all that was said concerning the Remnant and first Churches and Israel at the restitution of all things that they now belong to them and are made good to them in this time although they find not in them what is there promised but many vainly imagine through their mistaken Notions that they are now so secured by Christ's Righteousness as they cannot finally fall away and so little regarding the plain words of Christ as his Sermon on the Mount Matth. 5. to the eighth Chapter And also that he laid down his life for the world John 3.17 And his general Invitation to accept of Salvation by taking his Yoke upon them Matth. 11.28,29 And Christ faith If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments Matth. 19.17 And in loving God and our Neighbours hangs all the Law and the Prophets Matth. 22.4 And is commanded us by Christ and his Apostles Rom. 2.13 And not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified and it is said to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them Isaiah 8.20 Therefore St. Peter terms it a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in their hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 For in the Prophecies is declared the promises of the blessedness in time to come in which time will be given an inherent perfect righteousness which is the day Star that will then arise in their hearts for in time to come is given the eternal life 1 Tim. 6.19 Now the Bereans were said to be noble because they searched the Scriptures to see if those things which were spoken by the Apostles were so or no Acts 17.11 And the Scriptures then was only the Old Testament and all the Prophesies were to be fulfilled and as many of them as has not yet been fulfilled remains still to be made good in as much as it is impossible for God to lie Heb. 6.18 Jer. 31.33,34,35,36,37 Isa 54.9,10,11 Chap. 62.8 much less forsworn and Christ saith Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled Matth. 5.7,18 That is not till all the great Promises and Prophesies that are written in the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled both as to the Punishments and the Glory that should follow Dan. 7.27 Isaiah 60.21 Which promised Glory could never come to pass had not the Lord laid down his Life to purchase to himself a glorious Church in time to come without spot or wrinkle but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph. 5.27 Isaiah 60.21 And accordingly in Isaiah it is declared and in the Rev. 5.10 For the glorious time will not be till Israel receives the Promises Now all our mistaken Notions are quite contrary to the Law and the Prophets and therefore not to be received by us and though Christ Abolished the Ceremonial Law it was no ways contradictory to the Prophets for David Typically speaking of Christ saith Sacrifice an Offering thou desirest not then said I lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O God Psalm 40.6,7 Christ was that acceptable Sacrifice which only could take away Sin which the Sacrifices of the Ceremonial Law could not do and therefore were to be Abolished Ezek. 20.25 But whereas Christ saith Matth. 11.13 All the Prophets and the Law Prophesied until John which was because the Ceremonial Law was then to be Abolished and then part of the Prophesies was fulfilled in Christ's first coming but there is other of the Prophesies are still to be fulfilled which not only foretels the Lord's second coming but also what will be in time to come agreeable to which the Lord Revealed to St. John by Revelation Now though the Gentiles were not commanded the outward Circumcision yet there is required of them the inward Circumcision of the Heart Rom. 2.29 The performance of which has been little observed but unto this Circumcision Baptism is a Figure and though we keep the eighth day or otherwise call'd the first day for our Sabbath yet this is not repugnant to the Scripture for when God blessed the Sabbath Day he pronounced the Blessing to the Sabbath Day not naming the seventh Day in the Blessing but in that God said the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God from hence it doth not appear that it should remain so for ever and ever Which words are added to that which is so to continue and the eighth Day was the great Day of the Feast which was likewise the Jewish Sabbath which was a Figure of the great Feast or Sabbath in time to come unto which their being Circumcised on the eighth Day doth allude in which God will Circumcise their Hearts that they shall no more Sin against him by the then Establishing the promised new everlasting Covenant which Crowns Life to the Soul which Covenant now is but a Covenant of Promise but when Established God's People will be all Righteous and then it is Israel will inherit the Land for ever Isaiah 60.21 And this God declaring we are bound to believe in as much as it is imppssible for God to lie Heb. 6.18 And God never left himself without Witness to confirm the Truth of his Word that we might have Ground for Faith for by that time most of the Elect among the Gentiles were taken off by Death Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews became a scattered People through the World according as God by the Prophets and Christ hath declared and which is to this day evidently known and that they were thus scattered because of their Sins this the whole Book of God declares and themselves acknowledge and by them the Scriptures of the Old Testament have been more safely preserved all along amongst the Nations whilst the Nations were deprived of the New Testament by the Pope and so lost the right apprehension of the meaning of the things therein contained and likewise the Ordinances spoken of 1 Cor. 11.2 Which he praises them for keeping them as he delivered them the which St. Peter foreseeing according as by the Prophet is declared that the Goats would eat the good Pastures and tread the residue with their Feet and foul the deep Waters Eze. 34.17,18 Therefore St. Peter terms the Writings of the Prophets a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 And the Scriptures declare concerning Israel first their Rise their Continuance their scattering and there remaining scattered till the Messiah again comes and there being such a scattered People among us and through the whole
Lord comes forth which will be at the eleventh Hour them that he then calls in at the last Hour to Labour in his Vineyard will be Israel when he again comes who then will be brought home by Repentance when ' they see him whom they Pierced ' Zach. 12.10 ' For then shall they come with Weeping and with Supplications ' Jer. 31.9 ' And then will the Lord cause them to walk in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble ' verse 9. For then will the Lord Establish his now promised new everlasting Covenant and then will the Labourers in the Vineyard be alike Rewarded being made Partakers of one and the same Covenant the which will Crown life to the Soul But let not the Christians be offended at that but let them remember that when Israel for Sin was cast out then were the Sinners of the Gentiles taken in because they had not Sinned against that Light the others did for the Lord was a light to lighten the Gentiles before he was to be the glory of his people Israel Luke 2.32 And therefore here the Gentiles are put down in the first place and whereas it is said in the Gospel the Lord will come in the last day because to us that are under the Gospel it will be our last day for we shall not then be called to work in the Vineyard for we are then to be brought to Judgment and then them that are found in their Obedience will be made partakers of the Promises and the Wicked among them Condemned in Judgment to â—…e now threatened Punishments but for the Christians that have not opposed the Truth and have not 〈◊〉 guilty of the Sins of the Times yet have not a Supâ—…lative Love to the Lord Jesus as is required in a well grounded Faith according to the Promise such will be left out and not be numbred with them with whom the everlasting Covenant will then be established when the Lord returns and builds again the tabernacle of David which is fallen that the residue of men may seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom his name is called Acts 15.16.17 The word all in Scripture doth not include the whole and herein are not included the Gentiles that belong to the everlasting Covenant neither them that fall under the threatned Condemnation And the Apostle had here his Reference in this Text to the word of the Lord Amos 9.11,12 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the Heathen which are call'd by my name This all is spoken as aforesaid after the good are secured and the bad Condemned for the Lord will save the Tents of Judah first Zach. 12.7 That is the Remnant with all that are found in their Obedience to Christ by which they come in as Heirs to the Promises by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah For were it not so the House of David would be the Head of the House of Judah verse 9. Now whereas it is said that the residue of Men might seek after the Lord and the Gentiles upon whom his Name is called the which must be those Gentiles whom Christ compares to the foolish Virgins who though they were Virgins so as not to be guilty of the Sins of the times yet for want of a sound or right Faith upon which the promised Blessedness depends the Lord therefore then saith he knows them not Matth. 25 12. And so those that were and might have been first will then become last for the Heathen are plac'd before them and so will the Word of the Lord then be fulfilled that the last shall be first and the first last Matth. 19.9.30 That is the Gentiles that received the Gospel they were first and Israel last but when Christ again comes Israel shall be then first and those under the Gospel which have been as foolish Virgins shall be last for then those Gentiles all that come not in to have a share in the everlasting Covenant will be then given to be Servants to Israel and Servants to them that are Israel's Servants Joel 3.8 And when Satan is bound and afterwards loosed again their Off-spring lies liable to Satan's Temptations by whom they being deluded will then be miserably taken off Ezek. 28.22 Rev. 20.9 And the Lord foreseeing the sad Condition the Christians would be in that are found unprepared for his coming therefore the Lord charged them to be upon their Watch as that day might not overtake them at unawares And God hath promised that knowledge should be increased at the time of the end Dan. 12.4,9 And at Evening time it should be light Zach. 14.7 For the vision is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry wait for it because it shall surely come Hab. 2.3 The knowledge of this Vision the Christians ought to have retained but being lost God now of his great Mercy according to his Promise hath again brought to light the which Vision we are now to wait for or how will Israel's Constancy in waiting for the Promises made to their Fathers appear for an Evidence to Condemn us who were to have a share with them in those Promises for the Door that is now open to all that will lay hold of the offered Mercy to come in Heirs to the promised Covenant will then be shut to the Gentiles and the wicked Christians will then be Condemned for then will be the last day of the Gospel Institution and likewise the last day of the Power of this wicked World so as their time will be no longer And why is it foretold that Israel's Return should be in the latter days Hosea 3.5 And their Glory then when the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains God thereby shewing that their blessed time was a great distance off for the Gospel Institution was to come in between and be ended before their blessed time would be which was a Secret hid in God from the Fathers how the Gentiles or true Christians should be brought in Heirs with Israel for it was but darkly Prophesied by the Prophets But when the appointed time that the Lord had determined for the Gentile Power and Gospel Institution and that their time should be no longer than till the Lord cometh who is represented to stand upon the Sea and upon the Earth Rev. 10.5,6 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets verse 7. For then will this whole Mystery of God be compleated for the Saints will then be raised and then Israel will remain no longer scattered So accordingly it is said Dan. 12.7 When he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished and again hitherto is the end of the
Angels of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 Gal. 1.8 And we were to receive nothing in contradiction to Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.31 But God will carry on his work according to his word As for any to expect the Spirit to be poured out upon them to prepare them for the coming of the Lord is a great Mistake and the Prince of Darkness would gladly perswade any to believe that for by that belief he keepeth them from preparing themselves that thereby they may be taken at unawares for Satan has many Wiles to deceive poor Souls For the Christians will not have the Spirit poured out upon them before the Lord comes to prepare them no more than Israel had when the Lord first came for if so the Lord would not have commanded them to be upon their watch lest coming suadenly he should find them sleeping XIX Christ saying all Power was given of the Father Explained WHereas Christ said after he arose Matth. 28.18 All power is given to me in heaven and in earth That was he then had paid the purchase of it and he was then as really assured of it as though he had it in Possession having the Promise of God for it And it is the Scriptures usual way of speaking to mention things that are to come as though they were then present Accordingly God said to Abraham I have made thee a Father of many Nations at which time he was not Father of one Child But God having promised it was certainly to come to pass and therefore spoken as then done Gen. 17.5 Rom. 4.17 According to which Christ spake for it is the World to come that is to be put in subjection unto him Heb. 2.5 And when the seventh Angel soundeth then it is the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 When he hath taken to him his own great power verse 17. I hope the Christians will consider these great Truths that they may not be found upon a false bottom For God doth not now compel but chalk out the way and leaves Man to chuse or refuse to obey But in the day of his Power he will again pour forth his Spirit for the first Churches had but a foretast of the earnest of that Inheritance which his People will partake of when the Lord again comes World without end And then his People Israel will be made a willing People Ps 110.3 When he removeth the Iniquity of that Land in one day in that day shall they call every Man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree Zach. 3.9,10 Then it is the two Olive-trees will give out of themselves the Golden Oyl of Grace and Wisdom into the Candlestick that is all of Gold Chap. 4.2 And then the Lord will make his Church a glorious Church without Spot or Wrinkle Eph. 5.27 But now the best of Saints are not without Sin 1 John 1.8 I thought at this time to have given a full Satisfaction who these two Olive-trees were who in the New Testament are termed two Witnesses who all along have accompanied the Church or Woman in the Wilderness who according to Promise had never been deceived by Beast or false Prophet And these two Witnesses always accompanying her therefore said to be cloathed in Sackcloath in bearing part of her Afflictions with her as it was formerly said of Christ that in all his Peoples Afflictions he was Afflicted Isaiah 63.9 And also it is said the holy Spirit may be grieved For these two Olive-trees which in this time are said to be the two Witnesses Rev. 11.3,4 and also elsewhere in the Scripture they are often so called and these two Witnesses we may readily believe can do all those Miracles Cited in the 5 and 6 Verses whereas it is said in the 8 Verse their dead Bodies Now this being spoken of the Remnant to whom the Lord promised to be with to the end of the World and that he would send them another Comforter that should abide with them for ever as is at large in the Woman Cloathed with the Sun prov'd And when these Persons become so opprest by the Beast as Scattered Imprisoned and Slain these two Witnesses cannot then by them bear their Testimony against the Evil of Sin and the Pernicious Idolatrous Worship of the Beast and thus the two Witnesses are said to be dead when their Bodies are thus Slain so as they cannot by them bear their Testimony whose dead Bodies were again to stand upon their Feet As to what I have here but hinted concerning them to give some Light herein I thought to have fully proved and to have made clearly appear who this fore mentioned Beast is But having many other things to answer my time would not permit me at this present O that we had but a Heart to consider the greater Truths of God whose Faithfulness cannot fail according to his Word for which blessed be his Name World without end Amen FINIS
TRVTH Vindicated Against All HERESIES SHEWING How the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent is distinguished THE Woman cloathed with the Sun discovered she having the Moon under her Feet The Old and New Testament made to agree AND God's JUSTICE and MERCY Magnified LONDON Printed and Sold by Edward Pool at the Sign of the Half Moon under the Royal Exchange Abel Roper at the Black Boy over against St. Dunstan's Church Fleet-street Mr. Michael at the Crown and Cushion in Westminster-Hall And at Mercer's Chappel in Cheapside 1698. I have by God's assistance made plain the true meaning of this Text which I found to be much abused by one who in his Book saith He knows not but that he may be the Elias which was to come And he in his Book has thrown the miscarriage of the Devil and Man upon God upon the mistakes of this and some other mistaken places of Scripture By which mistaken places the Prince of Darkness has got wonderful advantage to the destruction of many thousand poor Souls I. Chap. GEN. 3.22 And the Lord God said Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil And now least he put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever Now in that God said Behold the Man is become as one of us to know goâ—… and evil That was the Man became like God in the knowledge of good and evil For God had the knowledge of good and evil to distinguish between the excellency of the one and the abomination of the other For God was of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity Hab. 1.13 That is to behold either the Pride or Malice of the Devil or the evil of Man with approbation And Adam and Eve when they had eaten of the forbidden Fruit they became ashamed of the Evil they had done whereby their Nakedness was discovered to them And so the Evil of Sin became disliked by them And in that Adam and Eve disliked Sin and liked Good therein they became like God in the knowledge of good and evil In that they disliked the one and loved the other tho' not in that perfect degree yet unto God it might bear a resemblance For Man was at first created in the Image of God yet infinitely short of the glorious perfection of God who is an unchangeable Being and beyond the Power of Satan's deceiving But Adam and Eve being ashamed of what they had done therein they were quite contrary to the Devil for he was without shame and without excuse For whatsoever Evil he commits he never is surprized or drawn into it but he always doth the worst of Evils with his best liking And whatever Wickedness he does he is the Father of it John 8.44 And not that the Evil of Sin was first determined by God as is falsly asserted by some Now Adam and Eve were beguiled and drawn into the Snare by the Devil And he endeavoured to ensuare our blessed Lord when he said If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their Hands they shall bear thee up least at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone Mat. 4.6 So likewise Satan used perswasions to Adam and Eve in setting forth how beneficial the eating of that Tree would be to them And then she apprehended it was a Tree to be desired to make one wise And Wisdom is pleasing to God and Man And he that hateth Understanding is a Fool 1 King 3.9,10 Prov. 1.22 And it was by Satan's plausible Insinuations that he deceived them he telling them They should be as Gods knowing Good and Evil. And that God did but threaten them and that they should not surely dye Gen. 3.4 So he beguiled them and they did eat but not as they had any dislike to good or delight in evil but the contrary for he perswaded them they should be like Gods or God and when they saw by what they had done that their Natures were defiled so as thereby their Nakedness did appear to them they were ashamed And where there remains Fear and Shame there remains a Child-like frame Now Adam beholding his Sin with fear and Shame Gen. 3.7.10 He thereby shewed his dislike to Sin And therefore God had compassion on Man and promised him a Saviour And in the State that Adam was then in God saw a probability that he might still take and eat of the Tree of Life and therefore the Lord sent him forth of the Garden least he should put forth his Hand and take also of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever Gen. 3.22,23 the which God before they had Sinned gave them free liberty to do Gen. 2.16 And therefore God determined not Mans miscarriage by not putting him in ability capable to stand as some have falsly imagined But God having said before to Adam that in the Day that he did eat of the Tree of knowledge of Good and evil he should surely die Gen. 2.17 And it being impossible for God to lye Heb. 6.18 Therefore God sent them out of the Garden least they should take hold of the Tree of Life and eat and live for ever And God rather choosing to part with the Son of his Love from the Throne of his Glory to Suffer for Sinners his Love to his Creatures made that possible but for God to lye is impossible Therefore Adam for his transgression dyed in the day of a Thousand Years For one day is with the Lord as a Thousand Years and a Thousand Years as one day 2. Pet. 3.8 And for the Sin of Adam's transgression there was but the punishment of this Life and Death pronounced against them with a comfortable promise by the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15,16,17,18,19 but the Fire of Hell was not threatned to them neither was Hell Fire prepared for Man but for the Devil and his Angels Matt. 25.41 who before the Creation of the World rebelled 2. Now there is a great deal of difference in Scripture between the meaning of the Creation of the World and the Foundation of the World there being but one Creation of the World but several Foundations in as much as there was made several Worlds Heb. 1.2 As the Old World This World and the World that is yet to come All having several Foundations Adam being the Foundation of the Old World Noah the Foundation of this World And Abraham the Foundation of the World to come So as all that come in heirs to that World must come in as the Seed of Abraham Gal. 3.28 And as the Twelve Tribes are the Foundation of the World to come so the Twelve Apostles are said to be the Foundation of the Heavenly City having their names writ on the wall thereof Reve. 21.14 And the Twelve Tribes when they were brought out of Egypt to be placed in the Heart of the Earth and to
formerly lean'd too much to the received Notions thinking they had been right till by the abuse of the fore-mentioned Text I made further search into the Scriptures concerning it begging God's assistance by which means I found we are in great Mistakes II. Shewing whom the Seeds are between whom God put Enmity NOw as to the Curse the Lord laid upon the Serpent Gen 3.14,15 Thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field upon thy Belly shalt thou go and Dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy Life And I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Now this Serpent is to be understood under a twofold Head First That this Old Serpent called the Devil did appear in the shape of a Serpent or rather entred into a Serpent and so spake in the Serpent Whose going was not so uncomly as we may understand from the Words of the Text before the Curse was laid upon him as after Neither any such enmity between the Woman and the Serpent For God made all the Creatures subject to Adam and therefore then there was no enmity between them And after Adam's transgression it was that God placed Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent And when we would bruise the Serpent it is at his Head we strike and he at our Heels And that there was a real Serpent it doth further appear in that he was to go upon his Belly all the days of his Life which accordingly he doth But in that the Scriptures are of more then a private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 And therefore this Scrrpture hath its chief tendency to the Old Serpent called the Devil whom Christ the Seed of the Woman should bruise And likewise between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Old Serpent God hath also put Enmity But who this Seed of the Old Serpent was or is is here to be considered Whereas God said I will put Enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 And the Serpent has no other Seed but what does adhere to him and then none had adhered to him to give themselves to his dispose but the Angels whom he drew off with him when he revolted and therefore he is called Belzebub the Prince of the Devils Matth. 12.24 And it was for the Devil and his Angels that Hell-Fire was prepared Matth. 25.41 And it was between this Seed of the Serpent and the Seed of the Woman that God did then put Enmity for the Prince of darkness then had no other Seed but the Angels that fell For when Eve bore Cain she said I have gotten a Man from the Lord And therefore then he was not the Seed of the Serpent And for Cain's first Offence God did not cast him out of his presence but said If thou dost well shalt thou not be excepted but if thou dost Evil Sin lieth at thy Door Gen. 4.7 But he by adding Sin to Sin thereby became of that Evil One for which God cast him out of his presence So the Seed of Seth whilst they served God were called the Sons of God But when they had corrupted their Way whereby the earth was filled with Violence they were alike cut off together And so Israel of whom God said I had planted thee a noble Vine a holy and a right Seed Jer. 2.21 God having before proved and tryed Abraham Gen. 22.16,17,18 of whom Israel sprang and had they continued in the steps of Abraham they would have remained Blessed but they turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine ver 21. For when they forsook the holy Commandment and did strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Mat. 23.23,24 For they wanted Faith in the Belief of the Writings of the Prophets as to think that the threatned Judgments from God by them would fall on them if they were disobedient to the weightier matters of the Law and therefore Christ said in the Parable If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets as to be warned by them neither will they believe though one rose from the Dead Luke 16.29,30,31 And also Christ saith For had they believed Moses they would have believed me for he wrote of me John 5.46 For had they lived blamelesly Luke 1.6 according to the rule God had given Israel had never been left to Blindness And it was better for them to whom Christ spake in Parables and dark Sentences and did not his mighty Works amongst them nor suffered his Disciples to declare them that so they might be left to Blindness then those where he did his mighty Works which never Man did Mat. 12.24,35 thereby to convince them Yet they would wilfully set themselves in opposition therefore Christ said It should be more tolerable for Tire and Sidon and Sodom in the Day of Judgment then for such Mat. 11.22,23,24 Deut. 32.5 And whereas some of Israel were elected and to others of them a door of mercy set open but the greater number of Israel were left to Blindness And St. Peter saith of Israel Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Because some of them were likewise saved by afore-appointment whilst it happened that for Sin the major part of Israel were left to Blindness Rom. 11.25 And the major part in Scripture is often called as the whole or all but it was the major part was left to blindness So likewise the Gentiles that were fore-chosen and who first believed Ephes 1.12 were appointed by God that the World through them might believe John 17.21 For there was a particular and a general Calling by the Gospel by which general Call the Nations embraced the Faith and became the Seed of Abraham But when they came to have no Love to the Truth but took pleasure in Unrighteousness God gave them up to strong Delusions to believe Lyes that they might be damned 2 Thes 2.10,11,12 Here are two things lays People under Damnation first In having no Love to the Truth 2dly In taking pleasure in Unrighteousness And those that have no Love to the Truth are not only those that laid the World in Darkness but also all those that doe wilfully oppose the Truth thereby to keep the World in Darkness For all such as would rather let God be dishonoured and the Bible made to contradict it self and his People destroyed for lack of Knowledge Hosea 4.6 rather than themselves be found in a mistake Such may easily conclude what will be their portion III. How the Spirit of Christ must be in us if we are his ROmans 8.1 There is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit That is such as walk after the Spirit are in Christ Jesus For such are said not to be in the Flesh but in the Spirit
chosen from among Israel John 10.27,28,29 Of which Remnant were the Elect that should never be deceived by the Beast nor false Prophet And they are the Foundation which standeth sure But the forementioned which were the Elect among the Gentiles were cleared from their past Sins Rom. 3.25 by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness and therefore he saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect It is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 But after they were thus cleared from their past Sins they were to walk in newness of Life and so are all And therefore when he found the Elect to walk disorderly and were guilty of Sin he 〈◊〉 not sparing to charge them with it and reprove them for it like as he did others Gal. 3.1 But he saith vers 35 36 37 38 39. He was perswaded that neither tribulation nor distress nor death nor life nor height nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus But in the forementioned Verses he mentions not Sin knowing that wilful Sin will seperate them from God therefore the Apostle saith vers 11. And if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the Dead dwell in you that is continue or remain in them And accordingly he saith to the Elect Church of Corinth chap. 11.3 Fearing lest the Serpent should beguile them as he beguiled Eve And then their mortal Bodies will not be quickned again 〈◊〉 his Spirit being in them but if they did not â—…ve the Holy Ghost Ephes 4.13 thereby to cause him to withdraw then the same Spirit would raise up their mortal Bodies to have a part in the first Resurrection and to partake of the glory â—hen the Lord again comes Rev. 20.4,5 Ephes 2.7 〈◊〉 it is also by the same Spirit and Power of God that all that has done either good or bad shall be raised up at the last Judgment For Christ saith All that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Dannation John 5.28,29 But all that remain faithful to the Lord Jesus longing for his appearing Though they have not the Holy Ghost in them but with them they shall likewise have their part in the first Resurrection and receive the Crown of Righteousness in that day 2 Tim. 4. ver 8. But the Lord speaking of the first Resurrection mentions it very darkly John 5.25 because he spake to the Jews that were to be left to blindness so as seeing they might see and not perceive and hearing they might hear and not understand Isa 6.9,10 And likewise it is said the Lord spake to them in Parables and without a Parable spake he not unto them Mat. 13.34 And therefore the Lord also speaks to them darkly about the first Resurrection vers 25. Verily verily I say unto you the Hour is coming and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live These words may have a twofold tendency in having some reference to the first Churches which had the peculiar calling and thereby brought in which was the Hour that then was but whereas the Lord saith the Hour is coming that of certain is the time when he again should come at which time the dead Bodies of the Saints shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and live And also then dead Israel 〈◊〉 both see him and hear his Voice and live And 〈◊〉 these words had their chief reference to the time 〈◊〉 Judgment Power and Honour is given to the Son is evident by the 22 23. Verses But according as the Evangelist saith So spake the Lord to them in Parable that they did not understand it Mat. 13.34 And thâ—… it is the Saints that rise in the first Resurrection 〈◊〉 all that have done good shall afterwards arise to the Resurrection of Life And Israel when judged will not be condemned for that they ignorantly committed against Christ for he prayed for them Luke 23.24 Blessed be the great and glorious God who hath enabled a weak Worm to vindicate his Justice to the praise of his Name and the comfort of his Creatures In that it is now made clearly appear the Judge of all the World will do right who publisheth his Praise by the weak things of this World that thereby all the Glory may be attributed to himself who is God blessed for ever and ever V. Concerning Election ELection doth not always secure the Elect from falling off but by God's electing some it was thereby to accomplish the Counsel of the Will of God as to what he had before determined And therefore accordingly he gave to one five Talents to the other two and to the other but one but every Man had given him according to his ability Matth. 25.15 And each having given them according to their ability that they might according to their day be capable to stand But them that was of the Remnant of Israel of whom the Disciples were they did not only stand by their Election but by a Promise from the Lord That none should â—…ck them out of his Hand John 10.28,29 But â—ikewise both the Disciples and first Churches received 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost to be in them whereby they were â—…ed to God by one Spirit and so beame a Light to the World and thereby the Prayer of Christ was fulfilled in that the World through them might believe that God had sent him John 17.21 Which accordingly â—…llowed for the Nations embraced the Faith and so â—…came the Seed of Abraham But the Elect were to Withstand all the Fury of the Adversaries and therefore had the more Talents given them for on them was shed forth the Holy Ghost abundantly Tit. 3.6 But if they did grieve the Holy Spirit of God whereby they were Sealed to the Day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 For if they sinned wilfully after they had received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation Heb. 10.26 27. But all that have a true Heart separate from an evil Conscience may draw nigh to God in full assurance of Faith that they shall find acceptance through the Blood of the Lord Jesus and they in a more special manner who were fore-chosen to it vers 22. Now these having the greater Light if they fell away fell under the greater Condemnation And that some of the Elect did fall away that was not secured by a Promise from Christ is certain by what St. John saith That if they had been of them they would have continued with them 1 John 2.19 Therefore they were not of that Remnant but it is clear they were of the Elect because the Elect then were known by their Speaking with Tongues and by the Gifts that were given them by which God made them
termed a City that Reigns over the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 So this Woman that is clothed with the Sun is likewise termed the Holy City that should be trod under foot of the Gentiles Forty and Two Months Rev. 11.2 These Gentiles were the Gentiles that embraced the Faith which after they came to have no love to the Truth but took pleasure in Unrighteousness and their Kings would not be holden with the Cords of the Laws of the Lord then God gave them up to strong Delusions to believe Lies 2 Thes 2.9,10,11,12 Psal 2.2,3 And then did the Devil hoist up the Beast by whom they were deluded and given up to Worship him Whereas it is said The Holy City should be trod under foot of the Gentiles Forty and Two Months From whence we are to take notice that this Holy City is not of the Gentiles And likewise the Beast was to continue Forty and Two Months Rev. 13.5 And Forty and Two Months reckoning Thirty Days to a Month according to the Chaldean account amounts exactly to a Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Days which is so many Days of Years The which time the Woman was to be fed in the Wilderness Rev. 12.6 And a Thousand Years is with the Lord as One Day and One Day as a Thousand Years 2 Pet. 3.8 And it is so Recorded to enlighten our understanding in the Word And also we are to take notice that the Promise of Christ was not that the Holy Ghost should be in them for ever but with them for ever So now this Remnant or Woman which was drove into the Wilderness is as liable to fall under some mistakes as the Remnant chosen from among Israel was before Christ came for they did not apprehend Christ coming to Suffer neither do these his coming to Reign and likewise several great Truths in the Word they did not rightly understand the true meaning of them so neither do these but the Promise of God was to them which were of the Remnant that none should pluck them out of his Hand which accordingly God has performed in preserving them in a holy and upright Conversation And their Enemies declare that they were a People that walkt uprightly and kept close to all the Commands of God As for some in the Valleys that thro the Cruelty of their Enemies were forc'd to adhere to the Beast in the time of their miserable Destruction 1686. when they were expelled their Country might be some that did come to coinhabit with them as often some of the French Protestants did for as St John saith If they had been of them they would have continued with them I shall hereafter by God's assistance make appear who are the two Witnesses or Olive-Trees who continually gave the Oyl of Grace out of themselves into the Golden-Candlestick or Church or Woman who had a place prepared of God in the Wilderness that they should feed her there Rev. 12.6 with Grace as aforesaid But as the Lord said The Children oâ— this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of Light Luk. 16.8 For had this Woman and others of Christ's Servants that truly fear him understood the Word as well as the other did to get the Riches of this World they had not taken up with such mistaken Notions as has been put upon the Word X. The Vaudois proved the Church in the Wilderness THe Vaudois By the History made of them It is made appear that they never did adhere to the Beast But have always lived in a very strict and Holy and upright Conversation according to the Commands of God as the worst of their Enemies as it is recorded has declared of them But by their often Wars and devastations by Fire occcasioned by their Enemies they lost the Scriptures and Antient Records So as the Ancientest Acts that were preserved from the Flames was writ in 1100. Called the Lesson As we may find in the late History written concerning them In which Acts there is not so many mistakes as in their Confession of Faith made in the Year 1655. They since having received other of the Mistaken notions of their Protestant Neighbours And they not Apprehending the Foundations of the several Worlds so think they were chosen out of the Mass or Lump of Mankind before the Foundation of the Material world But tho' they think they were then chosen yet they do not hold that God did then reprobate any They also clear God from the Miscarriage of the Devil or Man And declare God to be all Holiness and Goodness and therefore he cannot be the Author of the Evil of Sin And that good works are so necessary to the faithful that they cannot come to the Kingdom of Heaven without doing of them pag. 19. Article 21. This being according to what the Apostles faith of them that were fore-chosen That God had fore ordained That they should walk in good works Ephe. 2.10 1 Pet. 1.2 And this faith of Gods elect is required in every true believer so as they must believe the purchased Redemption and promised reward by Christ is to be had in the way of their obedience to him For in believing that Christ is the Son of God we are to obey him as such For it is required of every true believer to do whatsoever he Commands them Matt. 28.20 For it is he that believes in Christ and his word that is the Disciple and believer indeed John 8.31 But Christ did never require that all believers should believe that they were elected or forechosen But those that were elected were by their good Works to be a light to the World that others might follow their good Example For though they are now fallen into several and great Mistakes concerning Christ's second Coming and several other things as well as the remnant of Israel was heretofore concerning Christ's first coming For the Lord did not promise that the Holy Ghost should be in them to the end of the World but with them to the end of the World John 14.16 Therefore they are now as liable to mistakes as the remnant formerly were But the Lord according to his promise has kept them from worshiping the Beast and has preserved them in integrity and Godly simplicity So that none could pluck them out of his Hand But through the Misinterpretations put upon the Scriptures they have received false Notions So according to the Word of the Lord in Eze. 34.18,19 The Sheep of Christ have Eaten that which others have Troden and Drank that which others have fouled with their Feet And that they have received other Notions than what they had formerly I shall here make appear For in their Ancientest Acts. 1100. Which is the Ancientest they now have There it is said That Christ dyed for all believers and so for every one that believeth according to his word And therein is nothing said of their being chosen before the Foundation of the World And in those Acts it is said
the Scriptures are the rule of Faith And they being so the promised Reward is to be had by all that take hold of the offered Mercy according to the Conditions as it is there tendred And so not only the Elect but all believers will be partakers of the promised Mercy But in this latter Confession of Faith 1655. There they believe that Christ dyed only for the Elect. And that Faith comes from the gracious efficacious operation of the Holy Ghost which Illuminates their Souls and carries them to relie on the Mercy of God to be applied by the merits of Jesus Christ Yet they also in this Confession hold that good works are so necessary to the faithful that they cannot come to the Kingdom of God without doing of them And that they must keep the Commandments But tho' in this latter Confession they believe that their Faith in Christ Jesus doth come through the efficacious work of the Spirit of God in them the which is not unlikely because more of the gracious Influence of the Spirit is with them by reason they were to withstand all the fury of the Enemy and to continue to bear their Testimony against all the Superstitious and Idolatrous Worship of the Beast And also to walk in a holy and exemplary Conversation that thereby they might be a Light to the World As for Sins of Ignorance Sins of Infirmity Sins of Surprisal will not be laid to their charge they being kept from wilful and presumptuous Sins which is the great Transgression Psal 19.13 And as in their Articles they say This Church cannot be quite destroyed but that it will always remain This being according to what the Lord hath promised them they being the Church that the Lord prepared a place in the Wilderness and therefore they are of that Remnant or Sheep which were his Father 's before and given to him To whom he promised That none should pluck them out of his Hand John 10.27,28 Those are they to whom the Five Talents were given that according to their Day they might have ability to stand So that if any among them have at any time fallen into a loose or prophane Conversation or adhered to the Beast we may with St. John say They were not of them although they coinhabited with them in the Wilderness in the place the Lord prepared for them because they went out from them For had they been of that Fold to whom Christ made the forementioned Promise they would have continued with them 1 John 2.19 But Christ saith He hath Sheep of another Fold that are not to be brought into that Fold until such time there is but one Shephard and then there shall be but one Fold and one Shepherd Joh. 10.16 And that will be when the Lord again comes For tho' there was at the first publication of the Gospel a peculiar People chosen from among the Gentiles to the Praise of hiâ— Name yet at that time there was many Shepherds But those peculiar People of the Gentiles had not â— promise that none of them should be pluckt out of hiâ— hand and St. Paul cautions them fearing least the Serpent should beguile any of them 2 Cor. 11.3 But the Vaudois as well as we have lost the righâ— apprehension of this World which is to come thâ— knowledge of which was as a Light that shineth in â— dark place untill the Day dawn and the Day-Star 〈◊〉 rise in their Hearts which is an inherent perfect Righteousness will then be given when the Lord agaiâ— comes the which crowns Life to the Soul not onâ—… to the raised Saints but to Israel Isa 60.21 Thy Peopâ—… shall be all Righteous And also to the living Believer thâ—… longs for the Lords appearing to all such he will giâ—… the Crown of Righteousness at that Day 2 Tim. 4.8 The which things St Peter's care was they should always have in remembrance after his Decease 2 Pet. 1.15 He fearing least at any time they should let them slip which since for these many Years is come to pass they having lost the knowledge of these things But God having abounded in his Love to them in electing and forechosing them without their foreseen willing and running as he did likewise at the first publication of the Gospel choose a peculiar People from among the Gentiles to the praise of his Name Therefore the Vaudois as well as us by this their last Confession have thought that God had denied Man the freedom of Will to will his own good the which is quite contrary to what they held Two Hundred Years before the ancientest Acts they now have were made which were those in 1â—00 for Two Hundred Years before that time Claudius Bishop of Turin and of the Vallies writ sharply against all the Errors of the Church of Rome This Bishop maintained the Doctrine of St. Augustine concerning Grace as the late Author of the History of the Vaudois saith in Page 7. And Augustine tells us lib. de precat merit chap. 18. That it was the great care of every Orthodox Teacher in his time to take heed least they did so defend Grace as to deny Freewill and least they should so defend Freewill as to deny Grace And a good care it was and further the Author saith Neither is there I think to be found one of the ancient accounted Orthodox that hath maintained in the strict sence opposed that God commanded Men what they could not do with the common helps that he affordeth But all abhorred it as an Opinion laying high accusation upon God till many Years after Augustine altho' Augustine did fall into mistakes himself as to this point he not understanding how the Election ran And some of the Protestant Christians not apprehending the difference between the Eternal Life that Christ gave to his Sheep that were his Fathers before and given to him that unto them the Eternal Life was given to continue to their Persons and Posterity But the Eternal Life that Christ gave to every true Believer was no otherwise than whilst they did remain such they should never come into Condemnation for a Believer according to the Gospel is no longer a Believer than he yields to Christ his sincere Obedience Rom. 6.16 St Paul said to them that had embraced the Faith so as to yield Obedience unto Christ Know ye not that Christ is in you except you are Reprobates 2 Cor 13.5 That is except ye have rebelled by relinquishing your Obedience and so are become Reprobates as Israel formerly had done and therefore said of them Reprobate Silver shall Men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Jer. 6.30 which rejection was for their Sin And the Prophet speaking of the Body of the People that had wilfully Transgressed saith All our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags and our Iniquities like the Wind have taken us away Jsa 64.6 And the People of Gods Curse to Judgment will be them that will wilfully persist to do the thing which the
did here include the Remnant he did not herein speak agreeable to what is written for God in the Psalm saith the contrary Therefore St. Paul's meaning here was of the Jewish Nation and not of the Elect Remnant But after the Lord came there doth appear by Scripture to be a larger number of Israel in this Election of Grace then was before which was sinful and had corrupted their way as well as the Gentiles but to all that feared God in Israel was the Word of this Salvation sent Acts 13.26 From whence it is clear there was then some of them in Israel that then also feared God And Christ by the Parable of the Ninety Nine Sheep from whence is made appear they were safe by the Promise of God Psal 15. Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle c. And to all that order their Conversatiâ—… aright he will shew his Salvotion Psal 50.23 And therefore Christ saith He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance Luke 5.32 For they were not then to be called home for such were his Father 's before As for that one Sheep that went astray we are to take notice that the nature of Sheep is not wilfully from their Companions to wander away but the Prodigal that wilfully left his Father's House first lookâ— home before his Father lookt on him Luke 15.18 Now what St. Paul goes to prove from the Prophets Rom. 3.20,21,22,23 was to prove their Justificatioâ— from their past Sins through the Blood of Christ vers 24.25 Without their before performing the deeds of the law for had not God then justified them by the alone Imputation of Christ's Righteousness in the belief of the Truth they could not then have been saved for then not only the Gentile World lay in Wickedness but the elect also that was chosen from among them lay in Wickedness Therefore God at the then time to declare his Righteousness verse 26. which was in his being just to his Promise made to Abraham in bringing in the Gentile Nations to be Heirs with Israel And therefore at the then time at their first calling in they were justified from their past Sins by believing in Jesus according to the word and Faith in his Blood verse 22.25 That they and their Children might be brought in Heirs with Israel according to the Promise Gen. 17.4 And as Abraham after God had called him was commanded to walk before him in a perfect and upright way verse 1. which accordingly he did and so became Heir to the Promises verse 2.7 And so the Lord ordered his Disciples to go and teach and baptize all Nations that they should teach them to observe all things whatsoever he commanded them Matth. 28.19,20 And whilst they so did they were Heirs to the Promises And these things as St. Paul saith were witnessed by the Law and the Prophers verse 21. For Moses wrote concerning it And in Isaiah 55. The tender of the common Salvation was Prophesied of that all that were a thirst might come buy and eat without Money and without Price that is tho there was nothing then in them to render them acceptable but a thirsting after the Lord with a weariness of their Sins Matth. 11.28 And if they did hearken diligently unto the Lord and eat that which is good and let their soul delight it self in fatness and incline their ear and come unto him and bear and their souls shall live verse 23 Here we are to take notice that they were to thirst when they heard of the offered Mercy and then they were to incline their ear and come unto him and when they were come they were to hear that is all that he by his word commanded them Matth. 28.20 And if they did hear and eat that which is good then upon the performance of these Conditions the Lord will make an everlasting Covenant with them the sure Mercies of David The which will be when the Lord again comes at which time God will establish his promised everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his Seed together in their Generations Gen. 17.7 And God also by the Prophet declares the pouring forth of his Spirit not only at the second coming but also at the first coming of Christ Joel 2.28,29 And St. Paul concerning the then fore-mentioned time Rom. 3.26 mentions Isaiah 49.8 applying these words of Isaiah to the then time as in 2 Cor. 6.2 I have heard thee in a time accepted and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of Salvation But afterwards when the Gentiles came to have no love to the Truth for which they were given up to Delusion 2 Thess 2.10 Then it was not the great day of Salvation which falling away was also fore prophesied of Psalm 2.2,3 And in divers other places for those that God calls will not be accepted when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord without their now improving in this time their day of Grace under the call of the Gospel for when the Lord comes we that have the knowledge of him must appear before the judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 For God-without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 And the promised reward was to them that held out to the end Rev. 2.10 That they should receive a Crown of Life that is be saved with an everlasting Salvation as Israel will be when the Lord again comes who then shall not be ashamed world without end Isaiah 45 17. And this is the world to come of which all the Apostles speak of and which is to be put in subjection unto Christ in time to come Heb. 2.5 But as St. Peter saith God before shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets that Christ should suffer he hath so fulfilled Acts 3.18 Whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things Which he likewise saith God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the world began verse 21. Which beginning of the world was Israel unto whom Moses declared it verse 22. And they will be the world without end when the Lord hath established his new everlasting Covenant with them that they shall not sin against him and then they will never more fall under Condemnation therefore said to be world without end And unto this Promise the Gentile Christians conditionally were brought in Heirs with Israel XIV Part of the Christians Mistakes NOW since the Roman Apostacy the Christians have built their Faith on those Parables that Christ spake to put out the Eyes of Israel's Understanding and also on those mistaken places of Scripture that our Predecessors since Popery have lost the true meaning of and likewise the Christians fancying that
Lord comes the which will not be till after the Lord comes as I have fully made appear in the fore-mentioned Book For Idumea will be the Figurative Heavens with their Hosts that will be destroyed Isaiah 34.4,8 When Israel is Restored which Idumea in the Revelation is termed mystical Babylon and the Figurative Heavens and Elements which will be destroyed Rev. 6.3,4 And the Heaven and Earth that will pass away with which are included the rest of the Wicked that know his Laws for the Covetous Man is said to be an Idolater as well as he that Worships an Idol Eph. 5.5 Col. 3.5 And those that walk after the Lust of the Flesh will fall under the Condemnation for the Wicked shall perish and the Enemies of the Lord shall be as the Fat of Lambs they shall consume into smoke shall they consume away Psalm 37.20 And we reckon our Enemies always to be them that knows us and not them that knows us not And St. Peter's Charge was that they should be mindful of the words that were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of us the Apostles 2 Pet. 3.20 Which was that they might not be ignorant of the coming of the Lord which the Scoffers are willfully ignorant that by the word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water then perished verse 5.6 The which World was the World of People and then they were not distinguished by Heavens and Earth for then there was no Ruling Powers but what belonged to Parents over their Children and Families and therefore alike termed the World and not the Heavens and Earth As Israel was not termed Heavens and Earth till they became a Ruling Power and People So likewise the Heathen when they became a Ruling Power and People then were they termed a Heavens and Earth as I have already proved but in that St. Peter saith the Heavens and Earth that are now by the same word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly Men verse 7. But in that he saith the same Heavens and Earth which are now are kept in store unto Judgment Therefore he had no reference here to those that were of old and the Figurative Heavens which was then in the Apostles time was the Roman Power by which the Servants of Christ were then opprest and it is the Roman Power which are now likewise their Afflictors and will remain till the Lord comes and then will they be destroyed with Fire with the Perdition of the rest of the ungodly Men who knowing the Laws of the Lord will not obey them And then not only the fore-mentioned Heavens and Earth of People will be burnt up that is that paâ—t of the Earth where the devouring Storm cometh mentioned Psalm 11.6 Vpon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tsmpest and then it is the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies Isaiah 28.17 Whereby it sheweth there will be Hail mixed with Fire as was in Egypt Exod. 9.23,25 For the Storm of Hail in Isaiah and the Storm of Fire in the Psalms hath â—ts tendency to one and the same time And this Hail is said to come down on the Forrest Isaiah 32.19 At which time Israel and the rest of the Nations that are saved will be safe in Israel's Land whilst the Earth is renewing as I have largly proved in the fore-mentioned Book of the Figurative Speeches But because the Adopted Seed to whom this is spoken have ' transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinances therefore the Curse devoureth the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof burned and few Men left ' Isaiah 24.5,6 That is few Men will be found Righteous among the fore-mentioned so as to be left when the other are destroyed for this Earth of People that has so wilfully offended â—he Transgressions ' thereof shall be heavy upon it and it shall fall and not rise again ' verse 20. So as in the first Judgment there will be some Sentenced to everlasting Punishment according as the Lord by the Parable declares Matth. 25.46 And the wilful Opposers of the Truth will likewise be raised to receive their Condemnation for then the Saints will rise to everlasting Life and some to Shame and everlasting Contempt Daniel 12.2 For they that neglect the greater Salvation fall under the greater Condemnation For then the Heathen Powers of Rome or otherwise called Heavens that wilfully resisted the Truth when the Holy Ghost was given for the Confirmation thereof will rise to receive Punishment and therefore likewise said to be kept in store as well as the Heavens of the Christian Rome which has made Lies their Refuge For these sdumean Heavens or mystical Babylon will be the Heavens that will be on Fire and the Elements that will melt with fervent heat of which St. Peter spake But he saith neverthelâ—ss we according to his promise look for new heavens and a new eaerth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 2 Pet. 3.12,13 For the Apostles always had their Eye to the Prophesies as not to teach in contradiction to the Promises And God saith Isaiah 65.17,18 For behold I create new heavens and new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind But be you glad and rejoyce for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her People a joy And because God would have us take notice what this is that he here Creates he therefore saith Behold I Create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her People a joy This is the new Heavens and new Earth that God Created upon the old Foundation the which is Israel of which Foundation Christ is the chief corner Stone And why is it here said that God will Create new Heavens and new Earth because they are such Heavens and such Earth as was never here such before as to have Righteousness dwelling in them as will be when Jerusalem is made a rejoycing and her People a joy For when Christ first came the ruling Power was not given him though he had then Righteousness dwelling in him and it is said these Heavens came down from above Isaiah 45.8 Drop down ye heavens from above and let the skies pour down righteousness let the earth open and let them bring forth salvation and let righteousness spring up together I the Lord have created it This Righteousness the Lord Creates when he comes down with all his Saints which are the Heavens that comes from above then will he pour down Righteousness and then the Earth of his People will bring forth Salvation and then Salvation and Righteousness will spring up together For the Covenant is to them and their Children and to as many of us as are found in our Obedience and in that day God will appoint Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks Isaiah 26.1 Thus the Prophets
and Apostles agree that Salvation will be when the times of Refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19,21,22 And Christ saith Search the scriptures for they were they that dâ—d testifie of him John 5.39 And then there was no other Scriptures but the Old Testament Now all Christ's Sufferings being fulfilled in the plain Letter of the Word and left us upon Record ever to believe the same And as in the Word it is Prophesied that Israel should be scattered so we evidently see the same and we ought also and are bound to believe all the great Prophesies and Promises relating to Christ's second coming that they will be performed in the plain Letter of the Word and as it was Prophesied that God would pour forth his Spirit Joel 2.28,29 Of which St. Peter saith It was made good to them in that time Acts 2.16,17,18 Which was for the Confirmation of the Gospel and as an earnest of their Inheritance in time to come or Restitution Before which time as in Joel 2.30,31 God will shew wonders in heaven and in earth blood and fire and pillars of smoke which accordingly has come to pass for by wars much blood hath been spilt And the Lord in a great and wonderful manner hath sent out of the earth fire and pillars of smoke for these many hundred years but much more of late And it is said verse 31. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come This came to pass when the Nations which had embraced the Faith came to have no love to the Truth God then gave them up to Delusion 2 Thess 2.10,11 For when the people could not endure sound doctrin but after their own lusts they did heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they turned away their ears from the truth and were turned unto fables 2 Tim. 4 3,4 And when the Seducers and false teachers went about to deceive they then became deceived ch 3.12,13 For God doth never so punish without a cause Eze. 14.23 And then was the Sun turned into darkness for in the Scriptures the Teachers are termed the Light of the World and when the Sun the Teachers were darkned the Moon which is the World of People which receiveth her Light from the Teachers as the Moon doth her Light from the Sun the People were soon turned into Blood by hating and killing one another The Pope and his Clergy pretending to be the true Church Mahomet the true Prophet and every Sect the right Remnant and thus the Prince of Darkness carries on his Designs in setting Men to hate and kill one another through these Divisions Now in that Prophesie of Scripture is of more than a private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1.20 But we must be sure to put no other Interpretation on it but what we can make plain from the Word And in Joel 3.15 It is also said The sun and moon shall be darkned and the stars shall withdraw their shining Here the Prophet may have a Reference to the material Sun Moon and Stars which by the Glorious Appearing of the Lord will be obscured by his Brightness But when the Nations came to have no love to the Truth God suffered a Spirit of a strong Delusion to go forth 2 Thess 2.11 For God hath determined that those that will not deny themselves for him shall suffer by him for unto them that are contentions and will not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile but glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Rom. 2.8,9,10 For there will be a Redemption in time to come for all that order their Conversation aright and have not been wilful Opposers of the Truth which is one of the worst of Unrighteousnesses And though it is those who comes in Heirs to the Promises made to the Fathers that are made partakers of the greater Glory yet there is Glory and Salvation for others of a lower degree And though the Jews that have been since Christ's time were cast off for the Sins of their Parents yet not for ever and ever to be forgotten of God without their own Sins does occasion it for there will be a Redemption in time to come for some and if Israel for the Sin of their Parents has been left to stumble on the dark Mountains these seventeen hundred years no wonder if the Adopted Seed has been left to stumble thereon for above this thousand years For it is Israel who as touching the Election is beloved for their Fathers sake Rom. 11.28 For though there was but a Remnant chosen from among them that were chosen according to the Election of Grace verse 5. Yet they were all Gods chosen and elected People for their Fathers sake Isaiah 45.4 And this God did because he loved their Fathers because they had walked with a perfect Heart before him The which when the Lord proved Israel in the Wilderness they did not And therefore the Lord saith Deut. 31.21 For I know their imaginations which they go about even now before I have brought them into the land Here because God would have us take notice when it was he knew it therefore he redoubles his Words and saith even now at the time when they were in the Wilderness But we do never read of God's foreknowing his Drowning of the World till he saw the Wickedness of Man was great and then it was that it grieved him at his Heart that he had made Man but God's choosing Israel was for their Fathers sake and not that he had Elected them without a why or a wherefore but when God had proved and tryed Israel in the Wilderness and as they had there often miscarried God saw they would again fall away for which he determined to leave them to Blindness the like God foreseeing that the Gentiles would fall away for which he determined to leave them to Delusion For as of old when the People fell away Rom. 1.18,20,21 the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and godhead so that they were without excuse because when they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned verse 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them up to a reprobate mind So we see Man 's not improving his Day of Grace has been his Destruction all along and not that they had not a Day of Grace given them and it is such that God gives up to Delusion that first deceives and deludes themselves
Ezek. 14.7 And like not to retain God in their knowledge but in the way of well doing we may commit the keeping of our souls unto God as unto a faithful creator 1 Pet. 4.19 Now St. Paul speaking of the Creation of the World in the fore-going Words Rom. 1.20 makes mention of it as such and not as the Foundation of the World And all the Apostles in all their Writings agree in calling the Twelve Tribes the Foundation of the World to come And likewise Zachariah the Priest said God hath raised up a Horn of Salvation in the House of his Servant David Here he doth not say that this was Prophesied of from the Foundation of the World but by all the Holy Prophets since the World began Luke 1.69,70 That he would raise up a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David And in David and Solomon was the Typical Kingdom of Christ And after David had received the Kingdom God by the Prophet said His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the sun before me Psalm 89.36 This ever is the ever of the time to come the which all the Prophets Prophesied of from David till Christ came but no Prophet Prophesied that this Salvation should come out of the House of David before David was and had received the Kingdom But we not apprehending the difference between the Creation and Foundation nor the beginning of this World to come has cast us into most dangerous Mistakes for thereby we have received another Faith than what the Gospel teacheth in thinking none but the Elect can be saved and that some thereby have thought they should be saved by the Righteousness of Christ contrary to the Words of Christ which are upon the condition of their Obedience which will prove destructive if unrepented of Likewise we have another Hope than what the Scripture Teacheth for by our Predecessors falling into Popery we have lost the form of sound words as they were first delivered and to maintain our received mistaken Notions we must not believe what God hath declared promised and sworn to And this out of pretence of justifying God's Wisdom which some say doth greatly consist in God's sore-knowing all the Wickedness of the Devil and Man from all Eternity whereby they make God the first conceiver of it and likewise with such approbation as some say as he did not only suffer it but decreed it to be committed which is so quite contrary to the Holy God as the thoughts thereof are to be abhorred it being Blasphemy for to think it for he hath absolutely declared against it For it was after God saw that Man had corrupted his Way it repented him that he had made Man upon the Earth and God said it griewed him at his heart Gen. 6.6 Now whether it is right in the sight of God to believe Man rather than God judge ye Acts 4.19 And that God that is an unchangeable Being in Holiness Wisdom Justice Goodness and Truth which are his proper Attributes and therefore impossible for God to lie Heb. 6.18 For God is not a man that he should lie neither the Son of Man that he should Repent that is when God hath absolutely promised a Blessing he will certainly perform it as it is here declared Hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Numbers 23.19 And we are to believe of God in every thing as he hath declared of himself to be moved to pity upon Man's Repenting and Returning and to Anger and Wrath upon Man's Rebellion and of certain God will never be angry with any for believing what he saith or hath promised or sworn to And the Prophet for believing what another Prophet told him in contradiction to what God had declared to him a Lyon met him and Slew him 1 Kings 13.17,18,24 And as the Faith of Abraham was set down for our Example so this was Recorded for our warning that we might not believe Man in contradiction to God Now Christ and the Apostles being rightly understood are found to agree with the Words of God and the Prophets and the Care of the Apostles was such as to compare spiritual things with spiritual things 1 Cor. 2.13 To see if the Spirit spake in them agreeably to what the Spirit spake in the Prophets of old that thereby no Delusion or Deceiver might creep in among them for God did never send his Son and the Servants of his Son to contradict what he himself hath declared promised and sworn to XVI The Glory and Blessedness that will be in time to come For the Lord will come to judge the Nations in the valley of Jehosaphat and restore his People Israel Joel 3.1,2,12,13,16,17,18 and then it is the Lord will make Mount Sion and eternal excellency and the joy of many Generations Isaiah 60.15 And then it is his people shall be all righteous and inherit the land for ever Then it is a little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation the Lord will hasten it in his time Isaiah 60.21,22 Here the Lord sheweth there will be another time after this time in which his People will be blessed against which time St. Paul ordereth Timothy that he should charge them that are rich in this world that they be rich in good works laying up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.17,18 And sure if we were not blind we could not think that all that are Rich in this World are Elected but that by doing good Works all may lay hold of eternal Life ' for Christ is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him ' Heb. 5.9 Whether Elect or not Elect but those that remain blind now God has made plain his Word is because they have no desire to see but whether some will see or not it is in the time to come that God will make that promised new everlasting Covenant with his People and put his laws in their inward parts and write them in their hearts and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know ye the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord Jer 31.33,34 And in that day the Lord will make a covenant for them with the beast of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and then will the Lord break the bow the sword and the battel out of the earth And then will the Lord betroth Israel to him for ever in righteousness in judgment in loving kindness and in mercy Hos 2.18,19 And then the days of his People shall be the age of a Tree and then it is the Meek shall inherit the Earth and delight themselves in the abundance of Peace and then it is the evil Beasts will cease out of the Land Ezekiel 34.25 Now this Covenant some have blindly imagined that it
matter Dan. 7.28 Of this Vision which did appertain to this Mystery which has to this day been hid from Israel And Daniel heard but understood not therefore said O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And the Lord said go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end verse 8.9 And the Disciples asked the Lord why he spake to the Jews in Parables the Lord said to them It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given Matth. 13.10,11 For indeed this Kingdom of Heaven or Heavenly Kingdom is a great Mystery which when the Christians had lost the knowledg of this Secret it was then to remain a Secret till the time of the end and now is the time the Lord will have it Revealed and they that desire spiritual Wisdom shall understand it Dan. 12.10 And the Lord will first come in the Clouds of Heaven before the last or seventh Angel soundeth Matth. 24.31,32 And the Saints that are under the Altar receive white Robes Rev. 6.9 In which they will accompany the Lord into the world before their Bodies are raised and then will the Nations know the two Witnesses which now they understand not And all this is to be after the Lord comes and before the seventh Angel soundeth Rev. 11.15 And when the seventh Angel sounded there were great Voices in Heaven Saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever And the Saints receiving their Bodies at the sound of the last or seventh Trumpet 1 Cor. 15.52 the Elders fell upon their faces and worshiped God Rev. 11.16 But our Predecessors having lost the right Apprehension of these things by reason of the Apostacy so as they that came after did not understand how God could make his Promise good to the raised Saints in providing Mansions in the Heavens for them in that Tabernacle which the Lord shall pitch and not Man at which time the Lord will restore Israel to their own Land Likewise then God will make good his Word concerning the Heathen so as all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed in Christ after the wilfully Wicked are Condemned accordingly as God hath threatened that he would send his Angel and gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend as I have fully proved For God by the Law and Gospel speaks but to them that are under it and they are the World and Heavens and Earth that will be Condemned by it Isaiah 34. Chap. 24 5,6 For transgressing the laws changing the ordinances breaking the everlasting covenant therefore the curse devoureth the earth that is the Earth upon whom the Curse falls for the Offences For the Ordinances which St. Paul would have the Church keep as they were delivered unto them 1 Cor. 11.2 God by this Prophet declares they have changed And in Ezekiel 34.18 it is said they have eaten the good Pastures which must be those Ordinances which Isaiah saith they have changed that is put them away and made new ones in their room that is new Articles of Faith new Church Government new ways of Administring the Sacraments in all these things the Romish Church is horribly out of the way besides all their other Abominations and likewise others as to some of these things will be found dangerously out of the way for treading down with their Feet the Residue of their Pastures and also fouling of the deep waters with their feet so as the flock eat that which they have trodden with their feet and drink that which they have fouled with their feet verse 18.19 This place and the foremention'd Chapters of Isaiah have peculiar References to the second coming of Christ to Judgment at which time he will Judge between Cattel and Cattel and the Rams and the hee Goats v. 17. And then the Lord will feed his Sheep himself so as then they shall no more be a prey when he is Prince among them verse 22.23,24 and the offending Shepherds will God then feed with Judgment But after the Teachers of the Romish Church had changed the Ordinances or eaten the good Pastures or as the Lord saith hid the Talent they thereby made way to set up their own Institutions and so transgressed the Laws and brake the everlasting Covenant for the moral Law is an everlasting Covenant Isaiah 24.5 as well as the new Covenant when Established will be an everlasting Covenant to them with whom it is Established for the old Covenant will only then be done away as a conditional Covenant as now it is for the Lord will then give an inherent perfect Righteousness to all with whom that Covenant will then be made as thereby they shall be enabled perfectly to keep the moral Law for then God will magnifie the Law and make it Honourable Isaiah 42.21 But when the Nations came to have no love to the Truth and their Rulers would not any longer be holden with the Cords of the Laws of the Lord according as it was Prophesied of Psalm 2. Then God permitted the Prince of Darkness to hoist up the Beast an Instrument whom Satan had prepared for his purpose who thought to change times and laws and they were given into his hands till the day of judgment and then shall his dominion be taken away Dan. 7.25,26 But God all along preserved the Law and the Testimony of the Prophets safe in the Hands of the Jews whom he scattered throughout the World that they might be a Light to the World in the cloudy and dark Day when the Beast had deprived the Nations of the rest of the Scriptures and the Christians knowing that Christ was come and that the Ceremonial Law was Abolished and that Christ was that great Sacrifice that had made an Attonement for Sins that were past for all those that would walk in Obedience to the rest of God's Laws and Commands and Precepts that Christ would then compleat their sincere Endeavours they not forgetting Baptism and the Lord's Supper For all the Prophets as they declare Christ first coming to Suffer so also they declare that he will come again to Judge and Reign And in the way of well-doing God has declared by the Prophets that we may stay our selves upon his Promises in that he will shew his Salvation to all that walk uprightly by their improving the Day of Grace whilst it was in their Hands that they might not be hardned through the Deceitfulness of Sin by accustoming themselves therein which had the Christians taken heed to the Law and to the Prophets herein they could have been very little out of the way ' for whosoever speaks not according to the Law and the Testimony of the Prophets it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8.20 But many being deceived by the Popish Idolatrous Worship and with their pretended Pardons and also
blind to thy self such are full of Darkness and then how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.22,23 for that leads to utter Darkness But for some there is a Redemption in the World to come for all that dyed in Adams Transgression will be cleared from Original Sin by Christ 1 Cor. 15.22 and so a Redemption for all Children in time to come For then the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the Iniquity of the Son the Soul that sinneth it shall Dye Ezek. 18.20 But in this time it is only the Children of the Believer is Holy 1 Cor. 7.14 before they have committed actual Sin and the Believer is he that believes Salvation is to be had according to the words of Christ but at Judgment there is none Condemned but for the Deeds done in the Body 1 Cor. 5.10 and then all Children will be cleared and likewise all them unto whom God hath promised Mercy will then accordingly find Mercy as the Meek the Mercifull c. Mat. 5. and all that order their conversation aright Psal 50.23 and the Ignorant shall be beaten with fewer Stripes than those that wilfully offend Luke 12.47 And whereas it is said He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life 1 John 5.12 These Words do no ways exclude a Redemption by Christ for some in the World to come or Restoration but for some Sin there is neither forgiveness in this World nor in the World to come Mat. 12.32 1 Joh. 5.16 But whereas it is said Where the Tree falleth there it lieth thereby it shews that after Death we can no ways help our selves as we may now by Repentance and Amendment of Life but all that go into the Pit must there stay till they are brought to Judgment to receive their Sentence of release or final Condemnation but the coming of the Lord the raising of the Saints the judgment of this World and the restoration of Israel will be many Ages before the last Judgment when the Sea Hell and Death deliver up their Dead Rev. 10.12 In which God hath secret places for Souls which we know not of for all that go not to Heaven do not go to the Fire of Hell for what the Lord speaks by the Law and Gospel is but to them that are under it as I have proved and for them that are under the greater light they will fall under the greater Condemnation but whereas the Prophet prays Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him and consumed him and have made his Habitation Desolate The Prophets Petition here is only against those Heathens that devoured Jacob and laid wast his Dwelling Place The same also is said upon their like Cruelties in Psal 79.6,7 And whereas the Apostle saith The Lord will come to take Vengance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 1.8 And those are they that know not God that believe he will not Reward and Punish according to his Word VIII Concerning the drawings of God as to when and upon what account Christ then thus Spake NOW whereas the Lord saith No Man can come to him except the Father draw him John 6.44 And also the Lord saith in vers 65. No Man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my Father The Lord Christ hath here his reference to the then time in which he appeared as a mean Person which in Scripture is termed the form of a Servant and those that were then first called in had the more immediate drawings of God and the Words of the Lord here had their tendency to the Remnant with the rest of the Elect that were given him of his Father unto whom the Holy Ghost was afterwards given to be in them And therefore the Lord saith in the 45. vers It is written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God The Lord here having his reference to the time that the Holy Ghost should be given for the establishing of the Gospel Heb. 2.3,4 and as an earnest of their Inheritance in time to come Ephe. 1.14 And whereas the Lord saith Every Man that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Whether the Lord in these Words meaneth only the Sheep that were his Fathers before and given to him or all them of Israel who then lived according to the rule of Gods Word for of such it may be said they were taught of God in that they were guided by his Precept and unto all that fear his Name in Israel was the Word of this Salvation sent Acts 13.26 But the Lord seems rather here to have his peculiar reference to them that was then given him by his Father but the reason the Lord speaketh thus mystically to them was because the Multitude had seen the great Miracle that he did in feeding Five Thousand with Four Loaves and Two Fishes Upon which the Multitude thought to have taken him by force and to have made him a King but the Lord knowing their thoughts went privatly from them and the Multitude seeking after the Lord which when they again had found him he then spake so mystically unto them that they could not understand him and therefore they said they were hard sayings who could bear them and from that time many of the Disciples went back and so the Lord brake their design of making him a King for his time to Reign was not then but these very Persons that did not then wilfully depart from him but went away because they could not then understand his sayings Christ said unto them in the 27. vers Labour not for the Meat which perisheth but for that Meat which endureth unto everlasting Life which the Son of Man shall give unto you Which was to those very Persons that sought after him to make him a King and who had eaten of the Loaves and were filled For though by those hard sayings the Lord brake their design yet from the Word of the Lord it is plain they were not to be forgotten by him And whereas the Lord saith vers 39. This is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing Again in the 40 vers And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting Life That is every one that so believeth in the Son as to walk in the Precepts of the Son it is likewise the Father's Will that all such may have everlasting Life which is if they continue in well doing then will the Lord raise them up at the last Day which is the last Day of the Power of this wicked World For God is not willing that Man should perish but that they
should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 But if we will not deny our selves for Christ Christ will deny us And the Lord saith in the 33d verse That he is the Bread of God that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World That is to all that will take hold of the offered Mercy And Christ saith if he be lifted up from the Earth he will draw all Men unto him John 12.32 Which accordingly followed for after the Lord's Ascension the Holy Ghost was given to be in the Elect whereby the World was convinced that God had sent Christ and so the Nations embraced the Faith and by so doing became the Seed of Abraham and a great number for the major part in Scripture is reckoned as the whole but afterwards when the evil Servants came to think the Lord delayed his coming they began to smite their fellow Servants and to eat and drink with the drunken Luk. 12.45 But we building our Faith upon those dark Sentences which the Lord put forth thereby to leave Israel to Blindness are become Blind our selves also XI The Woman cloathed with the Sun Or The Woman in the Wilderness REV. 12.1 There appeared a great Wonder in Heaven a Woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her Feet and upon her Head a Crown of Twelve Stars Now whereas it is said There appeared a great Wonder in Heaven a Woman First I shall here shew you what or who this Woman is This Woman is the Elect Church or Remnant chosen from among Israel which had a peculiar Calling 2dly Why she is said to be in Heaven It is because she is highly favoured by the Heavenly Powers or Powers of Heaven which is God In being by him elected fore-chosen ordained and secured so by God as none shall pluck them out of his Hand John 10.29 3dly Why she is termed a Wonder Was because there was none elected through the first or Old World nor till the then time that Israel was brought out of Egypt to be placed in the heart of the Earth and laid as a Foundation of the World to come From which Foundation Christ was figuratively slain in the Paschal Lamb From which Foundation the Works of those unbelieving Jews were finished when they through unbelief of the Promise of God's giving them the Victory refused to go to fight for the Land of Canaan for which all that were numbred of them from twenty Years old and upward dyed in the Wilderness save Caleb and Joshua Now all Israel were taken into Covenant and Life and Death set before them for them to choose Life that they and their Seed might live Deut. 30.19 But in the Wilderness they were disobedient therefore they were cut off After which God secured a Remnant of that Foundation which was then a laying in Israel for the World to come which is the World of which the Apostle speaks Heb. 2.5 And this exceeding kindness of God to this elect Remnant or Woman was the Wonder in Heaven For this is the Foundation or Remnant chosen from the Foundation which standeth sure unto whom Christ promised to be with to the end of the World and that he would send them another Comforter which should abide with them forever Joh. 14.16 This is more fully proved and explained in the former Book Therein is also shewed that God elected and chose from among the Gentiles a peculiar People to the praise of his Name Acts 15.14 upon the first publication of the Gospel who received the holy Ghost to be in them that the World by the evident witness of the Spirit might believe that God sent Christ the which was given for a ground of Faith that thereby we might believe the Truth whereby a door of Mercy was set open to all Believers that believe like Abraham the promised Reward is to be had in the way of their Obedience for Christ is become the author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him whether Elect or not Elect. Whereas it is said in the 4th verse of this 12th chapter That the Elect Remnant or Woman was cloathed with the Sun That is she was covered over with the Righteousness of Christ which was applicable before he was Incarnate or in the Flesh as well as afterwards and in that she is said to have the Moon under her Feet thereby shewing the little value she has to all the changeable Vanities and Pleasures of this World which is like the Moon and therefore she is said to have the Moon under her Feet And in that she is said to have upon her Head a Crown of twelve Stars thereby signified the twelve Apostles to whom was given the preheminency and in time to come the ruling power And in that they are termed the twelve Stars is because they were the first Publishers of the Gospel by which many were turned to Righteousness and of such it is said They shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Rev. 12.2 Now whereas it is said This Woman being with-Child cryed travailing in Birth and pain to be delivered That is of this Elect Remnant or Woman as concerning the Flesh the Lord Christ came And in that she cryed out pained to be delivered was her ardent longing for Christ coming in the Flesh that by the Seed of the Woman the Serpents Head might be bruised Gen. 3.15 But whereas it is said in the 3d. Verse There appeared another Wonder in Heaven a great Red Dragon When the Apostle saw this Vision this Dragon or Devil was not then wholly cast out from some part of the Heavens as doth appear in the 8th verse And whereas it is said in vers the 4. That this Dragon or Devil stood before the Woman to devour the Child as soon as it was born That was in that the Devil stir'd up Herod to seek the young Childs Life thinking to have destroyed him with the Innocent Children vers 5. And she brought forth a Man Child which was to rule all Nations And therefore notwithstanding all Satans attempts this Child was preserved till he himself freely laid down his Life by which he conquered Death after which he was caught up unto God and his Throne according as it is said Acts 1.9 He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And in Heb. 8.1 It is said He is set at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Rev. 12.6 And the Woman fled into the Wilderness where she had a place prepared her of God that they should feed her there a Thousand Two Hundred and Threescore Days From whence we are to take notice there is no mention made of the time how long it was before she fled into the Wilderness after the Child was caught up unto God Now having proved this forementioned Woman to be a Body of People as also the Scarlet Whore that sits on many Waters is a Body of People Rev. 17. And as the Scarlet Whore is
World who acknowledge the Law and Prophets in the truth of these things it is certainly evident to us and the whole World that the Scriptures are true and the Word of God and to confirm the Truth of what God hath there declared he hath given us a Sign in the Heavens Signs upon the Earth and under the Earth and thro' the World But for Brevity sake I shall here mention but three which are evidently known to all First That the old World for Sin was drowned the Rainbow in the Heavens doth witness to the Truth of the Word Secondly God declareth that his Anger should set on fire the Foundations of the Mountains which should burn to the lowest Hell Deut. 32.22 Which for these many hundred years is come to pass and also that Hell should enlarge her self Isaiah 5.14 Which within these few years is wonderfully come to pass by the Rivers of Fire Pitch and Bitumen which has been sent out thence the which doth likewise bear witness to the Truth of God's Word and also Israel's being scattered doth witness to the World the Truth of the same XV. Christ proved to be the Son of God BUT peradventure some will say how can we prove the New Testament to be true and Christ to be the Son of God seeing the Jews do not own it I shall not here go to prove it from the Words of the Apostles as to believe it through their bare Word but I chiefly believe it because I find those things that were fore Prophessed of by the Prophets concerning the Messiah made good in the Crucified Jesus unto which sure word of Prophesies we are always to take heed And in that the Scriptures now again being rightly understood they are not contradictory to what God before spake by the Prophets for we are to believe nothing in contradiction to what God hath spoken by the Prophets for what God hath absolutely promised he will certainly perform And therefore to declare his Righteousness in the performance of his Promise he sent the Son of his Love to Suffer for Sinners as was declared by the Prophets and that for Israel's wilful Disobedience he was then a Stone of Stumbling and a Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Israel for a Gin and for a Snare to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Isaiah 8.14 Which accordingly so fell out for they expecting he should come as a King and not apprehending that he should first come to Suffer therefore he was Despised and Rejected of Men. A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief they hid as it were there Faces from him he was despised and they esteemed him not Isaiah 53.3 And it was Prophesied concerning him Isaiah 7.4,15,16 That a Virgin should conceive and bear a Son and that he should be born in Bethlehem Mic. 5.2 And lowly Riding upon an Ass Zach. 9.9 And the Lords Sufferings and Death were likewise foretold Isaiah 53 7 He was brought like a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep dumb before the shearers so opened he not his mouth Zach. 11.12,13 And they weighed for his price thirty pieces of silver Ps 22 16,18 And they pierced his hands and his feet Dan. 9.26 And the Messiah was cut off but not for himself all these hings and many more were made good in the Crucified Jesus Therefore I believe him to be the Messiah that Seed of the Woman that should â—…ise the Serpents Head Gen 3. And that Lord unto whom the Lord said sit thou on my right hand till I make thine 〈…〉 Ps 110.1 Which will be when the Lord again comes to deliver his People And for further Proof that this Lord is God God saith Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts And none can be the fellow of God but the Son of God which is God and therefore said of him that Was to be born in Bethlehem that his goings forth have been from of old from everlasting Mic. 5.2 And of him it is said Vnto us a child is born and unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and he shall be called the wonderful counceller the mighty God the everlasting Father the prince of peace Isaiah 9.6 And when this Prince of Peace shall come and take the Government then will he be to all his Sheep the everlasting Father and the God of the whole earth shall he be called Isaiah 54.5 And of this Prince of Peace it is said Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Psalm 45.6,7 And according to this the Apostles declare of Christ the Lord that he is God for they were not nor did not hold any thing in contradiction to what God hath declared by the Prophets and what is declared of God in the Old Testament there is nothing contrary thereunto in the New And as the Holy Spirit was spoken of throughout the Old Testament so likewise in the New only sometimes called Holy Spirit sometimes Holy Ghost which is all one it being the Breath of God which is called the River of God the Streams whereof shall make glad the City of God the Holy Tabernacle of the most High Psalm 46.4 Which pure River of Water is said to proceed out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22.1 therefore this River giveth Life and maketh glad Now as there is Figurative Heavens and Earth spoken of in the Old Testament so there is also in the New and as there is a Figurative Sea made mention of in the Old Testament so likewise in the New for there is in both several Figurative Expressions which have one and the same meaning aluding to one and the same thing in both which I have fully made appear in my Book of the Figurative Speeches therefore I shall not insist here up on it But God did not only speak mystically to Israel concerning Christ's first coming because for their Sins they might be snared broken and taken but the second coming of Christ is also to us now since we have lost the true meaning of the word these things appear very mystical in the New Testament to us that the wicked of the Adopted Seed whose turn it is now to be snared broken and taken for God by the Law and Gospel speaks to them that under it as I have fully made appear from the Scriptures in my Book of the Explanation of the New Testament and they are the World that will be Judged by it and the Wicked of them that will not live in Obedience to it are the World that will be then Condemned by it The which the Christians not apprehending they put the Day of Judgment far off expecting the Fall of Babylon and the Restoration of Israel to be before the