discovery that we are in the Gloomy and Dark day which St. Paul terms the Night where he saith ROM 13.12 13 14. The night is far spent the Day is at hand let us therefore cast off the Works of Darkness and let us put on the Armour of Light Let us walk honestly as in the Day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envy But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lust thereof Now the Night which was far spent then is nigh spent now For the Times being divided into three parts Christ's first coming was at the beginning of the last part And therefore the last part must needs now be near expiration and the Day in which Christ will Judge the World in which time will be the Restitution of all things The which Day is now nigh at hand when there will not be disorderly walking But now is the Cloudy and Dark day until the Lord again comes to feed his Sheep himself And then will he gather them out of all Countries and feed them upon the Mountains of Israel And then will the Lord Judge between the Rams and the He-Goats Ezek. 34.11 12 13 14 15 17. Now when the Lord first came it is said he came when the fulness of time was come Gal. 4.4 The which was at the full time that God had appointed for his coming It is also said Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last Days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the Worlds Now in that the Apostle here saith these last days is because there is other last or latter Days spoken of in Scripture in which latter Days it is Israel will receive the promised great and Glorious blessings And he therefore distinguishes these last Days in which the Gospel was establisht from those that are yet to come Isa 2.2 And it shall come to pass in the last days that the Mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow unto it Mic. 4.1 But in the last days it shall come to pass that the Mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the Mountains and it shall be exalted above the Hills and People shall flow unto it Hos 3.5 Afterward shall the Children of Israel return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter Days And St. Peter speaking of the Lord's second coming therefore termed these days the last days of the Gospel institution and of the Power of the Principalities of this World and the end of our time of coming in heirs with Israel All this will end upon the beginning of the time of Israel's great and glorious latter Days before quoted but in the latter days of this time Moses Prophesied of their falling away Deut. 31.29 According to which we see they have done but after the latter Days of this time in the time to come which is in the latter Days also and beyond the latter Days of this time the Lord will then be merciful to his Land and to his People And the Nations are then to rejoyce with them Deut. 32.43 At which time God will render vengeance to his Adversaries and restore his People and circumcise their Heart and the Heart of their Seed to love the Lord their God Deut. 30.6 For when the Lord comes to Zion he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom. 11.26 Deut. 30.3.6.8 And that there will be Days and Nights after Christ's second coming is evident For after Christ's second coming Satan is to be bound up for a Thousand Years and after that he is cast into Hell to be tormented Day and Night for ever and for ever Rev. 20.3 10. And according to this it is faid Isa 34.4 8. That when all the Idumean Heaven and their Host shall be dissolved and rolled together a as Scrole the which will be the day of the Lord's vengeance and the Year of Recompences for the Controversie of Sion ver 8. Then part of the Land on which the Curse will fall as in the 9 and 10 Verses The Streams thereof shall be turned into Pitch and the Dust thereof into Brimstone and it shall not be quenched Night nor Day the Smoke thereof shall go up for ever from Generation to Generation it shall lye wast none shall pass through it for ever and ever But the Cormorant and the Bittern and such like shall inhabit it ver 11. And these Heavens and their Host are the Heavens and Elements unto which St. Peter had his reference when he said The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat and the Earth and all the works that are therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 For we are to take notice that St. Peter doth not say all the Earth but it is the Earth before spoken of by the Prophet and all the things which are therein which the Anger of the Lord is pronounced against Isa 34. the which will stand as a remark of God's fore displeasure against sin all the time of the world to come as Sodom has done in this time And therefore St. Peter saith at the beginning of the Chapter That he wrote to them to stir up their minds by way of Remembrance that they might be mindful of the Words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commands of us the Apostles vers 1 2 3. For they required and commanded that they should be mindful of the words of the Prophets And a great State of People God generally in Scripture calls Heaven and Earth and almost every Prophecy of Scripture hath at least a twofold signication 2 Pet. 1.20 The which we not understanding we have thereby been much in the dark And every Name is a proper Name to that which God gives it And if God will call two things by one Name it as properly belongs to one as to the other And that it is not the Material Heavens and all the Earth that is to be destroyed is evident to all from the words of the Text Because when these Heavens and their Host and the Earth here spoken of are destroyed then Israel will be restored and day and night continued and succeeding Generations Isa 34.4 5 8 9 10. From whence we see the continuance of Day and Night proved both from the Old and New Testament And that it is not the Material Heavens and all the Earth that is to be burnt up at the Day of Judgment is further evident for the Lord saith At the end of this World he will send his Angels and gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend
Zech. 14.17 And the others being not Fruitful the Nations will decrease and Israel according to the Word of the Lord will Blossom and Bud and fill the face of the World with Fruit Isa 27.6 And 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 Isa 60.22 And these are the World to come and the World that will never be Judged Because Israel is then betrothed to the Lord for ever in loving-kindness and in Mercy Hosea 2.19 And therefore fore at the last Judgment when the Sea and Hell and Death deliver up their Dead there is none of the Nations Judged Rev. 20.13 For this World to come is World without end For the Lord saith Isa 66.22 As the new Heavens and the new Earth which I will make shall remain before me saith the Lord so shall your Seed and your Name remain The which New Heavens and Earth which God will make is to be comprehended under a two or threefold Head for the Lord with the raised Saints will be a Heaven for in Scripture a ruling power is a Heaven as I have already proved and when the Lord comes with his Saints to take to himself his own great Power and Reign Rev. 11.15 17. Rev. 19.6 7 15. Then there is a new Heaven wherein dwells Righteousness and Israel when they are made Plants Righteousness at which time they will be all Righteous Isa 60.21 Then they will be the Earth wherein dwells Righteousness and these will be the new Heavens and Earth that will take place upon the passing away of the Old Rev. 21.1 2dly the Glorious Mansion which the Lord is gone to prepare for his Saints he will then bring with him Rev. 12.3 The which will then be a new Heaven and a Taberâ—â—cle of Covert over all the Assemblies of Israel Es. 4.5 6. And then their Land will be like the Garden of Eden Ezek. 36.35 And then it will be a new Earth and so a new Heavens and new Earth and the other part of the Earth will be renewed and made Fruitful and the Darks and Clouds dispersed thereby will appear a new Face put upon all things is Rev. What is here hinted as to the Heavens and Earth is at large proved in my Book of the Figurative Speeches Concerning the Kingdom of Saul and the Kingdom of David THe House of Saul and the House of David were the Figures or Representatives of the two Kingdoms The House of Saul the Figure of the Kingdom of this World who have a day of Grace put into their Hands But for his disobedience the Kingdom was taken from him And David was the lively Representative of the Kingdom that is to come The which Kingdom the Lord commanded us Daily to pray for Which Typical Kingdom David long waited for after he had the promise of it and he stood in all his Tryals till he received the Crown For which God made with him an everlasting Covenant and sure in that he would never take his loving Kindness from him nor his Son as he did from Saul And therefore it was termed the sure Mercies of David After which David Sinned as to the matter of Vriah for which God hurled him off from his Throne and as he saith broke all his Bones for those that are in this time without Chastisement are Bastards and not Sons Heb. 12.8 But God would not take the Kingdom from him because of the Oath that he had made him with the promise to his Seed But the common tender of his Grace is now to every one that is a thirst that they may freely come and Eat that which is Good but their Souls must delight in fatness and this God will be Judge of for we must be brought to Judgment before we shall be thought meet to be inheritors with the Saints in Light as to partake of the sure Mercies of David Isa 55.4 5. And as the Historical part of the Bible gives us an account that in David's time the House of Saul grew Weaker and Weaker and the House of David Stronger and Stronger So the Prophetical part declares that in time to come the House of Saul will gorw Weaker and Weaker and the House of David grow Stronger and Stronger As in Isa 27.6 God then shall cause them of Jacob to take Root Israel shall Blossom and Bud and fill the Face of the World with Fruit and in Isa 60.22 A little one shall become a Thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in his time For this is not to be untill the time to come At which time the Younger Peoples Strength will thus wonderfully surpass the elder And then his People also shall be all righteous they shall inherit the Land for ever the Branch of my Planting the work of my Hands that I may be Glorified Isa 60.21 The Faith of Abraham is comprehended under a Fourfold Head The which belief was accounted to him for Righteousness FIrst that God called him to forsake his Country and Kindred and his Fathers House And God said I will give thee the Land Gen. 12.1 Gen. 26.4.5 And upon this condition we have Eternal Life given us if we will forsake the Vanities of this present evil World and take up their Cross and follow after Christ Mat. 10.37 38 39. Mat. 11.29 Rev. 3.10 11 12. And like Abraham walk with God with a perfect Heart the which God required or him Gen. 17.1 The which is to be sincere and upright 2dly Abraham believed the promise that God made to him in the gift of a Son by Sarah his Wife And he was in continual expectation of the gift of this Son even till Old Age and then hoped against hope Judging him Faithful that had promised Rom. 4.18 21. So the Christians should have waited for the coming of the Lord to Judge and Reign and Restore all things according as it is declared by St. Peter Acts 3.21 And as he saith also by all the Holy Prophets since the World began 3dly Abraham believed the Judge of all the World would do right And not slay the Righteous with the Wicked Gen. 18.25 For his belief was that every one be should Judged as their deeds require according to the World of the Lord. ' That the Righteousness of the Righteous shall be upon him and the Wickedness of the Wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18.20 And not that God had reprobated any before they had offended as some ignorantly imagine 4thly Abraham's Faith was such that he was willing to part with the desire of his Heart and the delight of his Eyes when God required it And therefore he so freely offered up his Son Isaac for a Sacrifice still Believing that God could by him make his Promise good for which thing God was so well pleased with him that God made to him those great promises Gen. 22.16 17 18. But how have the Christians retain'd this
Lord will hasten it in his time Isa 60.21 22. And this is the World to come that will be put in Subjection unto Christ Heb. 2.5 The which will be when the Old Heavens and Earth shall Perish which have now the ruling power And the new Heavens and Earth take place And then the Children of God's Servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before him Psal 102.25 26 27 28. And this is the World to come of which the Apostle saith we speak Heb. 2.5 8. For that which is called a Nation or Generation in the Old Testament where it is said a Seed shall serve him and it shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation Psal 22.30 31. Psal 24.6 7. The same in the New Testament is termed the World to come and the World without end And the Christians since the Apostacy from the truth of God's Word have never rightly understood this World to come nor the Foundation thereof Whereby great part of the Fundamental Doctrine of the Gospel hath been overturned And in the New Testament the last Day is spoken of because they that are under the Gospel will then be Judged and the Gospel institution will then cease and the ruling Power taken out of the Hand of the People of this World and therefore it is termed their last Day But in the Old Testament we never read of a last Day because when Israel is again restored then the Land is given them for an Everlasting inheritance Gen. 17.7 8. And then as the New Heavens and the New Earth shall remain so shall their Seed and their Name remain Isa 66.22 and then 't is that Mount Sion shall be made an Eternal Excellency But more of this hereafter Now whereas St. Paul saith Thes 5.4 5. But ye Brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief ye are all the Children of the Light and the Children of the Day ye are not of the Night nor of darkness This he speaks of them that were of the first Churches which had received the Holy Ghost and thereby he knew they were chosen in a more peculiar manner for that Day which is still to come as his foregoing words make clearly appear in that he saith That Day should not overtake them as a Thief And if we now in this gloomy and dark day walk as Children of the Light in a holy and upright Conversation and with love to the Truth we shall belong to that Day also But when the Apostle wrote this Epistle and the first of the Corinthians he did expect the coming of the Lord in their day but afterwards he did declare to the contrary for in 2 Thes 2.2 he lets them understand that the Day of Christ was not then at hand but that there would be a falling away first but nothing of a New Election afterwards to be called in under the Gospel that being a new received notion and Scriptureless And concerning this Day which is to come the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.9 10. That they knew but in part and they prophesied but in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away Now then what gross Darkness must we lie under that came out of Popery by which was altogether lost the right apprehension of that Day for by the Pope it was condemned for a Heresie But St. Peter said to the Church to whom he wrote Ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 But we having lost the right knowledge of that day are thereby stumbling on the dark Mountains Every Sect sticking to that Opinion they first took up with when they came out of that darkness All thinking themselves so right that they need not make any further enquiry or search into the knowledge of the truth of the Scriptures But now is the time the Lord is beginning to fulfil his Promise in Dan. 12.4 By revealing the true meaning of his Word that thereby knowledge might be increased so as preparation may be made for the Coming of the Lord. And also it is said That at Evening time it shall he light Zech. 14.7 And that the Vision shall speak and not lie Hab. 2.3 By which it doth clearly appear that the Word of the Lord will be better understood than hitherto it hath been for these many hundred years But our mistakes concerning Election in that we have thought our selves the Elect and so they say can never fall from Grace And others wholly believing in the Righteousness of Christ for Salvation not considering the Conditions on which it is tendred All these think they stand so secure that it is no concern of theirs to know whether Christ is coming or not They not apprehending there are a certain Remnant of the Jeros given to Christ by his Father to be his standing witness through the World And that likewise the first Churches were elected and received the Holy Ghost to be in them that the World through them might know that God had sent Christ as thereby they might have ground to believe And upon the publication of the common Salvation was given a day of Grace by the Call of the Word with the assistance of the good motions of the Spirit of God the which Israel had till they resisted in their not obeying the Commands of the Lord Act. 7.51 For they did then strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel Mat. 23.24 And so the Gentiles till they came to have no love to the Truth 2 Thes 2.10 Now the Mistakes in these things if we do not well awaken will prove of most dangerous consequence 1 Thes 5.3 For when they say peace and Safety then sudden Destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a Woman with Child And then it is that such Christians will be found in Darkness who have not prepared for the coming of the Lord. God's Love to the World JOHN 3.16 God so loved the VVorld that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life That is every individual Person that believeth in Christ hath a promise of everlasting Life from which words we are to take notice that of this World or People there are some that will believe and some that will not but that the love of Christ was such as to dye for all for St. Paul saith Hâ—b 2.9 That Christ did tast Death for every Man And St. John saith Christ is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole VVorld 1 John 2.2 From which Scriptures we may plainly see that by Christ all will be cleared from original Sin so as when all come to be Judged they will be Judged according to their Works Rev. 20.12 1 Pet. 1.17 Cor. 5.10 John 5.28 29. Rom. 2.12 13 14. And therefore in the Time or World to come there will be a Redemption for Children and such as are not
wilfully Guilty And God loving his Creatures first it is that thereby it might beget in them a love to him that dyed for them For Christ saith he that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 38. For it is a Faith that worketh by love that is required of us whereby our Wills and Affections must be brought into Subjection unto Christ The which is the Faith unto which the promise of Eternal Life is annext For that which Christ would have us believe is That Salvation is to be had by him according to his Word that is by taking his Yoke upon them and to render obedience to him And to remain faithful to the Death and Christ will give them a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Whosoever thus believeth in Christ shall be saved with an everlasting Salvation for these are the Words of Christ and we are to expect his coming and his Kingdom according as it is declared in his Word But whosoever believeth not what God and Christ hath declared cannot be said to believe in them And by our believing that Christ is the Son of God thereby is required we should obey him as such But whosoever will oppose the Truth and believe what Man says rather than God because it more suits to their carnal inclinations such cannot be said to obey God or believe in him but rather in cunningly devised Fables But the Sinner upon his resignation of himself to Christ is thereby saved from his Sins which are past Rom. 3.25 And by his continuance in well doing he shall be saved with an everlasting Salvation and for Sins of ignorance and Sins of surprisal Christ remains an Advocate But let all take care of wilful and presumptuous Sins for they cause God to withdraw himself For which cause God left Israel to Blindness and the Gentile Christians to delusions when they came to have no love to the Truth but took pleasure in Vnrighteousness 2 Thes 2.10 And now the Christians had best take care they are not found to have no love to the Truth lest thereby they work their overthrow But the Christians by their mistaken notions are for the most part upon a wrong Foundation whereby they are in the Snare according to the Word of the Lord in Isaiah Chap. 24.17 Esau and Jacob made the Figures or Representatives of two Nations or two several Sorts of People GEN. 25.22 23. Rebeckah enquired of the Lord concerning the Strugling of the Children in her Womb. ver 23. And the Lord said to her two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy Bowels and the one People shall be Stronger than the other People and the Elder shall serve the Younger We are here to take notice that God doth not here say that he hated Esau neither that the Elder Brother should serve the Younger but it is said of the Elder People that they should serve the Younger and it is the Younger People that shall be Stronger than the Elder For God made these two Brethren the Figures of two Nations or the two Worlds of People Esau of this World and Jacob of that which is to come And this God determined before the Children had done Good or Evil That the Elder People or Nation should serve the Younger But God had not here determined hatred to either nor servitude to the Elder Brother unto whom God first gave the Preheminence Gen. 4.7 And Jacob tho' he got from Esau the Birth-right and Blessing as to his Seed yet he went not about to take it from Esau's Person for Jacob termed him his Lord Esau Gen. 32.18 Gen. 33.8.13 14. And whereas it is said Gen. 25.26 That Jacob's Hand took hold of Esan's Heel Thereby shewing that the full Power of the Younger World will come in upon the going off of the Power of the Elder World of People and that which is called a Nation People or Generation in the Old Testament Psal 22.28 29 30 31. Psal 102.26 27 28. is called the World to come in the New Heb. 1.8 9 10 11 12 13. Heb. 2 5. And these Younger People must needs be the Stronger People For they will be all Righteous Isa 60.21 They shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and his Brother for they shall be all taught of God Jer. 31.34 And then it is they will walk in the Statutes of the Lord and keep his Commandments and do them Ezek. 36.24 25 26 27. Deut. 30.6 Jer. 32.39 40 41. And they will drink of the River of his Pleasures Psal 36.8 And that abundantly Cant. 5.1 And they will live to the Age of a Tree Isa 65.22 And the Beast of the Field and the Fowls of Heaven and all other Creatures will be subject to them Hos 2.18 Eze. 34.25 And the Lord will make with them the Promised new everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.41 42. which is the Covenant of Peace Ezek. 34.35 And rest in his love and rejoyce over them Zeph. 3.17 And then they shall not say I am Sick Isa 33.24 And sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isa 35.10 And the Lord will be Prince amongst them Ezek. 34.24 25. And then the weak will be as the House of David and the House of David will be as God Zechariah Chap. 12.8 And then their seed shall be known amongst the Gentiles and their off spring among the People Isa 61.9 10 11. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness and all Kings thy Glory Thou shalt also be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God Isa 62.2 3. Here is sufficient proof that these Younger People will be abundantly stronger than the Elder People and then this Younger People which are the Ages to come become thus Blessed then God will shew forth the exceeding Riches of his Grace to the Apostles and Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Eph. 2.7 Who then will have their place in the Glorious Tabernacle which the Lord will pitch and not Man Heb. 8.2 which Tabernacle will be Israel's covert Isa 4.6 From whence the Lord with his raised Saints will ascend and descend to the real Mount Sion as the Lord formlery did from the Cloudy Pillar to the Tabernacle as I have elsewhere at large proved And in time to come the Nations are given to be Servants to Israel For the Lord saith Isa 60.12 The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted And then it is that the Elder People World or Nation are to serve the Younger according as God by his Word has declared But thus far Esau and Jacob did represent the two Nations or two Worlds of People in this time in their own Persons For as Esan was hairy all over Gen. 25.25 which signifies roughness or an unsmoothness And Esau was therein like the constitution of this World of People as to their mind and practice And Esau got his
Faith when they are so far out as to these Heads All as to some of these Heads and some to all of them yet think like them of Laodicea That they stand in need of nothing not knowing that they are Poor Blind and Naked Rev. 3.17 And if they do not with an humble Heart ask of the Lord Eye-Salve that they may see the great Truth in his Word which he hath now discovered and made plain according to his promise and at his own time Dan. 12.4 The shame of their Nakedness will quickly appear And then all the imaginary Faith of Man's forging will be like so many Fig leaves And all their imagin'd Elections will then stand them in no Stead And others that trust to their Baptismal Covenant tho' they perform not the Conditions of it yet think they shall be saved by it Whereby they do but highten their Condemnation and by which means the Nations are involved in false Oaths both the party Baptized and their Sureties they promising that which they do not neither can perform And the Papist believe in their Priest's Pardons so that most have lost the Grounds of a true Faith by false imaginary fictions And so the Gentile Christians are most of them in a deplorable condition I desire none to be offended because I speak thus plain it is by reason their Souls lye at Stake for when the Lord comes we cannot stand upon a Sandy Foundation but it is he that has done the will of God shall be Rewarded Matt. 7.21 Rev. 22.12 St. Paul's Reference to Sarah and Rebeckah NOw St. Paul in Rom. 9. He having there in his Allusion to Sarah and Rebeckah hath therein his reference to Christ's first and second coming and to the several Elections that were and are to be called in at those times according to the Promise For he saith in vers 6. They are not all Israel which are Israel and in vers 7. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called and Isaac came of the Loins of his Father Abraham according to the Flesh yet his Son according to promise And whereas the Apostle saith vers 8 They which are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God but the Children of the promise are accounted for the Seed And all that live not according to the will of the Flesh but according to the Spirit are Heirs according to promise Psal 15. For it is such shall live in his Holy Hill and unto such as obey Christ he will be the Author of Eternal Salvation to them Heb. 5.9 But St. Paul hath here his peculiar reference to them that were and are to be call'd in according to promise at the set time appointed And therefore he first alludeth to Sarah in vers 9. In which he hath a reference to Christ ' first coming which was according to promise at which set time there was some call'd in both of Jew and Gentile by a peculiar calling and that according to promise Joel 2.28 Isa 32.15 Acts 15.14 And that not for any works of Righteousness which they had then done but according to his Mercy he saved them For they were brought out of Idolatry and Heathenism and therefore could not be saved for the works of Righteousness that they had then done But whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 For they were not only to believe but to suffer for his Sake And to be examples to all that would lay hold of the offered Mercy and by Faith and Patience in continuance in well doing they might inherit the Promises But the Apostle foreseeing that the Gentiles that came in upon the common Salvation would not long retain this Faith as so to tread in the steps of Abraham as thereby to remain the Children of Abraham And therefore he goes on and saith in the 10 vers Not only this but when Rebeckah had conceived by one even our Father Isaac For the Children being not then Born neither having done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the Elder shall serve the Younger Here the Apostle hath his whole reference to the time or World to come unto which God hath determined the Glory that the Elder People should serve the Younger that the purpose according to the Election might stand That according to promise at the appointed time when the Lord again comes to Sion he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob Rom 11.25 26 27 28. Joel 3.21 Acts 15.16 And it is then the Elder People Nation or World shall serve the Younger The which the foresaid two Brothers were made the Representatives of But St. Paul makes no exposition on the Servitude because it hath it's reference to the Heathen in time to come and it is in the time to come that Israel will inherit the promises though not the Seed according to the Flesh altho they come of the Loyns of their Fathers For then the Lord will circumcise their Hearts and the Heart of their Seed Deut. 30.6 8. So as then they will love and obey the Lord which in this time through the Corruption of the Flesh and Sinful inclinations of the mind they did not obey him But in this time to come then it is their Righteousness is of the Lord when they are made thus perfectly Righteous Isa 54.13 14 17. And whereas the Apostle saith Rom 9.22 As it is written Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated Now the Apostle here having his allusion to the Seed of Jacob in time to come has likewise here his reference to the Seed of Esau in time to come And whereas he saith as it is written therein he includes the Esau or Edom whose Mountains and Heritage will then be laid wast in time to come for the Sins of their Parents for whose disobedience God will have less regard to them than to any other For tho' the Children in time to come are alike Guiltless yet the Lord then will make great difference among them according as he hath declared in his Word Isa 60.12 Joel 3.8 And it is the Mountains of this latter Esau that will then be laid wast for the Dragons of the Wilderness And then it is that God shews more dislike or hatred to their Seed than to any other For then it is God gives their Young off-spring to be Servants to them that are Servants to Israel Joel 3.8 And in time to come because they were the Offspring of the Wicked and for their returning to Build their desolate Places they are callet the Borders of Wickedness And the People against whom the Lord hath indignaiton for ever Mal. 1.4 Which ever is the ever of the time to come This time being reckoned one ever and the time to come another ever And God hath declared that the Wicked
the coming of the Lord in their Day is farther evident till such time he wrote the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians wherein he then wrote to them not to think that the Day of the Lord was at Hand Chap. 2.2 The which had he not before thought otherwise he would not have had occasion to have wrote to have brought them out of that mistake Now some Men had rather continue in their Mistakes and let God's Glory and Man's Salvation lye at stake And so the People dash themselves in pieces about their several Opinions like so many Potsherds rather than themselves be found in a mistake or venture to encounter with a difficulty The which they know they must do without they have orders from Authority and an agreement among themselves For altho' most of all the Teachers are in some one thing more right than the other yet the height of Man's mind is so great that they will not in the least yield one to the other For tho' the greatest part of the Church of England are righter than the Dissenting party in some things yet in some other things the Dissenting party is righter than they In that they ingage none in Oaths at Baptism And also that they do not now allow any Lord-like dignities in the Church And as for either Pope or Devil as far as they own the Truth all that have the true fear of God before their Eyes are bound to acknowledge it But the Protestants are not willing to own there is a Redemption in the World to come because the Papists and Jews own there is a returning for some from the place of Punishment but the place of Separation will not be found the Popes Purgatory for the Priests to pray them out for a piece of Money For as the Tree falls there it lies till the Judge's time is to remove it And to prove that there is a Redemption for some in the Worlâ— to come I shall only here cite two or three Quotations of Scripture out of many for brevity sakeâ— First that Israel whom God hath concluded in unbelief when the Lord again comes will be delivered out of the Pit wherein there is no Water Zech. 9 11. The which are now Prisoners of hope vers 12. Rom. 11.26 32. And the Children that were Slain by Herod will then return from the Land of the Enemy to their own Border Jer. 31.15 16 17. Mat. 2.18 Isa 49.9 Isa 24.22 1 Tim. 1.20 Chap. 2.5 6. Chap. 4.9 10. The word All in Scripture doth not include the whole but it doth the major part I desire the Teachers of all parties not to be offended for I am to speak the Truth of all sides Some say that I do not write in a Scholastick method and that I heap Scriptures one upon the Back of another As for writing in a Scholastick method I never desire to do it for by that method any one may turn the Scriptures as a Nose of Wax which way they please and as for my heaping Scriptures together it iâ— the only way to make the true meaning of the Worâ— appear what it is when I have a Cloud of Witnesseâ— to prove what I affirm and likewise makâ— plain to the understanding what did first seeâ— by slight examination to appear to be anotheâ— thing than what it really is for the Bible hangâ— one upon another from Genesis to the Revelations anâ— by making plainly appear that all the Prophesieâ— and Christ and the Apstoles do agree in one and thâ— same thing it is the most Convincing way to confirâ— the Truth of the Scriptures and to bring the Peâ—ple into a right understanding of the same the whiâ—… by the Scholastick way the Learned Scholars take 〈◊〉 with it is impossible for them to do should thâ—… live to the Age of Methusalem I hope the wise Heart will consider these things FINIS
shall be cut off from the Earth and that their offspring shall not remain in it 37 Psal 9.22.28 The which will be made good in the ever of the time to come And whereas St. Paul saith Rom. 9.14 What shall we say then is there Vnrighteousness with God God forbid Whereas he saith then thereby he sheweth he hath his reference to the time to come For as Balaam said according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and Israel what hath God wrought Num. 23.23 And so St. Paul sheweth the deliverance of Israel the second time will be like that of the first And whereas he said in the 15. vers God said to Moses I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Whereas the Apostle saith vers 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy By this then the Apostle hath his reference to the then time of Israels deliverance And therefore he saith in the 17 vers The Scripture saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared through all the Earth Now in the Hebrew it is no otherwise writ then that God made him stand For they being Israel's oppressors God therefore then made him stand till he came in the Clouds to drown them in the Sea For tho' God did not harden him in Wickedness or Cruelty yet he did in unbelief of his Power that he and his Host might follow after Israel and be drowned in the Sea So again when the Lord comes in the Clouds the wicked Edomites will then be destroyed when their Children will be spared for them that harden themselves in Wickedness and Cruelty God chuses such to harden in unbelief of his coming that he may thereby overtake them at unawares And when the Master of the House riseth up to Judgment then he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and then his Mercy will be shewed according to his Promise and his Punishments according to his Threatnings For therein they shall not resist his will for then it is not any ones willing and running can bring them in Heirs with Israel to the Promises For then God according to his Word will shew forth his Power and make some Vessels to Honour and some to Dishonour At which time vers 23.24 He will make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy which he had before prepared unto Glory even us whom he hath called not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles This the Apostle speaks of them that were then in a peculiar manner called in whom he had before well instructed in these matters about which he wrote unto them for he saith he had declared the whole counsel of God by which he says he was clear from the Blood of all Men Acts 20.26 27. But these things were hard for us to understand who since tâ—â—â—â— of the Pope know nothing of this matter he having condemned it for a Heresie Now St. Paul had several meanings according to the several occasions he had to express himself As when the first Gentile Churches were brought out of Idolatry he said unto them it was not for any works of Righteousness which they had done but according to his Mercy he saved them Titus 3.5 Rom. 3.25 And to all that embraced the Faith He said they must run for the Prize 1 Cor. 9.24 And that such should reap if they faint not Gal 6.9 And whereas he saith ye are saved by Grace and not by Works Is thereby to shew That none can be saved by Works standing alone without the Grace and Mercy of God through Christ But the tender of God's Grace being on conditions we must in this Life perform the conditions if we will in time to come inherit the Promises But when the Master of the House is risen up to Judgment then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth Mercy For then God will shew Mercy to Israel according to his promise and punish the Disobedient under the Gospel according to his Threatnings But we not knowing these distinctions it hath occasioned endless Controversie among us And had not St. Paul's Words had their several tendencies he had writ a parcel of contradictions and if so he had thereby made all that he had said as an insignificant thing Not all Sleep AND whereas St. Paul said 1 Cor. 15.51 52. We shall not all Sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment at the last Trumpet Now the question is what We the Apostle here speaks of Whether it be both good and bad or only the saved that will be thus suddenly changed To which I answer it is not the bad that will be thus suddenly changed neither the generality of them that are saved that will be the We the Apostle here meaneth For Israel is to return into their own Land when the great Trumpet is blown Isa 27.13 And then it is the New everlasting Covenant will be Establisht and then it is God will rest in his Love to his People Therefore the Apostle saith vers 52. As it is written Death is swallowed up in Victory Isa 25.8 For then it is the rebuke of his People Israel God will take away from off all the Earth But this will not be done in the twinkling of an Eye therefore can have no reference to the We that are to be so suddenly changed And so by this We the Apostle appears only to have his reference to them in that time rather than to the Elect remnant which was to remain to the end of the World undeceived For in that he said we shall not all Sleep as expecting the returning of the Lord in their Day as by his writing it does further appear in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 4. vers 17. And therefore he saith Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air. For he knew that they were fore-chosen for the Glorious Tabernacle as well as those that Sleep when raised And therefore St. Paul saith Ephes 1.12 That we should be to the Praise of his Glory who first trusted in Christ Whereby it is evident to all by his saying We he had but herein his reference to them in that time that did first trust in Christ and were fore-chosen that God in them might shew forth the exceeding Riches of his Grace in the Ages to come Ephes 2.7 For they being fore-chosen for the Glorious Tabernacle he knew there was no getting up there but by being taken up in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air where this Glorious Mansion is to be placed over all Israel's assemblies and for their Covert Isa 4.5 6. And that he did expect