thee all these Countries and in thy seed shall all the Nations be blessed because that Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge my Commandments my Statutes and my Laws so Isaac dwelt in Gerar and sowed in that Land and received in that year one hundred fold for the Lord blessed him And it came to pass when Isaac was old and his eyes were dim he called Esau his eldest Son and he said behold I am old and know not the day of my death therefore take thy Bow and thy weapons and go to the field to take me some Venison and make me savoury meat such as I love that my soul may bless thee before I die and Rebekah heard what Isaac spake unto Esau and when Esau was gone into the field to hunt Rebekah spake unto Jacob her Son saying I heard thy Father speak unto Esau thy Brother saying bring me Venison and make me savoury meat that I may eat and bless thee before the Lord before my death now therefore my Son obey my voice do that I command thee go to the flock fetch me two good Kids of the Goats and I will make thee savoury meat for thy Father such as he loveth and thou shalt bring it to thy Father that he may eat and that he may bless thee before his death and Jacob said to Rebekah his Mother my brother is an hairy man and I am a smooth man and my Father peradventure will feel me and I shall seem to him to be a deceiver and I shall bring a curse upon me and not a blessing And his Mother said unto him upon me be thy curse my Son only obey my voice and go fetch them and he went and fetched them and brought them to his Mother and she made savoury meat such as his Father loved and Rebekah took raiment of her eldest Son Esau's and put them upon Jacob and she put the skins of the Kids upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck and she gave the savoury meat and the bread that she had prepared into the hand of her Son Jacob and he came unto his Father and said my Father and he said here am I who arâ— thou my Son and Iacob said unto his Father I am Esau thy first-born I have done according as thou badest me arise and eat of my Venison that thy soul may bless me and Isaac saidunto him how is it that thou hast found it so quickly my Son and he said because the Lord thy God brought it to me and Isaac said unto Iacob come near that I may feel thee whether thou be my very Son Esau or not and Iacob went near unto Isaac and he felt him and said the voice is Iacob's but the hands are the hands of Esau and he discerned him not because his hands were hairy as Esau's were so he blessed him and he said unto him art thou my very Son Esau and he said I am and he said bring it neer unto me that I may eat of my Sons Venison that my Soul may bless thee and Isaac said come near my Son and kiss me and he came near and kissed him and he smelled of his Raiment and blessed him and he said I give thee of the dew of Heaven and the fatness of the earth and plenty of Corn and Wine let all people serve thee and Nations bow down to thee be Lord over thy Brethren let thy Mothers Sons bow down unto thee cursed be every one that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee And as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Iacob Esau came from his hunting and brought his Venison and made savoury meat for his Father and said let my Father arise and eat of his Sons Venison that thy Soul may bless me and Isaac said unto him who art thou he said I am thy first-born Esau and Isaac trembled very exceedingly and he said where is he that hath brought me Venison and I have eaten before thou camest and I have blessed him yea and he shall be blessed and when Esau heard the words of his Father he cryed with an exceeding bitter cry and said bless me even me also my Father 〈◊〉 he said thy brother came with subtlety and hath taken away â—â—y blessing and he said is he not rightly named Iacob for he hath supplanted me this two times he took away my birth-right and now behold he hath taken away my blessing Here is a Parable and a mystery concerning these passages for if Isaac had blessed Esau he had blessed the wrong birth for God calls himself by the name of the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob this is my name and my memorial for ever saith the Lord Exod. 3.15 And Christ Jesus saith that he is the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob Mat. 22.32 Certainly Iacob was the right seed which the blessing of the Lord was to for Cain was the first birth but he was the wrong seed And so Esau was the first birth but not the seed of the Promise which the blessing was to though Isaac loved Esau if he had given him the blessing it had not been so well but the Lord ordered it otherwise the Apostle saith by faith Isaac blessed Iacob and the very name of Iacob signifieth a Supplanter and so he was to supplant his Brother and root him out for Cain the elder Brother slew his Brother Abel but the Lord hath given
hath said thou shalt not go over Jordan And Moses went up from the plain of Moab unto the Mountain of Nebo the top of Pisgah over against Jericâ—o and the Lord shewed him all the Land of Gilead unto Dan and all Napthali and all the Land of Ephraim and Manasseh and all the Land of Judah unto the utmost Sea and the South and the plain of the Valley of Jericho the City of the Palm-Trees unto Zoar and the Lord said unto him this is the Land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaâ—â— and unto Jacob saying I will give it unto thy seed I have caâ—sed thee to see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not go over thither So Moses the Servant of the Lord died there in the Land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he buryed him in a Valley in the Land of Moab over against Bâ—th-peor but no man knoweth of his Sepulchre unto this day Chapter 34. unto the 9. Vâ—â—se And Joshua the Son of Nun was full of the spirit of Wisdom for Moses had laid his hands on him and the children of Israel hearkned unto him and did as the Lord commanded Moses there arose 〈◊〉 a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face ver 10. Joshua NOw after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Joshua the Son of Nun Moses minister saying Moses my servant is dead now therefore arise go over this Jordan thou and all the people unto the Land which I do give unto them every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that I give unto you as I said unto Moses from the Wilderness even to the great River Euphrates there shall not be a man able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses so will I be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee be strong and of a good courage for unto this people shalt thou divide the Land which I sware unto their Fathers to give them Here take notice of the faithful and constant true care of the Almighty over the seed of his Covenant and promise when Moses his faithful servant was dead how he did deliver them unto Joshua and promised him his presence and performed the same as you may read at large in the Book of Joshua And the Lord said unto Joshua this day I will begin to magnifie thee in the sight of all Israel that they may know as I was with Moses so I will be with thee Joshua commanded the Priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant before them saying when ye are come to the River of Jordan ye shall stand still in Jordan and Joshua said unto the Children of Israel the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan and it shall come to pass as soon as the soles of the feet of the Priests that bears the Ark of the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above and they shall stand upon an heap and they did so as you may read in Ioshua 3.14 15 16 17. thus Ioshua led them over with twelve men with twelve stones upon their shoulders that they took out of the midst of Iordan who passed before the Ark of the Lord in the midst of Iordan according to the number of the Tribes of Israel and Ioshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Iordan in the place where the feet of the Priests stood which bare the Ark and they are there unto this day and when the people were passed clean over that the Ark of the Lord passed over in the midst of the people but the Priests which bare the Ark stood in the midst of Iordan until every thing was finished that the Lord commanded Ioshua Thus the Lord miraculously wrought with Ioshua as he did with Moses for the Lord God dryed up the waters of Iordan as he did the Red Sea before their Fathers you may read also how the Lord God wrought with Ioshua miraculously at the taking of Iericho when the Ark of the Lord compassed about the City seven times that the Walls of Iericho fell down flat at the shout of the people and at the sound of the Trumpets of Rams Horns Iosh 6.20 Again how the Lord was with Ioshua in a special manner in the taking of the City of Ai as you may read Chap. 8. And when the five Kings came against Israel and fled before them that the Lord cast great stones from Heaven before and they that died were more that died by hailstones than they that Israel slew with the Sword Then spake Ioshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the Children of Israel and he said in the sight of the Children of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon and the Sun stood still and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves of their Enemies so the Sun stood still in the midst of Heaven and hastned not to go down for about a whole day and there was no day like that before it nor after it that the Lord harkened unto the voice of man for the Lord fought for Israel Chap. 10.12 13 14. These with many more miracles and wonders and the many Victories that he gave Ioshua over his Enemies you may read throughout this whole book of Iâ—shua And in the latter end of his days he called for the Heads and for the Rulers of Israel and for their Judges and for their Officers and Ioshua said unto all the people Thus saith the Lord God of Israel your Fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time even Terah the Father of Abraham and the Father of Nachor and they served other Gods and I took your Father Abraham from the other side of the flood and led him throughout all the Land of Canaan and multiplied his seed and I gave him Isaac and I gave Isaac Iacob and Esau and I gave unto Esau mount Sâ—ir to possess it but Iacob and his Children went down into Egypt and I sent Moses also and Aaron and I plagued Egypt according to that which I did amongst them and afterwards I brought you out and I brought your Fathers out of Egypt and ye came unto the Sea and the Egyptians pursued after your Fathers with Chariots and Horsemen unto the Red Sea and when they cryed unto the Lord he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and brought the Sea upon them and covered them and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt and ye dwelt in the Wilderness a long Season Then Balak the Son of Zippor King of Moab arose and warred against Israel and called Baalam the Son of Peor to curse you
of them and burnt them upon the Altar according to the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed who cryed the same words then said he what title is this that I see and the men of the City said it is the Sepulchre of the man of God which came from Iudah and told these things which thou hast done to the Altar of Bethel 1 Kings 13.2 then said he let him alone let none remove his bones 2 Chron. 34.35 Chap. And this King Iosiah caused the Law of the Lord to be read and when he heard the words of it he rent his Cloaths because that his fore-Fathers had forsaken the Lord and burnt incense unto Baal and he sent to Huldah the Prophetess that dwelt in the Colledge in Ierusalem to enquire of the Lord concerning the people of Iudah and she said unto them thus saith the Lord God tell the man that sent you thus saith the Lord I will bring evil upon this place and upon the Inhabitants thereof even the words of the Book which the King of Iudah hath read because they have forsaken me and burnt incense unto other Gods that they might provoke me to anger therefore my wrath is kindled against this place and shall not be quenched Chap. 22. And the King sent and gathered unto him all the Elders of Iudah and Ierusalem and read the Law before them in the house of the Lord and the King stood by a Pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord and before all his people to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments as you may read Chap. 23. In his days Pharaoh Neehoh King of Egypt went up against the King of Assyria to the River Euphrates and King Iosiah went up against him whom when Pharaoh saw he slew him at Megiddo and the people of the Land took Jehoahaz Son of Josiah and annointed him King in his Fathers stead And Iehoahaz was thirty and three years old when he began to reign and he reigned three months in Ierusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and the King of Egypt put him down at Ierusalem and made Eliakim his Brother King over Iudah and Ierusalem and turned his name to Iehojakim And Iehojakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned eleven years in Ierusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and in his days the King of Babylon came up and the Lord sent against him the Bands of the Chaldees and Bands of the Syrians and Bands of the Moabites and Bands of the Children of Ammon and sent them against Iudah to destroy it according to the word of the Lord which he spake by his Servants the Prophets surely at the Commandment of the Lord came this upon Iudah to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh according to all that he did and also for the innocent blood that he shed for he filled Ierusalem with innocent blood Chap. 24. At that time Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon came up against the City of Ierusalem and he and his Servants besieged it and Iehojachim King of Iudah he and his Mother and his Princes and his Servants and his Officers went out to meet him and the King of Babylon took them and he carried out thence all the Treasures of the House of the Lord and the Treasures of the Kings House and cut in pieces all the Vessels of Gold which Solomon the King of Israel had made in the Temple of the Lord and he carried away all Ierusalem and all the Princes and the mighty men of valour even ten thousand Captives and all the Crastsmen and the Smiths and there remained none save the poorest sort of the people And he carried away Iehoiachim into Babylon and the Kings Mother Judah and Jerusalem going into Babylon and the Kings Wives and his Officers he carried away captive from Ierusalem the mighty men of the Land even seven thousand and Craftsmen and Smiths a thousand all that were strong and apt to War them the King of Babylon brought captive to Babylon and he made his Fathers Brother King of Ierusalem and he reigned seven years until he rebelled against the King of Babylon and then the King of Babylon came against him and took him and then the havock and the spoil that was made at Ierusalem you may read in the twenty firth Chapter 2 Chr. 36. And thus the sins and abominations that the Children of Israel wrought against the Lord with their Kings that reigned over them and how the Lord by his Prophets would have turned them unto himself and how he sent precept upon precept and line upon line as you may read at large in the Prophesie of Isaiah and in the Prophesie of Ieremiah and Hosea prophesied in that time in the days of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah and in the days of Ieroboam the Son of Ioash King of Israel The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea the Lord said unto Hosea go take thee a Wife of Whoredoms and the Children of Whoredoms for the Land hath committed great Whoredoms departing from the Lord. So he went and took Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim which conceived and bare a Son and the Lord said unto him call his name Iezreel for yet a little while and I will avenge the blood of Iezreel upon the House of Iehu and it shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Iezreel Hos 1. to 5. my people ask Counsel at their stocks and their staff declareth unto them for the spirit of Whoredoms have caused them to erre and they have gone a whoring from under their God they have dealt treacherously against the Lord the Princes of Iudah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will pour out my sury upon them like water saith the Lord Hos Chap. 4.5 and so on throughout that Book you may read how the Lord by his Prophet complains of their Idolatry The words of Amos who was amongst the Herdsmen which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Vzziah King of Iudah and in the daies of Ieroboam King of Israel two years before the earthquake and he said the Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the inhabitants of the Shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel Amos 1. Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you O Children of Israel against the whole Family which I brought up from the Land of Egypt saying ye only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore will I punish you for your iniquities Amos 3.1 2. And the Prophet Ezekiel saith now it came to pass in the thirtieth year in the fourth month on the first day of the month as I was among the Captives that I saw the Visions of God here the Lord did not only prophesie before they went into
me saith the Lord therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel ver 11 12. And the Prophet Micah saith be in pain and labour to bring forth O Daughter of Sion like a woman in travel for now shalt thou go forth out of the City and there shalt thou dwell in the field and thou shalt go to Babylon and there shalt thou be delivered there shall the Lord redeem thee from the hand of thine Enemies many Nations are gathered together against thee that say let them be defiled but they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand his Counsel for he will gather them as the Sheaves into the floor Mich. 4. throughout the Chapter and again Micah the 7. Rejoice not against me O mine Enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be my light I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause in that day that the Walls are to be built in that day the Decree shall be far removed Thus Micah prophesied in the days of Jotham and Hezekiah Kings of Judah concerning Israel as you may read in Micah 1. And the Prophet Joel saith blow a Trumpet in Sion sanctifie a Fast call a solemn Assembly for the Lord will be jealous for the Land and pity his people and say I will send you Corn and Wine and Oyl and I will no more make you a reproach among the Heathen and I will remove off far from you the Northern Army and I will drive him into a Land barren and desolate Rejoice and be glad ye Children of Sion c. Joel 2.3 Chapters and I will bring again the Captivity of Judah and Jerusalem And the word of the Lord came to Zephaniah in the days of Josiah Son of Amon King of Judah I will also stretch out my hand upon Judah and upon all the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place and them that worship the Host of Heaven upon the House tops and them that worship and swear falsly by the Lord and that swear by Malcham Zeph. 1. Ezra THus you may read throughout the whole foregoing Prophesies how the Lord dealt with his people in loving kindness and tenderness sending his Prophets with line upon line and Precept upon Precept as you may read in all the Prophesies through all the Bible and until according to the word of the Lord by his Prophets that they were carried away captive and until the term of years was expired which the Lord by his Prophets Prophesied of And when the years were expired he raised up Cyrus according to his word by his Prophets to build his Temple and to call them home to Jerusalem as is before mentioned and as you may read in the 1. Chapter of Ezra and so on Even so did Cyrus King of Persâ—a bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the Treasurer the Vessels of the House of the Lord and numbred them unto Sheshbazzar the Prince of Judah ver 8. Now these are the Children of the Province that went up out of the Captivity 70 years fulfilled and Judah and Jerusalem coming out of captivity of those that had been carryed away whom Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had carryed unto Babylon and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah every one unto his City you may read their names in the 2. Ch. of Ezra And when the seventh month was come and the Children of Israel were in the Cities the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem and they set up the Altar upon his basis and they offered burnt Offerings thereon unto the Lord even burnt Offerings morning and evening according to Deuteronomy 12.56 They kept also the Feast of Tabernacles as it is written in Exod. 23.16 Numb 29.12 and so on they set up the Worship of God as you may read in Ezra Ch. 3. Now in the second year of their coming unto the House of God at Jerusalem in the second month began Zerubbabel and those that were with him the Brethren the Priests and the Levites they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem they began to build the House of God and to set forward the Workmen Nehem. 4. And when the Builders had laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord they set their Priests in their apparel as you may read to the end of the Chapter Now when the Adversaries of Judah and Benjamin The Temple in building heard that the Children of the Captivity builded the Temple unto the Lord God of Israel then they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief of the Fathers and said unto them let us build with you for we seek your God as ye do and we do sacrifice unto him but Zerubbabel and Joshua and the rest of the chief of the Fathers of Israel said unto them you have nothing to do with us to build a House unto our God we our selves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel as Cyrus the King of Persia hath commanded us and the people of the Land weakned the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building and hired Counsellours against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus King of Persia and in the reign of Ahasuerus in the beginning of his reign wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem and in the days of Artaxerxes Rehum the Chancellour and Shimshai the Scribe The building of the Temple stopped wrote a Letter against Ierusalem to Artaxerxes the King in this sort which Letter hindred the building until the reign of Darius as you may read in Ezra 4. Then the Prophets Haggai and Zachariah prophesied unto the Iews which were in Iudah and in Ierusalem in the Name of the Lord God of Israel in the second year of Darius the King in the sixth month came the word of the Lord by Haggai the Prophet unto Zerubbabel the Son of Shealtiel Governour of Iudah and to Ieshua the Son of Iozadak the High Priest saying thus saith the Lord of Hosts the people say the time is not come the time that the Lords House is to be built then came the word of the Lord to Haggai the Prophet saying is it time for you to dwell in your cieled Houses and this House lie waste Hag. 1. Then Zerubbabel the Son of Shealtiel and Ieshua the Son of Lozadâ—k the High Priest with all the remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the Prophet as the Lord their God had sent him and the people did fear before the Lord then spake Haggai the Lords Messenger in the Lords message unto the people saying I am with you saith the Lord and the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel and the spirit of Ieshua and the
and cryed and the people wept and the Children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation said would God we had died in the Land of Egypt would God that we had died in the Wilderness and wherefore hath the Lord brought us up to this Land our Wives and our Children to be a Prey were it not better for us to return into Egypt let us make us a Captain and let us return into Egypt Here you may see how they requited the Lord and how evilly they dealt with him for all his mercies and his wonders which he wrought for them and many a time did they murmur and rebel against the Lord while Moses led them through the Wilderness even forty years long was the Lord grieved with them and tempted with them till he even swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest and all along ever since you may see how ill they dealt with the Lord and continually provoked him to anger by their abominations and worshipping of other Gods insomuch that he complains by his Prophet Isaiah hear O Heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me the Oxe knows his owner c. as you may read through the first Chapter of Isaiah And again in Jer. 2. Be astonish'd O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord for they have forgotten me the Fountain of living 〈…〉 and hewed And again the Apostle when he was speaking of his Kinsmen the Jews according to the flesh saith I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsâ—en according to the flesh who are Israelites to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9.3 4 5. And in the first of John when the Disciples were seeking for Christ Jesus turned and saith unto them what seek ye they said unto him Rabbi which being interpreted Master and one of them findeth his Brother and saith unto him we have found the Messiah which being interpreted is the Christ Jesus saw Nathaniel and saith of him behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile ver 47. And Jesus himself saith to the woman of Samaria we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews the woman saith I know that when the Messâ—â—h cometh which is called Christ he will tell us all things Jesus saith unto her I am he Joh. 4.22 to the 26. ver Thus the Lord performed his faithful Covenant and promise unto Abraham and to his seed of whom according to the flesh Christ came So that you see he is a God that keepeth Covenant with his people though they broke his Commandments and his Laws and his Ordinances and his Statutes yet he fulfilled his Promises and Covenant to them concerning Christ coming in the flesh So now as the Law was given forth by Moses grace and truth cometh by Jesus Christ And so as the Children of Israel and all their Laws and the Ark of the Covenant and their Priests and their Offerings and their Sacrifices and their Sabbaths and their Temple the Apostle saith was but a Figure for the time then present in which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience they could not make the Priests perfect as you may read at large in the 9. and 10. Chapters of the Hebrews Therefore the Lord had a further thing in his determination and Decree in the manifesting his Son Christ Jesus in the flesh of which we shall speak more hereafter And the Apostle saith Col. 2. let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or a new Moon or of the Sabbath days which are a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And this is that seed which the Apostle saith the promise was made unto Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which seed is Christ Gal. 3.16 And so notwithstanding that they broke their Covenant with the Lord which stood in outward performances yet the Lord performed his promise and Covenant unto Abraham which is the seed Christ which the Lord calls a new and everlasting Covenant Heb. 8.10 Jer. 31.33 For saith the Apostle it is written that Abraham had two Sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman he who was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh and he of the free-woman was by promise which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Hagar for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth unto Jerusalem which now is and is in â—ondage with her Children Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. These are they we have treated on all along Jerusalem according to the flesh which were the visible people that the Lord owned in their day upon the Earth which had their Laws outward written in Tables of stone their Covenant outward which was an Ark their Priests whose lips were to preserve their knowledg were outward Priests which was the Tribe of Levi their Offerings and their Sacrifices outward their Sabbath every seventh day their Temple an outward Temple buâ—lded at Jerusalem which they were all to go to worship at once a year as you may read in the Law of Moses and all these they did not perform according to the command of the Lord but broke Covenant on their parts with him So now this other seed which the Lord promised unto Abraham which all the Prophets bare witness of he changeth this first Covenant and this first Priesthood and the Law also as you may read Heb. 7. Now we saith the Apostle as Isaac was are the children of the promise for Jerusalem which now is free which is the mother of us all So then brethren we are not Children of the Bond-woman but of the free Gal. 4. So this seed Christ hath put an end to all that went before him he is the fulfilling and the substance of those that went before that were figures and types for he hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which is established upon better promises For if the first Covenant had been fruitless then should no place have been sought for the second but finding fault with the first he promised the second Heb. 8.6 7. as you may read in the most of the Prophesies of the Prophets who have not only relation to the first Covenant which we have treated on before but also to this second and New
Volumn of thy Book it is written of me to do thy will O God he taketh away the first saith the Apostle that he might establish the second he took away the first Offerings and the first Sacrisices which he delighteth not in neither had he pleasure therein and he established the second and everlasting Offering Christ Jesus who hath a body prepared to do thy will O God by the which will saith the Apostle we are sanctified through offering up the body of Iesus Christ once for all Heb. 10. to the 10. ver And this is the Offering and Sacrifice in which God is well pleased this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased saith the Lord hear ye him for he hath given himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blâ—mish Eph. 5.25 26 27. And so this pure Church and Body of Christ is he coming now to redeem and to bring out of Captivity as he brought his former Israel out of Captivity of which you have heard which was but a Figure of this true and pure and holy Church which hath been a long time in the Wildernesâ— as you may read in Revel 12. And for this end is Christ Jesus come a light into the world not only to the Jews but to the whole world for he came unto his own even unto his Tribe of Judah which was at Jerusalem but his own received him not but as many of them as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God not only of them but the whole world for to that end is he come that whosoever believes on him they should not perish but have everlasting life For he is come a light and hath enlightned the whole world and every man that comes into the world Joh. 1. So every one that comes into the world that turns his mind unto the light of our Lord Jesus Christ turns his mind to the elected seed which the Lord hath chosen which he hath laid in Sion for a foundation And therefore thus saith the Lord behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner-stone a sure foundation that lays judgment to the Line and righteousness to the Plummet Isaiah 28.16 And the Apostle Peter saith wherefore it is contained in the Scripture behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone elect and precious he that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore who believe he is precious but unto them who are disobedient he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of Câ—fence to them that stumble at the word 1 Pet. 2.6 7 8. So this is the foundation that the Lord hath laid in Sion Christ Jesus the light he hath sown in every mans heart and this new Covenant of which we have mentioned which cannot he broken he hath written in every mans heart and who keeps in this Covenant and obeys this light and the Spirit of the Lord that is in his heart which shews him his thoughts and reproveth him for his sin who believes in this light of the Lord Jesus believes in the Elect of God chosen of God and precious to all that believes he is precious but to the disobedient a stone of stumbling So here is the difference and distinction between the holy Nation the royal Priesthood the peculiar people and the whole world those that believe and obey and follow him that is precious they become precious they that obey Christ Jesus and follow him in whom there is no sin but takes away the sins of the whole world of those that obey him all that continue and abide in him are cleansed and purged from sin and washed and made nigh by his blood but to the disobedient that hates the light to them he is a stone of stumbling to them he is a rock of Offence whereunto the Apostle saith they were appointed So this is the main substance of all that can be said Christ Jesus that is Gods everlasting Covenant not only to the Jews but also Gentiles and all people even to the ends of the earth his light hath reached and shined into every man and every womans heart and conscience that is come into the whole world so that every one that will turn to that measure of the light of our Lord Jesus Christ which they have received they turn to the Elect of God they turn to that which God hath chosen in which his Soul delighteth whether they are Barbarian or Scythian whether they are Jew or Gentile whether they are bond or free whether they are male or female if they come to the light of Christ in their heart they are all one in Christ Jesus and so by this pure and glorious shining light which shines in the hearts and consâ—â—ences of people doth the Lord redeem his Church and purge it and purifie it and gives liberty to that precious seed that hath long laid in Captivity The Lamb hath been slain from the foundation of the world which world entred into mans heart at the fall of Adam and into mans heart is Christ Jesus come a light the new Covenant and everlasting Covenant of God which he hath written in every mans heart and his spirit he hath put in the inward parts by which the Prince of the power of the air cometh to be removed by the spirit of his mouth and the brightness of his coming will he slay that wicked one that man of sin and Son of perdition that hath sitten in the Temple of God exalted above all that is called God Now is the Judgment of this world how shall the Prince of this world be cast out and if I be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all men unto me saith Christ John 12.31 32. chap. 8.28.35 So Jesus having tasted death for every man Heb. 2. the vertue of his death hath reached unto every man so that every man hath partaken of that infinite mercy and bounty for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell whose fulness of grace and mercy hath reached unto all men and women for saith the Apostle he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 Jesus cryed and said he that believeth on me believeth not on me only but on him that sent me and he that seeth me seeth him that sent me I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness and if any hear my word and believe not I judge him not for I am come not to judge the world but to save the world Joh. 12. this was the end for which the Father sent his Son into the world God so loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Sor into the world that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world 〈◊〉 that was not his end in sending of him but that the world through him might be saved God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself Jeh 3.16 17. 2 Cor. 5.19 So that here is free love and fâ—â—e geace and free mercy that every one that thirsteth may come freely and buy Wine and milk without money and without price without any respect of persons all may come every one that thirsteâ—â— may come he said unto the Jews ye sold your selves for â—ought but ye shall be redeemed without money tuâ—â— again turn again thou backâ—â—iding Israel but here is the sum of all he that believeth on hun is not condemned whoshaver he be but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God and this also is without respect of any person and oh in thing Chapter of Iohn and with the light of Christ Jesus in thee thou mayst search thy heart and see how thou stands unto the Lord God And so this is the main and only truth that we have to hold forth to the whole world as also all the Scriptures bear witness to the same wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and death hath passed over all men for all have sinned for until the Law sin was in the world but sin is not imputed where there is no Law while there was no Law to transgress against sin could not be so easily known among them before Moses had the Law given unto him who had directions from the Lord in Mount Sinai what they should do and how they should walk before the Lord Nevertheless death reigned over them from Adam until Moses and over them that had not sinned according to Adams transgression that is to say had not broken any express command of the Lord but was the right seed in the Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. Wherefore the Apostle saith the Law is our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ for there is neither Jew nor Greek neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise now the heir so long as he is a child is under Tutors and Governours and differs nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all so even we who are of the precious seed while we are Children are in bondage under the Elements of the world but when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem the seed that was under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons and because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father wherefore thou art no more a servant but a Son then an heir of God through Christ So by this Spirit of his Son which he hath sent into the Hearts of his people by this doth he gather this is the ensign that is set up for the gathering of all Nations this is the Shiloh that is come and the gathering is unto him Isa 11. to the â—nd of the Chapter and by this doth he gather his elect from the â—ourâ— winds of the Heavens and from the four corners of the earth and by this doth he redeem Sion through Judgment our of every Kindred Nation Tongue and People and by this will the Lord sift the Nations as with a sive and purge the chaff from the wheat and gather the wheat into his Garner And all they that do not obey the light and spirit which he hath sent into their hearts by this will he judge the whole world in righteousness because the whole world had received a measure of this light and spirit for as the Apostle saith What shall we say is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance I speak as a man God forbid for then how should he judge the world in righteousness but that his truth hath abounded so far and his mercy and his love hath reached to the whole world for at the times of Ignorance God winked but now he commandeth all men every where to repentâ— for this is the day wherein he judges the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ by the light of his glorious Gospel and this is the day which he hath appointed in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men that he hath raised him from the dead Acts 17.31 For the love of Christ saith the Apostle constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him that dyed for them and rose again So by his Resurrection he judgeth all those that live to themselves and not unto him that dyed for them and rose again So also by his Resurrection he judgeth all those that live unto themselves This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin he that hateth me hateth my Father also Joh. 5.21 for as the Father raiseth up the dead even so the Son quickeneth whomsoever he will for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that sent him Verily I say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Verily I say unto you that the hour is coming and now is that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live for as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute Judgment also because he is the Son of Man John 15. from the 15. to the 28. Here Christ Jesus hath spoken himself the very sum and substance of truth and there is not another Now this is the same Christ as was promised of the Father to Abraham and this is the same Christ whereof all the Prophets bore witness and he is the same way the truth and the life and there is none comes to the Father but by him as he himself saith Joh. 14. And there is no other way nor name under Heaven by which any man can be saved the Apostle
all the works of his hands and gave him dominion and power over them and here is the glory of the first man and the glory of the first body the visible glory of the Creation all things that God had made in the Heaven and in the Earth and when he looked upon them behold they were very good Adam was crowned with the glory of them all and had the Dominion over them but this Dominion he lost and this glory he stained through his disobedience and transgression and so fell and became servant and in a state of servitude and not only so but painful and miserable with a sentence upon him that in the sweat of his face he should eat his bread So after this as hath been shewed the Lord of his infinite mercy confirmed his eternal love and Election of Grace in his promise unto his seed and Covenant unto Abraham that of him he would bring forth a seed in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed which he hath faithfully and perfectly performed as hath been shewed And so he chose a people from amongst all the families of the earth that he did owne for himself as you may read Deut. 7.6 which he knew and had regard and love unto above all the families of the earth as hath been shewed and manifested Yet according as Adam did there rebell and transgress against him though he had a continual care and an eye over them and a continual regard unto them and watched over them by his holy Angels as you may read in the Scriptures for man was at that time lower than the Angels The Lord spake unto Abraham and Sarah by Angels and unto Jacob and the Lord spake unto Moses by his Angel Exod. 3.2 and Acts 7.3 where Stephen saith And God sent Moses to be a Ruler and a Deliverer by the hand of the Angel which appeared to him in the Bush God also sent his Ange unto David after he had numbred the people as you may read 1 Chron. 21. God sent an Angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it and when David â—ift up his eyes and saw the Angel of the Lord stand between the Earth and the Heaven having a drawn sword in his hand stretched over Jerusalem then David and the Elders of Israel humbled themselves as you may read after then the Lord commanded the Angel and he put up his sword into its sheath The Angel also was sent unto Zacharias and Elisabeth before the Birth of John and unto Mary before the Birth of Christ as you know and the Angel came unto the Shepherds after the Birth of Christ Luke 2.9 And the Angels came and ministred unto him Math. 4.11 So the revelation of Jesus Christ was signified by his Angel Rev. 1. with many more that might be brought Cornelius was warned of God by an Angel Acts 10. and Stephen when he was bearing his testimony before the High-Priest when he said Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted and slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just one of whom ye have been betrayers and murtherers who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it Acts 7.53 and Gal. 3.19 The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator So the Prophets and such as the Lord made Overseers and Leaders of his people the Lord spoke to them by his Angels and the Law they received by the Angels but as the Apostle saith in the fulness of time God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.3 for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us read on in Rom. 8. So they that walk after the Spirit they are those that fulfill the righteousness of the Law for the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus makes free from the Law of sin and death and this renews into the right and into the perfect Image which is not lower than the Angels but into the Image of the Son unto which all the Angels are subject according to the Apostles words Heb. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins for that was the work he was to do when as the Apostle saith he became lower than the Angels for the suffering of death and so took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham and there he hath tasted death for every man that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to Bondage and when he had finished this work he is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high being made so much better than the Angels as he hath by an inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they for to which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again when he bringeth in his first begotten into the world he said Let all the Angels worship him and to his Angels he saith Who hath made his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire but unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom And so on So here you may see as the first man was made a little lower than the Angels so the second man the Lord from Heaven the quickening spirit is made higher than the Angels the brightness of the Fathers glory and his express image And so this is the seed and body and image which the Lord God is raising and restoring and preparing to do his will which far exceeds the glory of the first body for the glory of the first body was a visible glory but the glory of the second man the second body is an invisible glory and known and seen by the invisible eye and manifested by the invisible power and spirit of our Lord Jesus in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins who is the image of the invisible God and the first born of every creature by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for